NYC Gazette

Washington, DC –On May 11, 2023 , Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D (D-NY) reintroduced the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act. This bill would create a voluntary grant program for school districts to help schools provide healthier, climate friendly, and culturally appropriate plant-based entrée options to students.

Research has shown, eating plant-based foods can help people maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and protect against certain forms of cancer and other diseases. According to the CDC, approximately 39% of New York City public school children in kindergarten through eighth grade are overweight or obese, and obesity now affects 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States.

“Students deserve to have access to healthy meals that fit their lifestyles and cultures regardless of where they choose to go to school,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act which will give students the option to have plant-based entrées in their schools, helping to fight climate change and combat food insecurity. It’s time that we invest in our children’s health and deliver food justice for all.”

“Creating a livable future for our kids does not stop with investing in renewable energy. The climate crisis we face requires a holistic approach that includes building sustainable food systems at every level of our society, beginning with our public education system,” said Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. “Students and their families deserve healthy, plant-based, culturally appropriate meal options at school. I am honored to join Rep. Velázquez in reintroducing this bill to advance food justice among marginalized communities, support socially disadvantaged farmers, and combat food insecurity while fighting the climate crisis.”

The bill will not only support improving children’s health but will also aid in the fight against climate change. Research has shown animal-based foods tend to be more carbon-intensive than plant-based foods. The bill would foster the development and accessibility of climate friendly food options in schools as our nation works toward net-zero.

The funds that would be made available through the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act would provide for:

• Culinary training and technical assistance for school foodservice operators and staff
• Procurement costs of plant-based sources of protein and milk from socially disadvantaged producers, local producers, and women, veteran, and beginning farmers
• Marketing and student engagement, such as conducting taste tests and providing nutrition education
• Additional labor costs incurred in preparing and serving plant-based options
• Partnering with small to medium sized plant-based food businesses and producers for professional development and training
• School districts who serve a high population of food insecure students will be prioritized under the new pilot program.

Included in this year’s bill is new provisions that would require school districts to provide a non-dairy milk substitute to children without a disability if a parent or guardian makes a written request to the school district. This bill will also authorize school districts to provide a non-dairy fluid milk alternative (consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) to any student as part of a reimbursable meal without a note.

 

A copy of the legislation can be found HERE.

This bill is also cosponsored by: Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Lucy McBath (D-GA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MI), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

“We’ve heard from students all over the country who are deeply familiar with the climate emergency and are out front finding creative solutions to protect their future. The least we adults can do is to make those solutions easily accessible to all students, especially when it’s something as simple, familiar, and delicious as eating more plant-based foods at school. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act will empower our students and schools to rebuild a food system truly made for people and planet, one lunch tray at a time,” said Sara Fletcher Communications and Public Affairs Director, Oatly North America.

“Given the systemic animal cruelty on factory farms, pervasive abuse of antibiotics by the meat industry and environmental unsustainability of Big Agriculture on a heating planet, the Animal Rights Committee of the National Lawyers Guild heartily supports Congresswoman Velazquez's Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program,” said Tamara Bedić, Esq. Animal Rights Committee, Chair.

"EWG applauds Rep. Velázquez for her leadership in urging the USDA to expand and prioritize healthy plant-based food choices for students. Getting more of our protein from plants can help farmers and significantly reduce how much our choices contribute to the climate crisis," said Geoff Horsfield Government Affairs Manager at Environmental Working Group.

"Given the crucial nutritional role that school lunches play for children across the nation, and that increasing the amount of plant-based meals available to our schoolchildren will greatly improve their personal health, as well as the health of our planet by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of their school lunches, HAF is proud to support Rep. Velázquez’s re-introduction of the Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program in 2023,” said Hindu American Foundation.

"As a physician and a parent of a 3rd grader, I very much want to see more plant-based options offered in our public schools," said Asha Subramanian, MD, MPH, a Board-certified family medicine and lifestyle medicine physician. "By increasing access to delicious, plant-based school meal options, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will help reduce the risk of health problems for children, including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Plus, children from underserved communities often rely on school meals as a main source of nutrition. This Act will help level the playing field for those most at risk for poverty and hunger. It's a win-win."

“By expanding access to nutritious plant-based school meals, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will help students establish healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime,” said Neal Barnard, M.D., President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “It is especially encouraging that the legislation seeks to change the federal laws that currently prevent students from accessing nondairy milks at school. With so many students of color unable to digest lactose, the Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will bring more equity to the National School Lunch Program.”

"The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act presents a quadruple win for student choice, racial equity, student health, and the environment," said Chloë Waterman, senior program manager at Friends of the Earth U.S. "We are grateful to Representatives Velázquez and Bowman for introducing legislation to enable school districts to provide plant-based options to benefit our children and the planet."

"We need a more holistic approach to meeting the overall needs of school-age children," said Syra, a resident of Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY, whose children attend 2nd and 8th grade at public schools in Manhattan. "We need more fruits and vegetables, more nutrient-dense foods, more whole, organic, plant-based foods. No one in my family is vegan, but we eat a lot of plant-based foods at home and would like to see similar foods in schools. It would make it a lot easier for us working parents, especially parents who have children that require extra care."

"We must continue to right the historical wrongs of colonization which have led to great disparities in health, food security, and environmental justice, most of which is felt by Black, Indigenous, and students of the Global Majority," said Eloísa Trinidad, Executive Director of Chilis on Wheels. "Any student going hungry throughout their school day because the food offered is either not culturally appropriate or doesn't meet their other needs is unacceptable. We must include students who have dietary restrictions whether due to a food allergy, philosophical, or cultural reason. No child should ever be hungry. Providing proper sustenance through school food is one of the ways in which we can give every student an early chance to succeed. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act starts to reimagine what empowering our students for a better future looks like. Giving students the right to choose not only has the potential to nurture their bodies but also to strengthen their mental well-being."

"We know that students need to be eating more fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, grains and pulses, which must lead us to serving more healthy, plant-forward options in schools," said Chef Ann Cooper, founder of the Chef Ann Foundation and former Food Services Director for Boulder Valley Unified School District. "Schools often face cost, technical, educational and marketing barriers to serving plant-forward meal options since federal subsidies often make animal-based foods cheaper. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act will start to level the playing field so that school districts can meet the growing need for healthy, delicious plant-forward menu items."

"Healthy, balanced, and culturally appropriate meals are no longer nice-to-haves on school menus, but are in fact critical to both the short- and long-term wellbeing of our children, families, and communities," said Audrey Lawson-Sanchez, executive director of the public health organization Balanced and a former educator. "This Act to help schools meet the nutritional needs of their students while also promoting equity and inclusivity should be celebrated. As a mother and public health advocate, I am thrilled to see this legislation introduced and hope this is just the first of many policies of its kind."

“The Healthy Future Students and Earth Pilot Program Act supports students, schools, farmers, and communities. Nourishing, plant-based foods support students' health, choices that align with their values, and a sustainable future. Importantly, this legislation also invests in the infrastructure and job training necessary to bring these foods from farm-to-student," said Alexandra Bookis, Sr. Manager of U.S. Government Affairs at Farm Sanctuary. “We applaud Representatives Velázquez and Bowman for introducing this holistic, equity-driven legislation.”

“As a non-profit that works with schools around the country to help add plant-based options to their menus, we know that providing a financial incentive for piloting plant-based entrees would be incredibly helpful,” said Amie Hamlin, Executive Director, Coalition for Healthy School Food. “Given that plant-based eating is one of the top food trends for health, sustainability, equity, and ethics, and one that is being adopted at a high rate by young people, but especially BIPOC, the lack of plant-based options places a financial burden on families that value plant-based eating and depend on school meals as a lifeline.”  

“Working together with the Coalition for Healthy School Food, we have successfully introduced many plant-based entrees inspired by foods from around the world,” said Beth Krause, RD, Ithaca City School District Food Service Director. “The students enjoy them and we’ve had many more teachers and staff buying our meals. In addition, we have found that they cost the same or less as meat or cheese-based entrees. The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act would help ensure that schools have the resources to offer these healthy, high-fiber, cholesterol-free, and planet-friendly meals as an option.”

“As the grandmother of a preschooler and a public health advocate, it’s important to me that my granddaughter continue to develop healthy and sustainable habits,” said Amy Halpern-Laff. “Right now, she eats mostly fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, and tofu, and this legislation will help ensure she can continue to find those healthy and sustainable options at school.”

“With more than 7 billion school meals served every year, ensuring children have healthy, plant-based food at school is critical to the well-being of future generations and our planet,” said Jennifer Molidor, senior food campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Healthy Future Students and Earth Act is a win-win for school-age children and the environment.”

“As a high school student, I see many of my peers with dietary restrictions forced to bring their lunch every day due to limited options in the cafeteria line”, said Nancy Zhang, a 16 year-old advocate and high school student from Indiana. “Not only are plant-based options more inclusive to the many students who cannot consume animal products due to religious beliefs, allergies, lactose-intolerance, etc., they are also beneficial to our health and the planet. By providing students with healthier and more sustainable foods, plant-based options contribute to a healthier future for all. 

Original source can be found here.