Nutrition
NAMA strongly supports the consumption of both enriched and whole grains in a healthy diet.
Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act
NAMA and others in the Grain Chain including the National Association of Wheat Growers and the American Bakers Association (ABA), supported passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act and strongly advocated that school children have access to wholesome grain foods that provide the much-needed nutrition to grow and learn. The bill gives the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to set science-based standards for foods sold in schools through rulemaking and following the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
On January 26, 2012, USDA published new guidelines for foods that can be served in schools. In the first major changes to school meals in 15 years, the new rule will affect nearly 32 million children who eat at school. They will cost about $3.2 billion to implement over the next five years. Grains will continue to play an important role in the schools in the new guidelines with an emphasis on increasing whole grains. Requirements that all grains served in schools must be whole grain-rich beginning with school year 2014-2015 for lunch and breakfast were included in the rule. For lunch, schools may offer half of whole grain-rich, and half refined enriched for the next two school years. The breakfast program has a year to phase in the requirements. USDA has defined whole grain-rich as a product having 51% whole grains, which would be the first ingredient listed. The original proposal allowed schools the option of offering a grain-based dessert five times per week to meet part of the weekly grains requirement, however, the final rule reduces that to two. The guidelines do not include any language that would prohibit bake sales in schools.
NAMA comments on the proposed rule reiterated the important role enriched grains have played in the health and wellbeing of Americans including the eradication of the crippling diseases Pellagra and Beriberi. We also noted that since the fortification of enriched grains with folic acid in 1996, there has been a 25-35 percent decrease in neural tube defects in the U.S.
Nutrition Principles in Food Marketed to Children
NAMA worked with the “Grain Chain” to successfully push for unified, science-based recommendations reinforcing the bread and grain food daily consumption recommendations in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for both whole and enriched grains, and on other nutritional issues including commenting on the Interagency Working Group (IWG) proposal to restrict food and beverages marketed to kids. NAMA recommended IWG withdraw its proposal based on failure to follow federal statute that identifies the Dietary Guidelines as the blueprint for all federal nutrition policy. In the 2012 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, Congress prohibited the Federal Trade Commission, the lead agency on the initiative, from spending money on finalizing the proposal until the agency and its partners comply with an executive order which includes a costs/benefits analysis.
In May of 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a request in the Federal Register asking for public comment on an “Experimental Study on Consumer Responses to Whole Grain Labeling Statements on Food Packages." NAMA, along with ABA, American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) and other interested grains groups, worked to develop recommendations for improving the draft survey questionnaire using survey methodology that will ensure questions are clearly written and will deliver the insights FDA is seeking on whole-grain labeling. The results of the study are significant because the outcome could form the basis for regulatory action.
MyPlate - New Icon for U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
On June 2, 2011, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled the federal government’s new food icon MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. With grains occupying a large wedge on the dinner plate graphic, the agencies are making a strong statement regarding the importance of grains as the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. NAMA, ABA and the rest of the grain chain issued a joint statement applauding USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for illustrating the importance of grain foods in a healthy diet. USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion has mapped out a coordinated messaging approach among public and private sector partners to assist with its quarterly themes. Grains messaging will take place September-December 2012 with the theme “Foods to Increase: Make at Least Half Your Grains whole grains.”
Gluten-free Labeling
The federal government, on January 20, published its semi-annual regulatory agenda list. The to-do list describes active rulemakings that have at least some possibility of issuance over the next year. Gluten-free labeling of foods was mentioned in the list for the first time. FDA reopened its comment period on the agency’s 2007 gluten-free labeling proposal. In its notice, FDA continues to believe the proposed definition of “gluten-free” – 20 ppm – is the correct one. A final rule is expected in November 2012.
Last update May 2012
Prepared by Sherri Lehman, Director of Government Relations, 202.484.2200, ext. 13, slehman@namamillers.org.
- Read More -
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ296/pdf/PLAW-111publ296.pdf
Grain Chain school meals comments: http://www.namamillers.org/Comments_School_Meals_Apr132011.html
Proposed Rule: Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-01-13/pdf/2011-485.pdf
Comments to IWG re: Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children: Proposed Nutrition Principles: http://www.namamillers.org/Comments_IWG_07_14_11.html
Experimental Study on Consumer Responses to Whole Grain Labeling Statements on Food Packages: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-05-26/html/2011-13060.htm
Grain Chain statement about MyPlate icon: http://www.namamillers.org/PR_MyPlate_06_02_2011.html
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