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FNS-06-2003

Jean Daniel (202) 236-9945
Suanne Buggy (703) 305-2286

USDA AWARDS OVER $4 MILLION IN NUTRITION TRAINING GRANTS 
Releases New Tool to Promote Fruits and Vegetable Consumption

RENO, Nevada, July 21, 2003 –Agriculture Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Eric M. Bost today announced Team Nutrition training grants totaling over $4 million to help state agencies to improve children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits. Bost made the announcement at the America School Food Service Association Annual Conference where he also released Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More, a Team Nutrition tool for school foodservice staff.

“Reducing the rates of childhood obesity and creating a healthier school environment is a priority for the Bush Administration,” said Bost. “President Bush’s Healthier US initiative promotes eating healthy diets, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as increasing physical activity. The Team Nutrition grants and the fruit and vegetable guide are resources that schools and state agencies can use to achieve the goal of improving children’s nutrition habits.” 

Team Nutrition provides schools with nutrition education materials for children and families; technical assistance materials for school food service directors, managers and staff; and materials to build school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. State agency partners provide training and technical assistance to support these programs in local schools.
The Team Nutrition Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More technical assistance tool was developed in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute’s National 5-A-Day Program, the Produce for Better Health Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American School Food Service Association and the National Restaurant Association. The guide is designed for school foodservice staff. It contains tips on the presentation and promotion of fruits and vegetables. 

The Team Nutrition training grants will assist state agencies in achieving the Team Nutrition goal of improving children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits. The 21 states receiving the grants will use the funds to deliver new and innovative behavior-focused nutrition education strategies for children and their caregivers through the state agencies that administer the National School Lunch Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Programs. In addition, states can use the funds to provide training and technical assistance for child nutrition professionals, including improved techniques for preparing nutritious, appealing meals.

“Improving the nutrition environment in our schools requires partnerships,” said Bost. “These Team Nutrition resources are another opportunity to build partnerships and improve children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits.”

Team Nutrition training grants were awarded to the following states through a competitive grants process: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, Virgin Islands, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

For more information about Team Nutrition, please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/ . Additional information about the 5 A Day program can be found at http://www.5aday.gov/ . Information on President Bush’s Healthier US Initiative can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/fitness/ .

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