Policy Matters

Task Force on Childhood Obesity

The Maryland General Assembly, House Bill 1176, calls for appointment of a Task Force on Childhood Obesity. The task force would make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly regarding appropriate legislation and actions to reduce the short and long term consequences of childhood obesity.

Get more information on House Bill 1176.

Mapping School Food: A Policy Guide

Improving the school food environment can be a difficult task, and understanding school food law and policy can be a barrier to getting started. Mapping School Food was written to help legislators, advocates, parents, teachers and anyone interested in improving school food navigate school food law and policy.

Mapping School Food is an innovative guide that describes school food policy from the perspective of different personnel in the school system. It also provides tools to help advocates find answers, resolve conflicts, and build consensus for improving school food in their community.

Mapping School Food is available as a free download here.

Top Public Health Issues

School Wellness Policies: Addressing the Needs of Low-income Students

The Food Research and Action Center released "School Wellness Policy and Practice: Meeting the Needs of Low-Income Students," a guide for anti-hunger advocates, parents and school and community leaders that addresses the special concerns of low-income students in local school wellness policies. The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires every school district participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Program to establish a local wellness policy by the start of the 2006-2007 school year.

Local school wellness policies are an important new tool to promote healthy eating and physical activity through changes in school programs and environments. The guide provides sample policies, model programs and key research, with a special emphasis on addressing the nutrition concerns of low-income children and communities. The guide is intended to supplement other tools available for designing school wellness policies by providing strategies that address the unique needs of low-income students, families and communities. For more information click here.

Speaking out on the 2007 Farm Bill

Congressional committees have already begun preparing for the 2007 Farm Bill, which will reauthorize the Food Stamp Program (as well as farm subsidy conservation and other programs). The Senate and House Agriculture Committees now have Web-based tools to solicit public input. While many comments are expected to be submitted by farmers and ranchers concerned with other titles of the bill, the anti-hunger community has a great opportunity to use the Web-based comment process to build early momentum for investments in the nutrition title.

The Food Research and Action Center is providing a means to adding your voice and others to those wanting a strong nutrition title in the upcoming Farm Bill. They offer ideas on framing and submitting comments. Background on the 2007 Farm Bill is posted in FRAC's 2007 Farm Bill Food Stamp Reauthorization Action Center.

Childhood Obesity

According to the Council of State Governments, childhood obesity is one of the top public policy issues to be addressed by policy makers in 2006.