USDA Visits New Orleans to Discuss Food and Nutrition Programs
Administrator Cindy Long, who oversees the federal government’s 15 nutrition assistance programs, visited families, schools and program administrators in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Wednesday to share more information about access to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.
Long visited three local sites: a school, a Women, Infants and Children clinic, and a child care center.
At these sites, Long met with staff and students involved in FNS programs, discussed school meals with cafeteria workers, provided a snack service to families and staff, and discussed how to improve maternal health outcomes through federal WIC programs.
While in New Orleans, Long will also speak at the National Child Nutrition Conference, which brings together professionals from child care centers to discuss child nutrition topics through Friday, April 22.
Long’s visit to New Orleans comes after USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced the department was committed to deepening its work in the area to promote nutrition security based on a report titled Actions on Nutrition Security.
The report details several areas the USDA will focus on to improve Americans’ diets.
Improvements include modernizing WIC programs, updating the standards for school meal programs, helping Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants make the most of their benefits, and focusing on nutrition education efforts through SNAP-Ed, WIC Breastfeeding Support and MyPlate, as well as ensuring they meet the needs of the diverse audiences they serve.
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