GOP bill targets Michelle Obama's prized school lunch regs

[Geee]

The Hill:

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) is introducing legislation to relax the rules for healthy school lunches.

 

At the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) 2015 Legislative Action Conference at the JW Marriott Monday, Hoeven announced the Healthy School Meals Flexibility Act to give schools more flexibility in complying with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations when it comes to whole grains and sodium levels.

 

The bill would allow schools to revert back to 2012 standards, which require at least half of all grains served in school breakfast and school lunch to be whole grain rich. The standard now is for 100 percent of all grains offered to be whole grain rich.

 

The bill also prevents USDA from requiring further sodium reductions in school meals below the current level, which took effect July 2014.

 

Under the mandate, schools have to keep sodium levels in school lunch below 1,230 mg for grades K-5, 1,360 mg for grades 6-8 and 1,420 mg for grades 9-12 for the week.

 

“Providing our students with healthy, nutritious and delicious meals is important,” Hoeven said in a prepared statement.