WASHINGTON – First lady Michelle Obama (click here) stepped into the political/policy arena Tuesday, criticizing House Republicans over a plan to permit exceptions to new federal nutrition standards for school lunches.
"This is unacceptable," she said while meeting with an invited group of school nutrition officials. "It's unacceptable to me not just as first lady, but also as a mother."
Citing the rising incidence of obesity among children and adults, the first lady said "the last thing we can afford to do right now is play politics with our kids health" and "now is not the time to roll back everything we have worked for."
House Republicans said the proposal -- part of an Agriculture Department appropriations bill -- would be a temporary, one-year waiver for schools that are having financial trouble meeting the new food standards....
There is no need for a waiver. Waivers are considered important when government standards change and there are substantial inventories that have to be dispersed. In carrying such waivers it makes it easier for businesses and/or government agencies, such as schools, to implement change effectively with all profits realized from old inventories.School lunch programs are subsidized to provide nutrition for our nation's children. School lunches have to be prepared fresh everyday. The inventories for the preparation of school lunches are not more than a week in planning and ordering. There are not large frozen storage facilities where large amounts of any agricultural commodity is kept for schools. It isn't practical and it is expensive for a school system to implement any such storage facility. Commercial storage holding any agricultural commodity has many, many private industry customers that are not government subsidized where their inventories can be sold. As a rule if there are agricultural inventories stored for a year, it is breaking the law.
This is from "Shelf Life Advice."
Apples ripen quickly at room temperature. (click here) If you plan to eat them within a day or two, they'll be fine on the counter. Otherwise, refrigerate them in a perforated plastic bag. If possible, store them in the back of the refrigerator. If purchased in good condition, apples should last 3-6 months in a refrigerated environment....
When US Congress adds such instruments of cronyism into vital legislation to protect our children it is pure, unadulterated corruption. I demand Congress to remove the corruption from this legislation, our children are not 'chips in the big game.'
Our children are innocent. They deserve the protection the First Lady asks for on their behalf.
"I am ready for the sky to blow..."
