WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mike Braun (R-IN) and Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN) introduced the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, Hunger and Health Act to start the process of convening a second White House conference to address the nation’s nutrition crisis.
The last – and only – White House conference convened more than 50 years ago and spurred the expansion of key programs that addressed severe hunger and malnutrition in the United States. “While hunger still persists, in the decades since 1969, our nation’s hunger problem has become a dietary quality problem,” said Tom Stenzel, President & CEO of United Fresh. “As we emerge from a pandemic that disproportionately impacted those with diet-related chronic disease – we simply cannot put off action any longer. We must be transformational in our approach to reverse our nutrition insecurity problem.”
United Fresh supports a series of key policy changes to help improve nutrition insecurity and dietary quality including the expansion of school meals and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, increasing the fruit and vegetable benefit in the WIC program, adding a fruit and vegetable benefit to SNAP, increasing procurement of fresh fruits and vegetables in USDA purchasing programs, and more accurate labeling of foods that mislead consumers around fruits and vegetables at retail.
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About United Fresh Produce Association
Founded in 1904, the United Fresh Produce Association brings together companies across every segment of the fresh produce supply chain, including growers, shippers, fresh cut processors, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, foodservice operators, industry suppliers and allied associations. We empower industry leaders to shape sound government policy. We deliver the resources and expertise companies need to succeed in managing complex business and technical issues. We provide the training and development individuals need to advance their careers in produce. Through these endeavors, we unite out industry with a common purpose – to build long-term value for our members and grow produce consumption. For more information, visit www.unitedfresh.org
