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Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $4.8 million in grants for 74 projects spanning 39 states that support USDA's efforts to connect child nutrition programs with local farmers and ranchers through its Farm to School Program.

The subject today is child nutrition, and we have three people to whom this subject is very important: the Secretary of Agriculture, the president of the national pediatric association, and the director of nutrition research at the Pew Charitable Trusts.

USDA is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of older adults, ensuring that all older Americans have access to healthy food and that older adults in rural America have access to housing. Low-income older Americans continue to be an underserved and vulnerable population, due in part to administrative complexities associated with participating in federal assistance programs.

While representing USDA at the annual conference of the National Association of Food Distribution Programs on Indian Reservations today, Under Secretary Kevin Concannon announced close to $1 million in grants to support nutrition education programs for participants of the USDA’s Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. In total, 15 nutrition education projects serving participants in 17 states were selected through a competitive award process that was open to tribal nations and state agencies that administer FDPIR.

Today, Secretary Tom Vilsack joined representatives from Milwaukee's Hunger Task Force, the Kohl's Corporation, and members of the Milwaukee community to bring attention to childhood hunger.

Secretary Tom Vilsack released a statement today after FBS issued new data showing that 95 percent of schools are successfully meeting the updated meal standards made possible by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

In a speech at the National Farmers Union Convention today, Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of $96.8 million in grants to fund innovative projects designed to support specialty crop producers, local food entrepreneurs, and farm to school efforts, which in turn will increase access to healthy, nutritious food for American families and children.

Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced additional support for schools working to serve school children healthy meals with the nationwide expansion of the Team Up for School Nutrition Success Initiative. The initiative will provide school nutrition personnel across the country tailored technical assistance and peer to peer mentoring. 

Continuing USDA’s focus on childhood hunger during National Nutrition Month, Administrator Audrey Rowe today announced  USDA 2015 goal of serving 200 million meals to children and teens in low-income communities this summer – 14 million more than were served in 2014.