School meal guidelines: Not just nanny-state do-goodism

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TOMATOES — F.O.B.S AS OF MAY 14

CENTRAL AND SOUTH FLORIDA DISTRICTS — Shipments (433-454-398) — Movement expected to increase. Trading moderate. Prices 5x6s higher, others lower. Extra services included. 25-pound cartons loose mature-greens 85% U.S. 1 or better 5x6s $8.95-9.95, 6x6s $7.95-8.95, 6x7s $7.95-8.95. Quality generally good.

MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH NOGALES, ARIZ. — Crossings (152-146-159, greenhouse 124-123-137, vine-ripes 28-23-22) — Movement expected to decrease seasonally. Supplies 4x4 to 4x5s light. Trading 4x4 to 4x5s fairly active, others slow. Prices 4x4 to 4x5s higher, others generally unchanged. Field-grown and greenhouse cartons/flats two-layer 4x4s mostly $9-10, 4x5s mostly $7.95-9, 5x5s mostly $4.99-5, 5x6s $4.64-5. Quality variable.

MEXICO CROSSINGS THROUGH OTAY MESA, CALIF. — Crossings (8-8-11, greenhouse 7-7-9, vine-ripes 1-1-2) — Movement expected to increase seasonally. Supplies in too few hands to establish a market. Quality generally good. The first f.o.b. report was expected to be issued the week of May 21.

WEST FLORIDA DISTRICT — Shipments (0-0-0) — Light harvest expected to start the week of May 28. Expect first f.o.b. by the first week of June.

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CANADA SHIPPING POINTS — Greenhouse (149*-150-**) — No prices reported. **unavailable, *revised

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Home > Opinion > Fresh Talk Blog > School meal guidelines: Not just nanny-state do-goodism

Fresh Talk Blog

School meal guidelines: Not just nanny-state do-goodism

01/27/2012 11:30:46 AM
Tom Karst

Stories about the updated school meal nutrition guidelines are everywhere this morning. Start, of course, with The Packer's coverage. Part of the cost savings that the USDA utilized with the new regulation is an "offer versus serve" distinction. Students will be offered the full portion but they can choose a smaller portion if they like. So the work of schools and their suppliers is to make fresh produce selections as tasty as possible.

There is no way to know what form - fresh, canned or frozen - the increased fruit and vegetable purchases by schools will take. That market share number will certainly be an important gauge of industry engagement of the school foodservice sector in the next few years. It was not encouraging to see that a recent planned purchase of fresh cut apple slices was cancelled by the USDA because of a "technical" issue. Here's hoping the USDA gears up fresh produce purchases - particularly value-added fruits and veggies - for school feeding programs.

Several foodservice directors are interviewed in this piece by the Boston Herald.

Nicole Stockdale of the Dallas Morning News answers the question "Are new school lunch rules just one more nanny-state overreaction? " and argues convincingly to the contrary.

Of course, policy wonks will check out the USDA resources on the school meal changes. Of particular interest to those folks is the 110-page final summary of public comments on the proposal.

Reports of note today: Union membership in the U.S., USDA unveils new plant hardiness zone map, USDA vegetables annual summary, North American potatoes, USDA FAS South China fruit markets, Super Bowl "fun facts" from the Census Bureau.