Obama Proposes Budget, Pushes GMOs, and Falls Short on School Lunch Reform

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Feb 03, 2010 at 06:00:00 AM PST

Unlike other nutrition programs (such as food stamps) that are entitlements, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) must have funds appropriated by Congress. For entitlement programs, the government spends as much money as it takes to pay for everyone who is eligible for the program. That's not the case for WIC. And when the economy is down (as it is now), the number of people eligible for WIC goes up. (To be eligible for WIC, you must be a pregnant or breastfeeding mom or a child under age 5 with a household income of less than 185% of the federal poverty level.)

After splitting out part of the extra $1 billion for WIC, according to Kim Severson of the New York Times, the remaining money for school lunch amounts to less than 20 cents per meal. Quite frankly, this is pathetic. The School Nutrition Association asked Congress for an extra 35 cents per meal, and I thought THAT was pathetic. This is far worse. Tom Philpott agrees (and cleverly references the Depression-era hit song "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"... or two dimes in this case).

In other parts of his proposed budget, Obama gives a record amount to ag & food research (much of which will go to biotech), money to promote agricultural exports, and (the one bright spot) conservation money for Chesapeake Bay.

Among the USDA's goals, he ironically lists "Ensure that all of America's children have access to safe, nutritious and balanced meals." (A great idea, if only he would fund it!) And, sadly, he says "Help America to promote agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security." Dumping cheap commodities on other countries to undermine their food sovereignty is bad in itself, but a specific emphasis on biotechnology by the Obama administration is especially upsetting.

See Obama's budget fact sheet below...

Create New Jobs and New Opportunities in Rural Communities

• Invest in five core areas to promote rural job creation:  access to broadband services, regional food systems, renewable energy programs, climate change, and rural recreation.
• $429 million, the highest funding level ever, for competitive research grants through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
• $418 million in loans and grants for rural communities to expand broadband access.
• Refocus Forest Service resources to support watershed and ecosystem improvement efforts.

Eat Healthier, Live Better

• $7.6 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to fully serve all eligible individuals.
• $10 billion over 10 years for a strong Child Nutrition and WIC reauthorization.
• $50 million for a new "Healthy Food Financing Initiative" to bring grocery stores and other healthy food retailers to underserved communities.
• Support efforts to reduce food-borne illnesses from products inspected by USDA.

Expand Opportunities for America's Farmers

• $54 million discretionary funding increase to promote U.S. agricultural exports by developing and maintaining overseas markets and reducing foreign trade barriers and other practices that hinder U.S. agricultural exports.
• Targets farm payments to those who need - and can most benefit from - assistance and reforms the crop insurance program by renegotiating the government's agreement with crop insurance companies.

Protect the Nation's Natural Resources

• Fund several important conservation efforts such as improving water quality, restoring and protecting almost 200,000 additional acres of wetlands, and reducing nutrient loading in the Chesapeake Bay.

High-Priority Performance Goals
The Administration is committed to building a transparent, high-performance government capable of addressing the challenges of the 21st century.  As part of developing the budget, every department identified high-priority performance goals (along with the strategies and in-house resources to achieve them) that each will work to accomplish over the next two years.  Highlights of this department's goals are:

• Assist rural communities to increase prosperity so they are self sustaining, re-populating, and economically thriving.
• Conserve, restore, and make our national forests and private working lands more resilient to climate change and enhance our water resources.
• Help America to promote agricultural production and biotechnology exports as America works to increase food security.
• Ensure that all of America's children have access to safe, nutritious and balanced meals.

To see the Department's full set of performance information, please visit:  http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal...