The Urban School Food Alliance shares in the frustration and disappointment with other advocacy groups that Congress neglected, through the omnibus, to include the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to extend the waivers needed to help children and families as they try to rebuild their lives during and after this pandemic. As schools continued to open and close, children were on a rollercoaster of food insecure situations. Without the waivers, students will have to stay at a site for 20 minutes to access summer meals, they will be shouldering the burden of their family income in order to access food at schools, and school meal program operators are at risk of financial penalties for not meeting all the exact federal meal requirements while struggling with severe supply chain shortages. We have the safest, most plentiful food supply in the world and we have decided not to allow our nation’s children to have easy access to this basic human right. This is beyond reprehensible. Our ranchers, farmers, and producers are ready and able to provide healthy, local foods to our students, but we need these waivers one more year to put it all back together – back to normal.
The Alliance today joined with other national organizations in issuing a statement calling on Congress to include child nutrition waiver authority through the 2022-2023 school year in the omnibus bill before its final passage.
Join the Conversation
The latest news and headlines from Urban School Food Alliance
Urban School Food Alliance Expands with Montgomery County Public Schools, Strengthening Nationwide Push for Healthier School Meals
Jun 10, 2025
"mcps dedication to serving nutritious, appealing meals in an inclusive setting resonates deeply with our goals."...
School Business Now: Breaking the Mold in School Food Procurement
Jun 9, 2025
Stakeholders across the school nutrition landscape struggle with today’s food procurement practices because of...
Urban School Food Alliance Transforms School Meals at Third-Annual Cooking for Healthy Kids Training
May 22, 2025
School Nutrition Professionals Gain Culinary Expertise to Elevate Student Dining Nationwide Washington D.C. – May...
Urban School Food Alliance Completes Pioneering NAE Chicken Pilot, Enhancing School Nutrition Nationwide
May 14, 2025
Final digital recap available, showcasing the delivery of 955,550 pounds of No Antibiotic Ever chicken to...