Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that USDA would provide greater flexibility in nutrition requirements for school meal programs

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that USDA would provide greater flexibility in nutrition requirements for school meal programs in order to make food choices both healthful and appealing to students.Perdue made the announcement during a visit to Catoctin Elementary School in Leesburg, Va., to mark School Nutrition Employee Week. Perdue signed a proclamation that begins the process of restoring local control of guidelines on whole grains, sodium, and milk.“This announcement is the result of years of feedback from students, schools, and food service experts about the challenges they are facing in meeting the final regulations for school meals,” Perdue said.  “If kids aren't eating the food, and it’s ending up in the trash, they aren't getting any nutrition — thus undermining the intent of the program.”“A perfect example is in the South, where the schools want to serve grits.  But the whole grain variety has little black flakes in it, and the kids won’t eat it.  The school is compliant with the whole grain requirements, but no one is eating the grits.  That doesn’t make any sense,” said Perdue.The specific flexibilities Perdue signed include: USDA will allow states to grant exemptions to schools experiencing hardship in serving 100 percent of grain products as whole-grain rich for school year 2017-2018.For School Years 2017-2018 through 2020, schools will not be required to meet Sodium Target 2. Instead, schools that meet Sodium Target 1 will be considered compliant. Perdue will direct USDA to begin the regulatory process for schools to serve 1 percent flavored milk through the school meals programs. “I’ve got 14 grandchildren, and there is no way that I would propose something if I didn’t think it was good, healthful, and the right thing to do,” Perdue said.  “And here’s the thing about local control: it means that this new flexibility will give schools and states the option of doing what we’re laying out here today.  These are not mandates on schools.”USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs that include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), and the Summer Food Service Program.