Nutrition

Several thousand Vermonters participate in nutrition programs, many of which were created by Leahy when he chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee.  Early budget proposals had zeroed out funding for key programs, such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, potentially denying thousands of Vermonters continued access to food assistance.

 

T       WIC and Seniors Farmers= Farmers Market Nutrition Program: Provides $15 million per year for the Seniors Farmers= Market ProgramCa program administered through States that provides vouchers, or coupons to seniors to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at farmers markets.  The bill extends WIC farmers= markets program an additional year.

 

T                 Commodity Supplemental Food Program: Provides a one-time boost in funding for Vermont to prevent the state having to terminate participation in this senior meals program.  The law also gives Vermont additional time to build caseloads, allowing participation in the program to grow in future years.

 

T                 Community Food Security Projects: The Farm Bill doubled funding for this program (to $5 million/year) that gives grants to individual organizations developing farmers markets, homeless shelters, and other assistance.

 

T                 Food Stamp Reauthorization and Increased Benefits: This provision reauthorizes all expiring food stamp authorities through 2007 and increases benefits for working families.  It also broadens eligibility for children, the disabled, and for legal immigrants.

 

NEW!   Nutrition Research Program to Combat Childhood Obesity: Authorized in the Research Title of the bill, the language for this program was proposed to Senator Leahy by the University of Vermont.  The provision allows grants to be made to institutes of higher education with a demonstrated capacity in basic and clinical obesity research, nutrition research, and community health education B all specialties of UVM.  Funds may be used to develop and evaluate community-wide strategies and diverse public-private partnerships to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity.

 

NEW!    Nutrition Information and Awareness Pilot Program: The Secretary is authorized to set up a cost-share pilot program aimed at increasing the domestic consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and conveying related health promotion messages.