Sonny Perdue Reviewing and Changing School Meal Policies

USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue has announced some changes in school meal policies for next school year.

Changes include states being able to grant exemptions for schools struggling to meet whole grain standards, also schools won’t need to reduce sodium amounts from current levels and schools will be able to serve one percent milk as opposed to fat free milk.

“This is not reducing nutritional standards whatsoever. It’s pausing here to evaluate whether or not the progressive standards of moving even further are appropriate or not. We’re not reversing any type of nutritional standard. The meal they get and the nutritional capacity of that is going to be just as great and we hope it will be even more palatable.”

The move to one percent flavored milk was praised by the National Milk Producers Federation and International Dairy Foods Association.