Indiana’s Perspective
on the Free Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Program (FFVP), is one of several Child Nutrition Programs
sponsored through The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization
Act of 2004 (which amended the Richard C. Russell National
School Lunch Act) that promotes healthy eating at school.
Through the FFVP, participating schools offer and promote
free fresh fruits and vegetables and dried fruit throughout
the school day. It has been a popular and successful
means for increasing student exposure to fresh produce,
and increasing student consumption of fresh fruits
and vegetables. Moving towards improving student health
and achievement, this is one step forward and complements
the HealthierUS initiative.
In 2002, President Bush launched the
HealthierUS initiative by directing all Federal Departments
to collectively develop plans to help Americans live
longer, better and healthier lives. Components of the
initiative include participating in daily physical
activity, eating a healthy diet, getting preventive
screenings and making healthy choices. At the
same time, USDA launched an initiative to improve student
intake of fresh fruits and vegetables. Titled the Fruit
and Vegetable Pilot Program (FVPP), this program evolved
with the passing of the 2002 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill
provided $6 million for this program during the 2002-2003
school year. Twenty-five schools in each of four states
(Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio) plus seven Zuni
Reservation schools in New Mexico were selected to
participate in the pilot. A variety of schools were
represented based on grade level, enrollment, geographic
location and other factors. An evaluation of the pilot
concluded the program was popular with students and
administrators, improved student eating habits, raised
student preference for and awareness of a variety of
fruits and vegetables, and showed that schools desired
to continue the program if funding was available.
In June, 2004, The Child Nutrition and
WIC Reauthorization Act authorized the Fresh Fruit
and Vegetable Program (FFVP) as a permanent program.
Effective Oct. 1, 2004, $9 million was allocated to
the original pilot states with expansion of the program
to three new states and two Indian tribal organizations,
including one or more tribes belonging to the Intertribal
Council of Arizona and the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the
Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Selection of
the participating schools was based on the same criteria
as the pilot program schools.
The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, signed November 10, 2005, Public Law 109-97 appropriated $6,000,000 to further expand the FFVP to six additional States, with 25 schools in each state. The FFVP currently operates in 375 schools in 14 States and 3 Indian Tribal Organizations.
This program is seen as an important catalyst for change in efforts to combat childhood obesity by helping children learn more healthful eating habits. The FFVP introduces school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have had the opportunity to sample.
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