USDA Refuses to Enforce its Own Junk Food Rule

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/jul/14/usda_junk.htm

 

USDA Refuses to Enforce its Own Junk Food Rule

 

According to a February 2005 Wall Street Journal poll, 83 percent of

American adults believed public schools needed to do a better job of

limiting children's access to junk foods. And for a while, it seemed

the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was on board with that

belief, until ...

 

It rejected a petition from Commercial Alert to enforce its own

competitive foods rule, which prohibits public schools from selling

" foods of minimal nutritional value " during mealtimes in school

cafeterias.

 

Even though the rule was originally created to promote the health of

school children, the enforcement from the USDA is, to say the least,

non-existent. In fact, in March 2005, the organization admitted in a

report that it doesn't know whether schools are obeying the junk food

rule at all.

 

In light of the events, the executive director of Commercial Alert

argues that the USDA has turned its back on American children, who are

suffering from an epidemic of obesity, and that for the Bush

administration, big corporations come first, and children's health

comes last.

 

Financial Support From the Food Industry

 

Executives and lobbyists from companies that produce junk food for

schoolchildren contributed generously to the Bush/Cheney 2004

campaign. For example, those who bundled at least $200,000 to the

campaign include:

 

*

 

Jose P. " Pepe " Fanjul, vice chairman, president, and COO,

Florida Crystals Corp., a top U.S. sugar producer

*

 

Richard F. Hohlt, Hohlt & Co., lobbyist for Altria, which owns

about 85 percent of Kraft Foods

*

 

Robert Leebern Jr., president, federal affairs, Troutman

Sanders, lobbyist for Coca-Cola

*

 

Barclay T. Resler, vice president for government and public

affairs, Coca-Cola

 

But the money didn't stop flowing there. Junk food producers also gave

large contributions to President Bush's inauguration this year: Altria

Corporate Services gave a $250,000, while Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola

gave $100,000 each.

 

When Will it End?

 

Unfortunately, the USDA's refusal to enforce the competitive food rule

is just the most recent in a series of favors for the junk food

industry; the Administration has also opposed restrictions on junk

food marketing to children.

 

Commercial Alert.org June 14, 2005 (Free Full-Text Article)

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

The United States started out as a phenomenal concept in government

and then prospered into one of the leading nations in the history of

the world.

 

However, over the past 200 years greed and corporate influences have

been able to manipulate our Founding Fathers' guidelines to maintain a

strong country. A country can violate these guidelines for a

generation or two and still reap the rewards of earlier generations.

 

It is quite obvious to me that most every major indicator suggests

that the United States is on a strong downward decline. It is sad to

see, as I am an American, but I certainly don't agree with much of

what goes on in this country currently.

 

It is obvious that the USDA, like the FDA, is a victim of corporate

conflict of interest. This is clear in their work with the food

pyramid, for example.

 

So please understand the importance of taking your child's health into

your own hands--and not relying on the actions of corrupt federal

bureaucracies to protect them from the clutches of industries

exclusively focused on their own bottom-line profits.

 

In regard to the food they eat at school, I strongly recommend taking

whatever time is necessary to prepare your child's school lunches and

snacks yourself, using unprocessed whole foods. For excellent tips on

how to do just that, please read Colleen Huber's article, Healthy

Alternatives to Junk Food Temptations.

 

Related Articles:

 

Four Ways Junk Food Marketing Targets Your Kids

 

Schools Peddling Junk Food to Kids

 

Some States Fight Junk Food Sales in Schools