Waterford Graded leaves USDA school lunch program out

By Dave Fidlin

Correspondent

The Waterford Graded School District will forego funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in favor of greater freedom as part of a plan approved by the School Board this week.

At a special meeting Feb. 10, the school board voted to go independent and leave the USDA’s program. By doing so, federal subsidies used to fund free and reduced lunches will no longer be available as a source of income to the district.

On the flip side, WGSD and its hot lunch provider will have more freedom in the types of foods served to students throughout the school year. District officials and the district’s current provider, Taher, have repeatedly expressed frustration at the tightened restrictions in recent years.

Jim Madden, regional vice president of Taher, said USDA’s restrictions – touted by advocates as a way of curbing childhood obesity – have forced the company to create meals that are less appealing to students.

Federal guidelines are going to be ratcheted up even higher in the upcoming 2014-15 school year as the USDA tightens restrictions. For example, districts participating in the federal subsidies are going to have to adhere to stricter standards on the types of breads served.

Currently, food service providers can serve breads containing 51 percent whole grain. In the upcoming school year, districts must serve breads with 100 percent whole grain.

Hot lunch service has been a hot topic in WGSD the past few months. The district’s Personnel and Finance/Negotiations Committee discussed the topic at length in January.

The full board further discussed the matter at their regular meeting last month, but tabled a decision. Superintendent Chris Joch was directed to gather more information and report back so the board could make an ultimate decision.

One of the sticking points in leaving the USDA program is the cost of funding the federal subsidies. Joch said about 280 students, or 19 percent of the student body, are enrolled this year in the free or reduced lunch program.

The board’s motion Feb. 10 was two-fold.

In addition to making a determination to leave the USDA, board members agreed to seek out prospective food service providers for the 2014-15 school year in an effort to obtain the best price possible for the program.

There is a caveat to the board’s motion – officials are aiming to link arms with a vendor who will provide a lunch program that would not require the district shelling out more than $20,000 in subsidies toward students eligible for free or reduced meals.

Joch said there is not a firm timeline to naming a new food service vendor for the hot lunch program.

While WGSD will have to work out some of the math as preparations for the district’s 2014-15 budget get underway, many of the board members have expressed pleasure with the proclaimed independence.

“There is no reason the USDA … should tell us what our students should eat,” board member Dan Jensen said.