Partner for Progress: Be Ready to Respond!

School Nutrition Magazine – School Nutrition Association

At SNA’s Annual National Conference (ANC) in Charlotte this July, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced USDA’s Healthier School Meals Pledge (fna.usda. gov/schoolmeals/healthier-pledge) during the closing general session. Shortly thereafter, USDA released additional information about the pledge, along with a message encouraging state governors to support the effort. SNA and its industry partners view the pledge as the clearest signal yet of where the next proposed rule may be headed. Many items in the pledge are already common practice in schools and have been for years. The real work for industry will be identifying the changes most likely to create operational, manufacturing, cost, procurement, and student-acceptance challenges.

 > Could “Prioritize Whole Fruit” lead to a reduction or elimination of fruit juice?

> Could “Serve Only 100% Whole Grain Products” bring back familiar challenges from the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) 2010 implementation, including student acceptance and reformulation costs?

> Could “Replace Breakfast Pastries with Whole Food Breakfast Options” signal a stronger focus on protein at breakfast? If so, industry should be prepared to show how products can support that goal, offer variety, and demonstrate progress already made in reducing added sugars.

As a longtime SNA Industry Partner involved in the HHFKA 2010 response, I know how important it is for industry to engage early and thoughtfully. The next proposed rule is anticipated in fall 2026, so we must be prepared to act swiftly. Every company will experience potential changes differently, which is why individual, specific, and business-focused comments will matter. This article is a call to industry colleagues to get involved, get educated and begin preparing now. The ideas and questions below are intended to help industry partners start shaping their own responses and collecting the information they may need when the comment period opens.

INDUSTRY ADVOCACY NEXT STEPS AND GUIDELINES

1. Get involved now. Notify your government relations team about what may be coming. Review the pledge—and the Proposed Rule, if released—and identify how potential changes could affect your business.

2. Prepare your unique comment. The most valuable comments will be specific, individual, and grounded in real business experience. Consider what only your company can explain, including product impacts, manufacturing realities, student acceptance, cost pressures, and procurement challenges.

3. Coordinate with SNA’s Government Affairs team. Reach out to understand shared priorities and ways to reinforce common messages while still submitting your own unique comment.

4. Register and follow SNA through the Action Network. The Action Network and Quorum tools make it easier to submit individual comments. For comparison, HHFKA generated approximately 381,000 comments; our goal should be a much higher number of unique, substantive comments.

5. Engage members of Congress who represent your company and plant locations. Identify elected officials willing to understand and support industry concerns, especially around unfunded mandates and the gap between new requirements and available reimbursement.

6. Build relationships with members of Congress. Consider how members of Congress can help support a feasible rule and leverage all legislative vehicles to meet our policy goals.

Jodi Batten, SN

Sr. National Sales & Marketing Director, Red Gold LLC