USDAs Vilsack Challenges Fresh Produce Industry

WASHINGTONFor hundreds of fresh produce industry insider gathered at the United Fresh Policy Conference, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke volumes about the importance of fruits and vegetables to the health of not only Americans young and old, but also to the agricultural markets and, subsequently, the overall American economy.

In his keynote speech, Vilsack reported his first meeting with then President-elect Obama came with a primary directive: I want you to improve American childrens consumption of fruits and vegetables. Vilsack said USDA has begun this mission by focusing on WIC (Women, Infants and Children), a program that provides nutrition for mothers and their children from pregnancy and beyond. HE said next month should see some changes designed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in this group. USDA also has plans to improve school lunchesa topic US Rep. Sam Barr (D-CA) would later address in a luncheon session. He said almost 20 million children line up each day for a breakfast at school that might prove to be their only balanced meal all day, He coupled this with statistics showing some 30 percent of children are overweight or obese, correlating with increased rates of diabetes among youth. They are getting diabetes at age 13 or 14, not 58 or 59, he noted.

Part of the challenge in improving the diets of children is getting them to make the right choices, he said, adding the number one commodity in school lunch programs is mozzarella cheese. TO meet this challenge, Vilsack reported USDA is working with Sesame Street and Disney, employing well-known characters to drive the messages home.

In addition, Vilsack argued the fresh produce industry has a wide-reaching affect on this countrys health and prosperity, also declaring their can be no true health care reform without healthy eating. Taking care of ourselves is really a big part of health care reform, he said.

To ensure these effects result in maximum benefit, Vilsack pointed to four cornerstones of USDAs food initiatives and urged the industry to help the agency create new ideas.  He said the agency hopes to expand broadband to rural areas, to help revitalize these outlying communities; convince food producers to utilize waste for usable energy; promote agriculture offsets to help address climate change; and promote local farmers, launching a marketing campaign tagged Know your farmer, know your food.

He urged produce companies in attendance to help USDA meet it biggest challenges. He asked them consider refocus 5 percent of their advertising and marketing budgets towards public service messages encouraging increase fruit and vegetables consumption. He also solicited help in coming up with creative methods to help develop and maintain grocery stores in food desert areas where it is hard for stores to survive. And he also asked companies to promote the notion, especially to young Americans, that it is important to know where their food comes from and how hard people work to make such food available.