Here’s some news you might want to put on your calendar.  Last week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA will be holding a series of school nutrition events throughout the country to highlight school meal programs as Congress debates Child Nutrition Act reauthorization.

USDA leadership will host the school nutrition events in regions throughout the country where participants will include food service workers, school officials, community and advocacy members, federal, state and local officials, parents and students.

Administration priorities include eliminating barriers that keep children from participating in school nutrition programs, improving the quality of school meals and the health of the school environment, and enhancing program performance.  Let your voice be heard by the Administration and the public.

Dates and locations for the school nutrition events include:

Week of April 5th, 2010
Little Rock, Ark.
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton

April 13, 2010
South Carolina
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Administrator Julie Paradis

Tuesday, April 28, 2010
Las Vegas, Nev.
Deputy Administrator for Special Nutrition Programs (SNP) Audrey Rowe

Wednesday, April 28 or 29, 2010
Orlando, Fla.
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton

Week of May 10, 2010
Detroit, Mich.
Deputy Administrator for Special Nutrition Programs (SNP) Audrey Rowe

Week May 17th, 2010
New Haven, Conn.
Deputy Administrator for Special Nutrition Programs (SNP) Audrey Rowe

Date: May 17, 2010
Location: Montana
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Administrator Julie Paradis

Week of May 24, 2010
Indianapolis, Ind.
Deputy Administrator for Special Nutrition Programs (SNP)  Audrey Rowe

May 20 or 21, 2010
Davis, Calif.
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary Janey Thornton

Additional details will be made available closer to the event date.  More information can be found at http://www.usda.gov/.