AG COMMISSIONER REPEALS BAN ON DEEP FRYERS IN SCHOOLS
The new Agriculture Commissioner of Texas Sid Miller is putting out a new plan to combat childhood obesity, and is hoping to change the menus in school lunchrooms.
Miller is also lifting the statewide ban on schools using deep fryers in cafeterias, which were banned in 2010. Schools would be able to reinstall the deep fryers after July 1st.
He is also relaxing restrictions on certain soft drinks in campus vending machines, saying that school districts need flexibility.
The Texas Department of Agriculture is trying to make some changes to the school lunch menu, including starting “Farm Fresh Fridays” to maintain nutrition in schools.
Miller says it's all about the schools having control again. He hopes districts will create better menus going forward even though he's opening the door for less healthy options. He also says that different children have different nutritional needs due to their lifestyle, citing those students that play sports or do other strenuous after-school activities that another more sedentary child might encounter.
But he says government mandates have failed to make kids healthier in Texas, where roughly two-thirds of residents are considered overweight or obese.
In 2007, a national survey showed that Texas ranked 32nd among states in childhood obesity with 32 percent of its children considered overweight or obese.
As part of Commissioner Miller’s plan, the Food and Nutrition Division at the Texas Department of Agriculture will institute community health fairs, continue to educate Texans at conferences around the state, teach decision-makers how to create healthy environments, collaborate with student leaders on healthy initiatives, institute training sessions on food presentation, increase farm to school programs and unveil a Farm Fresh Fridays campaign.