School lunch just got political.
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam told the state Board of Education on Tuesday that he wants to to move the federal child nutrition programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Putnam says the bill, the Healthy Schools for Healthy Lives Act, will allow Florida to take advantage of opportunities to leverage the state's year-round growing season, and create dual benefits of promoting home-grown Florida products, and getting more fresh fruits and vegetables on school lunch trays.
"You have an opportunity that if you take our expertise in knowing who the producers are, who the growers are, putting them in contact with the schools, for the same amount of money we're spending today, we can get way more produce onto the plates of the school children," he said.
Giving Florida farmers a way to more directly tap into the public school system could also offer benefits to agricultural businesses across the state.
"We can also help a lot of these small farmers, who are the biggest growth group in Florida agriculture, partner with schools --perhaps even develop lesson plans around school gardens."
But at least one board member, Roberto Martinez, thinks shifting control over school lunch to the Department of Agriculture is a bad idea.
"Inherent in your bill is a conflict, because you're going to first and foremost try to protect the interest of the agriculture industry. That's what your department has to do," said Martinez.
Putnam cited the federal Department of Agriculture's handling of nutrition programs for school kids, instead of the Department of Education, as evidence that there is no conflict of interest.
"The inherent conflict is just not there," he said. "And it is no different than what you have to do every day in balancing the interests of teachers, parents, students and all of the other people who come before you. We're all asked to make our best judgments."
Martinez countered saying, "The federal Department of Agriculture has told us that they do not support your bill. And in order to actually have the state of Florida administer the programs with the DOA would require us to seek a waiver of their requirement that it be done through the Department of Education in the state of Florida."
Currently two other states, Texas and New Jersey, have waivers that allow their departments of agriculture to handle the school systems' nutrition programs. The Department of Agriculture also has programs like Farm to School and Fresh from Florida Kids, which promote healthy eating and nutrition for children. With programs like those, Putnam says, making the switch seems like a natural fit.
"This isn't about whose sandbox this is in. This is about who can put the best, most nutritious meal on the table and leverage existing dollars into more foods, healthier foods, better foods that our kids will eat."
Kathleen Shanahan, a board member who supports Putnam's bill, acknowledged the board has failed to move the ball on any significant nutrition rules for the past several years. Putnam says if his department is given authority, they'll be able to move more swiftly to enact changes.
"There's no question we'll be able to act quickly, to hit those high standards. And get this program up and running," he said.
Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando is sponsoring the bill, SB 1312, in the Senate.
Lane Wright may be reached at lane@sunshinestatenews.com or (561) 247-1063.
