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Lawmakers Urge USDA to Buy Cranberries for School Lunch
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 04/23/2013

A group of Congressional leaders from the Badger State are asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy up to 50 million pounds of cranberries for food and nutrition programs. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the group also expressed concerns with the regulations placed on cranberries in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program and say the fruit would be a perfect addition to school cafeterias.

Under the current rule, cranberries would be minimized or eliminated from being served in schools because of their added sugars, which the industry argues are necessary for the berries to be palatable. Growers also make the case that even with added sugars, the berries contain very similar sugar content to raisins, which are allowed under the rule.

The letter was signed by Senator Tammy Baldwin, along with Reps. Ron Kind, Tom Petri, Shawn Duffy, Reid Ribble, Marc Pocan and Paul Ryan. Governor Scott Walker and other lawmakers from Massachusetts added their signatures to the request.

"Our cranberry producers are the top in the nation and we must make sure they have access get the tools and support they need to continue to succeed and that means programs to assist them when the markets are tough," Sen. Baldwin said. "I will continue to advocate for efforts that strengthen Wisconsin's agriculture industry and grow our rural economies."

Baldwin urges USDA to take action in light of this year's unfavorable market conditions for cranberries. She says following a record cranberry crop, Wisconsin growers are at risk of seeing prices lower than the costs they incur to grow their crop.


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