Legislation Would Support Florida’s Specialty Crop Growers, Improve Student Nutrition and Tell Families Exactly What Their Children Are Eating
WASHINGTON— Congressman Vern Buchanan, Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, announced he is cosponsoring two bills to improve the health of students across Florida: the Local Foods for Healthy Schools Act (H.R. 9474), bipartisan legislation introduced by Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.), as well as the Know What’s on the Tray Act (H.R. 9951), introduced by Congressman Tom Barrett (R-Mich.).
“A child who isn’t eating well can’t learn well,” said Congressman Buchanan. “Healthy kids become strong students, and strong students grow into the leaders our country will depend on. Children are 25% of our population, but 100% of our future, and these bills put fresh, local food in our schools and clear information in the hands of parents. That is an investment in the health of our children and grandchildren.”
The Local Foods for Healthy Schools Act would permanently reinstate and modernize USDA’s Local Food for Schools program, which USDA ended in 2025. This program would once again connect local producers and school districts, opening new opportunities for farmers while providing healthy, nutrient-rich meals to students.
The Know What’s on the Tray Act would require schools in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to post information about every menu item on their school or district website at least seven days before the meal is served. The information would include its ingredients, the manufacturer or producer, where it was made and whether it was locally sourced or produced on a family farm. The bill would give families more insight into what their children eat and encourage healthier school meals.
Diet-related disease is one of the largest drivers of health care costs in America, and habits formed in childhood often last a lifetime. By connecting schools with nearby farms and giving families clear information about school meals, these bills invest in students’ health and classroom success while supporting local farmers. As Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, Buchanan has made prevention a priority, including bipartisan legislation he introduced to help veterans manage chronic disease through nutrition.
###
