The White Home Convention on Starvation, Vitamin, and Well being
The primary and solely different White Home Convention (WHC) on Starvation, Vitamin, and Well being was held greater than 50 years in the past in 1969 and adjusted the nation’s meals coverage agenda, fostering widespread enhancements to and the growth of assorted federal vitamin packages.
Half a century later, the 2022 White Home Convention introduced collectively stakeholders in September to develop suggestions that pave the way in which for options on starvation, vitamin, and well being.
On the Nationwide Hen Council (NCC), we consider each American deserves elevated entry to protected, healthful, planet-friendly and nutritious meals like hen. We additionally consider that to finish starvation and cut back diet-related ailments within the U.S., hen have to be a part of the answer.
Particularly, hen is environmentally sustainable and offers high-quality, bioavailable vitamins that may assist shut nourishment gaps in meals and nutrient-insecure populations. Vitamins like protein and important nutritional vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, choline, and vitamin B12 are present in many alternative cuts of hen.
To that finish, the NCC has submitted suggestions to the organizers of the WHC on Starvation, Vitamin, and Well being aimed toward addressing pillar one—Enhance Meals Entry and Affordability— to increase entry to and guarantee availability of hen as a nutrient-dense, high-quality protein supply:
- Renew the Farmers to Households Meals Field Program.
The U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers to Households Meals Field Program was answerable for serving to many American households maintain meals on the desk via the pandemic, all whereas supporting native agriculture. The USDA supplied extra hen provide to folks in want, which not solely helped assist demand, but additionally created extra job alternatives for native staff and led to extra flocks for native farmers. The NCC encourages USDA to resume this program or an identical one
- Increase Part 32 purchases.
Part 32 purchases present one other method for the USDA to safe inexpensive, nutritious protein for many who want it most. The NCC encourages the USDA to establish methods to increase Part 32 purchases, each when it comes to the quantity and kind of hen procured via this system. The NCC additionally encourages the USDA to judge program necessities and buy specs to make it simpler to take part in this system.
- Increase chilly storage capability and the nation’s long-haul trucking fleet.
Chilly storage amenities and overland trucking are important sectors that assist quite a few industries. In addition they have comparatively modest overhead prices and decrease obstacles to entry. Investing in these essential supporting sectors would profit a broad vary of industries, amplifying the impact of any federal {dollars} invested. Most meals banks and charities have restricted chilly storage, and solely 6 within the nation have the USDA-inspected “chilly clear rooms” required to obtain and bundle meat donations.
- Enhance protected storage, packing and distribution infrastructure.
This can allow meals charities to offer extra poultry to households in want.
Learn the total letter submitted by the NCC to the WHC on Starvation, Vitamin, and Well being organizers right here.
Moreover, the NCC inspired the WHC on Starvation, Vitamin, and Well being organizers to learn our U.S. Broiler Hen Business Sustainability Report, noting the next key takeaways particularly:
- Air, land and water: New Life Cycle Evaluation exhibits substantial progress throughout all key affect classes; pages 13-14
- Meals and client security: The prevalence of salmonella In uncooked hen Is at all-time lows; web page 36
- Neighborhood assist: Hen corporations throughout the nation give back-to their native communities by making donations to meals banks, soup kitchens and extra;. pages 49-55
- Meals safety – Offering People and other people world wide with inexpensive, nutritious protein; web page 56
