News Briefs

funding in the fiscal year 2024 agriculture and state foreign operations bills to maintain the scaled-up procurement and distribution of ready-to-use therapeutic foods to address global food insecurity and malnutrition that has been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

RUTF — a simple medical food paste made of peanuts, powdered milk, vegetable oils, soy, sugar and multivitamins — is the gold standard treatment for severe malnutrition. Congress took critical action to address this worsening global food security crisis by providing $5 billion in emergency food security funding in the second Ukraine assistance supplemental bill that was enacted in May.

The surge in resources enables USAID and UNICEF to significantly increase treatment coverage for millions of children. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has prevented millions of tons of grain from leaving Ukrainian ports over the past year. The eight countries most dependent upon Ukrainian and Russian wheat are all in Sub-Saharan Africa. The United States produces and distributes therapeutic foods to save the lives of millions of children around the globe.

Alabama Promotes Peanuts At The State Capital

Alabama Peanut Producers Association celebrated March National Peanut Month with a proclamation from Governor Kay Ivey at the Alabama Capitol and a peanut day at the Alabama state house.

Carl Sanders, APPA president and Coffee County farmer, and APPA board member Billy Hixon, a Pike County farmer, led the House of Representatives in the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of their session. Garrett Dixon, APPA young farmer representative from Lee County, led the Senate in the pledge at the beginning of their session.

School Nutrition Magazine Features Allergen Message: “Plan, Don’t Ban”

Managing food allergies is an important part of conducting a school nutrition program. In past years, banning peanuts, tree nuts and other foods was one way that some schools approached this issue. Taking potential allergens off the menu was viewed as easily reducing risk. However, recent guidelines, based on research and expert opinion, now recommend against food allergen bans at schools. Moreover, bans create a false sense of security while limiting flexibility for school nutrition programs already struggling with supply chain issues.

In a recent issue of School Nutrition Magazine, “Plan, Don’t Ban,” by Dylan Roche, he took a deep dive into this issue. The author interviewed Sherry Coleman Collins, registered dietitian nutritionist and consultant for National Peanut Board, as well as school nutrition leaders Cindy Kanarek Culver of Marietta City Schools, Georgia, and Amy Carroll of School District of Lee County, Florida, to get their take on this issue. Both Culver and Carroll stress the importance of using an evidence-based approach, training staff, educating their students and stakeholders and managing food allergies as part of an overall approach

Throughout the morning, APPA board members and Alabama Farmers Federation staff handed out cans of chocolate-covered Alabama peanuts to legislators and talked with them about topics concerning Alabama peanut farmers.

55th Annual APRES Meeting in Savannah, Georgia

Registration is now open for the 55th American Peanut Research and Education Society Annual Meeting, July 11-13, 2023, Savannah, Georgia. The APRES Annual Meeting shares original research, Extension and industry peanut project results in a three-day meeting via business and social settings. World and industry leaders speak on the most pressing issues of our time.

This year’s meeting will focus on “Scanning the Horizon.” The past two years have provided plenty of information on what we should expect from our industry. As we move forward, to dietary restrictions.

Not only should bans be avoided, but school nutrition professionals like these recognize that peanuts and peanut butter can be a delicious way to serve their students foods they love. In addition to favorite PB&J sandwiches, peanuts can tap into popular trends like global flavors. In this same issue of School Nutrition Magazine, NPB’s recipe for Savory Chicken Shawarma Bowl with peanut hummus was featured.

“Peanut butter is an ingredient that can really help solve a lot of problems,” says Collins. “By unnecessarily restricting it, schools are weakening programs. They could be providing a food that is nutritious and affordable, that kids love and fits into their menu in a lot of different ways.”

For more information and resources for managing peanuts in K-12 foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org.