November 2004

BRIEF NEWS FROM BIG FOOD

Chutzpah Award: Chuck E. Cheese’s Targets Schools

Remember McDonald’s McTeachers’s Night? Now, Chuck E. Cheese’s, the child-focused pizza chain, has launched its own school fundraising program, convincing elementary schools to sign up for dinner events at a rate of more than 100 bookings per week. “Proving philanthropy can be profitable,” the company donates 10 percent of the proceeds to elementary-school Parent Teacher Associations. And, “because Chuck E. Cheese's recognizes the importance of teachers and their need for educational tools and incentives,” teachers get a special bonus: The company sends their school 200 “Super Student Awards” (read store coupons) to be used as incentives for good grades, academic achievement, attendance, birthday, or any other activity that “deserves recognition.” This is in addition to the company’s “Tokens for Grades” program, in which kids show their report cards to redeem coupons that can only be used with a food purchase.

Sources: Nation’s Restaurant News, 10/25/04
Chuck E. Cheese’s website: http://www.chuckecheese.com/education/fn_detail.html

Fast Food Giants Oppose Health Care

On November 2, California voters failed to pass Proposition 72, a measure that would have required large and medium-sized companies to offer health insurance to their workers. And, according to Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser, the fast food industry—the nation's largest employer of minimum-wage labor—bears most of the blame. Big Business placed the measure on the ballot because the state legislature passed a law last year requiring the coverage. Not willing to accept defeat, the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Restaurant Association, and their corporate allies spent millions of dollars to rescind the law through the initiative process. The leading corporate sponsor of the effort to block Proposition 72’s passage was McDonald's. Others included Burger King, Wendy's, Jack in the Box, and Yum! Brands, owner of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and KFC. Thanks to their lobbying efforts, more than a million workers throughout the state will now continue to go without health care coverage.

Source: Los Angeles Times, 10/24/04

Michigan Bans Obesity Lawsuits

Despite no such lawsuits having been filed there, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has signed a bill that bans civil lawsuits against restaurants and other sectors of the food industry for causing obesity or related conditions. Similar legislation has been approved in 12 other states and in March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a federal version. (The measure has yet to be voted on in the Senate.) The Michigan Trial Lawyers Association opposed the legislation. “The bill has little or nothing to do with encouraging personal responsibility and everything to do with encouraging corporate irresponsibility,'' the association said.

Source: Associated Press, 10/08/04

USDA to Churches: Let Them Drink Dry Milk

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman recently announced that the USDA has extended its program to donate non-fat dry milk to nonprofit, faith-based and community organizations. "This extended initiative will contribute to USDA's efforts to meet nutritional requirements of those in need while continuing to build on President Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative," Veneman said. "Distribution of non-fat dry milk is just one of many ways that USDA helps to feed the hungry." The program provides excess inventory of non-fat dry milk to about 73 organizations that in turn deliver the product nationwide. USDA will provide up to an additional 20 million pounds of non-fat dry milk during the 90-day extended period.

Source: USDA Press Release, 11/08/04: http://www.usda.gov/2004/11/0491.xml

FIGHTING BACK: POLICY GAINS AND OTHER GOOD NEWS

Chicago Schools Say No More Coke

The Chicago Board of Education will replace Coca-Cola products in school vending machines with pure juices, sports drinks, and water. The board will not renew their five-year contract with Coca-Cola when it expires in November and instead is expected to sign a contract with a new vendor. Healthy snacks will replace candy bars and soda sales in schools will be banned in the fall. More than 1,000 vending machines will be removed and by 2005 the new vending machines should be in place in most of the district's 600-plus schools. Sean Murphy, the schools' chief operations officer, said he has no regrets about the change in policy, although he acknowledged the school system could lose a chunk of money by not selling soft drinks. "It's really about better health," Murphy said. "Is there a hit to be taken? Yes, there's that potential but at the end of the day, we're about kids."

Sources: Chicago Tribune, 10/27/04
Journal Standard, 11/07/04
http://www.journalstandard.com/articles/2004/11/07/local_news/news03.txt

Massachusetts Addresses Children’s Health

Massachusetts has proposed far-reaching legislation to address childhood obesity. The state Department of Education has tentatively endorsed the bill, which its sponsors plan to introduce when the Legislature convenes in January, though fierce opposition is expected from local school districts and food and drink companies. Lobbying from both these quarters helped doom previous incarnations of the bill. The bill would require that all food available in schools, whether in the cafeteria or vending machines, comply with nutritional standards set by the state Department of Education; that all drinks available in schools be water, fruit juices that are 50 percent or more natural juice, or low- or non-fat milk; that students have access to nutritional information; and that certain physical education requirements be met. Michele Simon, director of the Center for Informed Food Choices, was interviewed by the Boston Globe about the measure. She said the Massachusetts proposal was among the most sweeping of the dozens recently introduced in state legislatures around the country: "It sounds pretty comprehensive, in that it applies to all foods sold in school.”

Source: Boston Globe, 10/25/04
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2004/10/25/
school_lunch_bill_targets_obesity/

Federal Childhood Obesity Bill Proposed

Last month, Senator Kennedy introduced a bill to address childhood obesity. S. 2894 would require schools that receive federal funds to establish polices to "ban vending machines that sell foods of poor or minimal nutritional value," such as soda, soft drinks, and candy. Also, it would provide grants preferentially to schools that (1) prohibit the advertising or marketing of junk food, or (2) provide food options low in fat, calories and added sugars, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, or (3) encourage the consumption of water in school by maintaining a minimum number of water fountains. The bill would also implement recommendations from an Institute of Medicine study on childhood obesity to convene a national summit on food advertising and marketing and authorize the Federal Trade Commission to enact rules to enforce the guidelines.

Source: Commercial Alert
For a summary of the Prevention of Childhood Obesity Act:
http://www.commercialalert.org/pcoasum.pdf
To send emails to your senators in support of the bill:
http://actionstudio.org/?go=949

IN MY OPINION by Michele Simon

It was a challenge finding enough stories for the “good news” section of the newsletter this month. I had to break with my general rule of only reporting on policies that have actually passed, as opposed to those just proposed. Add to that the outcome on November 2 and things look pretty grim. What can we expect from four more years of Bush Administration nutrition policy? For starters, more lip service from the Department of Health and Human Services and no real action. Expect more conferences convened, more reports to line shelves, and more minimal funding for obscure PSAs running in the middle of the night. Next, expect the Department of Agriculture to continue the gravy train of farm subsidies for the over-production of unhealthy foods, while simultaneously bailing out industry by dumping their output on poor people (see item above). And, look out for political influence over the final version of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and the revised “Food Guidance System,” both anticipated early next year. And of course, don’t expect any changes in the Federal Trade Commission’s staunch refusal to regulate the ubiquitous advertising of junk food to children.

On the state level, the passage of two propositions on the California ballot served as a painful reminder of the power of multi-national corporations to control local politics. In addition to Proposition 72, (discussed above) funded by the fast food industry, voters also passed Proposition 64, which was funded by companies such as Exxon Mobil, General Motors, Microsoft, and Target. As a result, the state’s Unfair Business Competition Law, which was intended to protect consumers by allowing public interest groups to sue businesses that act illegally, has been gutted. The law had been used successfully to help the State of California recover funds spent on tobacco-related illnesses and to stop misleading and fraudulent advertising aimed at children. It was this law that forced the manufacturer of sugary cereals to settle a case in 1983, which led to the creation of the nonprofit, the California Adolescents Nutrition and Fitness Program. But now, thanks to deceptive advertising (ironically enough) by proponents that scared voters into thinking that lawyers were unfairly targeting small businesses, the statute can no longer be enforced by private attorneys; only the overburdened and partisan state Attorney General can bring suit.

But, before you go back to bed and pull the covers over your head, here’s the good news: Local schools districts and communities continue to fight the good fight to keep Big Food at bay. News items appear almost daily about a school here or a district there trying to get sodas and junk food out, and healthier fare in. The domino effect, spurred on by Chicago (the nation’s third largest school district) will continue unabated, with likely bumps and bruises along the way. In my own neighborhood in Oakland, California, residents have successfully kept a McDonald’s franchise from moving in. And I recently received a call from a resident of West Oakland who heard of our victory and wants guidance on keeping out Subway. Instead, residents there want a locally-owned natural foods co-op store called Soul Foods (as opposed to Whole Foods). All worthwhile movements grow from the ground up. And, the sweetest victories are often those hard-won by people whose lives are impacted most directly—at the local level.

Michele Simon is available for lectures and workshops in your community and can speak on a variety of food policy topics. For more information, visit: http://www.informedeating.org/lectures.html.

Informed Reading

Although A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle with a Deadly Industry was published three years ago, I just recently got around to reading this gripping tale of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s failed attempt to regulate tobacco in the 1990s. The story, eloquently told by the agency’s former commissioner, David Kessler, reads like a suspenseful detective novel, complete with mysterious informants nick-named “Deep Cough” and “Cigarette.” I highly recommend this fascinating and inspiring historical account of the brave government officials who were willing to take a stand in the name of public health and the significant challenges they faced. A Question of Intent contains many hard-learned and valuable lessons about doing battle with a powerful industry.

Seeking Local Stories of Battling Big Food

CIFC is currently gathering stories at the state and local levels where the food industry is attempting to block nutrition advocacy efforts. Many states, cities, and counties around the country are trying to pass nutrition-related legislation (e.g., limiting junk food in schools or imposing soda taxes), but the food industry is lobbying hard to either stop or curtail these efforts. If you know about any specific fights, we want to hear about them. We are especially interested in stories related to soda contracts in schools. Please contact Michele Simon at: Michele@informedeating.org or (510) 465-0322. Thank you!

The Center for Informed Food Choices in a nonprofit organization that advocates for a whole foods, plant-based diet and educates about the politics of food.

CIFC is proud to make Informed Eating available as a free public service. Unlike industry publications, it is not underwritten by corporate sponsors. We would greatly appreciate your support for this newsletter and our other important policy work. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.informedeating.org or call (510) 465-0322.

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2004 Informed Eating  -  All Rights Reserved