by Julie Siple, Minnesota Public Radio

January 16, 2013

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ST. PAUL, Minn. Recent action by the federal government to prevent dairy prices from skyrocketing will curtail an effort to help Minnesota food stamp recipients eat healthier.

As part of the fical cliff negotiations earlier this month, officials moved to keep the dairy industry's price support system from expiring. But to do so, Congress took about $110 million from the nutritional education component of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps.

As a result, the education program aimed at helping low income Americans make healthy food choices took a hit. Program leaders in Minnesota are scrambling to absorb what they expect will be a $2.6 million cut from a $9.7 million grant in FY2013. States have not received final word on the size of the cuts.

"We know the research shows that kids that eat well, parents that eat well, do better at work, they do better at school," said Bev Durgan, dean of University of Minnesota Extension, which runs the statewide program. "It cuts down on health care costs. So this program really is about helping people make better decisions."

Durgan said the program is particularly important at a time of economic crisis, when families are struggling to put healthy food on the table and health care costs are rising. Community nutrition educators help families stretch tight food budgets to afford enough healthy food. They also help children make smart decisions that will serve them well over a lifetime.

TEACHING GOOD HABITS IN FOOD CHOICES

On a recent day, middle school students at Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul gathered around Angie Thornhill, one of those nutrition educators, to make a simple taco salad.

Read more from the original source:
Nutrition education program for food stamp recipients faces cuts