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Commissioner Staples establishes Nutrition Policy Advisory CommTexas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples May 9 unveiled the Healthy Students = Healthy Families Advisory Committee to advise the Texas Department of Agriculture and the commissioner on all aspects of the nutrition policy for Texas and public schools. "Since more than 60 percent of our state's schoolchildren receive one or more of their meals at school, we must ensure they have access to healthy, nutritious and appealing food choices," Commissioner Staples said. "This committee will help TDA build on the continued success of our comprehensive school nutrition programs and make certain our nutrition policy provides a fair and balanced approach in all we do to raise healthy young Texans." The advisory committee will meet quarterly and make recommendations about the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy and the nutrition issues affecting Texas children. The committee also will advise Commissioner Staples on ways to increase participation in school lunch and breakfast programs; to coordinate nutrition education and physical fitness components in the overall school nutrition environment; and to improve communication among food and service companies, schools, parents, students and TDA's Food and Nutrition Division. The 12-member committee includes representatives from education, health and nutrition communities. The members are: Dr. Louis Stoerner, superintendent, Alief ISD; Dr. Roel Gonzales, superintendent, Rio Grande City CISD; Dr. Joanne Lupton, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Texas A&M University; Kelly Helland-Cline, school health specialist, Region IV ESC; Sue Withers, first grade teacher, Gonzales ISD; Carey Dabney, parent and chair of the Austin ISD School Health Advisory Council; Dora Rivas, director, Food and Nutrition Services, Dallas ISD; Carolyn Watson, director of Child Nutrition, Montgomery ISD; Traci Robertson, executive director, Purchasing Contract Services, Lubbock ISD; Regina Abanathy, child nutrition specialist, Region IV ESC; Dr. Kim Edwards, pediatrician, Austin; and Marissa Rathbone, director of Health and Physical Education, Texas Education Agency. "As a member of this committee, I look forward to working with others in this state to ensure the best health outcomes possible for Texas children," Dabney said. "I am honored to serve in this capacity, and appreciate the opportunity to provide input on these critical issues," Abanathy said. The first committee meeting will be May 22. Date: 5/31/07
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