Oregon Public Broadcasting

Child nutrition administrators met Tuesday with Governor Ted Kulongoski and Kevin Concannon, who serves as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services with the United States Department of Agriculture.

Concannon is visiting Oregon to collect feedback on child feeding programs, such as school breakfast and lunch, and after school and summer meals.

The programs are funded by the federal Child Nutrition Act, which is going to be reauthorized by Congress within the next six months. 

41% of Oregon children qualified for these programs in 2007, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Kevin Concannon: "Never in our lifetimes have there been as many needs as there are right now in terms of these feeding and nutrition programs."

Oregon officials told Concannon they want to broaden the number of children who are eligible for the after school and summer meal programs, reduce paperwork obligations for families and schools, and increase the reimbursement rate for free or reduced meals.