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Media Advisory No. 0013.13
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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Deliver Major Speech in Maine to Highlight Efforts to Raise a Healthier Generation of Americans
WASHINGTON, March 13, 2013 - TOMORROW, March 14, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will visit with officials from the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, Maine to deliver a major speech on USDA efforts to improve childhood nutrition and prevent obesity to raise a healthier generation of Americans.
Secretary Vilsack will discuss USDA’s efforts to focus the national conversation on the importance of childhood nutrition, and the need for bold solutions to promote proper nutrition and increased physical activity for today’s youngest children. He will highlight the complexity of the challenge we face today and efforts to ensure the availability, affordability and range of options that will help ensure our children get the right nutrition to grow up healthy and strong.
Following his remarks, Secretary Vilsack will visit the U.S. Coast Guard Station in South Portland, where he will highlight the importance of nutrition to America’s military readiness. Today, only a quarter of Americans aged 17 to 24 are eligible to serve in the armed forces – in part because many are overweight or obese. He will hold a media availability on the Coast Guard station.
USDA has been focused on efforts to improve the health and nutrition of the American people in recent years and released the new MyPlate federal nutrition guidance graphic, published the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and continues to implement the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act law to upgrade school meal standards for the first time in more than 15 years. USDA also launched the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative to enable greater access to healthy and nutritious food while providing greater economic opportunity for farmers.
Thursday, March 14, 2013 10:30 a.m. EDT WHAT: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will deliver a major policy speech where he will discuss USDA efforts to improve childhood nutrition and prevent obesity.
WHERE: Maine Medical Center – Dana Center Auditorium 22 Bramhall Street Portland, ME
1:30 p.m. EDT WHAT: Photo/B-roll opportunity and media availability: Agriculture Secretary Vilsack will visit the local U.S. Coast Guard Station to highlight the national security imperative for improving the health and nutrition of American people.
WHERE: U.S. Coast Guard Station South Portland 259 High Street South Portland, ME
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