Parents and teachers have been harping about junk food for quite a while. More recently, groups have formed to actually get the machines out of the schools and the greasy, low-quality nutrition out of school cafeterias. It's working!

The Associated Press recently reported on a Fresno-based group called the California Food and Justice Coalition, bringing together legislators, farmers, and business-owners to promote California-grown fresh food in California public schools. The Coalition is part of a larger national organization called the Community Food Security Coalition. That Coalition is hoping California representatives in Washington will co-sponsor a bill to provide grants to school districts to establish Farm-to-Cafeteria programs. One bill called the Farm-to-Cafeteria Projects Act, and another called the Child Nutrition Initiative Act, would then be slated for debate in Congress this Fall.

Right now, school districts in California can compete for $2,000 grants by providing healthier foods in their cafeterias. The proposed federal bills would go farther, providing schools with funds to research regional farms and crop availability, and even to purchase salad bars for serving food fresh.

Another important step is California's recently passed legislation banning soft drink sales to elementary and middle schools, and requiring school board approval of other contracts on junk food vending machines (San Francisco has already taken action on this).

State Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell has challenged every school to increase nutrition education and physical education. All schools that meet the challenge will gain recognition, and some will be eligible for a $2,000 grant for innovative practices. A rallying cry, put out by Harold Goldstein of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, is "Our children learn not only by what we tell them, but also by what we sell them." I like it.