HI HCR56

Hawaii's congressional delegation is requested to petition the USDA to address delays in updating school lunch nutrition standards to align with Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

USDA did not release updated School Nutrition Standards reflecting the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines until 2024, with full implementation required for the 2025-2026 school year.

The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines have already been released, signaling additional changes ahead while USDA officials have provided limited information about upcoming requirements.

Delayed standards create challenges for Hawaii schools in developing lunch menus and meeting the legislative mandate to source 30% of school food locally by 2030.

In 2024, only 5.43% of Hawaii school food spending went toward locally-grown products, far below the 30% Farm to School goal.