we have been working closely with partners, this is where bill dietz and his colleagues have been an invaluable resource to help us review standards, to provide counsel and advice to make sure that we are using the latest science and findings and incorporating those into the nutrition education programs that we finance. we're also of course the source of the my plate, the icon that is just about a year old, it was released a year ago, the first week in june. that anniversary's coming up. i'm pleased to see it's gone viral across the country. i saw in several of those schools i visited just last week in north carolina. well, we are looking to do even more on that front as a way of again reminding americans, you know, enjoy your food, but eat less, make half your plate fruits and vegetables, look for alternative, drink more water. don't drink so many sugar-sweetened beverages. there are a number of basic messages that can make a difference over time. additionally, this past week, we announced the availability of $4 million in grants to expand the use of ept or electronic benefit, the e

and we've been working closely with partners, this is where bill dietz and his colleagues at cdv have been an invaluable resource to us, to help us review standards, provide counscoun counsel and advice and we are the source of my plate. the icon, just about a year old. released a year ago, the first week in june, that anniversary is coming up and i'm pleased to see it's gone viral across the country. say tu i saw it in several of the schools i visited just last week in north carolina. we are looking to do even more on that front as a way of, again, reminding americans, enjoy your food, eat less, make half your plates fruits and vegetables, look for an alternative. don't drink so much fruit and sweetened beverages. they are basic messages that can make an addition over time this past week, be announced the availability of $4 million in grant to expand the use of ebt or electronic benefit, ebt cards for farmer's markets across the country. part of an effort, an an ahead o have more access to healthier food. i want to make reference to the food, farm and forestry bill. the so-called far

right down to our -- i referenced the review that cdc made and recommendations to us, more recently bill dietz' sector actually detailed or allowed someone to come up and work at our center for nutrition policy and promotion, both to help us better understand how cdc moves its initiatives, but to share with the cdc how these policies and programs are developed on our side. howard coe was the health director in massachusetts when i was in maine. we've carried that relationship back and along with bill, we're all red sox fans as well. but that has nothing to do with health agenda. >> oh, yes, it does. our mental health. >> but we are -- we have really a strong relationship with hhs in particular, but also with the department of education, as we move forward on our healthy hunger free kids act. a lot of cross agency collaboration with us. and i often say day to day whenever i'm out on the road, everything we do in the food and nutrition arena, we do through others, we do through state agencies or county agencies, food banks in some cases, public university extension services that provide much of

with all of you and at this conference, but both also added feature to be here with sally and with bill dietz again. we were together a week or so ago at weight of the nation here in d.c. as well. i'm particularly pleased to have the opportunity to share with you some of the very important initiatives we are in the midst of at the food and nutrition service, particularly starting with the focus on the healthy hunger-free kids act of 2010. passed just a little more than a year ago, this legislation has provided us with an abundance of new tools to help create healthy lives for our nation's children. we know that nutritious food is critical to meeting -- to feeding the minds of hungry children and the importance of our efforts is further highlighted again this month with the release of the institute of medicine report that said that schools are key to fighting obesity in our country. i'm mindful as well of a corcoran collaborative systematic review done just about a year ago, finding in other parts of the world that school nutrition programs have many beneficial effects in this space. while the

and we've been working closely with partners, bill dietz and his colleagues at the cdc have been invaluable resources to us to help review standards to provide counsel and advice to make sure that we are using the latest science and findings and incorporating those into the nutrition education program that we finance. we are also of course the source of the icon that is just about a year old that was released a year ago, the first week in june. that anniversary is coming up and i'm pleased to see it viral across the country. i saw it in several other schools i visited just last week in north carolina. well, we are looking to do even more on that front as a way of again reminded americans, you know, enjoy your food, but the less, make half a plate fruits and vegetable to look for alternatives, drink more water, don't drink so many sugar-sweetened beverages. has a number of basic messages that can make a difference over time. additionally, this past week we announced the availability of $4 million in grants to expand the use of ppt, or electronic benefit, the cards are farmers markets across

going to hear from undersecretary for food nutrition and consumer services, kevin concannon and bill dietz who is director of nutrition, physical education and obesity at the cdc. giving a sort of an update of a number of the key administrative initiatives that have been going forward in the past several years. so we're going to see where things are, where they stand and where they're headed. so we're very pleased to have mike taylor here this morning to speak to us. before he begins, i'm like to introduce carol tucker-foreman, our distinguished fellow at cfa for food policy. she has a long record as an influential consumer advocate for cfa, so i'd like to turn it over to carol. carol? >> thanks, chris. good morning. good morning, folks. it's a terrific pleasure to be able to introduce mike taylor, the deputy commissioner of foods for the food and drug administration. this morning. consumer advocates who have worked with mike know that there's no other federal official that has ever brought the same level of intelligence, energy, creativity and integrity to the effort to make our food supp