Posted 10:45 pm Friday, March 12, 2010
Department Of Agriculture Talks Food Program Concerns
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START-BYLINE-1By COSHANDRA DILLARDEND-BYLINE-1
RBMM
cdcq
START-BYLINE-1By COSHANDRA DILLARDEND-BYLINE-1
By COSHANDRA DILLARD
Staff Writer
Representatives from the Texas Department of Agriculture were in Tyler Thursday as part of a nine-city tour to hear suggestions and concerns about the agency's food programs from citizens, program participants and program contractors.
Staff Writer
Representatives from the Texas Department of Agriculture were in Tyler Thursday as part of a nine-city tour to hear suggestions and concerns about the agency's food programs from citizens, program participants and program contractors.
There was mostly positive feedback from the small crowd, but some attendants also gave suggestions for ways to make food programs more efficient and accessible during the summer.
A concern for Janie Lisenby, of Region 7 Education Center, and officials with the East Texas Food Bank was improving access to programs during the summer months. They suggested that the state free up funds to provide transportation to summer food programs and better serve small, unincorporated communities in East Texas.
"We have a large number of school districts that don't do summer school. They are not in cooperated areas. They don't have central gathering places like parks and some don't even have churches. So, it's a real struggle for them to do summer feeding," Ms. Lisenby said. "… We will make an effort to reach the children. We know that there's a need out there."
The short meeting was a listening session only and feedback will be gathered to see how TDA may improve its programs which include the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Commodity Programs.
