Ag Commissioner Fried secures $93 million for school lunch program

WCTV | By Capitol News Service | July 6, 2021

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CNS) – Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried announced her department had secured $93 million from the USDA to help supplement a $262 million hit endured by school districts on lost lunch revenue throughout the pandemic.

The Tuesday announcement came after Fried claimed her calls for the governor to redirect federal COVID relief funds towards the problem went unanswered.

She said the money will help rebuild reserves and ensure the 71% of Florida schoolchildren receiving free and reduced lunches in the state won’t go hungry.

“So many of our children, this is the only meal that they get a day, is at their schools. So we have to do everything possible to make sure that our children are getting fed and are getting fed nutritional meals,” said Fried.

Fried said the first of the money began flowing to school districts last week and districts opting for paper checks can expect the relief cash in the coming days.