“In nutrition guidelines published in the Federal Register April 25, the US Department of Agriculture for the first time capped added sugar in school meals, but pulled back on proposed restrictions for sodium, milk and refined grains that school nutrition professionals, food companies and some trade groups complained were unrealistic.
USDA focused sugar reduction efforts on breakfast after it found added sugar accounted for about 17% of calories in school breakfast and 92% of schools prepared breakfast with 10% or more of calories from added sugar. This is far more than the 69% of schools that prepare lunches with 10% or more of calories from added sugar. It also found flavored milk is the leading source of added sugar in school meals, contributing almost half of the added sugars in lunches and 30% in breakfasts.
The Sugar Association argues limits on added sugar in individual products, like cereal and flavored dairy is “arbitrary” and inconsistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It also cautions caps on sugar in school meals could be a “catalyst for even greater substitution of low- and no-calorie sweeteners in foods for children, for whom intake is not encouraged.” USDA countered that it looks to FDA for “their expertise in this area, and the final rule aligns with current FDA regulations.”
Read the full article here: https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2024/04/25/usda-caps-added-sugar-in-school-meals-but-pulls-back-on-sodium-milk-restrictions
March 22, 2026
"The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85 percent of their core ingredients from domestic farmers....Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes: ...The Sugar Association"
March 10, 2026
"Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body that supports the U.S. sugar industry, told the USDA Outlook Forum that the school meal standards taking effect next year might prohibit added sugars in kindergarten meals and could significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over 130,000 short tons. The industry faces additional pressure from rising GLP-1 weight-loss drug usage, which jumped from 12% in May 2024 to 18% in November 2025, though Gaine cautioned it remains "premature to assess the impact."
March 3, 2026
"Gaine added, "There is no data to support all this." She said the focus on added sugar is often politically motivated, but food groups have not pushed back on the MAHA pressure. There is a lot of fear of retaliation, and for good reason they have not wanted to push back publicly," Gaine said. "I think it’s going to demand a coordinated, really coordinated, pushing back. Any effort up (until) now has been to go along to get along, and I don’t know if that’s going to work."
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