Shaheen Welcomes Resolution Reached Between Londonderry School District & USDA on Lunch Program

(Washington, DC) – Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed the announcement that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not apply new unnecessary regulations to the lunch programs run by the Londonderry School District. The school district objected to the way the USDA said it was going to classify their High School after it withdrew from the federal school lunch program.

“I’m very pleased that this new agreement allows the Londonderry School District to continue providing meals for its students without a host of unnecessary new rules,” said Shaheen. “This school district is meeting the nutritional needs of its students, and I was glad to work with the district and the USDA to quickly find a resolution.”  

After being notified of this issue, Senator Shaheen’s office encouraged discussions between USDA, state and school officials to find an accommodation that allows the district to go forward with a school lunch program that suits their needs, without unreasonable new regulations. USDA had initially indicated that it would re-classify the High School as a “processing facility” because of the district’s dual role administering federal and independent lunch programs. Today, the Londonderry School District announced a reasonable accommodation had been reached on the High School’s classification that would not result in significant new rules.