Featured Stories

 USDA Issues Healthy New WIC Food Packages

The long-awaited Interim Final Rule, transforming the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages, was released on December 6. The rule will significantly enhance the nutritional quality of foods available to WIC recipients and improve access to healthy foods in low-income communities. Read more...

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Legislative updates

Farm Bill Passes in the Senate

After weeks of stalling over partisan disputes, the Senate passed their version of the Farm Bill with a vote of 79–14. This Farm bill received an unprecedented amount of public input and media attention.  As a result, many legislators felt the pressures from their constituents to vote in a way that favored the bill. Both California Senators Feinstein and Boxer voted in favor of the Farm Bill, including more controversial amendments to the bill that failed to pass, such as phasing out crop subsidies and creating a famers’ insurance program. Read more...

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In the News

Gold Medal Winner Refuses Nestlé Children’s Book Prize Money

Sean Taylor, Gold Medal Winner of the Nestlé Children's Book Prize, under-5 category, for his book When a Monster is Born illustrated by Nick Sharratt (Orchard Books), indicated that he would not accept the prize money for the award.  In an open letter he commented:

"Being on the short list for the 2007 Nestlé Children’s book Prize is a significant honour for me ... However, because of questions surrounding Nestlé’s marketing of breast-milk substitutes, I do not feel able to accept the prize money."  Read more...

Burger King Pinches Pennies at the Cost of Health

Migrant farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida recently reached a deal with McDonald’s Corp. and Yum Brands Inc. (owner of Taco Bell) to earn an extra penny per pound of tomatoes picked. Burger King, however, has refused to pay the extra penny, and according to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, has been urging McDonald’s and Yum Brands to end the deal. Read more...

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Happy Meal Report Card Reward

This month, McDonald’s rolled out the “Report Card Incentive Program,” in which elementary school students in Seminole County, Florida will be given free Happy Meals for good grades or high attendance. Read more...

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Announcements

Leaders in Prevention Honored by the Field

We wish to congratulate our colleagues who were recently honored for their contributions to public health:

• Larry Cohen, Prevention Institute;
• Marion Standish, The California Endowment;
• Arnell Hinkle, California Adolescent Nutrition & Fitness Program (CANFit);
• Brown Miller Communications, public relations agency.

Learn more about their awards...

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RWJF Funding Alert: Healthy Eating Research Calls for Proposals Released

Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, has issued two calls for proposals.

The Calls for Proposals (CFPs) below focus on the following four targeted topic areas:

1. Food pricing and economic approaches;

2. Food and beverage marketing and promotion;

3. Improving access to affordable healthy foods in low-income communities; and

4. Evaluations of other promising food-related policy and environmental strategies.

Healthy Eating Research Round 3

Application Deadline: February 6, 2008 (3 p.m. ET)  More...

Healthy Eating Research Special Solicitation Round 2

Application Deadline: February 6, 2008 (3 p.m. ET) More...

For more details or information on how to apply, visit www.healthyeatingresearch.org.

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Upcoming Events

Hungry Planet: What the World Eats

Through January 20, San Francisco, CA

Community Models for Addressing Physical Education & Physical Activity, Safe Routes to School, and Coordinated School Health

February 4, Sacramento, CA

Regional Equity ‘08: The Third National Summit on Equitable Development, Social Justice, and Smart Growth

March 5-7, New Orleans, LA

Making Change Matter: Maximizing the Health Impact of the New WIC Foods

April 7,  Los Angeles, CA (please note date change!)

BEAT Institute (Built Environment Assessment Training Institute)

June 15-20, 2008, Atlanta, GA

International Urban Parks Conference

September 21-23, Pittsburgh, PA

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Thanks for reading!  The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership.  If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please click here or e-mail sarah@preventioninstitute.org.  And if you’re already a member, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition.  Thank you!

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus solely on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environmental influences and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA), California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS), California Project LEAN, California WIC Association (CWA), Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public’s Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates, and YMCA of the East Bay.

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

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