USDA announces school meal overhaul and cattle industry initiatives

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced several major initiatives aimed at reforming school nutrition and supporting the domestic cattle industry. As part of the Trump administration’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled the ‘Harvest to Hallways’ initiative. This program directs up to $95 million toward school kitchen infrastructure and farm-to-school grants to promote nutrient-dense, locally produced foods. This includes $70 million for cafeteria equipment, such as stoves and cold-storage systems, and $25 million for Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grants.

Simultaneously, the USDA launched the ‘Ranchers First Initiative’ to address the nation’s cattle herd, which is currently at a 75-year low. The plan focuses on rebuilding the herd and strengthening domestic beef processing. A key component is the Beef Retention and National Development (BRAND) endorsement for Livestock Risk Protection insurance, designed to help producers retain heifers for breeding. The initiative also includes greater flexibility for disaster recovery and a new loan program to support strengthening processing capacity for American ranchers.