Implementation of EU school fruit, veg and milk program in Germany

In the future schools and daycare centres will continue to be able to buy fresh vegetables, fruit and dairy products for a cost-effective price. Both German legislative government bodies, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, agreed with the proposed law on the new EU school program for fruit, vegetables and milk. Children should learn more about agriculture and get to know the wide-range of agricultural products that is on offer.

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During break time, pupils can get fresh milk for a good price. Furthermore, thanks to the EU school program, schools and daycares can get fruit and vegetables for a reduced price. Both price reductions were regulated in different EU aid programs and those are now merged. The core of the new program regulates the scope and distribution of aid to the EU members. It will come into effect in the school year 2017/2018.

According to the federal minister Christian Schmidt of Food and Agriculture the new EU school program will be successful. “It will be easier to get tasty and healthy food to children and to acquaint them with a balanced diet,” stated Schmidt after the government’s decision in July.

Learning about balanced nutrition

The new law replaces the previous school fruit and school milk policies and merges on a national level the programs for fruit, vegetables and milk. The German government thinks it important to ensure healthy food for reduced prices in the future. And combined with pedagogical measures, young people should also learn more about a balanced diet. The Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture continues: ”We aim to inform children about agriculture and the wide range of agricultural products, and to raise awareness and explain related issues such as healthy eating habits, food waste, food chains and organic farming.”

About 30 million Euros for Germany

The EU provides up to 250 million Euros per year to subsidise the prices for healthy agricultural products at schools, as well as daycares. Over 29 million Euros is paid to Germany, 19.7 million Euros for fruit and vegetables, and 9.4 million Euros for dairy products. The amount can still increase, if other EU members don’t use their entire share of the money. The German law contains a distribution key, according to which the funds are allocated to the individual German states.

The most important criterion in the distribution key is the amount of six to ten year old children per state. For school milk an additional key eases the adjustment process. The implementation of the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk program is carried out by the federal states.

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