Senate Drops School Nutrition Measure

A bill that would have updated decades-old federal nutritional standards about which foods may be sold in school vending machines, school stores, and as a la carte cafeteria offerings was dropped in the U.S. Senate during last-minute wrangling over a major farm bill.

The Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act, sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, had broad support both from health-advocacy groups and food manufacturers. It would have amended regulations that were last revised in 1979, long before the recent rise in concern over such issues as trans fats in foods and childhood obesity.

The measure was removed from consideration on Dec. 14 before the Senate went on to...