DELAURO RESPONDS TO USDA “PINK SLIME” ANNOUNCEMENT

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3), Ranking Member on the Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement in response to USDA's announcement that it will offer more choices to schools in the National School Lunch Program when it comes to purchases of ground beef products in response to consumer concerns over the use of lean finely textured beef or "pink slime" in school lunches.

"I support the USDA's decision to provide schools with a choice to order product either with or without lean finely textured beef as it will allow our schools to make informed decisions when it comes to the food they buy for use in school meals. It is critical that we ensure that our children are eating nutritious foods to better enable them to develop and succeed in school. I believe that all consumers should be able to make the same type of informed food purchases regarding lean finely textured beef and other products, such as mechanically tenderized beef. I look forward to working with the Department to ensure that all consumers, including schools and parents, have easy access to the information they need about the meat and poultry products they are purchasing."