There are few topics more important in this country than the health of our children, and this week on Straight, No Chaser host Katy Keiffer chats with Jessica Donze Black, project director for the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project at the Pew Health Group, The Pew Charitable Trusts. Together they discuss some of the efforts being made to ensure that all of the food choices available to kids at school are healthy choices. Find out how vending machines can be used for good and why standards like snacks and bake sales need to be re-imagined to achieve food safety at our schools. Learn more about healthy school food here. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"What we want to do is set minimum standards so that all children have access to healthy food choices. We want parents to be comfortable knowing that ALL of the food choices that their children would have at school would be choices [the parents] would be comfortable with."

"The beverage industry has agreed to stop selling full sugar-sweetened beverages to schools, such as full-sugar soda."

"New York is a place that has made some significant changes in the school environment and in early childhood development. So far the results are really encouraging."

--Jessica Donze Black, project director for the Kids’ Safe and Healthful Foods Project on Straight, No Chaser

Elizabeth Henderson believes in organic, local produce for all classes! On this Just Food Conference 2013 update, Nathaniel Coburn and Erin Fairbanks are talking with Elizabeth about her farm, Peacework Organic Farm, and the possibilities for food justice through a CSA model. Tune in to hear about Elizabeth's pioneering work in community supported agriculture, and what it was like to be a woman farmer twenty-some years ago. How can farming not only provide local, healthy food, but living wage opportunities for the nation's lower classes? Tune in to learn more about Elizabeth's upcoming workshop at the Just Food Conference, and how climate change is threatening the livelihood of farmers everywhere. This segment has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

"When I started farming the weather was fairly stable...Now you have to be ready for anything." [20:40] -- Elizabeth Henderson: farmer and workshop leader, Just Food Conference 2013

This marks the end of Straight, No Chaser's first season! Congratulations to our host, Katy Keiffer! Each week, Katy offers insight into the world of food politics and policy, focusing on topics like the cattle industry, The Farm Bill, and urban agriculture. Tune into this episode to hear some highlights from shows thus far, and to learn what Katy has up her sleeve for upcoming episodes. This program has been brought to you by White Oak Pastures.com.