School districts across the country and also in Iowa have had to make adjustments to breakfast and lunch prices for this school year.

Several districts had to increase their prices to match the federal government standard through the US Department of Agriculture, after they announced that they would no longer allow every student in k-12 public education to have a free meal. Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District Representative Randy Feenstra tells Raccoon Valley Radio that he wants to ensure all kids get fed and that no one goes hungry while at school, but he understands the decisions by the USDA.

“Also you have to go by the percentage of (federal) poverty of saying, ‘Alright if a family is making over $100,000,’ I think they have the ability to pay for their kids’ hot lunch. So we just got to create fairness in the system and that’s what this is all about. Just all of it is dependent on that percent of poverty, how to make sure the kids that are low income are fed.”

One school district in Greene County chose not to raise their prices at Paton-Churdan. Superintendent Kreg Lensch explains why they kept their prices the same that were in effect over two years ago during the covid pandemic.

“I just didn’t think it was needed at this time. That was a tough pill for I think a lot of families to swallow. Even as a parent myself, I don’t mind paying that but used to getting that in a family budget and that wasn’t included in your budget for almost three years there. So having to bring that in is tough on families.”      

Lensch adds that eligible families can still sign up for their child or children to eat breakfast and lunch at the free and reduced rate by contacting the main office at 515-389-3111.