This spring the Food and Nutrition Section has been very busy, reviewing abstracts and planning the program for the Annual Meeting, reviewing proposed policy statements related to nutrition and food, and nominating colleagues for leadership positions and the annual FNS awards. Thank you to everyone who participated in these activities.

We also had a very informative annual mid-year meeting in March at APHA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Margo Wootan from the Center for Science in the Public Interest spoke about current activities by the National Alliance for Nutrition & Activity (NANA); Gloria Stables spoke about activities by the ADA Public Health and Community Nutrition Practice Group; and Geraldine Henchy spoke about activities by the Food Research and Action Center. All three speakers emphasized the positive support for food and nutrition-related legislation by the new administration in Washington. We also had conversations with Dr. Benjamin, Dr. Polan, and Fran Atkinson from APHA. With shrinking budgets, membership recruitment and retention is a concern across all sections.

In other news, our section wrote letters of support for the establishment of the Breastfeeding Forum and the Physical Activity SPIG, and has begun working with the Food and Environment Working Group. We also successfully nominated one of our former chairs, Patti Risica, to the Action Board of APHA. Patti will be replacing Sue Foerster – congratulations, Patti, and thank you, Sue for your six (!) years of service in this important role. 

In addition to these activities, our section leadership is very interested in generating ways to encourage membership, especially among students (two of whom have written articles for this newsletter edition). We would also like contributions to our FNS Web site, especially in the e-communities and resources sections. Please e-mail with all thoughts and ideas. Contributions to the newsletter are always welcome, too (Sept. 14 is the deadline for the Fall issue).

I hope you enjoy this newsletter, with its special focus on global food issues, and have a wonderful summer.