Iowa

In Iowa, efforts to expand access to school meals remain ongoing. While a universal school meals bill introduced in a previous session did not advance, advocates—including FoodCorps as an active member of the Iowa School Meals for All Coalition—are working toward reintroducing the measure in the 2025 legislative session.

Meanwhile, two bills introduced in 2025 highlight the evolving conversation around school nutrition in the state. Senate File 58, introduced in January, proposes new funding and support for school lunch and breakfast programs across public and nonpublic schools. If passed, it would allocate resources to ensure more students have access to healthy meals during the school day.

In contrast, House File 851, which passed the Iowa House, calls for the state to seek exemption from certain federal nutrition standards. The bill would direct the Iowa Department of Education to apply for a waiver that would allow school meal guidelines to be based on Iowa-specific dietary practices, rather than national requirements related to sodium levels and food variety.

As legislative activity continues, FoodCorps remains committed to advocating for policies that center student health, child nutrition, and accessible school meals across Iowa.