The partnership allows the FDOC to continue its work in supporting a healthy diet
BARTOW, Fla. – The Florida Department of Citrus took another step to support a healthy and delicious diet this week through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP).
As the newest member of the CNPP’s MyPlate National Strategic Partnership, the FDOC joins dozens of organizations and companies committed to promoting a diet that reflects the latest recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Partners include the California Avocado Commission, the National Dairy Council and the United Fresh Produce Council among others.
“The FDOC has long considered MyPlate an effective communication tool for engaging consumers in the movement for healthy eating,” said Shannon Shepp, executive director of the FDOC. “We look forward to collaborating with CNPP and our fellow partners to not only showcase the health benefits of OJ – and its status as a serving of fruit – but to help Americans make healthy decisions in order to improve their lives.”
A visual tool, MyPlate uses a familiar image – a place setting for a meal – to illustrate the five food groups of a healthy diet and their serving sizes.
As a partner, the FDOC will work to promote the MyPlate icon and the Dietary Guidelines of America, which aim to improve the health of Americans by developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers.
In each of the first three issues of the Captain Citrus comic series produced by the FDOC, MyPlate is featured prominently inside. According to Samantha Lane, FDOC public relations manager, “this was a deliberate attempt to highlight the importance of nutrition while helping children and their families make healthy choices.”
About the Florida Department of Citrus
The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its activities are funded by a tax paid by growers on each box of citrus that moves through commercial channels. The industry employs nearly 62,000 people, provides an annual economic impact of nearly $10.7 billion to the state, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues that help support Florida’s schools, roads and health care services. For more information about the Florida Department of Citrus, please visit FloridaCitrus.org.
