# Summary
The Safe School Meals Act of 2024 establishes strict limits on harmful contaminants in foods served through school lunch and breakfast programs. The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce pesticide residues to undetectable levels within five years, while the Food and Drug Administration must set safety limits for heavy metals like lead and arsenic within two years, with a default requirement that they be undetectable if FDA standards aren't set by the deadline. The bill also prohibits certain chemicals in food packaging and requires reassessment of 16 food additives and colorings currently used in school meals, treating them as unsafe until proven otherwise.
The legislation creates a certification system requiring food suppliers and farmers to test their products and obtain "clean supplier" certification by year five to sell to schools, with exemptions for certified organic farms regarding pesticide testing. The bill authorizes $500 million for soil and water remediation research and establishes grant programs to help farmers reduce contaminants and help food suppliers switch to safer packaging. Federal funds are authorized for the Department of Agriculture to increase school meal reimbursement rates to account for higher costs from stricter standards, though no specific dollar amount is designated for this purpose.
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