USDA Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue pulled his RV into sunny Indianapolis on Tuesday morning. Perdue is visiting the Circle City as part of his “Back to Our Roots” tour as he gathers information about the 2018 Farm Bill. Perdue’s stop in Indianapolis will shine light on the upcoming Bill, but first, local Fuel Up to Play 60 teachers and students made it a point to introduce him to their #1 Health and Wellness Initiative.
Fuel Up to Play 60, founded in 2009 as a partnership between the National Dairy Council, the National Football League and the USDA, is currently endorsed in 70% of Indiana Schools with more than 73,000 schools participating nationwide. A program stressing the importance of healthy eating and physical activity, Fuel Up to Play 60 also encourages student leadership and community involvement.
In a local partnership with the Indianapolis Colts, doors were opened to a closed training camp practice where the Secretary of Agriculture discussed healthy habits with local Fuel Up to Play teachers and students along with Colts alumni and NFL Hall of Fame player Marshall Faulk. Brownsburg Middle School, Brownsburg High School, Fishers Junior High and Carmel Elementary were all represented in a round table discussion taking place on the sidelines. Brownsburg High School Senior and Fuel Up Play 60 National Youth Council member, Abby Evans, shared the importance of Fuel Up to Play 60 in her school. Evans states, “Fuel Up to Play 60 has taught me about leadership and how to be more comfortable in talking to my peers and community members in order to make healthy changes happen.”
Secretary Perdue will round out his Indianapolis visit with a stop at the Indiana State Fair.
