Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
Eric M. Bost was sworn in as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) on June 18, 2001. Before his appointment to this position, Mr. Bost served as Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) for four years.
As FNCS Under Secretary, Mr. Bost is responsible for the administration of the fifteen USDA nutrition assistance programs with a combined budget of over $58 billion, including the Food Stamp Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and the Commodity Distribution Programs.
During his tenure, significant progress has been made in helping needy families obtain a nutritious diet and combating obesity. Improving program access, promoting better eating and physical activity habits, and strengthening stewardship of taxpayer dollars are top priorities at FNCS under Mr. Bost's leadership. Forging strong partnerships with faith-based, health and advocacy organizations, State and local governments, and industry has ensured that the nutrition assistance programs are administered effectively and efficiently.
Since his appointment in 2001, FNCS has served more participants in the nutrition assistance programs: over 8.9 million more eligible people received food stamps; 2.3 million more low-income children ate a free or reduced price lunch; 1.8 million more children ate a school breakfast and more than 800,000 more women, infants and children participated in the WIC program.
Ensuring access to Food Stamps to all eligible individuals and families with dignity and respect while maintaining high standards of program integrity is reflective of his leadership for FNCS programs. In 2002, Mr. Bost led USDA in reauthorization of the Food Stamp Program, securing a package that adds $6.4 billion in new funding to nutrition assistance programs over a 10-year period and restored eligibility for legal immigrants. During his tenure, Mr. Bost has overseen the successful implementation of new options at the state level to simplify program administration and improve access. The Food Stamp Program has achieved the highest-level payment accuracy in the history of the program while serving over 25 million people each month.
Mr. Bost worked with Congress through the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 to improve these programs based on three principles of good stewardship: ensuring that all children have access to nutritious meals; establishing lifelong healthy habits in children; and ensuring high standards through implementation of a new Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, in eight states and three Indian Tribal Organizations to promote fresh fruit and vegetable consumption among the Nation's school children.
As part of the President's Healthier US Initiative, Under Secretary Bost led efforts to support and motivate Americans to make concrete improvements in their diet and physical activity. Partnerships between USDA, the Departments of Health and Human Services, and Education were developed with the National 5 A Day Program to promote consumption of fruits and vegetables to expand school-based efforts to help children develop lifelong healthy eating and physical activity skills as well as to combat childhood obesity through FNS' Eat Smart. Play Hard campaign. He oversaw the development and release of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans with the Department of Health and Human Services as well as the development and introduction of USDA's new food guidance system, MyPyramid.gov, MyPyramid for KIDS, and MiPiramide, the Spanish language version of MyPyramid.gov.
Mr. Bost provides leadership and support to improve diets and food security around the world. Through collaborative efforts with the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Agency for International Development, the World Food Program, the Five-A-Day Program, and the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator, technical assistance and consultation are provided to promote improved nutrition and food security in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique, Uganda, Madagascar, Chile, United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, Israel, Italy, China and Japan. At the invitation of the host countries, Under Secretary Bost has delivered addresses to members of the Bundestag in Germany; Knesset in Israel; and within the Great Hall of the People at Tiananmen Square in China, on the importance of healthy nutrition and food security.
Mr. Bost has been actively involved with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations on efforts to improve nutrition and promote food security. He has led United States delegations to the 2003 FAO Regional Conference for Africa and several FAO Committee on Food Security meetings. He has also participated in the World Food Summit: Five Years Later.
In Spring 2002, Mr. Bost received a "Distinguished Service Award," from the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) for his leadership in promoting greater program accessibility, simplicity and accountability in all the Federal nutrition assistance programs. Mr. Bost received a "Government Leadership Award" from the Soyfoods Association of North America in 2003 for his efforts to promote the health and well-being of Americans.
A native of Concord, NC, Mr. Bost holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida.
