HB874, titled the North Carolina Healthy Schools Act, would prohibit public schools from serving or selling certain ultra-processed foods on school grounds during the school day. The bill defines ultra-processed foods by reference to a list of specific additives and dyes, including potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, and several synthetic colorings such as Yellow Dye 5, Red Dye 40, and Blue Dye 1 and 2. It also states that parents and guardians may still provide these foods to their own children during the school day.
The bill directs the Department of Public Instruction to create a standardized certification form for local boards of education to attest that their schools are not serving or selling ultra-processed foods, and to maintain a public website list of certified schools. It further requires nutrition programs operated by regional schools, charter schools, laboratory schools, and certain other school entities to comply with the new prohibition. The act would take effect when it becomes law and would apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
HB874 would amend Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes by adding a new prohibition on ultra-processed foods in public schools and by cross-referencing that requirement into multiple school nutrition provisions covering local boards, regional schools, charter schools, and laboratory schools. It would create a new compliance and certification process administered by the Department of Public Instruction, along with a public list of schools certified as not serving or selling these foods. The practical effect would be to restrict school food authorities and third-party vendors from offering foods containing the listed additives and dyes during the school day.
The bill text reflects a strongly supportive posture toward school nutrition reform, framing the measure as a response to childhood obesity and wellness concerns and emphasizing healthier, minimally processed foods in taxpayer-funded meal programs. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided context, there is no documented legislative debate or opposition in the available materials. The overall sentiment available from the bill itself is favorable toward stricter school food standards and public accountability.
The main point of potential contention is the scope and enforceability of the definition of “ultra-processed food,” which is tied to a specific list of additives and synthetic dyes rather than a broader nutritional standard. Schools, vendors, and administrators may also raise implementation concerns about compliance, product reformulation, procurement changes, and the administrative burden of certification and public reporting. Another possible issue is that the bill regulates foods sold or served by schools but expressly allows parents to send the same foods with their children, which may be viewed as a limited or uneven approach by some stakeholders.