Apr 7, 2023

A food fight in the school cafeteria

Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

The Department of Agriculture is mulling new nutritional standards for school meals. Can kids, and schools, stomach the changes? Plus, unpacking employment numbers in the Weekly Wrap.

Segments From this episode

The Weekly Wrap

Who doesn’t want more jobs? Dare we say “soft landing”? Those questions and more are tackled by Marketplace host Kimberly Adams in conversation with Bloomberg’s Kate Davidson and The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell.

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Is the 'blunt tool' of monetary policy actually just a dull tool?

by Matt Levin

Apr 7, 2023

Fed rate hikes are kinda starting to slow down the labor market, but unemployment is still very low, and the economy isn't reacting as experts expected.

The unemployment rate is historically low at 3.5%. Increase in travel, boomer retirements and long COVID have kept labor demand high and supply scarce.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Gen Z teens are heading back to the workforce; older Zoomers, not so much

by Savannah Maher

Apr 7, 2023

Labor force participation for 20- to 24-year-olds is lagging. Zoomers whose educations were interrupted by the pandemic are still catching up.

In March, 37.4% of Americans aged 16 to 19 were actively employed or looking for work, according to the Labor Department.

Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images

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Everyone's got an opinion on proposed USDA nutrition standards for schools — especially the students

by Stephanie Hughes

Apr 7, 2023

The USDA says kids' health is at stake with the proposed nutrition standards. But some manufacturers say making food with less salt and sugar will cost more, while nutrition directors are worried students won’t eat the meals.

The USDA is currently accepting comments on proposed changes to the nutritional standards of school meals.

Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images

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My Economy

As women's sports grow in popularity, so does the bar that only airs women's matches

by Sarah Leeson

Apr 7, 2023

"Spaces like this are really important for not just sports and not just representation, but for the people who come to be a part of that community," said Jenny Nguyen, owner of the Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon.

Celebrating the bar's first anniversary, Nguyen reflects on the The Sports Bra's place in the community.

Courtesy Dorothy Wang

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Music from the episode

Teenage Birdsong Four Tet

History Repeats Brittany Howard

Time Will Tell Arms and Sleepers

You Know I'm No Good Amy Winehouse

Wait For Me Swim Mountain

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Daisy Palacios Senior Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer

Sean McHenry Associate Producer

Andie Corban Associate Producer

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer

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