Multiple articles in the press voiced conflicting statements on the ketchup controversy. A September 1981 "Reuters" piece stated "ketchup, which has a high sugar content, was defined under new Government rules as a vegetable", while a December "New York Times" piece from that same year noted that "ketchup, of course was never mentioned in the proposals, which were designed to give local school officials more flexibility in planning their meals." Administrator Hoagland elaborated on the media field day that resulted from the ketchup controversy, stating "it's an insult to me and to school lunchroom officials to say that we would even consider forcing kids to eat ketchup as a vegetable."