Ohio ? Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a plan to improve childhood nutrition and set a goal to reduce by half the 12 million youngsters living in poverty over the next dozen years.

The package of proposals includes a “comprehensive” early education initiative that starts with nurse’s visits for pregnant women, lets children begin the Head Start program earlier and calls for universal pre-kindergarten programs.

Clinton also says she would deal with childhood hunger by putting in place a food safety net, and give children “greater access to healthy, fresh food.”

Clinton aides said the new programs would carry an annual pricetag of $5 billion to $6 billion. A significant portion of her plan comes by expanding existing programs. She would cover the cost by toughening tax enforcement to collect money currently owed but not paid.