The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has advanced the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. The legislation, which was amended and approved by voice vote, aims to allow schools participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to offer whole and reduced-fat milk. It also seeks to expand options for nutritious nondairy beverages.
Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) expressed support for the bill: “Milk is an important part of a balanced diet that delivers critical nutrients students need for growth and development. It makes sense for National School Lunch Program operators to have the authority to offer this healthful beverage to students during the school day.”
Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted the bipartisan nature of the legislation: “We mark National Dairy Month today by advancing bipartisan legislation to improve children’s access to milk and other healthy beverages through school lunches. This legislation is good for our kids and it’s good for our dairy producers – a win-win.”
Key provisions of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act include allowing schools in the NSLP to offer various types of milk—flavored or unflavored organic or nonorganic whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, fat-free fluid milk—and lactose-free fluid milk. Nondairy beverages meeting USDA nutritional standards are also included. Additionally, parents or legal guardians can provide written statements authorizing nondairy substitutes.
The act excludes fluid milk from contributing towards the requirement that saturated fat content in school meals be less than 10 percent of total calories.
Earlier this year, nutrition science experts and school food service administrators testified before the committee about increasing calcium intake among school-aged children through programs like NSLP.
Introduced by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA), the bill now moves forward to full Senate consideration.
