WASHINGTON, DC — WHOLE MILK WILL AGAIN BE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAMS since a bill cosponsored by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature. The strongly bipartisan bill, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, changes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) current meal program guidelines to permit schools to serve whole milk in addition to reduced-fat and fat-free milk, as well as nutritionally equivalent milk substitutes at the request of a parent or guardian.
An original cosponsor of the bill in the Senate, Gillibrand said, “Kids need nutritious meals to learn and thrive, and whole milk provides those critical nutrients. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act invests in children’s health and supports New York State’s dairy farmers. By allowing schools to offer whole milk and milk substitutes that are equivalent in nutrition, we’re making school meals healthier and ensuring that locally produced dairy continues to play a role in feeding the next generation. It’s a win for students, schools and New York agriculture.”
The bill also stipulates that schools must provide a milk substitute for students who have food allergies that restrict their diets.
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