Ag Policy Blog

WASHINGTON (DTN) -- The House on Wednesday passed a bill to allow schools to serve whole milk with meals, rather than the low-fat milk required under current regulations, moving that debate to the Senate.

The vote was 330 to 99. All Republicans except for Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida voted for the bill, while 112 Democrats voted for it and 98 voted against.

For dairy farmers, the bill boosts the sale of fluid whole milk to schools nationwide. The bill, if it becomes law, would overturn a dietary guideline from 2012 that replaced whole milk in schools with low-fat milk. The dairy industry has pushed to overturn that USDA decision ever since.

The bill was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Pa., who was acting in his role as a member of the House Education & the Workforce Committee, and Rep. Kim Schrier, D-Wash.

Thompson said, "I am pleased to see my bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act pass out of the U.S. House of Representatives, and I ultimately look forward to restoring access to these nutritious beverages in schools across the country."

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, praised the action. "Rich in calcium and vitamin D, milk is an essential part of children's growth and development. There is simply no reason why schools should not have the option to offer whole milk to its students. Further, whole milk is one of the most popular varieties of milk," she said. "I proudly co-sponsored and helped pass the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act because it will not only help Maine students thrive at school, but it will also support local dairy farmers and local economies."

Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., ranking member on the House Education & the Workforce Committee, voted against the bill and said, "Child nutrition standards for school meals, including milk options, are guided by the science-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans, or the DGAs, which are periodically updated based on recommendations from child nutrition experts and input from the public.

"The latest DGAs -- along with the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and over a dozen other public health advocates -- agree that fat-free and low-fat milk are the healthiest options for children.

"Regrettably, H.R. 1147 attempts to legislate nutrition standards and disregard evidence-based recommendations made by the DGAs. Furthermore, the bill would undermine the Biden administration's ongoing rulemaking to better align school nutrition standards with the latest science."

Scott added, "Lastly, I am disappointed by the majority's decision to depart from precedent by moving a child nutrition bill outside of a comprehensive child nutrition reauthorization."

National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern said, "NMPF is delighted that the House approved the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Milk's unique nutritional profile gives it an unparalleled role in providing kids the nutrients they need. Expanding the milk schools can choose to serve to include 2% and whole is a common-sense solution that will help ensure kids have access to the same healthful milk options they drink at home. House passage is a critical step, and we urge the Senate to consider this bill immediately so it may be enacted into law."

International Dairy Foods Association President and CEO Michael Dykes said, "IDFA praises the strong bipartisan passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act by the U.S. House of Representatives and calls for swift action on the companion bill in the U.S. Senate so that schools can once again provide children with a wide variety of milk options that deliver essential nutrients and meet their individual needs -- whether that be whole or 2%, low-fat, or lactose-free milk."

IDFA told its members, "The focus now turns to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, which has jurisdiction over child nutrition issues. The Senate must consider and pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act by the end of the 118th Congress, or by January 3, 2025."

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., introduced a companion bill in the Senate in June.

"Today, two out of three children do not receive their recommended daily dairy intake. Our legislation aims to change that by reinstating whole milk in school cafeterias," Marshall said when he introduced the bill. "I truly believe food is medicine, and by increasing kids' access to milk, we will help prevent health complications down the road and encourage nutrient-rich diets for years to come."

Marshall's co-sponsors include Sens. Peter Welch, D-Vt.; Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho; Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.; Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss.; and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Animal Wellness Action, the Center for a Humane Economy, and Switch4Good criticized the House Rules Committee for denying consideration of a bipartisan amendment to the bill that would have provided for schools to offer plant-based milks.

Jerry Hagstrom can be reached at jhagstrom@nationaljournal.com

Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @hagstromreport

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