In an effort to curb a downturn in milk consumption among students, U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would reduce red tape to make it easier for schools to offer more varieties of milk during meals.
The School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017, H.R. 4101, would roll back current regulations that prohibit school lunch programs from serving 1 percent flavored milk to students. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue voiced support for the initiative in May and directed the USDA to begin making the change.
The bipartisan measure, which Thompson introduced with U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), would also reaffirm a requirement that milk must be offered at each meal, and it would allow milk to be sold in age-appropriate containers and packaging like other beverages. Additionally, a pilot program would be established to explore how initiatives like expanded breakfast programs and a la carte sales could help promote milk consumption among students.
“Milk is the No. 1 source of nine essential nutrients in many young American’s diets and provides many significant health benefits,” Thompson said. “The School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017 seeks to reverse the decline of milk consumption in schools throughout Pennsylvania and across the country. By allowing children more milk options — including flavored milk — it is my hope that we will witness consumption return to their historic levels and kids will again be able to enjoy milk.”
The bill has drawn support from industry groups like the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).
“Congressmen Thompson and Courtney recognize the nutritional role that milk plays in helping school-aged children to grow and develop to their full potential,” Michael Dykes, the president and CEO of IDFA, said. “We appreciate their steadfast commitment to reverse declining milk consumption by allowing schools to give kids access to a variety of milk options, including the flavored milks they love.”
NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern, meanwhile, applauded a provision of the bill that would enable parents to make written requests for reduced-fat milk under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
“When kids don’t drink milk, it’s extremely difficult for them to get sufficient amounts of three of the four major nutrients most lacking in children’s’ diets: calcium, potassium and vitamin D,” Mulhern said. “This legislation helps address that shortcoming both in schools and in the WIC program.”