US Dairy Industry Welcomes School Milk Support
US - Dairy leaders have congratulated politicians for including measures to address declining school milk consumption in the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016, which was approved last week.
23 May 2016
2 minute read
“Fluid milk consumption in schools has declined in recent years, and in fact most Americans are drinking less milk than recommended by the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA),” said J. David Carlin, senior vice president of legislative affairs and economic policy at the International Dairy Foods Association.
“The fact that the school milk provisions have bipartisan support in this bill is an indication of how important it is to promote better consumption of milk by the nation’s students.”
“This bill takes an important step toward reversing the decline in school milk consumption by asking USDA to examine how to ensure that kids are getting enough milk,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.
“By better aligning the school lunch program with the dietary guidelines, options including 1 per cent flavoured milk will be back on the lunch tray in school cafeterias as a result of this legislation.”
The amendment bolsters recommendations made in the DGA, released earlier this year, which says current laws should continue to make milk integral to all the child nutrition programmes.
It also requires adjustments as necessary to promote better consumption of milk by the nation’s students and to permit schools to offer all varieties consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The bill also provides innovative approaches to meet the needs of lactose-intolerant children.
The bill will now move to consideration by the full US House of Representatives.
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