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Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023
12/7/2023, 5:05 PM
Summary of Bill S 1957
Currently, the USDA's regulations only allow for low-fat or fat-free milk to be served in schools, which has been a point of contention for many lawmakers and dairy industry advocates. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act seeks to change this by giving schools the option to offer whole milk to students.
Proponents of the bill argue that whole milk is a nutritious option for children, providing essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D that are important for growth and development. They also believe that allowing whole milk in schools will help support dairy farmers and the dairy industry as a whole. Opponents of the bill, however, raise concerns about the potential health risks associated with consuming whole milk, which is higher in saturated fat than low-fat or fat-free options. They argue that promoting whole milk in schools could contribute to childhood obesity and other health issues. Overall, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 is a controversial piece of legislation that has sparked debate among lawmakers, health experts, and industry stakeholders. Its outcome will have significant implications for the future of school nutrition and the dairy industry in the United States.
Congressional Summary of S 1957
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023
This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk.
In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations.
