With the return of whole milk back into schools sailing through the House, things are looking up in Pennsylvania.
If passed by the Senate, the Whole Milk in Pennsylvania Schools Act could permit schools to serve whole milk and 2% milk to students. Currently, schools are only allowed to serve 1% milk and fat-free milk. Most of the public schools in the state utilize the USDA’s National School Lunch Program which reimburses schools for the meals nutrition guidelines it has set up.
Pennsylvania dairy farmer Jess Peters is thrilled that whole milk is likely to come back to schools in her home state.
“I have parents tell me all the time that their kids won’t drink milk at school because it doesn’t taste as good as what they drink at home,” she states. “Putting whole milk back in schools will entice kids to drink more milk, which will lead to a habit they’ll hopefully continue for the rest of their lives.”
Marilyn Hershey, owner of Ar-Joy Farms near Cochranville, who milks 500 cows and also serves as the chair for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) concurs with Peters.
“As a dairy farmer, I feel strongly that there should be a variety of milk and dairy options in school cafeterias. It’s important that students of all ages receive the essential nutrients – including calcium, Vitamin D, and protein – found in every serving of milk. The dairy checkoff has a history of working closely with school districts – in Pennsylvania and throughout the country – to help school nutrition staff navigate regulations and ensure that dairy foods play a prominent role on the menu. Our team also supports whole milk research studies and works to communicate those results to health professional organizations and others who make up the Dietary Guidelines for Americans committee,” she says.
The bill was introduced by State rep. Clint Owlett, R-Tioga, and state Rep. John Lawrence, R-Lancaster. Back in 2012, the USDA limited what kind of milk could be served in schools, with the rules adjusted in 2018, but serving whole milk was still prohibited. Owlett advocated for change, as school milk consumption in his state has been decreasing since USDA implemented these changes.
“Studies have shown a 35% reduction in student milk consumption since the Obama administration forced schools to drop whole and flavored milk from their student breakfast and lunch offerings more than a decade ago,” Owlett stated. “At the same time, the state has lost 2,140 of our dairy farms, including 230 last year alone. Clearly, these trends are connected, and it’s time we act to turn them around.”
Raised on a dairy farm, Owlet hopes the bill can provide a boost to Pennsylvania’s dairy industry. The bill would allow schools to utilize funds from state or local sources to obtain Pennsylvania-produced milk.
The Bill passed in the House by a vote of 196-2, with only state Reps. Ryan Bizarro, D-Erie, and Dan Miller, D-Mt. Lebanon, voting against it.
The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau also applauded the bill’s passage in the House.
“We are very pleased to see a strong bipartisan effort to approve this important legislation,” Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Rick Ebert said in a statement. “Whole milk contains a number of key nutrients essential for good health. We support this legislation because it will not only provide a much-needed boost for Pennsylvania dairy farmers, but it will help foster a new generation of healthy kids who drink milk.”
The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.
