NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — U.S. milk production is on pace to reach a record high this year, even as overall fluid milk consumption continues to decline. One potential bright spot for the industry could come from a renewed effort to allow whole milk back into schools.
Legislation aimed at reversing restrictions on whole milk is still awaiting full consideration by both the House and Senate. Supporters say the change could provide a meaningful boost for dairy demand while giving students more nutritious options.
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Economist Danny Munch joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to discuss the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act’s potential impact on the dairy industry.
In his interview with RFD-TV News, Munch explained why whole milk was initially restricted in schools and provided insight into current consumption trends. He said recent years have seen a steady drop in fluid milk consumption, driven by evolving consumer preferences and competition from alternative beverages.
Previously, Munch explained, whole milk was removed from schools due to dietary trends that favored a reduction in children’s intake of saturated fat, but that science has since been disproved. However, he also noted that the proposed legislation would not require schools to serve whole milk — merely give them the option to do so.
Munch also noted that returning whole milk to school cafeterias could have positive effects on both student nutrition and dairy producers, helping to stabilize demand and support farm income.
Currently, Munch said, the 2% and nonfat milk served in schools account for approximately 8% of total fluid milk demand. Adding whole milk to the mix would also increase butterfat demand for whole milk. Great news for the U.S. dairy industry, which has recently experienced domestic production booms that have reduced stocks.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders spoke with RFD-TV’s own Susan Alexander this Monday morning on the Market Day Report to explain Arkansas’s recently passed giving lawmakers greater authority to sanction foreign ag-land ownership within the state.
October 30, 2023 12:51 PM
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Where the Food Comes From producer Donna Sanders takes us along on a behind-the-scenes look at filming the show’s newest episode, “Clemson Blue,” where university cheesemakers reveal how they put the “blue” in their award-winning blue cheese.
October 26, 2023 09:00 AM
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It is in there, the mold — those rich blue veins in creamy blue cheese that make you either love it or loathe it — but how does it get there? This bonus scene from “Clemson Dairy,” Season 4, Episode 4 of
Where the Food Comes From, explains how and why that happens.
October 25, 2023 09:00 AM
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No, it is not some new college course — Clemson has been making blue cheese since 1941, and the product has developed a worldwide following and won some pretty big awards. With good reason — it is fantastic stuff. It is also fascinating to see how it is made. Check out this sneak peek look at the latest episode of Where the Food Comes From, “Clemson Blue.”
October 24, 2023 11:32 AM
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The machines do all the work at Hickory Hill Milk in South Carolina, and the pampered cows get on-demand service. The team at Where the Food Comes From shares a special, behind-the-scenes account filming the show’s newest episode, Robot Dairy, premiering this Friday, Oct. 20, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. ET on RFD-TV!
October 19, 2023 09:00 AM
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How does a robot milk a cow?
October 18, 2023 09:00 AM
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The machines do all the work at Hickory Hill Milk in South Carolina, where the pampered cows get on-demand service. They make a premium cream line of milk you still have to shake. It is so good it is used to make the world-famous Clemson blue cheese.
October 17, 2023 01:55 PM
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Today’s blog post by RFD-TV Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen takes a look at the “preferential payment rule,” a unique bankruptcy provision that can come as a suprise to farmers in financial distress.
October 13, 2023 10:54 AM
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With 2023 projected to be a difficult year for agricultural producers, Chapter 12 filings may increase. One of the requirements to get a Chapter 12 reorganization plan approved is that be filed in “good faith.” In this blog post, RFD-TV Legal Contributor Roger A. McEowen explains exactly what farmers need to know about the process.
October 04, 2023 02:57 PM
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