Lawmakers are revisiting the issue of whole milk in schools

Ag lawmakers have been fighting for years to keep whole milk in school cafeterias, and now, they are getting ready to hear all sides of the argument.

For more than a decade, Congress has prevented U.S. public schools from serving whole milk to students. However, parents, doctors, and the dairy community are now pushing back, and Congress says it will listen.

Tomorrow morning, Senate Ag Committee leadership will hold a hearing on the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which is a bill that has been around in different versions over the years, and would allow schools in the national school lunch program to serve reduced or low fat milk, including flavored varieties. Several groups will testify including USDA, as well as a number of school district leaders from around the country.

Related Stories
The House Agriculture Committee is set to debate a new, “skinny” Farm Bill at the end of February, according to a release from Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson.
The fun continues in Nashville next year at CattleCon 2027!
The phone call injected optimism into the soybean market, but actual Chinese buying and its timing will ultimately determine the extent of U.S. agricultural export benefits.
Regulatory uncertainty could slow the growth of fiber and grain hemp unless implementation is delayed.
Mexico has fallen behind by several hundred thousand acre-feet in required water deliveries to the United States, a shortfall that has had devastating consequences across the Rio Grande Valley.
Modest rate relief may come late in 2026, but borrowing costs are likely to stay elevated.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

U.S. trade talks with China resume, but meat industry leaders say dealing with shifting demand and market uncertainty is nothing new in this side of the ag sector.
Tariffs are pushing up input costs, with fertilizer prices rising $100 per ton and machinery costs climbing due to steel and parts duties.
Year-round sales of E-15 are another major topic on Capitol Hill, which, according to Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), is one issue up for debate this session with significant bipartisan support.
Lawmakers have until September 30 to shore up federal spending for next year, or risk a government shutdown. The Farm Bill is also set to expire the same day.
American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland joins us to share his reaction to September’s WASDE and discuss the trade uncertainty between China and his industry.