Dairy groups applaud letter urging USDA to make low-fat flavored milk school flexibilities permanent
The letter specifically requests making permanent a current flexibility that allows schools to offer low-fat flavored milk.
A bipartisan group of more than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives today sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging USDA to address the underconsumption of dairy foods among American school-aged children. The group specifically requests making permanent a current flexibility that allows schools to offer low-fat flavored milk — a nutrient dense option for improving the quality of children’s diets according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).
The letter cites the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report, which found that 79% of 9- to 13-year-olds, who rely on the school meal programs to meet their nutritional needs, are not meeting the recommended intake of dairy foods. “Both the 2015 and 2020 editions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) amplified this concern, stating that, beginning at a young age, average dairy consumption falls short of recommended amounts,” the letter states.