As our State of the Industry report, appearing last issue proves, milk sales are mixed compared to prior years. Total dairy milk sales totaled nearly $15.6 billion for the year ending Aug. 13. This figure is good enough for a 2% year-over-year gain, but unit sales declined by 3% to 4.5 billion, according to Circana data.

But here is some good news. Milk’s benefits are difficult to replace, whether via dairy alternatives or whatever the hot new kid on the block is.

This is especially true regarding school milk. As the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) explains, milk plays a central role in school meals by providing 13 essential nutrients students need for healthy immune function, hydration, cognition, mental health, bone health, as well as a lower risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

IDFA shared new data demonstrating the growing popularity among parents for maintaining flavored milk options in schools. Between March 2023 and June 2023, a Morning Consult polling of a sample of 441 parents with children in public schools shows schools maintained high levels of agreement that non-fat and low-fat flavored milk should remain an option for school meals. 

In fact, nine-in-10 parents with children in public schools (89%) agreed that non-fat and low-fat flavored milk should remain an option, and three-fourths of parents (77%) expressed that low-fat flavored milk is healthy.

In April, IDFA partnered with 37 school milk processors representing more than 90% of the school milk volume in the United States to launch the Healthy School Milk Commitment. It is a pledge by dairy companies to provide healthy, nutritious school milk options with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 fluid ounce serving by the 2025-26 school year. 

When the Commitment was announced in April, the average level of added sugar in flavored milk products in schools was 8.2 grams per serving (weighted average), according to IDFA. Since that time, processors have begun to reformulate products in anticipation of the 2025 school year, and added sugar levels have fallen to 7.5 grams per serving (weighted average) as of July, based on IDFA’s survey of all 37 processors. 

Approximately two-thirds of processors participating in the Commitment offer products today that contain 10 grams or less of added sugar per serving. And the remaining one-third are actively working on reformulations that will further reduce added sugars and calories for our schoolchildren in the years ahead, IDFA notes.

In fact, since the 2005-06 school year, school milk processors have reduced the average level of added sugars in flavored milks by 55%, and the average level of calories from 165 to 125 calories per serving, a reduction of nearly 25%, IDFA reveals.

“The proactive work by school milk processors to get ahead of USDA’s proposed standards while continuing to deliver nutritious products that students enjoy has been nothing short of outstanding,” wrote Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “It is clear that U.S. milk processors are committed to providing milk’s 13 essential nutrients to America’s students while reducing calories and added sugars in flavored milk. That’s because we all recognize that school meal programs are critically important to child nutrition.

“For low-income children ages 1 to 18, 77% of their daily milk intake comes from school meals, delivering high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, and health benefits including better bone health and lower risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” Dykes concludes.