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. 

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, 37 school milk processors representing more than 90% of the school milk volume in the United States commit to provide healthy, nutritious school milk options with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 fluid ounce serving.

A silent crisis is gripping our nation’s children. In a typical school year, more than 30 million students of all ages rely on school breakfast and lunch for their daily recommended intake of critical nutrients.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said it is celebrating the decision by New York Mayor Eric Adams to allow New York City public schools to continue to serve nutritious low-fat and fat-free flavored milk with school meals.

The United Nations reports that nearly 40% of the world’s population — 3 billion people — cannot afford a healthy diet. This has far-reaching effects on all forms of malnutrition, including obesity.

Across the globe, 400 million children consume a meal at school daily. These meals provide more than just good nutrition; in many underdeveloped countries, school lunch is an incentive for children to attend school. 

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 USDA recently announced that schools will be able to serve low-fat flavored milk during the upcoming school year — a relief for the dairy industry and a step in the right direction for children’s nutritional needs and preference for flavored milk.

USDA said it would publish a proposed rule “maintaining flexibility for schools to serve tasty meals their kids will be eager to eat.”

GENYOUth, a New York-based nonprofit organization founded by dairy farmers through their checkoff to create healthier schools, said it named Maureen Bausch as chief development officer, GENYOUth COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund.