The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) and the dairy producers we represent across the nation applaud the efforts of Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA) on the introduction of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.
1-31-2019: “Milk is the No. 1 source of nine essential nutrients in the diets of our students, but if they don’t drink it these health benefits are lost,” Rep. Thompson said in a press release on his official website. “Milk consumption has been declining in schools throughout the nation because kids are not consuming the varieties of milk being made available to them. It is my hope that the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will bring a wider range of milk options to American lunchrooms so students can choose the kind they love best.”
The American Dairy Coalition hopes the reintroduction of more varieties of milk to school lunch programs will not only provide a key source of nutrition for children across the nation, but also develop a new generation of milk drinkers in an age when fluid consumption of milk is in decline. In the past decade, fluid milk sales have fallen about 13 percent and the price of milk has dropped nearly 40 percent over the last 4 years. Without access to additional markets for their product, dairy farmers are going out of business at an alarming rate.
“I’m proud to join Congressman Thompson in this effort that will provide more choices for nutritious and healthy milk to kids in schools, and a valuable market for dairy farmers in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and nationwide at a time when they’re continuing to face extremely difficult market conditions,” Chairman Peterson said in the same press release.
Providing additional markets for dairy producers is key to preserving and protecting an industry that consistently provides consumers with the highest-quality dairy products available at an affordable price. The U.S. dairy products industry supports nearly 3 million workers, generates more than $39 billion in direct wages and has an overall economic impact of more than $628 billion, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
The dairy industry provides jobs at feed mills, dairy manufacturing plants, construction companies, genetic companies, milk haulers, dairy plants plus much, much more. Farmers across the nation work hard to provide food for dinner tables across the country — it’s time we work hard to protect their livelihood too.
The American Dairy Coalition is urging all dairy producers, allied businesses and employees of the dairy industry to reach out to their federal legislators and ask them to support H.R. 832, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2019.
About The American Dairy Coalition:
The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) is a farmer-led national lobbying organization of progressive, modern dairy farmers. We focus on federal dairy policy. For more information, contact CEO Laurie Fischer at 920-965-6070.
