Obstacles Imposed by the Federal Government Limit Lactose-Free Milk Options for Kids and Erode Nutrition Equity, says IDFA
WASHINGTON — An analysis of milk sales across all major sales channels shows that U.S. schools are falling short in making lactose-free milk options available to students. Obstacles like mandatory doctor’s notes, a lack of reimbursements for lactose-free purchases from the federal government, and inadequate nutrition recommendations that shortchange child nutrition are at issue, said President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Michael Dykes, D.V.M.
The analysis of lactose-free sales done by PRIME Consulting shows lactose-free options represented 8% of all milk volume sales in 2023 across retail (grocery and supercenters) and institutions, representing the largest share of lactose-free volume sales in history. However, sales of lactose-free milk in schools were just 0.6% of all milk sales in schools. A new Morning Consult poll of likely voters shows 8 in 10 said it is important for public school lunches (81%) and federal nutrition programs (80%) to provide lactose-free milk options to kids who prefer them. Lactose-free milk sales on U.S. military bases are more than 28 times greater than schools, although each institution serves a diverse population of Americans who may prefer lactose-free milk.
Considering the findings, IDFA will engage with policymakers to explore ways to increase the availability of lactose-free milk options for students, remove unfair barriers that make it difficult for children to access lactose-free milk, and ensure the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans maintain the dairy category, including lactose-free dairy options. Lactose-free milk is cow’s milk with the same essential vitamins and minerals, but without the lactose that can cause discomfort for some people.
“Approximately 30 million students get a meal at school every day, but this data shows lactose-free milk options are not available to students who need or prefer them,” said Dykes. “Over decades, USDA has not invested in lactose-free milk at schools, despite its wide and growing availability. As a result, barriers like mandatory doctor’s notes and a negative stigma around lactose-free milk persist. Instead of lactose-free milk with 13 essential nutrients, schools may be serving juice or alternatives that are not nutritionally equivalent. We urge USDA to work with schools to remove barriers and make real lactose-free milk widely available for students who prefer it. Making real lactose-free milk available is the right thing to do for child nutrition and health equity.”
Sales of lactose-free milk in schools increased from 0.2% in 2022 to 0.6% in 2023, as school milk processors make new products available to schools to meet the needs and preferences of American students. However, despite a focus on nutrition equity by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) which administers and funds our nations school nutrition programs, little has been done to make these nutritious options available to students. Most Americans have never even tried lactose-free milk.
New Morning Consult polling commissioned by IDFA among a sample of 2,202 U.S. adults shows many Americans are unaware about the availability of lactose-free milk options in public places like grocery stores, schools and hospitals. A large majority of Americans across the political spectrum support U.S. government funding to ensure lactose-free milk availability and assist in educational initiatives about the benefits of lactose-free milk. Review the polling here.
The lactose-free market is booming due to the wide availability of new options offering high-protein and low-sugar milk alongside yogurt, cheese and ice cream that tastes great and delivers big nutrition without discomfort. Awareness of lactose-free options is especially important for communities with higher lactose sensitivity rates, such as Black Americans, as dairy consumption is linked to lower risks of health issues like type 2 diabetes. According to research by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), two in three Americans say they’ve never consumed lactose-free milk (64%), lactose-free flavored milk (76%), or other lactose-free dairy options other than milk (68%). Avoiding dairy may result in lower intake of nutrients that are part of a healthy diet, including calcium, protein, and vitamin D.
Based on this data, IDFA will engage policymakers at USDA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and in Congress to explore ways to increase the availability of lactose-free milk options to our students:
- Increase the availability of lactose-free milk options for students by putting more federal dollars behind supplementing reimbursements, increasing education about the nutritional value of lactose-free milk by school meal professionals, and measuring and reporting on the availability of lactose-free milk in schools to parents and Congress. USDA has supported a handful of lactose-free milk pilot programs in schools and now it’s time to mainstream lactose-free across all school districts.
- Work with schools to remove unfair barriers that make it difficult for children to get access to lactose-free milk, including doctor’s notes required by some schools or school districts. For their part, schools should make lactose-free milk available to students alongside conventional milk without obstacles rather than settling for bottled water or alternatives that are not nutritionally equivalent.
Ensure the HHS/USDA 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans maintains the dairy category, including lactose-free dairy, and updates the category to highlight the nutritional value and equivalence of lactose-free options without replacing or diluting this healthy, nutritious category with alternatives that are not nutritionally equivalent.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.
