SCHUMER ANNOUNCES WHOLE MILK FOR HEALTHY KIDS ACT HAS PASSED CONGRESS & IS ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING LAW TO BRING MORE MILK FROM UPSTATE NY DAIRY FARMS TO SCHOOL CAFETERIAS ACROSS[...]

Since 2012, Milk Has Been Restricted For School Meals By USDA, Hurting Upstate Dairy Farms And Stopping Kids From Getting Access To Delicious, Nutritious Milk Products, But Following Schumer's Advocacy Bipartisan Bill Will Fix

Schumer Says This Is Win-Win To Support Upstate NY Dairy Farmers And Bring Nutritious New Milk Options To School Cafeterias

Schumer: We Are FINALLY Bringing Back Whole & Reduced Fat Milk For Students

After standing with Upstate NY dairy farmers to call on the House to take up critical legislation for NY dairy, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today announced the passage of the Schumer-backed bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which will bring back unflavored and flavored whole and reduced-fat milk to be offered in school cafeterias, which have been restricted since 2012, hurting Upstate NY dairy farms. Schumer said this bill has now passed both chambers and is now headed to the President's desk, where it will be signed into law.

"At long last, whole milk will return to school lunches! Milk is one of the best and healthiest options to give students the nutrition they need to learn and grow, and it has been restricted in our schools, hurting Upstate dairy farmers, for far too long. That's why I was proud to stand with Upstate NY dairy farmers to call on the House to get the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act passed once and for all," said Senator Schumer. "This critical bill now will soon become law and help bring whole milk to children across America. I have long fought to boost New York's dairy industry and will continue fighting to ensure our farmers' products are widely available."

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 highlights the health benefits milk provides to students, including better bone health, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes. According to the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), milk is a source of two under-consumed nutrients, calcium and vitamin D. In addition, recent scientific and medical research indicates that higher-fat milk consumption by children is associated with lower childhood obesity and other positive health outcomes.

Schools participating in the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) national school lunch and breakfast programs have not been permitted to serve whole milk since 2012, when they aimed to align school meal menus with the DGAs, which proposed limiting fat consumption in children. However, more recent analyses of existing scientific studies suggest that children who drink whole milk could have lower levels of obesity. More varieties and options will increase the amount of milk students will drink, allowing them to benefit from the nutritional content of numerous milk varieties.

The text of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act can be found HERE.

The dairy industry is one of New York's largest contributors to the agricultural economy. According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Dairy statistics, there are nearly 3,000 dairy farms in New York that produce over 16.1 billion pounds of milk annually, making New York the nation's fifth largest dairy state.

From backing the Dairy Margin Coverage Program to fund monthly price support payments from the feds to dairy farmers to ensuring Greek yogurt is included in the USDA's school lunch program, Schumer has long fought for policies that support New York's dairy farmers and said this new legislation is a common-sense fix that will help Upstate dairy farms grow.

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