Sen. Chuck Schumer announced Senate passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, a bipartisan amendment that allows unflavored and flavored whole and reduced-fat milk to be offered in school cafeterias.

“Milk is an essential part of our students’ school lunches, and the lifeblood of our Upstate New York agricultural economy,” Schumer said in a November press release. “I was proud to support the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to ensure more milk options are available in school cafeterias across America.

“This is a win-win for local New York dairy farmers, who can sell their products, and kids, who will have more healthy and delicious drink options at lunchtime. I have long fought to boost New York’s dairy industry and will continue fighting to ensure our farmers’ products are widely available.”

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Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act

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Introduced to the Senate by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, last January, this bill revises requirements for milk offered in schools set by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture.

Schools participating in the DOA’s school lunch program have been prohibited from serving whole milk since 2012.

“The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 is greatly going to improve the quality of student nutrition,” Sadie Kaltenbach, food service director at Saranac Lake Central School District, said.

One of the main items taken by students at lunch is milk, according to Kaltenbach.

“Having only the choice of skim or 1% does not allow for proper nutrient absorption,” she said.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act highlights the health benefits of milk for growing students, including bone health, lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes.

Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which require milk to be low-fat or fat-free, and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored.

“Everyone loves to say, ‘Drink your milk so you can grow big and strong,’ referring to the nutrients that help with bone health, immunity and development,” Kaltenbach said, emphasizing the nutrients found in milk are fat soluble and are absorbed less by the body when the fat is removed.

When fat is removed from milk, it is typically fortified by reintroducing vitamins, she said.

“Without the fat, you can introduce as many as you want; you are still not effectively absorbing the nutrients because they still need fat to actually absorb into your body,” Kaltenbach added.

According to the DGA, milk is a source of two nutrients under-consumed by growing students, calcium and vitamin D.

Chair of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association Keith Kimball praised the Senate and House for passing the bill as it supports science, children’s choice and will provide another market for family farms.

“Whole Milk is a pure, low-fat and protein-packed drink,” he said. “Its nutrition has always been backed by science, as it includes 13 essential nutrients that are key to children’s growth and the health of consumers of all ages.

“This improvement to school meals and our milk markets has been in the making for years, and we are thrilled that it’s finally getting done.”

The bill modifies these requirements to permit schools to offer whole milk and reduced-fat milk for school lunches as well. The milk offered may be organic or nonorganic. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement to substitute fluid milk.

Participating schools are also required to provide meals that meet nutritional requirements. USDA regulations require the average saturated fat content of the meals to be less than 10% of the total calories. The new bill excludes fluid milk from the saturated fat calculations.

“I am beyond excited to be able to serve whole milk to students who so desperately need the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that milk provides,” Kaltenbach said.

He also said more choices will increase students’ potential to have better mental health and physical development, two things that all students need.

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A win for NY farmers

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New York’s dairy industry is one of the largest contributors to the state’s agriculture economy.

There are nearly 3,000 dairy farms in New York that produce more than 16.1 billion pounds of milk annually, according to New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Dairy statistics. New York is the nation’s fifth largest dairy producer.

“We are incredibly excited to see the passage of this legislation, which has been a top policy priority for New York Farm Bureau,” Manager of National Affairs for the New York Farm Bureau Ashley Sardo said. “This act will allow greater market opportunities for New York dairy farmers, while also providing essential nutrients to children in school meals.”

Adirondack Farms managing partner Shane St. Cyr said the bill is a step in the right direction in providing growing students essential nutrients. St. Cyr emphasized the investments made in the state’s dairy industry and hopes this bill will allow more dairy products to reach students.

“I think any time we are giving natural, nutritious products to kids, is a win for everybody,” he said.