Earlier this month, the American Dairy Coalition urged people to contact their state senators to sign on as sponsors for the “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025.” Introduced in the U.S. Senate this past January, the bill revised the requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Although the measure got overwhelming House support in the 2023–24 legislative session, it was blocked in the Senate during 2024. After 14 years of the USDA restricting schools and daycare centers from offering only fat-free and 1% milk to children over age 2, Senate Bill 222 aims to bring back the choices of whole and 2%, flavored and unflavored milk in schools.

According to Dr. Michael Dykes of the International Dairy Foods Association, whole and 2% milk provide kids with 13 essential nutrients and high-quality protein critical for growth, development, healthy immune function and overall wellness. He stated, “It’s time for Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and bring whole and 2-percent milk back to schools.” If passed by both the Senate and the House, the bill would need presidential approval.