It has been several years in the making, but with President Donald Trump’s signature at the White House, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act was signed into law on Jan. 14.
“Today, I am delighted to sign the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law,” Trump said on X about Congressional Bill S. 222. “It will ensure that millions of school-aged children have access to high-quality milk as we Make America Healthy Again.”
Also praising the action were U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. They both had advocated for the importance of milk as part of a nutritional diet earlier this month when they announced new U.S. Dietary Guidelines.
U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) released the following statement after watching President Trump sign the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act into law:
“Today is a milestone for the health and well-being of children nationwide. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act ensures whole and reduced-fat milk choices return to school lunch programs alongside low-fat and fat-free options.
“I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this legislation through the Senate and into law. By restoring these healthy, nutritious milk beverages to school cafeterias, we are helping fuel young people’s success in the classroom and supporting America’s outstanding dairy producers.”
The Senate passed the bill Nov. 21, following unanimous committee approval earlier in the year.
National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a news release dairy farmers and their cooperatives could not be more thrilled that whole and 2% milk is returning to school meals.
“Dairy is a nutrition powerhouse that should be used to its fullest potential—and that means making it available in the same varieties families consume at home,” Doud said. “We are ready to help schools and USDA in any way we can as this important legislation is implemented, and we thank the Trump administration, our advocates on Capitol Hill, and everyone who has worked to make school meals better through increased access to dairy.”
“This bipartisan solution to school meals alongside the newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans reinforces what families already know: Nutrient-dense foods like whole milk are an important part of a healthy diet,” Rollins said.
Rollins was joined by dairy farmers Thomas French, Kevin Satterwhite, Jamie Pagel, William Thiele, and Tara Vander Dussen, and emphasized that restoring whole milk in schools supports both children’s nutrition and the producers who sustain rural jobs and communities.
The law reflects strong bipartisan leadership, she said, including sponsors Sens. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Peter Welch (D-VE), Chairman of the U.S House Agriculture Committee Glenn Thompson (R-PA-15) and U.S. Rep. Kim Schrier (D-WA).
USDA implementation begins immediately. Following the announcement USDA issued program implementation guidance to school nutrition officials to implement the bill, and a proposed rulemaking will soon commence to ensure schools and nutrition programs can begin offering whole milk as quickly as possible.
USDA will now undergo a rewrite of Child Nutrition Programs to ensure school meals are aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
