WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) introduced the Milk in Lunches for Kids (MILK) Act Wednesday, legislation to allow schools to serve all forms of milk, including flavored and unflavored whole milk and two percent milk. Currently, schools are only allowed to serve flavored and unflavored skim and one percent milk with lunches.

“Overregulation has limited the healthy varieties of milk schools can serve students. Since these Obama-era regulations went into place, milk consumption has notably declined in schools across the country,” said Sen. Johnson. “I’m pleased to co-sponsor this legislation that would give schools the ability to serve all forms of milk, including whole milk and flavored milk. Greater choice allows schools and students to make the best choice for them.”

The MILK Act also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to revise regulations to exclude milk fat from the cap on saturated fat in school lunches.

Background

In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act which amended nutrition standards in the School Lunch Program and limited school’s unflavored milk options to skim and one percent and limited the flavored milk options to only skim milk. In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a rule that allowed schools to also serve flavored one percent milk to students.

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