(WASHINGTON D.C.) — On Thursday, bipartisan members of both the House and Senate reintroduced the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025. Led by U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and Kim Schrier (D-WA) and U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), the legislation would allow for unflavored and flavored whole and reduced fat (2 percent) milk to be offered in school cafeterias.
“Federal policy, based on flawed, outdated science has kept whole milk out of school cafeterias for more than a decade,” said Rep. Thompson. “Milk provides 13 essential nutrients that supplement growth and health, two key factors contributing to academic success. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 provides schools the flexibility they need to offer a variety of options, while supporting students and America’s hard-working dairy farmers.”
“As a pediatrician, I know how important a balanced and nutritious diet is for children’s health, well-being, and development,” said Rep. Schrier. “A healthy diet early in life leads to proper physical growth and improved academic performance, and can set the foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits. Milk is a significant part of many children’s diets and contains essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D. This bill simply gives schools the option of providing the types of milk most kids prefer to drink. ”
According to the lawmakers, schools participating in the United States Department of Agriculture’s school meals program have not been permitted to serve whole milk since 2012. The 2020-2025 DGAs reports kids 2-18 are largely missing their dairy intake recommendations, with upwards of 75% of all school-aged children missing their recommended levels of dairy. Updated scientific and medical research indicates higher fat milk consumption by children is associated with lower childhood obesity and other positive health outcomes.
The news was met with support from the dairy industry. International Dairy Foods Association President and CEO Michael Dykes said in a statement that “IDFA thanks U.S. Reps. Thompson and Schrier, U.S. Senators Marshall, Welch, Fetterman, and McCormick, and other co-sponsors for their bipartisan, bicameral introduction of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would allow schools to provide the nutritious milk options that children prefer. Whole milk provides them with milk’s 13 essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness. A wide majority of parents and medical and nutrition professionals know that offering whole milk increases school meal participation, reduces food waste, and provides nutritionally valuable school meals for children and adolescents.”
National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement that “NMPF commends Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-PA, and Kim Schrier, D-WA, and Senators Roger Marshall, R-KS, Peter Welch, D-VT, Dave McCormick, R-PA, and John Fetterman, D-PA, for their leadership in boosting students’ access to crucial nutrition with their Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Just last month, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reaffirmed that most Americans under-consume nutrient-dense dairy. This much-needed bill lets schools offer students the healthful milk options that they are most likely to drink by permitting the serving of nutritious reduced fat and whole milk varieties, critically addressing kids’ under-consumption of milk’s essential nutrients.”
Doud added that “NMPF is ready to work with the bill’s bipartisan sponsors to move this commonsense, widely supported solution across the finish line this year.”
The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act received overwhelmingly bipartisan support in the 118th Congress with 134 cosponsors in the House and 330 votes on the House floor.
Additional background about the bill and growing momentum for it can be found here. More information from Rep. Thompson’s office here.
