The Healthy School Milk Commitment has led to a reduction of added sugar levels by 10% in flavored school milk between the 2023 and 2024 school years, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IFDA).

Byrne’s study focuses on aseptic, or shelf-stable, flavored milk. Aseptic technology allows distributors and school districts to transport and store products at ambient temperature. Currently, many schools serve traditional pasteurized milk, which must be refrigerated at all times during transport and storage.

It is not every month we get to discuss momentous, legislative events for the dairy industry. Yet, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act has the potential to help more schoolchildren enjoy nutritious, delicious milk in two additional varieties. 

As our State of the Industry report, appearing last issue proves, milk sales are mixed compared to prior years. Total dairy milk sales totaled nearly $15.6 billion for the year ending Aug. 13. 

Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, 37 school milk processors representing more than 90% of the school milk volume in the United States commit to provide healthy, nutritious school milk options with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8 fluid ounce serving.

A silent crisis is gripping our nation’s children. In a typical school year, more than 30 million students of all ages rely on school breakfast and lunch for their daily recommended intake of critical nutrients.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said it is celebrating the decision by New York Mayor Eric Adams to allow New York City public schools to continue to serve nutritious low-fat and fat-free flavored milk with school meals.

The United Nations reports that nearly 40% of the world’s population — 3 billion people — cannot afford a healthy diet. This has far-reaching effects on all forms of malnutrition, including obesity.

Across the globe, 400 million children consume a meal at school daily. These meals provide more than just good nutrition; in many underdeveloped countries, school lunch is an incentive for children to attend school. 

A bipartisan group of more than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives today sent a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack urging USDA to address the underconsumption of dairy foods among American school-aged children.