The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released the Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy on Sept. 9.
The plan, with more than 120 initiatives to reverse America’s childhood chronic disease epidemic, includes restoring whole milk in schools.
Chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the commission’s strategy outlines targeted executive actions to advance gold-standard science, realign incentives, increase public awareness and strengthen private-sector collaboration.
“This strategy represents the most sweeping reform agenda in modern history – realigning our food and health systems, driving education and unleashing science to protect America’s children and families,” Kennedy said.
National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Gregg Doud added, “The MAHA Commission’s Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy recognizes what the latest science indicates and what we’ve long been saying: that getting whole milk back into schools and boosting dairy in diets helps meet America’s nutritional needs, and that it is critical to improving the health of our nation’s children.”
To codify into law the endorsement given in the report, NMPF urges Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would provide schools the opportunity to serve nutritious whole and 2% milk.
Both NMPF and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) are hopeful this acknowledgment of the health benefits of dairy foods of all fat levels will be reflected in the upcoming Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
“Additionally, we encourage the USDA to use this strategy as the basis for working with Congress to expand SNAP dairy incentives to include more wholesome varieties of milk, cheese, yogurt and cultured dairy products for SNAP participants,” said Michael Dykes, DVM, president and CEO of IDFA.
The USDA-administered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dairy incentive program has reached 1,100 grocery stores in 32 states. IDFA is looking to collaborate with the federal government to grow SNAP dairy incentives to all 50 states.
“Through school meals, WIC, SNAP and other nutrition programs, America’s dairy industry remains committed to ensuring every child has access to dairy’s 13 essential nutrients. We look forward to working closely with the commission and policymakers to build on these priorities and advance the health of America’s children,” Dykes said.
