HARRISBURG – Two of the Pennsylvania Legislature’s leading advocates for offering kids whole milk at school praised congressional approval of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act. Reps. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford) and John Lawrence (R-Chester County) say the move is a win-win for PA kids and the dairy industry.

“After years of turning up their noses at skim milk, students across the country could soon have the option to enjoy a drink of whole milk or flavored milk as part of their school breakfast or lunch,” the lawmakers said. “Milk offers our kids 13 essential nutrients that support health and academic success – nutrients they’ve been missing out on because the Obama administration banned these options in favor of milks most kids would never even think of drinking.”

Owlett and Lawrence praised Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson for his commitment and persistence in the fight to get real milk back into schools to benefit students across the country. He is the prime sponsor of legislation creating the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act in the U.S. House.

“Studies have shown a 35% reduction in student milk consumption since the Obama administration forced schools to drop whole and flavored milks from their student breakfast and lunch offerings well over a decade ago,” Owlett said. “At the same time, the state has lost thousands of dairy farms. Clearly these trends are connected and it’s time we act to turn them around.”

“Passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is the capstone to a yearslong effort to give kids better options when it comes to their school lunches,” Lawrence said. “I greatly appreciate Congressman Thompson’s continued leadership on this issue, and the broad bipartisan support this effort has seen in both chambers of Congress.”

Owlett and Lawrence have sponsored legislation at the state level for the last three sessions to allow Pennsylvania schools to offer Pennsylvania-produced milk, but both agreed the federal law is ideal and will offer the benefit of whole milk to all students.

Milk is widely recognized for its health benefits, including bone health, muscle growth and repair, heart health, weight management, immune support, brain development and cognitive function, and metabolism and energy production.

The bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act specifically would allow schools to serve whole, 2%, 1% or skim milk, flavored or plain, as part of reimbursable meals. It also exempts milkfat from saturated-fat limits and bars sourcing from Chinese state-owned enterprises. The bill does not require schools to switch, but it gives them the option.

The president is expected to sign the bill into law, as he has cited it as a goal in his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.