Schools May Soon Get the Green Light for Whole Milk, Thanks to New Bill

A bill gaining traction aims to give schools more flexibility in their milk offerings, backed by supporters of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

Representative Glenn Thompson (R-Penn) introduced the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act 2025, seeking to revise the USDA's National School Lunch Program requirements for milk. Currently, regulations mandate fat-free or low-fat milk options, flavored or unflavored.

The bill proposes allowing schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk in both flavored and unflavored varieties. Schools would also have increased freedom to choose between organic and non-organic options, while considering milk's nutritional value.

According to the Texas Farm Bureau, Rep. Thompson stated that milk provides 13 essential nutrients crucial for growth and health, which are key factors in academic success. The Whole Milk for Health Kids Act of 2025 aims to provide schools the flexibility they need to offer a variety of options.

MAHA Action, an organization focused on reforming America's public health policies, has voiced its support for the Act. A spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We agree that whole milk is the healthiest option for kids. Current science shows that healthy fats are critical to a balanced diet and one of the best forms of healthy fats is whole milk."

A study published in June 2024 in Nutrition Research, titled "Whole milk dairy foods and cardiometabolic health: dairy fat and beyond," suggested that dietary recommendations regarding dairy may require greater precision. The study indicated that dairy fat intakes are associated with neutral to beneficial cardiometabolic activities, and the health benefits of dairy foods vary by fat content and product fermentation.

In October, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on X that the "FDA’s war on public health is about to end," noting the "aggressive suppression" of peptides, vitamins and raw milk.

The bill also includes a provision prohibiting schools from purchasing or offering milk produced by Chinese state-owned businesses.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act has already passed out of the Committee on Education and Workforce with bipartisan approval.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Rep. Thompson's office for comment.