Overview
- President Donald Trump signed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, allowing schools in the National School Lunch Program to offer whole and 2% milk alongside low‑fat options.
- The measure overturns Obama‑era limits on higher‑fat milk and passed Congress with unanimous support, reflecting long‑running pushes from farm‑state lawmakers and the dairy industry.
- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said implementation should take a few weeks, but school nutrition officials warned availability will vary as districts gauge demand, pricing and supply.
- The law exempts milk fat from schools’ saturated‑fat calculations and expands access to nondairy alternatives, including allowing parental notes for substitutions instead of only physician statements.
- The change follows new 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines emphasizing full‑fat dairy, drawing praise from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and concern from groups like the American Heart Association; questions remain about whether the new options apply to breakfast service.