The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued an interim final rule implementing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, allowing for schools and child nutrition providers participating in federal Child Nutrition Programs to offer whole and reduced-fat milk options to children and adults ages 2 and older. International Dairy Foods Association President and CEO Michael Dykes released the following statement:
“USDA’s interim final rule implementing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is a major victory for children’s nutrition and for common-sense school meal policy. IDFA applauds USDA for moving quickly to put the law into effect and provide school nutrition directors and school milk processors the certainty they need to offer students the nutritious milk options that best meet their nutrition needs. For too long, federal regulations limited schools’ ability to offer the milk options students prefer and are more likely to drink. This rule restores flexibility for schools while aligning federal nutrition policy with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recognize dairy foods across all fat levels as part of healthy dietary patterns. Importantly, the rule allows schools to offer flavored and unflavored milk options across all fat levels, helping schools better meet student preferences while improving access to the 13 essential nutrients milk provides in every serving. IDFA thanks the bipartisan champions in Congress who worked to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and appreciates USDA’s swift implementation of this important law.”
President Trump signed the Whole Milk for Health Kids Act of 2025 in January. The act aligns with the new dietary guidelines that reintroduced full-fat dairy as part of a healthy diet and exempts fluid milk from the saturated fat content calculated in school meals.
National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Gregg Doud also supported the interim rule.
“Today’s announcement marks a significant step forward in delivering whole and 2% milk back into schools,” Doud said in a May 7 release. “Offering whole and 2% milk in schools helps students meet recommended daily values for many essential nutrients. It’s logistically challenging for schools to offer this milk for lunches but not for other meals, which weakens the benefits that whole and 2% milk provide. Today’s rule provides much needed clarification so that schools can offer the same milk options during breakfast and lunch.”
The Interim Final Rule takes effect in a month and is now open for public comment.
