The Pennsylvania Whole Milk in Schools Task Force invites your dairy business, your farm, or you to join a growing statewide coalition supporting Senate Bill 1362, introduced by Senator David Argall, to establish a Pennsylvania School Whole Milk Equipment Pilot Program with new funding allocated to the project. Click here to view the legislation.
This legislation is the result of months of collaboration among dairy farmers, agriculture groups, and community leaders, including the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the Grassroots Pennsylvania Dairy Advisory Committee and 97Milk, the Center for Dairy Excellence, the Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers, Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, working together to improve student nutrition while strengthening Pennsylvania agriculture. If you’re interested in being a part of this, you can join the coalition to help get it to the finish line.
What is it? Senate Bill 1362 would establish a voluntary pilot program to assist participating schools with the purchase and installation of bulk milk dispensers and other refrigeration equipment needed to modernize milk service in conjunction with making local whole milk available. The program would allow interested schools to evaluate equipment that has demonstrated success in increasing milk consumption, reducing waste, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing students’ access to and consumption of one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods, while also offering more flexibility in making the whole milk option available to students.
How would it help get whole milk in schools? Federal law now once again permits schools to offer whole and reduced-fat (2%) milk at all meals, giving districts expanded flexibility they’ve not had in 15 years. For many schools, however, equipment options in this pilot could help remove barriers. SB 1362 offers a practical, voluntary solution by helping interested schools improve nutrient density while gathering valuable information that can guide future policy. SB 1362 has been referred to the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, and additional co-sponsors as well as support from committee leadership are now being sought. It is important to note that our request is for new funding and in no way should compromise existing funding sources for Ag Excellence or the Ag Innovation Grant Program.
How can you support this? We believe this proposal deserves broad support from organizations representing agriculture, education, nutrition, healthcare, business, economic development, local government, and Pennsylvania communities. We invite your organization to sign the attached coalition letter encouraging additional members of the Pennsylvania Senate to become co-sponsors of Senate Bill 1362.
What is the deadline? Enter your information here to offer your organization’s or individual support of the letter. Dairy businesses, farms, and individuals are welcome to add their support to this effort. Please complete the form by Friday, August 28, to be included in our next round of Senate outreach. Together, we can demonstrate broad statewide support for a practical investment in student nutrition, Pennsylvania dairy farming, and modern school meal infrastructure.
Thank you for your consideration.
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