U.S. House Ag Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson praised USDA’s announcement today, May 8, of an interim final rule implementing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, saying the action gives schools immediate clarity to offer flavored and unflavored whole and 2% milk options across federal child nutrition programs, including school breakfast, not just school lunch.
The rule takes effect immediately while USDA accepts public comments. It includes the saturated fat exemption for whole and 2% milk in the meal calculations, and it applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, preschool meal patterns, afterschool snack service, Smart Snacks, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Milk Program.
“Whole milk is an essential building block for a well-rounded and balanced diet,” Thompson said, applauding USDA for moving quickly after President Trump signed the Whole Milk for healthy Kids Act into law Jan. 14, 2026, following unanimous House and Senate passage. Thompson further addressed the issue in the House-passed farm bill by including statutory language to uniformly apply whole milk authority to school breakfast, like lunch.
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