Washington, D.C.- Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement on the milk carton shortage that is straining NY-21 schools and potentially threatening school children’s access to nutritious milk essential for their healthy development.
“I am deeply concerned about the milk carton shortage that threatens to remove our children’s access at school to nutritious milk essential for their healthy development. Our dairy farmers in Upstate New York and the North Country work hard to produce nutritious dairy products so that our children can access these essential nutrients for their development. The health benefits from diets that include milk are undeniable which is why I cosponsored the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, legislation that would expand access to whole milk options in schools,” stated Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. “I applaud our Upstate schools that have quickly adapted to serving our students by purchasing milk by the gallon to serve individually to ensure our kids have uninterrupted access to a proper nutritious meal as this milk carton shortage persists.”
This year, Congresswoman Stefanik cosponsored the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to allow schools to serve flavored and unflavored whole milk. It passed out of the Education and Workforce Committee earlier this summer. In February, Congresswoman Stefanik introduced the Protecting School Milk Choices Act in order to preserve milk choice in schools after New York City Mayor Eric Adams tried to ban chocolate milk in schools.
