S. 222 · Signed into law · Agriculture and Food

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

What it does

Permit schools to offer whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free milk in the National School Lunch Program instead of limiting milk to low-fat and fat-free options.
Allow both organic and nonorganic milk to be offered under the program.
Exclude fluid milk from the saturated fat content calculation used to measure meal compliance with USDA nutrition regulations.
Permit parents or legal guardians to provide written statements authorizing milk substitutes for students with diet-restricting disabilities, removing the prior requirement for a licensed physician's statement.

Official summary

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic. Further, schools currently must provide a substitute for fluid milk, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, for students whose disability restricts their diet. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement. In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat…

Latest action

Jan 14, 2026: Became Public Law No: 119-69.

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry