By Blake Jackson
Pennsylvania is pushing to bring whole milk back into school cafeterias. A House committee unanimously approved a bill allowing schools to offer whole milk purchased with local funds.
The crux of the bill lies in bypassing federal oversight. By using local funds and sourcing milk from within the state, the legislation argues this falls under intrastate commerce, exempting it from National School Lunch Program (NSLP) rules requiring skim or 1% milk.
"It's about healthy whole milk for children," says Rep. John Lawrence, the bill's sponsor, highlighting concerns about a generation raised on sugary drinks.
This isn't Pennsylvania's first attempt. The bill passed the House last year but stalled in the Senate. It follows similar efforts in Tennessee and proposed legislation in New York and Minnesota.
Legality remains a question. All food in NSLP schools must comply with federal nutrition standards, which currently favor low-fat dairy due to saturated fat concerns. A federal bill to reverse the whole milk ban passed the House in December but didn't make it through the Senate.
Dairy groups, however, point to rising popularity of whole milk and recent health studies suggesting its benefits.
The House committee also approved a bill to establish a commission to study revitalizing rural Pennsylvania, focusing on education, healthcare, housing, and local government. This comes as the state's rural areas are projected to lose population by 2050.
In a separate development, the Senate committee approved a bill to increase compensation for farmers whose land is acquired through eminent domain, recognizing the value of a farm's intangible assets like reputation and community standing.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dimasobko
Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy