The National Dairy Council (NDC) and Midwest Dairy are engaged in educating school stakeholders and amplifying the body of evidence on dairy’s role in optimal childhood health and wellness, including:
- Stakeholder engagement, including meetings with USDA leadership, the School Nutrition Association, other state and regional dairy councils/organizations (SRs), and dairy processors to support the implementation of school milk pilots to demonstrate the operational, financial, and nutritional feasibility of offering whole and 2% milk in school meal programs. There is a current school milk pilot in Minnesota and a pending pilot for fall 2026 in Illinois. [SB1]
- Translating regulatory changes and pilot data into accessible educational materials and documentation of best practices for school nutrition professionals, processors, and SRs.
- Implementation of the Smart Swaps initiative, which equips school nutrition professionals with sample menus, recipes, and training materials to demonstrate how whole milk and 2% milk can be incorporated into school meals while appealing to student preferences. Midwest Dairy staff are part of the Smart Swaps resource development activation team.