S.Hrg.119-055

1[Senate Hearing 119-055]2[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]34                                                        S. Hrg. 119-05556                 LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO REVIEW S. 222,7  THE WHOLE MILK FOR HEALTHY KIDS ACT, AND IMPROVING CHILDREN'S HEALTH89=======================================================================1011                                HEARING1213                               BEFORE THE1415                       COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE,16                        NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY1718                          UNITED STATES SENATE1920                    ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS2122                             FIRST SESSION2324                               __________2526                             April 1, 20252728                               __________2930                       Printed for the use of the31           Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry3233[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]3435                  Available on http://www.govinfo.gov/3637                                __________3839                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE4060-080 PDF                  WASHINGTON : 20254142-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------4344           COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, AND FORESTRY4546                    JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas, Chairman4748MITCH McCONNELL, Kentucky            AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota49JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota            MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado50JONI ERNST, Iowa                     TINA SMITH, Minnesota51CINDY HYDE-SMITH, Mississippi        RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois52ROGER MARSHALL, Kansas               CORY BOOKER, New Jersey53TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama            BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico54JAMES C. JUSTICE, West Virginia      RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia55CHARLES GRASSLEY, Iowa               PETER WELCH, Vermont56JOHN THUNE, South Dakota             JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania57DEB FISCHER, Nebraska                ADAM SCHIFF, California58JERRY MORAN, Kansas                  ELISSA SLOTKIN, Michigan5960               Fitzhugh Elder IV, Majority Staff Director61                Caleb Crosswhite, Majority Chief Counsel62                    Jessica L. Williams, Chief Clerk63                Lauren Santabar, Minority Staff Director64                 Chu-Yuan Hwang, Minority Chief Counsel6566                           C O N T E N T S6768                              ----------6970                         Tuesday, April 1, 20257172                                                                   Page7374Hearing:7576Legislative Hearing to Review S. 222, The Whole Milk for Healthy77  Kids Act, and Improving Children's Health......................     17879                              ----------8081                    STATEMENTS PRESENTED BY SENATORS8283Boozman, Hon. John, U.S. Senator from the State of Arkansas......     184Klobuchar, Hon. Amy, U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota....     28586                               WITNESSES8788Stoody, Eve, Ph.D., Director, Nutrition Guidance and Analysis89  Division, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA,90  Alexandria, VA.................................................     491Ayoob, Keith, Ed.D., Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of92  Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.....    1993Byler, Krista, District Food Service Director/Chef, Union City94  Area School District, Spartansburg, PA.........................    2195Dodson, Linette, Ph.D., Deputy Superintendent of School96  Nutrition, Georgia Department of Education, Carrollton, GA.....    2297Gorman, Dan, Food Service Director, Montague Area Public and98  North Muskegon Public Schools, Montague, MI....................    2499                              ----------100101                                APPENDIX102103Prepared Statements:104    Stoody, Eve..................................................    34105    Ayoob, Keith.................................................    38106    Byler, Krista................................................    44107    Dodson, Linette..............................................    57108    Gorman, Dan..................................................    63109110Question and Answer:111Stoody, Eve:112    Written response to questions from Hon. John Boozman.........    72113    Written response to questions from Hon. Amy Klobuchar........    72114    Written response to questions from Hon. John Hoeven..........    73115Ayoob, Keith:116    Written response to questions from Hon. John Hoeven..........    74117    Written response to questions from Hon. Michael Bennet.......    74118    Written response to questions from Hon. Adam Schiff..........    75119Byler, Krista:120    Written response to questions from Hon. John Hoeven..........    76121    Written response to questions from Hon. Michael Bennet.......    76122    Written response to questions from Hon. John Fetterman.......    77123Dodson, Linette:124    Written response to questions from Hon. Michael Bennet.......    78125    Written response to questions from Hon. Raphael Warnock......    79126Gorman, Dan:127    Written response to questions from Hon. Michael Bennet.......    82128    Written response to questions from Hon. Raphael Warnock......    83129    Written response to questions from Hon. John Fetterman.......    86130    Written response to questions from Hon. Adam Schiff..........    88131132 LEGISLATIVE HEARING TO REVIEW S. 222, THE WHOLE MILK FOR HEALTHY KIDS133                  ACT, AND IMPROVING CHILDREN'S HEALTH134135                              ----------136137                         TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 2025138139                                        U.S. Senate140          Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry141                                                    Washington, DC.142    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in Room143328A, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. John Boozman,144Chairman of the Committee, presiding.145    Present: Senators Boozman [presiding], Ernst, Marshall,146Tuberville, Justice, Grassley, Fischer, Klobuchar, Bennet,147Durbin, Lujan, Warnock, Welch, and Schiff.148149STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN BOOZMAN, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF150 ARKANSAS, CHAIRMAN, U.S. COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION,151                          AND FORESTRY152153    Chairman Boozman. Good morning and welcome. It is my154privilege to call this hearing to order. I would like to thank155our witnesses for taking the time out of their busy schedules156to share your expertise and perspectives on the Whole Milk for157Healthy Kids Act, S. 222.158    This bill, which would permit schools to offer students159whole, reduced, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored160milk, has enjoyed strong bipartisan support in both the House161and Senate, including from many Members on this Committee.162    Last Congress, the House passed this legislation by an163impressive vote of 330-99. I look forward to working with my164colleagues on this Committee to make progress on this important165bill in the Senate.166    We know that America is facing an obesity challenge, and167nutrition is under a microscope. When it comes to the diet of168children, we know there are a number of health challenges169facing young students, including childhood obesity, access,170evolving nutrient science, and many others. The school meal171programs are key in addressing children's health, by providing172nutritious, balanced meals to ensure students have the fuel173they need to be successful in the classroom.174    School food service directors work tirelessly to meet175nutrition standards, stay within tight budgets, and determine176what students will actually consume. There is no point in177commending ourselves for the nutritious value of school lunches178if they wind up in the trash can.179    Over the years, we have seen many changes in the nutrition180standards, across many different venues. We have discussed and181debated requirements for whole grains, sodium, fruits,182vegetables, and dairy, within and outside Congress. Equally183important is the engagement from everyone working on these184programs: State and local officials, parents, teachers, and all185who are involved in supplying school meals.186    Today's hearing is an excellent opportunity for us to hear187from a wide array of experts to examine the important role of188milk in school nutrition programs. We are fortunate to have a189representative from the Department of Agriculture, along with190nutrition science experts, and leaders from both State-level191and school districts with on-the-ground experience in192implementing school meal programs. I look forward to hearing193from our witnesses and putting their advice into action as we194continue this work this Congress.195    I now turn to Ranking Member Klobuchar for her opening196statement.197198STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR, U.S. SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF199                           MINNESOTA200201    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much. Thank you,202Chairman, for holding this hearing. Thanks to our witnesses who203have traveled to share their perspectives on child nutrition204programs, what is working, and what we can do to improve them.205    I have long supported the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act--206thank you, Senator Marshall--and this hearing is an important207opportunity to underscore the importance of school nutrition208and threats to their success. Ensuring kids have access to209nutritious foods at school is a win-win, a win for kids, a win210for schools, and a win for our farmers who provide healthy and211nutritious foods.212    I will note there is kind of a perfect storm going on right213now with the tariffs, which I oppose, these proposed tariffs,214with input costs, with weather, which is not in our control,215whether it floods, whether it is tornadoes, and then, of216course, with the chaos right now with cuts and with people217being terminated and then rehired, with avian flu. When I am218out there--I just did a 14-county rural tour, including several219small-town town halls with the farmers union, and I really got220a sense of where people are coming from. They are not221activists. They are regular farmers, ranchers, mostly small222farmers, and it is a lot going on.223    I would just point out that as one of our witnesses today,224Mr. Gorman, has said, the funding that we put into school meals225is some of the best money that we spent. Not only do school226meal programs reduce hunger and promote learning, they also227support our local farmers and ranchers at a time when it is228probably the very worst time I have seen in decades, to step229away from that, because the economy is getting to be much more230volatile than it was a few months ago. That means people are231going to need these programs, like the SNAP program. Then you232also have the farmers and ranchers that are getting headwinds233at them on many different fronts.234    Over the last decade we have made significant improvements235to child nutrition. The nutrition quality of school lunch and236school breakfast has improved, and at the same time we have237worked to streamline school meal programs. Community238eligibility has been a tremendous success, eliminating239burdensome red tape while increasing the number of schools240offering meals. In the 2023-2024 school year, nearly 48,000241schools, with 23.6 million students, participated. Community242eligibility has played a key role in allowing Minnesota to243offer meals for children. To provide meals to all kids in our244State, Minnesota chips in State funds on top of the Federal245reimbursements to allow every school to offer meals. As this246Committee looks at Federal child nutrition programs we should247ensure changes to the programs, improve them rather than take248away nutritious foods from kids across the country.249    Unfortunately, schools, charities, and food banks across250the country are facing a loss of these fresh, nutritious foods251because of USDA's recent cancellation of Local Food Purchase252Agreement and Local Food for School funds. In Minnesota, for253example, schools will lose significant funding for local254commodities and farmers, like one livestock operator I heard255from, are losing critical domestic markets at the same time256when the retaliatory tariffs, as I just noted, are costing257farmers and ranchers greatly across global markets.258    The cancellation of additional anti-hunger funding will259only exacerbate food insecurity. Our Federal nutrition programs260are intended to work together, addressing hunger both in school261and at home. I led my colleagues in demanding answers about the262recent cut to local emergency food providers. If local263charities and food pantries cannot meet the needs of the264growing number of food-insecure kids, school food programs will265be asked to do more to ensure our kids are not going hungry,266not less.267    In the House, cuts to school meal programs through268reconciliation are on the table. As the House Agriculture269Committee's $230 billion cut, likely to nutrition programs like270SNAP, would be devastating to child nutrition. SNAP is also our271largest child nutrition program, serving 15.5 million children272in 2022. Cuts to SNAP will also have a direct impact on school273meals. Many kids participating in school meals actually do so274through SNAP, so cuts to SNAP are also cuts to school meals.275Recent proposals to cut SNAP would have kicked nearly a million276kids off child nutrition.277    While we can continue to make improvements to our school278nutrition programs--and I hope we will have those discussions279in the context of a farm bill which we sorely need--we should280not ignore the progress that we have made, and we cannot281pretend that the cuts that are currently on the table will not282stop that progress dead in the tracks. I hope that we can all283agree that we should first do no harm, and then build upon what284is working.285    With that I look very forward to hearing from the286witnesses. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.287    Chairman Boozman. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar.288    We will now introduce our first witness. Dr. Eve Stoody289serves as the Director of the Nutrition Guidance and Analysis290Division at the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion291within the Food and Nutrition Service at USDA. Dr. Stoody has292played a key part in the development of Dietary Guidelines for293Americans, dating back to 2010, serving in roles at both the294USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services. She holds295a doctorate in nutrition from Texas Woman's University.296    Again, thank you for being here this morning. Dr. Stoody,297you are now recognized for your statement.298299 STATEMENT OF EVE STOODY, Ph.D., DIRECTOR, NUTRITION GUIDANCE300    AND ANALYSIS DIVISION, CENTER FOR NUTRITION POLICY AND301                PROMOTION, USDA, ALEXANDRIA, VA302303    Dr. Stoody. Thank you, Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member304Klobuchar, and Members of the Committee for the opportunity to305appear before you today. It is truly an honor.306    As mentioned, I am Dr. Eve Stoody, the Director of the307Nutrition Guidance and Analysis Division at the Center for308Nutrition Policy and Promotion within the Food and Nutrition309Service at USDA. I have served at USDA for over 15 years, and310have supported the development of the Dietary Guidelines since311the 2010 edition. In my current role I serve as a career312subject matter expert on the Dietary Guidelines process and313lead USDA staff in the development of the Dietary Guidelines314with our partners at HHS.315    Evidence continues to support dairy as an important part of316a healthy dietary pattern, and yet, for about 90 percent of the317U.S. population, dairy intakes fall below recommendations.318Dietary intake data has shown reductions in intake over time,319which sets the stage for nutrient shortfalls, particularly for320calcium and vitamin D.321    The latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines states that322healthy dietary patterns feature dairy, including milk, yogurt,323and cheese. The Dietary Guidelines also recommend that most324dairy choices should be fat-free or low-fat and with no to325little added sugars.326    Dairy recommendations have been relatively consistent in327the Dietary Guidelines since the first edition in 1980, and328more recent editions have evolved to include low-lactose,329lactose-free, and soy options.330    Regarding current intakes, as I mentioned, 90 percent of331the U.S. population does not meet dairy recommendations, and332intakes have been declining over time. For example, in333adolescents, dairy intake is about a half a cup lower per day334now than it was about 20 years ago.335    We also have national data that describes how many336Americans report drinking milk on any given day. In337adolescents, the percent reporting drinking milk was about 75338percent in the 1970's, just under 50 percent in the early3392000's, and the most recent data suggests that about 35 percent340of adolescents report drinking milk on any given day.341    USDA's school meal programs support the consumption of milk342among children. Under current school meal nutrition standards,343schools must offer a variety, at least two options of milk,344with breakfast and lunch. Schools may currently offer flavored345and unflavored low-fat, fat-free, and lactose-free milk. The346Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 would change the347permissible milk types that may be offered in school meals to348include those recommended by the current Dietary Guidelines--349fat-free and low-fat milk--to also include reduced-fat and350whole milk.351    The bill would also exempt milk fat from the saturated fat352limits in school meals. Currently, more than 80 percent of353children and adolescents exceed the recommendation to limit354saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of calories per355day. Across the life span, efforts to increase dairy intakes356would improve nutrient intakes and support overall health.357Offering dairy during school meals supports consumption358directly and can also set the stage for consuming a healthy359dietary pattern outside of school meals.360    Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.361    [The prepared statement of Dr. Stoody can be found on pages36234-37 in the appendix.]363    Chairman Boozman. Thank you for your testimony. We will now364begin with questions. Each Member will have five minutes.365    Dr. Stoody, USDA research shows that while milk consumption366has been falling across all ages for several decades, it fell367at almost twice the rate as the previous two decades from 2010368to 2019. This coincides with research finding that 90 percent369of Americans do not meet the Dietary Guidelines' recommended370dairy consumption per day. Your testimony also notes that for371all children, more dairy is consumed as higher fat versus fat-372free or low-fat versions.373    Given the disconnections between the recommendations and374consumption, what was the science used to justify removing375whole and reduced-fat milk from schools?376    Dr. Stoody. If possible, sir, I would like to spend just a377minute talking about what the Dietary Guidelines recommend378overall. The Dietary Guidelines--and I am referencing the 2020379edition of the Dietary Guidelines that was released in December3802020--and it recommends an overall healthy diet. That diet is381intended to have some flexibility so that it can be adapted to382reflect person preferences and individual needs.383    This healthy dietary pattern includes dairy but also384includes vegetables, fruits, a variety of protein foods, and385grains, particularly whole grains.386    It is also a reality that we kind of have a number of387calories that individuals should consume their diet within. As388a general statement, across the Dietary Guidelines we recommend389consuming foods from all those different food groups, and that390most of the foods consumed should have little to no added391sugars or saturated fat. That is not specific to the dairy392group but more broadly to help us to stay within those calorie393limits, just consuming less added sugars and saturated fat.394    Now, for the typical American diet, as has been noted, we395are in a situation where most Americans do not meet the Dietary396Guidelines. We have a lot of children and adolescents--you397referenced the prevalence of overweight and obesity. What we398see is that in the typical American diet we do not have a lot399of room. We are consuming too many calories, too much saturated400fat, too much added sugars. We do not have a lot of room in the401diet to consume the calories and saturated fat that are found402in higher fat dairy products. At a population level, the403recommendation is to choose most dairy should be fat-free or404low-fat.405    Now that does not mean within the context of a healthy diet406dairy products with higher fat content, whether that be407reduced-fat or whole milk, cannot be a part of a healthy408dietary pattern. It is really important to think about that409overall context, that overall diet that is consumed, and the410Dietary Guidelines are intended to provide that flexibility so411that different options can be chosen, based on needs and412preferences.413    Chairman Boozman. Very good. Senator Klobuchar.414    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.415Ms. Stoody, there is, of course, a lot of discussion about SNAP416right now, in general. Could you talk about how participating417in programs like SNAP or Medicaid--this is going to be right in418front of us in the next few weeks--is linked to school meals?419    Dr. Stoody. I totally understand and appreciate the420question. I am really here in my capacity to speak to subject421matter expertise in the Dietary Guidelines. I do not have422information related to that specific question, but we are happy423to bring that back to FNS to provide a response.424    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Very good. You have been a425nutrition scientist for a long time. Can you please explain how426school meals have improved in recent years as well as in areas427where there is need for growth?428    Dr. Stoody. Yes. The National School Lunch Act requires429USDA to develop school meal nutrition standards that are430consistent with the goals of the Dietary Guidelines. Over the431years, USDA has worked to further align school meals with the432Dietary Guidelines, and we have seen great progress in433improvement and nutritional quality.434    Research does show that for most children school meals are435the healthiest meals that they consume in a day. We have this436tool called the Health Eating Index that assesses how well a437package of food aligns with the Dietary Guidelines. It has a438score from 0 to 100. When we look at general consumption in the439U.S., the HEI score in the U.S. is about a 56 out of 100,440indicating we have a lot of room for improvement. Within school441meals, the HEI score is between 79 and 81, which means school442meals are more consistent with the Dietary Guidelines, and we443have seen great improvement in various aspects of the school444meals over time.445    Senator Klobuchar. You went over dairy and how important it446is and how kids are not getting enough of it. Could you talk447about the fact that dairy does provide a really important part448in school meals, and is there evidence that school meals do449help promote dairy, because people get exposed to drinking450milk, kids get exposed?451    Dr. Stoody. Of course, yes. Providing dairy in the school452setting impacts intakes directly right there, and we do have453evidence that school meals, as I mentioned, are the healthiest454meals that kids are consuming in a day. I can take that back to455give more specific statistics, but we certainly do have456evidence that offering it, providing it, does promote457consumption.458    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Thank you. Is USDA's position that459fruits and vegetables are a critical part of a healthy diet?460    Dr. Stoody. Yes.461    Senator Klobuchar. Okay, good. I agree. Great. For the462record, I want to point out that USDA's canceling the Local463Foods Purchase Assistance are contrary to that advice. USDA's464own data shows that 56 percent of the funds from that program465went to buying produce, by far the largest purchase category. I466am really concerned about that, because if we want to promote467fruits and vegetables, that cancellation, to me, just shows the468opposite.469    Do you want to comment at all on that?470    Dr. Stoody. I cannot comment on that directly, but we are471happy to bring that back to the Department.472    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. I appreciate that. Last, how can473we encourage more consumption of nutritious dairy foods like474milk, yogurt, and cheese?475    Dr. Stoody. Offering it in school meals, incorporating it476into programs across settings and sectors in all that we do.477All of us have a role to play in promoting healthy choices,478healthy outcomes, and healthy children. I think it is a broad--479it is not just a one place. It is across settings and sectors480where we need to make that a priority.481    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you.482    Chairman Boozman. Senator Tuberville.483    Senator Tuberville. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you,484Doctor, for being here today. My former profession was working485with students and kids. I traveled to hundreds and hundreds of486high schools across the country, in all 50 States. I ate at487lunchrooms, and the food in most of them were atrocious. In4882010, we basically did away with milk, for some reason. I489cannot imagine.490    I have got a new granddaughter. My daughter-in-law is491breastfeeding. We looked at the formula that we could have been492feeding my new granddaughter. If we want to do away with493something, we do away with that, because it is nothing but494sugar. We are going to look at something that is so important495to our kids growing up and their physical attributes of growing496up to an adult, we are looking at the possibility of milk being497detrimental. It is mind-boggling to me, but I guess there are a498lot more smarter people than me.499    You know, I used to have a training table for players. All500of our athletes, and you could put milk, you could put tea, you501put water out there, they would drink the milk--athletes. There502is a reason that they look a lot better than a lot of our kids503nowadays. At the end of the day we have to make a decision what504is better. I cannot believe we are even getting involved in505this.506    Science improves and changes over time. We know that. Our507nutrition standards should not be what they were in 2010. They508have to change, have to change, as nutrition science data has509changed. Can you discuss the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory510Committee's conclusions on dairy consumption's effect on511children?512    Dr. Stoody. Just to clarify, just to make sure I heard you513correctly, you were referencing the 2025 Dietary Guidelines514Advisory Committee?515    Senator Tuberville. Yes, ma'am.516    Dr. Stoody. Thank you. The 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory517Committee did an extensive review. They are convened as an518external advisory committee, and the 2025 committee had 20519members. They did an extensive review on all aspects of the520diet, including dairy--data analysis, a number of systematic521reviews, and food pattern modeling.522    At the end of the day they looked at a lot of new evidence.523There is evidence that is looking at food sources of saturated524fats, so dairy that has different amounts of saturated fat,525these different types that are exactly the conversation today.526They also did a number of food pattern modeling analyses, and527what that does is looks to what happens if you change the528amount of dairy in a pattern.529    At the end of the day, they found that you cannot reduce530the amount of dairy in a dietary pattern, that the amount that531is recommended still holds, and that is in large part because532of all the nutrients that dairy provides. It is a good source,533and the major source of calcium, vitamin D, and about a dozen534other nutrients in the diet.535    At the end of the day, their recommendations to the536Departments, and I will note that is advice to the Departments537for informing the next edition of the Dietary Guidelines, their538advice was to maintain the current guidance.539    Now, we are at a point, and Secretaries Rollins and Kennedy540have acknowledged their commitment to supporting the541development of the Dietary Guidelines to be released later this542year, and they have also discussed doing a line-by-line review543of the Committee's report and basing the next edition of the544Dietary Guidelines on science.545    I expect there will be a lot more discussion related to the546topic of dairy as well as other aspects of the diet. At the end547of the day, I think the 2025 Committee continued to emphasize548the importance of dairy in a healthy dietary pattern.549    Senator Tuberville. At the end of the day, do not you agree550that any milk--2 percent, whole milk--is much better for our551kids growing up than soda?552    Dr. Stoody. Yes. I think the point of the Dietary553Guidelines is that there is flexibility. There are a number of554different options within the dairy food group, and whether that555be fat-free, low-fat, reduced-fat, whole milk, it is important556to make selections that are right, that support individual557needs and preferences, and in that context of the larger558dietary pattern.559    Senator Tuberville. Thank you.560    Senator Klobuchar. [Presiding.] Senator Bennet.561    Senator Bennet. Thank you very much, Senator Klobuchar, our562Ranking Member, and thanks to all of you for having this563hearing. Thank you for your testimony today. Before I came to564the Senate I was the Superintendent of Schools in Denver, as565you may know, and in that job learned firsthand how important566access to nutrition is through school meals and other USDA567programs, how they directly affect our kids' ability to learn,568for all the reasons the Senator from Alabama was talking about.569    Expanding access to nutrition programs and improving those570programs is critical, not just for our kids but for people of571all ages. It is why yesterday I filed the Hot Foods Act again572to cut red tape in SNAP and to help working families, single573parents, people with disabilities, and seniors put nutritious574meals on the table. I look forward to hearing your thoughts575about that as the legislation develops, to see how we can576improve our program access, strengthen child nutrition, and577make sure that we are knocking down barriers to accessing food.578    The Chairman is not here, but he and I have worked for a579long time together to make sure that the school calendar does580not affect that, and that there is the opportunity for kids to581be able to get the food no matter where they are, and do it582during the summer, as well as when school is in session, which583is so important.584    I want to thank you, Dr. Stoody, for your testimony and for585your work at USDA. During the 2023-2024 school year, schools586across Colorado served approximately 184,000 breakfasts and587over 435,000 lunches daily, underscoring the significant role588these programs play. Programs like SNAP and meal service589options like the Community Eligibility Provision work in tandem590to help ensure students can have access to these meals, as I591was saying. SNAP supports families to help meet their592nutritional needs and helps ensure that more children have593consistent access to healthy food options, including at school.594CEP leverages SNAP, as you know, to allow eligible schools to595offer free breakfast and lunch to all students.596    I come to my question. Providing free breakfast and lunch597to all students has been proven to increase access to598nutritional meals, make sure that kids eat those nutritious599meals. It cuts red tape for families. What implications would600losing access to meals do to changes in SNAP or the Community601Eligibility Provision have on our ability to meet these602nutritional goals, would you say?603    Dr. Stoody. Yes, thank you for that question. I appreciate604your discussion around the broad range of programs. Again, I am605here in my capacity related to the Dietary Guidelines. FNS does606offer the programs that you reference, and we are happy to take607that back and provide a response related to the broader program608implementation.609    Senator Bennet. Well, could you talk a little bit more610about--I mean, what is the importance to our national611commitment to kids being able to get the nutrition that they612need?613    Dr. Stoody. Yes, I think we all agree that it is important614for children, adolescents, adults to eat healthy foods and to615improve health. I think there is definitely a commitment, an616important aspect to promoting healthy consumption in kids.617    Senator Bennet. All right. I have got one other question,618but I will submit it for the record. Thank you very much for619being here.620    Senator Klobuchar. Senator Grassley.621    Senator Grassley. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar. Dr. Stoody,622thank you for your testimony. You spoke recently in your623testimony about the decline of dairy consumption. The Dietary624Guidelines for Americans has limited the option of milk offered625in schools. Now for years, in the most recent guidelines,626higher-fat milk was cited to have favorable growth in body627composition while reducing childhood obesity. The more628restrictive school lunches are, the higher childhood obesity629rates have become.630    My first question to you, during your years at USDA there631has been a decrease in milk consumption. Do you think that that632decline has had a positive effect on children's health?633    Dr. Stoody. No. Obviously, we want to promote the634consumption of a diet that aligns with the Dietary Guidelines,635and that is across the board, all the different food groups,636including dairy. It is of great concern, I think, that637consumption has been declining. I think these conversations are638very important on how to promote healthier consumption. No, it639is obviously of great concern that dietary consumption has640worsened over time, and we are seeing that increased prevalence641of overweight and obesity, increased prevalence of pre diabetes642in children and adolescents.643    Senator Grassley. Then, last, do you think that continuing644to restrict full-fat milk options will change the decline in645milk consumption?646    Dr. Stoody. I do not have data to speak to. As has been647mentioned in the written testimony, we do acknowledge there is648data from our colleagues at USDA's Agricultural Research649Service that speaks to the most commonly consumed forms of650dairy. We do see that reduced-fat milk is the most commonly651consumed, followed by whole milk, then low-fat, then skim milk.652Across all types of milk, consumption is too low.653    The good thing about dairy, I think, is that there are a654variety of options to fit different needs and preferences, and655whatever that option is that is right for the individual child,656whatever that option is, we need to work to improve current657consumptions.658    Senator Grassley. Mr. Chairman, I will yield back my time.659    Senator Klobuchar. Very good. Senator Durbin is up next.660    Senator Durbin. Thanks, Senator Klobuchar. I took an661interest in school lunches and started looking in my State at662what the kids are eating. I went to Roberto Clementi High663School in Chicago, an inner-city school, largely African664American and Hispanic, and I asked them, ``What do the kids eat665for breakfast?'' They said, ``Oh, the most popular breakfast666here are a bag of Flaming Hots and a pop, an orange pop.'' That667would be what they pick up at the store on the way to school.668    I also went to Westinghouse High School, which is on the669west side, and a beautiful school, and asked to sit down with670school lunch. They did not particularly want me to do that but671I did anyway. The menu that day featured corn dogs, which is,672we believe, the source of all life in the Midwest----673    [Laughter.]674    Senator Durbin [continuing]. pizza, and for vegetables,675french fries. That was the lunch.676    I also have paid close attention, as I hope my colleagues677have, of the trash cans in the lunchroom and what is being678thrown away by the students. It is entirely too damn much food679being thrown away, to start with. I often wondered, we can give680speeches and do our analysis in Washington, but the bottom line681is what will those kids eat during the course of a school682lunch. Bottom line.683    I look at this controversy, and I suppose it is a684controversy as to whether whole milk should be allowed,685required in school lunch. Your background, I take it, is in686nutrition. You are referred to as Doctor, as I saw. Is that687correct, the Ph.D.?688    Dr. Stoody. Yes, sir.689    Senator Durbin. Good. I am sure you are qualified. I am690also sure that we are always asking the question when it comes691to nutrition: too much fat, too much sugar, too much sodium.692Aren't those the three things we kind of boil the conversation693down to?694    Dr. Stoody. Yes. Those are key components that we look at.695    Senator Durbin. Let me ask you a question. I know where696Senator Marshall is coming from. He is the original milkman in697the Senate Agriculture Committee, and proud of it. I just have698to ask this. I look at the groups that oppose this bill, and699they include the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American700Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association, the701American Public Health Association, the Center for Science in702the Public Interest, the National Association of Pediatric703Nurse Practitioners, National WIC Association. Do you know any704major health groups that support this bill?705    Dr. Stoody. I do not have information to that regard.706    Senator Durbin. Okay. I would be interested in that.707    Has any survey been done about kids, whether they will708accept two percent milk the same as whole milk, or if they have709a preference for skim milk or whole milk or two percent?710    Dr. Stoody. We do not have data on preference directly,711just data on what is currently consumed. The most commonly712consumed is two percent, followed by whole, then low-fat and713fat-free. We do have data that across the board current714consumptions need to increase. Whatever the form is, we need to715have greater consumption of dairy.716    Senator Durbin. Did you use the figure 35 percent717consumption for a certain group of teenagers, I guess it is?718    Dr. Stoody. Using the most recent data, about 35 percent of719adolescents consume fluid milk on any given day.720    Senator Durbin. I will tell you, I am just amazed it is721that high. I really am. When you consider all the advertising722for all the pop and soda and sweet drinks that these kids are723exposed to during the course of their lives, and the724advertising for milk is virtually zero, as I see it. I think we725need much more milk consumption. Moving in the direction of726those soda and pop drinks, it certainly cannot be good for727kids, for their teeth or their health.728    Thank you. I yield.729    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Senator Durbin.730Senator Marshall.731    Senator Marshall. Well, thank you, Ranking Member732Klobuchar, and thank you, Senator Boozman, for allowing us to733have this. If you could just spare me a moment here, I have got734to clear my throat a little bit.735    [Pause.]736    Senator Marshall. There. I can speak better now.737    You know, we all came to Congress with a reason, and I sat738down on my first day and had a list of 10 things I wanted to do739when I got here--you know, save the world, save Medicare, save740Medicaid, balance the budget, and get whole milk back in741school. This is a great day for us to have a hearing on this,742and I do appreciate the Members of the Agriculture Committee743coming here and having this discussion, as well.744    I think about whole milk growing up, where my grandparents745delivered milk to us two or three times a week, and it was just746part of our diet, part of a healthy diet, and how important747whole milk is. You think about the MAHA movement--the Make748America Healthy Again movement--it is about whole foods, and I749think we could characterize whole milk as part of that MAHA750movement, as well. I think about the fat-soluble vitamins,751which are so important, that we have to have some fat in our752body to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.753    Maybe we will just talk about, you know, there are bad754fats, there are good fats, and ask Dr. Stoody a little bit755about, what are the good fats? What are the good things in756whole milk that separate it from the one percent and the lesser757fat parts of milk?758    Dr. Stoody. First I do want to note the Dietary Guidelines759do not say that whole milk is a bad food to consume. It does760say that, in general, considering what current consumptions are761in the U.S., considering current health status of children and762adolescents, generally most children should increase763consumption, and probably the best way to do that is through764lower-fat options.765    For those who eat a healthy diet, for those who are active,766as you mentioned athletes, whole milk can be a great option. It767really is thinking about the overall context of the diet rather768than kind of saying one food is good or bad. Dairy is a healthy769choice, but it really matters what you are eating with that770dairy.771    Senator Marshall. Well, I mean, just talk a little bit more772about healthy fats. Some of the good things about these healthy773fats is it helps with hormone production, so think about774adolescents going through puberty, those types of things. There775are good fats that help with that hormone production. Also I776think there are good studies that show that healthy fats also777decrease your appetite for later, that it has some satiety778impact. Would you agree or expand on those thoughts?779    Dr. Stoody. I am aware of that research. We have not780addressed it directly in the Dietary Guidelines, but I am aware781of the research that you are referencing. Yes.782    Senator Marshall. Then you also agree with me that whole783milk has small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which support784brain health, and inflammation it controls, as well.785    Dr. Stoody. Yes. The Dietary Guidelines actually recommend,786for those one to two years of age, that plain whole milk be the787type of dairy that is consumed, because of the importance of788whole milk to supporting brain development. Then after that789point, the recommendation is to move toward lower fat. There is790a bit of an evidence gap as to exactly when that transition to791lower-fat options might be most beneficial, but there are792definitely benefits of plain whole milk, particularly in young793children, to supporting brain development.794    Senator Marshall. Association does not necessarily795determine cause, but I think as we saw whole milk come off of796the school lunch menus we also saw consumption of milk come797down consistently. Senator Durbin makes a good point about it798has to taste good. I do not know that I am aware of any good799studies either proving my point. Certainly it seems to me that800whole milk tastes a whole lot better, and that we have seen801milk consumption go down when whole milk was taken out of the802school lunches. Would that be accurate?803    Dr. Stoody. I do not have data for specifically school804meals and what has happened since, for example, the 2010, 2012,805when it moved toward just low-fat and fat-free. We do see that,806as you mentioned, at the national level. We see that milk807consumption really--you know, drinking fluid milk started to808decline in the early 2000's, and it has continued to decline. I809think it is very concerning that current consumption in810adolescents is about half a cup lower per day than it was two811decades ago.812    Senator Marshall. Great. I want to make one more point. I813was going to save this question for one of the other witnesses814but I still want to make the point about my concern about815osteoporosis and osteopenia, that bone mass density peaks816around age 28. What we are seeing now is a generation of people817reaching that age that did not drink milk, and their bone mass,818bone density is down a standard deviation. Maybe it is more819than that.820    While today most women start developing osteopenia--and821when you reach that peak bone mass at age 28, the rest of our822life, that aging process starts. It is really hard to build823bone mass beyond that. We are going to have women develop824osteopenia, osteoporosis a decade sooner, and we are going to825see men suddenly also have osteopenia, as well.826    One thing I cannot believe I forgot to do was to thank827Senator Welch for his leadership in this, on this bill,828Senators Fetterman, Gillibrand, Slotkin, King, McCormick,829Grassley, Hyde-Smith, Risch, Crapo, Ernst, and Collins for830helping to support this, as well. Senator Welch, just basically831thank you for your leadership. Vermont is known as a great milk832State.833    We will have to come back later to catch the thoughts on834osteopenia and osteoporosis. I am way past my time. Thank you,835Ranking Member.836    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.837Then next up, well, we have two Senators who have a lot of cows838in their State. Even though Vermont may be most identified with839it, I think Senator Schiff was here first. Senator Schiff.840    Senator Schiff. Thank you, Chairman and Ranking Member.841Thanks for holding this hearing today, and Dr. Stoody, thank842you for being here. It is nice, as an Adam, to be in the843presence of another Eve. My wife is Eve also, by the way.844    Before we get to questions about the bill, as we speak, my845colleagues on the other side of the aisle are drafting a bill846that would eliminate school meal programs for millions of kids.847That bill may come into the Senate as soon as this week. The848bill that is the prime focus of this hearing deserves849attention, but I do not see how we can discuss children's850health and nutrition without acknowledging the important role851of Federally funded school meal programs that are literally a852lifeline for so many kids. I asked some of the school districts853in California to send me their experiences, and let me just854read one that highlights the importance of our support for855school meal programs.856    ``I was in the cafeteria and a second-grade class was857boarding the bus for a field trip. The teacher had told all the858students to bring your lunch because we will not be able to go859to the cafeteria today, figuring everyone had food at home, at860this school on the right side of town. Lucy came to the861cafeteria at 9:30, as they were boarding the bus, to ask for862something to drink because daddy did not have anything to drink863at home. When we checked what Lucy did have, she had a small864bag of Fritos and two pieces of leftover Halloween candy. I865asked Lucy where her lunch was, and she looked at the ground866and said, `The teacher said we won't be back in time for lunch867and this is all we have at home.' Lucy relies on school lunch,868even on the good side of town, even when no one realizes she869does. Children suffer in silence, even on the good side of town870in the middle of affluence. I seriously cry every time I tell871this story and think of her face.''872    That is a good illustration of what will be at stake on the873floor this week with proposals to make massive cuts to the874school meal programs.875    Let me turn to the question I have about this bill, and my876question revolves around the absence of any alternative that877involves non-dairy alternatives in the bill. In California and878many States represented by Members of the Committee, there are879millions of students who are lactose intolerant or have adverse880reactions to dairy. Lactose-free milk is not always a good881option because of their cost to schools and because some kids882cannot drink milk due to sensitivity to milk proteins. Some883kids simply want a non-dairy option. At the same time,884requiring a formal written note for an alternative due to885inability to drink milk is an unnecessary bit of red tape for886students and parents.887    If this bill is about giving children access to nutritious888options, would it improve health outcomes as well as parent and889student sense of choice, to have easy access to non-dairy890alternatives for kids?891    Dr. Stoody. Thank you for that question. I can speak first892to the Dietary Guidelines and what it recommends related to893what is included within the dairy food group. The dairy food894group within the Dietary Guidelines does include a variety of895different cow milk options, and it also includes soy milk and896soy yogurt as alternatives. I say alternatives but they are897literally within the food group.898    I think that your question about their uses within school899meals might be a great question for the next panel. I know we900also have data on that within FNS. I can say within the Dietary901Guidelines themselves soy milk is provided as within the dairy902group, and it can certainly be a healthy way to meet dairy903recommendations.904    Senator Schiff. Well, along those lines, do you see any905reason for authorizing schools to offer whole milk on the lunch906line but not fortified soy milk, from a nutritional point of907view?908    Dr. Stoody. From a nutritional point of view, cow's milk909and soy milk are included in the same group and provide very910similar nutrient compositions.911    Senator Schiff. Okay. Thank you. This is not a denigration912of the bill, which I supported in the House, but it is a call913to include non-dairy alternatives, as well. With that I yield914back.915    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Senator Schiff.916Senator Justice.917    Senator Justice. Thank you so much. Let me just say a few918things about the State of West Virginia. Just think about this919just for a second. I am a coach. I am with the kids all the920time, and I have been that way forever more. Probably that is921why I have got all this white hair. I am really only 46 years922old.923    [Laughter.]924    Senator Justice. When you have coached as many games as I925have coached, and I have coached 1,300-some games, and with all926that being said, you get white hair pretty easily. You get927white hair a lot easier if you just absolutely are there with928the kids and you see what they are going through.929    You know, if you think in West Virginia one out of every930five kids faces food insecurity every single day, it is sad931beyond belief. You know, when I was the Governor in West932Virginia we made a real priority to try to some way, somehow,933do something about hunger, do something about our food banks.934We have an opportunity here to do something that is so935precious, it is off the chart.936    It is unusual that the first lady of West Virginia, when I937was the Governor--and my wife Cathy is with me today--she did938something that is off the chart. She did something with939communities and school that was absolutely directed right at940helping kids that were in real need.941    Now just think about it. We are absolutely looking at the942possibility of whole milk and how much meaningfulness that943whole milk could bring to our children. Absolutely, many of our944kids in our schools in West Virginia, these are the primary945meals of their whole day. That is all there is to it.946Absolutely, if we cannot step up and do the right thing for947nutrition for our children, and God knows there are many, many,948many things that our kids are putting in their bodies that they949should not be putting in. That is all there is to it. One of950those things is not whole milk, in my opinion.951    With all that being said, also, being a coach, and not just952athletes. I want you to pay really close attention to just953this: kids want good stuff to eat today. You may think that954kids just want junk to eat today. You know, in all honestly,955imagine this. Imagine having a kid that is a high school kid956that is playing on your basketball team that has never eaten a957candy bar in his life. You know, it is really true.958    With all that being said, I am telling you, you have the959attention of our children today. Our kids want to do better.960They really do. We have an opportunity to step up. That is961exactly what we should be doing. We should be trying, in every962possible way we possibly can, to make our kids healthier, to963absolutely give them the nutrition that they need, and I am964absolutely, wholeheartedly, and not as a pun, but I am965wholeheartedly in favor of moving forward with whole milk.966    With all that being said, I defer my remaining time to our967Madam Chairman.968    Senator Klobuchar. Very good. Thank you. I know you have969also been joined by your wife Cathy, so we welcome her, as970well. Next up is Senator Welch.971    Senator Welch. Senator Justice--is it----972    Senator Klobuchar. Senator Lujan is next. I am sorry. He973was here earlier. Are you sure? Okay. Thanks.974    Senator Welch. Well, I was just going to say, you spoke for975me. I really appreciated that. Also I notice my colleague from976Kansas is usually low key and rarely shows off, except in977service of milk. I appreciate you doing that.978    You know, what you said, Senator Justice, is so absolutely979true, and one in five, you used the word ``food insecurity,''980that is what we are talking about, it is downright hungry. Kids981are hungry. They show up and they are hungry, and it is through982no fault of their own.983    I do not know where things got off the rails, because I984have such a vivid memory as a boy, looking forward to Roger's985box of milk when I got to school. We all did, and it got us986through the morning. Sometimes it was chocolate, which I guess987we are not advocating for here, but I sneak a little of that988every once in a while, whole milk, chocolate.989    It is really reassuring to me that we are taking up this990bill about whole milk, because it is about whole milk. It is991about our farmers. It is about an acknowledgement that a school992is a place where kids are going to get the opportunity to get993some decent nutrition. It does not matter what our politics994are. We all care about our kids, right?995    It is tough. It is tough, tough, tough for a lot of996families to get healthy food, because so much has happened in997the food industry, where in order to make a lot of profit, the998enterprises that sell food are often very consolidated, and the999goal that they have is maximization of profit. You look at what1000a lot of the ingredients are on some of the things that are in1001the store, and you have never heard of any of them.1002    Whole food also, by the way, tends to be more locally1003produced. The virtuous cycle that happens when you are getting1004local products--milk from Vermont dairy or Kansas dairy or West1005Virginia, or vegetables grown locally--that is healthy food but1006it is also locally produced, and it strengthens the rural1007economy. All of us, in every one of our States, is really1008suffering from incredible pressures on our rural economy, that1009is making life very, very difficult there.1010    Senator Marshall, I just want to thank you for your1011leadership on this very practical, and I think long overdue1012legislation about whole milk.1013    The other thing that I have been impressed at, Vermont is a1014big dairy State, as you mentioned, Senator Klobuchar. You know,1015there is an immense amount of pride among our dairy farmers.1016Who works harder? Maybe the coal miners, okay.1017    Senator Justice. Nobody works harder then dairy people.1018    Senator Welch. Well, I was in one of your coal mines, and1019they will give them a run for their money. That is the point,1020is that we can have a food system where we get nutritious food1021by people who are willing to work really, really hard. They are1022not in the goal of becoming millionaires. They are in the goal1023of a committed life to helping the kids and all of us have1024nutritious food. We went off the rails when we made it tough1025for whole milk to be the schools.1026    I also want to acknowledge your point about nutrition as a1027whole. You know, the USDA had some grants that resulted in1028Vermont getting a Dairy Innovation Center, and that resulted in1029some facilities putting milk tanks in the schools, where the1030kids would be able to get milk when they wanted it. They would1031take some milk home. You know, do you check everybody's wallet1032to see whether they have got money in it and can afford it or1033not? No, you took advantage of the fact that these kids are at1034school and they can just go over there and choose to drink some1035milk.1036    I hope that as we pursue this, this whole milk opportunity1037for our kids and for our farmers, that it is the beginning of a1038real commitment to nutritious, locally produced, natural foods1039as being a much bigger part of what our diet is.1040    Is this going to help us on the obesity issue that I think1041is a real problem for America, if we can get back to some whole1042milk products and other natural products?1043    Dr. Stoody. I think we need to see how time goes. I think1044we are in a situation where diets are so far from1045recommendations across the board. The recommendations for a1046healthy diet include vegetables, fruits, grains, a variety of1047protein foods and dairy. In general, 80 to 90 percent of people1048in the U.S. do not meet the recommendations for vegetables,1049fruits, dairy. We consume too many refined grains, on average.1050We consume too much added sugars. We consume too much saturated1051fat.1052    I think this is one piece of the puzzle to incorporate more1053dairy. But we have a large nutrition problem, and I think it1054needs action across multiple fronts, and not just dairy alone.1055    Senator Welch. Thank you. My time is up, but I would say if1056we can do something that is good, let's do it, and then we will1057do another thing that is good. Thank you.1058    Senator Klobuchar. Senator Lujan, at least you did not have1059to wait long. Senator Lujan.1060    Senator Lujan. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank everyone1061for this important hearing today.1062    Now, it is my understanding that we are gathered here for a1063hearing that is titled ``The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act1064and Improving Children's Health.'' I just want that to sit in a1065little bit. Improving Children's Health. I appreciate that we1066are having this conversation today, but I think we are missing1067the big picture. There is a whole conversation going on right1068now about devastating the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance1069Program. My colleagues from the other side of the aisle want to1070cut between $1 billion and $230 billion from SNAP. Improving1071Children's Health.1072    This comes while President Trump pushes for the largest1073peacetime tax increase in modern U.S. history through sweeping1074tariffs. As the tariffs take effect and the cost of groceries1075rise, my Republican colleagues are planning to slash a few1076programs that exist to help families keep food on the table. I1077think it would be important to have a hearing about that, as1078well.1079    For kids across the country, the funding levels we debate1080here in this room are not an abstract number in the budget1081resolution. These are real kids, real people, people that we1082all represent. It is the difference between having a hot lunch1083in school and food in the cupboards when they come home, and1084going hungry.1085    Nearly one in four kids in the United States relies on SNAP1086benefits. These kids do not get to choose how much money their1087parents have in their bank accounts each week to buy food.1088Sometimes they do not even get to choose what they get to eat.1089    Dr. Stoody, I want to thank you for being here. I1090appreciate the information you provided in your testimony about1091the impacts of dairy consumption on the health of children.1092Currently, one in four children in the United States rely on1093SNAP to access food. In 2023, the dairy industry conservatively1094estimated that SNAP dollars purchased $9.5 billion of dairy1095products--$9.5 billion of dairy products purchased by SNAP. A1096bunch of us represent States that have strong dairies. I do, as1097well. I wonder what the conversations are like when we are1098talking to those dairy families and saying, ``Don't worry.1099These SNAP cuts aren't going to devastate your practice.''1100``Don't worry. You don't have to get rid of herds.''1101    We need a basis for what it is, and like Senator Welch1102said, do what is right. A wise person once said that it is1103never a bad time to do what is right.1104    I have a few questions here. Dr. Stoody, yes or no. Did1105President Trump and the USDA cut $1 billion in funding for1106schools and food banks to buy fresh, locally grown food from1107nearby farmers by eliminating the local food and schools1108program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative1109Agreement Program?1110    Dr. Stoody. Sir, I am here as a subject matter expert1111related to the Dietary Guidelines. I cannot speak to that, but1112we are happy to bring that back to the department.1113    Senator Lujan. I can answer that question. The answer to1114that question is yes. On March 7, 2025, the USDA terminated a1115local foods and schools program and the Local Food Purchase1116Assistance Cooperative Agreement program.1117    Dr. Stoody, yes or no. Did President Trump and the USDA1118cancel the Patrick Leahy Farm-to-School Grant Program, which1119provided schools with support for sourcing local foods for1120school lunches and breakfasts?1121    Dr. Stoody. Thank you, sir. I am not able to answer that1122question.1123    Senator Lujan. I have an answer to that one that might1124surprise everyone. The answer to that question is also yes.1125USDA notified grant applicants on March 24th that the Fiscal1126Year 2025 competition for the Patrick Leahy Farm-to-School1127Grant Program was, quote, ``canceled.''1128    Dr. Stoody, yes or no. Did President Trump and the USDA1129freeze $500 million in food deliveries to food banks under The1130Emergency Food Assistance Program without explanation?1131    Dr. Stoody. Thank you, sir. I am not able to answer that1132question.1133    Senator Lujan. The answer to that question is yes. In March11342025, USDA suspended millions of dollars in Commodity Credit1135Corporation funds originally destined for food banks across the1136country through The Emergency Food Assistance Program.1137    I have several others as examples here. I did not even get1138a chance to visit about whole milk. I grew up as a young1139person, Roger Marshall, with not much money in the bank, but we1140were blessed to have a dairy down the street. My friends still1141make fun of me because when I get a carton of milk from the1142grocery store I shake it. They ask me, ``Why are you shaking1143that carton?'' ``It is how I grew up. The cream rose to the top1144in that milk and you have to shake it before you are going to1145drink it, if you are going to enjoy it.''1146    My debate is not about whole milk. I drink it. I support1147it. If we want more whole milk to families across the country1148and more nutritious food, let's have that debate and let's1149stand strong. Let's get a farm bill done. Let's make sure we do1150this, where we support producers across the country and support1151the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, so that my1152farmers back home, when they are having conversations with USDA1153about their planting schedule in a year, because they know who1154their customers are going to be and who they are going to be1155able to sell food to, and then the rug gets pulled out from1156them after they made a year of decisions to plant this stuff,1157it does not make sense. I think we can do things better around1158here.1159    Thank you for the time. I yield back.1160    Chairman Boozman. [Presiding.] Thank you, Dr. Stoody, for1161being here today. We do appreciate your testimony very, very1162much, and as always it is very, very helpful.1163    Let's take a second and get the other panel in place.1164    [Pause.]1165    Chairman Boozman. Okay. I think we are back in business.1166    First I would like to introduce Dr. Keith Ayoob, who is an1167Associate Clinical Professor Emeritus at the Albert Einstein1168College of Medicine in New York City. For over 32 years, Dr.1169Ayoob directed the nutrition clinic as part of the Children's1170Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Einstein. He is also a1171registered dietitian and nutritionist, with over 30 years of1172clinical experience, working mostly with low-income minority1173children and families in the Bronx.1174    Thank you for being here today, Dr. Ayoob. I look forward1175to your testimony.11761177STATEMENT OF KEITH AYOOB, Ed.D., ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR EMERITUS,1178DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS, ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE,1179                           BRONX, NY11801181    Dr. Ayoob. Thank you to Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member1182Klobuchar, and the Committee for the opportunity to speak to1183you about the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.1184    As introduced, I am an Associate Professor Emeritus of1185Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.1186For 33 years, I directed the Nutrition Clinic as part of the1187Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, a large1188diagnostic and treatment center at Einstein for children and1189families with special needs. I am also an RDN, a registered1190dietitian/nutritionist. My clinic serves mostly low-income1191minority children and families in the Bronx.1192    Testifying before Congress is not typically part of my job.1193I am here because the issue matters to the children I see, so1194it matters to me.1195    Dairy milk in schools, and dairy milk, in general, has 131196essential nutrients, including three of the four what are1197called nutrients of concern: calcium, potassium, and vitamin D,1198so identified by the Dietary Guidelines because the majority of1199Americans, including children, are not getting adequate1200amounts.1201    In terms of health, a plethora of scientific literature1202demonstrates that the consumption of cow's milk provides1203children with better bone health, a lower risk for type 21204diabetes, and a lower risk for cardiovascular disease.1205    A systematic review of studies that looked at1206cardiometabolic health in children ages 2 to 18 years found1207that consumption of dairy foods including whole and reduced-fat1208milk had no association with cardiometabolic risk.1209    Saturated fat does not exist in isolation in foods, yet1210historically, we viewed saturated fat monolithically. We now1211know that not all saturated fat behaves the same way in the1212body. In dairy foods, it is bound to protein like a dairy-fat1213or protein-fat matrix, and in this form, the body seems to have1214handled it differently. When saturated fats are in the protein-1215fat network that occurs in dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and1216cheese, they appear not to decrease bad cholesterol and to1217lower the harmful portion of bad cholesterol. Can other foods1218lower bad cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk?1219Absolutely, but they cannot provide the 13 essential nutrients1220in milk.1221    Numerous systematic reviews have found that higher-fat milk1222consumption to be associated with lower childhood obesity. I1223work primarily with Black and Hispanic children, and obesity1224rates are higher in this population. That said, in 2010, when1225whole milk and reduced-fat were removed from school meals,1226obesity prevalence was about 17 percent. Since the removal of1227whole milk and reduced-fat milk in schools, obesity prevalence1228has increased. It is now 21 percent, but it is higher, about 251229percent, in Black and Hispanic children, which is the1230population that I work with.1231    Clearly whole milk was not the issue here. The type of milk1232in schools was not the cause of this, and it is not the cure.1233    Taking this a step further, if children are not drinking1234milk at school because the school does not have the type of1235milk they prefer, one would postulate that they would lose1236weight. There is no evidence this is happening.1237    No matter what type of milk is offered in school, none of1238it is nutritious until students drink it. They do not drink it1239often enough, which just exacerbates their nutrient and dietary1240gaps.1241    Moreover, giving the children the kind of milk option they1242like can encourage participation in school meal programs, and1243that is my goal. Most of the children that I see are from low-1244income families, and specifically, milk provides 22 percent of1245the calcium, 40 percent of the vitamin D, and 10 percent of the1246potassium in the American diet. In a study of low-income1247children, 77 percent of their daily milk intake came from1248school meals.1249    In conclusion, milk, including low-fat milk, reduced-fat1250milk, and whole milk, and skim, and lactose-free varieties1251represents a nutrient package that I have never been able to1252find in any other single food or beverage.1253    Thank you very much for your time, and I look forward to1254your questions.1255    [The prepared statement of Dr. Ayoob can be found on pages125638-43 in the appendix.]1257    Chairman Boozman. Thank you, Dr. Ayoob.1258    Next we will hear from Mrs. Krista Byler. Mrs. Byler1259currently serves as the District Chef and Food Service Director1260for Union City Area School District, a rural community located1261in northwestern Pennsylvania. She studied at Pennsylvania's1262Institute of Culinary Arts and spent several years working as a1263professional chef prior to entering school nutrition in 2005.1264Mrs. Byler comes from a family of dairy farmers, and brings her1265appreciation for agriculture and passion for culinary education1266to school nutrition.1267    Thank you very much, Mrs. Byler, for taking time away from1268your family and your students to be with us today.12691270STATEMENT OF KRISTA BYLER, DISTRICT FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR/CHEF,1271       UNION CITY AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT, SPARTANSBURG, PA12721273    Mrs. Byler. Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member Klobuchar, and1274Members of the Committee, good morning. Thank you for the1275opportunity to speak before you today.1276    My name is Krista Byler. I am a professional chef turned1277lunch lady. I have been with the Union City Area School1278District for 20 years as the Food Service Director and District1279Chef.1280    When I began my career in child nutrition it was for1281selfish reasons. The schedule aligned better with my family1282life and few food service positions offer that opportunity.1283What I did not know 20 years ago, but quickly learned, was how1284child nutrition would change me and even break me. I think we1285have heard stories today that speak to that.1286    Half of the reason I am here today is that passion for1287child nutrition. The other half, as Senator Boozman mentioned,1288I come from a dairy family. I grew up in my grandfather's dairy1289back yard, and have been married for 24 years to a once dairy1290farmer, now turned beef producer. Dairy holds a huge space in1291my heart, obviously, as does child nutrition.1292    In 2010, when the Child Reauthorization was passed, I was1293very concerned about how the school milk changes would affect1294both our students and our dairy farm families in Pennsylvania1295and nationwide. I kept a close eye on the milk consumption and1296waste that we started seeing in about 2012, when the act1297actually was put into practice. It was heartbreaking what I was1298seeing at our little, 1,000-student school district. The amount1299of waste that we were throwing away each day was disheartening.1300    As the years grew, with this new legislation in place, my1301dairy orders also greatly declined. We were seeing a huge1302increase in waste and a huge decline in the amount of milk that1303I was actually ordering, because our students were not choosing1304to take milk.1305    In the spring of 2018, I attended the Legislation Action1306Committee, put on by the School Nutrition Association, in1307Washington, DC, where I had the opportunity to meet with GT1308Thompson and a group of school nutrition professionals that1309were like-minded in their concern for the school milk waste. As1310well, there were some dairy interest groups there. Through that1311meeting, I was introduced to the Pennsylvania Grassroots Dairy1312Committee, and they had invited me to do some data collection1313for the group.1314    With the blessing of our school board of directors, in the13152019-2020 school year, we ran a school milk choice trial. We1316began offering all levels of milk fat, both flavored and1317unflavored, in our district for the entire school year. The1318results are astounding. In my written testimony, if you would1319like to check out the full presentation with all of the survey1320results and the data, it is there for you to read.1321    What I want to really drive home today is two main data1322points: the 50 percent increase in milk consumption and the 951323percent--that is right, 95 percent--reduction in milk waste1324just because we offered a variety of milk choices that fit our1325students need.1326    This is a win for our students as well as our farmers. We1327need to be the change makers that our students and dairy1328farmers both need. We need to bring back the ability to offer1329milk fat choice in schools, including nutrient-dense whole1330milk, which, by the way, is just 3.25 to 3.5 percent fat.1331    I would be remiss if I did not address the concerns that1332you have also heard a lot about today regarding the local food1333cut, CEP reduction, the Patrick Leahy programs. Unfortunately,1334those cuts, combined with the increasing cost of procurement,1335may force schools to scale back or abandon some of the efforts1336that they have put into place recently that are really1337incredible. The school meals you heard about today, I can1338firsthand say that there are some very, very incredible things1339happening that do not speak to that, and I hate to see those1340cut due to the lack of funding.1341    I believe access to good quality, nutrient-dense school1342food is a basic right of education. School meals are an1343essential school supply.1344    Thank you again for the opportunity to speak. I welcome any1345questions you might have.1346    [The prepared statement of Mrs. Byler can be found on pages134744-56 in the appendix.]1348    Chairman Boozman. Thank you.1349    Dr. Linette Dodson currently serves as the Deputy1350Superintendent of School Nutrition for the Georgia Department1351of Education. Prior to joining the Georgia Department of1352Education in 2019, she served as Local School Nutrition1353Director in Georgia for over 18 years. Her leadership in1354helping Georgia students continue receiving meals during the1355pandemic earned her Georgia's ``Big Voices for Children1356Award,'' in 2023.1357    Dr. Dodson, thank you for joining us today. We look forward1358to your testimony.13591360 STATEMENT OF LINETTE DODSON, Ph.D., DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF1361SCHOOL NUTRITION, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CARROLLTON,1362                               GA13631364    Dr. Dodson. Thank you, Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member1365Klobuchar, and Members of the Committee. Thank you for the1366opportunity to testify today on the importance of the national1367school meal programs and share some current challenges and best1368practices.1369    I am Linette Dodson, Deputy Superintendent of School1370Nutrition for Georgia Department of Education, and a registered1371dietitian. Prior to my role at the State I was a local director1372for almost 20 years, and I really discovered my passion for1373school nutrition while working in my children's school1374district.1375    I have seen firsthand the positive impact the national1376school meal programs on children have locally and Statewide.1377School meals are a vital source of nutrition for 30 million1378school-age children across our country. It is a program1379perfectly positioned to significantly impact the health of our1380Nation's children, if properly supported. As a valuable partner1381in education, school meals can integrate food-based learning to1382help students learn about food, enhance their education, and1383improve their diets. School meals are a science-based1384investment in our Nation's future, supporting children's1385growth, development, and academic success. With a diverse menu1386of whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and milk, they1387should be accessible to all students as part of their school1388day.1389    We must not let the progress made in improving students'1390dietary habits during the school year falter during summer1391months when school is out. This is why summer meal programs are1392essential. They provide children with continued access to1393nutritious meals, even outside of the school setting. The1394recent flexibilities allowing to-go meal options in rural areas1395has significantly expanded our reach, ensuring more children in1396need receive healthy food while school is out.1397    However, I think it is important for the Committee to1398understand that there are serious challenges that the programs1399are facing today, including soaring food costs, labor1400shortages, and unnecessary program complexities. Federal1401funding that supports these meals must cover the cost of1402purchasing food, paying for labor and benefits, as well as1403purchasing equipment.1404    Many programs are challenged just like consumers with1405increased costs in all these areas. Expanded reimbursement is1406needed to maintain the food quality required to be domestically1407sourced and the skilled workforce to prepare that food.1408    There are complex program regulations that require1409extensive staff training and support and take away from the1410focus of nutritious foods. Continuing to simplify the program1411and reduce these administrative burdens would allow more focus1412to be on the food that is actually served to students.1413    Beyond the need for increased reimbursement and1414simplification of regulations, the programs have benefited from1415additional investments such as the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable1416Program and Equipment Grants. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable1417Program introduces fruits and vegetable snacks to elementary1418school children, and it improves acceptability and consumption1419of those food items in the meal program. The Equipment Grants1420help provide specialized kitchen equipment needed to prepare1421school meals with fresh ingredients.1422    Recent Federal grants expanded the inclusion of locally1423sourced foods, improving the quality of these meals, and1424providing direct support for local farmers. All of these1425supports have only strengthened the program and could be1426increased to expand the documented positive impacts.1427    In Georgia, our local districts embrace innovation to focus1428on the quality of meals served to our students. Our K-121429culinary culture moves beyond just regulatory compliance. This1430means the incorporation of fresh local foods, applying culinary1431techniques, food safety standards with good customer service,1432which creates a school meal experience. Federal requirements1433must be met, but the standard should be greater than just1434meeting requirements. For Georgia it is a quality school meal1435being provided to every student, in every school, every day.1436    Thank you from our Nation's school-age children and school1437nutrition professionals for the financial commitment that has1438been made for almost 80 years funding school meals. The1439additional grant funding has allowed for the expansion of farm-1440to-school initiatives, purchases of kitchen equipment, and1441expansion of local foods, and providing quality school meals1442that look and taste good is an investment worth making.1443    Please consider expanding the reimbursement rates, continue1444to invest in farm-to-school and local purchasing programs and1445grant initiatives to streamline program regulations. Our goal1446should be to ensure a quality school meal is available to every1447student, every day, in our Nation's schools. Thank you so much.1448    [The prepared statement of Dr. Dodson can be found on pages144957-62 in the appendix.]1450    Chairman Boozman. Thank you. Senator Klobuchar.1451    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. Senator Slotkin welcomes you.1452She could not be here at this moment, Mr. Gorman, and passed on1453your good wishes. I know you have served as the Food Service1454Director for public schools in Michigan for 25 years, and you1455are a graduate of the Michigan State University Eli Broad1456School of Business, with a bachelor's degree in hotel and1457restaurant management. In addition to your work as School Food1458Director for your school district you have served in a number1459of roles related to child nutrition and school meals, and you1460have served the School Nutrition Association of Michigan, as1461well.1462    We thank you and welcome you to this hearing.14631464 STATEMENT OF DAN GORMAN, FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR, MONTAGUE AREA1465     PUBLIC AND NORTH MUSKEGON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, MONTAGUE, MI14661467    Mr. Gorman. Thank you, Chairman Boozman, Ranking Member1468Klobuchar, and Members of the Committee. I appreciate this1469opportunity. As has been said, my name is Dan Gorman. I have1470been the School Food Service Director in Montague Area Public1471Schools and North Muskegon Public Schools for the past 261472years.1473    Today I would like to talk about this dollar. This dollar1474allocated by Congress for school means, and in my opinion is1475the best dollar that the U.S. Government spends. We have been1476given the mission in school meals, feed America's children. We1477do that every day--30 million lunches and 15 million1478breakfasts, served by kind, caring, nutrition professionals1479offering well-balanced meals.1480    What else does the dollar do? Those 45 million meals every1481day include fruits and vegetables grown by American farmers,1482meat from American ranchers and producers, and milk from1483American dairies. It funds food manufacturers, food1484distributors, and provides meaningful work to lunch ladies1485across the Nation.1486    Finally, school meals serve as a financial and nutritional1487safety net for millions of kids. Now I know this hearing is1488about whole milk, and I would just like to note, flexibility1489rather than mandates allows me to best serve my students and1490reflects the needs of my community.1491    What worries me more is the proposals that would reduce1492Community Eligibility Provision and divert resources away from1493school meals. CEP is smart government. CEP allows high-need1494schools to offer breakfast and lunch at no charge to all1495students. It takes an economic snapshot of the community,1496called an ISP, using SNAP and Medicaid data. Schools with an1497ISP of 25 percent or higher qualify for CEP. To account for1498families not eligible enrolled in SNAP, CEP applies a 1.61499multiplier. In North Muskegon, our ISP is 25 percent. We can1500offer free meals to all of our students. Our Federal1501reimbursement is approximately 40 percent. Luckily, Michigan is1502a Healthy School Meals for All State, and the State picks up1503the additional 60 percent of our cost shortfall.1504    CEP is a great success. In North Muskegon we saw a 3001505percent increase in our breakfast participation and a 301506percent increase in our lunch participation. It has made a real1507difference. Our ability to focus on student meals and not1508paperwork has been a game changer.1509    The proposal to raise the CEP threshold from 25 percent to151060 percent would devastate our districts I oversee and schools1511nationwide. If passed, Montague, North Muskegon, and 24,0001512other high-need schools would lose CEP and free meal access.1513    Let me talk a little bit about the non-CEP meal application1514process. It is inefficient. My families would have to fill out1515an application, and then my staff would have to review that1516application, and then I would have to look at it to make sure1517everything is right. Then someone from our State office, every1518three to five years, they would come look at the piece of1519paper. Then we hire an auditor every year and they check out1520that piece of paper, and then at some point the USDA comes by1521and they look at it, all to confirm that Johnny is deserving of1522a free meal.1523    If the House Budget Chair's proposal to increase household1524income verification passes, I would have to process over 1,0001525applications a year. There are large school districts that1526would have the burden of about 20,000 applications, and this is1527a big concern to me.1528    I would also say the other cutbacks that have been talked1529about around agriculture is very hurtful. Investing in small1530agriculture is essential for national security. A resilient1531nation requires strong small farms, and these programs build1532that resilience. They must continue.1533    This Committee has a long history of getting things done.1534While other things might work differently in these halls, this1535Committee has always been a group that works for America. I1536hope that continues.1537    I am incredibly grateful to be here to share this message.1538We need to be successful in school nutrition because our1539students cannot be successful without it. I am ready to help in1540any way to make this dollar work better for our kids, and I1541welcome your questions.1542    [The prepared statement of Mr. Gorman can be found on pages154363-69 in the appendix.]1544    Chairman Boozman. Thank you very much. We do appreciate you1545all being here and the helpful testimony.1546    Mrs. Byler, in your testimony you highlighted the1547significant reduction in milk waste as a result of the trial1548you conducted to offer students a wider variety of options. Can1549you expand on how limiting choices led to increased waste of1550milk and how expanding choice could result in less milk being1551thrown away?1552    Mrs. Byler. Absolutely. Obviously I can only speak really1553from my district, but in my district most of the students were1554very upset when we had the rollback because they are not1555familiar with skim milk or one percent. I will give them1556credit. They all tried it, and the majority decided they did1557not like it.1558    When we had the milk trial back, after about seven years of1559not having those options, they were thrilled. Our student1560council actually did the data collection, and unfortunately1561they took a little bit of heat after the 2020 school year, when1562we went back to not being able to offer the variety. Just1563overwhelmingly, the feedback we had from the students was they1564want what they are familiar with. They want something that is1565satisfying. Our athletes especially were very vocal about1566something that sticks with them. It is a perfect recovery1567drink. There is just a lot of anecdotal data that I have from1568our students that what works for them is best. Having a full1569variety of options is best.1570    Chairman Boozman. Very good. Dr. Ayoob, in your testimony1571you speak to the complexity of obesity and the tendency of many1572groups to point to one issue as the sole cause for obesity. Can1573you expand on how policymakers in the nutrition community have1574gotten it wrong in the past by drawing a correlation between1575milk and obesity?1576    Dr. Ayoob. There actually is no correlation between milk1577and obesity. Actually, the correlation is inverse. A greater1578consumption of dairy foods, historically, has shown less1579obesity. Can I build on what Mrs. Byler said about what the1580children chose? I know my kids, in my clinic, have said that1581they find skim milk watery. It is just what you are used to,1582and they are not used to that at home. They may take that1583carton of milk. That is fine. The school will get reimbursed. I1584am concerned they drain that carton of milk. Because if they1585take a few sips and then, okay, that is enough, I am done1586because I do not want any more, that is different than if they1587take the carton and they actually drain it, okay, and they1588finish that carton. There is less food waste and there is more1589nutrition going into the children.1590    I will tell you, I think I mentioned, and I have certainly1591submitted it in my written testimony, that the dairy fat in1592milk, when it is combined with a protein-fat matrix it is not1593handled by the body the same way. It is handled a little bit1594differently. Study after study has shown, and a review of1595studies has shown, that I mentioned in my submitted testimony,1596that greater consumption of dairy foods, including whole-fat1597dairy foods, has been associated with less obesity and less1598cardiometabolic risk.1599    Now, I want kids to eat a full meal. I want the whole meal1600to be consumed. If kids get the options--I am not talking about1601taking any options away from kids, but I want the full access1602that they should have, for the range of options of milk that1603are available. They may come to lunch, or breakfast, because1604they have the milk they like, but they are going to stay for1605the meal. That is my goal. They may come for the milk, but I1606want them to stay for the whole meal, because that is the way I1607can get a balanced meal into those kids.1608    Chairman Boozman. Very good. Senator Klobuchar.1609    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Senator Boozman.1610Thank you, all of you. I will go to you, Mr. Ayoob. In your1611testimony you talk about the critical importance of healthy1612eating, nutrition during childhood, especially with respect to1613calcium. Can you explain in more detail why this period of life1614is so important in terms of nutrition and nutrients?1615    Dr. Ayoob. Thank you. I would love to, because we do not1616have our whole lives to build our bone bank. We have the first161725-ish years. Study after study has shown that kids are under-1618consuming calcium and all the nutrients that are necessary to1619build bones, and that includes potassium, vitamin D, et cetera.1620If they skip the milk in school--now, that might seem like it1621is no big deal for a day, maybe even a week, but if they forego1622a glass of milk every day they are in school, every day for 121623years, we are going to graduate them with a diploma and not1624very good bones. We owe our kids better than that.1625    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you.1626    Dr. Ayoob. Can I add to that just one second? I think it1627was mentioned earlier that we are going to see earlier1628osteoporosis, early osteopenia. We always think that is an old1629people's disease. It is a pediatric disease with adult1630consequences.1631    Senator Klobuchar. Got it. Thank you. Mrs. Byler, do you1632believe we have made progress in school meals in recent years,1633and how?1634    Mrs. Byler. Yes, 100 percent. I am seeing success stories1635with farm-to-school programming, through the Patrick Leahy1636program, with the Chef Ann Foundation, the Healthy Meals1637Initiatives. There are a lot of fantastic programs available1638that have helped school districts. I think that there is a huge1639movement. I mean, there was a huge movement and it continues to1640grow for culinary professionals moving school programs. I am1641seeing----1642    Senator Klobuchar. We have done meat-cutting in Minnesota.1643I have been at a bunch of their things, in trailers outside the1644schools. A lot of knives but it is very good.1645    Mrs. Byler. We are seeing local beef in schools. We are1646seeing local produce. It is really amazing work.1647    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Very good. Thank you. Ms. Dodson,1648school meals programs support Americans farmers by receiving a1649portion of their Federal reimbursement as a commodity credit.1650Can you talk about how you use this credit, how it supports1651families in Georgia?1652    Dr. Dodson. Absolutely. It is a huge factor. In Georgia, we1653have a goal of at least 20 percent of our school meals being1654sourced locally in Georgia. Of course, most recently, from the1655Local Foods for School Initiative, we know we have spent almost1656$5 million in addition to the USDA foods that are sourced1657through our DoD Fresh Program, and that program, we are serving1658about $6 million worth of local produce through that program,1659as well as additional purchases that are made at the local1660level. There is a lot of Georgia food being served on Georgia1661trays.1662    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. Mr. Gorman, I like your1663enthusiastic testimony down there. You have said that community1664eligibility has made as much of an impact on school meals as1665anything you have seen in your 25 years as a school food1666director. Can you talk about why community eligibility stands1667out as a positive force for schools?1668    Mr. Gorman. You know, I have noticed, in my career, in the166926 years it has really been the last five years where I have1670been able to have been qualified for the CEP program, and I1671have noticed the difference of really just the time I have to1672do things and the time my staff has to do things.1673    Senator Klobuchar. Yes.1674    Mr. Gorman. In the last five years, with some farm-to-1675school----1676    Senator Klobuchar. Red tape.1677    Mr. Gorman [continuing]. Red tape. We are able to focus on1678school meals and the food in front of the kids.1679    Senator Klobuchar. You also talk in your testimony about1680the fact that SNAP cuts would undermine your ability to serve1681kids through the community eligibility. I had asked this1682earlier and our USDA expert, who I respect, was going to get1683back to us on that. That is something right in front of us1684right now, as some of my colleagues have pointed out. Can you1685talk about why this is the case and what the impact would be?1686    Mr. Gorman. You know, SNAP is the way most of our children1687qualify for school meals, and if they come off of that program1688then they could not qualify for school meals. What that does is1689that returns hunger to the classroom, and hunger is humiliating1690for a child, embarrassing, painful, and most likely1691unnecessary.1692    Senator Klobuchar. Okay. Last, just back to you Ms. Dodson,1693some people have proposed raising the threshold for community1694eligibility from 25 percent to 60 percent of low-income1695students. Can you talk about the impact of such a change to1696Georgia, and can you estimate how many schools and students1697would lose access to school meals if such a change were made?1698    Dr. Dodson. Yes, ma'am. Currently we have 1,296 schools out1699of our 2,300 that operate the Community Eligibility Provision1700in Georgia, and this has been a tremendous amount of growth. We1701would lose, potentially, 350 of those schools with that change,1702and with the further changes with SNAP that could be an even1703greater factor moving forward. About half a million children,1704potentially, would lose access.1705    Senator Klobuchar. Thank you for your thoughtful testimony,1706all four of you, and thank you, Senator Boozman.1707    Chairman Boozman. Senator Marshall.1708    Senator Marshall. Thank you again, Chairman Boozman and1709Ranking Member Klobuchar, and again, Senator Welch, my co-1710leader on this legislation. Welcome to all the panel members1711and thank you for taking time out of your day for something1712obviously that is important and near and dear to all your1713hearts, so I appreciate it.1714    I want to start off with Chef Byler. Can I call you Chef?1715    Mrs. Byler. Yes.1716    Senator Marshall. Okay. I did not get to hear all your1717testimony. I am reviewing it here. It sounds to me like when1718you offer students a choice of milks, consumption goes up. Can1719you just speak really quickly to that again, giving them1720choices?1721    Mrs. Byler. Sure. Yes, absolutely. The milk that we were1722ordering increased by 50 percent, and the waste decreased by 951723percent during the trial years, the year that we did.1724    Senator Marshall. That is incredible. I mean, it is1725absolutely incredible, and it is amazing when we do a little1726education, a little coaching, a little teaching, and a few1727choices, that eventually the consumer makes these choices.1728    When you are considering the cost of a student's meal, the1729lunches that you are in charge of, I am sure you do have to1730think about cost a little bit. I hate to ask a question I do1731not know the answer, but is milk an expensive item, or how does1732the cost of milk formulate into that school lunch program as1733you think about the cost of the nutritious lunch you are1734serving?1735    Mrs. Byler. Sure. I mean, nationwide we have about $4.50 to1736put a lunch together, and that includes everything, all of our1737overhead costs. In Pennsylvania, where I am at, in northwestern1738Pennsylvania, the cost of milk is about 27 cents.1739    Senator Marshall. For a carton?1740    Mrs. Byler. Correct. Yes.1741    Senator Marshall. I just remember, again, growing, like1742Peter said, at 10 every morning the milk lady came in. They1743were a nickel, and I had a dime to spend on them, and had an1744extra milk ticket to punch at lunch because my parents wanted1745me to have extra milk, and I still credit milk to so many great1746things, as well.1747    What is your advice to us that we are missing so far as we1748try to bring, in my opinion, whole milk back to the school?1749    Mrs. Byler. I think it was said very well several times1750today. We can do better. I think if we just bring back the milk1751choice to schools we would see a huge increase in consumption,1752a huge decrease in waste, and satisfaction for our students,1753would be through the roof.1754    Senator Marshall. One of the choices would be whole milk.1755    Mrs. Byler. Absolutely.1756    Senator Marshall. Right, as well.1757    Dr. Ayoob, I want to talk to you a second. I am the OB. I1758got to bring the baby in. You are a pediatrician, right?1759    Dr. Ayoob. I am not a medical doctor. I am a doctor of1760nutrition.1761    Senator Marshall. Of nutrition. For some reason I thought1762you were in pediatrics. I do not know where I got that. You1763started talking about osteopenia and osteoporosis, and I just1764want to drive this home. There is just nothing more1765frustrating, challenging in my life when an elderly woman has1766osteoporosis and her vertebrae have collapsed. Really, I mean,1767they are in horrible pain, they are in the emergency room. It1768is not like replacing a hip. I cannot go in there and help1769those folks out. Just speak a little bit more what you are1770seeing clinically when it comes to osteopenia and porosis, and1771how important it is that you reach your maximum density around177226, 28, and then it is downhill from there unless you are1773taking some pretty aggressive medications.1774    Dr. Ayoob. I can tell you, my clinic deals mostly with1775kids, but I see what happens with their parents, who are young1776parents who did not grow up with drinking a lot of milk. They1777do suffer. They do pay the price. Knee problems, hip problems,1778et cetera.1779    I take dietary histories on all the kids that I see, and I1780always want to focus on the balance of nutrient that kids are1781getting. If I see food groups that are missing, that is a red1782flag for me. I always ask them, I say, ``Do you drink the milk1783in school?'' and I want to find out why. They say, ``Well, I1784don't like it.'' I know what kind of milk is offered. It is1785skim and one percent. It may not be what they are used to. That1786is a missed opportunity. That is just a missed opportunity.1787    Now some kids will drink the milk fine, and I am not1788worried about taking away options. I just want to make sure1789that the full spread of options is there so that kids can get1790the milk that they want and they can actually drink the entire1791carton of it.1792    Senator Marshall. Yes. I meant to ask Chef Byler what the1793options were at school these days, but I still want to just--I1794mean, sodas, sugar sodas, are not just neutral when it comes to1795osteoporosis and penia. It is actually going the wrong1796direction. Go ahead.1797    Dr. Ayoob. Can I speak one second? Also, if kids do not get1798the kind of milk they drink, they are going to end the school1799day with eight hours less fluid. They are going to be thirsty.1800They are going to be hungry because there is protein and1801nutrition in that milk. They are going to go right down to the1802corner, at least where I live in New York City, and they are1803going to go buy some 24-ounce bottle of swill, that is1804basically sugar water and----1805    Senator Marshall. Yes, because milk is, what, is it 801806percent water, 90 percent----1807    Dr. Ayoob. Yes, A bottle of something----1808    Senator Marshall. Something to get hydrated.1809    Dr. Ayoob [continuing]. that is going to have, first of1810all, more sugar than they get in an entire week in school, but1811even then, it has got no nutrition in it. That is losing.1812    Senator Marshall. Yes. Emphasizing, soda is not just--you1813do not lose benefits of milk. It is actually soda is really1814hard on your bones. Is that right, Chef Byler?1815    Mrs. Byler. Yes.1816    Senator Marshall. Okay. I better yield back. Thank you so1817much.1818    Chairman Boozman. Senator Welch.1819    Senator Welch. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. You know,1820one of reasons I so appreciate this Committee, led by you and1821Senator Klobuchar, is the kind of witnesses we get. I mean, you1822guys are doing good work. I really appreciate it. You know, I1823am thinking about you, and you have found a way, that suited1824your schedule, and then you turned it into this incredible1825career that has been so beneficial not just for your kids but1826for kids all over the country. That is pretty impressive. Each1827of you has been so committed to doing practical things on the1828local level, community level, where there is so much pressure1829in our communities that pull families apart, that make it tough1830for parents managing with their kids going to school, that they1831worry about how they are doing there, and food is so essential.1832    I just wanted to express to each of you my gratitude for1833the work that you are doing.1834    Mr. Chairman, as you know, our job is to make their job1835easier, not harder. We fail in that a lot of times, but this1836Committee is really committed to trying to do everything we1837can.1838    I will start by just asking Ms. Dodson, put it in the1839context of broader issues than just milk, but the nutrition1840programs. We have debates here about funding any kind of1841program, and that is fair and square. I literally have not1842heard a witness, including the most fiscally conservative folks1843here, who have anything that they object to with respect to1844school nutrition. You know, we have a debate about whether it1845should be needs-based or whatever, but in addition to the1846fundamentally beneficial effect of having kids get good1847nutrition at school, I have always felt there is a1848socialization element to that, you know, kids having a meal1849together, sharing milk together, which is so much a part of not1850only building a good body but good character.1851    Maybe you could just comment a little bit about the1852benefits you see.1853    Dr. Dodson. Yes, sir. I think school meals have a unique1854opportunity, as I mentioned. I honestly believe it could be a1855tremendous solution for our Nation's health, give the1856opportunity to model healthy eating, expose children to a wide1857variety of locally grown foods especially, that are healthy and1858nutritious. We have seen the combination of that with nutrition1859education, or what we call food-based learning, is a way to1860bring education lessons alive. Also it gets students more1861comfortable with the food choices that they are being served as1862part of school meals, because they are not always seeing those1863at home, in their regular diet. They are not always exposed to1864fresh fruits and vegetables like we have the opportunity to1865provide them with at school.1866    I think education has that opportunity, and school1867nutrition can kind of be that educational hub, if you will, and1868a foundation for children within their school day.1869    Senator Welch. Thank you. Mr. Gorman, my predecessor in the1870U.S. Senate from Vermont is that man who is staring at us right1871from his picture up there, former Chairman of the Agriculture1872Committee, Patrick Leahy, whom we in Vermont are very proud of1873all he did. One of his many accomplishments was the Patrick1874Leahy Farm-to-School and Local Food for Schools Cooperative1875Program. That was terminated for the rest of this fiscal year,1876and my understanding is it will be reinstated next year.1877    Can you just comment on the benefit of Senator Leahy's1878legacy program that was supported with a strong bipartisan1879majority in the U.S. Senate?1880    Mr. Gorman. Yes. Thank you for that question. It really is.1881We were a recipient of the grant probably five or six years1882ago, and we had applied this coming year and got that notice1883that it was canceled, so it was really crushing to us. You1884know, it is a jumpstart to local food movements. I think about1885over our past 10, 15 years, it started us building toward1886figuring out the local infrastructure and getting more local1887food and starting school gardens.1888    Over the past five years, we have gotten private and public1889grants in our county, over $2 million, to move on this issue,1890to get kids so they understand what local food is, to make1891those connections. We are starting a food processing plant in1892Muskegon County with the goal of getting local Michigan1893potatoes diced and frozen, so we can get them on every plate in1894Muskegon County and beyond. All of that started with that Farm-1895to-School Grant that we got 10 years ago as a cooperative, to1896start putting those pieces together.1897    Senator Welch. Thank you very much. Before I yield back I1898just want to say, this Committee has an opportunity to help the1899Senate be a better Senate, and I think one of the things we can1900do is take some of these specific bills that we agree on and1901move them, like this whole milk, Senator Marshall's Whole Milk1902Bill. I am just going to suggest to the Chairman to give that1903some thought. We can move this before we get a full farm bill.1904Let's get some things done that we think make sense to get1905done, and help our farmers and help our kids.1906    I yield back.1907    Chairman Boozman. Well, thanks to the panel for being here.1908I agree with the Senator from Vermont when he said that you all1909do good work. I was very impressed, as was the rest of the1910Committee, by your testimony and your thoughtfulness.1911    With that, the record will remain open for five business1912days, and today's hearing is adjourned.1913    [Whereupon, at 11:50 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]19141915=======================================================================19161917                            A P P E N D I X19181919                             April 1, 202519201921=======================================================================1922[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]19231924=======================================================================19251926                         QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS19271928                             April 1, 202519291930=======================================================================19311932[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]19331934                                 [all]