Congress·In Committee·S. 1236

Bipartisan Bill Requires Schools to Offer Plant-Based Milk Options in Cafeterias

FISCAL Act

12 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Expanding Milk Options and Safety Standards in National School Lunch Programs

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

↔Companion bill: Bipartisan Bill Proposes Requiring Plant-Based Milk Options in School Lunch Programs

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

A group of Senators introduced a bill that would change the rules for the National School Lunch Program to ensure students have more choices for what they drink. It requires schools to offer plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, alongside traditional cow's milk.
The policy aims to help the millions of students who cannot drink dairy due to milk allergies, lactose intolerance, or personal dietary choices. Currently, many schools only provide dairy milk, which can leave some children without a healthy drink option during their school meal.
Any plant-based milk offered must meet specific nutritional standards set by the government. This ensures that the alternatives provide similar vitamins and minerals to dairy milk, so students still get the nutrients they need to grow and stay healthy.
By expanding these options, the bill intends to make school cafeterias more inclusive for all children. It also gives schools more flexibility by removing some older restrictions on the specific types of milk they are allowed to serve on the lunch line.

EducationAgriculture

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Apr 1, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Apr 1, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

4 articles

The Hill·12 months ago

Bipartisan senators unveil measure providing flexibility in school lunch milk options

Sens. John Fetterman, John Kennedy, and Cory Booker introduced the FISCAL Act to require schools to offer plant-based milk options. The bill aims to accommodate students with lactose intolerance or dietary restrictions, as current rules often require a doctor's note for non-dairy alternatives.

The Hechinger Report·11 months ago

Whole, skim or soy? The congressional battle over milk in school lunches

This report examines the legislative fight between proponents of whole milk and advocates for plant-based options. The FISCAL Act is highlighted as a bipartisan effort to provide vegan milk freely alongside cow's milk to address lactose intolerance and reduce significant food waste in schools.

Butler Eagle·12 months ago

Fetterman introduces bill to provide more flexible drink options in school lunches

Reporting on the introduction of the FISCAL Act, this article notes the bill's goal to cut 'red tape' in school nutrition. It highlights that nearly half of the 30 million children in the program may be lactose intolerant and that $400 million worth of milk is discarded by students annually.

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