June is still Dairy Month
It’s June Dairy Month once again. Hopefully, that never changes. It’s been an annual reminder of one of the blessings America should be grateful for but find all too easy to take for granted because dairy is always there. Walk into any grocery store and you’ll find an abundance of safe, top quality, wholesome milk and dairy products.
I wish consumers could look behind the jug, the block of cheese or the carton of ice cream and see the dedicated, hard-working women and men that keep America’s farms producing milk. It’s unfortunate that consumers know very little of what it takes to produce their favorite dairy items.
But dairy products are held in high regard. Dairy consumption remains strong. A recent press release from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) says, “Consumers continue to maintain high levels of trust in dairy and its industry, according to the latest Consumer Perceptions Tracker from Dairy Management Inc. The tracker, now in its third year, shows the percentage of consumers giving dairy its top two trust ratings (on a seven-point scale) rose to 36% in 2025, one tick up from the previous year.”
What’s perhaps even more gratifying, says NMPF, is that the group that has the most trust in dairy is teenagers, with 47% rating dairy a 6 or a 7 on the 7-point scale.
Farm life is also held in high regard, especially among those who know it, because of the values and lessons it teaches – something you can’t put price tag on. But finances are perhaps the hardest part for the farm today. Dairy farmers have little to no say in how much they get paid for the milk they produce, yet they are not shielded from the rising costs of feed, seed, electricity and diesel fuel. It’s why so many have left the industry. It just doesn’t pay to farm anymore.
A big part of this problem involves politics. A statement from Ben Tindall, executive director of a Washington State organization called “Save Family Farming,” said it well: “Too many of the decisions shaping agriculture and the future of farming in Washington are being made by people who have never set foot on a farm, let alone understand what it takes to keep one running.”
While Tindall’s reference to “Washington” is the state, it certainly applies to the other Washington. Volumes could be written on this topic.
The other story is a much brighter one, being told more and more today. It’s one recently empowered by USDA. It’s the story of dairy’s nutritional package. It’s an old story but one that hasn’t changed and is still true today.
Whole milk and flavored milks are being returned to school cafeterias, and for good reason. Last month, USDA issued an interim final rule implementing the “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.”
Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, the processor arm of the dairy industry, called the rule “a major victory for children’s nutrition and for common-sense school meal policy.”
An IDFA press release stated it “applauds USDA for moving quickly to put the law into effect and provide school nutrition directors and school milk processors the certainty they need to offer students the nutritious milk options that best meet their nutrition needs. For too long, federal regulations limited schools’ ability to offer the milk options students prefer and are more likely to drink. This rule restores flexibility for schools while aligning federal nutrition policy with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recognize dairy foods across all fat levels as part of healthy dietary patterns.”
NMPF, which represents dairy farmers, also gave it a thumbs up, stating, “As the rule was developed, NMPF requested clarification from USDA that schools would have the option to provide whole and 2% milk for school breakfasts as well as school lunches; today’s rule meets that need and benefits schoolchildren by ensuring a full range of milk options at every school meal.”
Megan Maisano, registered dietitian nutritionist, said, “Both chocolate milk and regular milk offer the same 13 essential nutrients, including high-quality protein along with calcium, vitamin D and potassium – nutrients many children don’t get enough of.”
While she admits chocolate milk contains some added sugar, she said, “It can still fit into a healthy, balanced diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that small amounts of added sugars can help make nutrient-dense foods like milk more appealing to children. Importantly, national nutrition data show that flavored milk contributes only about 5% of added sugars in kids’ diets. In comparison, sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, fruit drinks and sports drinks contribute up to 38% of added sugars.”
Katie Brown, president of the National Dairy Council, pointed out, “Every five years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are updated to reflect the latest nutrition guidance and offer practical advice for building balanced, nourishing meals. In the 2025-2030 edition, dairy foods, including milk, cheese and yogurt, continue to have a place alongside vegetables, fruits, whole grains and protein foods as part of a well-rounded approach to eating. The guidelines highlight the important nutrients dairy foods may provide including calcium, vitamin D, potassium and high-quality protein, which can help support bone, muscle and overall health across the lifespan.”
Dairy foods remain foundational to the guidelines’ core messages, where they are noted as an excellent source of protein, healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals, with a continued recommendation of three servings per day.
Continued research confirms longstanding beliefs about the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy products, even as the popularity of the plant-based beverages and products decline.
Consumers are doing their research; a simple reading of the label on these products is a good place to start, for it tells the story of what is actually in these products.
Enjoy your milk and dairy products, America. They taste good and they’re good for you. Let’s make America dairy again!
by Lee Mielke
