We Want to Say Thank You to Our School Nutrition Heroes

On behalf of the American dairy farm families whom we represent, we want to let you know how proud we are to work with school nutrition professionals across the U.S.  During this time of crisis you are on the front lines to nourish our children. Before COVID-19 you may not have been in the spotlight, but we have known how important you are in the day-to-day lives of school children who rely on school meals to help fuel their growth and development.

We want you to know that American dairy farmers are working harder than ever and that there is no shortage in the U.S. milk supply. You may have seen grocery stores with empty milk coolers at the beginning of this pandemic and you still may see signage limiting how much milk you can purchase. This has to do with the unprecedented impact on virtually every aspect of the food supply chain. As a U.S. dairy community, we are working with retailers and processors to find solutions to supply chain challenges and to ensure a safe and consistent supply of dairy foods. We are also working with our farmers and processors to direct excess milk and dairy food supply that had been going to foodservice to food banks and those in need. 

National Dairy Council wants you to know we as well as your local Dairy Councils are here to help with resources. Additionally, GENYOUth, a national 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to creating healthier school communities across the country, has launched “For Schools’ Sake – Help Us Feed Our Nation’s Kids!,” a call-for-action campaign to support schools and the extraordinary efforts they are taking to feed children at this time. The effort will provide grants of up to $3,000 per school. Dairy Councils are also providing resources to help nourish our children such as refrigeration, rolling cooler bags, and many are working to provide fully staffed mobile food trucks to help school districts in need. We are here to help! Please, contact your local dairy council with any questions. 

Again, thank you to all school nutrition professionals!