Thompson, Spanberger Introduce GIVE MILK Act

BELLEFONTE, Pa. – U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) and Abigail Spanberger (VA-7) today introduced the GIVE MILK Act, a bill that will aim to make it easier for expectant mothers and mothers of young children to access milk for their families, providing infants, children, and mothers the nutrients they need during key developmental stages.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) currently restricts milk choices to nonfat or 1% in most cases. The GIVE MILK Act would enable participants over the age of two to receive 2% reduced fat or whole milk.

“Whole milk has been wrongfully targeted as unhealthy for the last decade, but in reality, it provides a wealth of essential nutrients that are particularly important for growing children,” Rep. Thompson said. “Including whole milk in the WIC program will provide a healthy option for those families who find themselves depending upon these benefits for essential nutrition.”

“As a parent, I know that whole milk provides many of the essential vitamins and minerals that kids need for their early development. But for far too long, the WIC program has been blocked from providing moms with a full selection of milk,” Rep. Spanberger said. “That’s why I’m working to cut this unnecessary red tape and make more milk options available. By allowing WIC recipients to purchase whole milk, our bipartisan bill would make sure more children have access to the nutrients they need to grow up healthy and strong.”

“NMPF thanks Reps. Thompson and Spanberger for their leadership in increasing the healthy milk options WIC participants can access. WIC is critical to ensuring that pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children can gain the nutrients they need for health and development. Milk provides 13 essential nutrients in a single serving, making it an affordable, effective nutrition powerhouse that promotes food security. Reduced-fat and whole milk are the most popular milk options in the U.S.; allowing these healthful, popular options to be purchased through WIC is a commonsense approach that both increases access and choice.” – Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation

“Millions of low-income women and children rely on WIC milk benefits to afford essential, nutritious dairy products. In fact, milk is the single most commonly chosen item among WIC beneficiaries. Surprisingly, the current WIC program does not permit participants to select their preferred milk options, such as whole and 2% milk, resulting in significant participation challenges for state WIC programs. According to a 2023 IDFA-Morning Consult poll, a striking 34% of WIC participants favor whole milk, while 28% prefer 2% milk. The IDFA commends the bipartisan leadership of Reps. Thompson and Spanberger in championing the GIVE MILK Act, which promises to grant WIC participants the ability to access the nutritious milk choices they desire, making the WIC program more attractive to eligible mothers and children.” – Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association
 

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