IDFA Announces ‘Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment’ to Eliminate Use of Certified Artificial Colors in Dairy Foods for Schools, Surpassing State and Federal Standards

/EIN News/ -- WASHINGTON, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dairy food companies are stepping up to make America healthier by announcing a significant commitment that will reshape school meal menus across the nation for 30 million children. Today, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced the IDFA Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment, a voluntary, proactive pledge to eliminate the use of certified artificial colors in milk, cheese, and yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, or July 2026.

The goal of the Commitment is to eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in any milk, cheese, and/or yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for reimbursable school meals by July 2026. Today, the vast majority of dairy products sold to schools do not contain any certified artificial colors, as most dairy processors have chosen not to use or decided to remove or replace these ingredients in the past. Moving forward, all companies supporting the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment have pledged to discontinue products containing certified artificial colors or to reformulate products with natural ingredients, joining the majority of companies that will continue making products for schools without certified artificial colors. At the same time, dairy companies will continue to reduce added sugar and work with school nutrition professionals, parents and students to educate them about the benefits of milk, cheese, and yogurt in healthy diets.

“The Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment goes above and beyond state and federal regulations to help ensure children in grades K-12 continue to have access to the milk, cheese, and yogurt options they enjoy without any certified artificial colors,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Dairy products in school meals including milk, cheese, and yogurt play a critical role in meeting child nutrition requirements by providing 13 essential nutrients students need for healthy growth and development. Milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18. Cheese provides a high-quality source of protein, calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin A. Yogurt is a nutrient-dense food that is a good source of protein, calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and phosphorous that may reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes. The Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment further demonstrates our industry’s longstanding promise to provide healthy, nutritious dairy options to school kids everywhere.”

“America’s dairy farmers and milk processors have always led the way in providing our families and schoolchildren with healthy, nutritious, and delicious milk products. While I look forward to getting whole milk back into our schools, today’s announcement shows how the dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “I thank IDFA and the dairy industry for leading the way and look forward to other industries thinking about how together, we can Make America Healthy Again.”

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed certified artificial colors safe for use in foods when used in accordance with FDA regulations, the federal government is considering how to phase out the use of these ingredients in the U.S. food supply. At the same time, five states – Arizona, California, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia – have already passed laws banning their use in foods sold to schools, and others are likely to follow suit, signifying a new attitude by states to go beyond federal regulators. In this evolving policy environment, the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment will ensure wholesome, nutrient-rich dairy options remain available to students across the country regardless of changing state regulations, reflecting the dairy industry's longstanding dedication to child nutrition. The Commitment does not apply to foods that fall outside of reimbursable school meals.

The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans is clear – children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness. In fact, U.S. federal dietary guidelines stress that between 68% and 94% of school-age boys and girls are currently failing to meet recommended levels of dairy intake. Healthy dairy options in school meals offer the most important opportunity of the day for children to get the critical nutrients they need. For years, parents and nutrition professionals have agreed that milk and dairy products must remain key building blocks in school meals. The Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment affirms that promise and demonstrates U.S. dairy’s dedication to our nation’s youth.

“Parents, school nutrition professionals, and pediatricians want to ensure children consume healthy, wholesome, nutritious foods and beverages in school, and that is why we are excited to make the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment today,” said Dykes.

IDFA believes that good nutrition is the foundation of health and wellness for adults and children alike, and dairy is a crucial part of a healthy diet beginning at a very young age. In fact, no other type of food or beverage provides the unique combination of nutrients that dairy contributes to the American diet, including high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, and health benefits including better bone health and lower risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

IDFA will share graphics, video, and printed educational materials on the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment with partners and community members including USDA, state governments and agencies with authority for school nutrition programs, national and state nutritionist and dietician professional organizations, state dairy organizations, and organizations committed to public health and nutrition.

To read more about the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment, visit www.healthydairyinschools.org.

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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.

Attachment

• Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment

Andrew Jerome
                    International Dairy Foods Association
                    press@idfa.org