Congressman Riley Celebrates House Passage of Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Representative Josh Riley (NY-19) helped deliver final congressional passage of the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act (S.222), which has now passed both the House and the Senate and is headed to the President’s desk. Riley cosponsored the legislation to expand milk options in schools and strengthen a key, reliable market for Upstate New York dairy farmers.

“In Upstate New York, our dairy farmers are the backbone of our economy. I am committed to doing everything I can to connect them with our local schools and communities,” said Rep. Riley. “I cosponsored the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act on day one, and am happy to see it pass the Senate and the House. Now, it’s time to send this bill to the President’s desk and deliver for Upstate’s dairy industry and students.”

Watch Rep. Riley’s full remarks HERE.

Why Schools Lost Access to Whole Milk — and Why It’s Time to Fix It:

According to the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), whole and 2% milk were removed from school menus in 2012 under nutrition rules focused on cutting fat. Since then, updated research has shown that milk at all fat levels has a neutral or positive effect on children’s health. Despite the new science, the old rules stayed in place.

That gap hurts farmers and students. Whole milk is a higher-value product, and with margins tighter than ever, farmers need predictable, stable buyers like our schools. And kids are more likely to drink whole milk—meaning better nutrition in the classroom and less waste in the cafeteria. When milk goes untouched, students lose out and farmers do too.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act brings federal policy in line with current science and simply gives local schools the option to offer whole milk again. It does not mandate what any school must serve.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is supported by the New York State School Boards Association. 

Read Riley’s letter to Speaker Johnson HERE. 

Congressman Riley is committed to supporting Upstate dairy farmers and ensuring kids have access to fresh, healthy food:

• February 2025: Co-sponsored the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act (H.R.295) to increase transparency in milk pricing by dairy manufacturers. 
• February 2025: Co-sponsored the Dairy Farm Resiliency Act (H.R.294) to 
• April 2025: Introduced the Honor Farmer Contracts Act (H.R.2396) to require USDA to uphold its promise to America’s farmers by unfreezing funding for previously signed agreements and contracts.
• July 2025: Introduced the Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act (H.R. 4782) to connect local farmers with community food programs and fight hunger across NY-19.
• November 2025: Introduced the Farm to School Act (H.R.6065) to connect local food to schools across Upstate New York and nationwide.

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