Special Milk Program

This federal aid program is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

[3] With the United States having just entered World War II, the Department of Agriculture released a pamphlet promoting the Milk Program in 1942.

It referred to milk as a "Victory Food", and stated that it hoped to reduce malnutrition and hidden hunger among American school children through the program.

[11] The program is federally administered by the Food and Nutrition Service, and funded by annual agricultural appropriations.

[14][15] The annual rate adjustment reflects changes in the Producer Price Index for Fluid Milk Products.

Otherwise, children buy so-called paid milk, which is subsidized at a legislatively set rate for each half-pint served.

[22] A 1960 study found that children attending participating schools drank an average of 1.7 more ounces per capita per day of milk.

[23] A 1978 national survey by the Food and Nutrition Service found similar: the program raised student milk consumption by 42% in participating schools.