Dairy Deserves Prominence in the Dietary Guidelines

The federal government is pressing ahead in crafting a new iteration of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the twice-a-decade guide to science-based advice on what to eat and drink for health and well-being. The guidelines also inform federal nutrition programs, such as school meals and food assistance.

Dairy, to no one’s surprise, is critical to the discussion. For the sake of our nation’s health, this discussion has to be done right, with proper deliberation and dairy maintaining its role as a central component of healthy eating.

A committee of experts is reviewing the latest evidence and preparing recommendations for the next iteration of the guidelines, due next year. As we said in the comments we submitted to that committee: Dairy foods are essential for optimal nutrition and health. Foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique package of nutrients American often lack, such as calcium, vitamin D, potassium, protein and iodine. Dairy also reduces chronic disease risk, lowers blood pressure, improves blood sugar control, and protects bone health. And dairy is especially important for children, who need adequate calcium and protein for growth and development.

When the government released its current guidelines in 2020, it noted that dairy is under-consumed by 89 percent of the population. Dairy’s role as a critical nutrient provider, and its underconsumption, is why dairy needs to continue as its own food group, with three recommended servings per day, in the 2025 guidelines. That standard is consistent with current practice, reflected in the nutrition guidance of many other countries and health organizations, and supported by decades of scientific research. Guidelines that don’t give dairy its due simply would not be credible – not when the science, the general public and the mainstream nutrition community all recognize that, without dairy, health outcomes suffer and families, especially families with children, don’t get the nourishment they need.

Maintaining dairy’s place at the bedrock of proper nutrition is of paramount importance as the guidelines are under review. NMPF is fighting for dairy’s necessary pride of place through our public comments, our meetings at all levels of decision-making, our partnerships with allied organizations, and our daily fight against anti-dairy misinformation in media interviews and outreach. Because, as is inevitable in Washington, the guidelines are the subject of intense advocacy efforts, often by groups that have goals in mind other than better nutrition.

For example, some vegan and environmental activists are pushing for replacing some dairy foods with plant-based alternatives in the guidelines, all in the name of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Even setting aside the flawed sustainability arguments, the answer to that is no. Plant-based products are not nutritionally equivalent to dairy foods and do not have the same health effects. In fact, most plant-based alternatives are low in protein and have added sugars, oils, and synthetic nutrients that are in no way nutritionally equivalent to dairy in terms of human health.

Children who consume plant-based alternatives instead of dairy may be at risk of nutritional deficiencies, growth impairment, and bone fractures. Pregnant women who avoid dairy may not get enough iodine, which is essential for fetal brain development. Three of the four nutrients identified in 2020 as issues of public concern because of their widespread under-consumption — specifically vitamin D, calcium and potassium — are abundant in dairy, but not so much in plant-based products. And low-income consumers who choose plant-based alternatives may face higher food costs and lower nutrient density.

And when we talk about low-income consumers, inevitably we need to talk about equity. Dairy foods are widely available, affordable, and culturally acceptable for most Americans. They’re also a major component of federal nutrition programs, such as school meals and WIC, which serve millions of low-income and vulnerable Americans and help ensure that children and families have access to nutritious foods that support their health and learning.

Dairy is an excellent nutritional option for populations who face disproportionate rates of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, and osteoporosis. And dairy foods can accommodate different preferences and needs, such as lactose intolerance, vegetarianism, or environmental concerns.

Contrary to the claims of misguided social-justice activists that dairy products can’t possibly serve diverse populations because of intolerance, the reality is that lactose-free and low-lactose dairy products, such as lactose-free milk, yogurt, and hard cheeses, can provide the same nutrients and benefits as regular dairy. For all these reasons and more, dairy needs to maintain its prominence in American diets, in federal programs, and in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The guidelines also need to be the product of thoughtful, science-based, and careful deliberations. Another threat facing dairy is that, as election-year politics combine with activist agendas, a devil’s brew of flawed science and ill intentions could result in hastily released guidelines that do a disservice to American health and destroy the very legitimacy of the guidelines. This is the worst possible outcome of all – and it’s one we’re guarding against as we work on this issue through the fall.

Dairy foods are essential for optimal nutrition and health. They provide a unique package of nutrients, they’re an equitable option for health and wellness, and they’re widely available, affordable, and culturally acceptable for most Americans. They deserve thoughtful consideration and a prominent place in the dietary guidelines, as well as in our plates and cups.


Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

12 Years to a Win: USDA Makes Low-Fat, Skim Flavored Milk a Rule in Schools

A dozen years of steady NMPF effort paid off for dairy farmers and the broader industry on April 24, when USDA solidified the ability of schools to offer 1% and fat-free flavored milk in school meals for children of all ages in its final school nutrition standards rule.

The policy win will encourage consumption of the essential nutrients provided by dairy, helping children who consume nutritious dairy products.

“This final rule helps ensure kids will be able to choose a nutritious milk they tend to prefer,” said Gregg Doud, CEO and President of NMPF. “Many children prefer low-fat flavored milk over fat-free, and flavored milk offers the same nutrients as regular milk with a minor amount of added sugar.”

NMPF praised its member cooperatives for their tireless work to decrease the level of added sugar in flavored school milk, which now generally falls below the added sugar maximum established in this final rule. “Not only does flavored milk offer the same nutrients as regular milk, its presence correlates with decreased waste in school cafeterias. I am proud of our industry’s successful commitment to providing a healthy product that kids want,” Doud said.

The final rule will include sodium limits on school meals that will not be more restrictive than the Target 2 limits from the 2012 school meals rule, a compromise NMPF supports. Added sugar maximums will also be placed on flavored yogurt (12 grams per 6 ounces) and flavored milk (10 grams per 8 ounces) beginning with the 2025-26 school year, followed by a weekly menu-wide limit of an average of less than 10 percent of calories per meal from added sugars beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

NMPF also commended the work of Reps. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, and Joe Courtney, D-CT, who led and secured broad bipartisan backing for legislative efforts over several years that were instrumental to today’s outcome of restoring low-fat flavored milk as a long-term option for schools.

“We are grateful to Representatives Thompson and Courtney for spearheading the successful drive to restore low-fat flavored milk over these last 12 years,” Doud said. “We are thrilled that, working with these members, USDA has put this issue to rest.”

Doud also noted that despite noteworthy progress, the work to ensure adequate milk access in schools isn’t finished yet. NMPF supports the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would restore whole and 2 percent varieties to school lunch menus. Led by Reps. Thompson and Kim Schrier, D-WA, the legislation overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in December and awaits Senate approval.

NMPF Thanks USDA for Keeping Low-Fat Flavored Milk in Schools, Culminating 12-Year Effort

The National Milk Producers Federation thanked USDA for solidifying the ability of schools to offer 1% and fat-free flavored milk in school meals for children of all ages in its final school nutrition standards rule, a victory for schoolchildren that’s been 12 years in the making and will encourage consumption of the essential nutrients provided by dairy.

“This final rule helps ensure kids will be able to choose a nutritious milk they tend to prefer,” said Gregg Doud, CEO and President of NMPF. “Many children prefer low-fat flavored milk over fat-free, and flavored milk offers the same nutrients as regular milk with a minor amount of added sugar.”

NMPF praised its member cooperatives for their tireless work to decrease the level of added sugar in flavored school milk, which now generally falls below the added sugar maximum established in this final rule. “Not only does flavored milk offer the same nutrients as regular milk, its presence correlates with decreased waste in school cafeterias. I am proud of our industry’s successful commitment to providing a healthy product that kids want,” Doud said.

The final rule will include sodium limits on school meals that will not be more restrictive than the Target 2 limits from the 2012 school meals rule, a compromise NMPF supports. Added sugar maximums will also be placed on flavored yogurt (12 grams per 6 ounces) and flavored milk (10 grams per 8 ounces) beginning with the 2025-26 school year, followed by a weekly menu-wide limit of an average of less than 10 percent of calories per meal from added sugars beginning with the 2027-28 school year.

NMPF also commended the work of Reps. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, and Joe Courtney, D-CT, who led and secured broad bipartisan backing for legislative efforts over several years that were instrumental to today’s outcome of restoring low-fat flavored milk as a long-term option for schools.

“We are grateful to Representatives Thompson and Courtney for spearheading the successful drive to restore low-fat flavored milk over these last 12 years,” Doud said. “We are thrilled that, working with these members, USDA has put this issue to rest.”

Doud also noted that despite todays’ significant progress, the work to ensure adequate milk access in schools isn’t finished yet. NMPF supports the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would restore whole and 2 percent varieties to school lunch menus. Led by Reps. Thompson and Kim Schrier, D-WA, the legislation overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives in December and awaits Senate approval.

NMPF Submits Comments on Voluntary Added Sugars Reduction

NMPF emphasized the need for a realistic and balanced approach to reducing added sugars in comments submitted to FDA Jan. 22. The comments, which supported the agency’s overall goal to improve healthful eating in the US, but urged for added sugars reductions to be voluntary, were a follow-up to an FDA listening session in which NMPF participated.

NMPF cited dairy’s successful work in voluntarily reducing added sugars in flavored school milk in its comments. “The dairy industry’s proactive, voluntary reduction of added sugars in school milk demonstrates the power of industry-led initiatives in this area,” it said in the comment. “Industry leaders came together around reducing added sugars, investing the time, energy, and resources to reformulate products into healthier options that people still enjoy.”

NMPF also pointed out that modest amounts of added sugars can make nutritious food more palatable, thus encouraging consumption and improving health. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association have both noted that using small amounts of added sugars has effectively increased vital nutrient intakes in a way that improves overall diet quality without increasing calories to unhealthy levels.

NMPF Applauds House Increasing Kids’ Access to Critical Nutrition

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) emphatically commended the House of Representatives for taking a critical step toward improving child nutrition by approving the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act today with a commanding 330-99 bipartisan margin. The measure, led by Representatives GT Thompson, R-PA, and Kim Schrier, D-WA, expands the tools schools can use to deliver vital nutrition to students by increasing the variety of healthful milk options school can choose to serve.

“NMPF is delighted that the House approved the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act,” said Jim Mulhern, President & CEO of National Milk Producers Federation. “Milk’s unique nutritional profile gives it an unparalleled role in providing kids the nutrients they need. Expanding the milk schools can choose to serve to include 2% and whole is a common-sense solution that will help ensure kids have access to the same healthful milk options they drink at home. House passage is a critical step, and we urge the Senate to consider this bill immediately so it may be enacted into law.”

School milk, a mainstay of lunch menus for generations, plays an especially important role in improving nutrition security as an effective, inexpensive way of providing the nutrition kids need. NMPF has been tireless in its advocacy for reinstating whole milk, which was removed from school lunch menus in 2012. Since then, advancing science on the benefits of milk at all fat levels, as well as evidence of increased food waste from current limited choices, makes its return a top nutrition priority for schoolchildren, the families who serve nutritious fuller-fat varieties at home, and the school meal professionals who strive to effectively nourish those whom they serve.

The House-approved Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will now be sent to the Senate, which already has its own version of the bill. The Senate measure is being led by Senators Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Peter Welch, D-VT, and has Republican, Democratic, and Independent cosponsors.

 

Dairy Better Benefits Children through Science-Based Federal Food Policies

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act may have its best chance yet of passing Congress this year. But the potential return of whole and 2% percent options to school lunch menus is only one piece of the evolution of dairy’s role in federal nutrition policies, as two NMPF experts say in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.

“We’re in a pretty exciting spot right now for dairy and nutrition,” said Miquela Hanselman, NMPF’s manager for regulatory affairs. “National Milk is working with other dairy organizations to kind of make sure that we have all of our bases covered.”

Hanselman is NMPF’s point person on the upcoming, twice-a-decade revision to the dietary guidelines used in federal nutrition programs, due in 2025. She’s joined in the podcast by Senior Director for Government Relations Claudia Larson, who is advocating for whole milk legislation in Congress. Evolving science – and attitudes – toward the benefits of whole milk in children’s diets is building momentum for expanded milk options in federal programs.

“The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act expands the varieties of healthy milk options schools can choose to serve in meal programs, and we see this as a commons-sense approach for addressing nutrition insecurity among our nation’s youth,” she said. “Children and adolescents do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations, and this is a nutrition problem for our kids because dairy plays an unparalleled role in delivering the vital nutrients they need to grow and thrive.”

NMPF has a call to action urging lawmakers to support the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act here. You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file below. Please attribute information to NMPF.


NMPF Protecting Dairy in School Nutrition Programs

NMPF submitted comments on May 10 advocating for continuing to serve low-fat flavored milk in addition to fat-free varieties for all grade levels and highlighting the role milk, cheese and yogurt play in making school meals the healthiest meals children consume.

The comments were in response to a proposed rule USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published Feb. 7 to update school meal standards, intended to take effect beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. This proposed rule is the latest step FNS has taken to update school meal standards dating to passage of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act in 2010.

The proposed rule continues to allow low-fat flavored milk in school meals, but potentially in a more limited fashion. FNS puts forward two different options for flavored milk in its proposed rule, requesting input on both options. The first would allow low-fat and fat-free flavored milk for either grades 6-12 or 9-12 only. The second would maintain current standards, allowing low-fat and fat-free flavored milk for all grade levels. The proposal also puts forward added sugar and sodium limits that will be phased into school meals in future school years, both of which could limit varieties of school milk, yogurt, and cheese that can be served in school meal programs.

Since 2010, multiple USDA rulemakings have intended to make school meals healthier, with NMPF working hard to ensure that changes don’t inadvertently reduce kids’ actual diet quality and nutrient intake. This includes NMPF’s leading role in getting USDA to reinstate the low-fat flavored milk option in school meal programs after its removal by a 2012 rule. NMPF’s work here includes working closely with Chairman GT Thompson, R-PA, and Representative Joe Courtney, D-CT, over multiple congresses on their School Milk Nutrition Act, which would guarantee that schools have the choice to serve any milk variety consistent with federal dietary guidelines.

To further support school meals, NMPF and IDFA submitted joint comments May 8 on the proposed rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Community Eligibility Provisions – Increasing Options for Schools” supporting lowering the percentage of enrolled students certified for free school meals without submitting a household application from 40% to 25%. As noted in the preamble to the rule proposing the change, a study showed that schools that implemented the community eligibility provision (CEP) attained participation rates about 7 percent higher for lunch and 12 percent higher for breakfast, compared to similar schools that did not choose the provision.

Providing healthy meals to all students helps address longstanding inequities based on race, income and other factors that contribute to disparities of nutritional intakes and health outcomes.

NMPF, IDFA Pleased New USDA School Meal Proposal Keeps Low-Fat Flavored Milk in Schools, Call for Expanded Dairy Options

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today expressed optimism for USDA’s proposed updates to school meal nutrition standards, specifically USDA’s plans to maintain low-fat flavored milk for students. NMPF and IDFA continued to call on USDA officials to expand milk and dairy options in schools to ensure children have access to the nutrients they need each day, consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“Children having access to the healthful foods they need to grow and focus in school is a key priority for dairy farmers,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF President and CEO. “Milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18, and 1% flavored milk is a nutrient-dense, low-fat option students will actually choose to drink. We are pleased USDA is maintaining low-fat flavored milk in schools, providing children with an additional, and favored, choice to access the 13 essential nutrients milk provides, including three of the four nutrients of public health concern. But we question why USDA would propose school meal options that could limit a child’s access to these nutrients and we urge instead that they expand access to dairy options. Providing low-fat flavored milk will increase students’ intake of nutrients vital for their growth and development.”

“The most recent Dietary Guidelines report is clear: children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Healthy milk and 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. While we are pleased that this proposed rule continues to make dairy central to child nutrition, we are concerned with USDA’s ongoing efforts to propose limitations to milk and dairy in school meals, which run counter to the Dietary Guidelines and the mandate of America’s parents.”

NMPF and IDFA are carefully reviewing other provisions set forth in the proposed rule, including the weekly added sugars and sodium limits, to assess their impact on students’ ability to benefit from nutrient-dense dairy food. NMPF and IDFA will submit formal comments as requested by USDA.

NMPF and IDFA also expressed gratitude to Representatives Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) who have worked for years to restore and maintain nutritious school milk options.

“We are grateful to Chairman Thompson and Reps. Courtney, Stefanik and Pocan for their leadership and advocacy for dairy as a way to ensure that schoolchildren have access to the healthy, nutrient-dense milk options they will consume,” Mulhern said.

“We are grateful to Chairman Thompson and Representatives Courtney, Stefanik, and Pocan for their consistent legislative efforts to get milk’s 13 essential nutrients to as many school children as possible,” said Dykes. “Offering low-fat flavored milk and other milk options increases school meal participation, reduces food waste, and ensures children and adolescents are learning and growing.”

NMPF Elevates Dairy at White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

NMPF culminated months of efforts to shape successful outcomes at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health held Sept. 28 with President and CEO Jim Mulhern’s attendance at the event, the first of its kind in more than 50 years.

Ensuring people have access to the nutrition they need to live, develop, and be healthy is key priority for dairy farmers across the U.S.,” Mulhern said in a statement released in tandem with the conference. “Together we can realize the policies and programs required to achieve these important goals, including increasing access to affordable food and strengthening Americans’ ability to make informed, meaningful choices across all populations.”

The White House announced prior to the conference that it would release a national strategy to end nutrition insecurity and reduce diet-related disease by 2030 in conjunction with the event and requested that individuals and organizations share their experiences and insights to help shape the strategy.

NMPF brought together other agricultural, anti-hunger, nutrition and medical groups in June to urge the White House to place a high priority on access to affordable, diverse and healthful foods, which includes protecting Americans’ ability to make informed, meaningful choices about what they eat. The White House strategy released on the eve of its conference echoes NMPF priorities to commitment to increased access for affordable food for all as well as culturally appropriate food options and recommendations.

NMPF’s Bjerga on Back to School (and Milk)

NMPF Senior Vice President of Communications Alan Bjerga discusses the importance of milk to school nutrition programs in an interview with RFD- TV. According to consumer data, about 80 percent of the milk consumed by school-age children at home is whole or 2 percent milkfat varieties, neither of which are part of federal school nutrition programs.

Milk and Dairy Are Critical to Child Nutrition as Children Return to School

Milk Is Essential to Child Health and Development, Yet Is Under Consumed


As nearly 50 million children return to public school, a group of dairy and nutrition advocates is encouraging parents and policymakers to prioritize the health of students by making milk and dairy options more accessible in the coming school year.

A fact sheet released today by the group highlights that milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18. However, according to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, American children over four years old and adolescents are not consuming enough dairy to meet the recommendations in the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), thereby under consuming a variety of nutrients they need to grow.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the School Nutrition Association (SNA) look forward to working with parents and school nutritionists to increase consumption of dairy in keeping with recommendations from the 2020-2025 DGA report and leading health organizations. Moreover, because of falling participation rates in school breakfast and lunch programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and removal of universal free meals in the upcoming school year, there are growing concerns for nutrition security among students.

“Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own have for generations taken pride in the fact that the milk they produce is critical in meeting the nutritional needs of schoolchildren,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Milk makes school meals more healthful and offering many varieties of milk encourages children to consume these products vital for their own development. From low-fat flavored to lactose-free options, parents, educators, and policy leaders overwhelmingly agree that milk on the menu encourages healthy kids and ensures that everyone has equitable access to the 13 essential nutrients milk provides through school meals.”

“The most recent DGA report is clear: children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “School meals offer the most important opportunity of the day for children to get the essential nutrients they need in an 8-ounce serving of milk. Now is the time of year when our parents, educators, school meals professionals, and policymakers need to work together to encourage school meal participation and nutritious milk consumption each day. Survey data shows the best way to do that is by offering many varieties of milk, including different fat varieties, flavors, and lactose-free options. There is nothing more important than the health of our children.”

“Research shows children eat their healthiest meals at schools, which provide balanced nutrition including milk, whole grains and a variety of fruits, vegetables and lean protein.  School nutrition professionals are committed to ensuring access to and promoting consumption of healthy school meals to support student success,” said SNA President Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE.

An overall decline in school milk consumption has been identified in recent years, particularly after whole milk and low-fat flavored milk options were removed from school meals more than a decade ago. The fact sheet released by the group today underscores how all milk is a source for 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D and potassium—nutrients of public health concern for children. In addition to being nutritious offerings for children, flavored milk has been shown to decrease food waste from school meals and increase overall meal participation.

View the fact sheet here.

NMPF, IDFA Commend Dairy Provision in Child Nutrition Bill, Will Work to Protect Access to Nutritious Dairy

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) released the following joint statement today on the House Education and Labor Committee’s passage of the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, a bill which reauthorizes federal child nutrition programs:

“Dairy farmers and processors across the nation pride themselves on providing nutritious, healthful foods. Milk provides 13 essential vitamins and nutrients, including three of the four deemed to be of public health concern. Milk also is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18. The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans highlight the robust nutrient package milk provides and notes that school-aged children do not consume recommended amounts of dairy foods. Ensuring children and adolescents have access to nutrient-dense milk and healthful dairy foods is a top priority for NMPF, IDFA, and our members.

“Child nutrition programs are critical to ensuring kids have access to nutritious food. We thank those across our nation who work hard every day to administer these vital programs. The Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act approved today by the House Education and Labor Committee includes provisions to provide increased access and maintain existing access to healthful dairy foods.

“In addition to expanding eligibility and increasing support to schools, the bill takes an important step in increasing students’ access to nutritious food by securing more permanently the ability for schools to serve all milk options consistent with the Dietary Guidelines. We thank Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT), who has championed the issue for years with his School Milk Nutrition Act, for his leadership in securing these healthy milk options for schools. Milk consumption increases when more varieties are available; protecting the ability for schools to choose the milk options that best serve their students is crucial. Increased milk consumption means more intake of milk’s essential nutrients. And schools that have seen a rise in milk consumption have, in many cases, seen overall school-meals participation rise as well.”

“The legislation also points to the importance of the nutrients milk provides for students. The Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act maintains the requirement that milk substitutes be nutritionally equivalent to real milk, unless the student is being offered a substitute for medical or other diet-related needs. We will continue our efforts to further strengthen nutritional equivalency requirements to protect access to milk’s essential nutrients in child nutrition programs.”