Requirement to provide doctor’s note for plant milk at school is dropped
Legislation has been approved by US Congress this week that will require schools, for the first time, to offer a variety of plant-based milk options at lunch time without children having to produce a doctor’s note for a disability, such as lactose intolerance.
The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which still requires the President’s signature, makes it easier for children to receive a nutritionally equivalent nondairy milk, like fortified soy milk, through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), which serves about 30 million children each year.
Switch4Good, an organization led by Olympic cyclist Dotsie Bausch, was among the organizations pushing for the legislation to be changed, because it placed an unnecessary burden on families. According to the US National Institutes of Health, about 95% of Asian Americans, about 70% of African Americans, about 95% of Native Americans, and about 65% of Hispanic Americans are lactose intolerant.
“We welcome this legislation in the US as so many people suffer from lactose intolerance,” Jasmijn de Boo, Global CEO of ProVeg International, said.
“As well as being healthy, plant milk is also more climate-friendly and, of course, animal-friendly so it is vital to improve access. We hope the US move will spur other countries around the world to introduce supportive legislation.”
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Notes to Editors
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About ProVeg International
ProVeg International is a food awareness organization with the mission to replace 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040. Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
