Experts say the National School Lunch Program might be one of the most inefficient programs run by the United States Government in history

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“The stated purpose of the National School Lunch Program is to serve kids with foods that promote health and aid learning. The USDA has turned the program on its head, using the program as a marketing and profit-making opportunity for the dairy industry and denying kids the chance to opt for nutritious beverages that don’t make them sick.” Wayne Pacelle (President of The Center for a Humane Economy)

Reports show that up to 80% of Black and Latino people, up to 95% of Asians, and more than 80% of Indigenous Americans cannot digest lactose without adverse effects. The inability to break down lactose into simpler sugars for absorption into the bloodstream results in undigested lactose remaining in the gastrointestinal tract, and this can cause: diarrhea, nausea, cramping, bloating, and in severe cases, vomiting.

According to the FDA cow’s milk is the most common food allergen for infants and young children. Symptoms include: rashes, hives, wheezing, vomiting, and anaphylaxis. Long-term effects include: compromised immune systems, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and skin problems. An interesting thing to know is that some of these symptoms may not occur until several days after consuming dairy, so you might not identify milk as the cause.

Now that we have highlighted the fact that information about mild allergies is public knowledge, we have to figure out why the National School Lunch Program serves milk to more than 30 million children in more than 100,000 schools.

I want to throw in another twist to this story; reports show that children of colour have historically been overrepresented in the National School Lunch Program.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, 31 members of Congress asked him to address the dairy industry monopoly in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) that is forcing a food staple onto the breakfast and lunch trays of millions of children of colour.  The letter, now submitted to Secretary Vilsack, asks the United States Department of Agricultural to provide soymilk as an alternative to cow’s milk.

Under the NSLP, the USDA reimburses public schools if they serve cow’s milk with every meal but does not reimburse for nutritionally equivalent alternatives offered to children who cannot digest dairy. To many of the letter-signers this is “A textbook example of dietary racism.” Dietary racism is systemic, structural inequities surrounding food and nutrition that disproportionately and unjustly impacts people of colour.

Experts say this might be one of the most inefficient programs run by the United States Government in history.

The USDA spends more than $2.1 billion on milk in the schools. However, a USDA analysis found that 29% of school milk cartons are thrown away untouched, equalling $300 million tossed into dumpsters. Children are getting sick, or they are throwing away the product, undercutting the purposes of nutrition assistance and contributing to a massive food waste problem in schools.

Two organizations have decided to take on this fight: The Center for a Humane Economy, and Switch4Good.

The Center for Humane Economy is a non-profit organization that focuses on influencing the conduct of corporations to forge a humane economic order. The first organization of its kind in the animal protection movement, the Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both.

Switch4Good is an evidence-based non-profit organization advocating for a dairy-free world and dismantling the disinformation Big Dairy feeds the public, for the sake of human health, food justice, and the future of our planet. Its coalition of health experts, athletes, social justice warriors, enlightened policymakers, and progressive corporations promotes ethical lifestyles and widespread behavioral change related to how we eat.

Rep Troy A. Carter Sr, who ambitiously spearheads this effort, spoke out emphatically, “The reality is, millions of kids across America’s schools are given milk on their lunch trays that will make them feel sick, or that will immediately be discarded, it’s time that our school lunches reflect the reality that many of our children, including the majority of Black, Asian and Hispanic kids, are lactose intolerant. By providing a nutritionally equivalent substitute such as soymilk, we can help keep our kids healthier, full and decrease food waste. I look forward to working with Secretary Vilsack and the USDA to help bring equity to our nation’s lunch counters.”  

“I applaud congress for seeking to rectify what is one of the most egregious examples of racial inequity in nutritional policy,” remarked Dotsie Bausch (Executive Director of Swith4Good). “Advocates for food justice have been asking for these simple shifts, such as a proportional reimbursement to schools for soy milk, to give children of colour a fair start in school and set up a lifetime of healthy choices.” 

Now, I would not be me if I didn’t speak some truths here. When I read this email, I realized that they might have their reasons for pushing soymilk. Despite soy being promoted as a healthy food, there are claims backed by studies that show soy may not be all that it’s cracked up to be. There are also plenty of personal stories from people who claim to have suffered health issues from eating soy.

When it comes to soy and preventing cancer, there are various different studies showing the complete opposite effect. In a study by the British Columbia Cancer Agency, researchers found that major properties in soy can actually stimulate breast cancer cell growth. Another study by the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition had similar findings.

There is so much to think about as parents and wondering if you are feeding your child something that is going to either send them into shock, or introduce cancerous cells into their bodies is terrifying. If you are concerned, do your own research, and find out what works best for your child. Start community efforts to raise money that can be used to purchase alternatives for children who have allergies.

We have to start doing more for ourselves and stop depending on a government who has historically shown us that they don’t care about our well being.