Giving your kids more options in the lunch line regarding their milk is one of the many agriculture-related topics currently debated in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

In 2012, the United States Department of Agriculture opted to serve low-fat or non-fat options as a part of the Obama Administration’s plan to fight childhood obesity. The USDA proposed eliminating flavored milk from school lunches for elementary and middle school kids earlier this year, citing the potential impact of the added sugars in the drink. That threat has triggered two other bills to fight back at the rules.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 330-99 to support the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act earlier this month, which would pave the way for two percent and whole milk to be offered. Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany introduced an amendment to that bill that would ban the removal of flavored milk from school cafeterias, citing a potential 50 to 60 percent loss in consumption if it is eliminated. Sturgeon Bay Food Service Director Jenny Spude believes their school meal programs are an excellent time for students to practice making healthy food decisions.

Spude estimates that 90 percent of the students who come through their food service lines choose chocolate over white milk.  Funding for food service programs comes from the federal Farm Bill, the comprehensive package that covers a wide range of programs, including SNAP benefits, agricultural research, subsidies, risk and price loss coverage, and programs dealing with energy and conservation. Politicians could not agree on a compromise to move forward, causing the 2018 Farm Bill to be extended one year.  Much of the debate is centered around SNAP benefits and reference prices for commodity support programs.