Agriculture Undersecretary Jenny Moffitt announced a $15 million program to expand sales of organic dairy products to schools and youth programs on Monday. “Expanding access to a variety of organic dairy products in schools and community programs promotes healthy consumption habits and strengthens local dairy markets,” said Moffitt during a trip to southeastern Vermont.
As part of the new Organic Dairy Product Promotion program, the Agricultural Marketing Service will enter cooperative agreements with four organizations, the University of Tennessee, the University of Wisconsin, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, and the University of California-Fresno, to develop regional project to distribute organic dairy products to schools, colleges, and programs focused on youth and young adults.
Sales of certified organic milk move than doubled to 6.6 percent of U.S. milk sales in 2022, from 2.9 percent in 2009, said a USDA report in September. There were roughly 2,500 organic dairy farms in the country with an average herd of 142 cows.
Organic dairy farmers have reported high prices and tight supplies of feed for their cattle.