Local schools are wondering: Should the “Got Milk” campaign should become “Got Milk Cartons?”
Recently, New York State Senator Chuck Schumer wrote to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) leadership to rectify the disruptions to the milk packaging supply chain, specifically related to carton shortages.
New York is home to more than 3,200 dairy farms and is the country’s fifth largest dairy state, producing 15.66 billion pounds of milk in 2022, according to information provided by Schumer’s office. The industry is a significant driver of both economic impact and nourishment.
“Milk is an essential part of nutrition for our children,” said Schumer. “If it’s not swiftly addressed this could have impacts on our farmers, school and nutrition programs, and children, seniors, and others who depend on milk for nutrition.”
Experiencing shortages
This is not just a local problem.
Other states experiencing shortages include California, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Farmer reports that some schools are distributing fresh milk to students in plastic pouches after two milk carton plants closed last year.
The shortage could last until early 2024 or as late as spring, officials said.
The New York Department of Education is allowing flexibility in their requirement of serving milk due to the disruption in the supply chain. It allows schools to pour milk into individual cups, offer different types of milk, offer milk alternatives or, as a last resort, not offer milk altogether.
Cafeterias are expected to maintain documentation of the milk disruption and the procedures implemented during the emergency period. They are also requited to notify the state Education Department if they are unable to provide any milk.
In the meantime, local school districts have been coordinating with vendors and food service providers to ensure access to cups, lids and straws as the items become more scarce across the country.
Schumer noted Upstate Niagara Cooperative, an industry supplier of half-pint milk carton packaging, “is experiencing operational challenges that are negatively impacting their ability to supply schools with milk packaging orders.”
While the impact is not severe enough to impact farmers yet, it could if there are changes in demand. Processors and cooperatives are doing everything they can to maintain the volume of milk they are distributing.
How local schools are impacted
Cartons of milk and chocolate milk have long been a staple in U.S. school meals – especially for students who don’t get adequate nutrition at home.
Last month Rochester City School District released a statement outlining a plan to offer juice as an extra fruit option until they’re able to get enough milk cartons again.
In response the state Education Department’s Office of Child Nutrition released emergency guidance advising districts to make every effort to continue providing dairy beverages and warned against replacing milk with juice.
“Please be advised that juice cannot be offered in place of the milk component” as federal school nutrition regulations state that “no more than half of the fruit or vegetable offerings may be in the form of juice,” the letter states.
The Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES food services program operates in 15 districts regionally. They also provide management services to Utica City Schools.
Director of Shared Food Services Kate Dorr shed light on how schools across the Mohawk Valley are handling the national milk carton shortage.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have only seen shortages with Skim and 1% white milk so far,” said Dorr. “The kids are happy – as far as most of them are concerned they haven’t even noticed a difference.”
The food services program prepared a plan with kitchens in every building to decipher the most feasible options – if the supply chain issue were to worsen.
“Some kitchens would be pouring 8 oz. of milk into cups and lids to distribute at the service line,” explained Dorr. “Others would have monitors to help pour milk out in the actual cafeteria.”
Dorr noted that low-staffed schools may have to go without milk.
“But – we hope to be able to accommodate everyone and still manage to serve milk in some capacity if the situation intensified,” said Dorr.
At the farm level
Bruce and Nancy Rivington are co-owners of Kriemhild Dairy Farms– a small agribusiness in Central New York that specializes in organic and cultured dairy foods. They moved their entire farm and family of six from Ontario, Canada to Hamilton, to give their cows more opportunity to graze.
All 300 of their cows work hard to provide grass fed milk. The name – Kriemhild – comes from the original herd of holstein-friesian cattle that were born, raised and registered nearby in Peterboro.
“There’s lots of milk available that’s not available in the packaging the schools expect – for that matter it’s a supply chain issue not ours,” said Rivington. “I’m sure there’s been shuffling around at the plant level but certainly not at Kriemhild.”
The only shift that Kriemhild Dairy has made “lately” – 1994 – was their transition to practicing grazing.
Kriemhild Dairy was established in 2010. Between the late 1950s and 2010 the Northeast had a 70% increase in the amount of heavy precipitation.
Their grazing management is centered on soil health. The Rivington’s farm is made up of deep-rooted perennials so the cows can graze while the soil health stays resilient enough to combat inclement weather patterns.
As pasture plants photosynthesize, they create nutrients of their own that they excrete into the soil as exudate. Stable soil aggregates make it possible to absorb and drain water; as a result it can handle heavy precipitation.
“We’ll continue doing the work we have been doing [grazing],” said Rivington, “the only problems we face are those that come with running any small business.”
Local cooperatives chime in
The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) have been keeping a close eye on the National milk carton shortage.
“This is the result of a shortage of the packaging materials and is not a milk supply issue,” explained Oneida County CCE Executive Director Mary Beth McEwen. “Local dairy farmers are continuing to produce and supply the same high quality product that they always have.”
In the meantime, the CCE has reached out to local schools and volunteered to help pour milk from gallon jugs into cups for the children.
“Our dairy processors are exploring the possibility of installing milk dispensers,” said Chair of the NEDPA Board Keith Kimball. “We are committed to continue working with NY Agriculture & Markets, NYSED, and other industry partners to offer alternative solutions until the packing shortage is resolved.”
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