Dairy companies have pledged to remove products containing artificial dyes from schools. All products containing the materials are to be removed by the 2026-2027 school year.
The goal of the pledge is to “eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in any milk, cheese, and/or yogurt products sold to K-12 schools for reimbursable school meals by July 2026,” the International Diary Foods Association (IDFA) explained.
“Moving forward, all companies supporting the Healthy Dairy in Schools Commitment have pledged to discontinue products containing certified artificial colors or to reformulate products with natural ingredients, joining the majority of companies that will continue making products for schools without certified artificial colors,” the IDFA added, noting that some companies will also work to reduce added sugars from products.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins commended the pledge in a statement, saying that “America’s dairy farmers and milk processors have always led the way in providing our families and schoolchildren with healthy, nutritious, and delicious milk products. While I look forward to getting whole milk back into our schools, today’s announcement shows how the dairy industry is voluntarily driving change and giving consumers what they want, without government mandates.”
“I thank IDFA and the dairy industry for leading the way and look forward to other industries thinking about how together, we can Make America Healthy Again,” she said.
The announcement comes as several states, as well as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, have announced plans to remove synthetic food colorings.
