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Dairy’s role in fighting hunger and strengthening communities

Michael Dykes

Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, contributes this column bimonthly for Cheese Market News®.

Hunger Action Month is a reminder that fighting hunger is about more than putting food on the table. It is about helping families access the nutritious foods they need to live healthy lives.

That challenge is significant. Feeding America reported this spring that 48 million people lack consistent access to enough healthy food, and nearly 70% of people facing hunger say economic barriers make healthy choices difficult. Food banks also report that fresh produce, protein and dairy are among the nutritious foods people want most.

For the dairy industry, that is a call to action. Dairy foods are among the nutritious products families seek most, making our industry an important partner in the effort to address hunger and improve nutrition.

Milk, cheese and yogurt are nutrient-rich, versatile foods that fit naturally into meals and snacks across a wide range of households and traditions. Making these foods more accessible should be part of our nation’s broader effort to address hunger and improve nutrition.

Dairy companies are already doing their part. International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) members, from national brands to family-owned businesses, support hunger-relief organizations through product and financial donations, employee volunteerism and investments that help food banks safely store and distribute nutritious dairy foods.

These efforts make a real difference. But charitable food assistance is only part of the solution.

For millions of families, the struggle to afford nutritious food happens every day in the grocery aisle, long before they need help from a food bank. Families are making difficult choices about how to stretch limited food dollars while still putting nutritious meals on the table.

That is why we should look for ways to make nutritious dairy foods more accessible through our federal nutrition programs as well.

Congress took an important first step in the 2018 Farm Bill by establishing the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive Program, which provides discounts on milk purchases for households using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). We should build on that foundation and expand dairy nutrition incentives to include all types of milk, as well as cheese and yogurt. Doing so would help families stretch limited food budgets and make nutritious dairy foods more affordable and accessible.

That approach is increasingly aligned with broader nutrition policy discussions. Congress recently passed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, and the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recognize the important role of dairy foods, including milk, cheese and yogurt, in healthy eating.

There is also clear evidence that SNAP participants want greater access to dairy. In an IDFA-commissioned Morning Consult poll, 59% of SNAP participants said they would purchase more cheese if offered a 50% discount.

Expanding dairy nutrition incentives would help families stretch limited food dollars while giving them greater flexibility to choose the dairy foods they already want to buy. Just as importantly, it would complement — not replace — the vital work being done by food banks and hunger-relief organizations.

The IDFA Foundation is working to connect and amplify the dairy industry’s efforts to fight hunger, creating opportunities for our industry to serve together and helping extend the impact dairy companies are having in communities across the country.

This September during Hunger Action Month, I encourage every dairy company to simply ask, “How can we help our community?”

The answer may be a product donation, a financial contribution, an employee volunteer day or a conversation with a local food bank about what it needs most. It can also mean supporting policies that help American families access nutritious foods before they reach the food bank.

Hunger relief and nutrition policy should work toward the same goal: making sure nutritious food is within reach for every family.

Dairy has an important role to play in that effort. By supporting families when they need help today and working to make nutritious dairy foods more accessible tomorrow, our industry can make a lasting difference. Together, we can help ensure that nutritious food is within reach for more families — one community, one family and one table at a time.

CMN

The views expressed by CMN’s guest columnists are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheese Market News®.

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