Generated Summary
This document is a conference paper providing an overview of worldwide school milk programs. It outlines the involvement of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in promoting school milk, presents an international overview of school milk programs, and discusses the future of school milk initiatives. The paper is based on a survey undertaken by the Basic Foodstuffs Service of FAO’s Commodities and Trade Division and focuses on the experiences of implementing school milk programs, their general trends, and their role in promoting milk consumption. The research approach involved collecting data through a survey questionnaire sent to speakers, members of the International Milk Promotion (IMP) Group, and the Dairy Outlook list. The scope of the data was defined as “milk in schools” and not “school milk programs”. The paper also delves into the supply and distribution of milk in schools, the competitive position of milk, and the promotion of World School Milk Day.
Key Findings & Statistics
- School milk in Thailand accounts for 25 percent of national milk consumption.
- School milk represents a significant proportion of the liquid milk market in Japan (9%), the United States (7%), Finland (5%), Lesotho (5%), Norway (4%), Sweden (4%), Canada – Prince Edward Island (3%) and Denmark (3%).
- In Denmark, milk consumption in a school increases by 40 percent when a school milk scheme is introduced.
- In Ontario, Canada, the number of primary schools selling milk is projected to reach 2,900 by mid-2004, from fewer than 100 in 1987 when a school milk promotion programme was started.
- In Kenya, milk distributed under the government-funded school milk programme dropped from 44 million litres in 1989 to 3 million litres in 1997.
- In the majority of countries, milk is subsidized.
- 30 percent of the countries responding charge the full-cost for milk distributed to schools.
- In Austria, Iceland and Germany, the discount offered on school milk is approximately a third.
- In 60 percent of replies, milk was consumed less than other drinks in schools; in 12 percent of cases, about the same; and only in 27 percent of cases was milk the main beverage.
- Most countries (60 percent) expected that promotional activities for milk would increase in the future, while a further 33 percent expected them to be maintained at current levels.
- Compared to milk, a lower percentage of competing products are promoted in schools – approximately 60 percent.
- In the EU member states, school milk programmes are eligible for a subsidy of approximately 20 percent of the cost of the milk used.
- China began a national school milk programme in 2000, which has expanded to cover 28 cities by the end of 2003.
- The school milk programme in Japan increased the country’s annual milk consumption from 5 liters per person in the 1960s to over 70 liters today.
Other Important Findings
- FAO serves as a world center for the collection of information on school milk systems and offers advice and assistance to countries wishing to develop such programmes.
- FAO has co-operated with national organizations in presenting a series of conferences on the provision of milk to school-aged children.
- Conferences have been held in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand, Austria, the Czech Republic, Colombia, Canada, Lebanon, Finland, China, Mexico, Sweden, Iceland, Uruguay, and the United States.
- The Commodities and Trade Division has established a school milk e-mail list and published a number of reports on school milk programmes.
- The International School Milk Information Centre, based at its headquarters in Rome, is being explored.
- School milk programmes will be developed and strengthened internationally; policy and other advice will be provided; information exchange will be expanded; a network of collaborating institutions will be established; and the series of international conferences will be continued.
- The strategy of the project will build on the initiative by FAO and utilize existing private sector donations.
- School milk by definition implies a programme supported, both financially and administratively, by government. For others, school milk is the distribution of milk in schools.
- The importance of milk and dairy products in schools lies not just in the size of the market itself, but also in its consumers: children.
- In some countries, school milk programs have re-emerged with support from the dairy industry rather than government.
- In countries where the government does not subsidise the distribution of milk in schools, legislation may favour school milk programmes.
- The importance of school milk within the liquid milk market varies markedly across countries.
- The development of school milk programmes has been associated with the growth of the national dairy industry.
- In many peoples’ minds, school milk is synonymous with milk being subsidised, or even given free.
- In some countries, dairies distribute milk through schools, as for any other market; however, this may be supported via promotional programmes or government legislation.
- In the most common methods of distributing milk are for it to be drunk in the classroom, often at mid-morning break, or for it to be distributed in the school canteen, either at break times or with meals: breakfast or lunch.
- Milk is promoted in schools in three-quarters of the countries replying to the survey.
- The most common methods used are the provision of refrigerators, educational resources and incentives and promotions.
- In terms of promotional claims which are made for milk, most campaigns concentrate on the health benefits of drinking milk, stressing calcium, vitamins and other minerals and the importance of milk as part of a healthy diet.
- In terms of availability, fruit juice is the main competitor to milk in schools, with carbonated drinks in second place.
- The goal of World School Milk Day is to provide a particular day when attention is focussed on school milk and in so doing promote the distribution of milk in schools.
- The goal of World School Milk Day is to provide a particular day when attention is focussed on school milk and in so doing promote the distribution of milk in schools.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The survey questionnaire was based on a previous one developed by the International Dairy Federation’s International Milk Promotion (IMP) Group.
- Information on commercial deliveries to schools was not covered by all respondents.
- Caution must be exercised when generalizing from the survey results, as the operation of school milk systems can vary markedly.
- In the past, the distribution system was inflexible and the product itself – typically unrefrigerated white milk – was unappetising.
- School milk programmes still predominantly rely on government support.
Conclusion
The document emphasizes the crucial role of school milk programs in promoting milk consumption and highlights the dynamic landscape of these programs worldwide. The FAO’s involvement and the establishment of the International School Milk Information Centre are key steps towards supporting and strengthening these initiatives. The paper underscores the significance of school milk within the liquid milk market, with notable variations across different countries. The success of school milk programs often hinges on central coordination, especially for long-term sustainability, and the need for a balanced approach involving public and private funding. The study points to the potential for school milk programs to directly benefit dairy development, particularly in countries with less-developed dairy industries. The document concludes that the industry must work together to promote milk in schools to meet the challenges from competing beverages. School-based programs provide an excellent opportunity to promote milk consumption amongst children and in so doing establish a life-time’s habit. The findings of this study reiterate the importance of providing school milk as a means to improve children’s diets and promote healthy eating habits. This includes advocating for the inclusion of milk and milk products in children’s diets and promoting the consumption of milk in schools as a way to cultivate life-long habits of drinking milk and eating dairy products.