[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 268 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 268
Expressing support for the designation of June 2021 as ``National Dairy
Month'' to recognize the important role dairy plays in a healthy diet
and the exceptional work of dairy producers in being stewards of the
land and livestock.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 14, 2021
Mr. Marshall (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Hassan, Mr.
Crapo, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Ms. Baldwin, Mr.
Risch, Mr. King, Mr. Grassley, Ms. Smith, Mr. Braun, Mr. Lujan, Ms.
Collins, and Ms. Klobuchar) submitted the following resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
June 24, 2021
Committee discharged; considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of June 2021 as ``National Dairy
Month'' to recognize the important role dairy plays in a healthy diet
and the exceptional work of dairy producers in being stewards of the
land and livestock.
Whereas the United States dairy industry serves as a key driver in the national
food system and supports the people of the United States both
nutritionally and economically;
Whereas the 2020-2025 United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans finds that
healthy dietary patterns feature dairy products, as such products
provide essential nutrients which keep the people of the United States
healthy and serve as a leading source of--
(1) calcium, which helps maintain strong bones and aids in heart
function; and
(2) vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption;
Whereas the 2020-2025 United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans finds that
some products sold as ``milks'' made from plants may be consumed as a
source of calcium, but most plant products are not nutritionally similar
to milk from dairy cows;
Whereas the 2020-2025 United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides
daily recommendations for key age groups, including--
(1) 3 cup-equivalents of dairy products for pre-teens, teenagers, and
adults;
(2) 2\1/2\ cups for children 4 to 8 years of age; and
(3) 2 cups for children 2 to 4 years of age;
Whereas studies have shown that following these daily recommendations leads to
improved bone health and reduced risk of--
(1) osteoporosis, which is a condition where bones become more fragile
over time and more prone to fractures; and
(2) cardiovascular diseases, which are a group of disorders of the
heart and blood vessels that lead to heart attacks and strokes and are
among the leading causes of death in the United States;
Whereas individuals who are lactose intolerant can choose low-lactose and
lactose-free dairy products;
Whereas 42 percent of individuals in the United States are below their estimated
average requirement for calcium intake, and 94 percent are below such
requirement for vitamin D intake;
Whereas a global study of more than 136,000 adults from 21 countries found that
consuming at least 2 servings of dairy products per day is associated
with lower risk for heart disease, stroke, and death;
Whereas the annual all-inclusive expense of providing care for osteoporotic
fractures among Medicare beneficiaries was an estimated $57,000,000,000
in 2018, and is expected to increase to over $95,000,000,000 by 2040;
Whereas, when broken down by individual, in the year following a fracture, all-
cause health care costs exceeded $30,000, of which an average of $3,000
was paid by the patient;
Whereas Congress authorized dairy products as eligible foods under the special
supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children program
under section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786),
which safeguards the health of low-income women, infants, and children
up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to
supplement diets;
Whereas Congress authorized the supplemental nutrition assistance program under
the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), which helps
low-income working families, low-income seniors, and people with
disabilities access nutritious foods, including dairy products;
Whereas the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement provided new opportunities and
continued supporting the access of high-quality United States products
to 2 valuable export markets;
Whereas dairy production efficiently and affordably provides essential
nutrients, while only contributing to 1.3 percent of the greenhouse gas
emissions of the United States;
Whereas, between 1944 and 2007, the United States dairy industry produced 59
percent more milk and reduced its carbon footprint by 63 percent with 79
percent fewer cows;
Whereas, in 2020, the average dairy cow in the United States produced 23,777
pounds (or 44,463 cups) of milk per year, an increase of 11.5 percent
from 2011;
Whereas milk is produced in all 50 States on 31,657 licensed dairy farms, with
California, Wisconsin, Idaho, New York, and Texas serving as the top 5
producers, producing 53 percent of the United States dairy; and
Whereas the United States dairy industry directly and indirectly provides
$753,000,000,000 in total economic impact to the United States and
supports 3,300,000 jobs: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the designation of June 2021 as ``National
Dairy Month'' to recognize--
(A) the important role dairy plays in a healthy
diet;
(B) the exceptional work of dairy producers in
being stewards of the land and livestock; and
(C) the economic impact of the United States dairy
industry; and
(2) encourages the people of the United States to visit
with dairy producers to learn more about agriculture and the
vital role dairy producers play in our global food system.
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