[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 284 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]
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118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 284
Expressing support for the designation of June 2023 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 22, 2023
Mrs. Gillibrand (for herself, Mr. Marshall, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Cornyn,
Mr. Lujan, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Collins, Mr. King, Mr. Risch,
Ms. Hassan, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Welch, Mrs. Hyde-Smith, Ms. Smith, Mrs.
Shaheen, Ms. Klobuchar, and Mr. Braun) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry
July 11, 2023
Committee discharged; considered and agreed to
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of June 2023 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 dairy industry of the United States serves as a key driver in the
national food system and supports the people of the United States both
nutritionally and economically;
Whereas the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans published under section
301 of the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of
1990 (7 U.S.C. 5341)--
(1) finds that healthy dietary patterns feature dairy products, as such
products provide essential nutrients that keep the people of the United
States healthy and serve as a leading source of--
G (A) calcium, which helps maintain strong bones and aids in heart
function; and
G (B) vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption;
(2) 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; and
(3) provides daily recommendations of dairy products for key age
groups, including--
G (A) 3 cup-equivalents for pre-teens, teenagers, and adults;
G (B) 2\1/2\ cup-equivalents for children 4 to 8 years of age; and
G (C) 2 cup-equivalents for children 2 to 4 years of age;
Whereas studies have shown that following the daily recommendations of dairy
products provided in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans leads to
improved bone health and reduced risk of--
(1) osteoporosis, which is a condition in which 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 take in less than their
estimated average required amount of calcium, and 94 percent take in
less than their estimated average required amount of vitamin D;
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--
(1) which, when broken down by individual, represents all-cause health
care costs exceeding $30,000 in the year following a fracture, of which the
patient paid an average of $3,000; and
(2) is expected to increase to more than $95,000,000,000 by 2040;
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,
including dairy products, 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 Implementation Act (19 U.S.C.
4501 et seq.) provided new opportunities and continued to support 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, advancements allowed the dairy industry of the
United States to produce 59 percent more milk with 79 percent fewer cows
and reduce its carbon footprint by 63 percent;
Whereas, in 2022, the average dairy cow in the United States produced 24,087
pounds (or 46,180 cups) of milk per year;
Whereas 27,932 licensed dairy farms produce milk in all 50 States, with
California, Wisconsin, Idaho, New York, and Texas serving as the top 5
producers, producing 53 percent of the dairy in the United States; and
Whereas the dairy industry of the United States directly and indirectly provides
$793,750,000,000 in total economic impact to the United States and
supports 3,200,000 jobs: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports the designation of June 2023 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 the global food system.
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