Half-pint cartons of milk, served in cafeterias and lunchrooms across America, are ubiquitous on the lunch trays of millions of students. But in some districts, they will soon disappear.
A nationwide shortage of the cartons is hitting the dairy industry, according to suppliers and state officials, leaving schools brainstorming other ways to keep the drink flowing into students’ diets.
Milk is served to millions of children across the country each school day, part of meal and supplement programs subsidized by the government. But schools across multiple states are experiencing “milk supply chain challenges,” because of issues with packaging, a recent release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned. The department advised that schools affected by the shortages could temporarily be flexible with whether they provide milk with meals or not.
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