THE SPECIAL MILK PROGRAM

This program provides assistance in the form of reimbursement payments to encourage the consumption of fluid whole milk by children in public and nonprofit private schools of high school grade and under, nonprofit nursery schools, childcare centers, settlement houses, summer camps, and similar nonprofit institutions that provide for the care and training of children.

In all States, the program is administered in public schools by the State educational agency. In some States this same agency may handle the program in private schools and child-care institutions, but in other States some other State government agency or the U.S. Department of Agriculture may administer the program.

Special provision has been made to reimburse up to the full cost of each half pint of milk served in schools that draw attendance from particularly needy areas. An estimated one million children are receiving free milk under the program this year in these and other schools.

The CHAIRMAN. As you recall, when I discussed the matter with you, it was my belief that we should keep the school lunch program intact and not take in any other programs that are now on the statute books that contemplate assistance outside of the schools.

Secretary FREEMAN. I certainly agree with the chairman's expression in that respect, that it is highly desirable that these programs be coordinated and related.

Senator AIKEN. To the poverty programs?

Secretary FREEMAN. Related with the ongoing programs, the school lunch programs and the school milk programs, as they now exist.

Senator AIKEN. You refer to the school lunch program and the school milk program in the same breath almost. Does this bill provide that preference shall be given to putting the school milk program under the poverty program and not the school lunch program? Secretary FREEMAN. I do not think it does.

Senator AIKEN. Section 18 says that. How does section 18 of this bill come to say that?

Secretary FREEMAN. It is something that must have escaped me

then.

Senator AIKEN. It says:

In the selection of schools and nonprofit institutions to receive Federal assistance under sections 13, 14, and 15 of this Act, the State agency shall adopt the methods and procedures necessary to assure coordination with and give, where the need is comparable, preference to programs carried on under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in such schools or institutions.

Does not that almost give direction to put the school milk program under the poverty program, but also fixes $2,000 as the poverty level rather than the $3,000 which is the amount adopted for other programs by most of the States, particularly the stamp plan?

Secretary FREEMAN. That was not the intent. This is a general coordinating section. I think that this language could be improved, considering that there are currently some milk and school lunch programs that are carried forward under these two acts. We would envision and anticipate

Senator AIKEN. I think that they could be coordinated.

Secretary FREEMAN. That these programs should be carried on under the overall umbrella of the current program.

Senator AIKEN. I would hate to see the programs that have worked wonderfully well discarded and have the substance of those programs

incorporated in another program which has not worked at all, as the record shows.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Secretary, you will recall that that was the burden of my argument to you.

Secretary FREEMAN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Here is a program that we have had on the books now for 20 years. It was worked well. I do not want to mix it in with the "Headstart" or "Head-on," or whatever you might call the programs in the poverty program. What we want to do do is to try to maintain the school lunch program and to improve on it. That is what I would like to see.

Of course, if there is conflict in the furnishing of food to people outside of the schools by some other agency, well, that is one thing, but I think that we ought to keep this act intact. Of course, when we go over this, the committee as a whole, and with our counsel here, we want to be certain that the school milk program will stand on its own foundation free from any other programs that the Government now has on the statute books.

Secretary FREEMAN. I think that the language of section 18 can be improved.

Senator AIKEN. Yes, materially.

The CHAIRMAN. You might strike it out, because we do not want to have it connected with any of these outside programs.

Senator AIKEN. Certainly, the school lunch program has been a wonderful program. The school lunch program and the school milk program have been wonderful programs and should be coordinated programs. I go along with the breakfast program, where they meet up with a different aspect, but I do not want to put them under the poverty program. I cannot go along with that, until the poverty program has demonstrated its benefits and has made more progress than it has to date.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Secretary, there is another point, and I am sure that you are going to emphasize it as we go along. At the last meeting we had of this committee, I suggested that the special milk program, which was set on the statute books years ago more or less to assist the producers of milk, be written in connection with our school lunch program. I thought that is where it belonged, because it would mean better administration. That is why I suggested it be done. If you have any views different from that, I wish that you would state it as you go along with your statement.

Secretary FREEMAN. I think that is perfectly consistent with the purpose that the chairman outlined initially, and I think it is very logical and appropriate that the provision for the extension of the special milk program should be included as a part of the overall combination of school lunch and school milk programs.

Senator AIKEN. They coordinate very well.

Secretary FREEMAN. And are administered in common, and it will be a better program.

Senator AIKEN. The school lunch program established 20 years ago was a means of reducing the surplus, if my memory is correct. Secretary FREEMAN. It was subsequently proven to be humanitarian and an important service program that resulted from the stimulus of economic necessity at a given time and place.

Senator AIKEN. And one of the best programs we have devised so far.

The CHAIRMAN. Which is that?

Senator AIKEN. The school lunch program.

The CHAIRMAN. Of course it is.

Senator AIKEN. I believe it was the present Vice President who got us to extend it to day camps a few years ago so the children of the poor areas could be helped. I thought that was worthwhile.

The CHAIRMAN. In that connection, Senator Aiken, I may say that when Vice President Humphrey was a member of this committee, of course, he did all that he could to assist the milk people of his State, and I do not blame him for that. This extra milk program, as I recall, was to assist the producers more than the consumers of this milk. It is all right to have Congress appropriate the money necessary to have this excellent program, but what I would like to see, and I want to reiterate this, is that it be more or less for the schoolchildren, that it be operated in connection with the school lunch program.

You may proceed, Mr. Secretary.

Secretary FREEMAN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I welcome this opportunity to testify in support of S. 3467, a bill to amend the National School Lunch Act to strengthen and expand the child nutrition programs in this country today.

These amendments comprise a vital part of the administration goal to continue the progress now being made in the national school lunch. program and to make this program a more effective instrument in meeting the needs of millions of children in this country for better nutrition.

I would like in this testimony to describe the child nutrition goals of this administration, to discuss the need that has given rise to them, and to clear up some misunderstandings and to corrrect some misinformation about them.

The administration seeks to provide every child, regardless of the wealth of his or her parents, with an opportunity for a full and adequate meal at school.

Specifically:

We want to double the number of children who now receive a free or reduced cost meal through the school lunch program.

Senator AIKEN. What percentage participate now?

Secretary FREEMAN. About 1 million out of 17 million.

Is that right, the number that participate and get free or reduced cost lunches?

STATEMENT OF HOWARD P. DAVIS, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR CONSUMER FOOD PROGRAMS, CONSUMER AND MARKETING SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Mr. DAVIS. About 1 million.

Senator AIKEN. Only 1 million?

Mr. DAVIS. Two million, about 10 percent of the total.

Senator AIKEN. How may participate in the lunch program?

Mr. DAVIS. About 50 percent of the schoolchildren participate in schools with the school lunch program.

Senator AIKEN. Yes; 50 percent of the total?

Mr. DAVIS. Yes, sir.

Senator AIKEN. That is different in different regions; is it not?

Mr. DAVIS. It varies considerably by States.

Senator AIKEN. By regions; yes.

Senator YOUNG. Which States have the least participation?

The CHAIRMAN. I wonder if you could put a list of the States in the record, if you have it there, that participate? That would be helpful for the record. That would be the best way to do it.

(The information is as follows:)

NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

Number of children and schools participating, fiscal year 1965 1

Number of children and schools participating, fiscal year 1965 —Continued

1 Data for December 1964 and represent the average number of children participating in the program for that month. The number of schools and children may have been higher in some States during other months but December was the peak month of participation nationally.

2 Source: Latest data available from the Office of Education. Enrollment data for public schools are for fall 1964. Private school enrollment is for 1961-62.

Secretary FREEMAN. To respond to the initial question, there are about 2 million of the 17 million who receive free or reduced price lunches, and they include milk.

Senator AIKEN. The States now have authority to determine what group of children shall pay for their milk, according to their economic status?

Secretary FREEMAN. The States do have the authority. As a matter of fact, more than that, they are, in effect, requested, at least the standard is set down, that they should make a provision for reduced price or for free lunches for the children who cannot afford it. However, the States do not do that across the board, and they miss many who should have reduced price or free lunches. They do this, because, they say, the resources are not adequate to provide free lunches for everyone, and, therefore, they feel they serve the greater good by using limited resources to reach a greater number of children, some of whom, otherwise, would not be reached if they used the resources for free lunches for those who cannot afford to pay anything.

So, one of the main thrusts of our whole effort here is to try and supplement the States and have a special program with a special requirement that those children will be reached who, otherwise, are now being missed.

Senator AIKEN. But they can require the participants in the school lunch programs to pay 60, 80, even 100 percent of the full cost? Secretary FREEMAN. That is correct.

Senator AIKEN. And the Department and the Secretary impresses on them that they should require those who are perfectly able to pay to pay?

Secretary FREEMAN. That is correct.

Senator AIKEN. So that the money available can be used for those who cannot pay or cannot pay much?