[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 103 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4521-S4522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  Mr. MARSHALL (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Cornyn, Ms. Hassan,

[[Page S4522]]

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:

                              S. Res. 268

       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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