[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2246-S2247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 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

  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:

                              S. Res. 284

       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--
          (A) calcium, which helps maintain strong bones and aids 
     in heart function; and
          (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

[[Page S2247]]

       (3) provides daily recommendations of dairy products for 
     key age groups, including--
          (A) 3 cup-equivalents for pre-teens, teenagers, and 
     adults;
          (B) 2\1/2\ cup-equivalents for children 4 to 8 years of 
     age; and
          (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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