The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) serves more than 40 million Americans, 90% of whom are seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children. By incentivizing the purchase of dairy products, policymakers empower these consumers to make nutritious decisions that will improve their health for years to come.
Because dairy is an essential part of any diet — especially for people struggling with food and nutrition insecurity — lawmakers should provide benefits through SNAP that incentivize consumer purchase of dairy products.
SNAP aims to reduce hunger, but the program also can help improve Americans’ overall health, potentially reducing future medical care costs.
How? Dairy products are a source of protein and 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. Eating a balanced diet rich in dairy can help avoid many adverse health outcomes, from high blood pressure and heart disease to the erosion of muscle and nerve function. Access to dairy products also fights dehydration, improves cognition, and enhances immune function — while also being a key tool in the global fight against hunger.
However, Americans are largely unaware of these benefits. The latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans revealed more than 90% of Americans do not consume enough dairy products to meet daily nutrition requirements. A 2024 IDFA-supported study found SNAP-eligible Americans in particular are unacquainted with the benefits of choosing dairy.
Expanding dairy nutrition incentives will help correct these misperceptions while making dairy products more affordable.
The U.S. dairy industry has long recognized SNAP’s critical role in improving access to essential nutrition. Ensuring that SNAP recipients have access to affordable dairy products will improve public health and sustain a vital economic engine that supports American families and communities all across the country.
Studies have shown that incentive programs increase the purchase and consumption of healthy foods. Which is why when it came time to reauthorize the farm bill in 2018, IDFA worked with federal policymakers to add a milk incentive component to SNAP. The Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) Projects program — or Add Milk! as it is known in rural, suburban, and urban communities throughout the country — is now live in more than 600 stores nationwide. Add Milk! offers SNAP recipients an immediate discount on their food bill or a coupon they can use for a future food purchase when they purchase 1% or fat free milk.
In a time of rising prices, each month Add Milk! ensures 27,000 SNAP families can keep dairy in their grocery cart. The program also helps retailers dedicated to improving the health of their communities better support all their customers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided funding to double the number of stores that participate in Add Milk!, but more must be done to tap the program’s full potential.
SNAP beneficiaries should be empowered to choose the products that are right for their families — whether that is yogurt, cheese, and other types of milk, including 2% cow’s milk. Restrictions on products allowed for purchase are costly, confusing, and can frustrate consumers who are trying to make the best choice for their families. Incentives empower participants to make more nutritional choices — driving better health outcomes for their whole lives — while preserving their dignity at checkout.
Legislation like the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program (DNIP) Act would expand Add Milk! incentives to include whole and 2% milk, cheese, and yogurt while providing $10 million in annual funding to sustain and grow the program.
Nutrition incentive programs like the proposed DNIP program, Add Milk!, and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, another incentive program supported by the 2018 farm bill, encourage SNAP participants to purchase healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Families, food retailers, taxpayers, and our nation’s public health system all benefit from a food safety net that incentivizes the consumption of dairy.
Congress must include provisions in the next Farm Bill that would expand Add Milk! to include all milk varieties, cheese, yogurt.
Supporters of healthy and vibrant American families and communities can make their voices heard on this important issue through the IDFA Campaign Center.
Senior Director, Legislative Affairs
Vice President, Legislative Affairs
