FREE milk would be provided to Victorian primary school students under a proposal by a local branch of the Country Women’s Association.
Tyntynder CWA secretary Catherine Schulz said the proposal, based on a successful program in New Zealand, was set to go before the state CWA conference this month.
If accepted, the state branch will take on the case and lobby the state government for funds.
Ms Schulz said they were hoping the success of the Fonterra Milk For Schools program, which had seen more than 14.5 million milk packs delivered to primary school children across New Zealand since 2012, would help their proposal.
“There are many different studies on why children need to be drinking milk,” Ms Schulz said.
“One of the things found in a study by the University of Auckland was that, since the launch of the program, there was a 28 per cent increase in the number of students drinking milk at least five days a week.”
While low-fat and flavoured milk is on offer at most Victorian primary schools — including those in Swan Hill and surrounds — the Victorian Department of Education has no state-wide policy on milk availability in schools.
A scheme which saw a bottle of milk provided to students every day was phased out in the mid-1970s.
Ms Schulz said Tyntynder CWA was in the process of finalising the proposal to be presented at the state conference.
“Echuca is seconding our proposal,” she said.
“When it comes to the health of our children it’s important that we do lobby the government for these things.”
She said a milk substitute could be provided for children with allergies or lactose intolerance. Seven year old Woorinen District Primary School student Charlotte Carmichael said she would love to receive a drink of milk at school each day.
“Milk has a good flavour and it makes your bones strong,” she said.
For the full story, pick up a copy of Monday’s Guardian (May 12).
