HARTFORD, Ct., June 12, 2014-- Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy vetoed legislation today that would ban the sale of chocolate milk in the state’s schools.
Connecticut lawmakers passed legislation to revise education laws, and included a provision that would prohibit the sale of nonfat milk containing any “added sodium.”
In his veto statement, Malloy said reducing sodium consumption in schools is a sensible effort, but “an outright ban on added sodium is not workable.”
Although he said unflavored nonfat milk is a more nutritious choice, Malloy noted that research shows when chocolate milk is removed as an option, total milk consumption goes down and milk waste increases.
The National Milk Producers Federation CEO Jim Mulhern said the governor made a common sense decision in the debate over chocolate milk in schools.
“Connecticut is not required to pass this legislation to keep its federal school meals funding,” Mulhern noted. “Federal nutrition standards specifically allow schools to serve fat-free chocolate milk as part of reimbursable meals and in cafeteria a la carte lines.”
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