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Elevating cheese as a nutritious choice in federal nutrition policy

Michael Dykes

Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, contributes this column bimonthly for Cheese Market News®.

The Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) program has proven that targeted dairy incentives work. Operating in more than 600 grocery stores nationwide, participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) who purchase 1% or skim milk receive an added benefit at checkout — either an immediate discount at the register, or a coupon equal to the value of their milk purchase for future SNAP-eligible foods. Known to participants as Add Milk!, HFMI helps more than 28,000 SNAP families stretch their food dollars while increasing access to nutrient-rich dairy.

Since its authorization in the 2018 Farm Bill, HFMI projects have reached more than 600,000 households. SNAP household sales of skim and 1% milk at participating locations grew 72% between 2024 and 2025 — clear evidence that well-designed incentives can positively influence purchasing behavior.

If House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s draft farm bill becomes law, those same incentives could extend beyond milk to include cheese.

Building on the HFMI blueprint, the proposed Dairy Nutrition Incentive Projects (DNIP) would modernize dairy policy — moving from a fluid-only focus to a more comprehensive menu of nutritious dairy offerings. DNIP would expand SNAP dairy incentives to include all varieties of milk as well as cheese sold in block, chunk, shredded, sliced, stick, string or snack-size form. For the dairy industry and the families who rely on SNAP, this expansion is an important recognition that cheese is a nutritious dairy food that should be incentivized in federal nutrition policy.

Cheese plays a critical role in the healthy diets of millions of Americans. It is a versatile, nutrient-dense food that provides high-quality protein, calcium, phosphorus and other essential nutrients. Beyond individual vitamins and minerals, the unique dairy matrix in cheese provides a bioavailable source of nutrition that supports bone health, growth and overall wellness. For many households — including those that rely on dairy as a primary source of protein — cheese offers both nutritional strength and flexibility. It can serve as the foundation of a meal, enhance a dish or provide a convenient, satisfying snack. Recognizing cheese within SNAP dairy incentives aligns federal nutrition policy with both sound science and the way American families actually nourish themselves.

The program operates effectively across many different retail environments and has earned strong support from participants and retailers alike. Simply put, the program is delivering results.

HFMI’s success comes at a time when policymakers across the political spectrum are focused on improving health outcomes through federal nutrition programs. In 2025, the Make America Healthy Again Commission report highlighted SNAP dairy incentives as a model worth expanding, reinforcing what we have seen firsthand: Incentives can be a powerful tool for encouraging consumption of nutrient-dense foods.

As policymakers scrutinize federal nutrition programs, it is essential that nutrient-dense staples like cheese are seen for the flexible sources of nutrition that they are. In the ongoing dialogue around “ultra-processed” foods, we must distinguish between empty calories and minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods that have been foundational to the human diet for millennia. Including cheese in SNAP dairy incentives affirms its rightful place alongside milk as a smart nutrition investment in federal nutrition policy. For SNAP households managing limited food budgets, it means greater flexibility, greater purchasing power and greater opportunity to build balanced, satisfying meals.

Chairman Thompson’s new DNIP proposal reflects years of engagement and advocacy by members of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) across the dairy supply chain. Processors, retailers and farmers have worked with lawmakers and USDA to demonstrate HFMI’s success and the value of expanding dairy incentives. As the farm bill advances, IDFA will continue working with House and Senate leaders to ensure DNIP — including milk, cheese, yogurt and cultured dairy products — is included in the final legislation.

For the dairy industry, this is not simply an expansion of eligible products. It is a policy recalibration that recognizes the full nutritional value of dairy.

CMN

The views expressed by CMN’s guest columnists are their own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of Cheese Market News®.

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