Of all the industries that the USDA boosts with a vast array of subsidies and support programs, the dairy industry may be at the top of the heap. For decades our federal government has been working to promote dairy consumption well beyond the commodity's natural reach and appeal. While milk, in the original designs of nature, is produced by mothers to speed the physiological development of infants, the USDA treats cows' milk as an everyday staple for people of every age and every ethnic background.
Unfortunately, millions of people - including children in school - are lactose intolerant. This inability to handle milk results in undigested lactose sitting in the lower intestinal tract where it can cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps, bloating and, in severe cases, vomiting.
Currently, lactose-intolerant children have no choice. Schools private and public need to offer alternatives to cow milk, such as soy milk and almond milk. We the undersigned call upon educational systems to give students the opportunity to select from a variety of milks.
