US food activists accuse federal government of ‘dietary racism’

Dozens of US racial and food activists recently accused the federal government of ‘dietary racism’ in its programme for free or reduced-price school lunches, claiming that the USDA is forcing millions of non-white lactose intolerant kids to drink cow’s milk. In a letter to the USDA’s Equity Commission, organisations have claimed that the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is unequal and socially unfair. The letter further stated that black, Native American, Asian, and Latino youngsters are being punished for their ethnicity and ancestry, as reported by The Hill.

In 100,000 schools across the US, the NSLP offers free or reduced lunches to nearly 30 million children. According to the National Centre for Education Statistics, over half of them are white; activist groups claim that non-white children are disproportionately dependent on these meals. Additionally, they claimed that non-white children are more likely to be lactose intolerant.

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The organisations asserted that a signed doctor’s certificate may be necessary to provide a non-diary substitute and that the NSLP only reimburses schools if they give cow’s milk. However, the NSLP requirements are quite explicit that a non-diary can only be used with written authorisation from the kid’s parent or guardian. Alternatives to cow’s milk must meet USDA nutritional guidelines. Providing water is a mandated practise in the NSLP programme.

However, the protesters claimed that the government is pressuring the kids to consume cow’s milk.

The activist groups said that the posters on display are empty rhetoric because injustices are daily inflicted on millions of children unless the non-white children are properly provided for by the NSLP programme.

(With inputs from agencies)