RUTLAND, Mass. - In an effort to cut down on childhood obesity, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is considering a ban on flavored milk in schools. Local dairy farmers believe it won't necessarily be a good thing for kids' health.  

A study from the National Library of Medicine shows the leading source of added sugars in school meals is flavored milk such as chocolate or strawberry. Still, Randy Jordan, co-owner of Jordan Dairy Farm in Rutland, believes the flavored milk is helping get a lot of kids the calcium they need.

“If they don’t enjoy milk at all, they’re more likely to drink flavored milk to the best of their ability," Jordan said. "If they take that opportunity away, that child is not going to drink milk if they don’t have the opportunity to drink flavored milk.”

A survey by the National Dairy Council of schools which recently added chocolate milk as an option found one-third saw an increase in students opting for school lunch rather than bringing it from home.

Jordan believes the cafeteria is the easiest place for students to go for those key nutrients.

“Part of the nutritional value that you’ve got to think about whether it’s flavored or unflavored, there are 13 different essential nutrients in milk from the cows that they’re trying to get to the kids," Jordan said. "If the kids don’t get it at school, where are they going to get it?”

Those nutrients include calcium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D and B12 and potassium.

If the USDA does choose to go forward with the proposal, it wouldn’t take effect until the 2025-26 school year, and high school students would still have flavored milk as an option. Jordan hopes they find other strategies toward a healthier menu.

"Milk is probably one of the most essential products a youngster, whether they’re obese or not, can get into them," Jordan said. "I think there’s other things to think about in regards to obesity other than flavored milk.”