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FAQ: Milk Dispenser Grant Program Expansion for Virginia Schools
TL;DR
The Dairy Alliance's $155,000 grant program gives schools a competitive edge by reducing waste up to 90% and boosting milk consumption over 50% with modern dispensers.
The Dairy Alliance, VSDA, and Farm Credit administer $155,000 in grants for milk dispenser equipment and kits, with VSDA handling distribution and technical support for schools.
This partnership reduces cafeteria waste and increases students' dairy intake, building healthier habits and supporting local dairy farmers for a more sustainable future.
Early-adopting schools saw milk packaging waste drop nearly 90% while consumption climbed over 50%, showing how simple equipment changes create big impacts.
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The Milk Dispenser Grant Program helps K-12 schools transition from single-use milk cartons to milk dispensers, and it's being expanded by The Dairy Alliance (a nonprofit funded by dairy farm families), the Virginia State Dairymen's Association, and Farm Credit of the Virginias through a partnership announced in January 2026.
Total combined funding is $155,000, consisting of a $115,000 grant from the Van der Lely Foundation, a $30,000 contribution from VSDA for Virginia schools statewide, and a $10,000 sponsorship from Farm Credit of the Virginias dedicated to K-12 schools in Southwest Virginia.
The funding covers milk dispenser equipment and kits, along with training and technical support for school nutrition teams, helping schools offset equipment costs and providing hands-on guidance throughout installation and operation.
The program makes real dairy milk more accessible to students, helps build healthier habits, supports sustainability goals by reducing cafeteria waste, and addresses the fact that nearly three-quarters of children ages 2-18 fall short of recommended daily dairy intake.
At one early-adopting Virginia school, milk packaging waste dropped nearly 90% while milk consumption climbed more than 50%, and schools participating in MD grant programs consistently report an average milk movement increase of at least 14%.
New grant awards are scheduled for early 2026, with the program expanding into additional Virginia cities and counties beginning at that time, allowing schools to plan for the 2026 school year.
The Virginia State Dairymen's Association administers MD grants in collaboration with The Dairy Alliance, directing resources toward equipment, training, and technical support for participating school nutrition teams across Virginia.
By increasing milk consumption in schools through modern serving methods, the program supports local dairy farmers while helping schools deliver real dairy milk in ways that connect with students.
Ongoing data collection will track environmental impact, milk usage, and student engagement throughout the grant period to measure the program's effectiveness.
School nutrition directors and administrators can contact Roseanne Liberatore with The Dairy Alliance at rliberatore@thedairyalliance.com for more information about MD grants.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
