In Italy il Milk program in schools, funded by the European Union, is implemented by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies. The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of Turin and National Unioncamere cooperate to implement the project.
School milk is aimed at children aged between 6 and 11 years attending primary and public primary schools in all Italian regions.
In the 2018 / 2019 school year, participation is open to students from schools throughout the Italian territory divided into quotas determined on the basis of the proportion between the national school population and that present in the individual Regions. The selection is linked to the actual availability of resources and rotation criteria adopted by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food, Forestry and Tourism Policies, to allow participation, over the years, in all schools that request it.
Altogether more than 365.000 children between the 6 and the 11 years have been involved, over 1.000 primary schools throughout the country, to which over 12 million portions have been distributed (more than 5,8 million milk, about 2,9 million of cheese and more than 3,5 million of yogurt), for a quantity of products equivalent to about 1.200 tons (over 700 of milk, about 80 of cheese and about 420 of yogurt).
22 distributions have been scheduled for each participating school, according to a calendar that has been previously agreed with the distributors selected by the Ministry through a European call for tenders.
For each school the free distribution was on a weekly basis (for a maximum of three distributions per week) of:
- milk for food use in many variables: fresh, pasteurized, high quality, microfiltered, delactosed based on the number of pupils who declare intolerances. Uht or enriched milk is not distributed;
- yoghurt without added sugar and naturally flavored (also delattosate, based on the number of pupils who declare intolerances or allergies);
- hard cheeses of vaccine or mixed origin;
- 100% fruit juices, as an alternative snack for allergic pupils who cannot drink milk;
The 22 distributions have been distributed as follows:
- milk, minimum 11 distributions
- yogurt, minimum three distributions
- hard cheese, at least three distributions
Each student received the unit portion of the product to be consumed instead of the usual snack, namely:
- drinking milk: 125 ml
- yogurt: 125 gr
- hard cheeses: 28-35 gr
Each child also received a hard plastic cup personalized with the project logo, along with an information booklet.
The program site is www.lattenellescuole.it
