NFU helps to celebrate World School Milk Day

The NFU will be giving schoolchildren in Kent the chance to find out exactly where the milk they drink comes from to mark World School Milk Day on Wednesday (September 29).

Youngsters from St Mildreds Infant School in Broadstairs will visit nearby Upton Junior School where the NFU roadshow will take centre stage.

As well as the usual activities, such as letting the children milk a lifelike cow, the roadshow will explain to them how the milk they enjoy at school is produced.

NFU Dairy Adviser Sin Davies said: The NFU fully supports World School Milk Day and is committed to helping to ensure children know where milk comes from.

Events such as this one in Broadstairs will give children the chance to learn about the British dairy industry, where milk comes from and the role of the dairy farmer.

Our members are keen to work with schools throughout the year, not just on this day, to educate youngsters about milk and to guarantee a high quality supply of milk to schools.

By encouraging children to drink milk at a young age, it will hopefully help develop a lifelong milk drinking habit and harness support for the British dairy industry.

Activities in other schools up and down the country have also been organised to mark World School Milk Day.

Milk both plain and flavoured provides children with essential nutrients including calcium.

For more information on dairy farming in the UK, go to www.thisisdairyfarming.com.

Around 30 countries take part in World School Milk Day

Milk is a nutrient-dense food which means that it is a healthy addition to any modern diet and is suitable for all members of the family from schoolchildren to the elderly.
Whole milk has only 4% fat, while low fat varieties of milk have less than 2% fat which can make it a healthy choice in a climate of rising obesity. The low fat varieties of milk are:

i. Fat free (skimmed milk)

ii. 1% fat milk

iii. 0.75% fat milk

iv. 1.8% fat (semi-skimmed milk)

Milk contains nutrients which are important for bone health including protein and calcium. These nutrients are also important for dental health.