As summer brings new opportunities for learning and community engagement, we’re excited to share stories and resources that connect nutrition, agricultural literacy and healthy eating. In this edition, you’ll find engaging resources, inspiring stories and opportunities that celebrate dairy agriculture, nutrition and partnerships, helping communities learn and thrive throughout the summer months.
Explore Dairy Council of California's refreshed resource portfolio of high-quality, digital-forward nutrition resources designed to support today's classrooms, health professionals and community partners. Grounded in the latest nutrition science and aligned with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, these practical and engaging tools empower healthy eating habits all year.
Start the year strong with Foundations of Dairy in the Modern Nutrition Landscape, a free two-part partner webinar series offering practical, evidence-based professional development on dairy’s role in student health, nutrition menu education, menu quality and school meal programs. Earn 0.5 CEUs for each unit completed.
Check out Dairy Council of California’s article in the latest Poppy Seeds edition: “Know Why Milk Matters: Bringing More Milk Options Back to Schools.” The article highlights the importance of milk access through school meals and how expanded school milk options can support the health, nutrition security and individual needs of growing students. It also shares how school milk options have expanded across federal child nutrition programs through U.S. Department of Agriculture’s final rule supporting milk flexibility.
Learn insights from Oakdale Joint Unified School District on how broader milk options support students’ nutrition security, cultural preferences and individual needs. Read the article here.
For more information on school milk flexibilities, access the following resources designed to help school nutrition teams stay informed and implement updated milk options:
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 fact sheet; download here.
Whole Milk & Dairy in Schools: Supporting Student Health and Success webinar; watch here.
Strong partnerships help create healthier school environments and expand opportunities to learn about nutrition and agriculture. Explore recent Poppy Seeds articles authored by partners that highlight school nutrition collaborations and how they strengthen healthy school environments.
Explore recent Poppy Seeds articles
“Feeding Our Shining Future: Hands-On Learning in San Bernardino USD” shares insights from the San Bernardino City Unified School District and Hollandia Dairy farm tour, highlighting the value of hands-on agricultural learning for School Foodservice professionals.
“Student Voices Shape School Meals: Reflections From the Child Nutrition & Industry Summit” highlights the importance of elevating student perspectives and creating opportunities for youth voices to help shape the school meal programs.
Read the articles here.
World School Milk Day is September 30. Celebrate the important role milk plays in school meals and student nutrition. Be on the lookout for Dairy Council of CA’s upcoming resources and toolkit with ideas to engage with students and families!
Help shine a spotlight on those who make school meal programs possible. In celebration of World School Milk Day, Dairy Council of California and Got Milk? are recognizing the Unsung Heroes who work behind the scenes to support child nutrition programs, from delivery drivers and food service professionals to custodial staff and other support personnel. Nominate deserving individuals or groups for a chance to be featured in an original Got Milk? poster and celebrated by their community.
This July, Dairy Council of CA partnered with the California State Fair to bring food literacy to life through agriculture, nutrition and culinary education. During the inaugural Agriculture Day Showcase, families, educators and students engaged in interactive activities and conversations with a California dairy farmer about animal care, sustainability and modern dairy farming.
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For the Student Culinary Competition, student chefs from a local area high school and middle school worked alongside family members as sous chefs to create dairy-forward entrees while strengthening culinary skills, teamwork and nutrition knowledge. The competition was sponsored by Dairy Council of CA, the California State Fair and Save Mart.
Together, these experiences demonstrate how hands-on learning and community partnerships can connect agriculture, healthy eating and real-world experiences, helping our community build a deeper understanding of California's food system while inspiring lifelong food literacy.
Looking for more ways to inspire students through food and nutrition? Visit Dairy Council of CA’s Education Professionals webpage for ideas, recipes and tools to support nutrition education.
The Mobile Dairy Classroom is preparing for an exciting 2026–2027 school year. Scheduling is now underway. With continued high demand across California, schools are encouraged to reserve dates early. The Mobile Dairy Classroom provides students with engaging, hands-on learning opportunities that connect agriculture, nutrition and dairy farming to the classroom.
California Grains Conference, October 13, 2026. Dairy Council of CA staff will highlight the broader farm-to-school movement, cross-commodity partnerships and how collaborations like Dairy Council of CA’s newest PBS series that launches October 2026, The Great Food Quest, is elevating California's agriculture, nutrition education and school meals.
California Farm to School Summit, October 15, 2026. Dairy Council of CA staff will join educators, school nutrition professionals, and partners from across the state to celebrate California’s thriving Farm to School movement. We look forward to building connections and exploring opportunities to advance dairy literacy through nutrition, agriculture and where food comes from.
Let's Work Together
Have questions, ideas or want to collaborate?
Contact Rajwinder Kaur, MPH, Community & School Engagement Project Manager, at rkaur@dairycouncilofca.org.
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