Plant-based drinks to be included in the EU school scheme

The EU school scheme supports the distribution of fruit, vegetables, milk and certain dairy products to children.

The Commission will review the EU school scheme and the measures for setting these EU aids, building on the findings from implementation since 2017. The review will help promote sustainable food consumption in line with the «Farm to Fork» strategy.

Through the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme, the EU spends up to 90.1 million euros per school year on the distribution of milk to schoolchildren. Currently, plant-based milk alternatives — for example those made from soy, legumes, seeds, nuts or cereals — are not included in the school scheme, even though fortified plant-based drinks perform comparably to dairy products in terms of nutrient density. They also have a lower environmental impact than cow's milk.

The school scheme was developed to increase the consumption of dairy products. Today we know that livestock farming is responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Livestock farming also has more negative environmental impacts on biodiversity, deforestation, soil quality degradation, and water and air pollution than other forms of agriculture. In addition, concern for animal welfare is growing among European citizens. Dairy cows can be kept indoors for extended periods and their calves must be separated from them, causing stress.

Despite the negative impacts on the environment and animal welfare, cow's milk is still commonly offered as the default drink in public canteens. By including plant-based drinks, schoolchildren can be given the opportunity to become familiar with milk alternatives — such as those based on oat, pea or soy — which can lay the foundation for a healthy, sustainable diet.

Dairy products from intensive farming should not be subsidised with public funds under the school scheme. Instead, the school scheme should support farmers in transitioning to organic production and improved animal welfare. The milk still included in the school scheme should come exclusively from organic production and help achieve the target set out in the Organic Action Plan of bringing at least 25% of the EU's agricultural land under organic farming by 2030.

As part of the EU's «Farm to Fork» strategy and the shift towards a healthy, sustainable diet, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the revision of the school scheme. This is an opportunity to call on the European Commission to include plant-based drinks in the school programme and to require that any cow's milk still purchased under the scheme comes from organic farming.

The public consultation runs until midnight on 28 July 2022.