TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — With the central government ending its fresh milk program, Chiayi City Council has approved a budget to provide milk to 22,477 students twice a week.

Starting next week, students in public kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools will receive fresh milk in the classroom, according to CNA.

Chiayi Mayor Huang Min-hui (黃敏惠) said city councilors voted to prioritize children and education by approving the budget. She emphasized that 20 public schools, including kindergartens, elementary, and junior high schools, will take part in the program this month, ensuring students have sufficient dairy intake to support bone growth.

Huang credited the domestic dairy industry for making the program possible and thanked the city council for its support. She also expressed appreciation for teachers’ assistance in distributing the milk in classrooms.

Chiayi City’s Department of Education Director Kuo Tien-tsai (郭添財) said the council initially allocated NT$10.65 million (US$326,000) for the free milk program. However, due to changes in central government policy, an additional NT$23.6 million was approved, bringing the total budget for the program this year to NT$34.2 million.

The central government launched a four-year program to provide fresh milk to students to counter the impact of New Zealand milk imports, which face zero tariffs this year and could lower prices for Taiwan’s dairy farmers.

However, logistical challenges, including cold storage and administrative costs, prompted the Cabinet to suspend the program beginning in the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year.