11/20/06 Getting more milk into schools

The change was made several years ago and it's dramatic. Kids are grabbing milk in plastic bottles. They're doing it in fast food restaurants and at school. Meadow Gold Dairy of Boise has teamed up with the United Dairymen on a two million dollar production line makeover. HALLQUIST "We're both making investments. We're making them in bricks and mortar. They're partnering with us on the machinery. We're going to take our reputation to the schools and our credibility and say this will work for you. It'll sell more milk." Because they have facilities across the state Meadow Gold's Ralph Hallquist says his company supplies the majority of the milk to Idaho schools. HALLQUIST "It's probably about a million and a half gallons a year just from our dairy and the territories we serve and probably the state of Idaho is two million gallons a year." Meadow Gold and the dairymen worked with the school food service managers so it was what the students wanted and needed. HALLQUIST "Kids look at it as fun; it fits in your hand. It's easier to drink out of. It doesn't risk spilling down your chin and those kinds of things." Hallquist says change is a good thing; the plastic packaging is also Mom-friendly, sits in a cup holder and kids are picking milk, especially chocolate, over soda-pop and carbonated drinks. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott