BOISE -- First it was the famous Idaho potato, now milk, another Idaho product, is facing possible restrictions in the nation's schools.
With Idaho being the third largest producer of dairy products in the U.S., the idea is not sitting well with Idaho's congressional delegation.
On Wednesday, a letter signed by Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mike Simpson and Raul Labrador was sent to Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
The letter is urging Vilsack to reconsider the possible restrictions the agency could place on dairy products in schools.
Fewer school-aged kids are drinking milk than in years past. That downward trend, plus that proposed federal regulation, could impact the availability of dairy products in schools across the country.
The regulation is mainly focusing on milks with higher fat contents, like 1% and 2% milk, as well as flavored milks.
Idaho’s congressional delegation says the power to decide what items to put on school lunch menus should be up to the state, not the federal government.
“We're trying to talk to the department and say look, let's stop these kinds of unnecessary and frankly wrong federal dictates and let our local officials who have the expertise in dietary issues to handle the food issues at our local levels,” said Crapo.
This is not the first time Idaho lawmakers have had to take a stand against a possible ban on one of its exports. In 2011, a similar regulation was proposed on potatoes.
“It will have an impact. Anything that decreases the use of milk, or decreases the use of potatoes doesn't help Idaho’s economy,” said Simpson.
Idaho lawmakers say they want to send this letter in anticipation of any possible changes to milk distribution in schools.
