Yes, schools are experiencing a nationwide milk carton shortage

Milk contains essential nutrients like vitamin D and calcium that kids need to build strong bones and grow, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why milk is required to be served with school meals in the U.S., typically in half-pint paper cartons.

VERIFY reader Albert asked us if school districts nationwide are experiencing a milk carton shortage. Online search trends show many people are also wondering if this is true.

THE QUESTION

Are schools in the U.S. experiencing a milk carton shortage?

THE SOURCES

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• International Dairy Foods Association
• Northeast Dairy Producers Association, Inc. 
• California Department of Education
• New York State Education Department
• Bald Eagle Area School District in Wingate, Pennsylvania
• Lake Stevens School District in Lake Stevens, Washington

THE ANSWER

Yes, schools in the U.S. are experiencing a milk carton shortage.

WHAT WE FOUND

Many school districts in the U.S. are unable to obtain milk packaged in half-pint cartons for their school meal programs due to a nationwide shortage of paper milk cartons, according to our sources. The problem is not a shortage of milk itself, but the cardboard cartons used to package and serve it.

In an Oct. 25 memo, the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) said it was “aware that schools in multiple states are experiencing milk supply chain challenges” that are “related to packaging issues.”

In an email, Matt Herrick, spokesperson for the International Dairy Foods Association, said: “one industry supplier of half-pint milk cartons is experiencing a shortage of cardboard stock, which is having some impact on their ability to fully supply some carton orders in the near term.” In the meantime, Herrick noted that several other packaging companies have stepped up to increase carton production.

Pactiv Evergreen, which bills itself as “the leading manufacturer of fresh food and beverage packaging in North America,” told the Associated Press in a statement that it “continues to face significantly higher than projected demand” for its milk cartons.

VERIFY reached out to Pactiv Evergreen to inquire about the root cause of the apparent cardboard packaging shortage and increased demand but did not hear back by the time of publication.

During the shortage, the USDA is allowing school districts across the country to serve different types or sizes of milk. Schools also have the option to skip serving milk altogether.

School officials in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington said they are preparing for the shortage by being flexible with how they offer milk to kids, including limiting milk choices, using boxed, shelf-stable milk, and providing milk using bulk dispensers.

The shortage is not only impacting schools nationwide but it’s also affecting other institutions like hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons, according to the Northeast Dairy Producers Association Inc. The organization says “dairy processors are working diligently with industry partners to find alternative solutions for serving fresh nutritious milk” until the packaging issue is resolved.

It is unclear how long the shortage will last, but Herrick told VERIFY he expected the problem to improve within weeks and to be resolved by early 2024.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story is also available in Spanish / Lee este artículo también en español: Sí, las escuelas están sufriendo una escasez nacional de cartones de leche