MEDIA RELEASE__This year Ohio schools have new flexibility to offer students whole and 2% milk options. Natural Choice Family Farms, a dairy farm owned and operated by the Imboden family, is helping Upper Scioto Valley School District meet that need by providing a charitable contribution for the 2026-27 school year.

The support comes as the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 and new U.S. Department of Agriculture rules once again allow schools participating in federal child nutrition programs to offer whole and 2% milk alongside other milk options. The donation was developed around the district’s annual milk costs, with the goal of relieving that expense and giving the district greater flexibility to direct other resources toward students.

The father and son duo behind Natural Choice, Les and Scott Imboden, first learned earlier this year about the added costs school districts could face. For some districts, adding whole and 2% milk could mean an additional $5,000 to $10,000 in annual milk costs. Natural Choice’s contribution covers Upper Scioto Valley School District's annual milk budget for the 2026-27 school year, including the increased cost of offering whole and 2% milk to students.