H.R. 9164: Funding Refrigeration Equipment for Student Health Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Funding Refrigeration Equipment for Student Health Act of 2026 (or the FRESH Act), aims to enhance the quality of milk storage in elementary and secondary schools across the United States. Here are the main components of the bill:

Milk Storage Equipment Grant Program

The bill establishes a program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to provide competitive grants for acquiring and installing cold storage equipment specifically for milk. This includes:

• Equipment covered: Schools can obtain equipment such as milk dispensers or cold storage units designed to properly store milk.
• Eligibility: Grants are available to a variety of organizations, including:
• Local educational agencies or school food authorities that operate school meal programs.
• Tribal organizations.
• Consortia that include local educational agencies or school food authorities and/or tribal organizations.

Grant Application Process

Eligible entities must submit applications to the Secretary of Agriculture in order to apply for these grants. The application process will require various information as specified by the Secretary.

Funding Details

The federal government will cover up to 75% of the costs for projects funded through these grants. The bill authorizes $4 million per year from 2027 through 2031 to finance this program.

Definitions

Some key terms defined in the bill include:

• Milk dispenser: A machine that stores and chills milk, allowing users to dispense it directly into cups or containers.
• School food authority: An entity responsible for the management of the school meal programs.
• Tribal organization: An organization as defined by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

Conforming Amendments

The bill updates the existing Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act by adding this new grant program and modifying related sections to include the new provisions.

Overall Purpose

The primary purpose of the FRESH Act is to improve the access and quality of milk provided to students in schools by ensuring that schools have the necessary refrigeration equipment to store milk safely and effectively.

Relevant Companies

None found.