The framework will be published in due course, but its priorities include enabling improved dietary related health outcomes through education and increased accessibility to health nutritious food.

The separate school and parents surveys can be accessed via links on the DAERA-ni.gov.uk website. The surveys can be completed on or before Friday, 10^th January 2025.

Ms Lockhart said: “Milk is an essential source of calcium for strong bones and teeth, protein for growth and development, naturally rich in B vitamins and a variety of minerals. Milk and dairy products are vital for a balanced diet and make a significant contribution to human health.

“Generations of school children have been benefiting from the DAERA-subsidised school milk scheme. Facilitated by the Education Authority in conjunction with the Department of Education, the scheme aims to encourage the consumption of milk by children and young adults.

“Unfortunately, figures show an alarming decline in the uptake of subsidised milk within Northern Ireland schools. Just 36% of the province’s primary and special schools are participating in the optional scheme, which offers an 189ml serving of milk per day, usually during morning break, for an approximate cost to parents of 21p.”

The DUP’s Westminster Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs spokesperson added: ”During the UFU’s recent Women in Agriculture Conference I was delighted to hear Dr Catherine Hughes from the Ulster University’s Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, promoting the importance of milk and meat in the human diet.

“Dr Hughes said there was a lot of media hype about plant-based and vegan diets, but she was quick to defend the fact that there are no healthy and nutritionally equivalent alternatives to meat and dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yoghurt.

“One glass of milk provides more than a third of the recommended daily requirements of vitamin B12, which is naturally available in foods of animals origin.”

Carla Lockhart MP continued: ”NI farmers are renowned for producing top-quality, fully traceable food to feed over 10 million people throughout the UK. Locally-sourced foods are sustainable and they make a positive contribution to the human diet. Introducing milk and dairy products to children in their early years will encourage healthy eating habits.

“Offering milk in the school environment will also help to educate children about farming and the origins of food, including the nutritional value of fresh milk and meat. Milk does not come from the supermarket. It comes from more than 3,000 family-owned dairy farms in Northern Ireland who work hard on a daily basis to produce more than 2.5 billion litres of milk annually.

“As the mother of a young child I feel it is extremely important to encourage the consumption of nutrient-rich milk.”

“Ms Lockhart concluded: “With a decrease in the demand for school milk and poor adherence to the government’s Eat Well Guide recommendations, it is more important than ever for agri-food industry bodies to actively visit primary and post-primary schools, to promote and raise awareness about the importance of locally produced milk, meat and seasonal fruit and vegetables.”

Ms Lockhart is also calling for DAERA, the Education Authority and the Dairy Council to consider offering free school milk to all nursey and primary school children in Northern Ireland. “Offering free milk would be a positive step towards boosting milk consumption within schools, and encouraging children to value milk as a healthy alternative to juice and fizzy drinks.”