A group of senators plans to introduce a bill designed to promote milk consumption in schools over sodas.  It would prohibit the free pre-lunch or lunchtime distribution of sodas or other "empty snacks" in schools that participate in the federal school lunch or breakfast programs.

Free sodas "are being given away as part of the school lunch program," says Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI), one of the sponsors. "This practice evades the current federal ban on the sale of sodas as part of school lunches.  It's bad for kids, bad for teachers and school administrators who are left to deal with unruly and fidgety children during the day, and it's also bad for our farmers who are watching milk consumption and milk prices dwindle."

USDA's current regulatory program prohibits the sale of foods of "minimal nutritional value" which includes sodas, water ices, chewing gum and certain candies in the food service areas during a school's lunch period.

A REUTERS news item quoted Sean McBride, a spokesman for the National Soft Drink Association, saying, "We are not behind this.  In the rare instances we've heard where this is happening, it's a decision that school administrators or food service managers are making as an incentive to keep kids on campus during lunch time."