The Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive Project titled “Add Milk!” provides SNAP participants with a 50% discount on nutrient-dense, non-fat and low-fat (1%) milk.
ATKINS, Ark., May 28, 2025—A nutrition incentive program that helps low-income families purchase nutritious milk is expanding to 21 grocery stores across Arkansas. Houchens Food Group, throughout its grocery store locations, will offer SNAP participants a 50% discount on any brand or size of low-fat (1%) or non-fat (skim) milk. A press event with U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.) was held at Bill’s Cash Saver in Atkins, Ark., to mark the expansion of the program, known as “Add Milk!”.
“Add Milk!” is made possible by a $3 million cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) through a program named Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) Projects. The HFMI pilot program was established with bipartisan support in the 2018 Farm Bill and funded by Congressional appropriations, to promote milk as part of a healthy, balanced diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The DGA notes that 90% of Americans are not consuming enough milk and dairy. Health researchers have warned these declines over time could have long-term health implications.
The 2025 MAHA Commission report highlights SNAP nutrition incentives like “Add Milk!” that encourage increased consumption of dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Multiple studies have shown that incentive programs increase purchase and consumption of the incentivized food, and “Add Milk!” pilot projects around the country continue to demonstrate how well milk incentives are working for SNAP participants.
HFMI pilot projects will be operating in more than 1100 locations across 32 states by the end of 2025, and Congress recently appropriated an additional $3 million to expand the program to more stores and more locations in the coming years. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and partners across food, agriculture, and nutrition support Congressional efforts to expand the HFMI program to include whole and 2% milk, cheese, yogurt and other nutrient-dense dairy products through the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025.
This expansion reflects a shared commitment across bipartisan congressional leaders and USDA to reduce nutrition disparities and improve public health outcomes.
How It Works
The “Add Milk!” program will operate in the following Houchens Food Group grocery stores in Arkansas: Bill’s Cash Saver, Cash Saver, Mad Butcher, Marion Market Place, Piggly Wiggly, and Save Mart. SNAP participants using their SNAP EBT card will receive a 50% discount on non-fat and low-fat (1%) milk, including lactose-free options. Houchens Food Group will also operate the program in more than 270 additional stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Find more information about “Add Milk!”, as well as a list of locations here.
“American dairy farmers, processors and the entire dairy supply chain are proud of every nutritious drop of milk they produce for American consumers,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “Expanding the SNAP Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Projects means greater access to dairy products for the most vulnerable Americans. We look forward to Congress and USDA considering allowing more nutrient-dense dairy items, like whole milk, cheese, and yogurt, to be part of this SNAP nutrition incentive. IDFA congratulates Houchens Food Group and Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute for the tremendous success of its SNAP milk incentive to date, and we are excited to see its impact grow as the program expands to more states like Arkansas.”
“Community partners who share the goal of improving the health of Arkansans are a valuable asset,” said U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.). “I’m pleased the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive program is launching in The Natural State to encourage a nutritious diet. Milk improves bone density as well as children’s growth and development. Unfortunately, reports indicate nearly 90 percent of Americans fail to reach the daily recommendation of dairy consumption, but this initiative can help address that deficit. In Congress, we’re working to continue enhancing school-age children’s access to whole and reduced-fat milk.”
“Hunger Solutions Institute is thrilled to partner with Houchens Food Group to launch Add Milk in nearly 300 stores in 12 states,” said Alicia Powers, PhD, managing director, HSI. “As an employee-owned enterprise with deep roots in the communities they serve and strong leadership, Houchens Food Group is well-positioned to extend Add Milk to new markets across the US, positively impacting dairy producers and processors, HFG stores, and SNAP households.”
Photos from today’s event are available by request.
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Contact: press@idfa.org
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $198 billion in wages and $779 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.