DES MOINES, IOWA — After a long holiday weekend teachers and students went back to the classroom but some districts had a problem: a lack of half-pint milk cartons for students.
Anderson Erickson Dairy tells WHO 13 News that there was a mechanical error at the plant over the weekend. The company called in more employees Labor Day to make up for the production decrease, resulting from a chain breaking.
There are five school districts that are having to shift nutrition plans or already have with deliveries behind. The West Des Moines Community school district said that high schools will be served milk in cups poured from gallons; but elementary schools will still have the same half-pint cartons.
“It’s a part of that nutritional school meal that we’re required to offer our students every day,” said Bryan Geelan, Communications Director at West Des Moines Community Schools. “So there really isn’t a replacement for that. “…we were able to serve milk today.”
Some Ankeny Community Schools had to serve water instead of milk, according to the district. Johnston Community School District will have to serve juice instead of milk if Anderson Erickson Dairy is unable to deliver cartons tonight. Waukee Community Schools and Marshalltown Community Schools also experienced some type of supply issues with the shortages.