A shortage of dairy truck drivers threatens milk distribution at North Dakota schools

• Nearly 50 school districts in North Dakota face a milk shortage due to a lack of delivery drivers.
• ND Gov. Doug Burgum declared a state of emergency last week, allowing drivers to work more hours.

A lack of dairy truck drivers in North Dakota has threatened the distribution of milk to approximately 50 school districts across the state, NBC News reported Monday.

Two major milk distributors in North Dakota — Lakeview Dairy and Red River Dairy — were closed earlier this month, according to local outlet KXNET.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum declared a state of emergency via executive order signed on January 25, authorizing milk delivery drivers to work longer hours.

"Milk supply chain issues are a critical concern in rural communities across the state," Burgum said after signing the executive order.

"The statewide shortage of commercial drivers, together with the nationwide supply chain disruptions have challenged nutrition programs in our K-12 public schools, childcare centers, and other congregate meal settings," he added.

Burgum's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

As some restaurants and businesses are also impacted by the shortage, according to NBC News, the issue plays into a larger supply chain crisis.

Lance Gaebe, director of the North Dakota Milk Marketing Board, an agency overlooking the distribution of milk in the state, told Insider that nursing homes, restaurants, and grocery stores could also be affected by the milk distributors closing, "but really our focus on helping address the shortage has been on schools."

He said the industry "stepped up and figured out how to get milk to those locations" and anticipates that schools will not feel the effect of the shortage.

"We're not short of milk," Gaebe told NBC News. "We're just short of the means to get it to folks."