The USDA wanted to ban flavored milks from elementary schools and limit the amount of said milks within high schools as part of a wave of new nutrition standards.
I think this is the only data the congressman and his milk industry lobbyists cared about:
According to the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, removing flavored milk from schools resulted in a 62% to 63% reduction in milk consumption by kids in kindergarten through fifth grade, as well as a 50% reduction in sixth to eighth grades.
Basically, ban flavored milks and children will drink less milk, which means less money for big milk, which is why this is a thing.
I actually prefer the taste of almond milk, but I only consume milks as part of something else, like coffee or something. Chia seed pudding with almond milk is absolutely delicious imo.
But I’m glad that there are lots of alternatives available because I know people that prefer soy milk or oat milk for coconut milk for various reasons. Personally, I use different milks for different occasions because they all have unique characters that make them better for certain things.