News

Not all dairy groups back Dairy Pride labeling bill

 

Two top dairy groups don’t agree on the Dairy Pride imitation dairy product labeling bill.   If passed, Dairy Pride would prohibit imitation dairy products from using “milk” on their labels.

International Dairy Foods Association President Michael Dykes says they have members on both sides of the imitation milk labeling issue.  “It kind of tends to pit farmer against farmer, and when we think about almond farmers versus a dairy farmer or soybean farmer versus a dairy farmer, so it’s a very difficult issue for our membership.  The beverage case is very completive.”

Dykes told the House Ag Committee neither the FDA or any state or federal court have ruled soy, almond, or any other imitation milk products as misleading. He says the issue should be handled in the marketplace.

The National Milk Producers Federation supports the Dairy Pride bill, saying this would enforce existing FDA rules that milk has to come from a mammals, not plants.

The Dairy Pride bill was introduced by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.  It’s co-sponsored by Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow and Congressmen including Sean Duffy, Mike Gallagher, Glenn Grothman, Ron Kind, and Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, and Collin Peterson of Minnesota.