News

Senate votes favor dairy industry

The U.S. Senate has advanced amendments to an appropriations package that benefit the dairy industry.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin’s Dairy Business Innovation Act will move forward. It appropriates $7 million to help cheese makers and other dairy businesses innovate products and expand markets.

Utah Senator Mike Lee’s amendment that would have stopped the FDA from using funds to regulate non-dairy milk alternatives has failed.

The National Milk Producers Federation says that decision sends a strong message to food marketers who have been ignoring FDA’s food labeling standards by inappropriately using dairy terms on products that do not contain any dairy.

The current FDA standard for milk requires milk to come from lactating mammals, and Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says the FDA is looking to crack down on plant-based alternative products using “milk” in their label.

The House still needs to pass their version of the minibus appropriations bill before it can go to conference.