Media Contact:
Laurie Fischer
CEO
920-965-6070
[email protected]
July 17, 2018 — The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) applauds President Donald Trump’s head of the FDA, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, for taking action to provide consistency and clarity for consumers across the nation.
“An almond doesn’t lactate, I will confess,” Gottlieb said, referring to the fact that the agency’s current standards for milk reference products from lactating animals.
Shortly after ADC released “The Protecting Milk Integrity Initiative,” a new effort activated to advocate for the proper use of federally standardized terms established for the word “milk” on product labels, this announcement was made.
The current FDA Standard of Identity for Milk is stated in 21 CFR 131.110 as “lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows.”
In over 200 countries across the world, plant-based juices are not allowed to call their product “milk” on labels unless they are, in fact, derived from a mammal.
“As we see dairy farmers from across the U.S. suffering with low milk and other commodity prices, tariff uncertainty and lack of reliable labor force, this news finally provides a positive movement in the dairy industry,” said Laurie Fischer, CEO, American Dairy Coalition.
The FDA plans to issue a guidance document that will provide specific changes to their standards of identity policies for how milk is marketed.
As ADC has previously stated, the FDA will hold a public meeting on July 26, as well as allow a comment period, to address rules for addressing milk products.
It’s very important for dairy farmers and the dairy industry to testify at the public hearing and send in comments for the record. More information on the ADC’s Integrity Project and how you can assist, please visit the link below:
http://www.americandairycoalitioninc.com/the-integrity-initiative.html
