Author: Theresa Sweeney

IDF World Dairy Summit Returns to the United States, Registration Open

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Registration opens today for the International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit 2023 to be held October 16-19 in Chicago, Illinois.

The Summit is returning to the United States for the first time in 30 years and is the world’s largest annual global dairy conference. Under the theme “BE Dairy…Boundless Potential and Endless Possibilities,” the Summit’s immersive program will bring together dairy leaders and renowned experts to address dairy’s most significant opportunities in a dynamic global marketplace.

Hosted by the United States National Committee of the IDF (US-IDF), the IDF World Dairy Summit is expected to attract more than 1000 participants and expert speakers from around the world, including industry leaders, scientists, and producers. The Summit’s expo will showcase dairy companies, suppliers, dairy trade organizations, and products while 23+ thematic sessions offer engaging content from health and nutrition to sustainable production, consumer expectations, policy and innovation.

Set against the backdrop of beautiful Chicago, the best of American food, arts, music, and culture will be on full display, and participants will have easy access to some of America’s most famed dairy regions. Attendees will have the option to register for half-day, one and two-day farm and technical tours showcasing the diversity of U.S. dairy farms, research centers, processing facilities and retail in America’s heartland states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

Register online at www.idfwds2023.com by June 30 to receive a discounted rate. Full IDF World Dairy Summit 2023 details and program available here. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Credentialed members of the news media should contact heather.oldani@dairy.org to express interest in registering. News media must present credentials to qualify for registration and special rates.

If You Want Equity, You Want Milk

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Faced with demand that’s found its ceiling and with its sustainability and health claims coming increasingly under question, the plant-based imitation milk marketing machine is now coming for your children. Despite the critical importance of dairy nutrients to childhood development, nut-based beverage purveyors are pushing for their white-colored sugar water to have greater access to federal nutrition programs, all in the name of “equity” – an emphasis on fairness and justice that’s become an important paradigm in policy debates.

But equity, in food, requires a quality product and equality in access. And for that, milk, a natural product offered with both regular and lactose-free options, remains by far the best solution. Equity in food policy means making sure that everyone has access to the nutrients they need to thrive. The federal school lunch and breakfast programs, the WIC Program, and other initiatives are meant to ensure nutrition for all.

Lactose intolerance is a concern for populations that have higher rates of difficulty absorbing lactose, particularly African American, Asian American, American Indian and Hispanic/Latino populations. That, unfortunately, is now being used by dairy’s opponents to tout their inferior nutrition as a solution to the problem lactose intolerance.

The latest ploy among the vegan, animal rights and plant-based lobbies is to suddenly paint themselves as social justice crusaders, demanding that their nutritionally inferior (which, even when fortified, remain unequal to dairy’s unique nutritional package) products should now be treated as legitimate milk substitutes in federal nutrition programs – all the while conveniently forgetting that a widely available alternative already exists that circumvents lactose intolerance and delivers the exact same nutritional profile as milk. Because that’s what it is.

The lactose-free milk moment has arrived.

To note: This year, at its current pace, lactose-free milk consumption is set to overtake almond beverages – the most popular plant-based category — in overall U.S. sales volume. Its total consumption is already more than half that of the entire plant-based sector, and it’s four times as much as oat drink, the current darling for aficionados of heavily processed, artificially colored liquids. The rise of low- and no-lactose milk comes even though Starbuck’s doesn’t serve it, many consumers unfortunately aren’t even sure that it comes from a cow, and it doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves as a solution to lactose intolerance – because the plant-based beverage-makers who shout loudest care more about their marketing pitch and ideologies than in actual nutrition solutions.

Imagine how equitable a solution it would be for lactose-intolerant populations if nutrition programs touted lactose-free milk as aggressively as plant-based lobbyists tout their artificially concocted, nutritionally inferior beverages. And when you think of it that way, it’s an insult to the spirit of equity to tell lactose-intolerant children that they should receive nutrition that’s unequal to what others receive.

These are sensitive topics, but for an honest discussion, sometimes it’s important to “go there.” Fortunately, we’re seeing encouraging signs of progress, with recent USDA proposals beginning to acknowledge the need for greater lactose-free dairy access in federal nutrition programs.

But to get the most equitable nutrition policy, it’s important to point out what equity would look like. It doesn’t mean self-serving arguments designed to goose sales for the declining plant-based beverage industry. It doesn’t mean allowing their advocates to cynically tout a “solution” that would worsen nutrition outcomes. It means making sure that everyone – especially children – gets the best available nutrition, so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive.

And that means milk. We’re more than able to provide that solution.

On Labeling, Keep Your Eye on the Carton

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

FDA has finally offered its draft guidance on the “Labeling of Plant-Based (Nutritionally Inferior and Misleading) Milk Alternatives.” So now what?

Pay attention to this:

This is from FDA’s draft guidance, showing labeling best practices for plant-based manufacturers. The guidance itself would allow plant-based beverage manufacturers to keep using “milk” on their labeling, but only if – and this is a huge “if” – they include disclosures like the ones above specifying nutritional differences. That isn’t enough to truly protect consumers, but it’s a start. Even more importantly, the agency has accepted the reality of consumer confusion over nutritional equivalence, the main argument dairy and its allies have been making for years. With that premise acknowledged and accepted, the logical conclusion –end the confusion by getting dairy terms off the labels – becomes much easier to achieve.

The draft guidance gives plant-based beverage purveyors a choice: They can use “milk” with their plant-based term and disclose their differences (i.e. shortcomings) on their packaging, or they can skip the disclaimers by not using a dairy term at all. That’s the solution consumer advocates and dairy farmers have been pushing for all along.

The next few months will be telling in whether the plant-based beverage industry gets the message.

If this guidance is taken seriously, the most misleading labels should start to disappear as packaging gets updated and store shelves get restocked. Many mislabeled “milks” that are really drinks or beverages should start being labeled as drinks or beverages. For those that stubbornly insist on misleading consumers, disclosures should appear – real ones with clear statements, not wiggle words in tiny print that say differences exist without stating what those differences are. The guidance is voluntary, and it’s only a draft, but FDA has put the industry on notice. The next move’s on them.

And it’s on us too, to make sure positive change really happens. FDA’s public comment period on the guidance lasts until April 24. NMPF has directions on how you can submit a comment. Meanwhile, take pictures to post on social media. Write companies that aren’t living up to the labeling example above. FDA’s guidance is far from enough. That’s why we’re pushing to pass the DAIRY PRIDE Act, which would direct FDA to enforce its own standard of identity for milk – which, had that occurred in the first place, plant-based misinformation would never have proliferated.

The fight for transparent labeling, is far from over, but it’s going the right way. Keep your eye on the carton. Change should be coming. It’s up to all of us to make sure that it does.

NMPF Lauds House Re-Introduction of DAIRY PRIDE Act, Following Senate

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

From NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern:

“The National Milk Producers Federation applauds the bipartisan members of the House of Representatives who today re-introduced the DAIRY PRIDE Act, which adds momentum to legislation that saw Senate re-introduction last week and needs to pass Congress this year.

“With proposed FDA guidance that acknowledges the problem of consumer confusion over the nutritional content of plant-based beverages, but doesn’t go far enough to solve the problem by enforcing its own standards of identity and limiting dairy terms used in food labeling to dairy products, DAIRY PRIDE is necessary for FDA to fulfill its own responsibilities.

“To eliminate consumer confusion over their nutritional content, plant-based drinks or beverages shouldn’t be allowed to use dairy terms in their labeling. That’s common-sense, and DAIRY PRIDE is a common-sense solution. We thank the House sponsors of the legislation – Reps. John Joyce, R-PA; Ann Kuster, D-NH; Mike Simpson, R-ID; Joe Courtney, D-CT; Derrick Van Orden, R-WI; and Angie Craig, D-MN – for being champions for consumers in this important nutrition and health issue.

The Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese To Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act” aka DAIRY PRIDE, requires FDA to enforce its standards of identity and would supersede the inadequate solution it offered last week, in which plant-based beverages could call themselves “milk” as long as they clearly state their nutritional differences with real dairy. FDA is accepting comments on its draft guidance until April 24.

DAIRY PRIDE was introduced in the Senate last week. Lead sponsors in that chamber were: Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI; Jim Risch, R-ID; Peter Welch, D-VT and Susan Collins, R-ME.

Milk-Pricing Proposal Moves Forward as Dairy Leaders Unanimously Endorse NMPF Plan

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Board of Directors unanimously endorsed a proposal to modernize the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system today at its March meeting, a milestone that caps more than two years of discussion and more than 130 meetings on different aspects of the proposal.

The plan to reinvigorate the FMMO system that guides milk pricing reflects an industry that’s evolved significantly since the last comprehensive revamp in 2000. It’s a proposal all dairy can get behind, said Randy Mooney, chairman of NMPF’s board of directors and a dairy farmer from Rogersville, MO.

“After gathering dairy’s best minds and consulting with partners across the industry, today we are moving forward with a comprehensive FMMO proposal the entire industry can get behind,” Mooney said. “We look forward to leading a thorough, deliberative process as we submit this proposal to USDA and partner with our allies to modernize milk pricing in ways that serve dairy farmers and the entire industry.”

The board reviewed a package of changes initially developed and proposed by a task force of NMPF cooperative experts and later approved by the organization’s Economic Policy Committee. The adopted changes, listed here, reflects the industry’s evolution while benefiting the farmers who form the bedrock of U.S. dairy. With the board’s approval, NMPF’s next step is to move toward submitting the proposal to USDA as the basis for a federal order hearing while continuing conversations with other dairy stakeholder partners. NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said the organization stands ready to assist farmers, the dairy industry and federal officials in any way it can as the process unfolds.

“We believe in a better future for this industry, and this proposal will help build that future,” he said.

Also speaking at the conference is House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-PA, speaking on the farm bill expected in 2023 and other federal issues. NMPF looks forward to working closely with Chairman Thompson, a staunch ally of dairy farmers, to complete work on the 2023 farm bill and other matters.

NMPF’s board also welcomed new directors — Jacob Larson of Southeast Milk Inc., and Michael Lichte of Dairy Farmers of America – and released its annual report, highlighting the activities and accomplishments of the past year.

NMPF is the only nationwide organization devoted to advancing the interests of all dairy farmers of all sizes in all regions. A federation of dairy cooperatives, NMPF embodies the spirit of farmer self-help and community leadership.

Board members are also discussing:

  • The need to build upon an FDA proposal on plant-based beverage labeling that doesn’t go far enough to end the mislabeling of imitation products using dairy terms;
  • Industry leadership in animal care, environmental stewardship, and workforce development through the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program;
  • How sound policy can contribute to another record year of U.S. dairy exports; and
  • Potential farm-bill priorities.

The two-day conference concludes tomorrow.

FDA Inaction Makes DAIRY PRIDE Necessary, Sen. Baldwin Says

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) unwillingness to limit dairy terms to true dairy products makes passage of the DAIRY PRIDE Act more necessary than ever, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, said in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.

“They’re going to continue to allow mislabeled imitation products to be on the market,” Baldwin said. “Wisconsin farmers work so hard to meet the FDA standards of nutrition and quality. They can’t put the word ‘milk’ on the side of a carton of milk unless they meet those standards. It is not fair for plant-based products to be able to say they’re milk when they don’t meet those standards at all.

Baldwin, along with Sens. Jim Risch, R-ID; Peter Welch, D-VT, and Susan Collins, R-ME, last week reintroduced the DAIRY PRIDE Act, which would require FDA to enforce its standards of identity and supersede the inadequate draft guidance it offered in February, in which plant-based beverages could call themselves “milk” as long as they clearly state their nutritional differences with real dairy.

Baldwin said DAIRY PRIDE could pass Congress this year via one of several vehicles, including the farm bill due this year.

“Many of the folks that I’m joining forces with are going to have significant input as we draft a new farm bill, which is something that I expect to get completed this calendar year. So that’s certainly one area that we can look towards. We also have funding bills for the Food and Drug Administration, and that would certainly be another opportunity to look at this type of legislation.”

DAIRY PRIDE is an acronym for the Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, Milk, and Cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday Act.

FDA’s guidance is open for public comment until April 24. Dairy advocates may learn more about the issue and offer comments here.

The full podcast is here. You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file. Please attribute information to NMPF.

 

Court of Appeals Extends Huge Victory for Worldwide Producers of “Gruyere”

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Today, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), and a coalition of other dairy stakeholders prevailed in their ongoing battle to protect the right of producers to use generic names in the U.S. market.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit upheld the prior decisions of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in finding “gruyere” to be a generic term for a variety of cheese. The Fourth Circuit’s clear decision should put an end to the attempt by Swiss and French consortiums to expropriate a common food name through a U.S. certification mark registration.

The Fourth Circuit found that the evidence “is ‘so one-sided’ that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and Opposers must prevail as a matter of law. “ The Court reasoned that the “the common usage of gruyere ‘establish[es] that when purchasers walk into retail stores and ask for [gruyere], they regularly mean’ a type of cheese, and not a cheese that was produced in the Gruyère region of Switzerland and France.“  The Fourth Circuit concluded that “the Consortiums cannot overcome what the record makes clear:  cheese consumers in the United States understand ‘GRUYERE’ to refer to a type of cheese, which renders the term generic.”

For over a decade, well-resourced European interests have attempted to confiscate common names to prevent non-European producers from using long-established generic terms, essentially monopolizing the ability to produce certain products for producers in limited and specific regions.

This decision reinforces that generic terms like “gruyere” refer to types of food, and a method of production regardless of where they are produced.

“The United States remains a bastion for the defense of consumers’ and producers’ property rights that have been trampled in Europe and many countries around the world,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director for CCFN. “The court has sent a clear message that European attempts to stop American producers from using generic food names in the U.S. will be firmly rejected. It is a momentous victory for American consumers, farmers and food manufacturers.”

NMPF Leads Push for More Market Access

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy producers representing NMPF members Michigan Milk Producers Association and Agri-Mark flew to Washington on Feb. 1-2 to renew calls for a more proactive and dynamic trade policy from the U.S. government.

Organized by Farmers for Free Trade, in which NMPF is an active member, dairy producers met with members of Congress and staff serving on agriculture and trade committees this session. NMPF’s Tony Rice joined the fly-in as well and represented NMPF as part of the FFT-organized meeting with Alexis Taylor, the new USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, on Feb. 3.

NMPF and its members in each meeting stressed the importance of market access to the success of American farmers, producers and exporters, and specifically asked lawmakers to advance trade promotion authority to help make the political environment more conducive to passing trade agreements.

NMPF’s Jaime Castaneda and Shawna Morris also met with Under Secretary Taylor on Feb. 17 to address a full suite of dairy trade priorities, including the need for a more competitive landscape for U.S. dairy exporters, a robust U.S. agenda on protecting common names like “parmesan,” strong enforcement of existing trade deals, and heightened action to beat back nontariff barriers in key dairy markets around the globe.

NMPF Submits Comments to Healthy Rule; Emphasizes Need for Modification

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF submitted comments Feb. 16 urging FDA to modify the proposed rule to allow for a broader range of dairy products to qualify, including milk, cheese and yogurt at all fat levels and that contain modest amounts of added sugar.

The proposed rule aimed to update the definition of the “healthy” claim to align more closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. NMPF emphasized that while in theory this is a good approach, it runs the risk of ignoring the best and newest nutrition science, such as newer science on the positive and neutral impact of dairy fats. According to the 2020-2025 DGAs, nearly 90 percent of Americans under-consume dairy.

“The ability to make “healthy” claims on dairy foods holds the potential to educate consumers about dairy’s nutritional value and could improve consumption closer to DGA recommendations,” NMPF noted in its comments.

National Milk also urged FDA to take no actions which would imply that plant-based beverages are nutritionally equivalent to real dairy. Several nutrition organizations including Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association do not recommend plant-based imitators as they are not nutritionally equivalent to dairy products.

U.S. Dairy Breaks Exports Record for Third Straight Year

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

U.S. dairy exports set new records in 2022, helped along by work from NMPF in collaboration with the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), policymakers and stakeholders who delivered on targeted policy priorities.

More than $9 billion of U.S. dairy products reached international customers in 2022, according to data finalized in February. The volume shipped accounted for 18% of total milk production. This marked the third straight record year for volume and the second for value.

In a year full of challenges, NMPF was proud to work with members and policymakers to find solutions to support dairy exporter, including:

  • Successfully pursuing solutions to the supply chain crisis, most notably on the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.
  • Defending U.S. dairy’s market access rights against barriers to trade in markets around the world including in Europe, Latin America, Canada, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
  • Strengthening and expanding key partnerships to grow the global dairy industry’s influence with governments and organizations around the world.

NMPF Co-op Members Speak at House Agriculture Committee Listening Session

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Three NMPF cooperative members gave voice to critical dairy producer priorities at a bipartisan House Agriculture Committee farm bill listening session held in Tulare, CA on Feb. 14. California dairy farmers Brad Bosch, Jared Fernandes, and Tony Lopes spoke up for dairy at the session.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, presided, accompanied by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, and Representatives David Valadao, R-CA, Jim Costa, D-CA, John Duarte, R-CA, Jimmy Panetta, D-CA, Doug LaMalfa, R-CA, Salud Carbajal, D-CA, David Rouzer, R-NC, and John Rose, R-TN. Dairy was top-of-mind as farmers and lawmakers discussed critical agricultural policies at this session held in the nation’s largest milk-producing county. All members emphasized the urgency of completing the new farm bill in a timely manner, with Chairman Thompson and Speaker McCarthy voicing support for completion of a bipartisan bill on-time this year.

“Just as NMPF appreciates the work dairy producers do every day to nourish our nation and the world, we are grateful to each of our members for taking time out of their day to attend this important session,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We also thank Chairman Thompson, Speaker McCarthy, Representatives Valadao and Costa, and their colleagues for hosting today’s farm bill listening session.”

NMPF cooperative member farmers highlighted critical issues NMPF is hoping the House Agriculture Committee will consider in crafting the 2023 farm bill, including key matters related to the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, the Dairy Margin Coverage program and other risk management tools, and the important sustainability opportunities that farm bill conservation programs provide to dairy producers of all sizes.

Brad Bosch, a southern California dairy farmer and California Dairies, Inc. and Dairy Farmers of America member-owner, highlighted the work NMPF is doing to lead the dairy industry toward a consensus proposal for modernization of the Federal Milk Marketing Order system. Bosch highlighted the need to return to the previous “higher of” Class I mover formula on account of the asymmetric risk farmers bear under the current formula, as well as NMPF’s support for farm bill language to require USDA to conduct mandatory plant cost studies to provide all industry stakeholders with a better understanding of real dairy manufacturing costs.

Jared Fernandes, a third-generation dairy farmer from Tipton, California and Land O’Lakes member-owner, urged the committee to maintain and strengthen the Dairy Margin Coverage program as well as risk management tools that were previously improved in the 2018 farm bill. Fernandes also urged members to support USDA conservation programs, which provide vital support toward dairy’s ongoing sustainability efforts, and to include farmer cooperatives as part of the conservation delivery system.

Finally, Tony Lopes, a fourth-generation dairy farmer from Gustine, California and CDI and DFA member-owner, voiced appreciation for the successes included in the 2018 farm bill but also noted that recent pandemic and supply chain constraints have put a spotlight on the need to make further improvements to dairy policy. Lopes also recognized the importance of nutrition programs that feed families across the country, including dairy’s role as a nutrient powerhouse within those programs.

NMPF looks forward to working with members of Congress on these and other critical priorities as work gets underway on the farm bill this year.