NMPF: Congress Needs to Pass DAIRY PRIDE Act for Consumers

The National Milk Producers Federation says Congress needs to pass the DAIRY PRIDE Act soon to ensure the Food and Drug Administration does its job.  The DAIRY PRIDE Act would designate foods that make an inaccurate claim about milk contents as "misbranded" and subject to enforcement of labeling rules.  It would require FDA to issue guidance for federal enforcement of mislabeled imitation dairy products within 90 days of its passage, and require FDA to report to Congress two years after enactment.

NMPF Executive Vice President Tom Balmer told the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Health Subcommittee Wednesday, "By calling these products "milk," they are clearly seeking to trade on the health halo of real milk.”  Balmer said the imitators aren't nutritionally the same as milk, or the same simply by definition.

The legislation would force FDA to act against plant-based imitators of milk, cheese, butter and other products that defy current FDA rules.

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