USA – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposed changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMO) have raised concerns among dairy farmers, who fear these changes could undermine the system’s intended protections.
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the revisions might disrupt the balance between dairy producers and processors, potentially jeopardizing the fairness and transparency the FMMO system was designed to ensure.
AFBF President Zippy Duvall highlighted these concerns in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. expressing apprehension that the proposed adjustments, including the lack of a Class II differential adjustment.
In addition he included that the introduction of a new milk class for extended shelf life (ESL) milk, and delays in updating milk composition factors, could threaten dairy farmers’ economic stability.
He criticized the proposed increases in make allowances for being based on “biased, voluntary, and incomplete survey data,” which he believes do not justify such significant changes.
Despite these concerns, AFBF did acknowledge some positive aspects of the proposals, such as the suggested return to the “higher-of” Class I base price, increased Class I differentials, updates to milk composition factors, and the removal of 500-pound barrels from the National Dairy Products Sales Report.
In parallel, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing delays in finalizing draft guidance on plant-based milk labeling.
Deputy Commissioner Jim Jones revealed that the agency is still addressing key issues, including when plant-based alternatives can use the term “milk” and how they should disclose nutritional differences from dairy milk.
Jones noted that while consumers generally recognize plant-based products are not dairy milk, there is often confusion about their nutritional equivalence.
The draft guidance encourages manufacturers to provide clearer nutritional information, but no final release date has been set.
Representative John Joyce, co-sponsor of the Dairy PRIDE Act, strongly opposes plant-based alternatives using the term “milk,” arguing that it should only apply to dairy products from lactating mammals.
Joyce and other lawmakers are urging the FDA to enforce strict standards for milk labeling to reduce consumer confusion.
Additionally, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently called on the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture to ensure their updated Dietary Guidelines are based on science, emphasizing the need for accurate nutritional standards, particularly for dairy products.
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