This week, the DAIRY PRIDE Act, a bill that would bring clear, accurate labeling information for consumers and end harmful mislabeling of dairy foods by peddlers of plant-based products, was re-introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate. The legislation requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce its own existing standards of identity on imitated dairy products after decades of inaction.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) commended Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and James Risch (R-ID) for reintroducing the bill. NMPF notes the The DAIRY PRIDE Act directs FDA to follow its own rules and establish an agency approach for enforcement of existing dairy standards of identity.
In a release, NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said, “FDA is responsible for the integrity and safety of our nation’s food, medicine, and medical devices, and it’s crucial that it enforce its own standards and requirements. Without enforcement, we are left open to the potential for questionable products, deceptive practices, and, in cases such as mislabeled plant-based products that masquerade as having nutritional benefits similar to dairy’s, negative effects to our health.”
More on NMPF’s efforts on this issue, including survey data and statements from medical professionals, can be found on their website.