Gov. Tony Evers joined U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) in defense of Wisconsin dairy farmers and sent a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the department to reconsider its position on Docket No. FDA-2023-D-0451 for Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements. Current FDA regulations define dairy products as being from dairy animals, but the guidance released on Feb. 22, 2023, amends that definition and proposes allowing non-dairy products, such as products made from nuts or plants, to be marketed as such.
“As America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin is known for producing, processing, and consuming dairy products. Over the course of generations, Wisconsin farmers have built a reputation for producing high-quality, nutritious products. Consumers choose Wisconsin milk products because they know that our farmers take pride in producing quality products backed by rigorous industry standards. Inaccurate labeling of imitation products as ‘milk’ not only creates confusion in the marketplace but threatens one of the core industries within Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agricultural economy,” wrote Gov. Evers.
In the letter, the governor also expressed his support for Sen. Baldwin’s “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday” Act, also known as the DAIRY PRIDE Act. Introduced by Sen. Baldwin on Feb. 28, 2023, this legislation would require non-dairy products made from nuts, seeds, plants, and algae to no longer be mislabeled with dairy terms such as milk, yogurt, or cheese.
“In contrast to the recently proposed FDA rules, I support S. 549, the bipartisan DAIRY PRIDE Act,” continued Gov. Evers. “This will ensure Wisconsin dairy producers have the protection they deserve when marketing their dairy products without unfair competition from non-dairy products claiming to be dairy products.”
State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) and his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Tourism sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert M. Califf regarding the FDA’s recent draft recommendations on the naming of plant-based foods that are marketed and sold as alternatives to milk. The letter pushed back against the draft guidance, which would allow plant-based foods to label themselves as “milk” and recommends these products include a voluntary nutrient statement on the differences between their product and milk.
Pfaff released the following statement:
“Wisconsin dairy farmers work hard to produce high-quality milk that provides great nutritional value to those who drink it. The FDA’s draft guidance is bad for farmers and bad for Wisconsin.”
“Milk is milk. Clarity in the nutritional differences between milk and plant-based products using the “milk” name is essential for consumers to understand what they’re buying.”
“Wisconsin’s dairy production is a vital part of our agriculture industry, which generates over $104 billion in economic activity each year. Enabling non-dairy products to portray themselves as nutritionally equivalent to dairy threatens both our producers and our economy.”
Categories: Wisconsin, Livestock, Dairy Cattle