PDF of LETTER

 

PDF of PRESS RELEASE

 

On Behalf of Wisconsin's Dairy Industry, Bi-Partisan Legislators Demand FDA Revise Food Labeling Guidance


Madison, WI – A bi-partisan group of 33 state legislators sent a letter to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today to demand revisions for food labeling guidance for plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA). The FDA is currently seeking public comment on this guidance.
 
The letter (attached) said, “we are contacting you to request revisions to the draft guidance for the labeling of plant-based milk alternatives (PBMA). Please revise the guidance to make it indisputable that products made from nuts, seeds, plants and algae are prohibited from using terms such as milk, yogurt or cheese. Agriculture is the second leading industry in Wisconsin, contributing $104.8 billion to our economy, and dairy accounts for almost half that total.”
 
“The long awaited U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) action on the labeling of PBMA fails to address the concerns of our constituents in the dairy industry and is a disservice to the consumers who may purchase these products. The current Code of Federal Regulations—Title 21 FDA clearly defines milk products as originating exclusively or principally from animal sources: 1240.3(j) Milk products. Food products made exclusively or principally from the lacteal secretion obtained from one or more healthy milk-producing animals, e.g., cows, goats, sheep, and water buffalo,…’”
 
Wisconsin legislators said that the guidance is inadequate and challenged the FDA to enforce the Code of Federal Regulations that is already in place.