Consumers in Ohio and Utah May Lose Label Information on Dairy Products

Dairy Processors Oppose Restrictions that Exceed Federal Rules

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), representing dairy companies with facilities in Ohio and Utah, as well as regional and national dairy manufacturers and marketers, is urging officials in those states to protect the consumer's right to truthful and not-misleading information about dairy products. Earlier this month, Ohio restricted the use of product labeling claims denoting that no milk from cows treated with synthetic hormones had been used in dairy products; Utah is considering similar but broader restrictions.

Dairy companies use labels that follow Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance. In response to consumer requests for more choice in the dairy aisle, many processors are offering products made with milk from cows not treated with the synthetic hormone known as rbST, and make that clear with production claims on their product labels. The claims simply provide information that consumers want; they do not reflect any health or safety issues.

In a letter to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton warns that Ohio's new labeling regulation limits information that consumer's want, interferes with interstate commerce and could increase costs of dairy products. The regulation was instituted earlier this month as an emergency order.

"These new restrictions will ultimately deny consumers their right to receive -- and dairy processors' right to provide -- information about the use or non-use of synthetic hormones," Tipton said. "Restrictions on milk and dairy product labeling greatly concern dairy processors, consumer organizations and the organic community."

Tipton made a similar appeal to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, where a proposed rule covers all food products, not just dairy, and extends to all advertisements including labels. Like Ohio's regulation, Utah's proposed legislation would not allow most, and possibly all, of the labels that dairy processors currently use to provide information to consumers about the use of synthetic hormones.

"Most dairy processors market across state lines," said Tipton. "Requiring those companies to label dairy products on a state-by-state basis will dramatically change current labeling practices and will often prevent such information from being provided to the consumer in any form."

In both letters, Tipton urges the governors to reject new labeling requirements in favor of the existing FDA guidance on synthetic hormone absence claims, which processors follow today. This uniform labeling guidance was issued by FDA in 1994.

IDFA Senior Group Vice President Clay Hough testified today on Utah's proposed regulation at a public hearing in Salt Lake City, Utah. IDFA plans to testify at a March hearing in Ohio as well.

IDFA represents more than 22 dairy companies with facilities in Ohio and 10 dairy manufacturers and marketers in Utah, as well as regional and national companies such as Kraft Foods, Dean Foods, the Kroger Company, the Dannon Company and Nestle. IDFA's member companies represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States.

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, DC, represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 530 companies representing a more than $100-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85% of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org.

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Source: International Dairy Foods Association

CONTACT: Peggy Armstrong of the International Dairy Foods Association,
+1-202-220-3508

Web Site: http://www.idfa.org/

2008-02-26 17:41:49 0298910 PRNEWSWIRE