The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) commended the
58 members of the House of Representatives who wrote FDA Commissioner Stephen
Hahn Tuesdayday, urging the agency to quickly finish and act upon its
examination of how to enforce regulations defining what may be labeled a dairy
product.
"The deception caused by mislabeling of imitation
products is both unfair to our hardworking dairy farmers and problematic for
consumers, making it harder for Americans to make educated decisions about what
they feed themselves and their families," wrote the lawmakers in the
bipartisan letter, which was led by Reps. Peter Welch (D-VT), Mike Simpson
(R-ID), Anthony Brindisi (D-NY), and John Joyce (R-PA).
Citing public health concerns expressed by medical groups
including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Heart Association,
the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Academy of Pediatric
Dentistry, the members of Congress said they appreciated that Hahn saw the
topic of fake dairy labeling as "a public health and nutrition
matter" while calling action on it "long overdue."
"FDA knows this is a problem, and now is the time to
solve it," said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. "Dr. Hahn has
shown his interest in resolving it, public-health professionals have spoken
out, and more and more members of Congress are as well. Agency inertia
shouldn't jeopardize public health. We applaud the efforts of lawmakers to prod
FDA into action."
Many letter-signers are also co-sponsoring the DAIRY PRIDE
Act, introduced by Representatives Welch and Simpson in the House and Senators
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jim Risch (R-ID) in the Senate. That legislation would
designate foods that make an inaccurate claim about milk contents as
"misbranded" and subject to enforcement of labeling rules. It would
require FDA to issue guidance for nationwide enforcement of mislabeled
imitation dairy products within 90 days of its passage and require FDA to
report to Congress two years after enactment to hold the agency accountable in
its enforcement.
Hahn has voiced his support for "clear, transparent,
and understandable labeling for the American people." Given the agency's
inability to follow up on earlier pledges to act, NMPF supports DAIRY PRIDE's
passage.