Friday, January 16, 2009
Definition
National Farmers Union opposes recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposals that would weaken quality standards for the production of milk, ice cream and cheese. The proposals could potentially jeopardize decades of work and investment by America’s dairy producers and quality ice cream and cheese processors.
Current standards do not allow for the use of ultra-filtered milk, which is a highly concentrated product as the result of separation by filtration, commonly referred to as milk protein concentrates (MPC). FDA is now proposing to amend the definition of “milk” and “nonfat milk” as it relates to approved ingredients in standardized cheese production.
FDA has stated the use of ultra-filtered milk must not adversely affect the physical or chemical characteristics of the cheese. A 2001 investigation by the federal government’s General Accounting Office (GAO) reported ultra-filtered milk is not nutritionally equivalent to fluid milk.
Efforts to use non-milk ingredients in the production of dairy products only serve to increase processor profit margins. There is no consumer demand for these changes and certainly no producer demand.
Furthermore, a weakening in the definition of milk could hurt dairy farmers. Imported dry ultra-filtered milk and milk protein concentrates have flooded the U.S. dairy market, displacing domestic fluid milk and nonfat dry milk due to a substantial price advantage.
We urge dairy producers and consumers to contact FDA and urge the agency to not move forward with the plans to allow non-milk products in the manufacture of both cheese and ice cream. 
