Congressman wants FDA to take action against ‘fake milk’
ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. Reps. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, and other members of Congress are pushing in December 2016 for the Food and Drug Administration to enforce a definition of milk that would not include non-dairy products like soy or almonds.
MONTPELIER, Vt. >> Democratic Rep. Peter Welch, Republican Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson and 23 other members of Congress signed a letter asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate and take action against manufacturers of what they say is “fake milk.”
They want the FDA to require plant-based products to adopt a more appropriate name, other than milk, which they say is deceptive.
“We strongly believe that the use of the term ‘milk’ by manufacturers of plant-based products is misleading to consumers, harmful to the dairy industry and a violation of milk’s standard of identity,” the letter states.
Dairy farmers are struggling with “deep cuts in income” following a 40-percent drop in milk prices since 2014. The forecast is for prices to remain low. In recent years, the sale of plant-based products, often labeled as milk, has jumped in recent years, the letter states.
They say milk has a clear standard of identity: “obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows,” among other qualities.
“While consumers are entitled to choose imitation products, it is misleading and illegal for manufacturers of these items to profit from the ‘milk’ name,” the letter states. “These products should be allowed on the market only when accurately labeled.”
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The Soyfoods Association of North America said the term “soymilk” has been used on products for over 100 years. It asked the FDA in 1997 to recognize the one-word name “soymilk” but that the FDA has not made a decision on the petition.
The FDA said Friday that it had received the Dec. 16 letter and planned to respond directly to lawmakers.
12 responses to “Congressman wants FDA to take action against ‘fake milk’”
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You have got to be kidding me; as we rapidly approach a national debt of $20 trillion these busy bodies think we need the leviathan’ busybody bureaucrats to clarify plant based food items that dare use the word milk?
Not busy bodies but paid by the dairy industry.
“They say milk has a clear standard of identity: “obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy cows,” among other qualities.”
I recall calling goat’s milk by that name forever.
Maybe they want have the name associated with a product that comes from mammals,, not just cows.
Actually, in the rest of the article, I guess that is what they were saying.
fake news, fake milk, and a fake president the last 8 years and a fake newspaper what could be more entertaining.
merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year to all commenters, now that this is done back to the comment wars.
You must carry a lot of hate within yourself. This article has nothing to do with Obama but you see that hate in everything. Regarding the fake news, the vast majority of the fake news was anti-Hillary. And soy milk is clearly labeled soy milk. That’s fact.
I don’t see how they can claim it’s “illegal” when they’ve only just now introduced a bill to outlaw it.
How much cream does today’s “ice cream” have in it? You’d think that would be their next crusade. Amirite?
I bet these congresscritters have all been milking the dairy industry’s “cash cow” for years. They probably get up before sunrise to get a head start.
I also wonder how many of them are, like some peoples’ president-elect, “fake populists”.
Ask the cows what they think.
That’s an udderly moooot point.
Is this all they have to worry about?
What next? Labeling fake vaccines.