The leader of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association is applauding state lawmakers over several new bills that aim to strengthen the dairy industry. John Umhoefer, who serves as executive director of the Madison-based group, says two of the measures were approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee that protect consumers from misleading labels on imitation dairy products.
Authored by Senator Howard Marklein of Spring Green, Senate Bill 463 bans the labeling of foods as dairy products or dairy ingredients if the food is not made from the milk of a cow, sheep, goat or camelid mammal. In addition, Senate Bill 466, also sponsored by Marklein, applies the same connection for use of the word milk, assuring that milk is produced from a mammalian source.
“Our dairy processor members are deeply gratified that our state leaders recognize the basic unfairness of competing beverages and food companies brazenly taking and using timeless dairy terms like milk and cheese,” Umhoefer said.
Meanwhile, the WCMA also praised Senators Andre Jacque of De Pere and Jeff Smith from Eau Claire, along with Reps. Travis Tranel, Cuba City; Dave Considine, Baraboo; and Gary Tauchen, Bonduel, for introducing LRB 5012 to streamline dairy industry regulations. That proposal addresses state regulation requiring dairy cooperatives, proprietary handlers, and milk contractors to obtain a signed and notarized affidavit each year attesting that milk does not contain synthetic bovine growth hormone, commonly called rBST.
The Wisconsin Dairy Task Force 2.0 had earlier recommended that the annual requirements for rBST affidavits be removed.
Source: Wisconsin Ag Connection