Commissioner Supports FDA Labeling Standards
US - Kentucky consumers are increasingly aware of where and how their food is being produced. Kentucky’s dairy industry assures consumers that the dairy products they purchase are safe, are of the highest quality, and also labeled correctly to meet federal Food and Drug Administration standards.
14 December 2007
2 minute read
Kentucky’s dairy industry understands that consumers rely on accurate product labeling to make decisions about what they buy and what their families consume. Some dairy product labeling has been misleading as to what the product does or does not contain. Recent actions in other states have focused on the inaccurate labeling issues which promote certain dairy products as “hormone free” and/or “antibiotic free.”
The FDA has “truth in labeling” standards in place that state that labeling milk as “hormone free” and “no hormones” is considered false advertising because all milk contains naturally occurring hormones. The FDA also contends that labeling milk as “antibiotic free” is a direct violation of their standards because all processed milk sold to consumers contains no antibiotics. Labeling that promotes what is not in the product is known as “absence labeling.” This marketing strategy is intended to confuse the consumer and implies a safe vs. unsafe product, which is not the case.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Kentucky Milk Safety Branch, and the Kentucky Dairy Development Council as well as dairy producers want consumers to know that all milk produced for processing undergoes multiple quality tests before it reaches consumers.
“Kentucky dairy farmers produce the highest quality milk, and the public can be assured that the milk they find in the dairy case is safe, wholesome, and nutritional,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “All processed milk undergoes a variety of tests to ensure the highest quality standards are met. Dairy products not in compliance with these standards do not reach the dairy case. I support the FDA standards that help to ensure accurate information for dairy product labeling.”
The Kentucky Milk Safety Branch monitors the accuracy and compliance of labeling in accordance with FDA regulations set for dairy products. The Milk Safety Branch as well as the KDA and KDDC will continue to monitor milk and other dairy products sold in the state to ensure they are accurately labeled.
Consumers can be assured that Kentucky’s dairy industry is focused on providing safe and nutritional products as well as protecting dairy product labeling integrity.
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