PRINTER'S NO. 1836
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
382
Session of
2018
INTRODUCED BY AUMENT, GORDNER, LANGERHOLC, ARGALL, MARTIN,
BROOKS AND BROWNE, JUNE 11, 2018
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, JUNE 11, 2018
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Federal Food and Drug Administration to enforce
existing guidelines establishing a clear standard of identity
for milk.
WHEREAS, In this Commonwealth, agriculture is the largest
industry and dairy operations are a vital component to the
agriculture industry, directly and indirectly employing 52,000
residents of this Commonwealth and contributing $14.7 billion to
the economy; and
WHEREAS, According to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans published by the United States Department of Health
and Human Services as well as the United States Department of
Agriculture, dairy products, including milk, are an important
part of a healthy diet for children and adults providing
excellent nutritional value and health benefits, including
lowering the risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome,
cardiovascular disease and obesity; and
WHEREAS, Imitation dairy products such as plant-based
products derived from rice, nuts, soybeans, hemp, coconut, algae
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and other foods often do not provide the same nutrition content
as real dairy products because they do not contain milk; and
WHEREAS, Mislabeling milk products and the misappropriation
of the word "milk" confuses consumers and compounds the market
challenges facing dairy producers, which has resulted in milk
prices being 50% lower today than they were in 2014; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Food and Drug Administration, who has
the authority to regulate advertising and labeling of foods, has
enforced the Federal Food and Drug Administration's "Standard of
Identity" inconsistently and on a case-by-case basis; and
WHEREAS, The standard of identity requires that products
labeled "milk" must come from cows and section 403(a) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits the "misbranding"
of food, including labeling that is false or misleading; and
WHEREAS, The labeling of milk alternatives as a form of milk
is both false and misleading because dairy milk and milk
alternatives are not the same in their production, nutritional
value or ingredients and are different in taste, texture and
consistency; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
strongly urge the Federal Food and Drug Administration to
enforce existing guidelines establishing a clear standard of
identity for milk by blocking the sale of plant-based beverages
branded as milk; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, through the enforcement of existing
guidelines, the Federal Food and Drug Administration will
protect dairy farmers, producers and the healthy consumption of
milk and dairy products while preventing consumer confusion; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
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the Commissioner of the Federal Food and Drug Administration,
the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture and
to each member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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