International Dairy Foods Association

TAKE ACTION TODAY! » Thank you to all the sponsors, speakers and attendees who made the 2014 International Sweetener Colloquium such a big success! The event drew 450 industry professionals from the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Germany and Turkey.

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2014 Election Snapshot of U.S. House and Senate Races

Analysts estimate there are fewer than 50 competitive seats out of the 435 members elected to the House. In the Senate, Republicans may have the opportunity to regain control, while Democrats will be playing mostly defense. Ashley Burch, IDFA assistant director of political programs, explains why.

The WIC program is designed to improve the nutrition and health of the nation’s low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and young children. IDFA is pleased that USDA has continued to align the WIC program with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,

IDFA Applauds USDA Decision to Add Yogurt to WIC Program

The U. S. Department of Agriculture today announced final changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Marking a victory for IDFA and its members, the changes include increased access to low-fat dairy, allowing yogurt as a partial milk substitute.

Among other changes, they called for a more prominent display of the calorie declaration and modified servings per container, along with a new declaration for added sugars.

FDA Releases Proposed Rule Seeking Major Updates to Nutrition Facts Panel

First Lady Michelle Obama joined Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Food and Drug Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to announce proposed updates to the Nutrition Facts panel and serving sizes. The proposed changes would affect nearly all packaged foods, including all milk and dairy products

The decree also allows more flexibility in the comment periods previously offered, so deadlines for comments on the proposed rules for food defense and sanitary transportation of human and animal food may be extended.

FDA Gains Reprieve on FSMA Deadlines

The Food and Drug Administration has settled litigation with two organizations that will allow more leeway in the deadlines for implementing rules released as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act. The agreement was approved last week by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and is effective immediately.

Each year OSHA collects data on reported injuries from 80,000 business facilities.

IDFA Opposes Publication of Raw Data on Workplace Injuries

In comments submitted this week to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, IDFA asked the agency to withdraw a proposed rule that would pave the way for all records on workplace injuries and illnesses to be published on the OSHA website. IDFA believes the raw data would be misunderstood, misused and harmful to the companies required to submit...

They concluded that “dairy producers across the U.S., regardless of location and management style, are better protected against severe downturns in the milk price, rising livestock feed prices or a combination of both” under the Margin Protection Program.

New Margin Program Offers Producers Better Protection, Say Economics Professors

John Newton, professor at the University of Illinois, and Cam Thraen, professor at Ohio State University, recently published Part III in a series that analyzed the compromise dairy safety net programs now included in the Agriculture Act of 2014, the Farm Bill.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) were detailed in the report as well as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

President Obama Releases 2014 Trade Policy Agenda

President Barack Obama released his 2014 Trade Policy Agenda yesterday. The 355-page report highlights the World Trade Organization, bilateral and regional negotiations and agreements, trade enforcement activities and trade policy developments.

Past Dairy Market Behavior No Longer Predictor for Future
March 6, 2014 — Ag Weekly
Trade Agreement Could Sweeten Life for Candy Makers
March 5, 2014 — Wall Street Journal
Trade Office Gets Budget Boost for Next Year; Trade Agenda is Released
March 4, 2014 — The Hill
Nutrition Label Makeover Will Have Dairy Implications
February 28, 2014 — Dairy Herd Network

SEE ALL ››Upcoming Events

MILK PROCUREMENT
ICE CREAM TECH
HANDS-ON MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTING
DAIRY PLANT
SPRING BOARD MEETINGS

Milk Procurement Workshop

March 19-20, 2014
The Embassy Suites Hotel | Rosemont, IL

Offered only once a year, IDFA's Milk Procurement Workshop provides an overview of dairy industry trends, policy and pricing basics.

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Ice Cream Technology Conference

April 8-9, 2014
The Renaissance Vinoy | St Petersburg, FL

This premier event is for ice cream and frozen dessert professionals. It is the only meeting that focuses specifically on frozen dessert research, technology, new market trends, food safety, labeling and opportunities.

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Hands-on Microbiological Testing and Laboratory Practices Course

April 29-May 1, 2014
Jordan Valley Innovation Center | Springfield , MO

Hands-on Microbiological Testing and Laboratory Practices is a new, career-building training course. It’s offered exclusively for dairy industry professionals with food safety responsibilities.

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Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop

April 29-30, 2014
Kansas City , MO

The Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshops is designed to help large dairy processing facilities meet the stringent food safety regulations established by the Food Safety Modernization Act.

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Spring Board Meetings

May 3-5, 2014
The Ritz-Carlton - Amelia Island, FL | Amelia Island, FL

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SEE ALL ››News Highlights

FEATURED NEWS

March 5, 2014

FDA Gains Reprieve on FSMA Deadlines

The Food and Drug Administration has settled litigation with two organizations that will allow more leeway in the deadlines for implementing rules released...