Key Issues
October 16, 2009
FDA Accepts All Changes Passed at NCIMS Spring Conference
The Food and Drug Administration this week accepted all 69 proposals that the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) state delegates adopted at the biennial NCIMS conference last April.
IDFA and more than 70 Milk Industry Foundation members had advocated for the changes, which will update the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) and other NCIMS documents that directly affect state inspection of Grade A dairy farms and plants. This includes a new definition for which types of non-standard milk products, such as milk beverages, smoothies and cultured dairy desserts, will be considered under the Grade A milk safety program regulations. Members may read a summary of the proposals passed at the conference in IDFA's Hotline.
All proposals that passed, with the exception of pilot programs that have immediate implementation dates, will become effective October 14, 2010, or within one year of the publication of the new 2009 PMO and other affected documents, depending on state regulations.
The FDA memorandum (IMS-a-47) is available here.
