Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice president and general counsel, joined fellow board members of the International Dairy Federation last week for a meeting in London. The multinational group discussed final preparations for IDF’s World Dairy Summit 2017, strategies for communication of its dairy sustainability efforts and other topics.

Hough is the dairy processing representative on the IDF board. Several other IDFA staff members also represent member companies through leadership positions in IDF, working on global issues such as sustainability, world nutrition, and food safety and standards. Bob Yonkers, Cary Frye and John Allan, IDFA vice presidents, serve on several IDF committees. Frye is also chair of the U.S. IDF board.

World Dairy Summit

The meeting opened with a discussion about remaining preparations for the World Dairy Summit, which will be held Oct. 29-Nov. 3 in Belfast, Ireland. This year’s summit will examine the impact of a sustainable dairy industry on global human and animal health and wellness, dairy technology, the environment and the many other relevant topics to dairy.

The board members discussed strategies to communicate the organization’s sustainability efforts as a part of its Dairy Declaration, which recognizes the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the central framework for IDF’s dairy sustainability actions. Building recognition for IDF’s contributions to the global food and farming debate and promoting the wealth of expertise in its network are two strategies under consideration.

About IDF

IDF’s current membership includes 45 countries representing the majority of the world’s current milk production. This membership is made up of National Committees that work together to serve as the scientific expertise for the dairy sector worldwide. They frequently consult with other global organizations, such as the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).

For more information, contact Hough at chough@idfa.org.