The National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) will consider nearly 100 proposals to change Grade “A” plant and farm regulations in the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) at its biennial meeting, May 12-17, in Grand Rapids, Mich. These proposals affect all dairy plants producing Grade A products, such as fluid milk, cream products, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggnog, buttermilk and many dried dairy products.

Conference attendees will consider a set of proposals that seek to further align the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). They also will debate the merits of several proposals that would modify the regulatory framework and requirements to expand the variety of drugs, other than beta-lactams, that should be tested for in raw milk.

Cary Frye, IDFA vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, is the NCIMS program committee chair. Earlier this month, Frye and several other IDFA regulatory affairs staff members met with their counterparts from the National Milk Producers Federation, then later with U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials, to discuss the proposals and build consensus.

Over 380 federal and state regulators and industry participants are expected to attend the conference, including many IDFA members and IDFA’s regulatory staff.

Visit the 2017 NCIMS Conference for registration and program details.

For more information, contact Frye at cfrye@idfa.org.