In Washington, a slower pace of progress in August is as expected as the sweltering heat. Progress on dairy issues last month, however, was anything but. In a new Cheese Market News column and on Rice Dairy TV, Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO, detailed how these dog days of August delivered for dairy.

He highlighted administration actions that earmarked millions of dollars of fluid milk purchases to help feed Americans in need, and progress made to preserve dairy’s top export market, Mexico, with the U.S.-Mexico trade agreement talks.

Read, “Dog Days of August Deliver for Dairy.”

Watch, “Interview with IDFA's Michael Dykes - NAFTA and USDA Assistance Package.”

National Bioengineered Foods Disclosure Standard

In August, IDFA also reflected on dairy’s priorities as the U.S. Department of Agriculture works to create a national mandatory labeling standard for bioengineered (BE) foods or foods with BE ingredients. In a new column, Cary Frye, senior vice president of regulatory affairs, detailed the industry’s desires for a standard that adheres to consumer expectations for transparency, does not disparage the use of bioengineering or stifle food industry innovation, and remains consistent with other standards applied to U.S. food manufacturers.

Read, “Let’s Give Consumers the Products — and Information — They Want.”

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