(Washington, D.C. — August 3, 2006)—Yesterday in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Judge Henry H. Kennedy, Jr. dismissed the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)'s lawsuit requesting lactose intolerance warning labels on milk. PCRM is an anti-meat, anti-dairy group whose campaigns and views are closely aligned with the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

"The ruling is a sound defeat for PCRM, a group whose views on nutrition have been repeatedly denounced by reputable science and health organizations," says International Dairy Foods Association Vice President of Communications Susan Ruland. "The judge sent a clear and strong message that PCRM's antics will not be entertained in court."

The court found that PCRM's request was contrary to the Food and Drug Administration's labeling requirements and that there was no legitimate safety issue. PCRM has 30 days to appeal the decision.

"PCRM's legal action was yet another attempt by this animal rights group to grab headlines at the expense of sound health and nutrition information," says Greg Miller, Ph.D., executive vice president of science and innovation, National Dairy Council. "The bottom line is that when it comes to nutrition, people should listen to health and nutrition professionals, not an animal rights group."

Health professionals agree that lactose intolerance doesn't require dairy avoidance. With a few simple steps, people who are sensitive to lactose can continue to enjoy dairy foods.

This is important, since milk and milk products are the richest source of calcium in the diet, and also provide protein and other vitamins and nutrients. In addition, research shows that including dairy products in your diet may help control blood pressure, maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. For more information about lactose intolerance, visit the following websites:

For independent information on PCRM, visit the following websites:

# # #

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, DC, represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 530 companies representing a $90-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85% of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org

The American Dairy Association/National Dairy Council (ADA/NDC) is managed by Dairy Management Inc., the nonprofit domestic and international planning and management organization responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of America's dairy farmers. The NDC can be found online at www.nationaldairycouncil.org.