Contact: Peggy Armstrong
parmstrong@idfa.org
(202) 220-3508
Urges Consumers to Tell Government:
“Get Out of My Milk”
(Washington, D.C. – October 4, 2011) The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) launched today a new television and print advertising campaign to educate consumers about the negative economic impact of the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, a set of regulations that gives the federal government control over setting milk prices.
“It’s time consumers learned that the price of their milk is being artificially inflated by a maze of government regulations,” said Connie Tipton, president and CEO of IDFA. “Our campaign is about encouraging consumers to tell big government to get out of their milk.”
The television commercial, which calls for the elimination of the current pricing system, shows a tiny government bureaucrat enjoying a swim in a glass of milk, much to the dismay of the woman about to take a drink. The voiceover in the commercial states:
It seems like the government is everywhere these days—including in your milk.
In 1937, the federal government created a huge bureaucracy to establish and enforce milk prices. This maze of regulations and government red tape still exists and it's costing you every time you buy milk for your family.
Don’t you think it’s time for big government to get out of your milk? Take action at www.outofmymilk.com.
The campaign is kicking off in the Washington, D.C., media market with a new television commercial and full-page print ad in Politico and Roll Call. Internet ads will help bring the message to consumers outside of the Washington area.
IDFA has long opposed milk pricing regulations that increase the already significant regulatory burden on the dairy industry, put more pressure on declining milk sales and increase costs for consumers and many government nutrition and feeding programs, which are already stretched to serve Americans who are struggling to feed their families.
For more information, visit www.outofmymilk.com.
# # #
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), headquartered in Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $110-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.