IDFA continues to streamline operations while offering broader opportunities for dairy professionals to participate in association activities and help shape positions on priority issues. Starting this month, the association has reconfigured its committees and working groups to provide enhanced support to the five new Industry Segment Boards.
While committees will continue to be aligned under three thematic areas—regulatory, legislative, and communications—some committees have been realigned to allow IDFA to move more quickly and effectively on issues that are important to members. This realignment will also allow committee members to share their expertise and enhance their impact on the overall dairy industry. By speaking with one voice across product categories, IDFA will continue to strengthen its advocacy efforts on behalf of every company and the industry overall.
How will the realignment work?
Three new regulatory committees, which focus on issues that cut across the industry, have replaced the separate regulatory committees for milk, ice cream, cheese and yogurt. These new committees are:
- Food Safety Committee
- Nutrition and Health Committee
- Standards and Labeling Committee
For the Food Safety Committee, IDFA has added a new NCIMS Subcommittee. The regulatory task forces, which are listed below, will remain intact and report to the new regulatory committees.
In addition, the former Environmental and Worker Safety Committee was expanded to include sustainability issues. The new name is the Environment, Sustainability and Safety Committee.
On the legislative side, the formerly separate economic policy committees for milk, cheese and ice cream have merged into one Economic Policy Committee that will cover all dairy products. The International Trade Committee, Immigration Task Force, PAC Steering Committee and Washington Representatives Group will continue without changes.
The Communications Committee will also continue without changes.
“We invite all member professionals who want to make a difference for dairy to consider joining our efforts,” said Tom Wojno, IDFA senior vice president of innovation and member advancement. “In addition to supporting advocacy initiatives, the committees offer unique opportunities for networking and discussion with industry colleagues.”
More details on these changes, areas of responsibility and leadership for each committee is available here.
To request information or ask about joining a committee, contact Wojno, at twojno@idfa.org, or Cindy Cavallo, director of membership, at ccavallo@idfa.org.
IDFA Committees
Regulatory
Environment, Sustainability and Safety Committee
- Food Waste Task Force
- Milk Case Loss Task Force
Food Safety Committee
- 3-A Users Task Force
- National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) Subcommittee
Nutrition and Health Committee
Standards and Labeling Committee
- Bioengineered Food Labeling Task Force
- International Standards Task Force
- Standards Modernization Task Force
Legislative
Economic Policy Committee
Immigration Task Force
International Trade Committee
PAC Steering Committee
Washington Representatives Group
Communications
Communications Committee