News

Van Orden asks Ag Secretary to address milk labeling issues

A Wisconsin Congressman has asked Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins to address milk labeling issues.

Third District Republican Derrick Van Orden says milk substitutes made from things like almonds and oats are not milk according to USDA’s own definition, and they shouldn’t be called milk. “To get this done, we introduced a bill in the last Congress that didn’t get through the Senate, but I’m all for doing this through initial executive action and following up with some type of legislation because it will have a profound effect on our dairy industry.”

Van Orden says the way fluid milk is labeled is also confusing for consumers. “We can label milk skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, and then we call it whole milk. The whole milk, the fat content in whole milk is 3.25% and people think they’re drinking butter.”

Secretary Rollins says she agrees with Van Orden, and expects these issues might be addressed soon. “One of the vehicles that’s coming soon is the dietary guidelines, which Secretary Kennedy and I are working on together, and that’s not due until October but you’ll see that way before October.”

Rollins and Van Orden made their comments during a recent House Ag Committee meeting.