NMPF calls ‘animal-free dairy milk’ claim misleading

MIELKE, from pg. 10

Producers Federation which is taking that truth to government and consumers.

The National Milk Producers Federation listed the ingredients of a plant-based beverage in a press release this week: “Water, animal-free whey protein (from fermentation), sunflower oil, sugar, less than 1% of: vitamin A, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), vitamin D2, riboflavin, citrus fiber, salt, dipotassium phosphate, acacia, gellan gum, mixed tocopherols (antioxidant), calcium potassium phosphate citrate, natural flavor.”

Compare that to the label you see on a gallon of cow’s milk, challenges NMPF. “After more than four decades of plant-based imposters using dairy terms that violate the agency’s

Standard of Identity for milk, labbased fermenters of single dairy proteins are trying to mislead consumers in the exact same way,” argues NMPF, and “Consumers shouldn’t be led to believe otherwise.”

A letter to the Food and Drug Administration asks the agency to “take action against the brand Bored Cow, which is marketing its beverage as ‘animal-free dairy milk’ because it uses a single fermented whey protein (real milk has dozens of protein variants and literally hundreds of different fatty acids).” NMPF notes that “it is baseless, preposterous and absurd to call such a product milk.” Lab grown “meat” is the next “Franken food” being mixed up for the dinner table. Buyers beware.

Last of all, a call to support and pro- mote a bipartisan measure to expand healthy milk varieties for schools to choose. Claudia Larson, NMPF Senior Director of Government Relations, says “The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would return whole and 2% milk to school lunch menus, has been introduced in the past. But with a growing tide of science to back up its benefits, this year the legislation has advanced farther than ever before, with a possible House floor vote as early as this month. House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson, R-PA, Representative Kim Schrier, D-WA, and Senators Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Peter Welch, D-VA, are leading the effort,” says NMPF.

“Allowing schools to serve 2% and whole milk is a commonsense solution to a national child nutrition problem,” writes Larson. “No other food delivers the same rich and unique nutrition package as milk, which provides 13 essential nutrients, including three of the four public health concerns. Milk plays an especially significant role in providing the nutrition critical for childhood health and development. Milk is the number one source of protein for kids 2 to 11, serves as the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D for children ages 2 to 18, and provides seven of the 14 nutrients the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends for optimal brain development.” Write your elected officials. Tell your friends and neighbors. If famers won’t, who will!

Lee Mielke is a syndicated columnist who resides in Everson, Wash. His weekly column is featured in newspapers across the country and he may be reached at lkmielke@juno.com. v