Rep. Derrick Van Orden Urges Ag Secretary to Address Milk Labeling and Labor Issues

Addressing Inflation and Government Spending

• 💡 The representative links radical, out-of-control government spending by the Biden administration to increased inflation and spiking input costs.
• ✅ He acknowledges the truth of these statements, framing them as self-evident.

Dairy Business Initiative and Agriculture Labor

• 🚀 The Dairy Business Initiative has been successfully brought back online, much to the excitement of farmers.
• 🎯 A proposed solution for agriculture labor involves acknowledging the reality of undocumented workers in agriculture, construction, and hospitality.
• 🔑 The plan includes fines for workers and employers, requiring workers to leave the U.S. and re-enter legally, establishing a new entry date without skipping ahead in any queue, to ensure a continuous labor flow for farmers.
• ⚠️ The current H2A program is described as a broken and horrible program.

Milk Labeling Standards

• 🥛 The core issue is the definition of "milk" and its impact on dairy farmers.
• 🎯 The USDA's own definition of milk is cited: lacteal secretion, practically free from colostrum, obtained by complete milking of healthy cows, pasteurized, containing not less than 8.25% milk solid not fat and 3.25% milk fat.
• 🚫 It is emphasized that none of these components come from almonds or oats.
• 🗣️ The representative urges the USDA to follow its own definition and highlights that almond and oat beverages are not milk.
• 📈 A bill was introduced in the last Congress to address this but did not pass the Senate.
• 🤝 The representative is open to executive action followed by legislation to protect the dairy industry.

Collaboration on Dietary Guidelines

• 🤝 The Agriculture Secretary agrees with the need to address milk labeling and mentions the upcoming dietary guidelines as a vehicle for this.
• 🗓️ The dietary guidelines are expected in October, and collaboration is underway to advance the vision of accurate milk labeling.
• ⚠️ A concern is raised about the fat content of "whole milk," with a past administrator incorrectly stating it was 6% when the standard is 3.25%.