Baldwin: FDA decision to allow plant-based products to be labeled as milk ‘misguided’

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) represents the state of Idaho. We regret the error.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) on Wednesday criticized the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for draft federal rules that would let plant-based milk alternative products keep the “milk” label, saying the allowance would hurt American dairy farmers.

“I took a stand for Wisconsin dairy farmers by calling out @US_FDA’s guidance allowing plant-based products to be labeled as ‘milk,’” Baldwin wrote on Twitter, sharing a screenshot of the Oxford Languages definition of the term as it appears in Google search.

“This misguided act hurts our farmers & we must protect the integrity of dairy products. If you’re wondering, the definition of milk hasn’t changed,” Baldwin said. The screenshotted definition specifies that the product comes from female mammals.

The FDA recently released draft guidance on how to label plant-based milk alternatives, noting that participants in focus groups “were not confused” about whether plant-based beverages labeled “milk” did contain the actual dairy product — and that participants preferred referring to the alternatives as “milk” than with terms like “beverage” or “drink.”

The guidance further notes that the share of U.S. households that purchased or consumed plant-based milk alternatives — including oat, soy, coconut and other varieties — jumped from one-fifth to one-third between 2010 and 2016, and retail sales on the products reached $2.4 billion in 2020. 

Baldwin has long been among the lawmakers pushing for the FDA to crack down on plant-based products using labeling associated with the dairy industry, stressing the impact on American dairy farmers.

The Wisconsin senator and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) in a joint statement Wednesday accused the FDA of “failing to enforce its own definitions for dairy terminology and stop imitation products from deceiving consumers” and reintroduced their DAIRY PRIDE Act, or “Defending Against Imitations and Replacements of Yogurt, milk, and cheese to Promote Regular Intake of Dairy Everyday,” which would act against the labeling.

Updated 12:14 p.m.