Last week CDFA Secretary Karen Ross sent a letter to the California  Congressional delegation apprising them of the negative consequences to California agriculture from the King Amendment to H.R. 6083, The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012. The Act, also known as the House version of the Farm Bill, contains the provision authored by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and supported by ranking member Collin Peterson (D-MN) that would eliminate California’s higher nutritional standards for fluid milk sold in the state of California among a multitude of other food safety standards.
California has long possessed the highest nutritional standards for fluid milk sold in the US. CA fluid milk can possess up to a third more calcium and protein than fluid milk sold outside the state. Nationwide taste tests sponsored by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) found that consumers outside the state overwhelmingly preferred CA milk to their own. Eighty-five million pounds of solids-not-fat are used annually to fortify CA fluid milk.
“This amendment included in the House version of the Farm Bill would be a huge blow to California dairy families and consumers alike”, said Tom Barcellos, President of Western United Dairymen. “While we agree with the intention of Mr. King to corral radical animal rights activists seeking to advance their vegan agenda in a patchwork fashion across our land, eliminating California’s nutritional standards for fluid milk is clearly an unintended consequence. We should instead be doing just the opposite and allowing consumers in the rest of the country to enjoy fluid milk with higher nutritional value.”
Secretary Ross noted in her letter to the delegation that, “In addition to the significant threat that this amendment places on our nation’s food supply, it also severely undermines states’ rights.”  Aug. 10, 2012 WUD Friday Update