Seventeen U.S. dairy processors, accounting for 68% of U.S. milk production, have committed to voluntary best practices for enhanced dairy traceability established by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, it was announced last month.
“We want the United States to be the global leader in dairy traceability,” said Dermot Carey, senior vice president of the Ingredients Division at Darigold and the chairman of the Innovation Center’s Traceability Subcommittee. “When we announced these traceability standards in September, our ambitious goal was to have 80% of the milk supply covered within a year. With commitments from most of the large processors, we’re off to a strong start. But to hit our goal, we need commitments from processors of all sizes.”
The Innovation Center considers enhanced traceability guidelines a priority not only for improving global competitiveness, but also for supporting customer and consumer confidence. The new guidelines do not affect producers and on-farm practices. In a food safety crisis, enhanced traceability standards would quickly isolate products to protect public health and prevent brand damage to the broader U.S. dairy industry.
The 17 dairy processors who have committed to the best practices are:
- Agri-Mark
- Associated Milk Producers Inc.
- California Dairies, Inc.
- Darigold
- Dairy Farmers of America
- Foremost Farms USA
- Glanbia Foods
- Hilmar Cheese Company
- HP Hood
- Land O’Lakes
- Leprino Foods
- Michigan Milk Producers Association
- Select Milk Producers
- Schreiber Foods
- Swiss Valley Farms
- Tillamook
- United Dairymen of Arizona
