Senators push dairy-labeling measure

WASHINGTON — Sens. Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand, Democrats of New York, have introduced a bill to extend country of origin labeling to dairy products.

The senators announced Thursday that they are sponsoring a bill that requires such labeling on milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream and butter.

Meat, produce and nuts already are subject to country of origin labeling requirements passed in 2008. But dairy products and other processed foods were exempted.

In a joint news release, the senators said the legislation — which they also supported last year — would help farmers and guide consumers' decisions about buying dairy products made in New York rather than foreign countries.

But the International Dairy Foods Association, representing milk processors, has opposed such efforts, warning that manufacturers might buy non-dairy ingredients in response and that demand for U.S. dairy products might actually fall.

The National Milk Producers Federation, representing bargaining cooperatives for farmers, also has opposed extending country of origin labeling to dairy products. Many cooperatives, particularly large ones, are also manufacturers of the products that would require labels.

As written, the law could require products made with foreign-made ingredients, such as milk protein concentrate, to list the foreign source of the ingredients as well as the United States as the country of origin.

Various dairy foods, including some brands of yogurt, list milk protein concentrate as an ingredient.

Mrs. Gillibrand serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which will consider the measure.