WASHINGTON, August 23, 2023—Roberta Wagner, senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), issued the following statement today on the announced appointment of Jim Jones to serve as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) first Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods.

"The International Dairy Foods Association applauds Commissioner Califf’s appointment of Jim Jones as the first Deputy Commissioner for the Human Foods Program with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Jim’s vast government leadership experience uniquely qualifies him to navigate the transformational change FDA needs to elevate, unify, and shape the human foods program for the future. IDFA supports his appointment, and we will look forward to opportunities to work with Jim to prioritize stakeholder engagement and enhance transparency across the FDA’s Human Foods Program.”

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The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.