WASHINGTON, June 30, 2022—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) is grateful to the National Milk Producers Federation (NMFP) for organizing a virtual listening session of eleven national agricultural, anti-hunger, nutrition, and medical groups, urging the White House to place a high priority on access to affordable, diverse, and nutritious foods when it holds its Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this September. The NMPF issued a statement on the meeting earlier today. IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M., issued this statement related to the focus of today’s listening session focused on Pillar 1: Improve food access and affordability.

“IDFA members are deeply committed to ending hunger by making it easier for everyone — urban, suburban, rural, and Tribal communities — to access and afford healthy, nutritious milk and dairy foods. SNAP and WIC are central to this conversation. We know from USDA’s Foods Typically Purchased Report that dairy products make up at least 20 percent of the grocery bill for SNAP participants. With creation of the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive Projects (HFMIP) passed in the 2018 Farm Bill, policymakers took SNAP incentives a step further and sought to address the dairy consumption gap highlighted in the 2020-2025 DGAs. Yet, HFMIP is not working at the scale necessary to address malnutrition and chronic health diseases. Therefore, we encourage leaders gathering at the White House conference to focus on building a healthy dairy foods incentive program at national scale in partnership with food retailers, local nutrition and health organizations, state SNAP agencies, and dairy foods makers.”

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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 3.3 million jobs that generate $41.6 billion in direct wages and $753 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. Together, they represent 90 percent 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.

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Matt Herrick

Executive Vice President, Chief Impact Officer