WASHINGTON, February 25, 2021—Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, released the following statement today on the COVID-19 relief package being considered by Congress:

“IDFA applauds Congress for advancing a COVID-19 relief bill that, if passed, would help tackle the hunger and nutrition issues in our country and support the resiliency of our food supply chain. Notably, the package would allocate $3.6 billion in funding for USDA food purchases and donations, measures to protect essential workers from COVID-19, and other loans and grants to bolster food industry resiliency. It would also expand Pandemic EBT, which has provided meal replacements for children who are attending school virtually due to the pandemic, and expand enrollment in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. While COVID-19 cases have slowed in recent weeks, millions of Americans continue to face hunger and nutrition insecurity amidst the economic fallout of the pandemic. This legislation will ensure our nation’s most vulnerable have access to a variety of fresh, wholesome, nutritious dairy products, amidst the pandemic.”

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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 million jobs that generate $159 billion in wages and $620 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 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. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.