FDA and USDA streamline US dairy export work
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and two US Department of Agriculture agencies are co-ordinating to facilitate US dairy exports, according to the Cheese Reporter. A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the FDA and the US Agricultural Marketing Service and the Foreign Agricultural Service, which will aid in dairy exports by prioritising trade facilitation with an emphasis on providing timely responses to foreign governments and developing solutions to trade barriers, and considering the time, cost and burdens of compliance for US exports, while maintaining transparent, collaborative and timely communications related to US exports.
The FDA will be the lead agency for communicating with foreign governments about the safety of exported US dairy products, including outbreaks and recalls.
Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, notes that it positions US dairy for growth by streamlining roles and resources already in place, and “ensures the USDA and FDA are working together in the most efficient way to lower barriers for dairy exports,” says Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.
