Statement from IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton on EPA's Decision to Exempt Milk and Milk Product Containers from Oil Spill Prevention Rule

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton on EPA's decision to exempt milk and milk product containers from oil spill prevention rule:

"IDFA applauds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its decision to exempt milk and milk product containers from its oil spill prevention rule. EPA has responded to our concerns about the rule and has now exempted not only milk containers at the farm and at fluid milk processing facilities, but also at all dairy processing facilities.

"The EPA response to exclude all dairy containers was the right thing to do, and we support this new rule. IDFA's concern was that while milk containers at dairy farms and some dairy processing facilities were being exempted, the proposed rule did not apply uniformly across the entire industry. The revised rule resolves that problem.

"We also appreciate the interest that Congress has shown regarding this issue. We want to thank the many members who expressed their concern and particularly Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), who worked to extend the exemption to all milk and milk product containers."  

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $110-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States. IDFA can be found online at www.idfa.org.

SOURCE International Dairy Foods Association