Plant-Based Imitators; H5N1 & Screwworm Cases; Tariffs on Canada

Congress Presses FDA on Plant-Based Imitators
A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers this week sent a letter to FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Dimantas, calling on the agency to enforce dairy standards of identity and stop non-dairy products from using terms like “milk,” “cheese,”

“yogurt” and “butter.” The letter, signed by the original sponsors of the DAIRY PRIDE Act, including Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Sen. Jim Risch, R-ID, Rep. John Joyce, R-PA, and Rep. Josh Riley, D-NY, points out that FDA’s own guidance acknowledges consumers don’t understand the nutritional differences between dairy and plant-based alternatives. Still, the agency has stuck with an ineffective, voluntary-labeling approach.

We’ve said for decades that labeling integrity is a matter of basic consumer protection, as well as fairness to farmers who follow the rules while imitation products get a free pass to borrow dairy’s good name. We also reached out to FDA this week to support the congressional letter and reinforce the message that it’s past time for FDA to rescind its current plant-based guidance and to enforce its standards.

H5N1 Resurgence Continues, Screwworm Cases Climb

Six new dairy farms had confirmed cases of H5N1 this week, five in Utah and one in Idaho, bringing the 2026 total to 79 farms, with 23 of those in just the last 30 days. All cases remain the B3.13 genotype. The National Association of State Animal Health Officials has reconvened its dairy working group to look at the resurgence, and our team is participating.

Meanwhile, seven more New World screwworm cases were confirmed in Texas, bringing the total to 42 infestations across 17 zones, with two new counties added this week. Cases are also rising in Mexico near the U.S. border. Sterile fly releases and lab capacity remain steady, though recent flooding in the region has slowed inspections. The nearest commercial dairy area is about 100 miles from the closest infestation.

Trump Administration Announces 50% Tariffs Over Canada’s Dairy Trade Practices

The White House announced that President Trump is imposing a 50% tariff on certain imports from Canada, including some dairy products, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to hold Canada accountable for what Ambassador Greer called its ongoing “retaliation and discrimination” against U.S. commerce. The administration found that Canada’s tariff-rate quota system under USMCA discriminates against U.S. cheese by giving retailers access to European cheese quotas while denying that same access to U.S. producers under USMCA. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect Aug. 19.

We appreciate the administration’s efforts to find every possible avenue to push Canada toward fixing its discriminatory dairy trade practices. Canada cannot continue to block market access it agreed to, and it is well past time for Canada to negotiate in good faith and resolve the outstanding USMCA dairy implementation issues.