“A Total Oxymoron": Dairy groups take aim at ‘dairy-free butter’

One of the nation’s largest dairy groups is calling foul over a product claiming to be “dairy-free butter.”

The National Milk Producers Federation says the product by Country Crock should be illegal, and they are calling on the FDA to take action.

“Butter has rebounded, and things like margarines and plant spreads, plant-based spreads, are in decline. So, if you’re a manufacturer of those imitation butters, fake butters, what do you do? You decide to label yourself as something called dairy-free butter, which is a total oxymoron, because you can’t have butter unless it comes from a dairy ingredient, like cream. But this is a concern because we see these products in the marketplace,” said Chris Galen, Executive Director of the American Butter Institute and a Senior Vice President for the National Milk Producers Federation.

Galen says moves like that should be considered illegal. The American Butter Institute has asked USDA to step in, saying it violates federal standards.

Related Stories
Weakening wells could put costly irrigation investments at risk across the southern High Plains.
Higher butterfat and protein levels can add hundreds of dollars in annual revenue per cow.
The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would expand access to year-round livestock and dairy operations.
Lower milk and calf prices are providing less support as feed costs move higher.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Join the conversation on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 pm ET / 6:30 pm CT on RFD-TV to learn about potential sources of aid for older Americans.
Matt Frostic is bringing a farm-level perspective to E15, trade, the Farm Bill, and new corn markets as the new leader of the National Corn Growers Association.
Limb Buster founder Ryan Glenn explains how equipment-mounted saws can help farmers trim trees along fence rows and field edges from inside the cab.
Lower-cost grains are replacing corn in livestock feed as China’s hog sector weakens.
Below-normal inventories are expected to keep pressure on diesel prices through the winter.
Willingness to pay for beef climbed in September despite continued pressure on household budgets.
UGA climatologist Pam Knox says a strong El Niño could improve soil saturation in Georgia, but concerns about oversaturation could also affect or delay spring planting conditions.
USDA says the $13.8 billion total is before payment-limit reductions and a required 5.7% sequestration cut.
Nutrien eKonomics explains how farmers can rebuild low soil potassium, maintain levels above the critical value, and plan fertilizer applications.
Weaker pork demand and rising feed costs could put more pressure on producer margins in 2027.
The proposal would require data centers and other large users to cover infrastructure costs tied to their projects.
Iowa processors are bringing in soybeans by rail as wet weather slows harvest.