“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
Tight red meat supplies continue supporting livestock markets.
Growing milk supply may pressure prices ahead.
The Mengel Dairy Farms case is a sobering reminder that “having insurance” is not the same as “having protection.”
Herd growth and exports supporting dairy outlook.
The ag trade deficit is narrowing, but export competition remains strong.
NMPF’s Alan Bjerga discusses pending trade agreements with Indonesia and Ecuador and how they will benefit U.S. dairy producers and improve overall global competitiveness of U.S. ag products.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

U.S. Farmers Navigate Harvest Pace, Costs, Policy Shifts
Land values are increasing faster than farm income, making it more challenging for young and beginning farmers to expand, but supporting equity for current landowners.
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, Crop Insurance, and a Business Planning Complication
Smaller slaughter numbers across beef and pork signal tighter supplies into late 2025, while record-low veal production highlights ongoing structural changes in the sector.
UC Davis Professor and Extension Specialist Dr. Frank Mitloehner joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to preview the festivities and share why this event has become such a special tradition for the ag community.
Beal joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss her election to NASDA’s presidency, challenges facing American agriculture, and her background as a Mainer and dairy farmer.