WASHINGTON, USA — While scooping ice cream on the steps of the US Department of Agriculture Headquarters, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins congratulated the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announcement on the dairy industry’s commitment to eliminate artificial food dyes from their ice creams. This is a voluntary, proactive pledge to eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts by 2028.
“I appreciate IDFA members for spearheading this new initiative and finding ways to promote president Trump’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. Each one of these endeavors helps families make better choices and pursue healthier lives,” said secretary Rollins.
“I applaud the International Dairy Foods Association for stepping up to eliminate certified artificial colors,” Secretary Kennedy said. “The American people have made it clear—they want real food, not chemicals. Together with USDA secretary Brooke Rollins and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, we’re holding the food industry accountable and driving a nationwide effort to Make America Healthy Again.”
“I am proud of ice cream makers and dairy foods companies for stepping up for American families by making this voluntary commitment to provide ice cream and frozen dairy treats without certified artificial colors,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “Americans are passionate about their ice cream, and the IDFA Ice Cream Commitment will ensure wholesome, indulgent ice cream products made with real milk from American dairy farmers remain a special part of our lives as state and federal policies evolve.”
Secretary Rollins was joined by secretary of health and human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and food and drug administrator Dr Marty Makary for the IDFA announcement outside of USDA. Rollins, Kennedy, and Makary met with leadership at IDFA and dairy farmers while scooping ice cream.
America First Trade Win: USDA Blocks Additional Specialty Sugar Imports
Meanwhile, the US Department of Agriculture, in alignment with Secretary Rollins’ Farmers First policies, announced no additional imports of specialty sugars beyond what US international obligations dictate.
“Production agriculture has seen devastating impacts from natural disasters, Biden-era policies, and extraordinary increases to cost of production,” said deputy secretary of agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden. “Worse, a trade landscape that, over the last four years, favoured foreign competitors over America’s farmers, ranchers, and producers, led to what is projected to be the largest agricultural trade deficit on record.
“President Trump‘s America First approach is tipping the scales back in favour of American agriculture. Although sugar policy is uniquely designed to protect sugar farmers from the dumping of heavily subsidised foreign sugar, those farmers are not immune from the same distress facing other agricultural producers.
“Over the last 20 years, sugar imports have more than doubled and producers have lost 15 percent of the US sugar market to imports, leading to closures of mills and processors—economic and financial losses that impact farmers, rural communities, and consumers. This decision begins to right the ship.”
