More than 25 delegates came to learn about US food safety programmes, regulatory systems and best practices to help guide their regulatory efforts.

Clay Hough, IDFA senior group vice president, welcomed the group and provided an overview of IDFA and the US dairy processing industry. John Kelly, IDFA manager of international affairs, discussed the global nature of the dairy industry.

Cary Frye, IDFA vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, and Jon Gardner, IDFA vice president of regulatory affairs and international standards, explained the regulatory and food safety systems for dairy in the United States. Their topics ranged from labelling and nutritional standards to the unique regulatory structure under the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments and the Pasteurised Milk Ordnance.

“IDFA was pleased to host this very gracious Chinese delegation,” said Kelly. “Given the increasingly global environment our industry now operates in, educational exchanges such as these are mutually beneficial.”

The delegation's visit with IDFA was part of an extended trip to the United States that included participation in a training programme at the University of Illinois and visits with representatives of the Food and Drug Administration and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture.