Plant-Based Myths Pt 2

From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Plant-based beverages that sell themselves as ‘milk’ are not the reason dairy milk consumption is down.

Alan Bjerga (BEER-guh), Senior Vice President of Communications at the National Milk Producers Federation, says despite the narrative being pushed by plant-based beverage producers in the media, dairy is still strong …

BJERGA … “Dairy products remain dominant outselling more than 10-to-1. And that’s not a big surprise, but if you read some of this media coverage in the last few years you would

have thought that cows were on their way to going extinct. And, you know, I’ve driven down some country roads lately and I think the cows are alive and well.”

So, there’s really very little comparison between plant-based beverages and dairy …

BJERGA … “I think you’re hitting the nail on the head with your characterization of, you know, what really has been the lie over the last few years. You know, why do people compare plant-based and dairy to begin with? Because the plant-based beverages came in and started calling themselves milk.”

Bjerga says it’s all been at the expense of dairy …

BJERGA … “They basically came into this sector, latched on a health halo so that they could convince people that their sugar water was also this healthy alternative.

You know, they try to take the good parts of dairy’s reputation and then they’ll try to attack other parts and it’s all about making market-share.”

Bjerga says news of the declining plant-based beverage sales should be reported just as forcefully as the distortion used to malign dairy.