Cabinet plans rule limiting "fresh" label to Taiwan-produced milk

Taipei, March 14 (CNA) The Executive Yuan, Taiwan's highest administrative organ, has decided to introduce law amendments that will only allow Taiwan-produced milk to be labeled "fresh" (鮮), an official responsible for food safety said Friday.

Hsu Fu (許輔), director of the Executive Yuan's Office of Food Safety, told CNA that the office convened two meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), as well as related business companies and organizations earlier Friday.

During the meetings, it was agreed that the label "fresh" should be used exclusively for milk produced in Taiwan that has obtained the "Taiwan-produced fresh milk certification mark," Hsu said.

The measure is aimed at "assisting [local] diary farmers and avoiding confusion among consumers," he said.

As related regulations need to be revised for the new policy, including upgrading the level of the existing certification of locally-produced fresh milk, which currently functions more like a trademark, the complete measures are expected to come into force in July 2026, Hsu said.

According to Hsu, regulation amendments will involve the MOA, the MOHW and the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

For example, the official said, raising the level of "Taiwan-produced fresh milk certification" will involve amendments to the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, the Certified Agricultural Standards (CAS) on milk, and regulations relating to labeling dairy products.

Hsu also said that many details are yet to be decided between different ministries, such as how to regulate beverages or processed products derived from Taiwan-produced milk.

The Office of Food Safety will continue to communicate with businesses before the regulations are officially in place, he said.

The meetings on Friday were attended by dairy farmers, food processors, and representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, the European Chamber of Commerce Taiwan, and the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, as well as representatives from New Zealand and Australia.

Hsu said that most dairy farmers are happy with the direction of the amendments, while the food industry asked for a longer grace period and clear standards for complex forms of food processing.

The government also explained the planned measures to foreign representatives at the meetings indicating that the main point is to ensure Taiwan meets international standards, rather than create trade barriers, according to Hsu.

Nearly 95 percent of Taiwan's dairy farmers have obtained Taiwan-produced fresh milk certification, and the Office of Food Safety will assist other local dairy farmers to obtain the certification and maintain competitiveness, Hsu said.

The measure was planned in response to imported milk from New Zealand, which has been exempt from tariffs since 2025. The Cabinet's original plan in February was to only allow milk with expiration periods within 14 days to be labeled "fresh."

The Friday's meetings were convened after representatives from the United States and Japan expressed concern about the measure, with dairy farmers also wanting to express their opinions.

Hsu Jih-tay (徐濟泰), chairperson of the Dairy Association of Taiwan, told CNA that a consensus was reached at the morning meeting, adding he is "one hundred percent on board."

Lee Hsun-tan (李恂潭), chairman of the Dairy Farmer Association ROC Taiwan, said the industry has fought for over a year for the result, and he hopes the decision is final.