Sunday 04 November 2012
Ireland
Dairy farmers and cheese
The dairy industry breathed a collective sigh of relief last Thursday when the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BAI) decided to exempt cheese from new restrictions on the advertising of High Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) food and drink to children.
Under the original draft, cheese would have been classed alongside junk food and could not have been advertised during children's viewing hours.
The new rules come into effect on July 1st 2013 and will apply to all radio and television broadcasters regulated in the Republic of Ireland.
Britain's Nutrient Profiling model will be used to determine the products that face advertising restrictions.
The BAI said that, upon the recommendation of the Department of Health, advertisements for cheese will be exempted from the model.
However, the BAI is adopting the recommendation of the Department of Health that adverts for cheese will include an on-screen message indicating the recommended maximum daily consumption limit for cheese.
The National Dairy Council (NDC) had campaigned very strongly against the proposed ban and welcomed the decision.
"Cheese is an important source of calcium and provides a source of other nutrients - for example protein, B vitamins and phosphorus," said Dr. Catherine Logan, Nutrition Manager with the National Dairy Council.
Source: farmersjournal.ie
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