WASHINGTON, DC – New York’s freshman senator is pushing two pieces of legislation which she believes will not only provide a boost for the state’s struggling dairy farmers, but also protect American consumers from lower quality dairy imports.

“We must do more to protect consumers and provide a competitive edge to New York dairy farmers,” Senator Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) explained in a conference call last week, where she announced her support for a bill designed to extend Country of Origin Labeling legislation to include dairy products.

The legislation – which was introduced in October by Senators Al Franken (D-Minn), Russ Feingold (D-Wis) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) – would require country of origin labeling on all dairy products, consistent with what is already required for nuts, fruits, vegetables, meats and seafood.

“Overwhelmingly, the American people want to know where their food comes from,” said New York Farm Bureau Vice President Eric Ooms, who expressed his organization’s support Ooms joined Gillibrand on the conference call to express his organization’s support of her initiatives.

Gillibrand said the measure would both “level the playing field” for New York farmers, who are known for the quality of the milk they produce, as well as protect consumers.