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Governance
National Committees are the backbone of IDF. They are represented in the General Assembly, which serves as the supreme authority of the organization. The Board of Directors contributes to the development and achievement of IDF’s objectives, while the Science and Programme Coordination Committee (SPCC) oversees and coordinates the scientific, technical, and policy-related aspects of dairy issues. Both the Board and the SPCC are elected by the General Assembly.
The primary purpose of IDF Standing Committees is to evaluate and recommend actions, and to propose policies within their respective areas of responsibility, subject to final approval by the IDF Board and the SPCC.
Task Forces are time‑bound, outcome‑focused groups convened to support IDF’s mission, strategic objectives, or programme activities.
The daily management of the organization—including the administration of the IDF Head Office, oversight of current affairs, and general coordination of activities—is the responsibility of the Director General.
Overview of structure
National Committees
IDF membership consists of two categories: Full Membership and Associated Membership. Each member country is represented by one National Committee, and only one National Committee may exist per country. Membership is exercised through the National Committee Secretaries, who serve as the official representatives of their respective National Committees. The Chair of each National Committee together with all National Committee Secretaries form the National Secretaries’ Committee, which facilitates coordination, information exchange, and alignment across IDF’s global membership.
General Assembly
The General Assembly is composed of all IDF Members. Each Member is represented by a Delegate. Full Member countries appoint one voting delegate, while Associate Member delegates participate as observers without voting rights. The General Assembly is responsible for endorsing the policies and priorities developed by the Board of Directors and the Science and Programme Coordination Committee (SPCC), based on recommendations from the Board. Its responsibilities include approving the overall strategy, finances, elections, amendments to the IDF Constitution and Rules of Order, the attribution of future IDF World Dairy Summits, and any restructuring of Federation procedures required under Belgian law, among other key governance decisions.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for steering IDF’s strategy, as endorsed by the General Assembly, to meet the evolving needs of the global and dynamic dairy sector. The Board provides direction on IDF’s operational policies and strategies, and upholds the vision and mission of the Federation. The Board supervises the implementation of decisions taken by the General Assembly and makes recommendations on IDF policies and priorities for the Assembly’s consideration. The Board consists of nine representatives, including: the President, the Chair of the Science and Programme Coordination Committee (SPCC), four Delegates elected by the General Assembly, two dairy sector representatives (one for farming and one for processing), and the Chair of the National Secretaries’ Committee.
Science & Programme Coordination Committee
The Science and Programme Coordination Committee (SPCC) develops and implements the scientific and technical strategy of the IDF Programme of Work, as approved by the National Committees. The SPCC is composed of fourteen members, including: the SPCC Chair, members representing each of IDF’s working areas—Animal Health and Welfare, Dairy Policies and Economics, Environment, Farm Management, Food Standards, Hygiene and Safety, Marketing, Methods of Analysis and Sampling, Nutrition, and Technology, and three representatives from key stakeholder groups: dairy farmers, dairy processors, and academia. Together, the SPCC ensures the scientific integrity, coherence, and coordination of IDF’s work across all areas of global dairy expertise.
Our Working Bodies
Role: To have dialogue and discussion on, and form consensus about new developments in the dairy sector field of animal health and animal welfare and their implications on prevention of diseases considering aspects relating to farm economics, food safety, human health, and dairy technology. To assess the effects of cattle diseases on animal welfare and dairy production for human consumption, as well as maintaining relations with intergovernmental and non- governmental bodies.
Role: To have effective communication of new and relevant science and technology to the dairy sector, and to update the dairy sector on the technological and scientific aspects of processing, packaging, storage, and distribution of dairy ingredients within the food and dairy industry, and to provide a platform for young dairy scientists to present their work.
Role: To increase awareness of milk and milk products through various marketing tools, and communication strategies aiming to disseminate effective and relevant knowledge, as well as dealing with crisis management affecting the dairy industry.
Role: To study developments that influence the dairy industry, and provide statistical data on the sector, and monitoring developments in international trade politics, supply management policies, to improve milk production and encourage consumption.
Role: To inform the global dairy sector on developments concerning the environment. The Standing Committee will also look at the GHG emissions quantification and mitigation, Ecosystem services, water quality, waste management and reduction, as well as reviewing and promoting the best available technologies and practice. To also provide leadership on environmental sustainability issues.
Role: To provide a voice for farmers, and to address issues of international importance in the dairy sector and identify possibilities for adding value to dairy production systems, particularly aspects in animal reproduction, aspects in milk production, interpretation of new and existing ISO standards, as well as influencing animal feeding and dairy production globally.
Role: To closely monitor the Codex committees’ activities including those involved in the adoption of new standards relevant to the dairy sector, as well as the use of terms and labelling in dairy products, and to ensure that regional standards do not negatively impact the International Codex standard within the dairy sector.
Role: To adequately monitor the Codex Committee on Food Additives in so far as it affects additives, processing aids, carriers, flavours and colours needed in dairy products, and provide data and technical advice, based on feedback from IDF members on behalf of the dairy sector.
Role: To advise the dairy sector about the implications, and the control and management of hygiene and microbiological contaminants, and to assist Codex in adopting technically correct and feasible hygiene standards, codes, and guidelines, appropriate for achieving safe and suitable milk and milk products.
Role: To advise the dairy sector about the implications, control or elimination, of residues and chemical contaminants, and to assist Codex in adopting technically correct and feasible standards, codes, and guidelines on residues and chemical contaminants appropriate for achieving safe and suitable milk and milk products.
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of the dairy sector and others in the field of additives and contaminants in milk and dairy products. The work includes the standardization of methods by conducting collaborative studies and in-house studies on existing and new methods
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of dairy sector and others, relating to the analysis of the content in minor and main components of milk and milk products (protein, fat, sugars …) by chemical and biochemical means, and to detect adulteration.
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of dairy sector and others, relevant towards the detection and/or enumeration of beneficial microorganisms used in dairy foods (lactic acid bacteria, probiotics, starter cultures etc.)., the determination of strain identity, and identification of species.
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of dairy sector and others related to the analysis of processing aids and indicators, including milk clotting enzymes, techniques for characterization of processing milk (heat treatment) or physical properties of milk and dairy products.
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of the dairy sector and others in the field of detection and/or enumeration of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and food spoilage microorganisms. When possible, contribute to the development of harmonized methods to integrate the dairy requirements (ISO TC 34/SC 9).
Role: To prepare and promote standardized methods of analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the use of dairy sector and others for automated methods of analysis and sampling, the statistical evaluation of analytical methods including guidance for the organization of interlaboratory studies and the statistical evaluation of the results obtained from these studies.
Role: To present and disseminate knowledge and discoveries in the field of nutritional science from the consumption of milk and milk products. To research the role of milk and milk products in the human diet, as well as maintaining relationships with international bodies such as FAO an WHO working in nutrition.
Mr. Gilles Froment
Gilles joined the IDF Board in 2020 as a representative elected by the General Assembly. He is Vice-President Government and Industry Relations for Lactalis Canada. Former chair of the Standing Committee for Dairy Policies and Economics for 6 years. Mr. Froment was elected IDF President in October 2024.
Dr. Richard Walton
Elected Chair of the SPCC in 2025, Dr. Richard Walton also serves on the IDF Standing Committee on Marketing and the IDF Standing Committee on Dairy Policies and Economics. He is Senior Advisor for Global Business and Industry Engagement at Meiji Co., Ltd. (Japan). With extensive expertise in dairy product R&D, intellectual property, and the development and validation of probiotics, Dr. Walton now focuses on international business strategy. He represents both Meiji and the Japan Dairy Association in several major international organizations.
Ms. Sharon Mitchell
Sharon Mitchell was elected as Chair of the IDF National Committees in October 2023, and is their representative on the IDF Board. Appointed National Secretary of the IDF National Committee of New Zealand in 2015, Mrs Mitchell has been involved in the work of IDF since 2003. Sharon is employed by Fonterra and is currently Programme Leader Global Sector Programmes.
Mr. Laurent Damiens
Laurent Damiens has been involved in IDF since 2008, as an expert in the Standing Committee on Marketing (SCM). Since then, he has been an active member, acted as chair and deputy chair of this Standing Committee and has been leading the IDF Task Force on Plant Based products. The addition of the “Global marketing trends” chapter in the IDF World Dairy Situation report is the concretization of a work he initiated. Being an expert in his field, he attended several IDF World Dairy Summit as speaker at the Marketing conferences.
Ms. Marilyn Hershey
Marilyn Hershey, Chair IDF BOARD MEMBER Marilyn Hershey is the chair of Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program. Marilyn and her husband Duane, own and operate Ar Joy Farms, LLC, a Pennsylvania family farm nestled about an hour west of Philadelphia and forty minutes north of the Chesapeake Bay. Their long family history of dairy farming is evident as they care for the land (550 acres), the animals (800 milking cows) and their employees. Environmental stewardship is a priority for the Hersheys and they have many on-farm practices that conserve water and soil, reducing their carbon footprint. In 2017, they installed a methane digester, taking manure from the cows and converting it to electricity. They are also able to incorporate food waste from the local community, increasing the amount of gas produced from the methane digester. The digester produces enough gas to run their farm as well as contribute to their community. At the 2025 World Dairy Summit, Marilyn was elected to the board of directors of the International Dairy Federation, filling the one dedicated seat for a farmer representative. In 2023, Marilyn received the prestigious “Soul of Rurality” award from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture for her leadership of the dairy checkoff’s global efforts on behalf of American’s dairy farm families. In 2017, Marilyn was recognized as World Dairy Expo’s Dairy Woman of the Year and in 2018 she was honored by Corteva Agriscience on International Day of Rural Women as one of ten women recognized from around the world for her leadership in agriculture. Marilyn also writes a regular column for Hoard’s Dairyman. Dairy Management Inc.™ is the domestic and international planning and management organization responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of America’s dairy farmers and dairy importers. DMI manages the American Dairy Association®, National Dairy Council®, the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.
Mr. Melt Loubser
Melt Loubser, B.Sc-degree [Civil Engineering] –Managing Director and shareholder of Companies. He shares more than 35 years of engineering related, agriculture and business experience. He started his career as a Civil Engineer He was a founder member of the Fair Cape Group of Companies in January 1995, and has been the Managing Director ever since. Melt and the Fair Cape Team jointly turned it into a well respected and leading South African Dairy organisation. Melt devoted his time and energy, not only towards serving the dairy industry of South Africa, but also internationally. He is a FOUNDER member of the South African Milk Processors Organization AND SERVES AS Chairman since 2009. He serves on the Board of Directors of Milk SA since its inception in December 2002 and as President of SANCIDF since 2010 where he was instrumental to one of the most successful and memorable World Dairy Summits held in Cape Town, 2012. His extensive experience in leadership roles in the South African Dairy industry has led to an in depth understanding of the vital importance of dealing with common challenges of any industry, as a collective, and as a prerequisite for growth and prosperity. Milk SA is fully alligned with the scientific approach of IDF on common matters including amongst others Consumer education, research and development, markets and economies, Dairy standards and regulations, quality and nutrition, training and development, custom duties and market access.
Ms. Tjitske Regina Bolt
Tjitske is a hands-on, purpose-driven professional with nearly 25 years of international work experience in public and private sector. Her analytical, empathetic and diplomatic skills enable her to get to the heart of matters quickly and to easily connect to others with the aim of finding lasting solutions to intricate problems. Tjitske is an energetic, open and honest, optimistic and resilient person. Tjitske was born and raised in Friesland, the Netherlands’ province well known for its dairy farming. She lives near The Hague with her husband and two children.
Dr Meenesh Shah
Dr Meenesh Shah joined the board in 2023. He is the Chairman & Managing Director of National Dairy Development Board of India. He has an illustrious and multifaceted career of more than 38 years in Dairy sector championing the cause of small and marginal dairy farmers and women empowerment. He has been a great proponent of innovations and has been instrumental in conceptualising, planning and implementation of several scientific interventions in the dairy and allied sectors for bringing about efficiencies, effectiveness and sustainability across the value chain.
Dr Zhanyou YUN
Zhanyou joined the IDF Board in 2023 as a processing sector representative. He is the Vice President of Yili, a member of Standing Committee on Dairy Science and Technology (SCDST), and a distinguished expert of the Chinese National Committee of IDF (CNCIDF). He is active in international dairy forums.
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