Cornell's milk-quality program -- the largest in the nation -- is now the most qualified in North America.

The Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine is the first lab in North America to receive the highest standard of international accreditation possible: the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 from the International Organization for Standardization.

"At QMPS, we educate individuals working in many aspects of the dairy industry, from milking crews, veterinarians and milk inspectors to its most important customer, the consumer," said Ynte Schukken, director of QMPS, at a celebration event in Ithaca Dec. 10.

"We are a science-based organization that uses the most effective methods and technology to help producers improve dairy product quality and safety. Our work contributes to consumer confidence in the dairy industry, but more importantly, for consumers, work touches everyone's table -- whether it's the milk on their cereal, yogurt for lunch or the Parmesan cheese sprinkled over their spaghetti," he said. "The Quality Milk lab makes sure that these products exist, that they are safe for you to consume, and that they are of the highest possible quality."

Laboratories that obtain the ISO/IEC17025:2005 accreditation have both management and quality systems that ensure consistent and valid reporting of results for the tests in which they are accredited.

The five-year process to earn the accreditation is a tangible demonstration of the lab's commitment to being the best that it can be, according to Schukken. The 63-year-old lab employs a staff of 40 veterinarians, microbiologists, technicians and office staff who are housed in four locations across the state. They serve the needs of about 8,000 farms in such states as New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Maine, Ohio and California.

New York enjoys the best quality milk among all the large dairy states in the nation, said Patrick Hooker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, at the celebration event. "New York is very proactive in having animal health and animal welfare programs in place. QMPS and the entire Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell play a crucial role in safeguarding the health and welfare of all dairy cows in New York."