National Milk Producers Federation

Dairy animal care is likely to get additional attention regionally and nationally in 2010, and NMPF’s response to that focus is to both stress the steps farmers take to provide proper animal husbandry, and tout the benefits of the new National dairy FARM program unveiled in 2009. The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program offers a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program that demonstrates U.S. milk producers are committed to the highest quality standards.

The FARM program’s quick user reference guide is now available for distribution to producers, as a prelude to the on-farm education process later this year. NMPF cooperatives interested in sharing that information with their farmers should contact Betsy Flores on the NMPF staff.

Certain animal care practices, such as tail docking and dehorning, have been portrayed by animal rights groups and some in the media as unacceptable practices that should be banned from on-farm use. With the proper protocols in place and the use of anesthetics, these practices can be used safely and completed with minimal pain to the animals. Producers using these practices should consult with a veterinarian to review protocols and procedures.

In a letter sent last week to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), NMPF again pressed for full exclusion of New Zealand’s dairy products in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This new U.S. trade initiative would include New Zealand, Vietnam, and Brunei, as well as four existing U.S. FTA partners: Australia, Chile, Singapore, and Peru.

Although NMPF believed in the importance of balanced trade and in the potential for well-negotiated trade agreements to benefit the U.S. dairy industry as a whole, each agreement must be judged on its own merits.

A U.S.-New Zealand TPP would negatively impact the U.S. dairy industry. NMPF estimated that milk prices received by producers would drastically drop and gross revenues received by U.S. dairy farmers would plunge by a cumulative $20 billion over the first 10 years of the FTA if U.S. dairy restrictions on exports from New Zealand were fully phased out in the TPP FTA.

Nearly 50 House members of the Congressional Dairy Farmer Caucus also sent a letter to USTR Ambassador Ron Kirk expressing their support for exclusion of U.S.-New Zealand dairy trade under the TPP.

The International Trade Commission (ITC) will hold a hearing in March on the economic impact of this new FTA. NMPF has already met with ITC staff about their analysis and plans to testify at the hearing.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), introduced a disapproval resolution last month to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The Senator was joined by 40 Senate colleagues, including Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).

Should the resolution pass, it would not only prevent EPA from moving forward on regulating greenhouse gasses, it would also send a clear signal that the Senate is not ready to move on climate change legislation this year. There is no word yet regarding when the resolution would come up for a vote, but it will not likely be before March. A similar or companion resolution has not been introduced in the House of Representatives, but there are several pieces of legislation that restrict EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.

NMPF, along with more than 130 other agriculture organizations, signed the letter supporting Sen. Murkowski’s resolution. The letter is available on the NMPF website.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) held its 91st annual meeting in Seattle last month. The delegates debated resolutions and policy amendments, and dairy policy was debated for nearly an hour.

The Farm Bureau passed a resolution stating the organization’s opposition to mandatory supply management. AFBF policy continues to support the CWT program. Delegates removed a resolution supporting lower somatic cell counts in fluid milk. Lastly, AFBF reiterated support for more dairy products to be consumed through the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.

In order to bolster NMPF’s capabilities regarding scientific and technical issues, NMPF has hired Dr. Beth Briczinski as the Director of Dairy Foods & Nutrition. She began on Feb. 1.

Briczinski's main responsibilities include food processing and security, food safety and public health, human nutrition, labeling, and domestic and international standards of identity. She joins Jamie Jonker, Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs and Betsy Flores, Director of Regulatory Affairs in the regulatory department.

Originally from Camp Hill, PA, Briczinski earned a BS, MS, and PhD in Food Science from the Pennsylvania State University, where she eventually specialized in dairy foods research. Her thesis research focused on dairy microbiology, specifically the physiology and characterization of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.

Briczinski came to NMPF from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she served on the staff of the Food Science Department and developed and taught courses in the undergraduate curricula for both Food Science and Dietetics majors. She can be reached at bbriczinski@nmpf.org.