Exports

NMPF Comments on AMS Program: November 1, 2011

In August 2011, the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS), Dairy Programs released a draft of the “European Health Certification Program” to dairy industry trade associations and their members for review and comment. On November 1, 2011, after gathering member feedback, NMPF submitted comments and questions to USDA-AMS, expressing general support for the program and requesting additional clarification on specific points.

 

Obama Requests Input on NEI to Expand U.S. Dairy Export Markets: July 26, 2010

NMPF submitted joint comments with the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) in response to President Obama’s call for input on the National Export Initiative (NEI), a goal to double U.S. exports over five years (from 2009 levels). NMPF and USDEC focused on several important areas which would help to reach this goal and either stimulate or safeguard dairy export markets for U.S. products:

  • Resolve Unjustified SPS Requirements and Other Non-Tariff Barriers
  • Create New Access Opportunities for U.S. Dairy Exports
  • Preserve Existing Access and Allow it to Grow
  • Understand Impact of Trade Decisions on Overall U.S. Dairy Industry
  • Continue and Expand Federal Programs that Support U.S. Exports
  • Revise Federal Regulations that Impede Exports

 

NMPF and USDEC Challenge EU SCC Requirements: June 22, 2010

In a joint letter, NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) wrote to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the deeply concerning Somatic Cell Count (SCC) Requirements the EU was seeking to impose on U.S. dairy exports to the EU. This issue posed a significant challenge to a number of NMPF’s member cooperatives, and the U.S. dairy industry, in general, and also expanded upon the EU’s history of inappropriately imposing government certification requirements on quality criteria for U.S. dairy exports.

Over the past 13 years that the U.S.-EU dairy certification program has been in existence, exporters have been permitted to sample milk at the comingled (i.e. tank or silo) level to provide assurance that the milk being processed for export is under 400,000 SCC/mL. However, the EU’s latest requirements would impose an on-farm rolling three month geometric mean limit of 400,000 SCC/mL, with an additional three months “grace period” for farms to come back into compliance with the 400,000 limit during which the farm would remain an acceptable supplier of milk from the EU’s perspective.

NMPF and USDEC requested a meeting with FDA to further discuss the many concerns of the U.S. dairy industry regarding this issue – from a scientific standpoint as well as from a WTO compliance standpoint – in advance of a meeting FDA plans to hold with EU authorities in early July on this issue.

The letter is available here.

 

Dairy Groups Urge Response to Chinese Dairy Certificate Issue: June 1, 2010

In a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), NMPF, the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) expressed concern over the uncertain situation facing U.S. food-grade dairy exports to China. This situation posed a very serious challenge to the dairy industry at a fragile time in the recovery of the U.S. dairy market, while also putting at risk significant recent and future opportunities in a rapidly growing market.

The letter is available here.