Jaime Castaneda, NMPF Senior Vice President for Policy Strategy and International Trade, discusses concerns about how Canada may be reducing access to its dairy market through its use of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) on the Adams on Agriculture podcast.
Author: Alan Bjerga
NMPF’s Bjerga on Dairy’s Dramatic Turnaround
Alan Bjerga, NMPF’s Senior Vice President for Communications, discusses the dramatic rally in dairy prices, how federal assistance has helped, the economic outlook for the sector and a potential shift in consumer habits, in an interview on WEKZ radio, Janesville, Wisconsin.
NMPF’s Galen Explains CFAP Payments
NMPF Senior Vice President Chris Galen discusses the ins and outs of payments under the new Coronavirus Food Assistance Program on the Brownfield Ag News Network. An accompanying article can be found here.
USDA Aid Helpful, DMC Working, NMPF’s Bleiberg Says
NMPF’s Vice President for Government Relations, Paul Bleiberg, discusses new USDA payments for dairy producers and the effectiveness of the Dairy Margin Coverage Program on the “Adams on Agriculture” podcast.
NMPF’s Bleiberg on HEROES Act
Paul Bleiberg, NMPF’s vice president for government relations, discusses plans to aid dairy farmers via House of Representatives legislation on the Adams on Agriculture podcast.
NMPF’s Bjerga on Falling Dairy Revenues
NMPF’s Senior Vice President of Communications, Alan Bjerga, explains why dairy-revenue declines are being felt hardest now and how that makes USDA loss calculations key for future assistance, on RFD-TV.
NMPF’s Bleiberg Discusses New Federal Aid for Dairy
NMPF’s vice president for government affairs, Paul Bleiberg, discusses the USDA’s recently announced aid to dairy farmers, and where assistance efforts go from here, on the Adams on Agriculture podcast.
NMPF CEO Jim Mulhern discusses dairy’s request for federal aid
NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern discusses the dairy industry’s request for federal aid on the “Adams on Agriculture” podcast.
Dairy Farmers Elated at Homeland Security’s Reaffirmation of Food and Agriculture as a Critical Industry
ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Milk Producers Federation, the largest organization of U.S. dairy farmers, applauded the Trump Administration’s explanation that the food and agriculture is a critical infrastructure industry in the wake of the coronavirus national emergency, a move that encourages state and local authorities to allow farms and the entire food-supply chain to continue operating as usual amid current and potential restrictions created to stem the spread of the virus.
“This declaration allows farmers to do what they do best – feed U.S. consumers – in a time of acute need and anxiety,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Agriculture is working around the clock to ensure timely delivery of safe, abundant food. That’s what farmers always do – but in a time of unprecedented public-health concern, a fully functioning food system is even more critical to national health and well-being.”
The administration’s designation of “essential critical infrastructure workforce” was announced today by the Department of Homeland Security. NMPF has been deeply involved with the federal government in food supply-chain discussions throughout the coronavirus crisis: Its senior vice president of regulatory and environmental affairs, Clay Detlefsen, is the private-sector chair of the Food and Agricultural Sector Coordinating Council, an industry-government collaboration set up after the Sept. 2001 terror attacks to share information between government agencies and private businesses.
The Homeland Security declaration reflects how effectively industry is working with government and how much that relationship has progressed in this crisis, Detlefsen said. “We’re witnessing incredible collaboration among the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other government agencies and all sectors of the food industry. That’s been crucial to keeping supply chains running during these crucial days for public health and confidence.
“These key partnerships are firing on all cylinders,” Detlefsen said. “Agriculture’s appropriate designation as a critical industry should bring relief to farm families who want to help their country as well as to consumers who now know the world’s greatest agricultural producers can meet their needs unimpeded.”
Note: Listen to this podcast for more on Detlefsen’s role in the crisis and his thoughts on government response.
NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern Discusses the Coronavirus and Dairy
National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern discusses challenges facing the dairy supply chain, NMPF’s role as a resource in federal decision-making and how dairy farmers will do their part to weather the coronavirus crisis and continue serving consumers on the “Adams on Agriculture” podcast.
Coronavirus Update
As cases of the coronavirus disease (also known as COVID-19) continue to be found in the United States, food-industry professionals are monitoring public health while preparing for any market effects. The spread of the virus has raised concerns about how it may affect public health as well as our economy, including dairy production. This page offers general resources about the virus, its spread, the disease it causes, and how people can protect themselves, as well as NMPF resources focused on dairy’s response to the pandemic.
Pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe.
The FDA has confirmed that heat treatment kills other coronaviruses, so pasteurization is expected to also inactivate this virus. In addition, there is no evidence that this strain of coronavirus is present in domestic livestock such as cattle. The virus is spread through aerosol transmission and close human contact, not through food products.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES
NMPF in the News:
- NMPF Reassures Consumers as Safe, Steady Dairy Production Continues
- NMPF March 13 statement on coronavirus response
- NMPF on RFD-TV discussion of coronavirus and dairy impact (March 12)
Additional Coronavirus Information:
- This fact sheet on coronavirus
- The USDA’s coronavirus response and information page: https://www.usda.gov/coronavirus
- The FDA’s coronavirus page: https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions
- The CDC’s coronavirus page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- Case tracker, courtesy of Johns Hopkins: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
NMPF Ready to Help Dairy Farmers Meet Coronavirus Challenges
In response to the continued spread of COVID-19 (the coronavirus) in the United States and the virus’s potential impact on domestic and international markets, National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern said the following:
“As the organization representing U.S. dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own, the National Milk Producers Federation stands ready to assist its members in addressing coronavirus challenges. From possible damages to domestic and world markets, to supply chain labor disruptions on the farm, at the processing plant or in transporting milk, the potential ramifications for dairy are wide-ranging. We will devote our resources to the best of our ability to helping dairy farmers and cooperatives respond to whatever challenges they may face.
“The good news is that the U.S. dairy supply is safe, and production of high-quality products continues unimpeded. The FDA has confirmed that heat treatment kills other coronaviruses, so pasteurization is expected to also inactivate this virus. In addition, there is no evidence that this strain of coronavirus is present in domestic livestock such as cattle.
“Still, all producers will remain vigilant as what has now been labeled a pandemic continues its path. We will continue to answer questions and offer information to help our members. Policy solutions also may be needed for producers whose operations have been affected by the virus. In keeping with our mission of serving our members, regardless of the challenge, we will work with lawmakers and regulators to ensure a safe and adequate supply of milk and to mitigate potential economic harm to dairy farmers.”
