NMPF’s executive vice president Paul Bleiberg discusses the current agenda for Congress as the leadership transitions in Washington from President Biden to President-elect Trump. Bleiberg also highlights that the USDA plans to soon open the 2025 sign-up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program, for those farmers not already enrolled in the federal safety net.
Author: Chris Galen
NMPF’s Galen Reviews 2024 Highlights, Latest on Farm Bill Extension
NMPF’s senior vice president Chris Galen outlines for Dairy Radio Now listeners how Congress is wrapping together a farm bill extension with a government funding bill, just a few days before Christmas, and how NMPF will work with Congress on a new farm bill early in 2025. He also summarizes highlights for dairy farmers from 2024, including strong margins and near-record levels of dairy consumption.
NMPF’s Bleiberg Assesses Agenda for Congressional Lame Duck Session
NMPF’s chief lobbyist Paul Bleiberg explains for listeners of Dairy Radio Now what Congress will focus on during the first few weeks of December in the congressional lame duck session that is following last month’s election. Members of the House and Senate will have to address government spending for 2025, but are not expected to pass a new farm bill in 2024, instead preferring to extend current policy and work on a new version next year.
NMPF’s Ayache Explains Benefits of new FARM Environmental Stewardship Component
NMPF Chief Sustainability Officer Nicole Ayache, in an interview for Dairy Radio Now, explains how farmers can benefit from using the new information tool that allows a more precise computation of their carbon footprint. The FARM Environmental Stewardship program recently refined the voluntary model to help track the progress being made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
NMPF’s Bleiberg Analyzes November Election Results
NMPF’s chief lobbyist Paul Bleiberg assesses for listeners of Dairy Radio Now how the election of former president Donald Trump, along with a Senate majority led by the GOP, will impact dairy policy and agricultural issues in Washington and in farm country going forward.
NMPF’s Galen Offers Highlights of 2024 Annual Meeting in Phoenix
NMPF’s Senior Vice President Chris Galen reviews highlights of National Milk’s 2024 annual meeting in Phoenix for the listeners of Dairy Radio Now. The annual conference, which just concluded Oct. 23, reviewed NMPF’s work this year on FMMO modernization, the farm bill, and dealing with HPAI in dairy cows.
NMPF’s Galen Previews Upcoming Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix
NMPF’s Senior Vice President Chris Galen provides Dairy Radio Now listeners the highlights of National Milk’s 2024 annual meeting in Phoenix, which runs Oct. 20-23. The annual conference, held jointly with the dairy checkoff, will feature keynote presentations on new revenue opportunities for farmers, an assessment of the upcoming November elections, a psychographic profile of the farmer of the future, and a presentation from the CEO of Domino’s Pizza. The meeting also brings together the Young Cooperator program representatives from NMPF’s member co-ops.
NMPF’s Rice Updates Dairy Radio Now Listeners on New Export Challenges
NMPF’s Director of Trade Policy Tony Rice tells Dairy Radio Now listeners how NMPF is working to prevent a loss of milk powder exports to Colombia, which is taking unjustified steps to raise tariffs on U.S. products. Rice also provides an outlook of the potential impact on the dairy sector if a threatened labor strike materializes next week in Eastern and Southern ports.
Dairy Radio Now Listeners Learn of House Hearing Examining FDA Labeling Failure
NMPF’s Executive Vice President Paul Bleiberg explains for Dairy Radio Now listeners why the House of Representatives held a hearing this week to examine how the Food and Drug Administration is focusing its resources. Bleiberg said Deputy FDA Commissioner Jim Jones faced scrutiny from lawmakers about the agency’s failure to enforce standards of identity for the labeling of plant-based dairy imitators, a point NMPF has been raising for years.
NMPF Board to Consider Refreshed CWT Program in August
NMPF’s Senior Vice President of Member Services, Chris Galen, outlines for Dairy Radio Now listeners the process underway in 2024 to revise the Cooperatives Working Together program. Since 2003, CWT has served as a farmer-funded self-help program; now, farmers and coops are considering a package of changes to CWT to make it even more impactful in helping sell U.S.-made dairy foods in foreign markets. Galen reports that the NMPF Board of Directors will vote on those improvements on Aug. 22.
NMPF Defending Need for Dairy Foods in Dietary Guidelines Refresh
NMPF’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Miquela Hanselman, explains to Dairy Radio Now listeners what to expect in the coming year from the federal government’s twice-a-decade-effort to generate food consumption recommendations through the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. NMPF has been providing input the past two years to the scientific experts considering how dairy foods fit into an overall healthy diet, as the refreshed guidelines are due in 2025.
FARM Program Updates Animal Care Standards
NMPF’s Senior Director of FARM Animal Care, Beverly Hampton Phifer, tells Dairy Radio Now listeners about the series of changes being implemented this summer to the FARM Animal Care program. The program is now initiating its 5th version, featuring updates to its standards that reflect best practices for dairy cattle. The FARM program is also updating its newer, voluntary environmental and farm worker programs as those areas continues to draw attention from customer and consumers.
