Author: Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF Statement on Senate Farm Bill Proposal

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:

“NMPF thanks Chairman Boozman, Senate Agriculture Committee members, and their staffs for working to put together a farm bill that will bring greater certainty to producers. Dairy farmers look forward to working with senators to get this legislation passed and into conference with the already passed House bill, where lawmakers can craft the best legislation possible.”

 

Some key dairy highlights of the bill include:

  • Authorizing mandatory cost and yield surveys to ensure future changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Orders reflect the most current market conditions, building off funding in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA);
  • Extending the Dairy Indemnity Program and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program and making permanent the Dairy Forward Pricing Program;
  • Supporting voluntary, producer-led conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), with a continued designation of conservation funds for livestock producers;
  • Streamlining the process for conservation Technical Service Provider certification to ensure producers have access to qualified individuals to help fill the gaps in needed technical assistance;
  • Establishing a long-term policy directive for the U.S. government to proactively negotiate protections for common cheese names like “parmesan” and “feta,” as championed by NMPF;
  • Reassigning export promotion funding initially included in the OBBBA into existing Farm Bill programs like the Market Access Program to make it easier to use by USDA’s international promotion partners, including the U.S. Dairy Export Council;
  • Establishing the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program and allowing additional milk, yogurt, and cheese products to be eligible;
  • Expanding the REAP Program to include farmer-owned cooperatives;
  • Modernizing FDA’s regulatory framework for approving animal feed ingredients to put American farmers on a level playing field with the rest of the world on innovative technologies in the feed industry;
  • Expanding opportunities for animal health programs to receive additional funding through annual appropriations;
  • Clarifying that whole milk may be served in the school breakfast program;
  • Increasing the authorization of funding for Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives that support the development, production, marketing and distribution of dairy products;
  • Expanding economic opportunities for farmers to partner with local food distribution organizations to provide fresh, locally grown foods, including milk and other dairy products, to eligible community institutions; and
  • Making improvements to the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network and increasing funding through annual appropriations.

 

Ultra-Processed Foods Definition Elusive

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

What, exactly, is an ultra-processed food? Proposals about, and FDA may be weighing in. But figuring out what a definition should and shouldn’t cover is a difficult task, said Chad Galer, vice president of product innovation and food safety for Dairy Management, Inc.

“I think it’s a risk that it might be a bit oversimplified,” said Galer, who worked for 16 years at Kraft Foods before joining DMI. “It should be more of a matrixed approach where you are balancing the nutrition and the processing.”

Galer discusses some of the health benefits of dairy products that can be affected by differing ultra-processed definitions, including flavored yogurt and cheese. To hear more Dairy Defined podcasts, you can find and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”

 

NMPF Statement on Trump Administration Plan to Improve Dairy H-2A Access

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:

“Dairy farmers appreciate the new clarification released by the Trump administration outlining how dairy operations may use the H-2A agricultural worker program. The dairy industry has long sought access to the H-2A program, and this guidance will help open the door for dairies to begin using this program. We applaud secretaries Rollins and Mullin and acting Secretary Sonderling for their proactive leadership on this issue and look forward to learning more about these important new changes.

“NMPF pledges to work with both Congress and the administration to secure long-term certainty for the dairy workforce, including solutions to transition to H-2A, which will ensure that dairies across the nation are set up to thrive, boosting rural communities and providing Americans and the world with high-quality, nutritious products.”

Product warning labels: a global fight for dairy

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Tony Rice HeadshotBy Tony Rice, Senior Director, Trade Policy, and Miquela Hanselman, MPH, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs

Walk down a grocery aisle in some countries and you might see large black stop signs or ominous-looking warning symbols on food packages. These are called front-of-package labels (FOPL), and they’re a simplistic way to flag products that contain high levels of added sugar, sodium, or saturated fats. While the intent here is to spur healthier eating, in practice these labels often result in treating a can of diet soda as a health product while covering a carton of whole or chocolate milk in caution labels.

When a public health policy discourages consumption of nutritious foods, it’s clearly not working the way it should. That’s a serious problem for consumers and dairy farmers everywhere. It impacts the size of the total dairy demand pie in these markets, putting U.S. export opportunities at risk in the process.

That’s why the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council are working hard to make sure dairy isn’t unfairly stamped with labels that discourage consumption and ignore dairy’s well-established nutritional benefits.

 

The fight in Latin America

Three of the most active regulatory battlegrounds right now are in Latin America.

In Chile, a market worth $100 million in U.S. dairy exports last year, a FOPL requirement was rolled out in 2019. As part of that requirement, milk, yogurt, and cheese that exceed the government’s thresholds for calories, saturated fats, sugars, and sodium must include a prominent warning label. NMPF and USDEC have been partnering with the Chilean Federation of Milk Producers to pursue dairy-specific exemptions and align this labeling scheme with the Chilean government’s dietary guidelines, which recognize dairy’s health benefits.

In Colombia, a market worth $183 million in U.S. dairy exports last year, the stakes are equally high. Regulators there are weighing a draft labeling proposal that threatens to label most dairy products as “ultra-processed” simply because production of these nutritious products requires certain processing steps or functional additives. NMPF and USDEC submitted formal comments to Colombia last month, and are working with allied Colombian dairy partners to advocate for exempting nutrient-dense dairy foods from any FOPL requirements.

Meanwhile, in Mexico, we’ve spent the past six years working hand in hand with dairy partners in that $2.6 billion dairy export market to steer Mexico’s FOPL regulation in a more workable direction, and stave off a misguided final stage that could have barred the use of many dairy products in publicly-funded facilities like schools and hospitals.

Educating decision-makers

Policy change doesn’t happen overnight, and it often depends on whether the people making decisions truly understand the science. That’s why USDEC, with the support of the National Dairy Council and NMPF, organized the NutriLact Congress 2026, a dairy nutrition congress held this past February in Lima, Peru, for more than 300 scientists, health officials, policymakers, and other attendees from 17 countries across Latin America. The event highlighted to policymakers, and the health practitioner organizations they work with, the unique ability of dairy products to address nutrient shortfalls across every stage of life, from pregnancy and early childhood through healthy aging.

The bottom line for dairy farmers

A warning label on cheese or milk overseas might seem like a distant problem, but it has real consequences for demand, exports, and the long-term reputation of dairy. NMPF and USDEC are on the front lines working to make sure that American dairy products don’t get misrepresented by a black stop sign. Through partnerships with like-minded organizations in the region and educational initiatives like NutriLact, the industry is building the relationships it needs to win this fight over the long haul.

 

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on June 15, 2026.

Dairy Industry Leader Testifies before Congress on USMCA Dairy Priorities

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Michael Lichte, Chief Insights and Optimization Officer for Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), testified today before the House Committee on Agriculture on the importance of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to U.S. dairy and the need for strengthening dairy implementation and enforcement during the agreement’s forthcoming joint review. Lichte served as a witness representing the National Milk Producers Federation as a board member and the U.S. Dairy Export Council as a director.

“Export demand now accounts for 17% of total U.S. milk production and has become one of the primary drivers of incremental growth across the dairy sector,” Lichte said. “For DFA and the U.S. dairy industry broadly, USMCA remains one of the most consequential trade agreements affecting long-term competitiveness, manufacturing investment, and farm-level economic stability. That’s why it’s essential that we strengthen and renew it.”

Mexico and Canada together account for more than 40% of all U.S. dairy exports by value. Lichte’s testimony focused on Canada’s administration of its dairy tariff-rate quotas in a manner that limits trade and its circumvention of USMCA export disciplines for dairy proteins, while also highlighting the importance of preserving U.S. exporters’ ability to use common cheese names like “feta” in Mexico.

On Canada, Lichte documented chronic underfill of negotiated dairy tariff-rate quotas, with cumulative fill rates reaching only 64% for industrial-use cheese, 34% for fluid milk, and just 7% for skim milk powder through 2025. He also detailed Canada’s growing use of alternative tariff classifications to move surplus dairy proteins into U.S. and global markets in ways that evade USMCA’s dairy protein export caps, a practice confirmed by a May 2026 U.S. International Trade Commission report.

“The underlying market distortions USMCA sought to discipline continue to affect U.S. manufacturers and global dairy protein markets,” Lichte added. “With appropriate enforcement and modernization, USMCA can continue supporting investment, export growth, and economic opportunity for the United States’ dairy farmers and processors for generations to come.”

A link to the written testimony can be found here.

It’s a GLP-1 World. You Need Dairy to Live in It

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Is he, or isn’t he? Increasingly, he is.

With each passing year, GLP-1 receptor agonists used for weight loss and diabetes management (and showing promise in other areas of treatment) are becoming increasingly mainstream, changing the waistlines, health outcomes — and diets — of Americans.

Source: MealFan, GLP-1 Statistics 2026, May 2026

But for all their benefits, wonder drugs don’t come without consequences. People may eat less and manage weight better, but they still need nutrition, and that makes every bite more important. In this brave new world, dairy stands out. Why?

  • One word: Protein. Dairy products provide high-quality protein in relatively small portions, which is important when appetites are curbed. Greek yogurt, milk, and cheese deliver complete proteins containing all essential amino acids, keeping muscles strong and metabolism healthy as body weight declines.
  • Beyond protein, let’s not forget about the 13 essential nutrients dairy provides, especially the micronutrients that are harder to obtain when calorie intake drops. Calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and vitamin B12 all play essential roles in bone health, nerve function, and energy metabolism. Maintaining bone density is important during weight loss — dairy supports that goal.
  • Dairy also offers a convenient nutrition source when meals are smaller. Heavy meals unmanageable? How about yogurt, cottage cheese, or a smoothie? Need some variety and versatility? How about dairy and fruit, a dairy-based shake, or used as a base for savory dishes This flexibility allows individuals to maintain consistent nutrient intake without feeling overwhelmed.
  • Another advantage is dairy’s role in satiety and glycemic control. The combination of protein, fat (in some varieties), and carbohydrates helps slow digestion and promote a feeling of fullness. For individuals managing blood sugar alongside GLP-1 therapy, milk and yogurt provide a steady, moderate source of carbohydrates without sharp spikes, complementing the blood sugar-lowering effects of the medication.

When appetite is reduced, nutritional efficiency becomes critical. Dairy delivers a powerful combination of protein, essential nutrients, digestibility, and satiety. For people using GLP-1s, it’s a simple, effective way to maintain balanced nutrition and support long-term health. And as an industry that thinks long term, promoting dairy’s benefits in a GLP world helps everyone.

NMPF Statement on the Return of New World Screwworm

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:

The return of New World screwworm to the United States decades after its initial eradication is a disappointing milestone, but it’s also one for which dairy producers have been preparing for more than a year, in collaboration with USDA and across agriculture. It’s important to remember that this development has no effect on food safety, and that measures to combat both the screwworm and its spread are in place and time-tested. We appreciate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proactive efforts to prepare for this moment, and we stand ready to work with the department to address any ongoing challenges. 

Now that USDA has confirmed that screwworm is here, dairy farmers and all livestock producers pledge close collaboration with USDA, state and local officials, and producer organizations to mitigate any harmful effects and educate farmers on how to protect their herds. We have been creating resources to guide farmers in their responses, and we will keep our members well informed of any important screwworm developments.  

We also urge officials to follow scientific guidance in any decisions affecting animal movements and regulatory responses to avoid causing economic harm that could be greater than the screwworm itself. We also ask that adequate resources be provided to combat this problem, which causes suffering in animals and creates risk for producers. 

April DMC Margin Up Almost a Dollar over March

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The April margin under USDA’s Margin Coverage Program was $10.54/cwt, $0.97/cwt higher than the month before and marking the second consecutive month this year for which the Program generated no payment at any coverage level. The higher margin was driven by a $1.10/cwt increase in the all-milk price from March and a rise of $0.13/cwt of milk in the April DMC feed cost formula, driven almost equally by small increases in the formula’s three feed components.

At the end of May, the DMC Decision Tool on the USDA website projected there would be no other DMC payments this year other than a possible small one for August. That forecast for the remaining eight months of the year showed a somewhat unusual two-peaked structure for the monthly DMC margins, hitting peaks just above $11.00/cwt in both May and November, with an interim trough of $9.70/cwt in August, and averaging $10.05/cwt for the year.

NMPF Urges USTR to Protect Common Names in AGOA Modernization

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF, USDEC, and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) submitted formal comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on May 13, making the case that reauthorization of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) should include explicit protections for common food names as an eligibility condition.

AGOA is a U.S. trade law that provides sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market when they meet certain economic and human rights conditions.

The comments commended the Trump administration for prioritizing and including common name provisions in nine reciprocal trade agreements to date, which ensure U.S. dairy exporters can market products under globally recognized generic terms like “parmesan” and “feta.” The three organizations urged USTR to extend that momentum to AGOA by making common name protections an explicit eligibility condition for beneficiary countries.

The stakes are significant as the European Union has aggressively used geographical indication provisions in trade agreements to lock out U.S. competitors by monopolizing generic cheese terms. AGOA modernization offers a powerful lever to reverse that trend, and NMPF is collaborating with allies in Congress and the administration to secure a level playing field for U.S. dairy across Africa.