Author: Rachel Ravencraft

The Past Year Has Been a Great NEXT Year

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Here’s something to celebrate: The NMPF Export and Trade (NEXT) program is one year old, and already it’s a critical part of dairy’s export success.

NEXT is a voluntary, U.S. dairy product sales overseas and seeks a better alignment of supply and demand for milk and milk products at home. Member cooperatives provide the funding for NEXT by contributing two cents per hundredweight of milk marketed.

That may sound similar to the former Cooperatives Working Together program, but NEXT improves on it in multiple ways. After years of discussions with our members about how to strengthen CWT’s approach — revamp what CWT did, from eligible products to program structure — NEXT is more targeted, more flexible and more transparent, with clear benefits that’s showing through positive effects for its members.

Through NEXT’s first year, which ended at the beginning of July, NEXT committed export assistance on more than 315 million pounds of dairy products destined for international markets. That’s a 73% greater volume than in 2024, the last year of the CWT program, at a cost to its members that’s half of the CWT assessment.

Here are some numbers showing what NEXT is achieving:

  • In its inaugural year, NEXT supported exports of the equivalent of 74 million pounds of butter in the form of butter, anhydrous milkfat and whole milk powder. Add the milkfat exported in the form of cheese, and that figure soars to 126 million pounds of butter equivalent. For comparison, if you changed the U.S. butter standard from 80% to 82%, that would increase U.S. butter use by around 50 million pounds.
  • Beyond helping build overseas markets for U.S. milkfat, NEXT is keeping U.S. cheese competitive in international markets, supporting exports of more than 127 million pounds of cheese.
  • NEXT is also supporting more markets than CWT did. NEXT supported exports to 37 countries over the past 12 months, more than one-third more than CWT would in a typical year.
  • NEXT’s new target market pilots, which provide additional support in key growth markets or markets where U.S. product is preferentially disadvantaged compared to competitors, have also borne fruit. For instance, the United States has once again overtaken New Zealand as the largest butter supplier to Mexico, with NEXT supported volume accounting for over half of the total increase in U.S. sales.
  • Similarly, NEXT’s Skim Milk Powder tariff mitigation program, which helps offset costs created by higher U.S. tariff rates, has helped spur a turnaround in U.S. exports to Indonesia despite U.S. prices sharply diverging from global markets for the past several months. In fact, NEXT commitments were roughly 40% of the U.S. total Nonfat Dry Milk/Skim Milk Powder exports to the country in the past year.

At a fundamental level, NEXT’s export investment has helped grow demand abroad for U.S. dairy and maintain the global competitiveness of participating cooperatives, even when U.S. prices have diverged from global markets.

More work remains to expand U.S. dairy’s presence overseas; NEXT remains just one tool in the toolbox for the U.S. dairy industry to grow export sales abroad. Still, NEXT has become an increasingly critical tool that complements the policy work done to maintain and expand market access abroad as well as the broader promotional efforts of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

Looking ahead, the program’s future is bright. It’s always seeking new input, and new members — we’re happy to work with any member co-op interested in learning more. We’re only one year in, and NEXT clearly is helping build a brighter future for dairy. We’re thrilled by the opportunity to lead.

 

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

U.S., Mexican Dairy Leaders Deepen Partnership as USMCA Talks Continue

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Dairy leaders from the United States and Mexico concluded the 2026 U.S.-Mexico Binational Dairy Summit today with a renewed commitment to strengthening collaboration between the two countries’ dairy sectors, reaffirming shared priorities on trade, innovation and the future of dairy farming against the backdrop of U.S.-Mexico negotiations related to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Held July 29-31 in Querétaro, Mexico, the event brought together dairy industry leaders from the National Milk Producers Federation, the U.S. Dairy Export Council and leading Mexican dairy organizations to discuss issues affecting producers, processors and consumers in both countries.

Participants reaffirmed key principles as part of the eighth annual dairy binational event, supporting policies that promote dairy sector growth and competitiveness in both countries and encouraging continued dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest. The organizations also adopted a new shared principle recognizing the importance of supporting the next generation of dairy farmers in both countries through the exchange of information and experience while creating new opportunities to collaborate on issues critical to the future of the dairy sector.

“The dairy trade relationship between the United States and Mexico is a true success story as our industries have grown in parallel for over three decades” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Central to that success is an open dialogue. We look forward to continuing work together to address shared challenges and develop our markets together.”

“Strong industry partnerships complement strong trade relationships,” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “Our continued collaboration helps ensure dairy producers and processors in both countries are well positioned to meet growing demand and strengthen the dairy sector in the United States and Mexico. We appreciate Mexico hosting this important event and we look forward to maintaining this critical relationship to support our farmers on both sides of the border.”

The organizations agreed to expand collaboration in the months ahead, with particular attention to supporting young dairy farmers, promoting dairy’s nutritional benefits and maintaining open communication as the USMCA review process advances.

The summit followed the third round of U.S.-Mexico negotiations related to the USMCA, in which NMPF and USDEC participated as advisors to U.S. trade negotiators, underscoring the importance of continued industry engagement as the two governments work to strengthen the bilateral trading relationship.

FARM program launches open comment period

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

By Meggan Hain, Chief Veterinary Officer

The internationally recognized National Dairy Farmer Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program helps dairy farmers, cooperatives, and processors demonstrate the industry’s commitment to strong on-farm best management practices, keeping U.S. dairy competitive and in the driver’s seat. Unlike most international programs, the FARM program was developed by the U.S. dairy industry and, as such, a key component is including farmers’ and dairy partners’ voices in the program updates.

The FARM program has opened its public comment period for proposed Version 2028 standards to gather farmer and industry insights. In addition to providing feedback on proposed Animal Care standards, participants will also have the opportunity to review proposed FARM Workforce Development (WFD) evaluation updates.

All dairy industry stakeholders are invited to provide comments, feedback, and concerns related to the proposed standards by Oct. 2. Click here to view the proposed standard updates and complete the survey.

Each FARM program area has a dedicated task force comprised of diverse farmers, subject matter experts and cooperative staff to ensure that the resulting standards and best management practices are science-backed, outcomes-based and facility- and size-neutral. The Farmer Advisory Council and respective task forces reviewed and proposed changes for Version 2028, which are included in the public comment survey.

Established in 2009 by the National Milk Producers Federation, the FARM Animal Care Program helps demonstrate to consumers and customers that U.S. dairy farmers are committed to providing excellent care of their dairy cattle while producing safe, wholesome milk. The program covers 99% of the fluid milk supply in the U.S., making farmer feedback critical to ensuring standards are practical and achievable.

Key areas discussed include the evaluation process for injured tails and fitness to transport guidelines. The groups also reviewed calf nutrition, animal observations, documentation requirements, and continuing education standards. Not all standards were reviewed for revision, reflecting that many Version 5 standards continue to meet current industry needs.

The Workforce Development program was established in 2018 and launched a best practice evaluation in 2020. This evaluation is separate from FARM Animal Care. Currently, 13 dairy cooperatives and processors participate in FARM Workforce Development, with more than 1,500 FARM Workforce Development Version 2 assessments completed in 2025.

Proposed changes to the Workforce Development evaluation tool include wording adjustments to improve clarity and farm-level relevance of questions; restructuring certain questions and their response options to be less prescriptive (e.g. on timing of safety self-inspections); and exploratory additions to the evaluation to cover additional topic areas.

Once the open comment period is closed, the respective committees will review submissions and consider feedback before proposing final recommendations to the NMPF board of directors in March 2027.

To stay informed on Version 2028 development, visit the FARM Program website.

 

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on July 27, 2026.

Whole Milk x 5 = The Importance of Trade

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Fact: Getting whole milk back in school meals this fall is a big deal.

Thanks to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and demand from parents across the country, the most popular variety of milk in the United States is back on lunch trays, benefiting the next generation of milk drinkers.

The return of whole and 2% varieties also will absorb a lot of U.S. butterfat, a boon for dairy producers who have struggled with a supply imbalance. A reasonable estimate of how much whole milk will be consumed by American schoolkids shows additional demand that would be equivalent to nearly 24 million pounds of milkfat — for perspective, that’s enough to make that’s almost 120 million sticks of butter — in additional market need. That boosts dairy demand and improves prices for farmers.

But amid the excitement of bringing whole and 2% milk to schools in the United States, another slower moving, but in some ways even bigger, story is worth a comparison, in part because it’s become so taken for granted that it doesn’t grab attention the same way as whole milk on a lunch plate: Just how much rising exports increasingly support dairy prosperity.

Back to those 120 million butter sticks. That’s the potential demand contribution from whole milk in schools. But in 2026, the amount of milkfat sent overseas rose by more than 160 million pounds from 2025. That’s about 800 million sticks of butter. And trade volumes keep growing, as the United States increases market share and rising global incomes increase demand for the high quality, nutritious, great tasting products that U.S. dairy farmers and their cooperatives supply.

So as summer vacation starts to wind down and kids look forward to better school nutrition this fall, remember there’s another good story beyond the classroom.

American milk producers advance by boosting demand at home, building a (literally) stronger future through a healthier population that relies on and appreciates dairy. But dairy’s future also lies in sales overseas, with an entire world of rising demand. Be thankful that American kids can get whole milk in schools. And also be thrilled that kids worldwide are benefiting just as much from all-American dairy.

U.S. Dairy Industry Supports Administration’s Dedication to Defending U.S. Dairy Market Access into Canada

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The White House announced earlier today that it is taking action to impose 50% tariffs on dairy imports from Canada to defend the rights of U.S. dairy exporters. The administration indicated it is invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to “…hold Canada accountable for its retaliation and discrimination…” The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council support the administration’s efforts to identify all possible avenues to drive Canada to make the necessary changes to its protectionist dairy trade practices.

“We appreciate the administration’s commitment to standing up for dairy farmers and manufacturers eager to make full use of the market access commitments Canada made under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA],” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “For far too long, Canada has intentionally misused its tariff rate quota system to impede the full use of USMCA dairy quotas. It’s time for Canada to come to the table and resolve this and other USMCA dairy issues. We look forward to working with the administration to ensure that all the intended dairy benefits of USMCA are fully realized.”

“Today’s assertive action by the administration makes clear to Canada that their dairy trade practices will no longer be tolerated,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Canada simply cannot continue to discriminate against U.S. dairy farmers by effectively blocking negotiated access to its market. It is well past time for Canada to negotiate in good faith and tackle the outstanding USMCA dairy implementation issues to help drive a successful conclusion of the USMCA review.”

Under USMCA, Canada committed to providing important additional quantities of duty-free access for U.S. dairy product exports to its market through the creation of several tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). Regrettably, Canada’s decisions on how to administer those TRQs have resulted in persistent underfill, denying the U.S. dairy industry of the intended market access opportunities. Additionally, Canada has used loopholes to evade USMCA disciplines on dairy protein exports. Both topics are priorities NMPF and USDEC have urged the administration to resolve during the ongoing USMCA Review.

Who will win the long game in protein markets?

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

By Will Loux, Senior Vice President, Global Economic Affairs

Protein claims are seemingly everywhere in the United States — from milk protein-based cereal to gimmicky cocktails. Rock-solid science showing dairy protein’s unique benefits and innovative products capturing consumer attention are enabling U.S. protein manufacturers to win a share in the marketplace. In fact, more new products featuring whey protein are launching today than ever before, despite record high prices.

Yet as ubiquitous and seemingly insatiable as demand for protein is in the U.S., I would argue the most optimistic long-term argument for milk and whey proteins is the untapped demand abroad, where per-capita protein consumption remains far below the U.S.

In many markets, protein-rich products are just now breaking out from beyond the sports nutrition category and into the mainstream, accelerated by U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) helping integrate dairy proteins into local cuisines. This work has helped keep international demand for milk and whey proteins resilient, even as prices have soared. Global whey protein concentrate 80 (WPC80)+ trade fell just 2% over the past 12 months, despite export values rising by more than 37% during that time.

Rather than lack of demand, the main challenge to global trade over the past year has been the lack of exportable supply, particularly out of the United States, where exports of WPC80+ have declined by 21% through April. Fundamentally, even as U.S. WPC80 and whey protein isolate (WPI) production have grown, there hasn’t been enough supply to go around — a scenario which has historically meant the domestic customer is prioritized.

However, a domestic-centric strategy is not without risks. Even as the U.S. retains its position as the largest exporter of high-protein whey products, other origins are actively investing to compete in the market. Arla, FrieslandCampina, Tirlán, and plenty of others have all completed or announced additional whey protein concentrate capacity within the past year. Putting numbers behind this threat, in April, U.S. WPC80+ exports declined by 20% year-over-year, while shipments from competitor origins, namely the EU, New Zealand, the U.K., Australia, Canada, and Turkey, all rose, completely negating the retreat from the U.S.

This challenge is only going to become more acute over time. While the U.S. remains the most likely milkshed to grow significantly in the coming years, three-quarters of the liquid whey processed in the country is already being used in WPC80 and WPI. Meaning, there is a limit to sourcing additional whey solids without additional new cheese capacity. By contrast, the EU has a much larger stockpile of sweet whey — over 1 million metric tons — that will continue to transition toward higher concentrations in time.

Thus, as optimistic as we all remain on dairy protein, the U.S. cannot be complacent in global markets, particularly as domestic demand is unlikely to continue at this pace indefinitely. That does not mean U.S. manufacturers need to be in every country or try to fill every overseas order, but focusing on key growth markets and maintaining close ties to strategic partners is likely to pay dividends in the long run. Otherwise, those customers are likely to look for alternatives — whether in Europe, Oceania, or outside of dairy.

 

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on July 16, 2026.

State Dairy Policy Leaders Push for Ag Labor Reform on Capitol Hill

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Dairy advocates from across the country urged lawmakers to support agricultural labor reform on Capitol Hill today, concluding a National Milk Producers Federation summit for state dairy associations.

The two-day meeting brought more than three dozen advocates to Washington, with farmers and industry leaders sharing priorities and strategies on dairy issues ranging from truck weights and investment tax credits to agricultural labor reform legislation introduced by Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, R-PA, last month that would create a workable labor system for dairy farmers.

“Ag labor is one of the most important issues of any in agriculture right now,” said Doug Holland, a dairy farmer near Olin, NC and the president of the North Carolina Dairy Producers Association, who spent Wednesday meeting with lawmakers. Holland listed passing a farm bill and keeping all varieties of milk in school meals as other top priorities.

Dairy farmers and advocates participated in about 50 meetings with Hill staff and lawmakers today.

Thompson’s legislation, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, represents the most significant reform to the ag workforce seen in decades. For dairy farmers, the bill grants meaningful access to the H-2A program, the main agricultural labor visa, by removing the seasonal requirements of the program and allowing contracts up to 350 days of the year. The bill also streamlines the application process, addresses cost concerns and provides a targeted mechanism to help the current dairy workforce transition to a workable visa program, ensuring a smoother transition to H-2A.

The State Dairy Association Summit, part of NMPF’s expanded member service on state-level policy, began yesterday with discussions of state-level legislative and regulatory issues as well as updates on NMPF’s federal policy activities, featuring subject matter experts and industry leaders.

Dairy Farmers Advancing at the State Level

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Even as regulatory and legislative challenges persist at all levels of state government, pro-dairy advocacy is making progress nationwide, two leaders in state dairy policies said in the latest Dairy Defined podcast.

“Some farms are struggling. I don’t want to diminish what those farms are going through,” Allyson Jones-Brimmer, executive director of the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, said.

“But overall, we have elected officials at every level that want to see dairy and agriculture as a whole succeed. Those leaders are making changes and investments in dairy, both at the state and federal level to help farms help set the industry up for success.”

Jones-Brimmer is in Washington this week with other state dairy organizations in NMPF’s annual State Dairy Association Summit. She was joined on the podcast Jim Boyle, owner-manager of his family’s dairy in Casa Grande, AZ and the leader of the Western States Dairy Producers Association.

FARM Program Kicks off Annual Excellence Awards

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

FARM is accepting nominations for its annual Excellence Awards, recognizing U.S. dairy industry achievements in adopting and improving on-farm practices.

Awards are divided into four categories: Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship, Workforce Development and FARM Evaluator of the Year.

Nominations are open until 11:59 p.m. PDT Aug. 3 via the online form. Nominations are accepted from fellow dairy farmers, members of their community, extension staff, cooperative or processor staff, veterinarians, themselves or others.

Nominated farms must have a current FARM Program evaluation in the relevant category and must be in good standing with the program. Evaluators nominated must be FARM Program certified in at least one program area as of June 1. Nominees must be willing to have their names and images used in promotional materials should they receive an award.

Visit the FARM Excellence Awards page for more details.

Don’t Miss Your Chance to Sponsor the 2026 NDB/NMPF/UDIA Joint Annual Meeting

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The NDB/NMPF/UDIA Joint Annual Meeting is headed to Kissimmee, FL, Oct. 19–21, with sponsorship opportunities available ahead of registration opening later this month.

The Joint Annual Meeting is the premier gathering for dairy cooperative leaders, bringing together the National Dairy Board, the National Milk Producers Federation, and the United Dairy Industry Association for three days of promotion and policy discussions, industry updates, and high-level networking. It’s where decisions get made and relationships get built.

Sponsorship puts an organization front and center, offering a unique opportunity to showcase support for the dairy industry. 2026 sponsors include:

  • CoBank
  • U.S. Dairy Export Council
  • Foremost Farms USA
  • Ever.Ag
  • Merck Animal Health
  • StoneX
  • BMO
  • Monument Advocacy
  • Cornerstone Government Affairs
  • Boehringer-Ingelheim Animal Health

Sponsorship at the Joint Annual Meeting signals an organization’s commitment to the dairy community and positions it as a partner in its future. Available branded sponsorship opportunities include:

  • Welcome Reception
  • Keynote Speaker
  • Grab & Go Breakfast
  • Breakout Session
  • Wi-Fi
  • Coffee Station

Organizations interested in available sponsorship packages are encouraged to contact Casey Kinler at ckinler@nmpf.org.

June NEXT-Assisted Export Sales Surpass 34.6 Million Pounds

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NEXT member cooperatives secured 74 contracts in June, adding 34.6 million pounds of product in NEXT-assisted sales in 2026. These products will go to customers in Asia, North America, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania, South America and Central America and will be shipped during the period running from last month through next February. 

Exporting dairy products is critical to the viability of dairy farmers and their cooperatives across the country. Whether or not a cooperative is actively engaged in exporting, moving products into world markets is essential. NEXT provides a means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages. 

The referenced amounts of dairy products reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. NEXT will pay export assistance to bidders only when export and delivery of product is verified by submission of required documentation.