Author: Theresa Sweeney

National Dairy FARM Program Launches Enhanced Biosecurity Initiative

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program today announced the launch of FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, a new aspect of the FARM Biosecurity Program that includes training and an online database.

FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, includes an online database to develop and securely store dairy producers’ enhanced biosecurity plans (EBP) and an online training that helps users write those plans. FARM has also developed a FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced Biosecurity Prep Guide and Database User Guide to complement these tools.

Stronger, or enhanced, levels of biosecurity will be needed to protect cattle against the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) found in two-thirds of the world. One FMD case in the United States could shut down movement across the nation of livestock and their products for at least 72 hours.

FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced incorporates the on-farm elements of the Secure Milk Supply Plan for Continuity of Business. The Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan for Continuity of Business was designed to help the dairy industry prepare for an FMD outbreak by providing producers with the tools to develop an enhanced biosecurity plan. The FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced database not only securely stores the EBP plans, but with producer permission will share the plans with state animal health officials for their approval to speed up issuing a movement permit in the event of an FMD outbreak.

FARM Biosecurity has two parts: Everyday Biosecurity for common disease threats and Enhanced Biosecurity for highly contagious foreign animal diseases. The FARM Biosecurity resources aim to protect dairy cattle, build resiliency, and future business continuity opportunities for the dairy industry.

NMPF and the National Dairy FARM Program would like to thank the United States Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (USDA NADPRP) for funding the FARM Biosecurity initiative through a cooperative agreement and Dr. Danelle Bickett-Weddle with Preventalytics who was instrumental in the development of the FARM Biosecurity resources.

To learn more about the FARM Program or access protocol templates and training aids, visit the FARM website: nationaldairyfarm.com

To learn more about the Secure Milk Supply Plan, access templates, standard operating procedures, movement logs, and more, visit securemilk.org

NMPF’s Doud, Land O’Lakes’ Kappelman on Dairy Expo Farm Bill Panel

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF’s incoming President and CEO and a top Land O’Lakes Inc. executive are participating in an informative discussion on “What the 2023 Farm Bill Has in Store for Dairy” on Thursday at noon CDT at the World Dairy Expo. Attendees will gain valuable insights into the policy changes that will shape the future of U.S. dairy.

The event is open to the public in the Mendota 1 meeting room of the Exhibition Hall on the World Dairy Expo grounds. The discussion will also be livestreamed and available on demand via the World Dairy Expo YouTube channel.

Panelists include:

Gregg Doud – Chief Operating Officer, NMPF

Gregg Doud is NMPF’s Chief Operating Officer. He will become President and CEO of the organization in January after having been named to the position last June. Before arriving at NMPF he served as the Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 2018 until 2021; he previously served as the president of the Commodity Markets Council, representing commodities exchanges before Congress and federal agencies. He also has served as a staff member for the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, where he helped draft the 2012 Farm Bill, and as chief economist for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Most recently, he worked at Aimpoint Research as its Vice President of Global Situational Awareness and Chief Economist.

Pete Kappelman – Senior Vice President of Member and Government Relations, Land O’Lakes

Pete Kappelman brings a lifetime of experience to the role of Senior Vice President of Member and Government Relations at Land O’Lakes, as a successful crop and dairy farmer along with his advocacy experience and board involvement with many agricultural organizations. Pete has been a leader in working with legislators on important ag policy issues including the Farm Bill, climate, trade and immigration. He also served as an Ag Policy Advisor to the Administration for the United States Department of Agriculture and the Office of the United States Trade Representative; in addition he was named Director of the Year in 2018 by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.  Pete is a fourth-generation farmer, having led Meadow Brook Dairy Farms, LLC, with his wife Shellie and their three adult children.

We invite members of the press to join us for this important discussion about the anticipated updates affecting dairy farmers in the upcoming Farm Bill.

All the Cool Kids (and Their Parents!) are Eating Cottage Cheese

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

For those of you not yet in the know, cottage cheese is the It Dairy Product of 2023. That may be hard to believe, since it seems like only yesterday that Korean music group BTS was making “Butter” ubiquitous — but like milk, the zeitgeist flows. So move over, K-Pop superstars – curds and whey haven’t been moving this fast since the spider sat next to Miss Muffet.

The hype is significant, but the product lives up to it. We’ve read about it in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. We’ve seen it on TikTok, where the high-protein snack is being featured in all sorts of creative recipes, like cottage cheese and mustard, cottage cheese in cookie dough, and cottage cheese as a base for ice cream. But most importantly, we’ve seen it in sales, and in new consumers, as shown via some number-crunching from our friends at Dairy Management Inc.:

Revenues are up, and that’s not just due to inflation – consumption is rising as well. Most importantly, more people are eating cottage cheese, period, and that builds a base for continued growth.

Breaking it down further: Cottage cheese’s success isn’t merely a media perception. It’s real, and it’s broad-based. While nearly half of all new consumers are coming from the social-media-savvy Gen Z and Millennial sets, the other half comes from older generations, with the most growth by far coming from Generation X, a cohort decidedly less dedicated to TikTok than their younger counterparts. (Why Gen X? Is it an attempt to gain a tasty dairy fix with less fat, right at the age where waistlines are more difficult to tame? Nostalgia for their childhoods in the 1970s and 1980s, the last time cottage cheese was so central to American diets? Maybe they’re just smarter than other generations – after all, You Live, You Learn.)

In any case, cottage cheese is reasserting itself in ways not seen in decades. The cool kids are eating it – and so are their parents. Its success shows yet again how dairy remains resilient, adaptable, and innovative. And with that, we can only wonder, what’s next?

Anyone care for a glass of whole milk?

Farmers Key to FMMO Success, NMPF’s Cain Says

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Even as the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) provides USDA officials with exhaustive research and expert analysis at its Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Modernization hearing in Carmel, IN, the department is paying attention to what farmers have to say as they testify to support NMPF’s plan. That makes farmer participation critical to the hearing’s success, said Stephen Cain, NMPF’s Senior Director or Economic Research and Analysis, in the latest Dairy Defined podcast.

“They want to hear from farmers. This is a federal program that is meant to support farmers and is continued at the behest of farmers,” Cain said. “USDA has really wanted to hear from them, and that’s a big piece to make sure that these proposals that are being put forth are the right things to do.”

For more information on NMPF’s FMMO efforts and to follow the hearing, click here. The full podcast is here. You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file below. Please attribute information to NMPF.

Milk Advocates Stress Dairy’s Unique Nutrition Benefits Before Dietary Guidelines Committee

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF’s Regulatory Affairs Director, along with an Olympic athlete (and dairy farmer), told the government’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee how dairy is a critical component of diet that should be considered in light of its full range of benefits in comments made today before the panel.

Miquela Hanselman from NMPF, and Elle St. Pierre, a farmer-member of the Dairy Farmers of America cooperative and a world medalist track athlete who represented the United States in the women’s 1,500-meter race in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, both offered their perspectives on dairy’s role in diet before the panel that will shape the scientific report informing the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Both Hanselman and St. Pierre hold degrees in nutrition and public health.

“Nearly 90% of Americans don’t consume the recommended servings of dairy,” said Hanselman. “Dairy products have always been an integral part of the dietary guidelines. Milk is a good or excellent source of 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium and vitamin D, three of the four nutrients of public health concern.”

Hanselman’s comments focused heavily on how dairy at all fat levels benefits diverse communities and how current guidelines work against including varieties of milk that Americans consume the most. “With the scientific question focused on sources of saturated fats, this committee has the opportunity to remedy a previous oversight and include the newer science on dairy fats and the dairy matrix,” she said. “Dairy foods, regardless of fat level, appear to have either neutral or beneficial effects on chronic disease risks including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and stroke. This committee shouldn’t default to the overly broad recommendation to avoid saturated fats regardless of food source.”

St. Pierre, a U.S. track and field champion and recent new mom, spoke out against the proliferation of plant-based imitation beverages that offer wildly inconsistent nutritional value, cautioning against any consideration of them as potential dairy replacements. Plant-based beverages “are so nutritionally different from real milk that whether one views them positively or negatively, their impact on health cannot be assumed to be the same as, or even similar to, that of milk,” said St. Pierre, who lives near Berkshire, VT. “I strongly caution against and oppose any inference that health impacts associated with milk consumption would apply to plant-based milk alternatives.”

Today’s hearing is part of the committee’s information-gathering process for the next set of guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is convened every five years by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services to make recommendations for American diets, affecting numerous federal nutrition programs.

Long-Awaited Support Now Available for Dairy Farmers Impacted by Natural Disasters in 2020, 2021 and 2022

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

USDA today announced critical, long-awaited financial assistance for dairy farmers affected by natural disasters. The Milk Loss Assistance program (MLP), administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will compensate eligible dairy farms for milk dumped due to qualifying disaster events in 2020, 2021 and 2022, including droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms and smoke exposure.

Dairy farmers can sign up for MLP beginning today and running through Oct. 16. Affected producers are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. See below for eligibility and application information, as well as details about how payments will be calculated.

How did we get here?

Since Congress approved funding in 2021, NMPF has held numerous meetings with FSA staff highlighting dairy farmers’ disaster needs. Most recently, NMPF helped provide USDA with cost estimates for the program to help speed up its implementation and met with Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie to urge action on the issue. NMPF also sent a public letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging that funds be released quickly and engaged members of Congress to ensure accountability, among other initiatives. These efforts came on top of NMPF advocacy for the funds to be included in legislation, a wide-ranging effort that involved grassroots activism and numerous meetings with dairy champions in Congress.

Am I eligible for support?

MLP will compensate dairy operations for milk dumped or removed without compensation due to qualifying disaster events, including droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), and smoke exposure that occurred in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 calendar years. Tornadoes are considered a qualifying disaster event for calendar year 2022 only.

The milk loss claim period is each calendar month that milk was dumped or removed from the commercial market. Each MLP application covers the loss in a single calendar month.  Milk loss that occurs in more than one calendar month due to the same qualifying weather event requires a separate application for each month.

The days that are eligible for assistance begin on the date the milk was removed or dumped and for concurrent days milk was removed or dumped. Once the dairy operation restarts milk marketing, the dairy operation is ineligible for assistance unless after restarting commercial milk marketing, additional milk is dumped due to the same qualifying disaster event. The duration of yearly claims is limited to 30 days per year for 2020, 2021 and 2022.

How will payments be calculated?

The calculation for determining MLP payment is: (Base period per cow average daily milk production x the number of milking cows in a claim period x the number of days milk was removed or dumped in a claim period) ÷ 100) x pay price per hundredweight.

For MLP payment calculations, the milk loss base period is the first full month of production before the dumping or removal occurred.

The payment percentage will be 75% for most producers, and 90% for underserved farmers, including beginning, veteran and socially disadvantaged farmers.

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limitations do not apply to MLP, however the payment limitation for MLP is determined by the person’s or legal entity’s average adjusted gross farm income. Specifically, a person or legal entity, other than a joint venture or general partnership, cannot receive, directly or indirectly, more than $125,000 in payments under MLP if their average adjusted gross farm income is less than 75% of their average AGI or more than $250,000 if their adjusted gross farm income is at least 75% of their average AGI.

How can I apply for assistance?

To apply for MLP, producers must submit:

  • FSA-376, Milk Loss Program Application
  • Milk marketing statement from the:
    • Month prior to the month milk was removed or dumped.
    • Affected month.
  • Detailed written statement of milk removal circumstances, including the weather event type and geographic scope, what transportation limitations occurred and any information on what was done with the removed milk.

If not previously filed, applicants must also submit a few other FSA forms within 60 days of the MLP application deadline. However, most producers will have these required forms already on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm the status of their forms can contact their local FSA county office.

What about co-op losses?

Although MLP support is targeted for producers, cooperatives that spread losses across their membership should contact Steve Peterson at FSA (steve.peterson2@usda.gov) to inquire about eligibility for support to distribute to producers whose milk income was reduced due to milk dumping.

What’s next?

NMPF is grateful for this critical USDA support but recognizes that for affected producers, its delay has caused significant economic hardship. NMPF will continue to work with Congress and USDA to better prepare for and respond to natural disasters impacting the dairy community, including 2023 weather events.

Check out FSA’s announcement for more information and contact us at info@nmpf.org with any questions or comments.

NMPF Applauds Long-Awaited Assistance for Dairy Farmers Hard-Hit by Natural Disasters

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applauded today’s announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide critical, long-awaited financial assistance for dairy farmers affected by natural disasters.

The Milk Loss Assistance program administered by the Farm Service Agency will compensate eligible dairy farms and processors for milk dumped due to qualifying disaster events in 2020, 2021 and 2022, including droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms and smoke exposure.

“On top of the challenges created by wild price gyrations and the COVID-19 pandemic, dairy farmers since 2020 have also faced an inadequate federal mechanism for addressing unforeseen weather catastrophes, further straining finances at a time when strains have been hard to bear,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “NMPF never accepted that situation, and we’re very appreciative of USDA’s diligent work over several months to finalize the compensation plan that will address this backlog of disaster assistance. We thank Congress for providing this necessary funding, and we encourage both Congress and USDA to find ways to address future natural disasters more quickly. We also urge farmers affected by these disasters to sign up, and we stand ready to assist them as they go through this process.”

As producers of a highly perishable product that’s created 24/7, 365 days a year, dairy farmers have been—and continue to be—uniquely challenged by disaster events. The Milk Loss Program will help farmers and, in certain cases, cooperatives, recover losses previously overlooked by disaster assistance.

Dairy farmers and cooperatives can sign up for the Milk Loss Program beginning Sept. 11 and running through Oct. 16, 2023. Affected producers are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. For eligibility and application information, as well as details about how payments will be calculated, visit USDA’s Milk Loss Assistance program announcement.

NMPF Announces Staff Reorganization as Doud Begins New Role

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation announced a significant staff reorganization as it transitions to new leadership, as incoming President & CEO Gregg Doud began work with the organization this week as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer, a position he will hold until current President & CEO Jim Mulhern retires in January.

“I am excited to announce these changes, which will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of our organizational structure,” said Mulhern. “They also recognize the significant contributions of the affected individuals to our overall success in recent years and position the organization well for even greater success in the future.”

NMPF named three Executive Vice Presidents – Paul Bleiberg, Shawna Morris and Alan Bjerga – as part of the reorganization, recognizing responsibilities that are expanding across NMPF teams. Bleiberg will serve as Executive Vice President, Government Relations; Morris as Executive Vice President, Trade Policy & Global Affairs; and Bjerga as Executive Vice President, Communications and Industry Relations.

Other promotions include David West to Chief Administrative Officer; Stephen Cain to Senior Director, Economic Research & Analysis; Beverly Hampton Phifer to Senior Director, FARM Animal Care; Theresa Sweeney-Murphy as Senior Director, Communications and Outreach; Miquela Hanselman to Director, Regulatory Affairs; and Tony Rice to Director, Trade Policy. Staffers receiving title changes in line with new responsibilities are Chris Galen, who will serve as Senior Vice President of Member Services and Governance, and Claudia Larson, Senior Director, Government Relations & Head of Nutrition Policy.

Young Cooperators, Dairy Voice Network Add Volume

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF communications staff continued to develop and serve the next generation of dairy-farmer leadership through its National Young Cooperators (YC) program and its latest group of dairy-farmer spokespersons through the Dairy Voice Network.

In addition to quarterly webinars that focused on finding work-life balance on the farm, NMPF’s FMMO modernization efforts and disaster preparedness and management, the program for the first time this year provided a forum for cooperative staff to share ideas and experiences, build community and brainstorm ways to boost the impact of beginning farmer programs at the cooperative and national levels. The training was filled with robust discussion on a variety of topics including relationship building and recruitment, communications and outreach, sponsorships, event planning and facilitating feedback and measuring success.

YCs also met this year in Washington, D.C. for the program’s Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum. 49 dairy farmers from 21 states and representing ten member cooperatives participated in the two-day event, which included discussions about political engagement and dairy policy issues, along with training on how to be an effective advocate and spokesperson for dairy. YCs then headed to Capitol Hill to speak with members of Congress and their staffs about NMPF priorities.

Immediately following the fly-in, work began on the next group of dairy farmers selected by their cooperatives to participate in the Dairy Voice Network (DVN), first launched in 2021 with 18 media-trained farmers selected to represent dairy for outside media audiences and other public-facing experiences. Six farmers from four cooperatives were represented, participating in mock interviews and media training workshops. With the addition of the latest group, 10 cooperatives participate in the DVN, featuring farmers of all size and business models in all regions of the country.

FARM Program Area Updates Underway

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney
  • Finalized recommendations for FARM Animal Care standards and received NMPF Board of Directors approval
  • Expanded reach of the Calf Care Quality Assurance Program
  • Developed online training for FARM Enhanced Biosecurity to be made public in October
  • Conducted testing on select farms nationwide to further development of the RuFaS model for Environmental Stewardship

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program has refined and grown its Animal Care, Workforce Development and Environmental Stewardship program areas in preparation for new versions in 2024 as it harnesses the latest science and best management practices with significant farmer leadership, feedback and stakeholder discussion.

All FARM program area standards are revised every three years to reflect the most current science and best management practices within the dairy industry. For the FARM Animal Care Program, the Animal Care Task Force and NMPF’s Animal Health and Well-Being Committee worked closely with program staff throughout 2021 and 2022 to develop recommendations for Animal Care Version 5, leading to votes in March and June 2023 by the NMPF Board of Directors approving the recommended revisions. The FARM Program staff is updating all resources and materials related to the Animal Care Program—including manuals, handbooks, preparation guides, Evaluator training materials, templates and posters—ahead of the July 1 effective date.

Additionally in Animal Care, FARM continued to grow the Calf Care Quality Assurance program efforts. This initiative is jointly led by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Beef Quality Assurance Program with support from the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association and Veal Quality Assurance. CCQA in the past year has released calf-care specific employee training modules and in-person courses offered in both Spanish and English. Over the two-year lifespan, more than 1,200dividuals have become CCQA certified. In progress is an audit tool specifically for facilities without lactating animals but raising calves with dairy genetics. More information can be found at calfcareqa.org.

The FARM Biosecurity Program this year has further developed Enhanced Biosecurity, in collaboration with Danelle Bickett-Weddle of Preventalytics LLC, through a cooperative agreement with U.S. Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, to accompany the Everyday Biosecurity Manual and suite of materials made available in 2022. Enhanced Biosecurity incorporates elements of the Secure Milk Supply Plan into a voluntary continuity-of-business plan built for the entire chain of movement of milk from farm to processing plant should a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak occur in the United States. Enhanced Biosecurity training developed over the course of 2023 is set to launch in early October.

FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (IC) are collaborating to update the scientific model that powers FARM ES, through work with the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, an initiative involving researchers across the country. FARM convenes a bimonthly working group including dairy farmers, cooperative/processor staff and members of the industry to collect stakeholder feedback throughout the development process.

FARM also facilitated direct industry participation in the scientific process by supporting recruitment of 20+ volunteer farms representing a variety of sizes, geographies, and productions styles to participate in scientific model validation. FARM, in collaboration with the IC Environmental Research team, trained FARM ES evaluators to support the volunteer farms. The on-farm model validation will generate valuable feedback to help build out FARM ES V3 output reports, evaluator training, and other resources. The evolution to FARM ES Version 3.0 will enable dairy co-ops and processors to better address customer requests while offering more insights to farmers. More information on FARM ES Version 3.0 is here.

FARM Workforce Development Version 2.0 will launch next July, with minor updates expected to the evaluation tool. The FARM Workforce Development Task Force met in April and discussed possible adjustments to the evaluation for Version 2.0, including streamlining evaluation questions and adding ones that further highlight practices that promote a culture of safety. The Task Force will convene again later this year to review draft modifications to the evaluation tool for Version 2.0.

Trade Team Builds International Ties While Supporting U.S. Dairy

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney
  • Championed the introduction of the Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act to protect market access for U.S. cheesemakers
  • Secured the right of producers to use the common name “gruyere” in the U.S. market through a landmark legal victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • Led engagement with the U.S. government to hold Canada accountable for its ongoing violations of USMCA’s dairy provisions
  • Promoted U.S. dairy’s trade initiatives and sustainability progress as lead sponsor of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s agricultural ministerial luncheon in Seattle
  • Formed alliances with dairy and agricultural organizations worldwide to strengthen and grow NMPF’s voice.

NMPF trade activities this year have included initiatives that defend U.S. products in the global arena while expanding trade. Efforts made in collaboration with the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) prompted the May 17 introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act to increase U.S. government actions to protect common terms like “parmesan” and “feta” in export markets. The milestone bill to advance common name protections capped off months of congressional engagement, including a March 1 event on Capitol Hill.

The SAVE Act explicitly defines “common names” as a term ordinarily used for marketing a food product, as determined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and directs the U.S. government to proactively defend the rights of U.S. common name users and exporters. Led in the Senate by Sens. John Thune, R-SD, Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Tina Smith, D-MN, and in the House by Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-SD, Jim Costa, D-CA, Michelle Fischbach, R-MN, and Jimmy Panetta, D-CA, the SAVE Act is expected to be incorporated into the 2023 Farm Bill. Members and supporters can make their voice heard by writing to their representatives in Congress through NMPF’s advocacy platform.

NMPF also secured a key victory for U.S. cheese producers and dairy farmers through a March 3 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which confirmed that “gruyere” is a common name, in opposition to French and Swiss consortiums which hoped to trademark the term in the U.S. market. The NMPF trade policy team, alongside USDEC and CCFN, worked diligently with the legal team to ensure that American gruyere producers can continue to market and sell their products in the United States.

NMPF’s dedication to building dairy exports through expanding market has included fly-ins to DC, use of congressional trade hearings to elevate dairy priorities, meetings with USTR and USDA political appointees on trade, intensive work with U.S. negotiators on using the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework to address nontariff trade barriers, and joint agricultural coalition efforts such as the trade-focused August 21 letter to 2024 Presidential candidates urging a greater commitment to trade agreements.

Efforts also extend to ensuring existing agreements deliver full benefits for U.S. dairy. NMPF commended the U.S. government’s Jan. 31 announcement that it requested a second USMCA panel to hold Canada responsible for violating the agreement’s dairy market access obligations. The announcement resulted from extensive work by NMPF with USTR and USDA last year to ensure that the second USMCA case was well-positioned for success. NMPF and USDEC since January have continued to work closely with USTR and USDA to support their case and ensure that Canada grants U.S. producers and exporters the market access negotiated and promised under USMCA.

To bolster NMPF’s work to preserve and expand market access for dairy products in markets around the world, the organization has also continued to grow its global voice and influence, forming partnerships with leading dairy and agricultural organizations overseas.

As governments around the world embrace protectionist stances and adopt ill-advised policies, NMPF strives to continue to grow its network of allies to support pro-dairy, pro-trade and science-based rules. Strengthening ties in Latin America, NMPF announced on April 20 a new collaboration with the National Agricultural Organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Colombia to represent the dairy and livestock industry in international climate discussions. During a trip to Japan, NMPF formalized a July 6 “Letter of Friendship” with JA-Zenchu, Japan’s Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives, to address the common difficulties that dairy farmers in the two countries are facing. Most recently, NMPF and USDEC signed on July 27 an agreement with the Italian Dairy Association, Assolatte, to promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products and support dairy-friendly policies in international forums.

Nutrition Collaboration Expands Governmentwide Efforts

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney
  • Filed multiple sets of comments with USDA on protecting dairy in WIC; ensuring schools can continue to serve healthful dairy products in school meals; and reducing the burden for schools in low-income areas to utilize the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) to qualify students for school meal programs
  • Engaged in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, submitting written comments on the draft scientific questions and protocols
  • Helped organize five bipartisan messages from members of Congress to USDA calling on the Department to protect dairy in WIC and continue the allowance of flavored milk in schools
  • Engaged USDA in an ongoing, collaborative dialogue regarding dairy’s value to nutrition programs, especially in providing vital nutrients and encouraging participation
  • Joined dairy nutrition Hill champions in building broad bipartisan support for returning 2% and whole milk to school meal programs,

NMPF’s regulatory affairs and government relations staff broadening and deepening NMPF’s nutrition policy work in a highly coordinated effort that aims to protect and expand access to healthful dairy foods in federal nutrition programs. The team has focused this year on strengthening dairy’s robust presence in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school breakfast and lunch programs, and on the next update of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

NMPF has been engaged in the update process to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, set to be released in 2025, submitting comments on the proposed scientific questions and protocols which inform the conduct of systematic reviews and food pattern modeling that will form the science base of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines.

NMPF also has engaged members of Congress to ensure USDA hears from its fellow policy makers regarding dairy in WIC and school meals. Beginning in March and continuing through the summer, staff helped organize five bipartisan messages sent from lawmakers to the department. Two focused on the importance of protecting dairy in WIC, one Senate letter and one House letter. Both explained the vital importance of dairy’s nutrients for the life stages covered by the WIC program, urging USDA not to reduce the amount of dairy that participants can access through the program. The other three messages call on USDA to keep allowing flavored milk in schools, noting the central role flavored milk plays providing students the nutrients they need to grow and thrive.

NMPF also met with USDA multiple times to discuss technical or specialized information beyond its submitted comments. The expert information brought to USDA included:

  • Meal modeling that depicts how sodium and sugar levels impact school nutrition directors’ ability to meet their students’ nutritional and taste needs
  • Working with IDFA to provide feedback on how reducing dairy in WIC would negatively impact the overall program
  • The growing body of evidence demonstrating dairy’s health benefits at all fat levels, asserting that these scientific studies must be included in the DGA review process.

NMPF also continued its effort to expand milk in school meals in both houses of Congress via the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 1147, S. 1957). This bipartisan bill, led in the House by Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson, R-PA, and Rep. Kim Schrier, D-WA, and led in the Senate by Sens. Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Peter Welch, D-VT, would allow schools to serve 2% and whole milk in meal programs in addition to the skim and 1% varieties currently allowed. NMPF built bipartisan support for the measure, including organizing a letter from 58 dairy organizations to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce urging the committee to advance the bill. The committee approved the legislation, and NMPF is hopeful the full House chamber will also approve the bill sometime this fall.