Author: Theresa Sweeney

NMPF Builds Bipartisan Coalition to Lead House Feed Ingredients Bill

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF in March secured bipartisan sponsors for the Innovative FEED Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, advancing efforts to improve FDA’s feed-additive approval processes.

The bill, numbered H.R. 2203, was introduced on March 18 by Representatives Nick Langworthy, R-NY, Kim Schrier, D-WA, Jim Baird, R-IN, Chellie Pingree, D-ME, Erin Houchin, R-IN, and Jim Costa, D-CA.

The newly reintroduced bill would enable the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to review and approve animal feed ingredients using the agency’s Food Additive Petition pathway rather than review them as drugs, which is the current procedure even though the ingredients operate solely within the animal’s digestive tract and are not medical in nature. This improvement would let FDA review animal feed additives more efficiently while preserving animal, human, and environmental safety.

The Innovative FEED Act would better position U.S. dairy farmers to compete globally at a time when buyers are putting a premium on sustainably produced milk and dairy products.

Due to NMPF’s advocacy, the House measure already has 25 bipartisan cosponsors, including 11 from the House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has authority over FDA policy. The bill is likely to be reintroduced in the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks, another key step toward enactment this year.

NMPF Urges Strategic Tariff Approach by U.S. Government

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) submitted Mar. 11 joint comments to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) responding to the administration’s request for information on unfair trade practices that it should examine under its “Fair and Reciprocal Plan” on tariffs.

In addition to laying out prioritized bilateral dairy trade measures among 21 countries and regions, NMPF and USDEC advocated for a collaborative approach with most trading partners to achieve the government’s national security and economic goals through targeted trade policy measures and negotiations.

NMPF and USDEC made clear in the joint comments that most U.S. dairy trading partnerships are positive and productive, adding that the administration’s new trade approach should focus on addressing high-priority tariff and non-tariff barriers through negotiations to improve export opportunities for American dairy and agriculture producers.

One partner requiring a more confrontational approach to drive real reforms, however, is the European Union. The joint comments detail the outrageous trade imbalance between the United States and the European Union and outlined the unreasonable European trade policies driving this disparity.

Complementing this message, NMPF, USDEC and the Consortium for Common Food Names submitted a second set of in-depth comments on the European Union’s ongoing campaign to misuse geographical indications around the world to monopolize generic terms like “parmesan” at the expense of U.S. competitors. Both sets of comments are informing USTR’s trade policy recommendations to President Trump. The administration has indicated its plan to implement reciprocal tariffs, which could be enacted as early as today.

Scholarship Committee Honors Vitaliano

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF approved the new Dr. Peter Vitaliano Legacy Scholarship as part of the National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program on March 4 during NMPF’s March Board meeting.

The award will help support students who demonstrates attribute exemplified by Dr. Vitaliano, honoring his longtime commitment to the success of U.S. dairy producers and cooperatives. The program also hopes to raise $500,000 this year for an endowment to support the longevity of the program, including this new legacy scholarship.

Vitaliano served as the Vice President of Economic Policy and Market Research for NMPF through 2024, leading efforts in implementing, conducting and communicating all economic analysis supporting the Federation’s programs relating to domestic and international dairy policy. He has extensive experience with, and knowledge of, U.S. dairy markets and domestic and international agricultural and trade policy.

Since 1992, he served as project director for numerous contracts between NMPF and the various national dairy promotion organizations, including the National Dairy Research and Promotion Board, Dairy Management, Inc., and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, conducting market information and economic research relating to domestic and international dairy markets.

The scholarship is designed to support individuals who demonstrate a passion for the industry through community engagement, academic interests and advocacy. Individuals selected for the Vitaliano Legacy Scholarship will also demonstrate experience with mentoring, coaching, or teaching.

The Vitaliano Legacy Scholarship will be available to applicants in the 2025-26 application cycle. To find out more information, or to donate, please visit the scholarship website.

NEXT Coming Soon

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF’s board charted a path toward a successor organization to the Cooperatives Working Together export assistance program at its March meeting, voting to rename the program NEXT (NMPF Exports & Trade) while authorizing a new business plan for final approval in June.

The new name accompanies new initiatives planned for the export program, including:

  • Expanding the program’s product mix
  • Creating Market development initiatives focused on making inroads for U.S. cheese and butter in Latin America and mitigating tariff disadvantages for U.S. specialty proteins and milk powders in key markets in Asia and Middle East-North Africa
  • Enhancing program operations to assist in NEXT’s mission by extending delivery periods, removing volume limits and providing greater insight into program operations; and
  • Creating a strategic advisory council to guide program strategy.

Cooperatives paying into the new program would be charged 2 cents/cwt of member milk, a reduction from the 4 cents/cwt previous assessment. Any member with questions regarding NEXT should contact economist Will Loux at wloux@usdec.org.

Board Meeting Gathers Farmers Ready to Face Policy Challenges

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy farmers from across the nation celebrated fairer milk prices for farmers and pledged to work together to meet challenges on labor, trade and other issues at the National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors meeting in Arlington March 4-5.

“We’re in a fast-moving environment, with a new administration and things changing every day,” said NMPF Board Chairman Randy Mooney, a farmer from Rogersville, MO, in remarks at the meeting. “We are happy to have NMPF watching out for us here in Washington.”

The meeting brought together more than 50 farmers and dairy-cooperative leaders to hear presentations updating pressing dairy issues, including agricultural labor, trade and H5N1 bird flu, which has now been circulating in dairy cattle for one year.

Milk producers also celebrated a policy win – nationwide adoption of a new Federal Milk Marketing Order that begins taking effect on June 1. The plan, spearheaded by NMPF, culminates a four-year process of seeking fairer pricing for farmers and cooperatives.

“The top two issues we have today are immigration and tariffs,” Mooney said. “Nothing else means anything else to us if we don’t have anyone to milk our cows.” On trade, he said day-to-day turbulence doesn’t change dairy’s commitment to building exports. “We intend to play in the world market, and we will invest in the world market to do it,” he said.

NMPF’s board also charted a path toward a successor organization to the Cooperatives Working Together export assistance program, which has helped dairy build overseas markets and welcomed two new directors, Mark Leichtfuss of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative in Wisconsin and Richard Hill of Upstate Niagara Cooperative in New York.

NMPF Celebrates Senate Support for Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF celebrated strong bipartisan Senate support for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act as senators began considering this critical legislation.

In a Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry hearing held Tuesday to review the measure, committee members and panelists highlighted the role this bill could have in increasing student milk consumption and nutrition access while also potentially decreasing waste. The hearing was the first formal Senate action on the bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House in 2023 and is poised to do so again this year.

“We know that Americans are under-consuming dairy products, and as we heard today, students have said they want the milk they are familiar with and that they find satisfying. For many students, that’s whole milk,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud.

The House of Representatives is considering similar legislation this year. The bill was approved by the House Education & the Workforce Committee with bipartisan support Feb. 12 and it now awaits floor action. Similar legislation that passed the House in 2023 was not taken up in the Senate that year.

Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Protect Common Names

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), and Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) praised yesterday’s reintroduction of the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act (SAFTEY Act).

Led by Senators John Thune, R-SD, Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Tina Smith, D-MN, in the Senate and Representatives Dusty Johnson, R-SD, Jim Costa, D-CA, Michelle Fischbach, R-MN, and Jimmy Panetta, D-CA, in the House, the bipartisan legislation would direct USDA to partner with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to prioritize the protection of common names like “parmesan” and “bologna” in international trade negotiations.

“For years, many foreign countries have succumbed to the EU pressures to exploit geographical indication rules to confiscate common food and beverage names that American and foreign producers in the new world have used for generations,” said Jaime Castaneda, Executive Director of CCFN. “This lack of action has cost U.S. producers too much for too long. The Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act is a critical step toward ensuring that American producers can count on their government to establish a policy of fairness in the global market. We thank Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta for their steadfast support.”

Since 2009, the EU has used trade negotiations and geographical indication (GI) rules to confiscate common names for their own producers—essentially monopolizing certain products in specific markets. For American farmers and manufacturers, this has led to lost commercial opportunities overseas and expensive fights domestically. The EU has escalated this campaign in recent years, coercing third-party countries to adopt the EU’s GI rules as part of trade negotiations.

“When the EU restricts our ability to market and sell our cheeses using ‘parmesan,’ ‘feta,’ and ‘asiago,’ it costs U.S. dairy producers markets and consumers that our members have built up over years,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “It is past time that the U.S. government take a more proactive approach to tackling this challenge. A new emphasis on common name protections—headlined by the SAFETY Act—will ensure that our producers can compete on a more level playing field around the world. Thank you to Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta for leading this important effort.”

By amending the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, the legislation defines “common names” and directs USDA to join forces with USTR to proactively defend these terms in export markets. Originally introduced in May 2023, the bill represents the first farm bill effort on common names.

“Losing the right to use common names has direct, on-the-ground consequences for U.S. dairy farmers,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF. “We appreciate Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta taking up this fight. U.S. producers deserve fair competition. The SAFETY Act is an important milestone to making that a reality.”

Time Running Out for Dairy Farmers to Sign Up for Dairy Margin Coverage

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

In a recent interview, NMPF Senior Director of Communications and Outreach Theresa Sweeney-Murphy highlighted the importance of the USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program as a crucial risk management tool for dairy farmers. With enrollment open through March 31, DMC helps protect farmers from unpredictable milk and feed prices by providing payments when margins fall below selected coverage levels.

Sweeney-Murphy discussed recent updates to the program, including improved feed-cost calculations that now fully account for premium alfalfa hay, ensuring payments more accurately reflect real-world expenses. She also emphasized the program’s flexible coverage options and how it can be paired with Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) and Livestock Gross Margin—Dairy (LGM-Dairy) for added financial security.

Farmers can enroll by visiting their local USDA Farm Service Agency office, where staff can help them navigate their coverage options before the March 31 deadline.

Farmers Ready to Face Policy Challenges, NMPF Farmers Say at Board Meeting

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy farmers from across the nation celebrated fairer milk prices for farmers and pledged to work together to meet challenges on labor, trade and other issues at the National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors meeting, which concluded today.

“We’re in a fast-moving environment, with a new administration and things changing every day,” said NMPF Board Chairman Randy Mooney, a farmer from Rogersville, MO, in remarks at the meeting. “We are happy to have NMPF watching out for us here in Washington.”

NMPF’s board meeting brought together more than 50 farmers and dairy-cooperative leaders at the nation’s largest dairy farmer trade organization, which serves as the policy voice for dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own in Washington.

Dairy farmers at the meeting heard presentations updating pressing dairy issues, including agricultural labor, trade and H5N1 bird flu, which has now been circulating in dairy cattle for roughly one year. Milk producers also celebrated a policy win – nationwide adoption of a new Federal Milk Marketing Order that begins taking effect on June 1. The plan, spearheaded by NMPF, culminates a four-year process of seeking fairer pricing for farmers and cooperatives.

“The top two issues we have today are immigration and tariffs,” Mooney said. “Nothing else means anything else to us if we don’t have anyone to milk our cows.” On trade, he said day-to-day turbulence doesn’t change dairy’s commitment to building exports. “We intend to play in the world market, and we will invest in the world market to do it,” he said.

NMPF’s board also charted a path toward a successor organization to the Cooperatives Working Together export assistance program, which has helped dairy build overseas markets. Reflecting that reformation, the board voted to rename the program NEXT (NMPF Exports & Trade) while authorizing a new business plan for final approval in June. The board also welcomed two new directors:

  • Mark Leichtfuss of FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative in Wisconsin, and;
  • Richard Hill of Upstate Niagara Cooperative in New York.

The board also created the Dr. Peter Vitaliano Legacy Scholarship as part of NMPF’s National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program. The award, named for a recently retired longtime NMPF economist, will be used to help support a student who demonstrates attributes exemplified by Dr. Vitaliano to honor his decades of commitment to the success of U.S. dairy producers and cooperatives.

Dairy Organizations Urge Intensified Negotiations to Restore Trade Flows

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Leaders from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) released the following statements today in response to retaliatory measures announced by Mexico, Canada and China.

“The President believes tariffs are necessary to address the opioid crisis in the United States. We urge Mexico and Canada to take U.S. concerns seriously,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF. “Mexico and Canada are valuable trading partners that American agriculture depends on, and trade with those countries is critical to the well-being of dairy farmers. Let’s focus on getting the concerns ironed out quickly so we can focus on bolstering these critical trade relationships. Then, let’s put those tariff tools to work, driving change with the trading partner that’s brushed off U.S. concerns for far too long – the European Union.”

“Exports are fundamental to the health of the U.S. dairy industry. One day’s worth of milk production out of every six is destined for international consumers and U.S. dairy sales to Mexico, Canada and China account for 51% of our total global exports. That’s a lot at stake,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “Dairy farmers and manufacturers are counting on a swift resolution to this impasse and urge a redoubling of efforts at the negotiating table to find a workable way forward that addresses U.S. national security concerns while also preserving export flows that are vital to supporting American farmers and workers. We’re eager to focus on working with the Administration on expanding global opportunities for American dairy products in ways that build on the existing base of sales to our trading partners.”