From NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern

“Today’s bipartisan passage of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA) in the House of Representatives provides crucial momentum toward addressing dairy’s ongoing workforce crisis, which has only intensified during the COVID pandemic. NMPF thanks the House members who have championed these reforms, Immigration Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA), for undertaking the difficult task of negotiating an agricultural labor bill that’s attracted a wide range of support as it has moved through the chamber.

“Nothing gets done if we cannot move forward. The broad industry and bipartisan support for passing FWMA in the House demonstrates the acute need for ag labor reform this Congress and illustrates that consensus can be achieved. To that end, NMPF also thanks House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) for providing a roadmap for further improvements to the House measure while supporting the advancement of ag workforce reform efforts toward a solution.

“On that note, more work will need to be done for ag labor solutions to become law. NMPF will continue its bipartisan efforts in Congress and calls on the Senate to enact its own ag labor reform measure that gives dairy reliable access to the workforce farmers and farmworkers need to nourish the nation and the world.”

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applaud the Senate’s confirmation of Katherine Tai as the next United States Trade Representative.

“The U.S. Dairy Export Council welcomes the swift appointment of Ms. Tai as the new U.S. Trade Representative at a time when exports of U.S. dairy products are critical to the economic well-being of the millions of American workers whose jobs are generated by our dairy industry,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “Ms. Tai’s commitment to work for all Americans provides a strong platform to ensure that U.S. trade policy and trade agreements will benefit America’s agricultural community.”

“On behalf of America’s 34,000 dairy producers and the dozens of farmer-owned dairy cooperatives throughout the country, NMPF commends the Senate’s approval of Ms. Tai today and we look forward to continue working with her in her new capacity as the U.S. Trade Representative,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of NMPF. “With over 15 percent of U.S. milk production being exported each year, enforcement of current trade agreements and opening new market opportunities overseas will help provide a profitable rural economy.”

NMPF and USDEC have enjoyed a long history of working with Ms. Tai throughout the course of numerous negotiations including the U.S.- Mexico-Canada Agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.  Her strategic insight, dedication and ardent efforts to work on behalf of improved trade policies for U.S. farmers, workers and businesses across the country speak highly to the leadership she will bring to USTR’s critical mission.

An ebbing COVID-19 pandemic, an appreciation of the labor crisis in agriculture, and a heightened bipartisan desire for immigration reform all make 2021 a unique opportunity for progress in ensuring a secure dairy workforce if the moment is seized, NMPF Senior Director of Government Relations Claudia Larson says in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.

“This window of opportunity, I think if we don’t seize it, we’re not entirely sure when it will open again,” Larson said. If people want to become involved, your voice will have an impact with your members of Congress.”

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan attempt to address ag labor needs, may reach the floor of the House of Representatives this week. Larson said support for the bill is important to build momentum in the Senate to reach its own agreement, noting that people who want to urge their own lawmakers to act can do so by becoming a Dairy Advocate here.

The full podcast is here. You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file below. Please attribute information to NMPF.

 

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today issued joint comments on Canada’s Phase II Consultations on its Comprehensive Review of the Allocation and Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQs) for Dairy, Poultry, and Egg Products. The three organizations, which have repeatedly expressed concerns about Canada’s failure to align its TRQ conditions with its commitments in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), are united in their insistence that Canada must dramatically reform its policies regarding the administration and allocation of its TRQs.

“USMCA negotiations resulted in clear new access for the United States dairy industry. In contrast with virtually all other sectors of the U.S.-Canadian economies, the level of dairy access is tightly prescribed by the agreement. That makes it all the more important that our industry can benefit from the full value of those dairy commitments,” stated Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “Canada needs to stop manipulating its dairy TRQs; its actions have not only negatively impacted U.S. dairy farmers and manufacturers, but also constrained many Canadian companies from being able to make use of these new TRQs to expand their supply options. USMCA lays out clear requirements on TRQ procedures and we urge the U.S. government to ensure full compliance by Canada with those commitments.”

USDEC, NMPF and IDFA have been monitoring Canada’s dairy actions, particularly its USMCA commitments. The three organizations have reiterated the importance of compliance with and enforcement of the Agreement, especially in relation to Canadian TRQ administration and allocation, as well as USMCA’s dairy pricing program reform commitments. These joint comments elaborate on those TRQ compliance concerns, outlining the fact that the U.S. dairy industry insists upon realizing the full benefit of the USMCA market access Canada committed to provide. Among the priorities noted in the joint comments were the importance of ensuring that TRQs be made available without discrimination to all actors in Canada’s full dairy supply chain – including distributors, retailers, food services outlets, processors, etc. USDEC, NMPF, and IDFA have each filed detailed comments outlining these and other concerns with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and continue to support the Administration’s work to hold Canada accountable under its ongoing USMCA consultations.

“For too long, prices received by U.S. dairy farmers have been undermined by Canadian dairy policies. USMCA commitments provided for a controlled expansion of access for U.S. exports to finally crack open the door to Canada’s market a bit further. It’s time for Canada to stop playing games and address concerns related to the administration of its TRQs,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of NMPF. “Canada is failing to meet its trade obligations by manipulating import license procedures and minimizing the ability of U.S. dairy farmers to have full access to the benefits of USMCA. That needs to stop, and we look forward to working with the Biden Administration to ensure it does.”

“We are pleased to partner with our colleagues to present a united front to Canada that emphasizes the U.S. dairy industry’s continued request for Canada to honor its USMCA commitments,” stated Michael Dykes, President and CEO of IDFA. “We continue to ask our U.S. government colleagues to hold Canada accountable to honor its USMCA commitments and to align its TRQ policies with its international obligations.”

In 2020, the United States exported almost $676 million in dairy products to Canada, well short of the gains estimated to occur under USMCA by the U.S. International Trade Commission in its 2019 report.

From NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern:

“For decades NMPF has fought hard for agricultural labor reform, working with our champions in Congress and across administrations for solutions that address dairy’s workforce needs. With COVID adding greater uncertainty to the already volatile dairy industry, our producers need access to a stable, legal workforce more now than ever. We thank Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) for their leadership in ag labor reform efforts and for reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

“This bipartisan bill takes a significant step toward ultimately addressing through legislation the workforce crisis plaguing American agriculture. NMPF urges the House to swiftly pass this bipartisan measure to demonstrate to the Senate that bipartisan ag labor reform can and must be done. NMPF would then continue its work to strengthen areas in this legislation that are key for dairy’s workforce as this priority issue moves forward in the Senate.”

Two training opportunities will be available to FARM WFD Program Participant evaluators in March and April.

FARM staff and ACER Consulting, FARM’s training provider, piloted the training with a group of FARM evaluators and subject matter experts in January. Feedback from the pilot was instrumental in refining the content and curriculum.   The trainings equip evaluators  to conduct WFD evaluations for Version 1.0 of the program. The first of these trainings will be held virtually  on March 10th and 11th. A second training session will be held April 14 and 15. The separate trainings are limited to 20 individuals per training. Interested FARM evaluators can register for the March training here and the April training here.

The launching of Version 1.0 of FARM WFD was one of many FARM achievements captured in the annual FARM Year in Review, released in February. The overview details the resources developed across all program areas anddetails how aspects of FARM were brought into a fully virtual environment. Events like the annual Evaluator Conference, monthly Evaluator Engagement Hours and the program’s Quick Convos series gave FARM staff the ability to connect with all stakeholders and provided relevant and sought-after information as 2020 presented unrivaled challenges in providing on-farm social responsibility assurances.

2020 also saw FARM Animal Care Version 4 go into effect supporting closer farmer-veterinarian relationships, requiring continuing education for all employees and adding a new standard for pain management when disbudding animals. FARM also launched Version 2 of the Environmental Stewardship program which includes updated crop emissions factors, a breakdown of greenhouse gas emissions by gas type, a metric on the use of nutrient management plans, and the ability to capture the benefits of solid-liquid separation, and solar and wind energy.

Sage Saffran joined the FARM team on Feb. 1 as its Sustainability Initiatives Coordinator, supporting FARM’s Environmental Stewardship and Workforce Development program areas.

Immediately prior to joining the FARM team she was the Public Policy Intern at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) where she worked with leaders of agriculture across all 50 states and four U.S. territories on policy solutions. Saffran grew up in a small Connecticut town, with a dairy farm in her backyard. She is a recent graduate of the University of Connecticut with a B.S. in Animal Science and Applied Resource Economics.

Sage is an avid polo player and proud alumni of the UConn Polo Team. She enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and spending time outdoors.