Dairy farmers and their cooperatives are an important part of a nationwide effort to promote vaccine confidence. This resource, adapted from the Health Action Alliance’s Small Business Guide to COVID-19 Vaccines and CDC’s Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit, will help you communicate with employees about the safety and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and help employees get vaccinated. A healthy dairy workforce is essential to ensuring continuity of operations and a safe, plentiful food supply.

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Communicating with Employees

Employees need to know the benefits and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The information below will help you share clear, accurate information to educate employees about COVID-19 vaccines and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination.

Key Messages:

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Available COVID-19 vaccines have met the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s rigorous scientific standards and are safe and effective.

• Get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity. Although the vaccine supply remains limited, public health officials are working toward making vaccines widely available for everyone in the U.S. at no cost. Visit your state’s COVID-19 landing page to determine eligibility status.
• It is okay to have questions. Share trusted information with employees so they can make informed decisions about vaccines. If you have questions, talk to a doctor or healthcare provider.

Options for Dairy Farmers:

• Lead by example. Make sure you get vaccinated when it is your turn, and let your employees know you did.
• Adapt key messages about COVID-19 vaccines to the language, tone, and format that will resonate with your employees.
• Post workplace flyers, factsheets and infographics to reinforce the safety and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines.
• Invite vaccinated employees to share their experience with other employees.
• Invite a local physician or other public health expert to speak with your employees and workers about vaccines.

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Helping Employees Get Vaccinated

Once an employee has decided to get vaccinated, employers can help by removing barriers that may prevent them from doing so and by offering modest incentives to encourage vaccination. Below are some possible ways to support employees.

• Help identify when and where workers can get vaccinated when it is their turn. The CDC has co-developed a VaccineFinder that can help you locate a vaccine site near you.
• Offer internet access or language support services to help employees and workers schedule appointments.
• Relieve any concerns about costs for vaccines. The federal government is providing vaccines free of charge to all people living in the U.S.
• Provide paid time off to employees who get vaccinated. Many employers are offering between 4-6 paid hours for each dose of a vaccine an employee receives.
• Provide transportation to and from vaccine appointments.
• Partner with a local public health department or other providers to offer on-site vaccinations to employees.
• Consider providing small prizes, rewards or other modest financial incentives to employees who get vaccinated.

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Other Resources

• A Dairy Farmer’s Guide to the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
• Workplace Vaccination Program
• Vaccine Mandates & Exceptions
• FAQs for Employers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yesterday that it will soon implement the $400 million Dairy Donation Program established by Congress in December 2020. The department provided details on program participation to dairy processors and cooperatives to ensure donations of nutritious dairy products continue to make their way to Americans struggling with hunger while USDA finalizes the program.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today issued the following statements applauding USDA’s work:

“NMPF worked closely with Congress to enact the Dairy Donation Program (DDP) in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. This important program will help dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own to continue to do what they do best – feed people. Dairy stakeholders are eager to expand their partnership efforts with food banks and other distributors to provide a variety of nutritious dairy products to food insecure households who have faced uniquely difficult challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as hunger has risen significantly during the last year. We commend USDA for prioritizing implementation of the DDP and look forward to continue working with the Department, the food bank community and all involved to make the program a success,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO, NMPF.

“IDFA applauds USDA for advancing the Dairy Donation Program (DDP), which will facilitate the donation of fresh, nutritious dairy products to nonprofit organizations helping Americans currently struggling with hunger and nutrition issues. The U.S. dairy industry stepped up throughout the pandemic to partner with and aid non-profits, charities, and other organizations working to combat our nation’s hunger issues that were exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. This new program will help ensure persons in need continue to receive assistance and the unique combination of essential nutrients that only dairy products can provide. IDFA appreciates the department’s work to ensure dairy donations continue during this crucial time of need in our country. We will continue to work with the department to ensure the program works efficiently for dairy processors and cooperatives and the nonprofit organizations serving our nation’s food insecure families,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO, IDFA.

Five NMPF staff members are taking on enhanced responsibilities within the organization in recognition of their exemplary service to the dairy community.

Jaime Castaneda, Shawna Morris, Jamie Jonker, Claudia Larson, and Theresa Sweeney-Murphy each will be taking on greater responsibilities in their new roles. “These changes within our organization are a tribute to the hard work and leadership shown by our staff, who together have served dairy farmers and their cooperatives during a challenging time,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Each recognition is well-deserved; together they show just how strongly our staff serves to dairy’s needs. We are proud of the service they have given through the years and look forward to their continued service in the future.”

Jaime Castaneda, currently Senior Vice President for Policy Strategy and International Trade, will become Executive Vice President for Policy Development & Strategy, focusing on developing and implementing domestic and international policy initiatives. In this role, Castaneda will continue working closely with all of NMPF’s departments, with a particular focus on our policy strategy and execution. He also will continue to lead NMPF’s close partnership with the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Castaneda has been an ardent advocate for cooperatives, farmers and the industry as demonstrated by his impressive leadership on many key NMPF initiatives including dairy margin coverage, immigration reform, various trade negotiations, the creation of the Consortium for Common Food Names, and much more.

Shawna Morris will be promoted to Senior Vice President for Trade Policy, leading our trade policy advocacy efforts. In her current role as Vice President of Trade Policy, Morris has worked actively to advance and promote dairy trade policies that strongly benefit the U.S. dairy industry. She has played a critical role in our efforts working with U.S. and foreign governments, as well as with various international organizations. In her new role, she will continue to work closely with the U.S. Dairy Export Council, developing and promoting the international policy interests of U.S. dairy farmers and the wider U.S. dairy industry, domestically and around the world, as trade policy becomes an increasingly key factor in the economic well-being of dairy farmers.

Dr. Jamie Jonker will be promoted to Chief Science Officer, adding this to his title of Vice President, Sustainability & Scientific Affairs. Jonker’s promotion recognizes his key role at NMPF as lead scientific expert on the many issues affecting the dairy industry, from animal health to sustainability, to dairy farm biosecurity, to air and water quality, and much more. Jonker leads NMPF’s engagement domestic and international scientific groups such as the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA), the International Dairy Federation (IDF), the World Animal Health Organization (OIE), and Codex Alimentarius (Codex). Jonker serves on the IDF Board of Directors and last year was elected chair of the IDF Science Program Coordinating Committee.

Dr. Claudia Larson has been promoted to Senior Director, Government Relations. Since joining NMPF in 2019, Larson has undertaken advocacy and outreach work on a wide range of issues, leading the organization’s efforts in Congress to advocate for agricultural labor reform, where she played an active role in crafting and advancing the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which recently passed the House for a second time. Larson has also built support for NMPF’s child nutrition priorities and worked successfully with Congress to secure key improvements to the Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 relief programs to better assist dairy farmers and their cooperatives.

Theresa Sweeney-Murphy, currently Communications Manager, will become NMPF’s Communications Director, a role that reflects her rising level of responsibility within the organization as she innovates in member communications and expands the reach and relevance of NMPF’s Young Cooperators. Since joining NMPF in 2019, Sweeney-Murphy has led and implemented new initiatives that have improved our outreach to members and the broader community, spearheading NMPF’s special-topic member toolkits, enhancing its website and maintaining an active NMPF presence on social media. As leader of the YCs, Sweeney-Murphy has implemented regular webinars, among other offerings.

From NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern:

“While the Farmers to Families Food Box program was very helpful last year in responding quickly to both last year’s food supply chain disruptions and the dramatic rise in the number of Americans experiencing food insecurity, it also had its challenges. That’s why we are not surprised by the decision to move beyond the food box program, and in fact, expected it.

“The important focus now is addressing the twin needs of assisting food insecure families and aiding food supply chains like dairy that are still dealing with the effects of reduced foodservice demand. We support USDA’s efforts to use multiple programs, including TEFAP, Section 32, the new dairy donation program and other efforts to purchase dairy products, produce, meat and other products for distribution through food banks and other charitable organizations in the most efficient and effective ways. This will help farmers do what they do best: Serve people who benefit from the nutrition they provide.”

In keeping with tradition but offering a new twist, NMPF unveiled its 2020 Activities and Accomplishments Report at the organization’s Board of Directors meeting March 10.

Physical copies of the report have historically been distributed to Board members at this event annually, but due to COVID-19 public health concerns that have continued to limit in-person gatherings, including the March Board of Directors meeting, the 2020 report was published online and distributed virtually.

The annual report chronicled the many activities and accomplishments of the past year, including NMPF’s work to secure $16 billion in direct farm aid from Congress, to extend Small Business Administration programs to farm businesses, and to ensure that farm and cooperative employees were recognized as “essential” workers. The organization also made progress on agricultural labor and climate legislation and remained vigilant in encouraging federal efforts to expand dairy exports and enforce existing trade agreements.

At the same time, NMPF defended its members against excessive regulation and promoted dairy as a crucial component of diets in the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Click here to view the full report.

The April 16 deadline for applications for NMPF’s National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program for the 2021-2022 academic year is quickly approaching.

NMPF awards scholarships each year to outstanding graduate students (enrolled in Master’s or Ph.D. programs) who are actively pursuing dairy-related fields of research of immediate interest to NMPF member cooperatives and the U.S. dairy industry at large.

Graduate students pursuing research of direct benefit to milk marketing cooperatives and dairy producers are encouraged to apply (applicants do not need to be members of NMPF to qualify).  The top applicant will be awarded the Hintz Memorial Scholarship, created in 2005 in honor of the late Cass-Clay Creamery Board Chairman Murray Hintz, who was instrumental in establishing NMPF’s scholarship program.

Recommended fields of study include but are not limited to Agriculture Communications and Journalism, Animal Health, Animal and/or Human Nutrition, Bovine Genetics, Dairy Products Processing, Dairy Science, Economics, Environmental Science, Food Science, Food Safety, Herd Management, and Marketing and Price Analysis.

For an application or more information, please visit the NMPF website or email scholarship@nmpf.org.

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program plans to resume program on-farm evaluation activity on Sept 1, while reinstating deadlines nationwide. FARM also approved nominations for new Animal Care Task Force members.

Effective Sept. 1, evaluation and corrective action plan deadlines will be reinstated and all recommendations to forego on-farm activities related to the FARM Program will be rescinded. Also, program cycles are now extended to June 30, 2024, for all program areas (Animal Care 4.0, Environmental Stewardship 2.0 and Workforce Development 1.0). Resources for evaluators can be found on the new Evaluators and Trainer page on the FARM website in addition to events, training information, and FAQs.

Meanwhile, the NMPF Animal Health and Well-Being (AHWB) Committee approved nominations for the FARM Animal Care Task Force members who will serve as FARM Animal Care Version 5.0 discussions commence. Stakeholders across the U.S. dairy industry nominated the new members to fill existing vacancies on the task force, formerly called the Technical Writing Group.

The task force now consists of five farmers of varying operation size and geography, five representatives from co-ops and processors, four veterinarians, four academics, and one representative from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. More information on the task force, its responsibilities, and a full list of members, is here.

FARM conducted its first evaluator training as part of the Workforce Development (WFD) program area on March 10 and 11. The training equips FARM evaluators to conduct WFD Version 1.0 evaluations. A total of 10 evaluators participated in the two-day program administered by ACER Consulting, FARM’s training provider. Another training will be held April 14 and 15. Interested FARM evaluators can register here.

NMPF staff lobbied congressional offices in March to raise the issue with the Federal Maritime Commission that certain vessel operating common carriers (VOCCs) reportedly are returning to their original port with empty containers instead of accepting U.S. agriculture and forestry exports. Members of Congress have sent letters to the FMC pressuring them to address the problem, due in part to NMPF advocacy.

Senator John Thune (R-SD), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and 22 of their colleagues sent a letter on March 2 to the FMC expressing concern and calling on the Commission to quickly resolve this critical issue, which is complicating dairy exports. In the letter, the senators urged appropriate enforcement actions under the Shipping Act be used to end recent practices that are hurting producers and preventing competition in foreign markets. They also recognized how urgent the need is, “especially with record container volumes at the nation’s major ports.”

More than 100 House Members also wrote to the FMC to share their mounting concern over this practice, stating: “Should it be found that VOCCs are predatory or unreasonable in refusing to export American agricultural producers or imposing unreasonable fees, they must be held accountable by the Commission for the harm they are causing our producers.” The signees called on the commission to provide monthly updates as efforts to address the issue move forward.

NMPF will continue to maintain pressure on Congress and the FMC to quickly resolve the ongoing delays and excessive fees.