CWT

NMPF’s August Sees Flurry of Comments, Initiatives

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF spent the traditional August lull in Washington policymaking actively pushing its members’ priorities, submitting regulatory comments to federal agencies.

NMPF stood with other major agricultural organizations in joint comments submitted Aug. 13 against a draft risk assessment in which EPA models human exposure to the “forever chemicals” PFOA or PFOS from the application of sewage sludge, or biosolids, to farmland. The organizations asserted that EPA’s models operate on extreme assumptions that don’t account for the reality of agriculture, despite the agency’s best intentions.

NMPF also continued its decades-long fight against improper and ineffective air emissions modeling through comments Aug. 18 to the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study Group in response to draft revised emission models for animal feeding operations released by EPA late last fall.

After significant analysis, NMPF concluded that the current draft EPA dairy Air Emissions Estimating Methodologies (EEMs) are not appropriate for predicting dairy farm emissions. NMPF described the specific modeling flaws in its comments to support its argument that EPA should permanently cease its efforts in this area.

August also was highlighted by more activity from NEXT (NMPF Export and Trade), the revamped, cooperative-led export assistance program. NEXT member cooperatives secured 37 contracts in August, adding 8.6 million pounds of product in NEXT-assisted sales in 2025. These products will go to customers in Asia, Oceania, Middle East-North Africa, Central America, the Caribbean and South America and will be shipped through December.

NMPF also opened its fundraising raffle for its annual scholarship awards. The raffle runs through this year’s Joint Annual Meeting and concludes on Nov. 12 when winners will be announced.

Prizes this year include a $100 Airbnb gift card, a Cabot Creamery Fan Favorite gift box and more. The raffle can be accessed here. Back by popular demand, the scholarship committee will also be hosting a combination silent and live auction during the Cheese Reception on Nov. 11.

The NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program supports master’s and Ph.D. students conducting vital research for the future of the industry. The program is largely funded through raffles and auctions. Donations are also welcome. These events are critical to ensuring the opportunity to support the next generation of dairy enthusiasts.

NMPF’s Joint Annual Meeting on Nov. 10-12, held with the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB) and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA), is open for registration. More information and registration is available here.

Meanwhile, the FARM team is beginning to develop its Version 2028 of its Animal Care program, conducting a stakeholder survey through Sept. 5 collecting input from dairy farmers, industry stakeholders and partners about topics, issues and potential changes. The survey results will inform a final report available on the FARM website early next year.

Finally, according to August USDA data, the July margin under the Dairy Margin Coverage program dropped to $10.94/cwt, as the DMC feed cost formula decreased by $0.34/cwt, and the all-milk price fell by $0.50/cwt to $20.80/cwt. The July DMC feed cost dropped on lower corn and soybean meal prices, while the premium alfalfa price changed little from June.

November CWT-Assisted Export Sales Nearly 27.6 Million Pounds

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

CWT member cooperatives secured 121 contracts in November, adding 27.6 million pounds of product to CWT-assisted sales in 2024. This is equal to 273.8 million pounds of milk in milk equivalent on a milkfat basis. These products will go to customers in Asia, Oceania, Middle East-North Africa, Central America, the Caribbean and South America and will be shipped from November 2024 through May 2025. 

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 cheese, butter, anhydrous milkfat, cream cheese, or whole milk powder, moving products into world markets is essential. CWT provides a means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages.  

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

Q3 Report: CWT Assists with 17.1 Million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 161 offers of export assistance from CWT in the third quarter of 2024, helping them capture sales contracts for 13.6 million pounds (6,200 MT) of American-type cheese, 220,000 pounds (100 MT) of butter, 95,000 pounds (40 MT) of anhydrous milkfat, 730,000 pounds (330 MT) of whole milk powder and 2.4 million pounds (1,100 MT) of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America, and will be delivered from August 2024 through March 2025.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 59.6 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 529,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 864,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 18.7 million pounds of whole milk powder and 8.2 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 28 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 786 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products. The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes.

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The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins.

NMPF Board to Consider Refreshed CWT Program in August

Posted on by Chris Galen

NMPF’s Senior Vice President of Member Services, Chris Galen, outlines for Dairy Radio Now listeners the process underway in 2024 to revise the Cooperatives Working Together program.  Since 2003, CWT has served as a farmer-funded self-help program; now, farmers and coops are considering a package of changes to CWT to make it even more impactful in helping sell U.S.-made dairy foods in foreign markets.  Galen reports that the NMPF Board of Directors will vote on those improvements on Aug. 22.

Q2 Report: CWT Assists with 28.5 Million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA –  Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 162 offers of export assistance from CWT in the second quarter of 2024, helping them capture sales contracts for 15.6 million pounds (7,100 MT) of American-type cheese, 152,000 pounds (70 MT) of anhydrous milkfat, 10 million pounds (4,500 MT) of whole milk powder and 2.7 million pounds (1,200 MT) of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America, and will be delivered through December 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 45.9 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 18 million pounds of whole milk powder and 5.8 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 27 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 627.8 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products. The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes.

CWT Assists with 1.2 Million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted nine offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 750,000 pounds (340 MT) of American-type cheese and 441,000 pounds (200 MT) of whole milk. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America, and will be delivered from June through December 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 42.6 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 18 million pounds of whole milk powder and 4.8 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 27 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 590.1 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

Starting in July, CWT press releases will move to a quarterly publication schedule.

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The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins.

CWT Assists with 6.8 Million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 16 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 331,000 million pounds (150 MT) of American-type cheese, 5.7 million pounds (2,580 MT) of whole milk powder and 763,000 pounds (345 MT) of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America, and will be delivered from May through December 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 41.9 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 17.5 million pounds of whole milk powder and 4.8 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 27 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 580 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

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The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices

CWT Assists with 355,000 Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted four offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 355,000 pounds (160 MT) of American-type cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia and Oceania and will be delivered from June through August 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 41.5 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 11.8 million pounds of whole milk powder and 4.1 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 27 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 529.5 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

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The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins.

CWT Assists with 364,000 Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted five offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 86,000 pounds (40 MT) of American-type cheese, 88,000 pounds (40 MT) of whole milk powder and 190,000 pounds (85 MT) of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia and Middle East-North Africa and will be delivered from May through November 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 41.2 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 11.8 million pounds of whole milk powder and 4.1 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 26 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 526 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

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The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins.

CWT Assists with Six Million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales

Posted on by Khadija Gibson-White

ARLINGTON, VA – Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 16 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 2.9 million pounds (1,300 MT) of American-type cheese and 3.1 million pounds (1,410 MT) of whole milk powder. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa and South America, and will be delivered from May through September 2024.

CWT-assisted member cooperative year-to-date export sales total 41.2 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 309,000 pounds of butter (82% milkfat), 769,000 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, 11.7 million pounds of whole milk powder and 3.9 million pounds of cream cheese. The products are going to 26 countries in five regions. These sales are the equivalent of 523.1 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and cooperatives by fostering the competitiveness of U.S. dairy products in the global marketplace and helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S. dairy products. As a result, the program has helped significantly expand the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT pays export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by required documentation.

###

The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins.