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Federal Regulations Evolving Fast
The regulatory climate in Washington is shifting in unprecedented ways, requiring quick responses and an eye for opportunities, NMPF regulation experts said in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.
The pace of evolution is “Intense, insane,” said Clay Detlefsen, NMPF’s Senior Vice President for Regulatory and Environmental Affairs. “It changes daily. It’s full of unknowns, and it’s moving forward at an absolutely crazy pace. We don’t know what to expect tomorrow or the next day or the day after that, but things are indeed happening.”
Joining Detlefsen to discuss what dairy farmers, processors and consumers should anticipate, from milk labeling to MAHA, are Dr. Jamie Jonker, NMPF’s Chief Science Officer, and Director of Regulatory Affairs Miquela Hanselman.
To hear more Dairy Defined podcasts, you can find and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”
NMPF’s Bleiberg Assesses Latest Developments in Immigration Policy on Dairy Radio Now
NMPF Executive Vice President Paul Bleiberg explains for listeners of Dairy Radio Now what to make of conflicting statements issued in the past week by Trump Administration officials regarding how the federal government will enforce immigration laws on farms and agricultural businesses.
NMPF Supports Senate Ag Committee Farm Policy Investments
The National Milk Producers Federation today commended the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee for including important resources in their budget reconciliation proposal that would boost rural economies and support unmet needs.
“Dairy farmers are grateful to Chairman John Boozman and his committee for putting forward legislation that will create several key opportunities for dairy,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “Following last month’s successful vote in the House, we are excited that this legislation positions these investments strongly in the Senate to benefit dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own.”
The Senate reconciliation proposal released yesterday would fund the Dairy Margin Coverage program through 2031, provide resources for mandatory USDA dairy manufacturing cost surveys every two years, and offer long-term support for critical trade promotion, conservation, research, and animal health programs.
NMPF Farmers Advocate for Dairy, Approve Trade Initiative at Board Meeting
Dairy farmers from across the nation approved a new initiative to boost dairy exports and welcomed a new cooperative member as well as new farmer-leaders at the National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors meeting, which concluded today.
“If you imagine that on top of that the millions of people who buy something we touch every day with the products, the nutritious products that we produce, not just at dinner, not just at breakfast, but all day long, because of what you can turn dairy into, it’s a pretty amazing story, really,” said NMPF Board Chairman Randy Mooney, a farmer from Rogersville, MO, in remarks at the meeting. “We put some of the most nourishing products there are into consumers every day, globally, and that’s something that I think we can all be proud of.”
NMPF’s board meeting brought together more than 100 farmers and dairy-cooperative leaders at the nation’s largest dairy farmer trade organization, which serves as the policy voice for milk producers and the cooperatives they own in Washington.
The meeting was held in conjunction with NMPF’s annual fly-in of its Young Cooperators, who met with members of Congress to discuss pressing dairy concerns and received a U.S. Capitol tour from Rep. Adam Gray, D-CA; it also featured remarks from Reps. Dusty Johnson, R-SD, David Valadao, R-CA, and Tony Wied, R-WI.
The board voted to implement a new member-funded export assistance program called NEXT, starting July 1. A majority of the milk supplied to consumers worldwide by NMPF members is supporting the NEXT program with a 2 cent/cwt contribution through 2028. The NEXT program will focus on supporting U.S. dairy exports in key markets around the world, including Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia.
The board also welcomed two new directors and one new cooperative member. Joining as new board members are:
- Corey Gillins, Dairy Farmers of America
- Tim Kuenzi, Darigold
- Brenda Dehart, Foremost Farms
NMPF’s newest member, approved today, is Lanco-Pennland Cooperative, based in Hagerstown, MD. Lanco-Pennland produces roughly 400 million pounds of milk annually and is a leading East Coast milk marketer.
The Young Cooperators (YC) Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum brought together young dairy leaders from 15 states for two days of education and advocacy on Capitol Hill, discussing key dairy priorities directly with members of Congress and staffs to advocate for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, agricultural labor reform and strong dairy trade policies.
Also in conjunction with the meeting, The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program opened nominations for its annual FARM Excellence Awards, which recognizes farmers, cooperatives and processors that provide consumers with safe, wholesome milk with integrity. Nominations may be submitted via an online form by Aug. 4.
NMPF Names Four Dairy Scholarship Winners
Four graduate students researching in areas that benefit dairy cooperatives and farmers are receiving scholarships as part of the 2025 NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program, with one being honored through a scholarship created this year. Recipients include:
Dallas Soffa, a doctoral candidate in Physiology of Reproduction in Animal Science at Texas A&M. Soffa’s research explores the hormonal influence on reproductive microbiota and immune cell signaling in cattle.
Margaret Costello, a doctoral candidate in Animal & Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on integrating emerging sequencing technology and non-invasive sampling techniques with rumen microbiome research to address key industry concerns.
Marina Rocha Dorella, a master’s student in Animal Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research explores enhancing dairy industry sustainability through precision dairy technology, more specifically, optimizing hyperketonemia treatment efficiency and labor allocation.
The committee also selected a student to receive the newly created Dr. Peter Vitaliano Legacy Scholarship. The scholarship, created in March, supports individuals who demonstrate a passion for the industry through community engagement, academic interests and advocacy. This year’s scholarship was awarded to:
Maria Belen Ugarte Marin, a doctoral candidate in Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University of Florida studying the identification of detrimental milking characteristics and their association with dairy farm performance. Maria’s dedication to mentorship, serving as a teaching assistant, and overall passion for supporting the next generation embodies the vision for dairy leadership by Dr. Vitaliano, who retired from NMPF last year after nearly four decades as an economist with the organization.
“Congratulations to each recipient of this year’s National Dairy Leadership Scholarships,” said NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud. “We are proud to continue to focus on the future of the industry by supporting these young professionals in their endeavors. Farmers can be confident in their investment in education and the next generation of dairy leaders.”
NMPF’s Board of Directors confirmed the recipients as part of NMPF’s Board of Directors meeting held in Arlington, VA, June 10-11. To learn more about and contribute to the NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship program, please visit the scholarship website.
Preparing the next generation
By Theresa Sweeney-Murphy, Senior Director, Communications & Outreach
This year marks a major milestone for the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) National Young Cooperators (YC) Program as it celebrates its 75th anniversary. Young dairy farmer leaders from across the country are gathered this week in Washington, D.C. to engage with lawmakers, advocate for key dairy issues and continue building the next generation of cooperative leadership.
The multi-day program is a hallmark event for NMPF, providing young cooperators with in-depth insights into current policy issues from subject matter experts. Attendees also receive training in relationship-building with lawmakers, message development and effective communication strategies — skills they then have the opportunity to apply during meetings with members of Congress and their staffs on Capitol Hill.
Drawing from their own experiences, young cooperators will highlight the effects of policy action — and inaction — on their farms during meetings with policymakers. A key priority this year is pushing for agricultural labor reform that provides dairy farmers with access to a stable, legal workforce. They will also advocate for the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, underscoring the nutritional benefits of whole milk for children, and champion efforts to expand reliable export markets for U.S. dairy products.
Now celebrating the 75th year, the YC Program remains firmly rooted in the cooperative values that bring the dairy community together. Since 1950, it has helped shape the next generation of leaders by offering year-round leadership training and educational opportunities for young farmers looking to step into greater roles — on their farms, in their cooperatives, and throughout the industry.
This week’s event reinforces the critical role the YC Program plays in dairy farmer advocacy. As challenges grow more complex, having well-prepared, informed young leaders at the table is more important than ever. Their voices bring real-world insight to policy discussions, ensuring that dairy farmers’ needs are heard and understood by policymakers. Their involvement is essential to shaping sound policies and securing a strong future for the industry.
Beyond this week’s Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum in Washington, the YC Program has more in-person events planned for 2025. Educational sessions will be held October 2 and 3 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., followed by the annual Leadership and Development Program, taking place November 9 to 12 in Arlington, Texas.
The National YC Program is open to dairy farmers under the age of 45 who own or work on a farm that’s part of an NMPF member cooperative. To stay informed about upcoming events and opportunities, click here and check the National YC Program box. You can also reach out to your cooperative to learn more about getting involved.
This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on June 9, 2025.
Lab-Based Dairy is So Boring
It’s strange to admit, but as more and more consumers react negatively to the lack of nutrition and marketing honesty in plant-based and lab-based beverages, news of their falling sales, struggling stock prices and consumer skepticism has become almost … boring.
But being boring is one thing. Being Bored is another level entirely. Let’s explain.
Two years ago, when “lab-based” milk seemed to be promising some more of the same mislabeling craziness that plant-based dairy imposters have been foisting on consumers for decades, an over-hyped beverage called “Bored Cow” entered the marketplace.
Promising “animal-free dairy milk,” (which, per FDA standards of identity, is impossible), Bored Cow played the same trick as other purported lab-based milk imitators — it fermented one dairy protein (out of hundreds of milk’s total chemical components), added a bunch of other stuff to it, and decided to market it as milk, complete with spurious sustainability claims and promises to “fix our food system,” etc.
NMPF complained to the FDA, and, as has been customary with FDA for the past several decades when it comes to dairy terms, very little happened. But another place where little seems to be happening is … Bored Cow’s sales. Once the hype died down, did Bored Cow just … wander away?
A look at the company website, tryboredcow.com, returns a message saying “Sorry, this store is unavailable.” Same thing happens to the website of one of its two corporate parents, the venture-capital-established Tomorrow Farms. Bored Cow’s Instagram page was last updated last August.
Perfect Day, the other entity from which Bored Cow was spawned, at least still has an active web presence. The company is active enough, in fact, to get sued by the Organic Consumers Association for peddling Bored Cow as milk when it’s actually, as alleged in the lawsuit, about 87% fungus, among other things. (You can see why they’d prefer to associate with dairy, with limited fungus demand among American beverage consumers.) According to an article detailing the suit, Bored Cow has become a bit of a distraction for Perfect Day, which in 2023 pivoted to building business-to-business relationships with large consumer products companies and didn’t want to focus on brands.
Multiple requests for comment from Perfect Day were not returned. Bored Cow doesn’t seem to have any contact information.
To be sure, Bored Cow still seems to exist. Target and Walmart are selling it, and UberEats says it can deliver you some in an hour if you’d like. But if this is the lab-based revolution, it’s a bit underwhelming. Sales of real milk are up, dairy investment is booming, and the return to milk (and the turning away from alternatives) is genuine. Proving yet again that reports of the death of dairy a few years ago were greatly exaggerated. Now it seems like it’s the one-time wave of the future that’s on life support.
An interesting thought. But it’s also one that’s become so obvious that’s it’s getting a little … you know.
NMPF CEO Doud Discusses Dairy Achievements on FMMOs, Whole Milk for Dairy Radio Now Listeners
As June Dairy Month begins, NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud explains for listeners of Dairy Radio Now that NMPF has helped notch two important achievements for the dairy community: the implementation of long-awaited updates to the Federal Order system, and passage by the Senate Agriculture Committee of legislation to expand milk choices in schools.
Regulatory Register — Spring 2025
NMPF Applauds Senate Committee for Advancing Whole Milk Bill
The National Milk Producers Federation applauded the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for supporting by voice vote the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, a vital piece of legislation for increasing student milk consumption and nutrition access.
The bill’s markup today is a critical step in passing this bipartisan legislation, which has already been approved at the House committee level.
“The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act is about making informed, science-backed decisions that prioritize the health and future of our children,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said. “We’re grateful that this common-sense legislation has received such strong support from both sides of the aisle. We commend Senators Marshall and Welch for authoring this bill in the Senate and advocating passionately for its passage, as well as Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar for their bipartisan leadership in moving the bill through committee. Passing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act will allow more schoolkids to access essential nutrients in their diets, and that’s something everyone can get behind.”
This bill, if signed into law, would provide schools with the option of serving whole and 2% milk. Whole and 2% milk are the most consumed varieties at home, more satiating than lower fat varieties and offer the same 13 essential nutrients including protein, calcium and vitamin D. Currently, school meal rules in effect since 2012 only allow 1% and fat-free milk options.
The bill is sponsored by Sens. Roger Marshall, R-KS, Peter Welch, D-VT, Dave McCormick, R-PA, and John Fetterman, D-PA. In addition, Chairman John Boozman, R-AR and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, both strongly supported the bill as did many other committee members from both parties.
The House of Representatives is considering similar legislation led by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, R-PA, and Rep. Kim Schrier, D-WA. The House bill was approved by the House Education & the Workforce Committee with bipartisan support Feb. 12, and it now awaits floor action. The full House passed a similar bill in 2023, but that year’s session expired before Senate approval.
With today’s successful committee vote, the next step is floor action in both the House and the Senate. NMPF has a call to action on its website urging dairy advocates to speak up on the bill.
Kinler Joins NMPF as Senior Director of Board, State and Member Relations
Casey Kinler this week is joining NMPF as its new Senior Director of Board, State and Member Relations for NMPF. In this role, she leads efforts to build and strengthen relationships with our members, sponsors, and state affiliates. This includes supporting the planning and execution of NMPF’s annual meeting and board meetings.
Casey brings a decade of experience in member engagement. Before joining NMPF, she served as Director of Membership Experience at the American Composites Manufacturers Association, where she led initiatives in member retention, onboarding, and engagement. Previously, she held the role of Director of Membership and Marketing at the Animal Agriculture Alliance, where she managed sponsorship outreach, member recruitment and coordinated its annual event.
Casey holds a master’s degree in communications from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications from Auburn University.
