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DFA Takes Top Honors in NMPF Annual Communications Contest

Posted on by Jessi-Ryah Cordova

Maola’s Smith Named Farmer Communicator of the Year

The National Milk Producers Federation today named Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) the Cooperative Communicator of the Year in its annual communications contest. Ben Smith, a Maola Local Dairies farmer-member, was named NMPF’s Farmer Communicator of the Year.

DFA won eight categories and a ‘Best of Show’ award in the Writing category. The cooperative also earned four second place and two third place finishes.

The co-op’s winning Best of Show entry, “A Quick Guide to Milk Options That Fit Today’s Lifestyle,” focuses on building consumer confidence in dairy products. This piece explores the growing variety of dairy milk options available today, helping consumers make an informed choice on what product best fits their needs and lifestyle.

“This article is truly informative. I can see why it has performed so well with search engine optimization,” the category judge wrote. “It uses just the right amount of words to be informative without being wordy. I can’t see how this could be improved to achieve its end goal — to inform consumers.”

NMPF recognized Smith for his advocacy work across agricultural media, industry events and educational opportunities to help consumers, policymakers and farmers understand modern dairy production. Smith recently took over daily operations of his family’s dairy, Cool Lawn Farm in Bealeton, VA, where they milk approximately 1,000 cows in a 50-stall rotary parlor and farm more than 2,500 acres.

In the past year, Smith has been featured in local news, Farm Credit of the Virginias and served as a panel speaker at the 2026 Dairy Sustainability Alliance spring meeting. His communications build trust in dairy farmers, educate audiences and demonstrate producers’ commitment to continuous improvement.

NMPF’s annual communications contest fosters knowledge sharing within the dairy cooperative community, highlighting approaches to conveying information about dairy farming practices, industry developments and cooperative initiatives through various channels. Best of Show winners are chosen from first-place entries in four areas. DFA won for Writing; Land O’Lakes for Publications; United Dairymen of Arizona for Graphics; and Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. for Special Projects. The contest drew 108 entries from 10 member cooperatives.

NMPF will also recognize winners Tuesday, Oct. 20 at an awards luncheon during NMPF’s annual meeting in Kissimmee, FL. A full list of contest winners is available here.

NMPF-Nominated Producer Selected for EU-U.S. Fellowship for Young Leaders in Agriculture

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Thomas French, an NMPF-nominated, sixth-generation farmer from Woodstock, Virginia, and herd manager at French Brothers Dairy, was selected to join the 2026-2027 cohort of the EU-U.S. Fellowship for Young Leaders in Agriculture. French is a product of NMPF’s Young Cooperators program and previously represented dairy producers at the White House during the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids signing ceremony in January.

The EU Delegation to the United States launched the fellowship last year with support from NMPF and USDEC, bringing together young European and American farmers to discuss shared challenges around economic resilience, generational transitions, and other pressing industry issues. The yearlong program pairs 24 fellows between the ages of 30 and 40 for monthly virtual meetings and in-person trips designed as an information exchange and educational series. Last year, NMPF and USDEC nominated and supported two producers for the inaugural fellowship: Sam Koester, a Dairy Farmers of America member from Indiana, and Lorilee Schultz, a Prairie Farms member from Illinois.

“Despite the ample challenges in Transatlantic ag trade, we can learn a lot from each other, and that’s especially true as we work to shape the policy future for dairy,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said. “This program is an important tool in making that happen. NMPF is proud of one of our own dairy farmer leaders, Thomas French, who has been selected for the initiative. We are encouraged by what he and his peers will tackle over the next year in discussing shared issues in our industry and how we can both best build for the future.”

FARM Biosecurity Supports On-Farm Preparedness, Hosts Third Training

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program hosted its third in-person FARM Biosecurity training Sept. 15-16 in Rochester, MN. The in-person training gives farm-level personnel practical experience and educational resources to help strengthen biosecurity practices on dairy farms across the United States.

During the training, the 14 attendees learned more about creating biosecurity plans for individual farms, outlining potential movement paths and developing a proposed line of separation. Participants learned effective ways to help farmers develop plans to protect cattle health during a foot and mouth disease outbreak, a key part of on-farm preparation, and applied their knowledge through scenario-based training on a Minnesota dairy farm. The training also provided a networking opportunity between cooperative and processor staff, state animal health officials, and dairy producers.

FARM Biosecurity remains an industry leader in on-farm preparedness, offering an array of tools for producers to help safeguard herd health. The training is supported by a cooperative agreement with USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) awarded to NMPF. The agreement supports expanding biosecurity resources available to farmers through the FARM Biosecurity program.

September NEXT-Assisted Export Sales Total 14.9 Million Pounds

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NEXT member cooperatives secured 91 contracts in September, adding 14.9 million pounds of product in NEXT-assisted sales in 2026. These products will go to customers in Asia, North America, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania, the Caribbean, South America and Central America and will be shipped from September 2026 through July 2027.

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, moving products into world markets is essential. NEXT provides a means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages.

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

Margins Tighten for Producers Amid Feed and Fuel Cost Increases

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Liquid milk production grew 1.7% in July, the slowest pace since March 2025. While the milking herd grew 1.9% from a year prior, heat stress and wildfire smoke contributed to a slight decrease in milk output per cow. Dairy markets are still showing signs of tightness in skim solids. Nonfat dry milk prices revisited the $2.10s in late September as domestic use increased amid limited supplies, and dry whey prices remained elevated as more of the whey stream is diverted into whey protein concentrates. Butter and cheese tell a different story, however. Domestic demand for butter has been robust, but production growth has outpaced domestic use. Circana data indicates that summer retail sales of cheese have slipped as inflation tightened consumer budgets. Despite strong export volumes for both products, strong production is limiting price upside.

Signs of increased economic pressure on producers are growing. Feed costs are rising as drought took a toll on crop yields. Elevated diesel costs are increasing hauling charges, and increasing interest rates and bond yields are likely to increase the cost of borrowing. DMC margins fell to $9.93/cwt in July as feed costs increased and the All-Milk Price eased slightly. As feed costs rise, DMC margins are expected to fall below the $9.50/cwt maximum payment threshold from September through December.

Joint Annual Meeting to Celebrate Accomplishments, Build for the Future

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Dairy leaders from National Milk Producers Federation, National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, and United Dairy Industry Association will travel to Kissimmee, FL on Oct. 19-21 for Joint Annual Meeting, themed “U.S. Dairy: Committed. Resilient. Ready.”

A highlight of every Joint Annual Meeting is the Awards Luncheon, and this year’s program, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, puts the meeting’s theme into focus by honoring the farmers and cooperatives who embody commitment, resilience, and readiness every day.

The luncheon will recognize recipients for:

  • Richard Lyng Award
  • NMPF’s Dairy Product Contest Awards
  • NMPF’s Communications Awards
  • FARM Program Awards

Made possible by the generous support of CoBank, the Awards Luncheon is a chance for farmers, cooperative leaders and industry partners from across the country to come together, share a meal, and celebrate the achievements that keep U.S. dairy strong.

This year, the Awards Luncheon will also feature the National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program’s Live Auction. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on prizes, including the top prize of welcoming USDEC President and CEO Kyrsta Harden to work on your farm for a day.

Attendees will have more chances to win prizes, including two tickets to a Buffalo Bills at New York Jets game, a holiday cookie box, a pie subscription, a cheese fortune-telling session, and more, at the silent auction during the evening cheese reception and through NMPF’s online scholarship fundraising raffle, which is live now.

The NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program supports Master’s and Ph.D. students conducting research important to dairy farmers. The scholarship program is largely funded through the raffle fundraiser, making ticket purchases essential to its funding. Sustaining this program means ensuring that critical research benefiting the entire dairy community can continue.

Registration for Joint Annual Meeting remains open, giving dairy farmers, cooperative leaders, and industry partners the chance to be in the room as the industry honors its best.

Senate Ag Committee Advances Farm Bill, Moving Dairy Priorities a Step Closer

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the Agricultural Act of 2026 on Sept. 16. The bill passed on a 12-11 party-line vote after Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY, returned to the committee following an extended absence. No changes were made to the legislation, so the version that advanced is the same one considered at the Aug. 6 markup.

The committee-passed bill keeps the dairy priorities NMPF has championed throughout the drafting process. These include mandatory cost and yield surveys to inform future Federal Milk Marketing Order updates, extension of key dairy safety net programs, support for common cheese name protections, and expanded funding for dairy nutrition and innovation initiatives. The current version also removes Tier I premiums and enrollment fees related to Dairy Margin Coverage. NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud welcomed the vote in a statement.

Given the tight legislative calendar left this Congress, it would be a heavy lift to pass the Senate farm bill and then enter into conference negotiations with the House. Senator Boozman suggested recently that his staff will begin four corner negotiations to try to reach a deal that could be included in a year-end package. That said, this will still require some Democratic support in the Senate. Senate Democrats continue to demand a two-year delay to the SNAP cost share provisions passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year.

NMPF will keep working with both parties to get a strong farm bill across the finish line.

USMCA Update: U.S.-Canada Dispute Escalates as Talks with Mexico Continue

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

With the future of U.S.-Canada trade relations in limbo, NMPF Executive Vice President Shawna Morris traveled to Ottawa and Toronto the week of Sept. 14 for meetings with Canadian government and dairy industry officials, and to represent U.S. dairy at the International Association of Milk Control Agencies (IAMCA) annual meeting. Morris reiterated U.S. dairy’s longstanding priorities in reciprocal trade talks with Canada, including resolving Canada’s persistent efforts to sidestep its dairy trade commitments under USMCA, and made clear that U.S. dairy wants Canada back at the negotiating table rather than an ever-escalating trade war. At IAMCA, she outlined U.S. dairy’s perspective on the shifting trade policy landscape, emphasizing USMCA’s benefits while pressing for fixes where the agreement has fallen short.

The visits came amid a continued escalation in U.S.-Canada dairy trade tensions. On Aug. 22, the United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian dairy imports under Section 338 of the Trade Act of 1930, citing Canada’s discriminatory treatment of U.S. dairy exports. Canada retaliated with its own tariff list, effective Sept. 8. The United States responded by announcing bans on certain Canadian whey imports previously subject to the 50 percent tariff, along with new 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian cheeses, which were not covered in the original action. Those bans and new duties took effect Sept. 29.

NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council secured confirmation that U.S. exports shipped under Canada’s Import for Re-Export Program won’t be hit by retaliatory tariffs and have confirmed Canada is applying its remissions policy to goods used in manufacturing, processing, or packaging. In contrast, goods sold directly at retail in Canada still face the full retaliatory tariff. Unlike Canada’s 2025 retaliation, even USMCA-compliant products are now subject to this latest round.

NMPF Hosts Fireside Chat with House Ag Chair, Panel Discussions at Expo

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud was joined by Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, for a fireside chat exploring the issues shaping dairy’s future Oct. 1 at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI.

From the farm bill and agricultural labor reform to whole milk and beyond, Doud and Thompson discussed where key policies stand in Washington, and what’s at stake for dairy farmers and their cooperatives.

“I think, in the lame duck after this election is over, cooler heads will prevail,” Thompson said about passing the next iteration of the farm bill. “We all, every House member and especially every senator has a lot of constituents who will benefit from the provisions of that remaining farm bill.”

The fireside chat was part of a full lineup of expert panel discussions hosted by NMPF and The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program at World Dairy Expo.

NMPF’s National YC Program began the Oct. 1 programming with a panel discussion on how dairy farmers are optimizing milk production to meet evolving market demands. CoBank’s Corey Geiger helped set the stage with background on the current economic trends. Nate Zwald of Progenco, Progressive Dairy Solution’s Dr. John Goeser and dairy farmer Jordan Siemers of Siemers Holsteins all provided their perspective on ways to improve profitability, enhance component output and respond to market signals more effectively.

NMPF Chief Sustainability Officer Nicole Ayache led a panel discussion on how FARM ES is opening doors to new value streams. Later in the day, the FARM Program, in partnership with the Beef Quality Assurance program, hosted a session focused on how to protect dairy herds from New World screwworm.

The day concluded with another panel discussion featuring Trey Forsyth, NMPF vice president of government and regulatory affairs, and Mary Knigge, DFA vice president of government relations, examining key congressional races and how shifts in Congress could reshape the policy landscape for dairy farmers — and how advocacy may need to evolve in response to post-election dynamics.

The National YC Program also partnered with the Dairy Girl Network to host a panel on Oct. 2 featuring women leaders in the U.S. dairy industry, including Allison Thomas of the U.S. Dairy Export Council, dairy farmer Becky Nyman, and Sara Dorland with Ceres Dairy Risk Management. Led by Dairy Girl Network’s Laura Daniels, the discussion highlighted how export growth influences domestic milk prices and supports the long-term profitability of U.S. dairy farms.

Earlier in the week, NMPF’s Tony Rice and Trey Forsyth joined the Open Door Exchange to lead a discussion with producers on labor issues and trade policy opportunities. Producers also had opportunities to connect with NMPF and the FARM Program throughout the week at an exhibit hall booth stocked with free posters, manuals and other resources.

The Fight for Flavored Milk

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

I recently had a conversation with a concerned parent telling me that chocolate milk is “bad for you” and we should not be giving it to children in schools. I understood where the parent was coming from — parents today are bombarded with conflicting nutrition advice and wanting to limit how much sugar our kids consume is a sensible instinct. As a parent myself, I share it.

That same week, the Wall Street Journal published an article about how school districts across the country are struggling with students drinking record numbers of high-caffeine energy drinks.

I know that nutrition, especially involving American kids, is a hot button issues these days, and it’s one that people care deeply about. They deserve clear information to help them make good choices. It’s frustrating to me that flavored milk is getting a bad rap when so many children are drinking beverages with known stimulative effects, artificial additives, and minimal nutrition. So, I wanted to step back and ask a simple question: what are the facts?

It is an indisputable fact that flavored milk — at any fat level — provides the same 13 essential nutrients as unflavored white milk. Children who drink flavored milk consume more milk overall and have higher intakes of vitamin D, calcium, potassium, and other nutrients. And studies show flavored milk consumption is associated with better overall diet quality without any adverse effect on weight.

Milk is good for you.

Flavored milk is also good for you.

It seems so obvious to me.

But no matter how much we share the science backing up flavored milk, it is consistently criticized and called “unhealthy.” Why? According to critics, that’s easy: Added sugars. 

FDA says that consuming too much added sugar can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans take a more aggressive stance on limiting added sugars than in previous years, stating that each meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugars. And because the food served in school meals must follow the dietary guidelines, flavored milk and yogurt are at risk of being severely restricted or removed from school meals entirely.

But flavored milk contributes just four percent of added sugars in the diets of children ages 2 to 18. Moreover, dairy processors have voluntarily cut added sugars in flavored milk in schools by 57 percent since 2006. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, 37 fluid milk processors made the Healthy School Milk Commitment, agreeing to provide flavored milk cartons with no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8-ounce serving. Currently, flavored school milk on average has only 7 to 8 grams of added sugar per serving, lower than ever before.

This matters because of what children actually drink. Roughly seven percent of fluid milk sales in the United States is school milk, and about two-thirds of that is flavored milk. Studies have shown that food waste in schools is reduced when flavored milk is offered, and kids consistently choose flavored milk over unflavored milk. A carton of milk that gets finished delivers far more nutrition than one that ends up in the trash.

Demonizing flavored milk because of a few extra grams of added sugar is, in my book, missing the forest for the trees. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said in a policy statement: “a beverage such as flavored milk provides a good example of the balance needed to limit added sugars and yet promote nutrient-rich foods.”

And that’s the key. Balance. What the anti-added sugars argument is missing is that, unlike many other sugar sweetened beverages, flavored milk is jam-packed with nutrients that all humans, especially kids, need for growth and development.

Unfortunately, the anti-added sugars rhetoric may be winning right now in Washington.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration in July submitted to the Office of Management and Budget a proposed rule for aligning Child Nutrition Program requirements with the recommendations in the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. There is a strong chance from what we have heard that this rule will lower the added sugars limits in the school lunch and breakfast programs, including very specific limits for flavored milk and yogurt.

Currently, flavored milk in schools can have no more than 10 grams of added sugars per 8 fluid ounces. Even in the unlikely event that those limits stay the same, the aggressive stance in the new dietary guidelines of no more than 10 grams of added sugars per meal would force schools to choose between serving flavored milk and having any added sugars at all in the other foods served.

If such a reduction means that milk’s obvious nutritional benefits end up in the garbage, then we have failed at the very purpose of providing nutritional guidelines in the first place.

A chocolate milk mustache is better than no mustache at all.
 

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

U.S. Dairy Statement on Greg Ibach USDA Under Secretary Nomination

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council today welcomed the nomination of Greg Ibach to serve as USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

From Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF:

“As U.S. dairy farmers increasingly look to build international markets, USDA serves as a key resource to help our exporters meet global customers. Greg Ibach is a longtime leader in the agricultural industry and is an excellent choice to lead this important work. We look forward to working with him in this new capacity and urge a swift confirmation process in the Senate.”

From Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC:

“USDA’s role in facilitating dairy trade requires experienced leadership. Greg Ibach is the right choice to serve as Under Secretary for this critical work that dairy exporters rely upon. His impressive tenure as a leader at USDA and his firsthand experience as a farmer provides him with a valuable perspective to ensure that our producers’ interests are promoted on the international stage. We encourage the Senate to quickly advance his nomination.”