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Prairie Farms Co-op Takes Top Communications Honors in NMPF Contest

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Michigan Milk Producers Association’s Chapin Wins Farmer Communicator of the Year

Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc., took top honors in the National Milk Producers Federation’s annual cooperative communications contest, winning five categories and the competition’s “Best in Show: Writing” award. A farmer-owner of Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA), Doug Chapin, received NMPF’s Farmer Communicator of the Year award.

Edwardsville, IL-based Prairie Farms also took one second-place finish and two third-place finishes in the competition, which recognizes the top communications efforts among NMPF’s member cooperatives. The Best of Show: Writing award was given for Prairie Farms’s  article, “R-Homestead Holsteins – 150 Years of Family Tradition.”

“This was a good feature showing the history of a small Illinois dairy with the father, Dave, having a long history of activism in Illinois boards and commissions,” the competition review wrote. “The story also touches on challenges such as why an 80-head dairy hasn’t expanded like others. It also highlights Dave’s interest in genetics with his herd as well. It’s a good, rounded, thorough story of a single family farm.”

Chapin was recognized for his leadership in communicating farmer and co-op perspectives on challenging issues that were of top priority to dairy farmers and the entire industry throughout 2024, including dairy’s response to the discovery of the H5N1 influenza virus in dairy cattle and efforts to modernize the Federal Milk Marketing Order system.

At a time when simply speaking out on H5N1 invited additional scrutiny, Chapin ably represented dairy farmers and the cooperatives they owned by addressing consumer and industry concerns during moments of great uncertainty early in the H5N1 outbreak.

“During the H5N1 crisis in Michigan, Doug was instrumental in advocating to legislators for a science-based regulatory approach , representing dairy interests to the media, and maintaining critical industry relations within the agriculture community,” Michigan Milk Producers Association said in its nomination letter. “His efforts ensured that the dairy community’s perspective was front and center, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to the industry and the health and safety of workers and cattle.”

Chapin also “played a crucial role in the Federal Milk Marketing Order reform by testifying on behalf of NMPF and the Michigan Milk Producers Association,” MMPA continued. “He advocated for the higher of Class 3 or 4 proposal for the Class I skim milk price mover, supporting his testimony with data and his farm’s experience during the pandemic. His participation ensured that his peers’ voices were heard in the reform process.”

Chapin is the chairman of the board for MMPA and a member of NMPF’s executive committee. He farms near Remus, MI. In an NMPF Farmer Focus article to be published later this month, he said that in the early days of H5N1, dealing with uncertainty about the virus and the necessity of a response by state and federal officials. “Our objective was to make sure that the response made sense and was manageable by our dairy producers, to make sure that they could operate within the guidance that Michigan was putting out and work with the USDA,” he said.

“It’s important to remember that there is still a lot we don’t know about the virus, and early on, there was even less,” he continued. “So we wanted to make sure we were using real facts and the best science we had to make sure we were making good decisions.”

The “Best of Show” award is selected from the first-place entries in the contest’s main areas: publication, writing, graphics and special projects. In addition to Prairie Farms’s recognition in the writing category, Upstate Niagara Cooperative won publications for its annual report; Dairy Farmers of America won graphics for its photo, “Dairy Fountain at Sunset,” and Land O’Lakes won the special projects category with its video series, “Rural is Incredible.”

Winners were announced at a meeting of NMPF member cooperative communicators yesterday. All the winners will also be recognized at NMPF’s annual meeting in Phoenix on Oct. 21-23. A full list of the winners of the NMPF communications contest, which received 95 entries from 11 member cooperatives, can be found here.

NMPF’s Galen Previews Upcoming Joint Annual Meeting in Phoenix

Posted on by Chris Galen

NMPF’s Senior Vice President Chris Galen provides Dairy Radio Now listeners the highlights of National Milk’s 2024 annual meeting in Phoenix, which runs Oct. 20-23. The annual conference, held jointly with the dairy checkoff, will feature keynote presentations on new revenue opportunities for farmers, an assessment of the upcoming November elections, a psychographic profile of the farmer of the future, and a presentation from the CEO of Domino’s Pizza.  The meeting also brings together the Young Cooperator program representatives from NMPF’s member co-ops.

Dairy Votes Crucial in 2024 Elections

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

With the 2024 presidential campaign in its final stretch and the list of competitive states tightening, this much remains clear: Whichever road leads to the White House, it probably has a lot of dairy farms along the path.  

Rural and farm voters are getting plenty of attention from both campaigns this time around. But through accident or historical design, the farmers who may have the most say in this year’s presidential election may be the ones milking cows.

That’s because the most hotly contested states significantly overlap with top milk-producing regions, according to a comparison of top dairy states with the states that had the closest electoral margins in 2020. Dairy is a big part of agriculture in the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Minnesota is also part of the mix, and even Texas – which has become a major dairy producer in recent years – was among the 10 closest states electorally.  

And that’s just looking at dairy farm numbers in those states; Georgia and Arizona both have significant dairy processing capacity, which means plenty of dairy-related jobs, extending milk’s influence beyond cliched photo opportunities in front of a barn. 

With so much attention focused on the states where many of them live, what should dairy farmers and their industry allies do? It all comes down to civics and citizenship. People vote their conscience – but from a dairy perspective, here are a few thoughts that might be helpful when considering who to vote for, at all levels of federal races. 

  • International trade is an important part of dairy, and it will only be more so in the future. 
  • Americans deserve healthy diets, and dairy is critical to any good-faith iteration of the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
  • And finally, it sure would be nice to have a farm bill. 

Voting in 2024 is as vital to dairy farmers as dairy is to a nutritious diet. To be better informed on dairy positions on important issues, visit the National Milk Producers Federation’s Policy Priorities pulldown on its home page, nmpf.org. NMPF also has a call-to-action page for people who wish to lend their voices to support dairy farmers and the broader industry on the critical issues of the moment. And subscribe to our publications (including this one) here.  

Engagement is crucial, and dairy voices are especially important this year. Everyone has a part to play in making them heard. In the United States, the ballot remains the most effective expression of all. From now through Nov. 5: Choose wisely. 

U.S. Dairy Welcomes End to Port Strike, Urges Swift Conclusion of Contract Negotiations

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today welcomed news that the labor strike affecting East and Gulf Coast ports has come to an end, allowing port operations to resume. The two organizations emphasized the importance of quickly finalizing contract negotiations to provide long-term certainty for U.S. dairy exporters.

“We are grateful to the Biden Administration for its important role in getting the parties to return to work and resume port operations,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “This is a crucial step in ensuring that U.S. dairy products can continue to reach our international customers. We encourage both sides to continue their negotiations and reach a final agreement that protects the supply chain and strengthens the reliability of American exports.”

The dairy industry has been severely affected by the disruptions, as $1.7 billion in dairy exports flow through the East and Gulf coast ports each year. The three-day work stoppage has had ripple effects throughout the export supply chain, with dairy exporters reporting cancelled sales and added time and costs to reroute products.

“We still need the contract negotiations to conclude swiftly,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “International customers of U.S. dairy products need certainty that their orders will arrive on time, and dairy producers can’t afford further disruptions.”

Dairy exporters experiencing challenges with rerouting or repositioned equipment should reach out to Tony Rice (trice@nmpf.org) with questions.

NMPF’s Bjerga on Dairy’s Clout in the Elections

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

NMPF Executive Vice President for Communications & Industry Relations Alan Bjerga discusses the reasons why dairy farmers may be an especially influential portion of the farm vote in an interview on RFD-TV. Because dairy farms tended to cluster around major metro areas, they’re disproportionately represented in some of this year’s most closely contested states in the competition for the White House.

NMPF September Outreach Highlighted by Nutrition, Animal Health

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF staff addressed topics ranging from equity in nutritional outcomes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order and building momentum for sustainability programs in events worldwide during September. Highlights included:

  • NMPF Director of Regulatory Affairs Miquela Hanselman moderated a panel discussion on achieving health equity through diet and nutrition as part of the National Medical Association’s Professional Development Series on Sept. 11 at the American Public Health Association in Washington.
  • Dr. Jamie Jonker, NMPF’s chief science officer, and Dr. Karen Jordan,a North Carolina dairy farmer and chairwoman of the NMPF Animal Health and Wellbeing Committee, spoke on dairy cattle health needs and priorities at the Animal Health Insititute’s USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics Triannual Meeting Sept. 18 in Ames, IA.
  • Jonker represented the dairy sector perspectives on the H5N1 outbreak at the American Veterinary Medical Association Roundtable on H5N1 on Sept. 23-24 in Schaumberg, IL.
  • NMPF Coordinator for Economic Policy & Global Analysis Allison Wilton met with members of the New Mexico Agriculture Leadership Program and gave an overview of NMPF and USDEC, highlighting NMPF’s efforts in modernizing FMMOs. NMPF Senior Director of Economic Research & Analysis Stephen Cain spoke with SMI’s Board of Directors Sept. 24.
  • FARM Program Senior Director of Animal Care Beverly Hampton Phifer presented at the American Association of Bovine Practitioners annual conference, “Challenging the Norm” Sept. 12-14 in Columbus, OH. Hampton Phifer was joined Thursday, Sept. 12 by Dr. Richard Doak, Dr. Judy Kull and Dr. Valarie Smith for FARM’s session on “Preparing your Clients for FARM Animal Care Version 5”.
  • Nicole Ayache, NMPF chief sustainability officer, participated in this year’s Women in Agribusiness Summit Sept. 24-26 in Denver, CO. Ayache presented on U.S. dairy’s sustainability work, highlighting FARM Environmental Stewardship, during the “Building Momentum for Precompetitive Sustainability Programs” session on Sept. 25.
  • Shawna Morris, NMPF executive vice president for trade policy and global affairs, joined a roundtable event and series of Wisconsin dairy farm and processor visits with U.S. chief agricultural negotiator Doug McKalip and NMPF members Sept. 23-24 to discuss U.S. government efforts to protect common food names in key export markets.
  • Jaime Castaneda, executive vice president for policy development and strategy, travelled to Italy Sept. 23-25 to meet with the leadership of the Parmigiano Reggiano consortium to discuss viable solutions that protects both legitimate geographical indications and common names like “parmesan.” Castaneda also spoke at the First International Conference on Buffalo Mozzarella and Milk Products in Naples on shared challenges on dairy labeling.

Jonker Represents Dairy Globally an UN Meeting

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF Chief Science Officer Dr. Jamie Jonker spotlighted dairy’s global leadership in combating antimicrobial resistance at the United Nation General Assembly High Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance held Sept. 26.

In his capacity as chair of the International Dairy Federation’s Science Program Coordinating Committee, Jonker represented dairy globally at the UN meeting in New York. IDF released in conjunction with the meeting its 2024 special edition of the IDF Animal Health Report, featuring a dedicated focus on antimicrobial resistance.

“The articles contain actionable information for the global dairy sector to accelerate progress on AMR control,” Jonker said in an IDF release announcing the publications. The September UN in New York meeting built on a 2016 pronouncement about antimicrobial resistance and had followed up with a second political declaration to focus on tangible commitments for outcomes by 2030, including antimicrobial use in livestock.

NMPF has been advocating for the U.S. government partners to make political declaration commitments that reflect the important role of antimicrobials for animal health, welfare, and food safety outcomes. Jonker has served as a member of the Global Leaders Group since February 2023.

CWT Secures 60 Contracts in September 

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF staff are continuing to reach out and answer questions for current and potential Cooperatives Working Together members during before NMPF’s Board of Directors meets Oct. 21 to discuss the self-help program going into 2025.

Meanwhile, CWT member cooperatives secured 60 contracts in September, adding 6.2 million pounds of product to CWT-assisted sales in 2024. In milk equivalent, this is equal to 56.1 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. These products will go to customers in Asia, Oceania, Middle East-North Africa and South America and will be shipped from September 2024 through March 2025.

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.

NMPF, FARM Program Lead Industry Discussions at World Dairy Expo

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF and the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program will be hosting educational and outreach engagements this week at the World Dairy Expo, in Madison, WI.

Sessions will include farm transition planning, biosecurity, and Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) modernization.

Highlights include:

  • The National Young Cooperators (YC) Program is hosting a panel discussion on lessons learned in dairy farm transition planning, beginning at 8:30 a.m. CT on Thursday, in Mendota Room 2. The panel will feature dairy farmers sharing their experiences with transitioning farm ownership and management.
  • At 10:30 a.m. CT in the same room, the FARM Program will present a panel on H5N1 prevention strategies and best practices with animal health and biosecurity experts including NMPF’s Miquela Hanselman, along with Brent Wilson, a Michigan dairy farmer with firsthand experience managing an H5N1 outbreak. The panel will provide actionable strategies to help dairy farmers navigate the ongoing challenges posed by H5N1.
  • At 1 p.m. CT, also in Mendota Room 2, NMPF will host a session on Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization. Panelists including NMPF Economic Policy Committee Chair Pete Kappelman and NMPF Chief Economist Peter Vitaliano will explore the immediate effects of potential updates and the long-term structural adjustments necessary to ensure the FMMO system continues to support a fair and competitive dairy marketplace.
  • The National YC Program will also cohost with the Dairy Girl Network a panel discussion on Friday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. CT. As part of the Tanbark Talk series, this session will feature industry leaders who will explore the unique challenges and opportunities women face across the dairy supply chain, from local farms to international markets.
  • The FARM Program’s booth, #4508, in the Exhibit Hall will be open throughout the week for discussions with farmers and allied industry higlighting recent updates for FARM program areas. Farmer resources including posters, manuals and prep guides will also be available.

U.S., Chile Strike Landmark Common Names Agreement

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF, in partnership with USDEC and the Consortium for Common Food Names, successfully secured an agreement approved by the Chilean government on Sept. 3 that safeguards U.S. cheese producers’ ability to use common food names such as “parmesan” Chilean market. The collaboration sets an important precedent that the U.S. has the resources and influence to counter the European Union’s aggressive, worldwide monopolization of common names.

NMPF’s engagement was initially prompted by the December 2023 signing of the EU-Chile trade agreement, which contained provisions that threatened U.S. cheese exports under the guise of protecting European geographical indications. NMPF, USDEC and CCFN worked closely with U.S. and Chilean government officials to find a workable solution that would protect U.S. cheese products, specifically parmesan. The organizations closely tracked the grandfathering process and supported members’ in submitting successful applications to establish prior user rights under that process; that later proved pivotal not only to securing firm commitments on access for those firms but also maintaining access for the wider set of U.S. cheese manufacturers. The organizations also met repeatedly with the U.S. government to evaluate specific workable approaches to preserving access for U.S. exporters and coordinated with industry counterparts in Chile.

These efforts helped lead to an exchange of letters between U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Chile’s Undersecretary of International Economic Relations Claudia Sanhueza on June 21 that confirmed that U.S. exporters would not face future restrictions around the use of 29 cheese and meat terms. Officials also agreed to an expanded interpretation of grandfathering provisions in the EU-Chile FTA that permits the continued use of parmesan by all U.S. exporters due to prior use of the term in Chile by at least one U.S. firm.

The agreement will take effect Jan. 15.

“This agreement is a milestone for U.S. dairy producers. It ensures that many of our products will maintain fair access to the Chilean market, supporting the growth and success of American dairy farmers on a global scale. Now, we need to build on that momentum by securing agreements with other trading partners to protect export opportunities for even more U.S. cheeses,” said Gregg Doud, NMPF President and CEO, in a statement after the agreement, calling on the U.S. government to build on the momentum and secure additional agreements with trading partners around the world.

Dairy Champions Prod FDA to Enforce Dairy Terms at Legislative Hearing

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF helped several dairy champions in both parties shine a spotlight on the Food and Drug Administration’s decades-long refusal to enforce dairy product standards of identity Sept. 10 when Jim Jones, the agency’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, appeared at a congressional hearing on FDA’s human foods program.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee hearing examined numerous bipartisan bills, including the NMPF-backed DAIRY PRIDE Act (H.R. 1462) to compel FDA to enforce dairy standards of identity in the interest of public health and truth in labeling. The bill is sponsored by Representatives John Joyce, R-PA, Ann Kuster, D-NH, Mike Simpson, R-ID, Joe Courtney, D-CT, Derrick Van Orden, R-WI, and Angie Craig, D-MN. Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Jim Risch, R-ID, Peter Welch, D-VT, and Susan Collins, R-ME, are leading the bill in the Senate.

In an exchange with Jones, Rep. Joyce, the bill’s lead House sponsor, said the agency’s 2023 draft guidance regarding the labeling of plant-based milk alternatives is woefully inadequate. That draft guidance suggested that plant-based product manufacturers disclose on their packaging the nutritional deficiencies of their products relative to real milk, but it made no attempt to discourage manufacturers from using the term ‘milk’ in the name of the product.

“The nutritional value of dairy products is superior to these imitators” and should not be sold in dairy cases, said Joyce. “Simply urging companies to spell out the nutritional deficiency will not solve the problem of consumer confusion, which stems from assumptions based on the use of the term ‘milk’. And ‘milk’, I am concluding with you today, comes from a lactating mammal, and the imitators – the fakes – are simply not milk.”

Backed by numerous public health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, NMPF has long argued that consumers do not fully understand the nutritional differences between real dairy and its plant-based imitators. Rep. Kuster put emphasis on this point, stating that “so many public health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have urged FDA to remove the term ‘milk’ from plant-based beverages.”

Finally, Rep. Kat Cammack, R-FL, a DAIRY PRIDE cosponsor, pressed Jones for a timeline on when FDA would make last year’s draft guidance final. FDA said after the hearing its expectation was that the guidance should be published by the end of 2025.