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MAHA Strategy Supports Dairy as NMPF Urges Whole Milk Action

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The formal release of the Make America Health Again Commission’s report on Sept. 9 gave NMPF a chance to tout dairy’s critical place in nutrition and the science behind milk’s benefits.

“The MAHA Commission’s Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy recognizes what the latest science indicates and what we’ve long been saying: that getting whole milk back into schools and boosting dairy in diets helps meet America’s nutritional needs, and that it is critical to improving the health of our nation’s children,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement upon the report’s release.

“To further assist in dairy’s positive contributions to a healthier nation, we also urge Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would provide schools the opportunity to serve the nutritious whole and 2% milk that school kids love and codify into law the endorsement given in the administration’s report.”

The MAHA strategy, aimed toward reducing childhood chronic illnesses, highlighted upcoming efforts to better align federal nutrition programs with scientific evidence, including overwhelming evidence showing the benefits of dairy at all fat levels.

NMPF Monitoring Shutdown Effects on Dairy

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The federal government shutdown that began today holds the potential for disruptions in services for dairy farmers and cooperatives. But the shutdown’s uncertain size and scope make it difficult to assess the extent of any disruptions, as NMPF monitors changes to federal operations and their effects on dairy.

NMPF earlier today released a member alert detailing potential disruptions in area of regulation, farm programs, data releases and disease response. In general, the effects of funding shortfalls and furloughed federal staff largely depend on whether the government declares certain programs to be essential services.  Those areas, usually involving safety and security, will continue to operate as usual.  Programs deemed non-essential will be curtailed.

A shutdown’s severity is also affected by its length, which currently is unknown. Agencies that have released detailed descriptions of what is and isn’t being affected include USDA, FDA and USTR.

NMPF will update with new developments as necessary. To see the full member alert, click here.

 

U.S.-Taiwan Dairy Partnership Advances Shared Growth

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Dairy Association of Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today in a milestone step to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwanese dairy sectors.

The MOU underscores the importance of facilitating trade, defending the image of dairy, supporting dairy farming, and deepening cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan on dairy benefits and trade.

Together, the organizations will explore opportunities to strengthen commercial ties, encourage dialogue between both dairy sectors, including producers, industry leaders and policymakers, and promote the role of dairy in supporting healthy diets.

“The partnership is an important development for U.S. dairy producers,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “Taiwan is a growing market, and this agreement ensures that U.S. dairy is well-positioned to meet demand for high-quality dairy products in the region. The memorandum reflects our industry’s efforts deliver real value back to the U.S. dairy community through exports.”

“This agreement is a significant step toward expanding the presence of U.S. dairy in Taiwan, one of the most dynamic markets in Asia,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “By strengthening ties between our dairy sectors, we are creating new avenues for growth and innovation. Together, we will highlight the strengths of dairy while building long-term opportunities that benefit both Taiwanese and American consumers and producers.”

Signed during a USDA-led trade mission to Taipei, the agreement builds on NMPF and USDEC’s network of allies around the world that helps advance a sustainable and prosperous future for the industry.

Labor Looms Large. Farmers Need Action

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Heading into another harvest season, no policy issue looms larger in agriculture than the acute, worsening shortage of workers on American farms.

An independent analysis of Labor Department data suggests that the U.S. agricultural workforce decreased by 7% between March and July. Well-publicized stories of aggressive immigration enforcement, including on dairies, can’t help but raise concerns.

The need for a stable, secure workforce is certainly top-of-mind in dairy, where in some ways the shortage is even more challenging because of milk production’s year-round nature. Many dairy farmers rely on foreign-born labor to care for animals, operate complicated equipment, and the physical rigors of chores that goes on day and night. With the U.S. border effectively closed, with many workers returning to their home countries, and with more intense immigration enforcement, the finances and futures of many dairies are less certain now than they would be with a solid immigration policy that brought reassurance to anxious farmers.

And that’s why, on this politically and emotionally difficult issue, we’re working with both the administration and with lawmakers to find solutions that put the dairy workforce, and dairy farms across America, on sound footing moving forward.

The hard-working folks who contribute to dairy farms and rural economies have documents. They’ve been on these farms 10, 15, 20 years. Meanwhile, dairy farmers have done their best to navigate the less than perfect process of immigration documentation requirements as they pursue the necessity of having employees on their farms.

But the lack of an adequate visa program that meets dairy’s needs injects unnecessary risk and uncertainty into the foreign-born workforce that’s necessary to fill positions that native-born Americans have time and again proven unwilling to do. The current H-2A program for seasonal workers doesn’t meet year-round needs, and simply churning through workers every six months for positions that require specialized skills and knowledge of animals—who can be as idiosyncratic as people—is a recipe for a failed business. If you work on a dairy farm, you are unquestionably a skilled worker.

People who know agriculture and the unique needs of dairy farmers understand this; we’re not lacking for advocates in Washington. Secretary Brooke Rollins has been a vocal supporter of a stable workforce. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer has shown a great grasp of dairy’s needs and a willingness to hear what we have to say. President Trump also has made encouraging statements that show his understanding that not all foreign-born workers need to be included in the same dragnet meant to expel criminals from U.S. soil.

On the congressional side, we’re excited to see House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson working on legislation that would modernize the H-2A program to recognize dairy’s unique labor needs. Chairman Thompson has been a tireless advocate for dairy farmers and their cooperatives, and has the ability, through ag-labor reform, to help solve one of the longest-running challenges for farmers. We’ve been thrilled to speak with him on proposed legislation, and we certainly stand ready to throw our full weight behind it as it moves forward.

To avoid empty store shelves or greater reliance on imported foods, we need solutions. In the end, the most lasting solution to agricultural labor challenges needs to come from Congress and better law, even more so than any help that can come from the executive branch. But even then, the power of the executive is meaningful—this Congress is much more likely to act with a positive signal of support from the president. Many members of Congress are eager for this. We’re hoping to see it too.

The last time we passed major immigration legislation in this country was in 1986. We are painfully aware of previous reform efforts that, despite every effort by agricultural interests, failed to pass Congress. Let there be no illusions here, it will require an enormous effort in order to bring success. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to figure out a way to have a program that works for us, and we’ve got to get Congress engaged on this. Finding immigration solutions for dairy is important to the nutrition of Americans, the livelihoods of rural communities, and the continued promise of America as a land of opportunity for those who want to work hard and play by the rules.

As a nation, we can do better, and we need to do better. Dairy promises to do its part.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

Want to Influence Nutrition? Just Do It, Twigge Says

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Life as an influencer means entering free-wheeling debate with perspectives from all sides. But to advance better nutrition with ample servings of dairy, it’s necessary to do, says social media personality Lauren Twigge.

Twigge, a registered dietician and nutritionist with a degree in animal science, offers “Nutrition at Its Roots,” an online and social media platform she uses to advance the message of dairy’s benefits and high-quality nourishment. Her work has been featured in Prevention, Health, Shape, Good Housekeeping, and other media outlets helping to demystify nutrition and offer sound guidance for families and individuals navigating an often-confusing nutrition landscape.

Anyone seeking a bigger online presence should just get out there and engage, she said. “For farmers or health professionals like me that want to share facts, start putting the content out there. Your themes, your trends, your approach will come as you go, because you’re going to start to get people asking you questions.” And while sometimes the interactions aren’t the most pleasant, in the end it’s worthwhile, she said.

“You’ve got so many great farmers online that are sharing their stories, showing days in their life, and I think that it really helps put a face to the industry, and that’s what consumers need to see,” she said. “My big piece of advice would be, start the content, post the content, share your story, talk about your family, talk about the industry, and talk about why you love it. Connect people with your passion. And that is content that people resonate with, and content that people resonate with is content that people remember and learn from.”

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.”

School Meals Are Missing Whole Milk

Posted on by Jessi-Ryah Cordova

The National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs play an important role in promoting the consumption of healthy foods, including dairy. But school meal rules in effect since 2012 only allow 1% and fat-free milk options. NMPF’s Miquela Hanselman says the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act currently before Congress would give kids even more choices for the nutrition they need.

Butter exports shift in our favor

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

By Will Loux, Senior Vice President, Global Economic Affairs

In an article earlier this year, I asked the question whether the U.S. could export its way out of the glut of cream that had filled the market. I posited that while it would take a while for U.S. exports to start growing in earnest due to the high cost of entry for first-time exporters, the market signals were such that the U.S. would inevitably need to sell more butterfat overseas.

As evidenced by June and July’s export data, that flow of butterfat to international markets has arrived in earnest. June was the U.S.’ largest month of butter exports since 2014, only to be bested just one month later. The U.S. even managed to sell over 2,000 metric tons (MT) of butter to the European Union in July, overcoming a normally cost-prohibitive tariff of 50 cents per pound. The U.S. is also exporting greater volumes of anhydrous milkfat than ever before. In fact, combined exports of butter and anhydrous milkfat (AMF) have grown by more than any other dairy product so far this year on a component-adjusted basis.

The question today is no longer whether the U.S. will export butterfat but rather how much, and can the U.S. become a consistent exporter moving forward?

From a short-term perspective, the path seems clear for the U.S. to sell more butterfat overseas. The U.S. remains highly competitive on price today despite European and New Zealand prices falling. Just as importantly, the U.S. still has plenty of supply available for export despite the surge in exports and solid domestic sales of butter. Simply, the exponential growth in U.S. milkfat tests combined with U.S. dairy herds in expansion mode means the U.S. should have allocation available at an affordable price for international customers for the foreseeable future. While making export spec butter is usually a special run for American manufacturers, U.S. exporters and international buyers are undoubtedly working to get U.S. butterfat products in variety of overseas markets.

Even from a longer-term perspective, there are plenty of reasons to suggest the U.S. could be undergoing a paradigm shift in favor of greater export business for butter and AMF. The fat-to-protein ratio in milk continues to rise, meaning U.S. cheese manufacturers are now faced with more milkfat than required for cheesemaking. Additionally, the rise in ultra-filtered and protein-fortified beverages will also result more cream moving onto the market. Finally, and just as importantly, the recovery in global demand means international buyers are looking for suppliers besides New Zealand and Europe, the latter of whom have been retreating from commodity fat markets within the last several years.

The investment and strategic foresight to position the U.S. as a consistent player in global butterfat markets, will take plenty of time. However, it wouldn’t be the first time the U.S. dairy industry has identified an opportunity, embraced the challenge, and emerged stronger and more resilient for it.

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on Sept. 15, 2025.

NMPF’s Castaneda talks trade, immigration and what’s next

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF Executive Vice President, Policy Development & Strategy Jaime Castaneda shares with Dairy Radio Now listeners how NMPF has been working with the Trump administration on pressing trade issues and immigration, and how NMPF advocates for U.S. dairy.

NMPF Statement on the ‘Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy’

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

From NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud: 

“The MAHA Commission’s Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy recognizes what the latest science indicates and what we’ve long been saying: that getting whole milk back into schools and boosting dairy in diets helps meet America’s nutritional needs, and that it is critical to improving the health of our nation’s children.  

“We appreciate the commission’s attention to our nation’s public-health needs, and we are excited that scientific evidence showing the benefits of dairy at all fat levels is finally gaining appropriate recognition. We are hopeful that the upcoming Dietary Guidelines will also reflect the overwhelming evidence that NMPF has shared for years: dairy, including whole and reduced-fat, is an excellent source of nutrients in American diets. And we look forward to working with the administration on furthering the health of American children. 

“To further assist in dairy’s positive contributions to a healthier nation, we also urge Congress to pass the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which would provide schools the opportunity to serve the nutritious whole and 2% milk that school kids love and codify into law the endorsement given in the administration’s report.”

AI’s Influence Requires Innovative Response

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Just a couple years after its wide-scale introduction, Artificial Intelligence, aka AI, has already changed how people create, how they interact with the Internet, and how they interact with one another.

But it’s not without pitfalls: From “hallucinations” to hate speech, the quality of AI answers generated by Large Language Models can vary widely, often illustrating a principle that’s much older than the Internet: Garbage in, garbage out.

How does this affect dairy, where overwhelming mainstream support has been tempered by decades of negative misinformation, often peddled by plant-based imitators trying to make a quick buck by convincing people that their concoctions are superior to milk? Armed with an incognito browser window and an intern (thank you for your research, Presley Wirebaugh), we set out to find out what ChatGPT and other LLMs might say about milk. And what did we find?

In many ways, it wasn’t so bad. When it comes to dairy beverage labels, it turns out that ChatGPT’s “thoughts” aren’t that much different from recent heads of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration — it identifies the problem with nutritional confusion and calls for greater transparency. Answers note that milk is nutritionally superior to plant-based beverages, it understands that consumer confusion over the nutritional benefits of milk vs. plant-based is real, and it notes the value of improved, transparent consumer labeling.

Below is one question we asked. Note that we stooped to calling plant-based beverages a “milk,” as we were mimicking queries from less-informed consumers. Also note that the boldface type in the answers is from ChatGPT’s response:

Which is more nutritious: plant milk or cow milk?

Answer: Cow milk is generally more nutritious than most plant milks, particularly when it comes to natural protein content, calcium, and bioavailable vitamins and minerals.

Here’s another:

How should plant milks be labeled?

Answer: Plant milks should be labeled clearly and accurately so consumers understand what they are buying — especially because they are not nutritionally identical to cow’s milk.

One more:

What should I know about the nutrition of cow’s milk?

Answer: Here’s what you should know about the nutrition of cow’s milk — it’s a naturally nutrient-rich beverage, especially valuable for growth, bone health, and muscle maintenance.

Thank you, ChatGPT.

This good news comes with many caveats, often from what seems to be ChatGPT’s efforts to be even-handed to the point where “fair” actually takes a side. Along with the endorsement of milk’s nutritional value is discussion of how plant-based alternatives can also be healthy. The discussion of labeling stops far from fully endorsing the view that dairy terms should never be used on plant-based beverages. ChatGPT states that:

✅ Bottom Line: Plant-based products should be allowed to use dairy-like names if labels are transparent about their origin and nutrition. This ensures both clarity and choice for consumers.

That sounds a lot like the unworkable half-solution FDA suggested three years ago. Still, after decades of demonization, half-a-loaf is encouraging. And as we’ve always stated, once you’ve accepted the reality of nutritional confusion, the need for change becomes clear. It’s a matter of time, and persistence.

So dairy comes out OK on plant-based labeling. In other areas, the limitations of the models, and the power of anti-dairy propaganda, becomes clear. Here’s an example:

What do people like more — plant milk or dairy?

Answer: Among Gen Z and Millennials, plant milk is often preferred, especially oat and almond milk.

“Often preferred” is a pretty big stretch, given that overall market share of plant-based beverages is under 10% and has been falling for years. Are the AI models scooping up old data? Breathless press releases from struggling plant-based companies? More research required.

Even more challenging is what the answers say about dairy’s sustainability.

Which is better for the environment: plant milk or cow milk?

Answer: Plant milk is significantly better for the environment than cow’s milk — across the board in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use.

Ouch.

So — getting out the message of dairy farming’s value as part of regenerative agricultural systems, showing dairy’s progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing water use, encouraging efficient land use … you know, all the things that go into the FARM Program — plays into winning the battle of a ChatGPT query.

It’s a good story to tell. After all:

  • The U.S. dairy industry was the first in the food agriculture sector to conduct a full Life Cycle Assessment at a national scale, in 2008.
  • According to an assessment released in May, from 2007 to 2020, the greenhouse gas footprint of farmgate milk production decreased by 13%. And …
  • U.S. dairy has set a goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through developing well-targeted incentives that encourage climate-friendly investments among dairy farmers across all sizes and regions. This comes on top of dairy’s record of animal stewardship and top-level workforce management.

Each individual search, multiplied by thousands per day, every day, adds up to the realities we will increasingly inhabit. And that becomes the new frontier for defining dairy.

This isn’t the AI moment — it’s the AI reality. And just as when the industry has faced past challenges, and just as dairy farmers do every day, innovation will be a must.

 

FMMO Modernization Takes Effect, With NEXT Next

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft
  • Final Rule updating Federal Milk Marketing Order pricing formulas implemented June 1
  • NMPF Exports & Trade (NEXT) gained approval from NMPF’s Board of Directors and started accepting bids

NMPF’s Economics team saw the culmination of a multi-year effort to update the Federal Milk Marketing Order pricing formulas on June 1, when the new FMMO rule took effect.

The “higher-of” Class I price mover for most non-ESL milk has been restored; dairy product make allowances and Class I differentials nationwide are updated, and USDA is no longer using barrel cheese to determine the Class III price. USDA will implement a final part of the rule increasing the component composition factors for skim milk in all FMMO price classes Dec. 1 to avoid disrupting existing risk management positions.

NMPF successfully argued for these necessary updates in five specific proposals presented at a record-long FMMO hearing from late summer 2023 to early winter 2024. The arguments all flowed from the fundamental principle that FMMO product price formulas must evolve with the changing structure of the dairy industry to properly fulfill their role of accurately translating dairy product prices into milk values embodied in the orders’ classified prices. The rule comes after more than four years of effort that included more than 200 meetings to formulate and defend NMPF’s proposal, led by NMPF leaders and experts.

Also spearheaded by economic analysis and consultations, NMPF’s Board of Directors approved the NMPF Exports & Trade (NEXT) program to succeed the Cooperatives Working Together export assistance program, at its June board meeting, with bids beginning in July.

NEXT expands its service to dairy producers and to testing innovative new ways to expand U.S. dairy’s market share. NEXT provides an effective means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages. New initiatives in the new NEXT program include:

  • Expanding the program’s product mix
  • Creating market development initiatives that provide targeted, additional support beyond primary assistance to level the playing field and drive U.S. export volume growth in key markets around the world where the U.S. is at a tariff
    disadvantage and/or where the U.S. has the room and ability to gain market share
  • Enhancing program operations to assist in NEXT’s mission by extending delivery periods, removing volume limits and providing greater insight into program operations; and
  • Creating a strategic advisory council to guide program strategy.

NEXT charges cooperatives paying into the new program two cents/cwt of member milk, a reduction from the four cents/cwt previous assessment in the CWT program. Within the first month of the program, NEXT-assisted export sales boomed, reaching nearly 38 million pounds of product – a tremendous start for the new program.