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NMPF Strengthens Relationships in Taiwan

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF explored opportunities to connect U.S. dairy supplies with key Taiwanese importers during a Sept. 29-Oct. 1 USDA Foreign Agriculture Service-led trade mission to Taipei, Taiwan.

Alongside a local representative of Dairy Farmers of America, NMPF’s Jaime Castaneda and Tony Rice met with Taiwanese government officials, including the Ministries of Agriculture and Health and Welfare, and dairy industry stakeholders to promote U.S. dairy products and discuss ways for the U.S. dairy industry to expand its presence within Taiwan’s growing agricultural market.

Taiwan is the United States’ eighth largest agricultural export market, importing in 2024 just under $4 billion worth of agricultural goods from United States, including $108 million of U.S. dairy exports.

NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council also in Taiwan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Dairy Association of Taiwan on Sept. 30, affirming a shared commitment to building demand for dairy in Taiwan, supporting a Taiwanese government school milk program and efforts to protect the right to use common names like “parmesan.”

Building on this trade mission to Taipei, as well as NMPF’s April 2025 delegation visit to Taiwan, the MOU seeks to strengthen business and government relations to the mutual benefit of the dairy sectors in Taiwan and the United States.

FARM Reviews Version Metrics, Going Through Each Standard

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

FARM’s Animal Care program area in September met with NMPF’s Animal Health & Well-being Committee to kick off the standards review as part of developing its latest version cycle, set to launch January 2028.

The committee reviewed program metrics in key corrective action areas, animal-based observations, and animal and facility management. This will set priorities for the committees to consider when reviewing standards eligible for revision.

The name itself, Version 2028, represents a shift toward identifying version cycles by launch year, replacing describing versions by successive numbers. FARM is making the change to help program participants easily identify the program’s most current version while communicating the three-year cycle process.

FARM Program cycles are revised every three years to ensure the standards’ integrity and effectiveness. The FARM Animal Care Task Force and NMPF Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee reviews and revises the standards, rationale and accountability measures with input from industry stakeholder groups including farmers, animal scientists and veterinarians.

NMPF’s Board of Directors approved a new layer to the process back in June, resulting in NMPF’s Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee now setting priorities for the FARM Animal Care Task Force and Farmer Advisory Council ahead of the initial standards review. The new process will provide a more collective representation of farmer input.

FARM began Version 2028 development in July with its Stakeholder Survey, which received more than 800 responses. The survey will help inform the decision-making process on potential standard revisions.

NMPF’s Animal Health & Wellbeing Committee, FARM’s Animal Care Task Force and Farmer Advisory Council will review survey results this fall; results will be summarized into a final report made available on the FARM website.

FARM Workforce Development and FARM Environmental Stewardship will continue to be on the same cycle as FARM Animal Care.

For more information on Version 2028 development, visit the FARM Program website.

fairlife Joins NMPF Associate Membership

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation is excited to announce that fairlife has joined as its newest associate member.

fairlife, a Chicago-based dairy company known for its ultra-filtered milk, started in 2012 from “the belief that milk – already a superfood – could be even better,” according to its website. The processor’s proprietary ultra-filtration process concentrates milk’s protein while reducing its natural sugar content. In addition to its ultra-filtered milk, fairlife’s portfolio of lactose-free, real dairy products includes: Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; and fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health. NMPF looks forward to the valuable insights and contributions that fairlife will bring to the table.

Ag Coalition Releases PFAS Recommendations

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The PFAS and Agriculture Policy Workgroup, an agriculture coalition in which NMPF is a member, released Sept. 16 the nation’s first comprehensive set of federal recommendations to address PFAS contamination of agricultural land.

The coalition is led by American Farmland Trust and includes 15 other farmer, commodity, conservation, and health groups, as well as state departments of agriculture. The group is calling for Congress and the executive branch to take pragmatic steps to address PFAS to protect farmers and their families, keep farms and ranches in business, maintain a safe national food supply, and safeguard farmland for future generations.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals. PFAS have been used in a wide range of industrial and household products for decades, and do not break down naturally. Since these “forever chemicals” are highly mobile in the environment, they can accumulate anywhere, including in soil, water, crops, livestock, wildlife, food, and the human body.

The workgroup recommendations aim to advance a wide range of nonpartisan, common-sense solutions.

NMPF has participated in the planning and development of the workgroup since it was formed in spring 2024, always noting that PFAS is primarily a water-contamination issue that does not affect milk.

NMPF Comments Push Back on Standards of Identity

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF submitted comments to FDA Sept. 15 regarding the agency’s proposal to revoke 18 Standards of Identity (SOIs) for dairy products, saying four of them remain necessary.

NMPF disagreed with FDA’s conclusion that the standards are no longer necessary to promote honesty and fair dealing for Acidified Sour Cream; Cream Cheese with Other Foods; Pasteurized Blended Cheese with Fruits, Vegetables, or Meats; and Pasteurized Process Cheese with Fruit, Vegetables, or Meats.

NMPF agreed that SOIs should be eliminated when they are made redundant by other standards or regulations, or if the product is no longer in the market – FDA’s rationale for the 18 revocations. Most of the dairy product SOIs in the agency’s proposal do fall under one of those two categories. However, each of the four exceptions called out are actively produced by NMPF members and sold across the country, making it necessary for NMPF to speak out on behalf of its members.

FDA established in 1939 the standards slated to be eliminated to protect consumers by ensuring that foods labeled with a specific name, such as “milk,” meet certain expectations of ingredients, characteristics, and processing. NMPF said in its comments that SOIs are as important today, if not more important, as when they were created to keep nutritionally inferior plant-based imitation dairy products in the marketplace from deceiving consumers.

FDA’s initial proposal is part of a larger agency effort to review, and in some cases eliminate, hundreds of SOIs, including those for all dairy products. NMPF will monitor for additional proposals and advocate in members’ best interest.

Flooding Disaster Relief Enrollment Open Through Oct. 31

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

USDA announced the application period for the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) which will assist producers who experienced flooding-related losses in 2023 and 2024. The first federal livestock disaster assistance program designed to address losses from feed supply chain disruption due to flooding, announced Sept. 12, has come after years of NMPF efforts to ensure aid for affected producers.

“We’re grateful to Secretary Rollins and the USDA Team for delivering needed emergency relief for dairy farmers nationwide,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “The support is a lifeline for producers still working to recover from devastating 2023 floods and 2024 hurricanes.”

The program covers flooding losses in 2023 and 2024, covering nearly all California counties as well as parts of New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

NMPF worked alongside Rep. David Valadao, R-CA, nearly from the time floods first began devastating California farms in 2023, securing these funds through last year’s American Relief Act by providing Congress with key information regarding the losses dairy farmers faced from the floods.  Reps. Jim Costa, D-CA, and Vince Fong, R-CA, were also critical in helping NMPF advocate for flood-affected dairy farmers in the legislation.

Dairy farmers can apply for ELRP’s $1 billion in available funding until Oct. 31, after which USDA will begin making payments. Click here for more information about producer and livestock eligibility.

NMPF, FARM Focus on New World Screwworm Prevention

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Three top USDA experts led a discussion of the latest updates, detection methods and more during a one-hour live webinar on Sept. 22 exploring New World screwworm hosted by NMPF and the National Dairy FARM Program.

With the screwworm now reported to be 70 miles south of a Mexican-U.S. border state, efforts to protect cattle and prevent spread are ratcheting up. NMPF and FARM are monitoring the situation closely, creating a fact sheet for producers, available here. USDA is taking an “all hands on deck” approach to manage the malady, said Dr. Christopher Needham, deputy director of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS).

“We actually have boots on the ground now looking at this, doing a full investigation, as well as considering what our next steps are to protect the border at all costs,” Needham said. “The entire federal government is looking at this as a national priority, and a national approach is needed to really make sure that we’re protecting agriculture here in the United States.”

Needham spoke to more than 80 attendees of USDA’s key strategy to work across agencies to ensure an effective response. Dr. Needham provided an overview of the screwworm outbreak followed by USDA’s five-pronged plan, with ongoing efforts to increase the Sterile Insect Technique, import requirements, surveillance and trapping of screwworm.

Dr. Rosemary Sifford, deputy administrator for USDA’s APHIS, also joined the call to discuss the agency’s efforts to update the NWS Strategy Plan. USDA is currently drafting the NWS Incident Playbook, a resource that provides quick, practical access to tools and methods used to respond to NWS.

Participants also learned the proper steps for reporting suspected cases to safeguard animal health and protect livestock. Producers are encouraged to report any suspicion of NWS to their veterinarian, state vet, USDA office or extension agent.

Chief Veterinary Officer for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Tristan Colonius, rounded out the webinar with information on animal drugs for New World screwworm. There are currently no approved products for treating or preventing NWS. FDA is reviewing potential drugs as part of the coordinated response.

Recent reports have detected New World screwworm in cattle just 70 miles from the northern border state of Nuevo Leon. This is the closest case to the U.S. border since the outbreak began last year.

Producers should continue to enforce biosecurity measures on farms to bolster efforts in mitigating the spread.

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.”