This fall the world will be coming to America’s doorstep. And the entire U.S. dairy sector is poised to shine.

Coming off a string of record export years, U.S. dairy will host the International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit in Chicago from October 16 to 19. It’s the first time the summit — the globe’s premier dairy event — has been held in the United States in 30 years.

Over the last few years, new international dynamics are bringing seismic change to the global dairy industry. Governments around the world are now more aggressively trying to balance climate change mitigation efforts with advancing food security in the developing world. Protectionism and distorted trade arrangements have thrown certain markets out of balance, and global supply chains have still yet to fully recover from the pandemic.

These and dozens of other topics will be covered in depth at this year’s World Dairy Summit — just a short drive (or a domestic plane ride) away from your farm.

IDF each year brings together more than 1,000 participants from throughout the global dairy community to learn about the host country’s dairy sector while discussing the industry’s latest developments, exploring areas of common ground on policymaking, and highlighting new, groundbreaking innovations. The summit offers a prime opportunity for U.S. dairy to showcase its world-class manufacturing and sustainability practices as well high-quality, American-made dairy products.

With the many exciting and innovative developments underway in the American dairy sector, the summit presents perfect timing to invite the world to learn more from the United States. All major U.S. dairy organizations, as well as several of our leading cooperators and processors, are committed to getting this done and collectively putting our best foot forward as we welcome visitors from around the world. It should be a fantastic event for attendees and demonstrate how U.S. dairy is a global leader.

The promise for dairy that can be fulfilled by U.S. leadership in the global sector reflects the 2023 Summit’s theme of “BE Dairy: Boundless Potential, Endless Possibilities.” Beyond the U.S. spotlight, the conference also will speak to the global dairy industry’s incredible promise — what it means for the millions of people whose livelihoods are supported by the dairy industry and the billions more who rely on dairy products as readily available, sustainable sources of nutrition.

Attendees will be greeted with over 25 thematic sessions, featuring more than 100 global and industry leaders, experts, scientists, technical specialists, farmers, and more, who will explore the global dairy sector’s most significant trends and opportunities to thrive. In addition to the wide variety of insights, sponsors’ and exhibitors’ products will take center stage at a concurrent expo where participants can taste samples of the wide range of what U.S. dairy has to offer and hear the diverse stories of American dairy farms and companies. Attendees will also be able to tour farms and dairy facilities in Illinois and surrounding states to experience firsthand the quality, innovation, and sustainability so characteristic of U.S. dairy farming and manufacturing.

In addition to hearing from the specialists, participants will have ample time to network and build relationships by attending the Summit’s welcome reception at the House of Blues, Farmers Dinner in the heart of Chicago, and a stellar gala dinner at Chicago’s world-class Field Museum.

For more information about the 2023 IDF World Dairy Summit or to register to attend, visit www.idfwds2023.com.

This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on April 3, 2023.

Faced with demand that’s found its ceiling and with its sustainability and health claims coming increasingly under question, the plant-based imitation milk marketing machine is now coming for your children. Despite the critical importance of dairy nutrients to childhood development, nut-based beverage purveyors are pushing for their white-colored sugar water to have greater access to federal nutrition programs, all in the name of “equity” – an emphasis on fairness and justice that’s become an important paradigm in policy debates.

But equity, in food, requires a quality product and equality in access. And for that, milk, a natural product offered with both regular and lactose-free options, remains by far the best solution. Equity in food policy means making sure that everyone has access to the nutrients they need to thrive. The federal school lunch and breakfast programs, the WIC Program, and other initiatives are meant to ensure nutrition for all.

Lactose intolerance is a concern for populations that have higher rates of difficulty absorbing lactose, particularly African American, Asian American, American Indian and Hispanic/Latino populations. That, unfortunately, is now being used by dairy’s opponents to tout their inferior nutrition as a solution to the problem lactose intolerance.

The latest ploy among the vegan, animal rights and plant-based lobbies is to suddenly paint themselves as social justice crusaders, demanding that their nutritionally inferior (which, even when fortified, remain unequal to dairy’s unique nutritional package) products should now be treated as legitimate milk substitutes in federal nutrition programs – all the while conveniently forgetting that a widely available alternative already exists that circumvents lactose intolerance and delivers the exact same nutritional profile as milk. Because that’s what it is.

The lactose-free milk moment has arrived.

To note: This year, at its current pace, lactose-free milk consumption is set to overtake almond beverages – the most popular plant-based category — in overall U.S. sales volume. Its total consumption is already more than half that of the entire plant-based sector, and it’s four times as much as oat drink, the current darling for aficionados of heavily processed, artificially colored liquids. The rise of low- and no-lactose milk comes even though Starbuck’s doesn’t serve it, many consumers unfortunately aren’t even sure that it comes from a cow, and it doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves as a solution to lactose intolerance – because the plant-based beverage-makers who shout loudest care more about their marketing pitch and ideologies than in actual nutrition solutions.

Imagine how equitable a solution it would be for lactose-intolerant populations if nutrition programs touted lactose-free milk as aggressively as plant-based lobbyists tout their artificially concocted, nutritionally inferior beverages. And when you think of it that way, it’s an insult to the spirit of equity to tell lactose-intolerant children that they should receive nutrition that’s unequal to what others receive.

These are sensitive topics, but for an honest discussion, sometimes it’s important to “go there.” Fortunately, we’re seeing encouraging signs of progress, with recent USDA proposals beginning to acknowledge the need for greater lactose-free dairy access in federal nutrition programs.

But to get the most equitable nutrition policy, it’s important to point out what equity would look like. It doesn’t mean self-serving arguments designed to goose sales for the declining plant-based beverage industry. It doesn’t mean allowing their advocates to cynically tout a “solution” that would worsen nutrition outcomes. It means making sure that everyone – especially children – gets the best available nutrition, so that everyone has an opportunity to thrive.

And that means milk. We’re more than able to provide that solution.