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NMPF’s Morris Says Ports Crisis Requires Federal Action

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

 

Current supply chain strains at U.S. ports will need improvements in federal policies to provide both short- and longer-term solutions, NMPF Senior Vice President for Trade Shawna Morris said in an interview with the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. “The fact that the market is not improving, that things are not sorting themselves out and that we don’t seem to be around the corner,” Morris said, “really points to the need for more government introduction into this process through the legislative side and through the administration side to help deal with this.”

NMPF’s Bjerga Discusses Dairy’s Joint Annual Meeting

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

 

National Milk Producers Federation Senior Vice President of Communications Alan Bjerga discusses NMPF’s joint annual meeting with allied dairy organizations this week in Las Vegas. More than 600 dairy farmers and industry professionals are converging for discussions on policy and marketplace accomplishments in 2021, as well as future challenges. Bjerga says a united dairy sector can face whatever comes its way.

NMPF Statement on President Biden’s FDA Commissioner Nomination

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

From NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern:

“Robert Califf will bring a steady hand and proven leadership to FDA at a challenging time for the agency. We expect that, upon his confirmation, he will be able to hit the ground running on critical public health issues, most notably the continuing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We also expect that, given his experience, he will be able to guide the agency toward the positive resolution of other long-standing concerns, such as the continued mislabeling of non-dairy products that flout FDA’s own standard of identity for milk. We look forward to working with him in resolving that issue, as well as other important matters, and wish him well in his confirmation process.”

U.S. Dairy Highlights Supply Chain Challenges at White House Roundtable

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) Executive Vice President for Policy Jaime Castaneda joined members of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force to discuss the challenges facing the export industry regarding current supply chain disruptions.

The virtual roundtable held today featured a handful of groups in the agricultural export industry. NMPF and USDEC are pleased that the supply chain issues adversely affecting U.S. dairy exports are gaining broader attention.

“These issues warrant the focus of the entire federal government in order to address the negative economic effects on both businesses and consumers from these challenges,” said Castaneda. “This discussion was a first positive step which we hope will continue to drive high-level attention to the obstacles affecting U.S. supply chains and exports.”

Since the onset of COVID in early 2020, supply chains have been severely imbalanced, with significant consequences for many American industries. USDEC, NMPF, and other agriculture organizations and companies have been leading the policy push for supply chain improvements to mitigate congestion limiting U.S. exports and in particular ensuring that containers leave U.S. ports full of agricultural products.

During a Nov. 3 U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing, Mike Durkin, President and CEO of Leprino Foods, noted that “this export crisis may well result in irreparable harm to American agriculture as customers around the world are questioning the U.S. dairy industry’s reliability as a supplier.”

NMPF and USDEC expressed appreciation for the opportunity to share with the White House Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force how the Administration can help address the nation’s supply chain issues, and specifically, focus its attention on the challenges facing the U.S. dairy industry, shippers, and exporters.

The organizations have also urged the administration to convene a meeting with food and agriculture industry CEOs to discuss how the White House and Congress can take immediate action to implement additional measures, such as passing ocean shipping reform legislation, addressing critical transportation industry labor and shipping equipment shortages, and other steps that will help American agriculture producers reach their foreign markets effectively.

NMPF’s Bjerga Discusses Global Labeling Integrity, Dairy Defined

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

 

The U.S. needs to follow international norms on the proper labeling of butter and dairy terms, NMPF Senior Vice President of Communications Alan Bjerga said in an interview with RFD Radio. A recent decision by the Codex Alimentarius reaffirms labeling integrity internationally, with the FDA planning guidance on similar matter next year. Bjerga also discusses NMPF’s Dairy Defined series of informational essays and podcasts.

NMPF’s Castaneda Discusses Ports Backup

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

 

NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council Executive Vice President Jaime Castaneda discusses backups at U.S. ports, how delays in dairy shipments can threaten trade reliability and relationships, and how federal policy can be improved to alleviate dairy export challenges on the Adams on Agriculture podcast.

The World Unites Against “Plant Butter.” Will We?

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Strange bedfellows, indeed. But also a reason for hope.

In Case You Missed It, the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils of the Codex Alimentarius, which, among other things, sets international food standards, in October decided not to take up a proposal by IMACE, the European Margarine Association, to allow its members to call their members’ products “plant butter” under the international standard for fat spreads and blended spreads.

U.S. dairy farmers hold no natural gripe against the European Margarine Association – in fact, we had never even heard of them until last month. Europeans, like consumers worldwide, have every right to purchase inferior products in fair and open market competition. However, touting “plant butter” as a legitimate name is a rude introduction to our continental purveyors of congealed vegetable oil, to say the least. It smacks of the shenanigans of Country Crock on this side of the Atlantic. And it speaks volumes about the increasing brazenness of plant-based imposters that they would even bring forth this request, which is so obviously driven by marketing concerns over the public good.

As due process dictates, the European Margarine Association got its hearing. And fortunately, most of the world is much more honest and consistent in labeling than what’s currently practiced in the United States. A wide-ranging coalition of nations spoke against it before CODEX, including the EU itself, France, Norway, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, India, Iran, Argentina, Colombia, Uganda, Malaysia, and the United States. For a brief moment, longtime friends, and even longtime adversaries, fought the fakes. The world came together to defend dairy terms, gain showing the power that global dairy has to nourish and promote health – in this case, the health of international relations.

And so, “plant butter” as a global standard has been resoundingly defeated – for now. But it still leaves some unanswered questions. Why now, European Margarine Association? Why did the idea even come up? Perhaps even more interesting is how the global consensus reflects on current U.S. practice. The argument used by many nations to deny the request was that it would contravene the Codex General Standard for Use of Dairy Terms (GSUDT) (CXS 206-1999) as well as mislead the consumer.

But if that argument is understood and accepted around the world, why has it been so hard to get across here in the U.S.? With the FDA next year promising guidance on dairy labeling, and with an NMPF request to the FDA ombudsman for the agency to enforce its own rules still pending review, will the U.S. be willing to stake out the same pro-consumer position right here at home that it (rightfully) takes abroad?

We shall see. But we never fail to hope that the U.S. will eventually stand behind its own dairy standards of identity. Global support for the proper use of dairy terms remains strong, and that strength only raises our hope that worldwide consistency can soon be achieved. And heck, if the United States can agree with Iran on something … maybe this truly is the first step toward a better tomorrow.

So thank you for clarifying where the world stands, European Margarine Association. May this request never be made again – and may its rejection be an example our own government will follow.

Dairy Groups Applaud Major Climate-Smart Agricultural Initiatives Touted at COP26

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applauded the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement this week that it has joined the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero initiative as a formal supporter. The dairy groups also welcomed this week’s formal launch of the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate.

These global agriculture efforts align with the approach U.S. dairy is taking to reduce its environmental impact through its Net Zero Initiative, which aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and will help the U.S. dairy industry be an environmental solution now and in the future.

Pathways to Dairy Net Zero is a ground-breaking, multi-stakeholder initiative that aims to accelerate climate change action across the dairy sector. It is well-aligned with the U.S. dairy industry’s own Net Zero Initiative, launched last year, that reinforces its leadership within global agriculture as a source of climate solutions. AIM for Climate accelerates climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation over the next five years by embracing practical solutions identified through investments in research and pilot programs. This is very similar to dairy’s Net Zero approach.

To help demonstrate the U.S. dairy industry’s commitment to sustainability and ensure our farmers, processors and exporters are well represented in this important global forum, USDEC’s senior vice president for Sustainability and Multilateral Affairs, Nick Gardner, was on the ground in Glasgow for COP26 events.

“Dairy farmers are proud to be part of the U.S. Dairy Net Zero Initiative to do our part in driving toward a global climate solution,” said Jim Mulhern, president, and CEO of NMPF. “USDA’s formal support for the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero, which NMPF also supports, will help to further catalyze this global effort by dairy sectors and governments around the world to foster sustainable production practices. We commend USDA’s global leadership in charting an incentive-based approach to encouraging sustainably managed livestock systems that can help feed a growing global population while minimizing environmental impacts.”

“With the world’s lowest greenhouse gas footprint per gallon of milk, U.S. dairy leads the world in sustainability. Yet we’re also deeply committed to making further progress as we work together with others in the U.S. and around the world to create environmental solutions that make U.S. dairy ever more competitive globally,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Working together and with a firm commitment to the positive role that innovation and productivity can play in the sustainability arena, we’ll be able to help create the sustainable future so important to us all.”

DFA Farmer Named NMPF “Communicator of Year,” AMPI Recognized Among Co-ops

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Buffalo, MN dairy farmer Charles Krause, a family farm-owner of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), was named the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) first-ever Farmer Communicator of the Year at the organization’s annual gathering of dairy-cooperative communicators. Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) earned top overall communications honors among NMPF member co-ops.

Krause milks around 300 cows with his son, Andrew, on the fifth-generation dairy farm. He was recognized for both his promotion of dairy before the broader public as well as his willingness to be involved in crucial public-policy issues before the industry.

“From teaching the basics of dairy farming to kids in a local classroom, at his farm or even virtually, to authoring a column regarding the importance of dairy dialogue at the UN Food Systems summit to inviting his local Congressman to spend time at his farm, Charles is an unwavering spokesperson on behalf of his own farm, as well as the entire industry,” DFA wrote in its nominating letter.

AMPI was recognized for its numerous first-place awards in NMPF’s annual communications contest, highlighted by its “Best in Show” recognition for its Dairyman’s Digest magazine, led by Sarah Schmidt and Nickie Sabo in the contest’s publication category.

“Great job staying focused on your mission and keeping member information as the focus,” read the judge’s comments in response to AMPI’s prize-winning entry. “From beginning to end I would feel proud to be an AMPI member from the info highlighted in the member publication.”

Krause and AMPI will also be recognized at NMPF’s annual meeting in Las Vegas later this month. A full list of the winners of the NMPF communications contest, which received entries from 12 member cooperatives, can be found here.