Infrastructure
Dairy farmers feed our nation and world while supporting thousands of American jobs. Reliable infrastructure for producers and their cooperatives is a must to maintain and grow their businesses. Deteriorating rural roads, waterways, railways and ports threatens the viability of U.S. businesses and the communities that rely on them.
High-speed internet service is another critical piece of America’s infrastructure. Dairy farmers rely on broadband to implement new technologies, monitor animal health, and access continuing learning opportunities and telehealth services. Still, many rural communities where farmers live and work don’t have adequate access to reliable, affordable service.
Flexibility to haul milk and dairy products safely and efficiently is another important infrastructure priority for dairy. Farmers and processors rely heavily on commercial trucks to get milk from the farm to plants and to move dairy foods from the plants to grocery shelves across the country. These perishable products are perishable must move quickly and efficiently.
Our Position
NMPF advocates for investment in rural America’s infrastructure, including transportation, energy, water, healthcare and agricultural research funding.
As a founding member of the American Broadband Coalition, NMPF supports increased funding and coordination to create incentives to bring broadband connectivity to rural areas. NMPF also supports enhanced mapping of existing broadband coverage to better target broadband deployment to areas that truly lack adequate connectivity.
NMPF also advocates for efficient transportation policy solutions that ensures the safe movement of milk, recognizing that milk is a perishable commodity that haulers must move quickly from the farm to the processing plant.
Key Points
- Supply chain disruptions are the greatest near-term threat to U.S. dairy export growth. U.S. producers have lost at least $1.5 billion in revenues because of the decreased competitiveness that come with limits on the capability to reliably supply global markets. That’s why NMPF is extremely active in seeking supply chain solutions, from convening industry leaders to backing important pieces of legislation such as the Ocean Shipping Reform Act.
- Transportation infrastructure improvements to highways, bridges, railways, waterways and ports are among dairy’s most obvious infrastructure needs. However, expanding broadband and telehealth access and updating agricultural research facilities are essential to the industry’s long-term health and competitiveness.
- Efficient transportation of milk and dairy products globally is critical to U.S. dairy’s international competitiveness.
- NMPF supports the development of a strong rural economy by promoting economic opportunity in rural areas; preserving and modernizing rural infrastructure; and establishing robust human services. Advancing high-speed broadband and rural connectivity is central to this effort.
- The dairy industry is committed to the safe transport of bulk milk and finished products, but it often must navigate a patchwork of different weight limitations and other logistics requirements across states and regions.