Port Congestion Problems Continue for U.S. Dairy Exporters
May 4, 2021
NMPF, working together with the U.S. Dairy Export Council, is continuing to actively raise the visibility of extensive port-related problems affecting exports of U.S. dairy products with federal officials while engaging on trying to find solutions. These challenges have included backlogs, delays, lack of storage for delayed shipments, and increased costs that have bedeviled shippers and impeded exports since last Fall.
NMPF staff met with key staff of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on April 13 to discuss the challenges and ways in which Congress could help. Staff also participated in a meeting on April 19 convened with senior officials at the USDA and the U.S. Department of Transportation, which provided NMPF and groups representing other U.S. agricultural sectors the opportunity to outline problems facing U.S. exporters and press for faster resolutions.
On April 27, NMPF and several of its members joined together in sending a letter signed by almost 300 companies and organizations to the Department of Transportation urging further steps on this issue to help provide relief to U.S. agricultural exporters. NMPF has also been actively working to urge Congressional support for language in the Transportation Appropriations bill that would provide greater direction to the Federal Maritime Commission regarding its analysis of what measures could be taken to help alleviate the export crisis.
NMPF asks for help from the membership to share any information that quantifies the impact of the port problems. Questions and information can be directed to Tony Rice (trice@nmpf.org).
