Tag: dairy exports

NMPF Leads Charge in Dynamic Trade Environment

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft
  • Advocated for dairy priorities in administration’s Reciprocal Trade Deals
  • Secured the reintroduction and advancement of key common names bill
  • Spurred federal investigation into global nonfat milk solids marketplace
  • Expanded network of allied organizations
  • Advanced key supply chain initiatives

NMPF has actively navigated the new administration’s proactive and unconventional trade approach to forge better global prospects for U.S. dairy exporters.

As the Trump administration’s trade negotiations unfold, NMPF Executive Vice Presidents Jaime Castaneda and Shawna Morris are serving as confidential private sector advisers to the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture, offering guidance to ensure that U.S. dairy interests are represented and pursued across the globe.

To date, the United States announced trade frameworks with key dairy trading partners including South Korea, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia. These frameworks vary in scope and detail and are designed to set the stage for more detailed negotiations to follow soon.

The frameworks with Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are particularly promising for dairy exporters. It appears likely that all three countries will zero out tariffs on U.S. dairy exports, leveling the playing field with New Zealand and Australia, and in some cases the European Union too. Indonesia’s framework also addresses longstanding barriers that have made it difficult for American companies to compete in the market. This includes dairy facility registration approval improvements and steps that would help protect common name rights in Indonesia for products like “parmesan” and “feta.” Details on all announced trade details are forthcoming.

In addition to providing guidance as cleared advisors, NMPF worked hard in the months leading up to the negotiations to lay the groundwork for success. As the administration began to fill out its cabinet and agency positions, NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) shared trade priorities  with incoming USTR and USDA officials to improve the global competitive landscape for U.S. dairy exporters. NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud testified before the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee, where he called for the U.S. government to pursue greater market access for U.S. products and enforce existing trade agreements.

Throughout its meetings and engagements with the Trump Administration, NMPF has stressed the need to preserve trade flows, while encouraging a tailored approach to tariffs that ensure fairness for U.S. farmers and workers.

NMPF remained active in multiple trade-related areas that went beyond negotiations, for example supporting the Apr. 1 reintroduction of the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields (SAFETY) Act and continuing additional efforts to proactively protect common food names for American cheesemakers. Originally introduced as the Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act in 2023, the SAFETY Act would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Trade Representative to prioritize the protection of common names like “parmesan” in international trade negotiations.

As Congress and the administration prepare for next year’s critical U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review process, NMPF is engaging with and supporting the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and other key stakeholders to ensure that they have the information needed to strengthen the agreement for U.S. dairy producers and exporters.

A particular issue that needs addressing is Canada’s dairy policies that incentivize dairy protein to be produced, then offloaded globally at artificially low prices — including by shifting tariff codes to evade USMCA export surcharges.

NMPF responded to this issue by pressuring the administration to address Canada’s persistent flouting of USMCA commitments, which led to a U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) investigation launched May 20 into the export competitiveness of nonfat milk solids industries in the United States and other major suppliers. NMPF submitted written comments as part of that investigation outlining underhanded practices by Canada and other global suppliers that harm U.S. producers. NMPF’s Jaime Castaneda and Will Loux further elaborated on those points at a July 28 USITC hearing in the case.

NMPF has expanded its network of international allies, strengthening its ability to advocate for U.S. dairy worldwide. During a March 17-20 trip to Central America, Castaneda closed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between NMPF, USDEC, and the Guatemalan Dairy Development Association (ASODEL). The agreement strengthens ties between the U.S. and Guatemalan dairy industries as they advocate for free and fair-trade policies and promote greater dairy consumption.

NMPF and USDEC signed an MOU May 1 with KADIN, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, strengthening ties between the U.S. and Indonesian dairy industries. This agreement builds on a flourishing partnership between the two countries, launched by the establishment of the U.S.-Indonesia Dairy Partnership Program. This collaboration is focused on creating and distributing technical educational materials designed to empower small-scale dairy producers in Indonesia to improve the quality and quantity of their milk production while touting the value of complementary U.S. dairy imports to meet the full needs of Indonesia’s expanding school milk program.

To ensure that U.S. dairy exporters can depend on timely and reliable shipping and rail transportation, NMPF is prioritizing supply chain improvements.

USTR on Feb. 21 proposed to impose fees on Chinese-built and -operated cargo ships as part of a larger investigation into Chinese maritime dominance. While this action was well-intentioned, NMPF and USDEC filed comments on March 24 to warn the agency that additional service fees would significantly increase costs for American exporters and diminish shipping options for U.S. products — both of which could lead to loss of global market access. USTR heard the industry pushback and modified the rule on June 12 rolled back the severity of the proposed fees. NMPF continues to urge the agency to re-evaluate the remaining fees to ensure U.S. dairy exporters do not face additional costs to export.

NMPF Dairy Experts Testify on Milk Solids Before ITC; Staff Present on Economy, AI

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF’s Jaime Castaneda and Will Loux testified on July 28 before the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) as part of the agency’s ongoing Section 332 investigation into the United States’ nonfat milk solids competitiveness relative to other global suppliers, highlighting another busy month for NMPF staff in outreach and policy influence.

Testimony by Castaneda, NMPF’s executive vice president for Policy Development and Strategy, and Loux, who heads NMPF’s Joint Economics Team with the U.S. Dairy Export Council, complemented nearly 60 pages of comments filed July 16 that focused on Canada and other global suppliers’ persistent efforts to offload structural surpluses of nonfat milk solids onto the global market at artificially low prices.

NMPF and USDEC requested that the U.S. government address Canada’s attempts to circumvent its dairy obligations in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Despite Canada’s USMCA commitment to reform distortionary pricing schemes, limit the offloading of low-priced dairy proteins and expand its market access for U.S. dairy exporters, it has failed to follow through in meaningful ways on all three fronts undercutting U.S. dairy producers both at home and abroad — a point drawn out in the two testimonies. In response, USTR requested that the USITC conduct this investigation.

The USITC’s findings, due next March, will inform the U.S. government’s strategy heading into the upcoming USMCA review between Canada, Mexico and the United States.

NMPF and USDEC also highlighted other global suppliers that benefit from a combination of direct subsidies and state trading enterprises that distort global trade, including product originating from India, Turkey and the European Union.

The Loux and Castaneda presentations were among several spotlighting dairy’s leadership in July. NMPF Senior Director for Economic Research & Analysis Stephen Cain gave a tariff and trade outlook to industry professional on June 26 at the HighGround Global Dairy Outlook Conference in Chicago. Cain also presented a global dairy outlook to the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association Dairy Symposium in Lake Geneva on July 15 and gave a market outlook to WI Farm Bureau and the Dairy Farmers of WI in Madison later in the month.

Meanwhile, NMPF Executive Vice President for Communications & Industry Relations Alan Bjerga presented on Artificial Intelligence and the challenges of communicating dairy’s messages in an evolving information environment at the Agricultural Media Summit in Rogers, AR, on July 29.

July NEXT-Assisted Export Sales Reach Nearly 38 Million Pounds

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NEXT member cooperatives secured 223 contracts in the program’s first month, totaling 37.7 million pounds of product in NEXT-assisted sales in 2025. These products will go to customers in Asia, Oceania, Middle East-North Africa, Central America, the Caribbean and South America and will be shipped from July through December 2025.

NEXT (NMPF Export and Trade) gained final approval from NMPF’s Board of Directors at its June meeting. It succeeds the previous Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program, expanding its service to dairy producers and testing innovative new ways to build U.S. dairy’s global market share. NEXT provides an effective means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages.

The referenced amounts of dairy products reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. NEXT will pay export assistance to bidders only when export and delivery of product is verified by submission of required documentation.

NMPF Advocates for Industry Needs in Worldwide Trade Talks

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF’s active engagement with key administration officials in the lead-up to President Trump’s July 31 executive order establishing a new tariff system has helped create opportunities for dairy as deals across the globe take shape.

The order places reciprocal import tariffs on dozens of countries while maintaining the reciprocal tariff rate at 10% on all others. Several trade framework agreements were also announced prior to the order that may improve market access for U.S. dairy exporters.

The executive order sets country-specific tariff rates ranging from 10% to 41% on a broad set of imports. Several key U.S. trading partners negotiated terms to secure 15%-20% tariff rates under bilateral arrangements, including the EU, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, the UK and Vietnam. Details on each are slim – with some having been announced solely via social media – yet most reference tariff reductions that would benefit U.S. agricultural exports.

Throughout these discussions, NMPF staff Jaime Castaneda and Shawna Morris, who served as Confidential Agricultural Trade Advisors to USTR and USDA, have provided extensive details and recommendations to U.S. trade negotiators on the importance of maintaining stable access to key export markets, avoiding retaliatory disruptions, reducing tariffs, and resolving nontariff trade barriers in specific markets.

NMPF joined USDEC in praising the framework agreement announced with Indonesia, which notably would eliminate Indonesia’s 5% dairy tariffs in a promising and growing market for U.S. dairy products and seeks to address nontariff barrier concerns with Indonesia’s lengthy facility registration process and threats to the use of common cheese names.

“We are pleased to hear this framework removes roadblocks to trade and will help grow dairy sales in one of the world’s most populous markets,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, in the statement. “NMPF looks forward to reviewing the details of the agreement and working with the administration to ensure Indonesia upholds its end of the bargain.”

Separate negotiations are underway with countries on which the U.S. first began raising tariff rates: Mexico, Canada and China. Mexico, the largest market for U.S. dairy, received a 90-day reprieve, allowing continued negotiations and uninterrupted trade for the time being. Meanwhile, Canadian exports that are not USMCA-compliant will face a 35% tariff beginning Aug. 2. Negotiations with China to avert a further hike in bilateral tariffs with that country are ongoing, with a looming deadline of Aug. 12.

Joint Statement from NMPF and USDEC on Senate Confirmation of Luke Lindberg as USDA Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today applauded the Senate’s confirmation of Luke Lindberg to the position USDA Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs.

Statement from Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF:

“We are excited to get to work with Under Secretary Lindberg, who has a proven track record of advancing American agricultural interests and will help USDA deliver results for American dairy producers and cooperatives. Mr. Lindberg’s leadership and understanding of trade policy strengthen the future of U.S. dairy. We look forward to working with Under Secretary Lindberg and the entire Trump administration to champion American dairy farmer interests, fight back on unjustified and unscientific barriers to American exports and open markets across the globe.”

Statement from Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC:

“The confirmation of Luke Lindberg represents a significant win for U.S. dairy exporters and our industry’s global competitiveness. Mr. Lindberg’s experience leading trade missions and managing export initiatives position him perfectly to break down trade barriers and create pathways for American dairy to reach global consumers. Last year, U.S. dairy exports reached a historic $8.2 billion, demonstrating the tremendous global demand for American dairy products. This position is critical to advancing America’s leadership in international dairy markets. Together we can put more Made in America dairy on more overseas shelves. We are delighted to have a strong advocate for policies that enhance competitive dairy access into international markets.”

NMPF’s Castaneda Explains for Dairy Radio Now the Importance of Investigation of Milk Powder Trade

Posted on by Chris Galen

NMPF’s executive vice president Jaime Castaneda explains for listeners of Dairy Radio Now why NMPF asked the Trump Administration to investigate the world trade in milk powders, and, in particular, the impact of Canada’s protectionist practices on U.S. producers. Castaneda and NMPF colleague Will Loux testified this week on the issue.

U.S. Dairy Organizations Testify Before USITC on Global Policies Affecting Dairy Markets

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) Executive Vice President for Policy Development & Strategy, Jaime Castaneda, and Senior Vice President for Global Economic Affairs, Will Loux, testified today before the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) on the need for the U.S. government to hold trading partners accountable for policies that disrupt global markets for nonfat milk solids products and harm U.S. dairy producers and exporters. Chief among those concerns were Canadian dairy policies.

Throughout the hearing, Castaneda and Loux highlighted how trade distorting policies and subsidies from Canada, India, Turkey, the European Union, and others have driven artificially low-priced exports from those competitors onto global markets, undercutting U.S producers. The remarks complemented a set of in-depth comments filed on July 16.

“The U.S. is an extremely competitive player in world dairy markets,” said Castaneda. “However, Canada’s actions are one of the major policy factors undermining fair competition in those markets. We encourage this investigation to include a focus on the full breadth of trade distorting policies that Canada and other major suppliers employ that can undercut U.S. producers and exporters. It is critical that the United States takes steps to curb these anticompetitive practices during the 2026 USMCA review process.”

The hearing was part of an ongoing USITC investigation into the global nonfat milk solids market and export competitiveness. As requested by the U.S. Trade Representative, the inquiry and subsequent report will analyze government policies and programs that Canada and other major suppliers maintain that affect the production and exports of nonfat milk solids products from major dairy producing countries. NMPF and USDEC have been urging the U.S. government to take steps to address Canada’s continued attempts to circumvent its trade commitments that were intended to limit the offloading of artificially low-priced dairy proteins onto the global market. USTR’s initiation of this investigation was a key step in that direction.

“Canada’s exports of protein concentrates and isolates have more than doubled since the implementation of USMCA,” said Loux in his remarks. “India’s subsidized SMP exports were as high as 45,000 metric tons in 2021 and were sold at a 10% discount compared to the global average. Turkey’s whey exports—which have quadrupled in the last two years by selling at roughly half the global average—are increasingly moving beyond the Middle East and into critical export markets for U.S. manufacturers, including Southeast Asia and China. It is essential that the United States push back against dishonest trade practices and ensure that U.S. dairy producers can compete on a level playing field around the world.”

USITC is scheduled to submit its report to USTR by March 23, 2026.

Complementing this effort, NMPF and USDEC are dedicated to working with the Administration and Congress to leverage the investigation’s findings through the 2026 USMCA Review process to ensure that U.S. dairy producers are delivered the market access they were promised and fully benefit from the agreement moving forward.

U.S. Dairy Industry Celebrates Julie Callahan Nomination for Chief Agricultural Negotiator

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) commended President Trump’s nomination of Dr. Julie Callahan to serve as Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

“The role of Chief Agricultural Negotiator is critical to ensuring that American dairy farmers have a voice in trade negotiations,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF and a former USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator. “Dr. Callahan is the right choice. Her expertise and leadership in agricultural trade policy is second to none. Dairy farmers and the entire U.S. dairy industry look forward to working with her to open new export markets and hold our trading partners accountable. We ask that the Senate move swiftly to advance her confirmation process.”

Callahan currently serves as the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy where she leads on expanding and preserving market access opportunities for U.S. farmers and food manufacturers. Her impressive tenure in agricultural trade policy spans across a variety of leadership roles with USTR and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in addition to early career experience with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service and the American Chemical Society.

“Dr. Callahan’s nomination today is a win for U.S. agriculture,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “The U.S. dairy industry depends on a proactive trade policy agenda to grow. Dr. Callahan brings deep trade policy expertise and an unmatched record of advocating for U.S. farmers and food manufacturers to a role vital to ensuring agriculture has a seat at the negotiating table. We look forward to working with her to drive back trade barriers and build markets for American dairy producers. USDEC calls on the Senate to quickly confirm her as our next Chief Agricultural Negotiator.”

“For far too long, the European Union has misused its geographical indications rules to monopolize common food names like ‘parmesan’ and block fair competition from U.S. producers,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “In her current role, Dr. Callahan has been leading the charge in preserving market access for U.S. common name producers in the face of these harmful EU policies. Her leadership will be instrumental in working to ensure that the European Union stops taking advantage of American farmers. We are excited for the opportunity to further work with her on this important mission and urge an expeditious confirmation process in the Senate.”

U.S. Dairy Pursues Opportunities in UK, EU

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud and Executive Vice Presidents Shawna Morris and Jaime Castaneda led a U.S. dairy leadership delegation to Europe the week of June 23 to promote U.S. dairy exports and push for greater market access.

NMPF Board Member and USDEC Vice Chair Alex Peterson, USDEC Chair Becky Nyman, and USDEC President and CEO Krysta Harden also headed up the delegation, offering perspectives as industry leaders.

The trip’s first leg in the United Kingdom featured farm visits and tours, where NMPF learned more about the British dairy industry’s sustainability ambitions, market considerations, competitiveness, and future opportunities for collaboration and engagement. NMPF also met with Graham Floater, the United Kingdom’s Chief Negotiator for Trade with the United States, and other policymakers, to highlight how increasing imports of safe, high-quality, nutritious, and competitively priced U.S. dairy ingredients would benefit British businesses and consumers.

The group’s Brussels stop included meetings with EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen, the U.S. embassy team including Charge d’Affaires Norman Thatcher Sharpf, and the offices of the Directorate-General for Health & Food Safety (DG Sante) and Directorate-General for Trade & Economic Security (DG Trade), as well as senior political leaders from both those areas. Meetings with leading EU private sector organizations, Eucolait and COPA-COGECA, and the International Dairy Federation, rounded out the trip.

NMPF emphasized the nearly $3 billion dairy trade deficit between the United States and the European Union, driven largely by unjustified nontariff and tariff barriers. NMPF highlighted the importance of EU regulations being World Trade Organization-compliant, as opposed to the overly detailed and prescriptive approaches presently taken which are so  counterproductive to fair and healthy trade.

U.S. Dairy Welcomes Framework to Expand Exports to UK

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

“The United States and the United Kingdom are long overdue to strike a deal on trade. This agreement on a solid framework for negotiations over the coming months is an important step in the right direction,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “The UK is the world’s largest cheese importer from global markets. The United States has invested  $10 billion in U.S. dairy processing capacity in a four-year window. It’s vitally important that our exporters have a level playing field.”

The European Union has duty-free, quota-free access to the UK dairy market and benefits from geographical indications that prohibit fair competition in the UK market in common cheese categories. The UK in 2023 also implemented Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand and Australia which eliminate all UK dairy tariffs over the course of five years. The EU, New Zealand and Canada also all benefit from most of their dairy products being deemed by the UK to be “low risk” and thus can enter the UK market without the need for product certification.

“Yesterday’s announcement of a U.S.-UK agreement on a negotiating framework for trade must be a first step in the work that’s needed to open market opportunities for U.S. dairy products to the UK, which imported $5 billion from the world last year,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “The UK already has open trade with the world’s largest dairy exporter—the EU—and it will have fully open trade with two of the other largest exporters—New Zealand and Australia—in just 3 years. Duty-free, quota-free, certificate-free trade is what U.S. dairy exporters need to have a level playing field in this key market.”

USTR Calls Out Misuse of Geographical Indications as Major Trade Barrier

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) said they appreciated the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) decision to spotlight protection of common food names in the agency’s 2025 Special 301 Report released today.

The annual report outlines major global intellectual property concerns. It highlighted the European Union’s persistent campaign to monopolize common names—such as “parmesan” and “feta”— through protectionist geographical indication (GI) policies. These efforts restrict the use of widely recognized food and beverage terms to only specific European producers and effectively cut U.S. producers out of certain key markets.

“The European Union’s approach to geographical indications is entirely unacceptable. It intentionally crowds out fair competition by restricting market access for U.S. and international producers,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “Too many trading partners have been coerced into imposing trade barriers for products using common food and beverage names. We appreciate USTR’s ongoing recognition of this issue but  urge the U.S. government to stop trading partners to succumbing to European pressures and imposing trade barriers on U.S. products.”

“Europe’s misuse of geographical indications is nothing more than a trade barrier dressed up as intellectual property protection,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “It not only unfairly strips American producers of the right to use common, widely understood terms, but significantly handcuffs commercial export opportunities. We welcome USTR’s focus on this issue and appreciate the administration’s dedication to protecting U.S. market access rights.”

“Last year, the United States imported nearly $3 billion more in dairy products from the European Union than we exported to Europe. Europe’s abuse of the GI system is a significant reason for that deficit,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “EU GI schemes create a two-tiered system that benefits European producers and stamps out competition. We appreciate that USTR is addressing this unfair practice and look forward to continuing to work together to level the playing field for U.S. dairy producers.”

CCFN submitted comments to the agency in January, which broke down the many markets where U.S. dairy producers’ common name rights are being threatened. NMPF and USDEC filed supporting comments noting the urgency for action to address this pressing trade barrier. CCFN Senior Director Shawna Morris built on those comments at a Feb. 19 USTR hearing, where she underlined how the EU misuses geographical indications and why it’s imperative for the U.S. government to match the EU’s efforts on common names.

NMPF’s Morris Assesses Dairy Impact of New Import Tariffs

Posted on by Chris Galen

NMPF’s executive vice president Shawna Morris assesses how the U.S. dairy sector could be impacted by the new tariffs imposed against imports by the Trump Administration, and how foreign countries may in turn raise their own tariffs against American exports.