Tag: dairy exports

USTR Report Underlines Landmark Wins for Common Name Protections

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and Consortium for Common Food Names welcomed today’s release of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) 2026 Special 301 Report, which details the significant progress made over the past year in securing commitments from U.S. trade partners to protect the free use of generic food and beverage terms.

The annual report documenting the most pressing intellectual property issues facing U.S. exporters this year spotlights the administration’s successful efforts to protect American producers’ use of common names such as “parmesan” and “feta” against the European Union’s protectionist geographical indication (GI) policies. NMPF, USDEC and CCFN have been proud to coordinate with the administration on combatting policies that 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.

“For too long, the EU has weaponized GI policy to crowd out American producers from markets they have served for decades,” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “This past year’s reciprocal trade agreements are a sea change, and we welcome USTR’s leadership and persistence in addressing this issue. We encourage the administration to build on this impressive foundation in every remaining negotiation to ensure U.S. exporters are never again shut out of export markets by the EU’s GI misuse.”

“EU GI schemes create a two-tiered system that benefits European dairy producers and stamps out competition,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “NMPF deeply appreciates USTR’s leadership in addressing the GI restrictions detailed in the Special 301 report as a priority trade barrier. We look forward to continuing this great work with USTR.”

“The EU’s approach to geographical indications is simply a dressed-up trade barrier. It is entirely unacceptable,” Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN, said. “Too many trading partners have been coerced into imposing barriers on products using common food names. We greatly appreciate the administration’s leadership in reversing this trend, and we urge USTR to build on their great work securing important protections for common names in nine Agreements on Reciprocal Trade signed to date and protect common names in every market.”

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, including “asiago,” “provolone” and “gruyere,” and participated in the Special 301 public hearing USTR held in February. NMPF and USDEC filed supporting comments, expressing gratitude for the administration’s action.

All three organizations will continue to work closely with USTR and U.S. government partners to monitor implementation of the reciprocal trade agreements and to ensure that U.S. trade partners fully meet their commitments to maintaining open and predictable access for U.S. dairy and other common name products.

NMPF Opens Doors for Dairy in Ecuador Trade Deal

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF’s sustained engagement with the U.S. government continues to pay off for American dairy farmers, with a new U.S.-Ecuador reciprocal trade agreement, signed March 13, representing the latest in a string of hard-fought market access wins.

The new deal would improve export opportunities for U.S. dairy products in a market long plagued by restrictive tariffs and nontariff trade barriers and would deliver on several dairy priorities. It would:

  • Eliminate tariffs on a range of U.S. dairy products;
  • Overhaul Ecuador’s burdensome import licensing system; and
  • Recognize U.S. regulatory oversight, including dropping facility listing requirements and accepting certificates from American regulatory authorities.

For cheese producers specifically, the deal protects 40 common cheese names including “parmesan,” blocking foreign competitors from monopolizing terms that U.S. producers depend on.

“With an unprecedented investment in U.S. dairy manufacturing capacity, deals like this are vital to making it easier for international buyers to source the great products our dairy companies are making,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said.

The Ecuador deal is the tenth agreement secured by the Administration that includes new market access for U.S. dairy products. NMPF and USDEC remain committed to working with USTR to support implementation and build on this momentum.

NMPF Raises Supply Chain Challenges on Multiple Fronts

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

NMPF’s Tony Rice took a central role in elevating serious supply chain issues from maritime reform to cargo theft before Congress and the White House in March as disruptions continue to threaten U.S. dairy exports.

Rice, NMPF’s senior director of trade policy, testified March 17 before a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust hearing on ocean supply chain challenges, laying out the stakes for dairy exporters.

“Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year,” Rice said. “For a dairy producer, these supply chain issues are not abstract policy concerns. When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of product last year, making reliable transportation vital to its economic wellbeing. Yet exporters remain heavily dependent on a handful of foreign-owned ocean carriers. Shipping disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and affect farm income.

Throughout the hearing, Rice relayed the industry’s call for greater investment in domestic shipbuilding capacity, stronger Federal Maritime Commission oversight, and improved transparency from carriers on booking decisions.

Even as supply chain challenges persist, cargo theft of intermodal shipping containers is spiking as well. Rice represented the food and ag industry as part of a coalition of supply chain stakeholders in a March 18 meeting with the National Economic Council at the White House. The group pressed the administration for resources to combat organized criminal networks that break into containers in search of high-value goods, with dairy exports caught in the crossfire.

In parallel, the NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council are working with Congress to advance the bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA), which would give the Department of Homeland Security new tools to track and apprehend offenders.

Members experiencing supply chain issues should contact Tony Rice at trice@nmpf.org.

Trade Pacts Offer Dairy Opportunities, Trade Leader Morris Says

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The United States is negotiating bilateral trade agreements at a frenetic pace across the globe. Dairy’s key to success has been a proactive approach that gets the fundamentals of industry needs right, said Shawna Morris, an executive vice president with NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today.

“On the whole, a lot of good stuff coming down the pipe,” said Morris, specifically citing agreements with Indonesia and Taiwan as holding potential for significant market expansion, for dairy, which saw its second-best year for exports in 2025. Both in advising the U.S. government on agreements and maintaining gains overseas, NMPF/USDEC trade efforts are matching the federal government’s in its intensity, she said.

“Our focus really is on, how do we make sure that we’re keeping the doors open, and also looking at some of the policy tools that can be leveraged in order to expand consumption or dairy access more broadly,” Morris said.

NMPF’s Rice: U.S. Dairy Banking on Renewing the USMCA Trade Agreement

Posted on by Jessi-Ryah Cordova

U.S. agriculture groups are watching the pending negotiations between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada as the countries work on renewing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Tony Rice, senior director of trade policy for NMPF, said the USMCA is very important for the dairy industry and U.S. dairy exports. “They’re number one and two, respectively, and the USMCA agreement has brought a tremendous number of benefits in growing our exports to Mexico, and simultaneously to Canada, while servicing the demand in those two markets,” he said.

U.S. Dairy Testifies on State of Maritime Supply Chain

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, testified today before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust on the maritime supply chain challenges faced by the U.S. dairy industry.

The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of cheeses, milk powders, whey proteins, and other dairy products last year, making reliable transportation vital to its economic wellbeing. Yet American dairy exporters have little choice but to rely on a small number of ocean carrier options, almost all of which are foreign owned.

“Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year,” Rice said. “When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

Rice drew on lessons from the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, when severe delays, routinely cancelled bookings and unprecedented port congestion disrupted cargo movements and cost U.S. dairy producers billions in unexpected costs and lost sales opportunities. While the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 addressed several issues related to unfair fees, Rice highlighted that dairy exporters in the U.S. continue to face operational uncertainty when bookings are rejected, port calls are skipped or receiving windows shift without explanation.

To address these challenges, the U.S. dairy industry called for greater investment in the domestic maritime sector to expand American shipbuilding capacity, robust Federal Maritime Commission oversight of the global maritime carrier marketplace and increased transparency from ocean carriers on booking decisions.

“We recognize the importance of efficient global shipping networks,” Rice said. “Our concern is ensuring that those networks work for American dairy exporters as well as they work for global carriers.”

Trade Progress Poised to Reel in Revenue

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

In the turbulent tides of overseas commerce over the past year, U.S. negotiators landed a trophy bass in February: a trade agreement with Indonesia that we’ve been trying to hook for decades. It’s a big fish for dairy.

Following years of advocacy by NMPF and our partners at the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Consortium for Common Food Names, the deal announced Feb. 19 will eliminate tariffs on all U.S. dairy exports, ease regulatory snarls and protect common cheese names like “parmesan.” Indonesia is already the eighth-biggest market for our dairy products — but it’s the world’s fourth most-populous nation, giving its growth potential for U.S. producers nowhere to go but up.

The Indonesia deal was the ninth trade deal secured to date by U.S. negotiators that includes new market access for U.S. dairy products. It’s a good one, but far from the only gain. Some other highlights of these pending agreements include:

  • Elimination of 100% of tariffs on U.S. dairy products in most deals and notable tariff cuts in others, helping to provide competitive parity to suppliers from Oceania or the EU. A great example of this is the level playing field we now have for extended shelf-life milk into Taiwan.
  • Bans on the introduction of dairy facility listing requirements in all these markets; in Indonesia this wipes away a process that could take over three years for a processing plant to navigate before it gained approval to ship.
  • Commitments in each deal to protect U.S. exporters’ use of up to 40 common cheese names like “parmesan,” a result that’s particularly important as the European Union’s Free Trade Agreement network expands, threatening to limit U.S. growth opportunities to market cheeses with widely recognized terms.

This successful expedition would not have been possible without a world-class captain. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Julie Callahan was instrumental in securing these trade deals that will bring real results back to U.S. farmers. NMPF thanks her and the USTR team, all of whom we have had the honor of working with closely, for the substantial efforts made to bring these agreements home.

And even though a recent Supreme Court ruling on tariffs added even more uncertainty to trade policy, the progress made so far also underscores an important fact about dairy’s future: Trade continues to grow, and the foundations for future growth are only getting stronger, as bilateral negotiations continue and the dairy industry continues patiently building markets.

2025 was one of the strongest trade years ever for dairy products. Volume growth for U.S. dairy exports rose 4% over 2024 as measured in milk solids equivalent, ending up second only to 2022 in all-time shipments. Measured in value, U.S. dairy exports rose 15% over 2024 to $9.63 billion, just short of the 2022 record of $9.66 billion.

The star performer of the year? Cheese. Shipments in 2025 rose 20% over the previous year, which also set a record. New domestic processing capacity helped, as did growing familiarity with the quality and taste of American-made products. Just as impressive, the record sales were spread across the globe, lessening the risk that over-reliance on any single market could create risk in the future: In 2025, 39 countries bought more than 1,000 metric tons of U.S. cheese.

Butterfat and high-protein whey also saw banner years, showing the broad-based nature of sales growth. While conflicts between the U.S. and trading partners are throwing exports into doubt in some areas, in dairy, we’re not seeing widespread effects. In fact, it’s the opposite: U. S. dairy is highly competitive in the global marketplace, and we’re building stable, collaborative, relationships that we are confident will stand the test of time and contribute to long-term prosperity for U.S. dairy farmers.

We have a lot of folks to be thankful for on this journey, from our USDEC and CCFN colleagues to the cooperatives who provide high quality products and invaluable expertise. But looking ahead, we need to capitalize. At NMPF, a big part of our trade support comes from our NEXT (NMPF Exports & Trade) program, launched in the second half of last year.

NEXT helps create export opportunities for U.S. dairy producers in international markets, by overcoming trade barriers and keeping domestic dairy products competitively priced overseas. The 142 million pounds of export volume it assisted in its half-year nearly matched the full-year 2024 volumes under the prior Cooperatives Working Together program, which NEXT succeeded.

The program continues to test innovative ways to grow dairy’s market share through new initiatives, including expanding its product mix and providing targeted, additional support beyond primary assistance in key markets — places where the U.S. is at a tariff disadvantage or the U.S. has the ability to gain market share. Cooperatives interested in joining NEXT, or wanting to know more about the program, should contact next@nmpf.org.

Improved trade access coming soon in numerous markets through bilateral agreements, a full year of NEXT, and the continued collaboration of dairy partners builds great momentum for 2026 in U.S. dairy shipments overseas.

Keep that in mind as you read about tariffs, tariff limitations, tariff alternatives, and trade tensions. Though the waters may not be calm, a skillful angler can still net an impressive haul. And thus far, we in dairy have been casting very effectively, and reeling in a brighter future for U.S. dairy products.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

New U.S.–Indonesia Agreement Secures Access to Critical Dairy Market

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) celebrated today’s signing of a new U.S.–Indonesia trade agreement that would provide key market access expansions and protections for American dairy products.

Following years of USDEC, NMPF and CCFN advocacy, the deal will eliminate tariffs on all U.S. dairy exports; recognize U.S. regulatory oversight, including by listing all U.S. dairy facilities and accepting dairy certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities; and commit to protecting 40 common cheese names like “parmesan.” U.S. dairy exporters have long faced challenges with Indonesia’s excessively slow and burdensome facility registration process, making the issue’s resolution critical.

“This important agreement enhances the strong and growing relationship we’ve developed with Indonesia’s government and dairy industry,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Through sustained engagement, we’ve laid a solid foundation for partnership. This deal reinforces that progress and positions U.S. dairy to expand its capacity to serve as a reliable partner in supporting Indonesia’s dairy sector and nutrition goals.”

The agreement builds on the U.S.–Indonesia Dairy Partnership, launched in 2024 to deepen cooperation across multiple fronts. As part of this collaboration, USDEC partnered with Indonesian institutions to support the government’s Free and Nutritious School Meals initiative, which includes the goal of providing school milk to students.

USDEC and NMPF also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) last May to expand dairy trade and strengthen commercial ties. USDEC also signed a MOU with the Indonesian Food and Beverage Industry Association (GAPMMI) last October. A USDEC-GAPMMI roundtable led by USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg was held earlier this month to deepen that connection.

“Indonesia is the fourth-most populous country in the world and, it’s a critical market for U.S. dairy farmers,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “Thank you to Ambassador Greer and the USTR team for securing expanded access that will directly translate into stronger demand for U.S. dairy products.”

“The common names protections included in this agreement are especially important for America’s farmers and exporters,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “Ensuring U.S. producers can continue to market and sell products like ‘parmesan’ and ‘feta’ in Indonesia without unfair restrictions helps preserve export opportunities and supports the livelihoods of farmers and manufacturers across the United States.”

Indonesia is currently the eighth-largest export market for U.S. dairy products. U.S. dairy exports to Indonesia in 2025 totaled $222 million, including strong demand for milk powders, whey products, cheese and other dairy ingredients. The agreement is the ninth trade deal secured to date by the Administration that includes new market access for U.S. dairy products, including an agreement signed with Taiwan last week. USDEC, NMPF and CCFN will continue to work with the U.S. and Indonesian governments to swiftly and fully implement the agreement’s provisions.

Smart Policy Can Help Mitigate Dairy Pain, NMPF Economists Say

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Low milk prices are a grim reality for dairy producers in the near term, with growing trade and federal action serving as remedies to get farmers through tough times, NMPF economists said in a Dairy Defined Podcast.

“There really is no quick fix to get back into balance,” said Will Loux, Senior Vice President for Global Economic Affairs and the head of the joint economics team for NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “I do think there are real ways that, from the Whole Milk to Healthy Kids Act, to the National Milk Exports and Trade program, to opportunities to beef up Dairy Revenue Protection, to making sure folks are utilizing that program or Dairy Margin Coverage. There are ways to help, I think, mitigate the pain that we see dairy farmers feeling today from a policy perspective.”

Loux is joined in the podcast by Stephen Cain, Vice President for Economic Policy and Market Analysis.

To hear more Dairy Defined podcasts, you can find and subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.”

U.S.–Taiwan Trade Agreement Delivers Major Wins for U.S. Dairy

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Consortium for Common Food Names commended the signing late yesterday of a landmark trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan that will eliminate tariffs on all U.S. dairy products and preempt nontariff barriers that could otherwise limit the full potential of bilateral dairy trade.

Taiwan is the third-largest fluid milk destination for U.S. exports, and this agreement represents a transformative step forward for the growing market. By securing comprehensive tariff reductions for U.S. dairy products and incorporating meaningful commitments to ensure nontariff measures do not derail trade, the deal positions U.S. dairy suppliers to compete on a level playing field and expand their presence in one of Asia’s most dynamic food markets.

“Taiwan is a trusted partner and a high-value market for U.S. dairy,” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “This agreement improves our competitiveness compared to other suppliers and provides assurances that nontariff barriers will not hinder the expansion of U.S. dairy exports. USDEC looks forward to continuing work with the Taiwanese government and the domestic industry to increase dairy consumption and grow the United States’ contribution to supplying Taiwan’s fluid milk and other dairy needs.”

The agreement builds on strong industry-to-industry collaboration between the United States and Taiwan. Last year, NMPF and USDEC representatives traveled to the market to advocate for dairy’s prioritization in the negotiations and deepen engagement with local stakeholders. While there, USDEC and NMPF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Dairy Association of Taiwan to strengthen market development and information exchange efforts.

“The agreement with Taiwan builds on the incredible momentum we’ve seen from the Administration in securing new trade agreements around the world,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Each deal to reduce barriers and expand market access strengthens American dairy farms and the communities they support.”

“Taiwan is an important market for the United States, and the commitments to protect common names included in this agreement preempt third countries like the European Union from abusing intellectual property tools to monopolize generic terms and take away U.S. export opportunities,” Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN, said. “We cannot thank Ambassador Greer, Ambassador Callahan and the entire negotiating team enough for prioritizing this issue and ensuring our exporters can continue using the terms known by consumers around the world.”

NMPF, USDEC and CCFN look forward to working closely with U.S. and Taiwanese officials to ensure swift implementation of the agreement and to fully realize its benefits for dairy producers, exporters, and consumers on both sides of the Pacific.