Tag: dairy exports

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.

NMPF, USDEC Call for Targeted Tariffs, Trade Negotiations

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy leaders called for a targeted approach to tariffs and an emphasis on positive negotiations with most trading partners as the Trump Administration moved ahead with a plan for stepped-up tariffs worldwide on Tuesday.  

“Tariffs can be a useful tool for negotiating fairer terms of trade,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud in a joint statement with U.S. Dairy Export Council President & CEO Krysta Harden released earlier today. “We are glad to see the administration focusing on long-time barriers to trade that the European Union and India have imposed on our exports. The administration has rightly noted both countries’ penchants for restricting sales of American products. 

“In fact, 20% reciprocal tariffs are a bargain for the EU considering the highly restrictive tariff and nontariff barriers the EU imposes on our dairy exporters,” Doud continued. “If Europe retaliates against the United States, we encourage the administration to respond strongly by raising tariffs on European cheeses and butter. We also appreciate the President’s recognition of the sizable barriers facing U.S. dairy exports into the Canadian market. 

“Through productive negotiations, this administration can help achieve a level playing field for U.S. dairy producers by tackling the numerous tariff and nontariff trade barriers that bog down our exports,” Doud said. “As the administration moves forward with negotiations on these tariffs, we encourage prioritizing getting back to fully open trade with U.S. FTA partners, targeting actors who have long put up entrenched barriers to American exports, and swiftly negotiating constructive outcomes with those we know are working for a long-term, fruitful relationship with American farmers.” 

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that the United States will impose a baseline 10 percent additional tariff on imports from all countries later this  week, with a higher additional tariff taking effect next week on dozens of other countries the United States believes have the most unfair trade relationships with the U.S. 

The new duties include a 34 percent tariff on China, 26 percent on India, 26 percent on South Korea, 24 percent on Japan and 20 percent on the European Union. Canada and Mexico, the two largest U.S. dairy trade partners, are currently exempted from the latest round of tariffs because both countries’ non-USMCA-compliant products already are subject to 25 percent tariffs that Trump imposed, then largely suspended, last month. 

Targeted Use of Tariffs and Robust Negotiations Essential to Successful Results

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Leaders from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) released the following statements today in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements.

“Tariffs can be a useful tool for negotiating fairer terms of trade. To that end, we are glad to see the administration focusing on long-time barriers to trade that the European Union and India have imposed on our exports. The administration has rightly noted both countries’ penchants for restricting sales of American products,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “In fact, 20% reciprocal tariffs are a bargain for the EU considering the highly restrictive tariff and nontariff barriers the EU imposes on our dairy exporters. If Europe retaliates against the United States, we encourage the Administration to respond strongly by raising tariffs on European cheeses and butter. We also appreciate the President’s recognition of the sizable barriers facing U.S. dairy exports into the Canadian market.

Through productive negotiations, this administration can help achieve a level playing field for U.S. dairy producers by tackling the numerous tariff and nontariff trade barriers that bog down our exports. As the administration moves forward with negotiations on these tariffs, we encourage prioritizing getting back to fully open trade with U.S. FTA partners, targeting actors who have long put up entrenched barriers to American exports, and swiftly negotiating constructive outcomes with those we know are working for a long-term fruitful relationship with American farmers.”

“President Trump’s commitment to addressing certain unfair and harmful trade policies that American dairy farmers and manufacturers have long faced in the global marketplace can yield positive results if the tariffs announced today are used as leverage to remedy the various trade barriers facing our exporters,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “A firm hand and decisive approach to driving changes is most needed with the European Union and India to correct their distortive trade policies and mistreatment of American agriculture including both imbalanced tariff barriers and nontariff choke-points such as the misuse of Geographical Indications to block sales of our cheeses.

The strong majority of our trading partner relationships are positive ones; this includes many of the countries that will see higher tariffs imposed on them. We encourage the administration to work swiftly with these constructive partners to negotiate new trading terms that expand opportunities for U.S. exports and secure the elimination of both tariff and non-tariff barriers.”

 

Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Protect Common Names

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), and Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) praised yesterday’s reintroduction of the Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act (SAFTEY Act).

Led by Senators John Thune, R-SD, Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Tina Smith, D-MN, in the Senate and Representatives Dusty Johnson, R-SD, Jim Costa, D-CA, Michelle Fischbach, R-MN, and Jimmy Panetta, D-CA, in the House, the bipartisan legislation would direct USDA to partner with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to prioritize the protection of common names like “parmesan” and “bologna” in international trade negotiations.

“For years, many foreign countries have succumbed to the EU pressures to exploit geographical indication rules to confiscate common food and beverage names that American and foreign producers in the new world have used for generations,” said Jaime Castaneda, Executive Director of CCFN. “This lack of action has cost U.S. producers too much for too long. The Safeguarding American Food and Export Trade Yields Act is a critical step toward ensuring that American producers can count on their government to establish a policy of fairness in the global market. We thank Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta for their steadfast support.”

Since 2009, the EU has used trade negotiations and geographical indication (GI) rules to confiscate common names for their own producers—essentially monopolizing certain products in specific markets. For American farmers and manufacturers, this has led to lost commercial opportunities overseas and expensive fights domestically. The EU has escalated this campaign in recent years, coercing third-party countries to adopt the EU’s GI rules as part of trade negotiations.

“When the EU restricts our ability to market and sell our cheeses using ‘parmesan,’ ‘feta,’ and ‘asiago,’ it costs U.S. dairy producers markets and consumers that our members have built up over years,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “It is past time that the U.S. government take a more proactive approach to tackling this challenge. A new emphasis on common name protections—headlined by the SAFETY Act—will ensure that our producers can compete on a more level playing field around the world. Thank you to Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta for leading this important effort.”

By amending the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, the legislation defines “common names” and directs USDA to join forces with USTR to proactively defend these terms in export markets. Originally introduced in May 2023, the bill represents the first farm bill effort on common names.

“Losing the right to use common names has direct, on-the-ground consequences for U.S. dairy farmers,” said Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF. “We appreciate Senators Thune, Baldwin, Marshall and Smith and Representatives Johnson, Costa, Fischbach and Panetta taking up this fight. U.S. producers deserve fair competition. The SAFETY Act is an important milestone to making that a reality.”

NMPF’s Morris Testifies Before USTR

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF Executive Vice President for Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris testified at a hearing of the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) Feb. 19, outlining the European Union’s misuse of Geographical Indication systems to monopolize generic terms such as “parmesan.”

Morris urged the U.S. government to proactively establish protections for common names and address the European Union’s GI campaign through the new U.S. “fair and reciprocal tariff plan.”

Morris was testifying on behalf of the Consortium for Common Food Names, which NMPF staffs. CCFN also on Jan. 27 submitted comments on the issue as part of the agency’s annual Special 301 Review, which is used to set USTR’s intellectual property agenda.

Doud Calls for Greater Trade Enforcement in Congressional Hearing, Ag Outlook Forum

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud told members of the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee on Feb. 25 that the U.S. government needs to make sure trade agreements are enforced, benefiting dairy producers, workers, and shippers who rely on exports.

“In addition to pursuing greater market access, Congress and the administration have a responsibility to work together to enforce existing U.S trade agreements,” Doud said in his oral remarks. “Trade enforcement is not a matter of political or legal technicalities. We have seen that inadequate enforcement has real-world consequences by restricting opportunities for American farmers.”

Exports are indispensable for U.S. dairy farmers and workers, Doud said in the opening of his testimony. Most of those dairy exports are shipped to markets where the United States has an existing bilateral trade agreement—underscoring the need for an initiative-taking U.S. trade agenda. Doud urged policymakers to pursue trade policies that empower U.S. dairy to compete with the European Union and New Zealand, who have benefited from increased market access from recent trade agreements made by their governments.

Priority U.S. trade agreements for enforcement and focus include the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Doud said. Roughly 44 percent of U.S. dairy exports are shipped to USMCA partners, illustrating why it is critical to ensure that Canada and Mexico are in full compliance and that the United States maximize dairy export opportunities with both partners, he said.

Doud in both written and oral testimony outlined specific USMCA enforcement issues the United States should prioritize, including Canada’s misadministration of its tariff-rate quota system and circumvention of dairy protein export caps. Doud emphasized the need for new deals that cut tariffs, tackle nontariff trade barriers, and are vigorously enforced.

A link to his written testimony can be found here.

Doud later that week spoke at the USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, elaborating on his testimony with an overview of U.S. trade relationships around the world, specifically calling out the European Union for misusing rules and protections to shield their markets from U.S. farmers.

“If I say anything nice about the way Brussels does ag, it was completely by mistake,” he said. “I think it is also reasonable to assume its own farmers have the same opinion.”

Later that day Doud joined a roundtable discussion hosted by the House Agriculture Committee to discuss how Congress and the Trump Administration can promote trade policies that best support the dairy and agricultural industries.

NMPF’s Statement on Jamieson Greer’s Confirmation as U.S. Trade Representative

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

From Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF:

“On behalf of the U.S. dairy industry, congratulations to Jamieson Greer on his confirmation as U.S. Trade Representative.

Exports play an indispensable role in supporting America’s dairy farmers and workers across the country. As I know first-hand from my prior work with him at USTR, Ambassador Greer will be a strong advocate for American farmers and American-made products. His talents as a trade lawyer are exceptional. We are eager to work with him and his team to secure opportunities for U.S. dairy producers to compete on a level global playing field and grow export markets.”