Tag: dairy policy

Dairy Has Persevered Through a Successful Year

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Note: These remarks are adapted from NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud’s remarks at NMPF’s annual meeting in Phoenix, Oct. 22, 2024.

In reflecting on where we were a year ago in this industry, it wasn’t very pretty in terms of prices. There wasn’t a lot of optimism. We have experienced several stressful headlines and considerable market risk in the last year, but look at where we are now. The situation has greatly improved — but there is still work to be done.

Let’s start with the long-overdue update of USDA’s Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Then there is the ongoing revamp of the Cooperatives Working Together program (yes, we need to come up with a new name) to make our dairy exports more competitive. We didn’t sign up for H5N1, but it’s here, and we have to deal with it. The Farm Bill, the Dietary Guidelines and ongoing efforts regarding trade issues – they have all been big challenges this year and we cannot let our guard down for a minute in the months ahead. Importantly, we have a tremendous team in Washington. They are rock solid and up for the task.

And that’s critical in areas such as Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization. As I was just coming on board, I went to a couple of the hearings in Carmel, IN. And although I’m an ag economist, it gave me a headache. What a challenging conversation. But what I also saw was the unbelievable expertise and leadership of numerous NMPF members. Our unanimous message made all the difference. It forced the government to listen.

We’ve seen similar impressive accomplishments on Capitol Hill as well. Late last year we had one of the most interesting votes I’ve seen in 32 years in Washington, when the House of Representatives voted 330 to 99 to put whole milk back in schools. This was a situation where some good old-fashioned shoe-leather lobbying, where you sit down with a member of Congress and say, ‘This is the science. This is the better product. We need to put whole milk back in schools.’ The result was that a majority of both Democrats and Republicans in the House, 330 to 99, agreed. Unfortunately, we have yet to be successful in the Senate on this important issue — but the year isn’t over.

I’m not sure when we’re going to pass the Farm Bill. It could be in the lame duck. It could be next year. It could be the year after. Regardless of who is in the White House or Congress next year, the 2025 congressional agenda complicates the Farm Bill legislative process. The next Congress will likely start by navigating issues such as the debt ceiling, budget reconciliation and executive branch nominations. However, the huge issue will be the five-year expiration of our tax code. The “delta” or difference in terms of the Farm Bill and what we’re debating over is about $10 billion when it comes to reference prices. My understanding is, if Congress does nothing in 2025 on taxes, on Jan. 1, 2026, the tax bill for everyone in this country goes up by $5 trillion. This will be the first big debate of the next Congress and, for the farm economy, it dwarfs any other issue. A reasonable expectation is that this discussion will consume the first half of next year, leaving the Farm Bill debate for the last half of the year, squeezed between the process of approving appropriations bills.

We also have to continue to pay close attention to H5N1. Sometimes when we make investments in animal disease preparedness, we’re not sure if the event will ever actually occur. One of those investments, via the checkoff, we made a while back was in terms of foot and mouth disease, and people said, ‘We haven’t had that in nearly a hundred years, why are we investing in that?’

In reality, this little bit of foresight paid huge dividends this year. When H5N1 hit, we pulled these biosecurity plans off the shelf, we adapted them to this virus, and we plugged them in for a webinar for 1,300 people in this industry, in three days — an unbelievable accomplishment. When we look back to the lessons learned on H5N1, this initial investment, and the subsequent on-farm biosecurity implementation efforts that were a result, made a big difference. We must continue to look around the corner to determine what new investments must be made to ensure we’re ready for the next event, whatever that might be.

On the regulatory side, we’ve been investing in the fight against plant-based beverage mislabeling, and we’ve been proactive on the Dietary Guidelines and other nutrition issues. The team effort with incredible dairy nutrition research coming from the checkoff side, along with numerous industry partnerships along the way has been terrific. We’re going to continue to make our case respectfully, but we are not going to give an inch.

We continue to lead and innovate with improvements in our FARM Program and the ongoing work with the U.S. Dairy Export Council on these always thorny trade issues must be a priority to improve the demand environment for U.S. dairy, domestically and internationally.

This industry has a tremendously bright future. There’s never been a year like this year, in terms of headline risk in the agricultural commodity business. My contemporaries talk about this all the time with wars, inflation, viruses, et cetera. Yet, despite all of this, dairy farmers have persevered and had a tremendously successful year. Our future success will also come from the roughly $7 billion in new processing investments now being made in this industry. This is an investment in you, the dairy farmers of this great nation, and for good reason!

It has been an honor to be a part of the NMPF team in Washington this past year, and I look forward to working with you, and fighting for you in Washington, going forward.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

Dairy Votes Crucial in 2024 Elections

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

With the 2024 presidential campaign in its final stretch and the list of competitive states tightening, this much remains clear: Whichever road leads to the White House, it probably has a lot of dairy farms along the path.  

Rural and farm voters are getting plenty of attention from both campaigns this time around. But through accident or historical design, the farmers who may have the most say in this year’s presidential election may be the ones milking cows.

That’s because the most hotly contested states significantly overlap with top milk-producing regions, according to a comparison of top dairy states with the states that had the closest electoral margins in 2020. Dairy is a big part of agriculture in the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan. Minnesota is also part of the mix, and even Texas – which has become a major dairy producer in recent years – was among the 10 closest states electorally.  

And that’s just looking at dairy farm numbers in those states; Georgia and Arizona both have significant dairy processing capacity, which means plenty of dairy-related jobs, extending milk’s influence beyond cliched photo opportunities in front of a barn. 

With so much attention focused on the states where many of them live, what should dairy farmers and their industry allies do? It all comes down to civics and citizenship. People vote their conscience – but from a dairy perspective, here are a few thoughts that might be helpful when considering who to vote for, at all levels of federal races. 

  • International trade is an important part of dairy, and it will only be more so in the future. 
  • Americans deserve healthy diets, and dairy is critical to any good-faith iteration of the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
  • And finally, it sure would be nice to have a farm bill. 

Voting in 2024 is as vital to dairy farmers as dairy is to a nutritious diet. To be better informed on dairy positions on important issues, visit the National Milk Producers Federation’s Policy Priorities pulldown on its home page, nmpf.org. NMPF also has a call-to-action page for people who wish to lend their voices to support dairy farmers and the broader industry on the critical issues of the moment. And subscribe to our publications (including this one) here.  

Engagement is crucial, and dairy voices are especially important this year. Everyone has a part to play in making them heard. In the United States, the ballot remains the most effective expression of all. From now through Nov. 5: Choose wisely. 

NMPF Makes Dairy a Farm Bill Force for Consensus, Notches Other Wins

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney
  • Secured common dairy priorities across farm bill titles in all three farm bill proposals
  • Built bipartisan congressional support to restore “higher of” Class I mover formula
  • Won legislative victories on flavored milk and sodium to shape school meals rule
  • Advocated successfully for FDA authorization of Bovaer to curb enteric methane emissions

NMPF has worked with Congress throughout the year to ensure that both chambers reflect strong and shared support for dairy priorities, even as work to pass a new farm bill stalled. The result is overlapping, pro-dairy policies in every significant legislative farm bill proposal offered thus far, including the House farm bill sponsored by Chairman GT Thompson, R-PA, the Senate Democratic framework introduced by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, and the Senate Republican framework proposed by Ranking Member John Boozman, R-AR.

Each of these proposals reauthorizes the Dairy Margin Coverage safety net and updates its production history calculation to use recent data. They also require USDA to conduct mandatory, biennial manufacturing cost surveys to provide dairy stakeholders with better data to inform future make allowance discussions. And each also continues USDA’s voluntary conservation programs and moves the remaining Inflation Reduction Act funds into the conservation baseline while keeping the Environmental Quality Incentives Program’s 50% livestock set-aside. And all of them continue important trade promotion programs and include vital language to protect the use of common food names worldwide.

Differences remain, of course. NMPF is pleased that the House bill and the Senate Republican framework include the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to reverse the underconsumption of nutritious milk in schools. Similarly, NMPF is glad that the Senate Democratic framework includes the bipartisan EMIT LESS Act to better target conservation programs toward helping farmers reduce enteric methane emissions. Both provisions merit inclusion in the final farm bill.

NMPF also appreciates efforts among dairy’s congressional champions to restore the “higher of” Class I mover formula to reinstate orderly milk marketing. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Thompson included this fix in the House’s farm bill, while Senate Dairy Subcommittee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, led a bipartisan letter urging USDA to restore the previous formula. Finally, House Ag Representative Nick Langworthy, R-NY, and others in both parties advocated vocally for the restoration in the House farm bill. NMPF is pleased that USDA included this proposal for most milk in its Federal Milk Marketing Order recommended decision and commends these members of Congress for pushing for this solution.

NMPF secured more policy successes in other vehicles while laying farm bill groundwork. The fiscal year 2024 agriculture funding package included language to allow schools to offer low-fat flavored milk and to follow manageable sodium rules in any final school meals rulemaking. These provisions ensured that USDA’s school meals rule, made final in April, would enable schools to serve nutritious dairy foods that students will consume.

Years of NMPF efforts also drew dividends in May when the Food and Drug Administration announced that it had completed its review of the Bovaer feed additive and granted Elanco Animal Health, its U.S. sponsor, the right to market the product for use in lactating dairy cows. Bovaer has a proven track record of reducing enteric methane emissions, so this represents a milestone in NMPF’s years-long advocacy for enteric-reducing solutions. NMPF continues to seek enactment of the bipartisan Innovative FEED Act to provide FDA with clear authority to review similar future products as foods, not as drugs. This bill is included in the Senate’s fiscal year 2025 Agriculture-FDA funding bill, a path to enactment this year.

NMPF’s work all year also sets the stage for potential progress during the post-election “lame duck” congressional session, when Congress will need to pass either a farm bill or an extension and likely will need to pass a government funding bill.

House and Senate Ag Spending Measures Advance NMPF Priorities

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF backed important legislative provisions in the House and Senate versions of the fiscal year 2025 spending bills for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

The House Appropriations Committee approved its 2025 Agriculture-FDA bill on July 10. The measure includes key language to reverse the reduction in the maximum monthly milk allowance in USDA’s final foods package rule for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC helps mothers and young children access essential nutrients they otherwise may lack; NMPF is concerned that the final rule will decrease this access by reducing the allowable milk maximum. NMPF is grateful to Representatives Elise Stefanik, R-NY, and Josh Harder, D-CA, for authoring this provision in the House bill.

Across the Capitol, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its bill on July 11. The measure includes the Innovative FEED Act to enable FDA to review and approve animal feed ingredients using the agency’s Food Additive Petition pathway. The legislation would allow FDA to review animal feed additives, which are not drugs, in an efficient manner that would preserve animal, human, and environmental safety reviews. Doing so would better position U.S. dairy farmers to reduce enteric methane emissions quickly and proactively and remain globally competitive. NMPF commends Senators Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, and Jerry Moran, R-KS, for obtaining this critical language in the bill.

In addition, both chambers’ bills provide discretionary funding for multiple NMPF-backed programs, including the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network to provide stress assistance and support in rural communities and the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives that fund direct technical assistance and grants to dairy stakeholders to further the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products.

Republicans and Democrats will need to reach an agreement on overall spending levels for the fiscal year for the provisions of either version to become law. With the clock ticking on the Sept. 30 federal funding deadline, Congress will likely need to pass a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown before the November elections.

House Legislation Seeks to Restore Dairy Allotment in WIC

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

With the Sept. 30 federal fiscal year deadline fast approaching, the House Appropriations Committee has begun advancing its fiscal year 2025 spending bills for each of the federal government’s departments and agencies.

The House Agriculture-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee on June 11 approved its 2025 spending bill, including important dairy priorities in next year’s funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration.

The measure’s full spending details will become available when the full committee takes it up later this month, but it includes NMPF-supported language to reverse the reduction in the maximum monthly milk allowance in USDA’s final foods package rule for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which helps mothers and young children have access to key nutrients they otherwise may lack. NMPF is concerned that the final rule will decrease that access via a lower milk maximum.

Outside of the annual spending process, Representatives Elise Stefanik, R-NY, Josh Harder, D-CA, and Derrick Van Orden, R-WI, introduced the bipartisan Protecting Mothers and Infants’ Access to Milk Act on June 26. This bill would reverse the reduction in the WIC maximum monthly milk allowance for the long term, without modifying any other portion of USDA’s final WIC foods package rule. NMPF will work with the bill’s sponsors to advance this bipartisan effort.

Senate Republican Farm Bill Framework Includes Dairy Gains

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy policy priorities continue to be reflected in Congressional farm bill plans, with Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Sen. John Boozman, R-AR, releasing Senate Republicans’ farm bill framework on June 11.

Like the framework previously issued by Senate Democrats and the bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee in May, Boozman’s framework includes several important dairy policy priorities. It also marks another key step toward enacting a farm bill.

Boozman’s plan provides “a strong farm bill framework that marks another important step toward enacting a bipartisan farm bill into law this year,” said NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud in a statement.

The Senate Republican framework includes positive dairy provisions, such as:

  • Extending the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program through 2029; updating production history for participating dairies to be based on the highest production year of 2021, 2022, or 2023; and extending the ability for producers to receive a 25% premium discount for locking in five years of coverage
  • Requiring USDA to conduct mandatory plant cost studies every two years to provide better data to inform future make allowance conversations, a key component of NMPF’s Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization proposal
  • Supporting voluntary, producer-led conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
  • Boosting funding for critical dairy trade promotion programs and protecting the use of common food names worldwide
  • Supporting the bipartisan, House-passed Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to reverse the underconsumption of nutritious milk in schools;
  • Increasing funding for animal health initiatives and programs; and
  • Advancing the bipartisan Innovative FEED Act to expedite and modernize approval of animal feed ingredients that have a proven track record of reducing enteric methane emissions.

The current farm bill officially expires on Sept. 30, but most core programs run until Dec. 31, giving the congressional agriculture committees until the end of the calendar year to complete work on a new farm bill before a new Congress is sworn in.

FMMO Recommendations Build on NMPF Success

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

USDA’s proposed plan for Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) modernization release July 1 reflected years of painstaking NMPF efforts in crafting a comprehensive plan and building consensus across dairy, leading to recommendations that will set dairy up for success.

The proposal, which is open for comment through August, comes after USDA examined hearing briefs submitted by participants in 2023’s record-long federal order hearing. NMPF again led with its comprehensive approach to improved milk pricing, offering the department detailed proposals that worked to ensure benefits for farms in all regions, of all sizes.

“NMPF is heartened that much of what we proposed after more than two years of policy development, and another year of testimony and explanation, is reflected in USDA’s recommended FMMO modernization plan,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement the day the plan was released.

“Crafting an effective milk-pricing system for farmers is complex and requires a careful balance. USDA’s plan acknowledges that complexity and, while not matching our proposal in every detail, looks largely in keeping with the comprehensive approach painstakingly determined by the work of dairy farmers and their cooperatives over the past three years,” Doud said. “We look forward to examining this proposal topic-by-topic, gathering input regarding the various needs of our members nationwide, and adding their insights as this process moves toward a vote of producers.”

Doud elaborated on USDA’s plan, and its relationship to proposals by NMPF and others, in NMPF’s monthly CEO’s Corner column.

The proposal is now in a 60-day comment period. NMPF’s member-led task force on FMMO is meeting July 11 to discuss the plan and offer member input, while the following day NMPF’s Co-op Communicators Committee is discussing publicity and farmer-communications efforts to educate the industry on the proposal. After USDA reviews public comments, a final plan will be put to a vote of producers, likely in the early months of 2025.

House Farm Bill a Win for Dairy

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The long-awaited Farm Bill debate has finally begun. As someone who has played a role in drafting one Farm Bill as a Senate Agriculture Committee staffer and stood on the sidelines here in Washington for five other Farm Bill debates, I’ve learned that the roads to success in passing farm bills through both houses of Congress can be long and challenging. Still, the path is always worthwhile: It’s critical to have a strong and stable farm policy that supports our industry and helps us overcome the challenges we face.

That’s why I am grateful to the House Agriculture Committee, under the leadership of Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-PA, for passing a 2024 Farm Bill that includes critical dairy priorities that will help us grow and thrive. As the first major step in the legislative process of approving a new law, it’s one that’s positive for dairy and should set a productive tone for developments moving forward.

The plan approved by the House Agriculture Committee on May 23 reflects much of the input we have received from our members. NMPF has worked closely with lawmakers from both parties to ensure the bill addresses the needs and concerns of dairy producers of all sizes, in all regions.

Some of the key provisions of the House Farm Bill that would benefit dairy are:

  • Extending the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program through 2029, with updated production histories and a 25% premium discount for locking five years of coverage. The DMC program, created at our urging in the 2018 Farm Bill, has been a lifeline for many dairy farmers who have faced low milk prices and high feed costs. By extending the program with this update, the House plan provides more certainty for dairy farmers who want to manage their risk and protect their income.
  • Restoring the “higher of” Class I mover to reinstate orderly milk marketing, as well as requiring plant cost studies every two years to provide better data to inform future make allowance conversations. These are two key components of NMPF’s Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization proposal. The Class I mover is the formula that determines the minimum price that processors pay for fluid milk. After significant producer losses after a change to the formula in 2019, the House Farm Bill would restore the previous formula and ensure that dairy farmers receive a fair price for their milk. The House plan would also require the USDA to conduct regular studies on the costs of processing milk, which are used to inform the make allowances that affect the prices paid to dairy farmers. These studies would provide more transparency and accuracy in the pricing system and allow for adjustments based on changing market conditions.
  • Supporting the bipartisan, House-passed Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to reverse the underconsumption of nutritious milk in our schools. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act allows schools to offer 2% and whole milk as part of the school lunch and breakfast programs, giving students more choices and encouraging them to drink more milk.
  • Boosting funds for critical dairy trade promotion programs and protecting the use of common food names worldwide. The bill would increase the funding for the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program, which help U.S. dairy exporters develop and maintain overseas markets. The plan would also support the efforts of the U.S. government and the dairy industry to defend the use of common cheese names, such as parmesan and feta, against the European Union’s attempts to restrict them through geographical indications.
  • Supporting voluntary, producer-led conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and improve the certification of Third-Party Service Providers with technical expertise related to conservation planning to better assist producers participating in National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs. The committee-passed bill recognizes the environmental stewardship of dairy farmers and provides them with more resources and assistance to implement conservation practices on their farms. The House Farm Bill would also maintain the EQIP 50% livestock set-aside and allow states to offer larger payments for methane-reducing projects. Enhancing conservation programs and services available to dairy farmers helps them improve their environmental performance and sustainability, important components of meeting industry Net Zero goals.
  • And also of note, given the H5N1 outbreak the industry currently faces, the bill also would increase funding for animal health programs, such as the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, that help protect the health and welfare of dairy cows and other livestock from diseases and pests.

These are just some of the highlights of the House Farm Bill that demonstrate its strong support for the U.S. dairy industry. I commend Chairman Thompson and committee members from both parties for their hard work and bipartisan cooperation in crafting and approving this legislation. I also need to call out the efforts of NMPF staff who, working with our member cooperatives, tirelessly worked to shape legislation that, if adopted, would greatly benefit our industry.

So now we’ve made the opening lap around the field with the House Agriculture Committee’s approval of its bill. But keep in mind the current farm law itself is the result of a one-year extension of the previous bill, and uncertainty abounds given the political calendar this year. I urge the full House and the Senate to follow their lead and get down to work crafting and passing a new Farm Bill as soon as possible.

We know that dairy is well-served by what the House Agriculture Committee has approved. Let’s all take that as positive momentum moving forward.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

Engagement Essential for Younger Producers

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy farmers are descending on Washington next week, as NMPF’s Young Cooperators lead the organization’s annual fly-in. Hannah and Matthew Lansing, this year’s chairs for the YC Program, say policy engagement is critical to dairy’s future.

“There are so many things that affect us, but they don’t affect us in a way that we see every day,” said Matthew Lansing, who along with his wife and her family milk 1,100 cows and farm more than 5,000 acres at Blue Hill Dairy in Clinton, Iowa. said. “Keeping involved and up-to-date as much as we can and pushing for things that we need on a farm on a day-to-day basis is really key for us to propel forward into the future and be what we need to be for consumers going forward.”

You can find and subscribe to the Dairy Defined podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.” For more on the YC Program, click here.

Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation.

 

NMPF Thanks House Agriculture Committee for Farm Bill Progress and Key Dairy Wins

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation thanked members of the House Agriculture Committee for their work to advance a 2024 Farm Bill through Congress this year, with bipartisan approval for a plan introduced by Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson that includes numerous provisions important to dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own.

“We commend Chairman Thompson and committee members from both parties for approving a 2024 House Farm Bill that includes critical dairy priorities that will help support and grow this industry,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “We will do whatever we can to work with lawmakers in both chambers on a bipartisan basis to pass a new law as soon as possible, knowing that dairy is well-served by what the House Agriculture Committee approved today.”

Provisions benefiting dairy urged by NMPF are found across the bill’s titles, including ones that:

  • Extend the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program through 2029; update production history for participating dairies to be based on the highest production year of 2021, 2022, or 2023; and extend the ability for producers to receive a 25% premium discount for locking five years of coverage;
  • Restore the “higher of” Class I mover to reinstate orderly milk marketing and require plant cost studies every two years to provide better data to inform future make allowance conversations, two key components of NMPF’s Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization proposal;
  • Support the bipartisan, House-passed Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to reverse the underconsumption of nutritious milk in our schools;
  • Boost funding for critical dairy trade promotion programs and protect the use of common food names worldwide;
  • Support voluntary, producer-led conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, with dedicated funds for livestock operations and language encouraging states to prioritize methane-reducing practices;
  • Improve the certification of Third-Party Service Providers with technical expertise related to conservation planning to better assist producers participating in National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs;
  • Continue the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network; and
  • Increase funding for animal health initiatives and programs.

Other provisions relevant to dairy include:

  • Increasing the DMC Program Tier 1 volume threshold from five million pounds to six million pounds;
  • Extending the Dairy Forward Pricing Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program;
  • Directing USDA to collect and publish cost-of-production data for organic milk;
  • Raising EQIP conservation funding from $2.4 billion in fiscal year 2025 to $3.25 billion in fiscal year 2029;
  • Requiring USDA to create a public process for updating conservation practice standards every five years; and
  • Requiring USDA to report to Congress on the department’s preparedness to support livestock and poultry growers facing economic losses in the event of an outbreak of a foreign animal disease.

NMPF Secures Policy and Funding Wins in Final Ag Spending Deal

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF worked closely with Congress on several key provisions of a spending bill, ranging from school milk to broadband access, that were included this year’s appropriations for the USDA and FDA that President Biden signed into law March 9.

Among the law’s highlights for dairy is legislative language supporting the consumption of milk and dairy products.

  • The bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow 1% and fat-free flavored milk to be offered at all grade levels, not just in high school, when it finalizes its upcoming school nutrition standards rulemaking;
  • It prevents the final school nutrition rule from limiting sodium, which is often added to cheese for functional purposes, in a manner more restrictive than the Target 2 sodium levels published in USDA’s 2012 school meals rule; and
  • The explanatory statement accompanying the bill directs USDA not to reduce the maximum monthly milk allowance under the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program as it finalizes updates to the WIC foods package.

The enacted measure also funds numerous important agriculture programs. Dairy highlights include:

  • $90 million for the ReConnect program, the USDA Rural Development program working to provide broadband service to eligible rural areas;
  • $12 million for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program, which provides direct technical assistance and grants to dairy businesses to further the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products;
  • $10 million for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, a USDA program aimed at connecting those working in agriculture to stress assistance and support programs; and
  • $3 million for the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Projects authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill to create pilot programs to increase milk consumption among SNAP households.

In addition to what the bill offers, the final bill does not include funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) pilot projects limited to “nutrient dense” foods as defined by the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans. NMPF advocated against this provision, as whole and reduced-fat (2%) milk would not have been able to be included in the pilots because the current guidelines only recommend consumption of low-fat and fat-free milk varieties.

Focus on Farm Bill Begins After Tumultuous Speaker Election

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The tumultuous start to the 118th Congress has implications for the farm bill due later this year, as changes to House procedures may lead to a more free-wheeling approach to passing legislation.

Following a midterm election that saw Republicans win control of the House of Representatives by a smaller margin than anticipated, the opening of the 118th Congress saw the most contentious race for Speaker of the House in a century, with Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) prevailing after 15 ballots once a handful of members agreed to drop their opposition following an agreement on overall House rules and floor procedures.

McCarthy gained by victory by making agreements with a small group of recalcitrant Republicans, which include plans to allow a wider array of floor amendments to be debated and voted on major pieces of legislation this Congress. This may have significant implications for the next farm bill. While past farm bill debates have featured scores of amendment votes, the last House floor farm bill debate in 2018 included fewer amendments.

McCarthy’s election also allowed House committees to organize. Reps. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) and David Scott (D-GA) have formally become the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, respectively, and will be the House’s farm-bill drivers. Separately, and with significant importance for key dairy trade and tax issues, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) won a contested race to become Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee while Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) will serve as the committee’s Ranking Member, continuing in his position as its top Democratic member.

The House farm-bill process is already underway. Chairman Thompson led a bipartisan delegation of members in January to Harrisburg, PA for a farm bill listening session at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. NMPF staff attended the session, which featured multiple dairy speakers voicing support for maintaining and tweaking the Dairy Margin Coverage program and improving the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, including restoring the Class I mover to its previous ‘higher of’ formula on account of the asymmetric risk farmers bear under the current mover.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate kicked off the new Congress more quietly. But Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) have also signaled a quick start to the farm bill process. The duo plans to continue holding farm bill hearings this winter and spring. NMPF looks forward to working with the House and Senate to finalize a farm bill this year that maintains and improves current policy regarding dairy safety net and risk management issues, conservation and sustainability, trade, and nutrition.