Tag: dairy usmca

Washington May Be Stuck, But We Don’t Have To Be

Posted on by Rachel Ravencraft

Despite the legislative branch grinding to a halt this October, it hasn’t impaired NMPF’s ability to make progress for dairy farmers. For all you may read about Washington at an impasse, October was not a month of rest at the National Milk Producers Federation.

Some highlights:

  • Trade talks worldwide continue full-steam-ahead, with a fully staffed Office of the U.S. Trade Representative working on agreements that have significant implications for dairy. New framework trade agreements announced with Asian nations including Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam are a big win for the industry. And last week NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council followed that by filing extensive comments as part of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) request for global trade barriers for its 2026 National Trade Estimate report.

In them we spotlight dairy trade irritants in 34 different markets, including regional blocs like the European Union and parties to the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement. Several key issues cited include Canada’s refusal to comply with its dairy commitments under USMCA; dairy facility registration challenges across various markets; and the European Union’s long list of trade-distorting measures, which range from certification requirements to the abuse of geographical indications to monopolize common names like “parmesan.”

  • Also on trade, NMPF and USDEC on Friday submitted comments to USTR on its upcoming USMCA 2026 joint review, calling for Canada and Mexico both to uphold their dairy-related obligations in the agreement. That includes addressing Canada’s evasion of its market access commitments and Mexico’s need to fully implement USMCA side letters pertaining to the protection of common cheese names.
  • Regulatory processes are also continuing during the shutdown, and an important one is the government’s attempt to define “ultra-processed” foods, a key priority for the MAHA movement. MAHA’s emphasis on whole and natural foods holds great promise for dairy, but a definition of ultra-processed that’s poorly thought out also carries great risk of unintended consequences for public health, affecting food safety, accessibility and affordability.

Our comments on the definition, sent Oct. 23 to the Food and Drug Administration, ensure that dairy farmer voices are included in this critical definition, which will affect every part of the food chain. And it’s only the latest input we’ve had with the government, as it’s our 11th set of regulatory comments filed this year, on everything from plant-based naming practices to front-of-pack labeling to the upcoming Dietary Guidelines.

  • At USDA, where limited staff have returned to Farm Service Agency offices, we’ve sought, and received, assurances that the Emergency Livestock Relief Program 2023 and 2024 Flood & Wildfire application process is up and running again.  When the shutdown began, farmers only had about two weeks with a fully operational USDA to submit ELRP applications online or to their local FSA office. USDA has reassured NMPF it plans to extend the ELRP application deadline into mid-November. Interested farmers should contact their local FSA office to learn more about details on local hours and services and ask to set up a time to discuss their ELRP applications.

These are only a few of the tangible results we’ve achieved in the past month, even as important conversations continue on immigration, the threat of New World screwworm, and other issues. Even amid dysfunction, functions continue, and we continue to do our best for farmers.

It’s what we’ve been sent to Washington to do. We will continue to make progress during the government shutdown, regardless of how frustrating the situation may be, and we all hope it will end soon. In the meantime, please contact us with any questions or concerns at info@nmpf.org, so we may continue to be a resource as this continues to unfold.

Gregg Doud

President & CEO, NMPF

 

U.S. Dairy Supports U.S. Government’s Pursuit of Full Canadian USMCA Compliance

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today applauded the Biden administration for its initiation of a second U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) dispute panel concerning Canada’s ongoing refusal to meet its USMCA dairy trade obligations.

The first USMCA dispute panel launched by the U.S. government determined in January that Canada was in violation of the agreement’s dairy tariff-rate quota (TRQ) provisions. On May 16, Canada published as final its revised USMCA dairy TRQ approach, which failed to fix its USMCA-violating practices. To address the additional problems Canada’s revised approach has raised and to defend the integrity of the agreement, the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office has brought an additional case.

“Prime Minister Trudeau regularly pledges Canada supports a rules-based global order built on cooperation and partnership, yet Canada continues to flout these trade commitments and plays games rather than meet its signed treaty commitments,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Dairy farmers appreciate USTR’s continued dedication to aggressively pursuing the full market access expansion into the Canadian market that USMCA was intended to deliver. At the same time, given Canada’s history of persistent violations and the high likelihood Ottawa will once again disregard its USMCA obligations, USTR and USDA must be prepared to deploy the strongest-possible retaliatory measures envisioned under the USMCA should this ‘whack-a-mole’ approach continue. Canada’s actions must have consequences.”

“USTR and USDA have shown dogged determination to uphold USMCA despite Ottawa’s clear refusal to engage in real reform to come into compliance with the agreement,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Dairy farmers and processors appreciate the clear bipartisan commitment from both the Administration and Congress for enforcing the USMCA and insisting on getting the full export benefits the United States so painstakingly negotiated. If we allow Canada to simply ignore its clear obligations, it will set a dangerous and damaging precedent for future trade disputes that will reach far beyond the millions of jobs supported by the American dairy industry.”

Canada’s updated TRQ system continues to block key stakeholders in the Canadian food and agriculture sector, including retailers, from accessing the TRQs, using an allocation method that provides inequitable advantages to Canadian dairy processors, and fails to employ good regulatory practices to encourage effective use of the TRQs allocated to a given company.

Idaho Dairy Producer Testifies Before Congress on USMCA Enforcement Importance

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Executive Committee member Allan Huttema said USMCA enforcement is essential for the agreement to reach its potential for U.S. dairy farmers in testimony today at a U.S. Senate Finance Committee hearing on the impact of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on U.S. dairy. Huttema operates an 800-cow dairy in Parma, Idaho and serves as chair of the Darigold and Northwest Dairy Association boards, both of which are NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) members.

“I thank Chairman Wyden and Ranking Member Crapo, my own senator, for extending me the opportunity to discuss the impact the USMCA has had on my farm and the thousands of other dairy farms throughout the country,” said Huttema. “Enforcement of trade agreements like USMCA is important to ensure we retain the ability to supply high-quality cheeses, milk powders and a variety of other dairy products to customers around the world.”

“NMPF and the dairy producers it represents are grateful to the Senate Finance Committee for inviting Allan to discuss the benefits that the USMCA has brought U.S. dairy producers and cooperatives,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of NMPF. “But as Huttema said so well, adequate enforcement is necessary to ensure American dairy producers are provided the access promised in the agreement. We are grateful to the Senate Finance Committee members for their advocacy in support of the recently initiated dispute settlement proceedings over Canada’s dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs) – a critical step in enforcement of this agreement.”

The $6.5 billion worth of U.S. dairy products exported each year underpins the economic health of dairy producers, processors, and manufacturers across the United States. American dairy exports create more than 85,000 direct jobs and have a nearly $12 billion economic impact. Whether it is Canada’s TRQ administration or Mexico’s array of new regulations intended to limit imports, NMPF and USDEC have urged the U.S. government to ensure the USMCA is fully enforced. Enforcement secures the access extended to U.S. dairy producers in the USMCA and sends a strong message to other U.S. trading partners that attempts to subvert trade obligations will not be tolerated.

“The U.S. Dairy Export Council appreciates the Senate Finance Committee and its members for hearing Allan’s testimony and answers regarding the importance of the USMCA and new trade opportunities to the U.S. dairy industry,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC. “USDEC agrees with Allan regarding the need to pursue greater market access opportunities for high-quality American dairy products that our international consumers demand. USMCA was an important step forward, but it’s not enough. We need new trade agreements to expand on Congress’ hard work in passing USMCA. The EU is filling the vacuum that American trade policy is leaving – an issue that Congress needs to address with additional market opportunities for U.S. exports. We appreciate Allan sharing his insight and concerns with the agreement’s implementation and its impact on dairy farmers, processors and manufacturers throughout the United States.”