NMPF’s Senior Vice President for Communications, Alan Bjerga, discusses dairy’s leadership in getting farmers and farmworkers vaccinated against COVID-19, as well as NMPF’s membership in the federally led COVID Community Corps, in audio from an interview with RFD-TV.
Newly released federal dietary guidelines will benefit dairy, even as work remains to be done, said Miquela Hanselman, NMPF’s regulatory affairs manager, in a podcast released today.
“Dairy is in a good place,” Hanselman said. “Three servings of low-fat and non-fat dairy are continued to be recommended in the healthy U.S. and vegetarian diets, and dairy remained its own group. In addition, dairy was recognized as a source of under-consumed nutrients, which are also known as nutrients of public health concern.”
Hanselman also discusses the need to incorporate up-to-date research on dairy in fats in the next round of guidelines and talks about their impact on encouraging the next generation of milk-drinkers. To listen to the full discussion, click here. You can also find this and other NMPF podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and iHeart Radio. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file. Please attribute information to NMPF.
The National Milk Producers Federation praised USDA and HHS today upon the release of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which reaffirmed dairy’s central role in diet as a provider of essential nutrients that are often under-consumed in American diets. NMPF also pledged to continue efforts to broaden consideration of the latest science on dairy fats in the next examination of the federal guidelines, which are released twice each decade.
“USDA and HHS deserve praise for once again recognizing just how vital dairy is to the nation’s health and well-being,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We encourage them to affirm that role even more clearly in the next iteration of the Dietary Guidelines, to reflect the positive contribution of dairy fats in diets that’s increasingly recognized in a growing body of evidence.”
The guidelines culminate nearly two years of work that began in 2019 with the selection of the Scientific Advisory Committee, which drafts recommendations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The latest update to the dietary guidelines restates dairy’s importance to diet. Highlights include:
“The panel’s recognition that dairy is a key source of ‘nutrients of concern’ in U.S. diets is especially important,” Mulhern said. “During a time of food insecurity and concerns about proper nutrition among Americans, dairy is a readily accessible solution to clearly identified public-health challenges. Dairy farmers work hard to be part of that solution, and the panel’s recognition of the nutritional importance of dairy is greatly appreciated.”
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have significant implications for numerous government policy areas, including guiding the types of milk served in school meal programs and setting the parameters for how nutrition programs are implemented and developed.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) thanked Congress today for the positive steps it is taking through COVID relief legislation to assist dairy farmers who have faced unprecedented market volatility while working every day to nourish struggling families.
“With difficult months of the pandemic still ahead, it was crucial for lawmakers to come to a bipartisan agreement that helps farmers do what they do best: feed families. To do this, they need financial stability and ways to connect to families in need. We thank Congress for its leadership, and we look forward to working with USDA in implementing this legislation. Importantly, this package includes nearly $1 billion in targeted support to help dairy producers continue to feed families throughout these difficult times,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO.
Highlights of the pandemic legislative package for dairy producers include:
Dairy producers will also be eligible for support in the $11 billion agricultural disaster assistance package Congress has included in the legislation, with additional details expected in coming days. Of note, at least $1.5 billion of this package is dedicated to additional product purchases.
NMPF has served its members as the leading advocate for U.S. dairy farmers throughout the coronavirus pandemic. It has also been an industry leader in providing useful informational resources for the dairy sector.
NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern talks about Tom Vilsack’s nomination to become USDA Secretary on Brownfield Ag News. “He has a deep understanding of our industry and frankly, I think a deeper understanding of all of U.S. agriculture,” Mulhern says in the broadcast.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts is leaving Congress after 40 years in January. The only person to lead both the House and Senate agriculture committees takes with him a wealth of wisdom in agriculture policy – but also holds optimism for agriculture’s ability to get things done in an environment of difficult challenges.
“I would just say that I am very confident that the people who will be taking my place, they have a lot of experience,” Roberts said in a Dairy Defined interview released today. “They’re good folks. I think the same attempt, at least, with regards to making it bipartisan, will continue.”
Roberts, who first came to Washington as a congressional staffer a half-century ago, also reflects on the two farm bills he led — 1996’s Freedom to Farm law and the 2018 bill — as well as one area where he wished he could have done more: his leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee during the Iraq War. He also said he doesn’t consider his career to be over – without revealing plans, he said that when it comes to farm policy, “I intend to have my finger in the pie somewhere.”
To listen to the full discussion, click here. You can also find this and other NMPF podcasts on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and Google Play. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file. Please attribute information to NMPF.
NMPF Vice President for Trade Shawna Morris discusses recent U.S. Trade Representative action to bring Canadian dairy-trade policy into compliance with the USMCA trade deal on the “Adams on Agriculture” podcast.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is urging dairy farmers to sign up for 2021 coverage under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program if they haven’t yet done so, as today is the final day producers may enroll in the main federal dairy-farmer risk-management program. NMPF is advising any producer who wants to enroll in DMC for 2021 to contact their local Farm Service Agency office by the close of business today to at least notify them of intent to enroll.
“Given the current economic outlook and the heightened uncertainties of 2021, DMC signup, especially at the maximum $9.50 coverage level, is the rational choice for dairy producers,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF President and CEO. “But to take advantage of this program, farmers need to sign up now.”
The DMC, the main federal risk-protection tool for dairy farmers, is currently projected to pay all producers enrolled at the maximum $9.50/cwt. coverage level through much of 2021. The program, which by year’s end may end up with payments for five months of 2020, offers protection against volatile market conditions that are expected to persist well into next year.
NMPF has produced an easy-to-digest brochure highlighting the benefits of DMC coverage and an explanation of how the program works. Dairy producers can also visit NMPF’s page on risk management to learn more about DMC and other tools to promote financial security for dairy operations.
Today is also the signup deadline for the second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program disaster payments.
The National Milk Producers Federation today congratulated Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) on being elected by his colleagues to serve as the Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee in the 117th Congress. Rep. Thompson is the descendant of a long line of dairy farmers and been a champion of dairy producers on the House Agriculture Committee since coming to Congress in 2009.
“We have enjoyed working with Congressman Thompson and his team for years. GT has been a vocal and effective advocate for the needs of dairy farmers in Pennsylvania and throughout the country,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “He also has a keen understanding of the need to build a vibrant rural economy to sustain a safe, abundant, and affordable food supply to nourish our country and our planet.”
During his time in Congress, Rep. Thompson has played a critical role in enacting bipartisan policies that create an effective climate for dairy farmers and their cooperatives to produce safe, healthy dairy products in an environmentally sustainable manner. As Vice Chairman of the Agriculture Committee, GT worked with his colleagues to secure much-needed dairy policy reforms, culminating in the Dairy Margin Coverage program created in the 2018 Farm Bill.
Congressman Thompson served as Chairman of the Conservation and Nutrition Subcommittees during the writing of the last two farm bills. He has championed bipartisan legislation to improve the effectiveness of farm bill conservation programs and to enhance consumption of nutritious dairy products. In addition, GT has been a vocal advocate for expanding markets for all farmers, helping to push through the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement last year.
“Congressman Thompson’s bipartisan record of achievement speaks for itself, and we are eager to work with him to build on that record as he assumes his new role,” said Mulhern. “We congratulate GT on his appointment as Ranking Member and know he will continue to be a leading voice in the House for dairy and all of agriculture.”
NMPF featured Rep. Thompson on its Dairy Defined podcast earlier this year. The full interview is available here.
To better inform the dairy community of what it should expect from next year’s economy as well as what risk-management options are available, the National Milk Producers Federation is offering a free webinar today at 1:30 EST to help them develop effective risk management plans that can protect them in what’s predicted to be a volatile 2021. Registration is here.
NMPF Chief Economist Peter Vitaliano will discuss the dairy price outlook for next year and the value of risk management tools, including Dairy Margin Coverage, in the webinar moderated by Chris Galen, NMPF’s Senior Vice President for Member Services. Participants will be able to ask questions about the year ahead and learn more about how farmers can manage their risk through expected turbulence. The webinar will examine the milk and feed price forecast, forecast margins, and analyze how the Dairy Margin Coverage program will offer farmers protection against price volatility.
The deadline for DMC signup, as well as signups for the latest round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, is Dec. 11. The DMC also offers affordable protection to all producers against price catastrophes and can be used in tandem with other risk management tools, such as the Dairy-Revenue Protection and the Livestock Gross Margin programs. NMPF has also produced an easy-to-digest brochure highlighting the benefits of DMC coverage and an explanation of how the program works. Dairy producers can also visit NMPF’s page on risk management to learn more about DMC, CFAP and other tools to promote financial security for dairy operations.
The National Milk Producers Federation today was awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to develop and improve biosecurity on U.S. dairy farms.
As one of two livestock industry organizations chosen along with 16 state animal health authorities and 14 land-grant universities, NMPF will use the $488,603 grant to implement and coordinate the Secure Milk Supply (SMS) plan and develop a biosecurity program area through the National Dairy FARM Program (FARM). The FARM Animal Care program places an emphasis on biosecurity as a key element of dairy herd health and the grant funding will allow for further prioritization.
“The dairy industry has partnered with USDA for more than a decade on the Secure Milk Supply Plan. With this new funding, we are eager to continue and expand our work on biosecurity through integration with FARM,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We applaud USDA’s work to enhance the prevention, preparedness, detection, and response to animal diseases that threaten the viability of U.S. dairy farms.”
The grant is funded by the 2018 Farm Bill as part of an overall strategy to help prevent animal pests and diseases from entering the U.S. and reduce the spread and impact of potential disease incursions through advance planning and preparedness. APHIS will distribute funding through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) as well as the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN).
USDA has funded the NADPRP projects with the goal of individually and collectively addressing critical livestock biosecurity, large-scale depopulation and carcass disposal concerns in all major livestock industries across all U.S. regions. NMPF will apply the grant funding to advance biosecurity on dairy farms by partnering with stakeholders and experts including the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, dairy farmers, veterinarians, dairy cooperatives and processors, and state and federal animal health officials.
NMPF congratulated President-elect Joe Biden and members of the incoming 117th Congress as election results became clear in November, pledging to work with both political parties to craft solutions to dairy and agriculture’s needs.
“Congratulations to President-elect Biden and the incoming members of the 117th Congress, who will have a lot of work to do in this country, from legislating to building common ground,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern in a Nov. 9 statement. “Dairy is ready to do its part and work with the administration and Congress to face difficult problems successfully, in the bipartisan spirit we have always practiced and believed in.”
NMPF that same day elaborated its commitment to cooperation in a Dairy Defined column that acknowledged political realities while pledging to be part of their solution. “Looking at the political landscape that’s coming into focus after the 2020 elections – the most bitter and viciously fought in anyone’s memory — it’s safe to say that for at least the next two years, bipartisanship isn’t everything. It’s the only thing, as hard as that may be for some to accept at this moment,” the column said.
NMPF followed up on social media with a series of tweets congratulating dairy champions who were re-relected to Congress, keeping dairy at the front of attention in Congress as lawmakers consider coronavirus-related stimulus legislation and other agriculture-related programs.
