By Trey Forsyth, Vice President, Government & Regulatory Affairs
As Congress heads into a compressed summer work period before the August recess and the ramp-up to fall midterm elections, dairy leaders are closely tracking a full slate of legislative activity that will shape the industry’s outlook for years to come. From farm bill negotiations to labor reform and federal funding decisions, the weeks ahead are expected to be pivotal.
At the top of the list is continued progress on the farm bill. The House has already advanced its version, incorporating several priorities long championed by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). This includes authorizing long-term dairy product processing cost surveys, bolstering voluntary, producer-led conservation efforts, directing the U.S. government to protect common cheese names like “Parmesan” and “Feta” in trade negotiations, strengthening export promotion funding, expanding access to renewable energy programs for farmer-owned cooperatives, and broadening dairy product eligibility in nutrition incentive programs.
Attention now turns to the Senate, where Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ariz.) has indicated that bill text is expected to be released in June, with a possible committee markup in the coming weeks. That timeline aligns with industry hopes for maintaining farm bill momentum, though significant policy and budgetary differences remain to be resolved. Ensuring key dairy provisions continue to advance will be central to discussions as the Senate weighs its approach.
Agriculture workforce reform also appears to be on the horizon. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) has signaled that he is nearing introduction of legislation aimed at addressing agriculture’s labor challenges. While details are still emerging, NMPF is hopeful the bill will include key wins for dairy, such as the long-sought need for non-seasonal agriculture industries to have access to the H-2A program. Any forward movement on agriculture labor reform would mark a meaningful step for producers who continue to face workforce shortages and labor uncertainty.
Meanwhile, appropriators are advancing Fiscal Year 2027 funding bills through Congress, including measures that will determine funding levels for key dairy priorities across USDA programs related to nutrition, conservation, and research. While spending constraints remain, these bills offer another avenue to reinforce priorities even as broader farm bill negotiations continue.
All of this is unfolding against a broader legislative backdrop dominated by efforts from Republicans to move a reconciliation package that funds immigration enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Discussions of a third reconciliation package intensify the crowded agenda lawmakers face in the months ahead, intensifying pressure to resolve agricultural priorities within a limited window.
NMPF is actively engaged across all these fronts, working to ensure that dairy’s voice is heard. That effort will be on full display during the National Young Cooperators Dairy Policy and Legislative Forum, set for June 8 to 10 in Washington, D.C., where the next generation of dairy leaders will meet directly with policymakers to advocate for the industry.
With multiple legislative tracks converging, this summer represents a critical moment to secure meaningful policy wins for dairy producers nationwide.
This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on June 1, 2026.
