Representatives from nearly 20 state dairy organizations met for the 2025 Dairy Association Stakeholder Summit at NMPF’s offices in Arlington, VA. to discuss mutual issues of interest and devise ways to better coordinate with one another and with NMPF on May 7.

This annual summit NMPF organizes brings together leaders from state-level dairy advocacy groups to strategize for a better dairy community future. Issues discussed this year included farm bill policy, labor availability and immigration, trade challenges, nutrition policy, environmental regulations, and the dairy economic outlook.

Dairy farmers may have common goals and policy priorities, but each state has its own legislative and regulatory climate. The Stakeholder Summit allows state representatives to report on what their producers are experiencing, giving NMPF the tools and understanding to better advocate for policy solutions that work for all farmers.

At the same time, federal program implementation nationwide may vary widely by state. For example, the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) safety net rules are standardized nationwide, but each state has its own Farm Service Agency offices to run the program.

The Stakeholder Summit enables producers to give voice to these issues, positioning NMPF to work with agencies like the USDA to address any inconsistencies in implementing federal programs, DMC, or otherwise.

In addition to the summit, NMPF staff helped coordinate Capitol Hill visits for farmers who participated in the summit.