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
