In 2011, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) helped member cooperatives make 280 export sales totaling 92.4 million pounds of cheese, a new benchmark for the Export Assistance program. That total was nearly 20 million pounds higher than exports achieved in 2010, when CWT assisted with 241 export sales totaling 73.9 million pounds of cheese.

CWT continued to play a significant role in exports of American-type cheese in general, and Cheddar cheese specifically. While data for all of 2011 is not yet final, initial analysis indicates that the volume of CWT-assisted Cheddar cheese export shipments in the first ten months of 2011 – 69.7 million pounds – accounted for 76% of Cheddar cheese loaf exports, 79% of American-type cheese exports in loaf form, and 19% of the total cheese exported in all forms.

Dairy product sales assisted by CWT and shipped in 2011 have added an average of 22 cents per hundredweight on all milk marketed. That is an increase in producer revenue of $120 million, according to an analysis by Dr. Scott Brown, University of Missouri and FAPRI.

Asian countries accounted for 35% of the total pounds sold, with Japan taking 84% of the sales volume. The Middle East was close behind, representing 32% of the total tonnage, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 50% of the pounds sold in that region.

Last October, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced that it would cut a number of its statistical reports in anticipation of substantial budget cuts imposed by Congress. In November, Congress voted to give NASS $6 million more than anticipated, and directed the agency to re-evaluate the reports that had been slated to be cut. NMPF wrote to Cynthia Clark, NASS’ Administrator, requesting that she restore the July Cattle report, along with the annual table containing the national breakdown of dairy farms by size.

On December 8, Dr. Clark informed NMPF that both the July Cattle report and the Farms, Land in Farms, and Livestock Operations report – which contains the dairy farm size breakdown – would be restored to NASS’ publication schedule. The Cattle report, which is also published in January, provides the only comprehensive data on dairy heifers and cows. (This is the foundation for the monthly cow estimates in the Milk Production report.)

NMPF has also been in discussions with NASS about ensuring the accuracy of its reported alfalfa hay prices.

As part of the dairy industry's strong proactive stance in advocating mandatory animal identification and disease traceability, NMPF provided comments on the proposed USDA disease traceability rule. The rule would establish general regulations for improving the traceability of U.S. livestock moving across state lines when animal disease events take place. In the comments consistent with long standing policy, NMPF stated its support for mandatory animal identification and disease traceability to serve as a collective industry insurance policy against catastrophic animal disease outbreaks.

NMPF recommended that USDA proceed with mandatory animal identification and traceability standards that are unique for the dairy industry and these not need to be aligned to any requirements for the beef industry. In the past, USDA has attempted to have a unified animal identification and traceability rule for bovines in general, thus having the same requirements for the dairy and beef industries. USDA is well aware of the differences in opinion between the dairy and beef industries relative to the need of mandatory versus voluntary animal identification and traceability.

Because animal diseases do not respect political boundaries, NMPF believes that disease traceability must be consistent across all state, tribal, and territorial governments. Without this consistency, there will be a negative impact on the effectiveness of the program for animal identification and disease traceability for the dairy industry. It is conceivable there could be different systems implemented by each political entity. Since a significant number of dairy producers operate in more than one political jurisdiction, this will likely result in confusion and added expense for producers. Therefore NMPF recommended that USDA exercise federal preemption to provide a far more beneficial national system with all state, tribal, and territorial governments utilizing a central system, making it easier for producers and other industry partners to participate.

NMPF recommended that USDA require official 840-RFID tags for all female dairy cattle and those male dairy cattle used for reproductive purposes. Along with our IDairy partners, NMPF has long supported the use of RFID tag technology as the appropriate animal identification for dairy cattle to allow for disease traceability at the speed of commerce. RFID tag technology is being readily adopted by dairy producers as part of their herd management systems for animal health, reproduction, performance, genetic, and other purposes. NMPF also recommended to USDA for the allowance of the replacement of AIN's with the same number which will protect the long-standing and important animal management philosophy the dairy industry utilizes today.

Last month, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said the agency will not seek to revise the standards for coarse particulate matter (PM10), or dust, alleviating major concerns for farmers and ranchers throughout the country, especially in the West. Nevertheless, there is still anxiety by some that this announcement is just a slight victory, while the days of farm dust being regulated further by EPA is not too far down the road.

There have been ongoing efforts in Congress to halt or delay EPA from revising the standards. Legislation introduced by Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011 (HR 1633), would exempt farm dust from falling under the purview of the Clean Air Act. The bill passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 33-16, and is now expected to move to the House floor. A large coalition of agriculture stakeholders, including NMPF, has signed a letter pledging support for Rep. Noem’s legislation.