Author: Theresa Sweeney

FARM Program releases ES Version 3 User Guide and Trainings

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

FARM released Feb. 14 its new Environmental Stewardship Version 3 User Guide, providing key information about the evaluation tool to its participants and aiding evaluators when completing Version 3 evaluations.

The guide details the data inputs of the new FARM ES evaluation to foster consistency and confidence in data collection. It also explains the output of the Version 3 assessment to support results interpretation.

FARM ES Version 3, launched last October, gives dairy farmers a scientifically robust tool with more advanced features to assess the impact of potential practice or technology changes. Version 3 incorporates the Ruminant Farm System (RuFaS) model, a whole-farm model simulating dairy farm production and environmental impact. FARM continues to create resources for on-farm best management practices, advancing its mission of continuous improvement within the dairy industry.

The FARM Program in tandem with the guide also launched a self-paced, online training course through the FARM Database. The training contains six modules that evaluators can choose to complete in one session or throughout multiple sessions. The course covers information about the program, how to consistently collect the data inputs, and how to interpret the results. Evaluators must complete the course to be certified to complete FARM ES Version 3 assessments.

To complement the self-paced, online training, FARM evaluators can enroll in advanced training sessions that take a deeper dive into several FARM ES topics. Each session is designed to address key areas of evaluations such as data inputs, interpreting results and available resources. Sessions also explore the new scenario analysis function of the Version 3 evaluation tool, so evaluators can better support farmers in using this new functionality to inform decision-making.

Dairy Community Responds to Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF submitted comments to USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services Feb. 10 to reiterate dairy’s importance as the departments begin writing the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. NMPF also encouraged its members to share their voices by participating in NMPF’s advocacy campaign Jan. 16 through Feb. 10.

The comments and advocacy campaign were the final opportunity to highlight dairy’s key role in American diets until after the next guidelines are drafted. This round of comments also gave the public an opportunity to respond to the Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, which was published Dec. 10. The advisory committee reviewing what Americans should be eating spent two years evaluating scientific evidence and considering stakeholder input.

The final report reflects a great deal of hard work by NMPF’s members and allies to maintain dairy foods’ central role in American diets and maintains the prominent role of dairy foods in a healthy diet, including recommending three servings daily, a big win for the dairy community. The review also made clear that expanding the dairy food group to include additional plant-based alternative beverages (outside of fortified soy beverage, which is already included) is not supported by scientific evidence.

NMPF had hammered the point that imitators do not offer the same consistent package of nutrition provided by real milk. The committee agreed, which is especially important to the school lunch program, as the dietary guidelines affect the food options available to children through school meals and other nutrition programs.

NMPF expressed disappointment that the committee only recommends consumption of unflavored milk, especially as it acknowledged that flavored milk contains beneficial nutrients, and the committee did not explicitly conclude any connection between flavored milk consumption and obesity risk. And while the committee found evidence that substituting higher-fat dairy for lower-fat dairy showed no association with cardiovascular disease morbidity, the committee still only recommends consumption of low-fat and non-fat dairy products.

NMPF will continue to urge the departments to look more fully at recent science supporting the benefits of full-fat dairy in the diet as they develop the final guidelines.

NMPF’s Morris Testifies Before USTR

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF Executive Vice President for Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris testified at a hearing of the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative (USTR) Feb. 19, outlining the European Union’s misuse of Geographical Indication systems to monopolize generic terms such as “parmesan.”

Morris urged the U.S. government to proactively establish protections for common names and address the European Union’s GI campaign through the new U.S. “fair and reciprocal tariff plan.”

Morris was testifying on behalf of the Consortium for Common Food Names, which NMPF staffs. CCFN also on Jan. 27 submitted comments on the issue as part of the agency’s annual Special 301 Review, which is used to set USTR’s intellectual property agenda.

Doud Calls for Greater Trade Enforcement in Congressional Hearing, Ag Outlook Forum

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud told members of the House Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee on Feb. 25 that the U.S. government needs to make sure trade agreements are enforced, benefiting dairy producers, workers, and shippers who rely on exports.

“In addition to pursuing greater market access, Congress and the administration have a responsibility to work together to enforce existing U.S trade agreements,” Doud said in his oral remarks. “Trade enforcement is not a matter of political or legal technicalities. We have seen that inadequate enforcement has real-world consequences by restricting opportunities for American farmers.”

Exports are indispensable for U.S. dairy farmers and workers, Doud said in the opening of his testimony. Most of those dairy exports are shipped to markets where the United States has an existing bilateral trade agreement—underscoring the need for an initiative-taking U.S. trade agenda. Doud urged policymakers to pursue trade policies that empower U.S. dairy to compete with the European Union and New Zealand, who have benefited from increased market access from recent trade agreements made by their governments.

Priority U.S. trade agreements for enforcement and focus include the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Doud said. Roughly 44 percent of U.S. dairy exports are shipped to USMCA partners, illustrating why it is critical to ensure that Canada and Mexico are in full compliance and that the United States maximize dairy export opportunities with both partners, he said.

Doud in both written and oral testimony outlined specific USMCA enforcement issues the United States should prioritize, including Canada’s misadministration of its tariff-rate quota system and circumvention of dairy protein export caps. Doud emphasized the need for new deals that cut tariffs, tackle nontariff trade barriers, and are vigorously enforced.

A link to his written testimony can be found here.

Doud later that week spoke at the USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum, elaborating on his testimony with an overview of U.S. trade relationships around the world, specifically calling out the European Union for misusing rules and protections to shield their markets from U.S. farmers.

“If I say anything nice about the way Brussels does ag, it was completely by mistake,” he said. “I think it is also reasonable to assume its own farmers have the same opinion.”

Later that day Doud joined a roundtable discussion hosted by the House Agriculture Committee to discuss how Congress and the Trump Administration can promote trade policies that best support the dairy and agricultural industries.

NMPF Pushes for Vaccine as USDA Unveils Bird Flu Plan Dairy Cattle

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

USDA’s announcement Feb. 26 of an additional billion dollars to combat H5N1 bird flu was welcomed in the dairy and poultry communities, as NMPF and its counterparts at the International Dairy Foods Association commended USDA support for vaccines as part of its strategy to eradicate the virus.

“Dairy farmers and cooperatives appreciate USDA’s leadership in supporting American agriculture and safeguarding animal health as it deals with what soon will be a second year of H5N1 bird flu disruptions in dairy cattle. Dairy farmers and all of agriculture takes biosecurity seriously, and we thank USDA and the Trump Administration for actions that will further those efforts,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement released jointly with IDFA shortly after USDA’s announcement.

“We support the department’s initiatives to advance vaccine development and deployment that will help control, and ultimately eliminate, the virus in dairy cattle,” he continued. “We also want to remind consumers that, even as dairy farmers are working with veterinarians and officials at all levels of government to eliminate this animal health threat, milk for consumers remains safe to drink because of the effectiveness of pasteurization.”

Groups representing wide swaths of American agriculture have been collaborating as avian influenza continues to destroy poultry flocks and infect and evolve in dairy cattle across the United States, with the leading dairy, turkey, and egg laying associations urging USDA and its federal partners to support development of safe and effective H5Nx vaccinations for dairy cows, turkeys, and egg-laying hens.

The leaders of NMPF, IDFA, United Egg Producers and National Turkey Federation in a Feb. 14 letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins called attention to the urgency of the situation and requested to meet share more with the secretary.

“If this virus continues to circulate among dairy herds, turkey and egg layer operations, wild mammals, wild birds, and people working closely with birds and dairy cows, it will remain a significant and imposing threat to our nation’s food security and, therefore, our national security,” the organizations say in their letter. The letter also highlights the importance of working with international trade partners to ensure “policies reflect the new realities of a world that is constantly combating H5Nx.”

The letter from NMPF and other partners was delivered the same day Zoetis announced that the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics issued the company a conditional license for its Avian Influenza Vaccine, H5N2 Subtype, Killed Virus, which is labeled for use in chickens. The broiler industry has come out against vaccines to date because of possible effects on trade.

NMPF Board Member Advocates for Dairy Priorities at Senate Hearing

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Sixth-generation Vermont dairy farmer and NMPF Board Member Harold Howrigan urged the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee to swiftly advance a five-year farm bill that renews the Dairy Margin Coverage program while also addressing other major dairy issues.

Howrigan, a board member of Dairy Farmers of America, a Kansas City, KS-based NMPF member cooperative, testified on NMPF’s behalf at a hearing held last Wednesday.

Howrigan focused on the dairy industry’s ongoing work with USDA and the Food and Drug Administration to safeguard dairy herds and farm employees from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A H5N1. NMPF is pressing for swift advancement of effective H5N1 vaccines for dairy cattle, combined with a risk-based vaccine deployment strategy which mitigates trading partner concerns.

“We appreciate USDA’s work to accelerate vaccine development and urge that a vaccine be made available as soon as possible,” Howrigan said.

Howrigan also touted the revamped dairy safety net authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill and strengthened by subsequent legislative and administrative actions.

“The Dairy Margin Coverage program has served farmers well during difficult times. Since it was implemented six years ago, my farm has consistently purchased the maximum $9.50 coverage,” he said.

Howrigan called labor and trade issues essential priorities for dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own, urging Congress to pass long-overdue immigration legislation that meets dairy’s unique labor needs and to work with the administration to seek new market access worldwide.

“Failing to act risks damaging the vitality of our entire sector,” he said.

Finally, Howrigan urged the committee to pass the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, spearheaded by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Sen. Peter Welch, D-VT. As he reminded members at the hearing, “Dairy is a nutrition powerhouse but continues to be under consumed by most Americans.”

NMPF’s Statement on Jamieson Greer’s Confirmation as U.S. Trade Representative

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

From Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF:

“On behalf of the U.S. dairy industry, congratulations to Jamieson Greer on his confirmation as U.S. Trade Representative.

Exports play an indispensable role in supporting America’s dairy farmers and workers across the country. As I know first-hand from my prior work with him at USTR, Ambassador Greer will be a strong advocate for American farmers and American-made products. His talents as a trade lawyer are exceptional. We are eager to work with him and his team to secure opportunities for U.S. dairy producers to compete on a level global playing field and grow export markets.”

NMPF Board Member Advocates for H5N1 Vaccine, Dairy Priorities at Senate Hearing

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Vermont dairy farmer Harold Howrigan, a member of the NMPF Board of Directors, urged the Senate Agriculture Committee to swiftly advance a five-year farm bill that renews the Dairy Margin Coverage program. He also addressed other major dairy issues, including the need for effective H5N1 vaccines for dairy cattle.  

Howrigan, a sixth-generation farmer who also serves on the board of NMPF member cooperative Dairy Farmers of America, testified on NMPF’s behalf at a hearing held today. 

Howrigan in his testimony focused on the dairy industry’s ongoing work with USDA and the Food and Drug Administration to safeguard dairy herds and farm employees from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A H5N1, a.k.a bird flu. NMPF is pressing for swift advancement of effective H5N1 vaccines for dairy cattle as part of a risk-based vaccine deployment strategy that mitigates trading partner concerns.  

“We appreciate USDA’s work to accelerate vaccine development and urge that a vaccine be made available as soon as possible,” Howrigan said. 

Howrigan also touted the revamped dairy safety net authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill and strengthened by subsequent legislative and administrative actions. “The Dairy Margin Coverage program has served farmers well during difficult times. Since it was implemented six years ago, my farm has consistently purchased the maximum $9.50 coverage,” he said. 

Howrigan also emphasized how important labor and trade issues are to dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own. He urged Congress to pass long-overdue immigration legislation that meets dairy’s unique labor needs and to work with the administration to seek new market access worldwide. “Failing to act risks damaging the vitality of our entire sector,” Howrigan said. 

Finally, Howrigan urged the committee to pass the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, spearheaded by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-KS, and Sen. Peter Welch, D-VT.  “Dairy is a nutrition powerhouse, but continues to be under consumed by most Americans,” he said. 

NMPF’s Doud Urges More Dairy Trade Opportunities Before Subcommittee

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), told the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee today that expanding market access and enforcing existing trade agreements to America’s dairy producers, workers and exporters is of paramount importance.

“To keep up with our competitors from Europe and New Zealand, U.S. dairy exporters need new trade deals that cut tariffs and tackle nontariff trade barriers,” Doud said in his written testimony. “Whether the U.S. government prioritizes the enforcement the trade agreements it has negotiated and addresses trade barriers targeting U.S. exports will determine whether American farmers and workers will actually benefit from the market access that has and will be promised.”

The U.S. dairy industry last year exported close to $8.3 billion in dairy products overseas, supporting thousands of jobs across the country, despite competing against global counterparts who benefit from more recent and expansive trade agreements. Doud highlighted the critical role of existing U.S. trade agreements and called on Congress and the Trump Administration to pursue and enforce trade policies that empower the U.S dairy industry to grow its business internationally.

Doud also detailed specific agreements for the U.S. government to prioritize greater enforcement, including:

  • Fixing the United States’ deeply imbalanced agricultural trade relationship with the European Union.
  • Ensuring Canada holds up its end of the bargain on dairy in USMCA by fixing both the export issues into Canada and the excessive offloading of artificially low-price Canadian dairy protein into the U.S. and global markets.
  • Following through with China on increasing its purchases of U.S. dairy products, ensuring timely facility listing updates, and providing protection for common names.
  • Resolving India’s longstanding high tariffs and unscientific certification requirements.

“Our competitors are not slowing down,” Doud said. “They are targeting highly valuable and important dairy markets, with the backing of their governments’ proactive trade agendas. We are hopeful that the U.S. government will take this as a challenge to stand up for U.S. dairy and U.S. agriculture. Our farmers deserve a level playing field and are counting on their government to deliver.”

NMPF Welcomes New Staff

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

NMPF has started the new year with two new staff members playing crucial roles in the organization.

Ashley Childs is joining the NMPF team as its new Manager of Finance and Administration, overseeing billing and payment functions such as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and contract billing.

Childs brings nearly a decade of experience in the hospitality industry. She spent the past eight years at George Washington’s Mount Vernon as the Assistant Director of Food and Beverage, where she managed $8 million in annual revenue and oversaw 25 staff. She was critical in negotiating, contracting, and billing $2 million in banquets annually, reconciling these funds in the point-of-sale system, and collaborating with the accounting team to resolve discrepancies and align expenses with budgets.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Childs holds a degree in Tourism and Hospitality from Temple University, with a focus on Operations.

Pat Vincent joined NMPF as its Director of Economic Policy and Market Research late in 2024. He provides valuable economic insights and research, with a particular focus on the U.S. dairy markets, offering commentary on farm economics, consumer dairy demand, and macroeconomic conditions affecting the U.S. dairy industry.

Prior to NMPF, Pat Vincent was the Senior Global Economics Analyst from General Mills, where he oversaw global agriculture commodities.

He holds a degree in Economics and an MBA from the University of Denver. With more than a decade of experience in market analysis and economic research, Pat brings a wealth of expertise to NMPF. Accompanying him in Virginia is his cheerful dog, Roy, a young Sheltie.

Port Labor Strife Resolution Welcomed

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Following engagement from NMPF and USDEC with the Biden Administration and the then-incoming Trump team, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance reached a tentative six-year contract on Jan. 8 for the United States’ East and Gulf Coast ports, avoiding a damaging strike for dairy exporters.

While the agreement is still pending ILA ratification, the deal averted a strike that was authorized to begin on Jan. 15.

The agreement came after NMPF, USDEC, and more than 50 additional leading U.S. agriculture organizations sent letters to President Biden and then President-elect Trump on Dec. 19, calling for the federal government to help ensure a lasting resolution to the labor negotiations that had reached a stalemate.

In the letters, NMPF and the co-signers detailed the extensive damage that resulted from the previous strike, which lasted from Oct. 1-3. Initially, shipments were paused to prevent a backlog and then proceeded at a below average pace once the ILA agreed to extend their existing contract until Jan. 15, 2025. An estimated $13.5 million in U.S. dairy exports were affected, with members reporting cancelled sales and costly reroutes due to the disruptions.

NMPF engaged with USDA leading up to the contract deadline in January, sharing dairy exporter needs and urging the administration to avoid any potential port labor strikes.