California Ag Network

Tag: NMPF

  • NMPF Applauds Farm Bill Passage in House

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) voiced its support for the passage of the Farm Bill in the House of Representatives, and are now urging Senate to follow suit.

    The Farm bill was passed Thursday morning, and includes several provisions that benefit American dairy producers, such as expansion of the SNAP Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives projects into broader Dairy Nutrition Incentives Projects, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud praised the passage.

    “The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill supports the farm safety net, preserves existing conservation programs that include opportunities for dairy and livestock producers, bolsters trade promotion programs while protecting common food names, recognizes the important role of dairy in nutrition, and supports animal health programs. All of these are important priorities to dairy farmers and the broader industry, and we appreciate the leadership shown by House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson and other dairy champions to get this legislation through the House,” Doud said. “We look forward to the Senate taking up the farm bill without delay. At a time where farmers face unprecedented challenges, Congress needs to provide the stability of a five-year, comprehensive farm bill. We will work with leaders in both chambers, from both parties, to get a farm bill signed into law.” — Story Contributed by the National Milk Producers Federation

  • U.S. Dairy Welcomes Argentina Trade Agreement

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) celebrated the signing of a U.S.–Argentina Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and Investment that includes tariff and nontariff barrier concessions for U.S. dairy exports.

    Argentina commits in the trade deal to eliminate tariffs that currently range up to 28 percent on select dairy products, including milk powders, dairy proteins, lactose, and other dairy ingredients. The agreement also establishes a 1,000 metric ton quota for certain U.S. cheeses. In addition to tariff reductions, Argentina agrees to prevent several nontariff barriers, including refraining from imposing processing facility registration requirements on U.S. dairy exports and providing explicit protections for 39 common cheese names like “parmesan”.

    “The commitments secured in the U.S.-Argentina reciprocal trade deal bring new, real opportunities for our dairy exports to South America,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “USDEC appreciates USTR’s hard work in securing agreements that lower tariffs and meaningfully address nontariff barriers, particularly those to protect common cheese names. We look forward to building our market presence in Argentina as the agreement is implemented.”

    “Trade deals like this one bring dairy farmers promise for the future,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “Dairy farms operate 365 days a year, and the U.S. negotiating team is keeping pace to secure new market access. NMPF will continue to work with the Administration as all the reciprocal trade agreements are translated into real results on the ground for our farmers.”

    “Argentina’s commitment to protect 39 common cheese names and 10 generic meat terms could not have come at a more important time,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN. “As the European Union is advancing toward implementation of its trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc of countries, our ability to use common names is increasingly at risk. We cannot thank Ambassador Greer and the USTR negotiating team enough for the foresight and leadership in protecting U.S. exporters’ rights.”

    The trade deal follows reciprocal trade agreements that the United States signedr ecently with El Salvador and Guatemala last week that included commitments to prevent barriers to U.S. dairy exports. USDEC and NMPF will continue to work with the U.S. government as the reciprocal trade negotiations progress to identify and address impediments to dairy trade and grow U.S. export opportunities.

    —By the National Milk Producers Federation

  • U.S. Dairy Testifies on State of Maritime Supply Chain

    Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council, testified before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust on the maritime supply chain challenges faced by the U.S. dairy industry.

    The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of cheeses, milk powders, whey proteins, and other dairy products last year, making reliable transportation vital to its economic wellbeing. Yet American dairy exporters have little choice but to rely on a small number of ocean carrier options, almost all of which are foreign owned.

    “Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year,” Rice said. “When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

    Rice drew on lessons from the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, when severe delays, routinely cancelled bookings and unprecedented port congestion disrupted cargo movements and cost U.S. dairy producers billions in unexpected costs and lost sales opportunities. While the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 addressed several issues related to unfair fees, Rice highlighted that dairy exporters in the U.S. continue to face operational uncertainty when bookings are rejected, port calls are skipped or receiving windows shift without explanation.

    To address these challenges, the U.S. dairy industry called for greater investment in the domestic maritime sector to expand American shipbuilding capacity, robust Federal Maritime Commission oversight of the global maritime carrier marketplace and increased transparency from ocean carriers on booking decisions.

    “We recognize the importance of efficient global shipping networks,” Rice said. “Our concern is ensuring that those networks work for American dairy exporters as well as they work for global carriers.”

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. For more, visit www.usdec.org.

  • Kingsburg CA Dairy Receives National Dairy FARM Excellence Award

    Integrity, ingenuity and the pursuit of excellence earned three farms and one program evaluator this year’s National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program’s Excellence Awards. The awards announced today recognize participants who uphold program values by demonstrating U.S. dairy farmers are committed to producing high quality, wholesome milk.

    The 2025 FARM Excellence Award recipients are:

    • Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship — Bar E Dairy (Land O’Lakes Inc.)

    • Environmental Stewardship – Five Star Dairy Farm LLC (Associated Milk Producers Inc.)

    • Workforce Development — Glezen Farms, LLC (Maola Local Dairies)

    • Evaluator of the Year — Lisa Ford (Cayuga Marketing)

    “These winners exemplify FARM’s mission of continuous improvement through action, integrity and resilience,” said Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Meggan Hain. “It’s our honor to highlight the good deeds of the dairy industry, not only to assure customers, but to reward farmers for their continued contributions and dedication.”

    Winners were announced at the 2025 Joint Annual Meeting of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) in Arlington, TX.

    The FARM Excellence Awards were created in 2021 to celebrate farms dedicated to continuous improvement in each of the FARM Program pillars, and to recognize a FARM Program evaluator for their exceptional care and attention to the farms they evaluate. The awards are judged by FARM Farmer Advisory Council members and other subject matter experts. Farms and evaluators may be nominated by fellow dairy farmers and evaluators, members of their communities, extension, cooperative or processor staff, veterinarians, or other industry professionals.

    Visit the FARM website for more information about the FARM Excellence Awards.

    About the Winners:

    Bar E Dairy is located in Kingsburg, CA and is a member of Land O’Lakes, Inc. Bar E Dairy received the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship for its commitment to exceptional animal welfare and judicious use of antibiotics through on-farm technology and innovation.

    Five Star Dairy Farm LLC is located in Alma, WI and is a member of Associated Milk Producers Inc. Five Star Dairy earned the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Environmental Stewardship for its use of conservation practices to promote and maintain the land, water and wildlife in its community.

    Glezen Farms, LLC is located in Lisle, NY and is a member of Maola Local Dairies. Glezen Farms secured the 2025 FARM Excellence Award in Workforce Development for its dedication to fostering a safe, informed and responsible workforce through training and resource investment.

    Lisa Ford is based in Auburn, NY and is a FARM Program evaluator for Cayuga Marketing. Lisa took home the 2025 FARM Evaluator Excellence Award for her devotion to serving Cayuga members through education, leadership and advocacy.

    The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program was created by NMPF with support from Dairy Management Inc. in 2009. Program participation is open to all U.S. dairy farmers, cooperatives, and processors. Participants follow rigorous guidelines to ensure the utmost social responsibility on our nation’s dairy farms, while committing to continuous improvement. For more, visit nationaldairyfarm.com.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • National Dairy FARM, California Dairies, Inc., and Athian Join Forces to Monetize New Protocol for Reducing Dairy Emissions

    Thanks to a new partnership, dairy producers will soon have additional options for achieving and marketing verified greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from on-farm sustainability practices. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), California Dairies, Inc., and Athian announced today they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a “carbon intensity” protocol supported by the FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) Program, which seeks to define, quantify and verify how production efficiencies and new practice adoption contribute to positive environmental outcomes.

    “Facilitating supply chain partnerships is an important part of our mission,” said Kendra Tolley, chief product officer for Athian. “So, this MOU is a perfect demonstration of how our technology works to unite common interests around delivering new revenue opportunities for farmers and Scope 3 solutions for food companies.”

    Athian is a technology company, founded in 2022, to connect food company buyers looking to source Scope 3 reductions with sustainability minded farmers in their supply chain. They have committed through this MOU to work with their Scientific Advisory Board and accredited third party auditors to define, verify and monetize the on-farm practices that will be part of the protocol and then identify buyers for the resulting outcomes (i.e. insets) they generate.

    “This partnership supports dairy farmers interested in carbon claim opportunities by creating a streamlined process,” said Nicole Ayache, chief sustainability officer for NMPF, which administers the National Dairy FARM Program. “Farms who engage in a protocol that aligns with FARM ES methodology can use data already collected by its evaluation tool to pursue efficiencies benefiting the environment and their business.”

    As part of the MOU, FARM will contribute advice on quantification methodology as well as data collection and calculation support so farmers who are interested in generating carbon claims can receive additional value from the data they collect for FARM ES evaluations.

    California Dairies, Inc., as the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in the state, will contribute to the MOU by supporting the development and implementation of this new protocol for the benefit of its farmer members.

    “CDI is guided by a promise to move as fast as technology and farmer economics allow,” said Darrin Monteiro, SVP, sustainability and member relations at CDI. “This MOU supports our promise, and we believe will play a pivotal role into the future of dairy sustainability.”

    The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program was created by NMPF with support from Dairy Management Inc. in 2009. Program participation is open to all U.S. dairy farmers, cooperatives, and processors. The FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) Program, started in 2017, is a farm-level environmental assessment and customer assurance program that provides tools and resources for farmers to measure and improve their footprint. FARM ES leverages the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, a cutting-edge, whole-farm model simulating dairy farm production and environmental impact. Learn more at www.nationaldairyfarm.com.   For more, visit nationaldairyfarm.com.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    Athian was founded in 2022 to help the livestock value chain capture and claim greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions by aggregating, verifying and certifying them, and then monetizing those reductions for farmers through the sale of the resulting insets. Athian’s platform is a secure software tool that simplifies data entry, upload, measurement and verification at scale, resulting in high-quality and credible GHG emission reductions that help satisfy Scope 3 goals and fund livestock producer sustainability measures. Athian provides a way for leading food brands to not only invest in climate and sustainability initiatives but also to mitigate enterprise risk by supporting the financial and environmental resilience of the farms in their supply chains. Athian is an Alloy Partners company based in Indianapolis, Ind. Learn more at www.athian.ag.

    California Dairies, Inc. is the largest member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative in California, producing 40 percent of California’s milk. Co-owned by nearly 300 dairy producers who ship 17 billion pounds of Real California Milk annually, California Dairies, Inc. is a manufacturer of quality butter, fluid milk products, and milk powders. In addition, California Dairies, Inc. is the home of two leading and well-respected brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery and milk powder brand, DairyAmerica. California Dairies’ quality dairy products are available in all 50 United States and in more than 50 foreign countries. For additional information on California Dairies, Inc., visit www.californiadairies.com.

  • California Dairy Farmer Named NMPF “Communicator of the Year”

    Laton, California dairy farmer Melvin Medeiros, a family farm-owner of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), was named the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Farmer Communicator of the Year at the organization’s annual gathering of dairy-cooperative communicators. Tillamook earned top overall communications honors among NMPF member co-ops.

    Medeiros, who milks around 1,600 cows roughly 30 miles northwest of Visalia, is a member of NMPF’s executive committee. Melvin serves as chair of the Agricultural Council of California’s Dairy Committee, sits on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the California Cares and Environmental Justice Fund Committee. He is also chairman of DFA’s Western Area Council and a member of DFA’s Executive Committee.

    He’s also a member of NMPF’s Dairy Voice Network of farmer spokespeople and was profiled in a recent NMPF Farmer Focus. He is the second straight DFA farmer to earn Farmer Communicator of the Year, following last year’s awardee, Charles Krause of Buffalo, MN.

    “Melvin is a consistent advocate for dairy,” DFA wrote in its nominating letter. “This year specifically, Melvin testified in front of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. It’s imperative that dairy farmers tell their story in front of the committees that work on relevant and pertinent farm policy, and we’re proud Melvin was collectively representing dairy farmers alike in front of this committee.

    “Producers like Melvin, who tell their story to the congressmen and women alike who are further away from dairy, create a trusted source and sounding board for policy decisions that directly affect dairy farmers.”

    Tillamook was recognized for its numerous first-place awards in NMPF’s annual communications contest, highlighted by its “Best in Show” recognition for its 2021 Annual Report, led by Tillamook’s Corporate Communications team.

    “Great balance of content across having the required business stats, mixed with content on leadership, cows, dairy products and most importantly the people who make it all happen,” read the judge’s comments in response to one of Tillamook’s prize-winning entries. “Loved the beautiful graphics, product highlights. Unique size/binding of the piece was a nice touch. Well done!”

    Medeiros and Tillamook were also recognized at NMPF’s annual meeting in Denver. A full list of the winners of the NMPF communications contest, which received entries from 13 member cooperatives, can be found here.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • Milk and Dairy are Critical to Child Nutrition as Children Return to School

    As nearly 50 million children return to public school, a group of dairy and nutrition advocates is encouraging parents and policymakers to prioritize the health of students by making milk and dairy options more accessible in the coming school year.

    A fact sheet released today by the group highlights that milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18. However, according to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, American children over four years old and adolescents are not consuming enough dairy to meet the recommendations in the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), thereby under consuming a variety of nutrients they need to grow.

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the School Nutrition Association (SNA) look forward to working with parents and school nutritionists to increase consumption of dairy in keeping with recommendations from the 2020-2025 DGA report and leading health organizations. Moreover, because of falling participation rates in school breakfast and lunch programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and removal of universal free meals in the upcoming school year, there are growing concerns for nutrition security among students.

    “Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own have for generations taken pride in the fact that the milk they produce is critical in meeting the nutritional needs of schoolchildren,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Milk makes school meals more healthful and offering many varieties of milk encourages children to consume these products vital for their own development. From low-fat flavored to lactose-free options, parents, educators, and policy leaders overwhelmingly agree that milk on the menu encourages healthy kids and ensures that everyone has equitable access to the 13 essential nutrients milk provides through school meals.”

    “The most recent DGA report is clear: children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “School meals offer the most important opportunity of the day for children to get the essential nutrients they need in an 8-ounce serving of milk. Now is the time of year when our parents, educators, school meals professionals, and policymakers need to work together to encourage school meal participation and nutritious milk consumption each day. Survey data shows the best way to do that is by offering many varieties of milk, including different fat varieties, flavors, and lactose-free options. There is nothing more important than the health of our children.”

    “Research shows children eat their healthiest meals at schools, which provide balanced nutrition including milk, whole grains and a variety of fruits, vegetables and lean protein. School nutrition professionals are committed to ensuring access to and promoting consumption of healthy school meals to support student success,” said SNA President Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE.

    An overall decline in school milk consumption has been identified in recent years, particularly after whole milk and low-fat flavored milk options were removed from school meals more than a decade ago. The fact sheet released by the group today underscores how all milk is a source for 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D and potassium—nutrients of public health concern for children. In addition to being nutritious offerings for children, flavored milk has been shown to decrease food waste from school meals and increase overall meal participation.

    View the fact sheet here.

  • CA Dairy Farmers Speak Out on Sustainability, Trade and Farm Bill in Listening Session

    Dairy producers from National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) member cooperatives urged Congress to create greater opportunities for enhanced environmental stewardship, promote exports and craft farm bill programs that aid dairy farmers of all sizes in all regions in a listening session held yesterday at California State University, Fresno by Rep. Jim Costa, D-CA.

    Melvin Medeiros, a Dairy Farmers of America producer from Laton, CA, and Joey Fernandes, a Land O’Lakes producer from Tulare, CA, spoke in the listening session as part of a series the House Agriculture Committee is holding nationwide as it examines issues to be addressed in the upcoming Farm Bill. Both farmers are members of NMPF’s Board of Directors; Medeiros sits on the organization’s executive committee as well.

    “From water issues, to trade, to sustainability, to providing an adequate safety net to producers of all sizes, the farmers who own NMPF’s member cooperatives are critical to conversations that affect all of agriculture in the next Farm Bill and beyond,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We commend Melvin and Joey for sharing their insights and thank Rep. Costa for making sure that dairy’s voice is heard as the next Farm Bill begins taking shape.”

    Yesterday’s session follows a similar session hosted last month in Arizona by Rep. Tom O’Halleran, D-AZ. At that event, United Dairymen of Arizona member Jim Boyle emphasized the need for more equitable treatment of dairy farmers of all sizes, including in pandemic relief programs to reimburse dairy farmers for unique COVID-19 losses. The next House Agriculture listening session is July 22 in Carnation, Washington.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • Congress Demands Canada Meet its USMCA Dairy Commitments, Earning Dairy’s Praise

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) expressed their deep appreciation for robust Congressional support on ensuring Canada fully honors its U.S.-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) dairy market access commitments. Recently, several leading members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack calling on the administration to reject Canada’s recent dairy proposals and insist on real reform.

    Last month, Canada proposed inconsequential changes to its dairy tariff-rate quota (TRQ) allocations after a USMCA dispute panel found in January that Canada’s existing rules do not meet USMCA requirements. Led by Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Tom Reed (R-NY), Antonio Delgado (D-NY), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Jim Costa (D-CA), and David Valadao (R-CA), the letter argues that Canada must bring its dairy TRQs into alignment with its USMCA commitments, which would further open Canada’s market to U.S. dairy products. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has sent a similar letter pointing out that Canada’s USMCA dairy TRQ proposal is insufficient to deliver on USMCA’s promise for dairy exporters on March 4.

    “The USMCA is not a list of optional suggestions and aspirational ambitions. Yet Canada has treated its obligations to American dairy producers as a game, seeing what they can get away with,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Congress rightfully recognizes this must stop. If we do not require our allies meet their signed commitments, then our trade agreements are not worth the paper they are printed on.”

    “USDEC appreciates this strong bipartisan support focused on ensuring that American dairy exporters receive the benefits that was negotiated in the USMCA,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “We are committed to continuing to work with the U.S. government to make sure that the dairy market access negotiated with Canada is provided in full to the benefit of both American dairy farmers and manufacturers, and Canadian consumers alike.”

    The bipartisan House letter sent today states, “A deal’s a deal; it’s not too much to ask that our trading partners live up to their end of the bargain. That is why it is critical that this compliance stage of the USMCA dairy case demonstrate that the USMCA enforcement process works – not just to deliver the right finding, as it did in January – but to ensure faithful implementation of the overall agreement and drive real, tangible reforms that are seen on store shelves, to the benefit of American dairy producers and manufacturers, just as USMCA intended.”

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products.

  • What’s Important to Know About Dairy on Earth Day

    Spring has arrived, the weather is warming (though not too much, we hope), and Earth Day is April 22. Dairy always has reasons to celebrate Earth Day (or Week, or Month — we have enough reasons to carry the season), an opportunity to refocus on its environmental and climate leadership within agriculture in the U.S. and worldwide. Here are a few of them, courtesy of our colleagues at Undeniably Dairy.

    • Due to innovative farming and feed practices, a gallon of milk in 2017 required 30% less water, 21% less land and 19% smaller carbon footprint than in 2007.
    • According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, since 2005 North America was the only region in the world that reduced its greenhouse gas emissions, even as it increased milk production, making its greenhouse gas intensity for dairy products the lowest in the world.
    • Dairy farms are a powerful tools against food waste by diverting byproducts (such as almond hulls, citrus pulp, and brewer’s grains) from other food industries and using them as feed, converting potentially unused resources into high-nutrient foods and beverages. Dairy farmers can also convert food waste and manure into valuable products such as renewable energy and fertilizer.
    • U.S. dairy has set a goal to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050, creating a cross-industry Net Zero Initiative that advances research, on-farm pilots and new market development to make sustainability practices more accessible and affordable to farms of all sizes and regions.

    All these facts are important to know. But maybe you want to dig deeper. Maybe you need some uplifting reading … or some social media content to share … to help you become an influencer. If that’s the case, could we suggest these helpful links, sharing stories about dairy’s stewardship of the planet and the farmers who care for them? These are just a start.

    The list could go on and on – and we intend to keep adding! So grab a glass of milk and be glad you’re consuming the perfect nutritional complement to an important date on the calendar this week. Sustainability solutions are worth celebrating — and not just on Earth Day. It’s what dairy seeks every day.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.