California Ag Network

Tag: U.S. Dairy Export Council

  • USDEC, NMPF Thank Administration for Maintaining Pressure on Canada

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) expressed their strong appreciation to the Trump Administration for its continued focus on using all available trade tools to resolve outstanding U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) dairy market access issues with Canada. With a 50% tariff on certain Canadian imports taking effect on Saturday, the organizations urged Canada to return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation.

    “We appreciate the Administration’s persistence in standing up for American dairy producers and exporters who have waited far too long for Canada to live up to its promises,” said USDEC President and CEO Krysta Harden. “Canada has had plenty of chances to fix its unfair market access practices and close the loopholes it’s used to dodge its dairy commitments under USMCA. This weekend’s action makes clear that patience has run out. We look forward to continuing to work with the Administration until Canada resolves these issues and America’s dairy farmers and exporters see the full benefits USMCA promised.”

    “This action sends an unmistakable message that Canada’s ongoing disregard for its USMCA dairy commitments carries real consequences,” said NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud. “It’s time for Canada to stop looking for workarounds and instead sit down in good faith to resolve these outstanding USMCA dairy implementation issues. Canadian retaliation would only serve to force the United States’ hand in escalating its leverage. The objective should be for both our countries to prevent increased friction and build on the progress made through weeks of negotiations.”

    Under USMCA, Canada committed to providing meaningful additional duty-free access for U.S. dairy exports through a series of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). Canada’s administration of those TRQs has repeatedly resulted in chronic underfill. In addition, Canada has continued to exploit loopholes to sidestep USMCA disciplines on dairy protein exports. NMPF and USDEC have consistently urged the Administration to prioritize resolution of both issues as part of the ongoing USMCA Joint Review and continue to call on Canada to come to the table and negotiate in good faith. — Story contributed by the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council

  • Dairy Orgs Issue Statements on Tariffs on Canadian Imports

    White House recently issued three presidential proclamations pursuant to Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose additional 50% tariffs on certain goods from Canada in response to Canada’s discriminatory treatment of American products, including dairy. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), U.S Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) have issued statements regarding the measure.

    “IDFA has consistently called on Canada to fully implement its dairy commitments under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and eliminate policies that deny U.S. dairy exporters the market access that was negotiated,” said IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes. “Our members seek the fair and transparent access promised under the agreement, including proper administration of dairy tariff-rate quotas and the elimination of policies that distort dairy protein trade.”

    “We appreciate the administration’s commitment to standing up for dairy farmers and manufacturers eager to make full use of the market access commitments Canada made under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement [USMCA],” USDEC President and CEO Krysta Harden, said. “For far too long, Canada has intentionally misused its tariff rate quota system to impede the full use of USMCA dairy quotas. It’s time for Canada to come to the table and resolve this and other USMCA dairy issues. We look forward to working with the administration to ensure that all the intended dairy benefits of USMCA are fully realized.”

    “Today’s assertive action by the administration makes clear to Canada that their dairy trade practices will no longer be tolerated,” NMPF President and CEO Gregg Doud said. “Canada simply cannot continue to discriminate against U.S. dairy farmers by effectively blocking negotiated access to its market. It is well past time for Canada to negotiate in good faith and tackle the outstanding USMCA dairy implementation issues to help drive a successful conclusion of the USMCA review.”

    — Story contributed by the NMPF, IDFA and USDEC

  • 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. Participants for Philippines Trade Mission Selected

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture will lead a trade mission to Manila, Philippines, from April 13–16, 2026, to expand market access for American farmers, ranchers, and producers.

    This mission follows a landmark trade agreement negotiated by President Trump in July of last year, which opened new opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports to the Philippines. Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering will lead the mission, heading a delegation of 58 U.S. agribusinesses, trade associations, and representatives from four State departments of agriculture.

    “USDA is committed to getting American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses better access to strong markets and fair opportunities abroad,” said Deputy Undersecretary Bekkering. “Since the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing markets in Asia, this mission will connect U.S. exporters directly with reliable buyers, strengthen our trade relationship, and help keep American agriculture globally competitive.”

    The Philippines is the tenth‑largest market for U.S. agricultural and food products, averaging $3.4 billion in annual exports over the past five years. With a population of 118 million, a rapidly expanding middle class, and strong consumer preference for U.S. products, the Philippines offers enormous growth potential for American exporters.

    During the visit, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service staff and regional experts will host market briefings, site visits, and business-to-business meetings with buyers from the Philippines.

    State departments of agriculture from Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin will join the mission alongside the 58 agribusinesses and trade associations, which include:

    1. 7th Sky Ventures LLC – Tampa, Fla.
    2. Aerocos International Ltd – Marlboro, N.J.
    3. American Egg Board – Chicago, Ill.
    4. American Peanut Council – Alexandria, Va.
    5. Best Buy Grocers, Inc. – Sherman Oaks, Calif.
    6. BNutty, Peanut Butter – Portage, Ind.
    7. California Milk Advisory Board – Tracy, Calif.   
    8. California Table Grape Commission – Fresno, Calif.
    9. CAS InterGlobal – Pleasanton, Calif.
    10. Commercial Creamery Company – Spokane, Wash.
    11. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin – Madison, Wis.
    12. Dragonfly Cakes – Tacoma, Wash.
    13. East-West International Group, Inc –   Moreland Hills, Ohio.
    14. Foodlinx – Brentwood, Calif.
    15. Fort McCoy Meat, LLC – Fort McCoy, Fla.
    16. Galdisa USA – Conroe, Texas
    17. Global Export Marketing Co. Ltd. (GEMCO) – New York, N.Y.
    18. Globex International – New York, N.Y.
    19. Groceries USA – New York, N.Y.
    20. Grove Services – Atlanta, Ga.
    21. Indiana Corn Marketing Council – Indianapolis, Ind.
    22. International Market Brands – Issaquah, Wash.
    23. Intervision Foods – Atlanta, Ga.
    24. Jack’s Alimentary Supply, Inc. (JASI) – Lowell, Mass.
    25. Kizable, LLC – Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
    26. MacDonald Meat – Seattle, Wash.
    27. MEM Fairway Inc. – Irvine, Calif.
    28. Nebraska Corn Board – Lincoln, Neb.
    29. North American Export Grain Association – Washington, D.C.
    30. Ocean Gold Seafoods – Westport, Wash.
    31. Pacific Cheese Co., Inc. – Hayward, Calif.
    32. PacRim Wines & Spirits – San Rafael, Calif.
    33. Potatoes USA – Denver, Colo.
    34. Prime Pecan, LLC – Ocean Springs, Miss.
    35. Raisin Administrative Committee – Fresno, Calif.
    36. Scout & Zoe’s – Anderson, Ind.
    37. Sollarom Foods – Lakewood, Calif.
    38. Southern Forest Products Association – Metairie, La.
    39. Space Enterprises LLC – The Woodlands, Texas
    40. TAG Enterprise Ltd. – Beverly Hills, Calif.
    41. Tomex Foods Group – Lombard, Ill.
    42. Tranect LLC – Boston, Mass.
    43. Trinity Foods, Inc – San Diego, Calif.
    44. U.S. Dairy Export Council – Arlington, Va.
    45. U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council – Washington, D.C.
    46. U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council – Folson, Calif.
    47. U.S. International Foods LLC – St. Louis, Mo.
    48. U.S. Livestock Genetics Export – Mount Horeb, Wis.
    49. U.S. Meat Export Federation – Denver, Colo.
    50. U.S. Soybean Export Council – Chesterfield, Mo.
    51. U.S. Wheat Associates – Arlington, Va.
    52. United Dairy Ingredients Group LLC – Monterey Park, Calif.
    53. US Rice Producers Association – Katy, Texas   
    54. USA Poultry and Egg Export Council – Tucker, Ga.
    55. USA Pulses – Moscow, Idaho
    56. Valley Pride Ag Co. – Fresno, Calif.
    57. Virginia Distillery Co. – Lovingston, Va.
    58. Wonderful Citrus – Delano, Calif.

    In 2025, USDA trade missions connected more than 200 U.S. companies with buyers in Hong Kong, Thailand, Peru, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Taiwan and Mexico, generating projected 12‑month sales of $125 million. USDA will continue expanding export opportunities in 2026 with upcoming missions planned for Australia and Vietnam.

    For more information on USDA trade missions, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions. — By USDA Foreign Ag Service

  • USDA Launches TRUMP Mission to Vietnam to Expand Market Access for American Farmer

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a Trade Reciprocity for U.S. Manufacturers and Producers (TRUMP) Mission to Vietnam this week to open new markets, strengthen export opportunities, and secure fair, reciprocal trade for American farmers, ranchers and producers.

    Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke J. Lindberg is leading a delegation representing a cross-section of American agriculture that stands to benefit from expanded access to one of Asia’s fastest-growing markets.

    “American farmers, ranchers and producers thrive when they have strong, reliable markets for their high-quality products,” said Under Secretary Lindberg. “By strengthening our trade relationship with Vietnam, we’re opening doors for U.S. agriculture, ensuring they have a fair chance to compete and succeed, and that they can bring the benefits of that success to communities here at home.”

    Vietnam has become a top destination for U.S. agricultural products. In 2025 alone, agriculture, fishery and forest products exports surged by 45% to a record $5.6 billion, making Vietnam the United States’ eighth-largest market. This mission will build on that momentum by expanding market access, connecting suppliers with new buyers, and advancing negotiations under President Trump’s strategy to deliver fair, enforceable trade for American farmers and ranchers.

    During the visit, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service will lead industry tours, host business meetings, and engage with Vietnamese officials to advance U.S. trade priorities and support U.S. producers. The delegation includes:

    1. California Fresh Fruit Association – Fresno, Calif.
    2. California Prune Board – Roseville, Calif.
    3. Potatoes USA – Denver, Colo.
    4. USA Poultry & Egg Export Council – Tucker, Ga.
    5. U.S. Dairy Export Council – Arlington, Va.
    6. U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council – Washington, D.C.
    7. U.S. Meat Export Federation – Denver, Colo.
    8. U.S. Soybean Export Council – Chesterfield, Mo.
    9. U.S. Wheat Associates – Arlington, Va.
    10. Washington Apple Commission – Wenatchee, Wash.

    This is USDA’s third TRUMP mission of 2026. Later this year, USDA will return to Vietnam with a broader agribusiness trade mission to continue expanding opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural exports.

    For more information on USDA trade missions, visit https://www.fas.usda.gov/topics/trade-missions. — By the USDA Foreign Ag Service

  • 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.

  • U.S. Dairy Supports Launch of New Ag Coalition for USMCA

    The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council co-led the launch of “The Agricultural Coalition for USMCA,” an industry-wide effort to support the strengthening and renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

    USMCA, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2020, mandates a “joint review” in 2026, which allows the countries to consider potential changes to the agreement. Since the stakeholder engagement process began in October 2025, the U.S. dairy industry has spoken to the importance of the agreement, while stressing that certain critical shortcomings must be addressed.

    “USMCA has helped grow vital export opportunities that support dairy farm incomes across the country,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Unfortunately, Canada has clearly not upheld their end of the deal and Mexico needs to fully implement USMCA commitments to respect our use of common cheese names. We look forward to working with the Administration during the review to ensure our trading partners honor their commitments so the agreement can best deliver for dairy farmers.”

    “USMCA has been critical to maintaining strong export demand for U.S. dairy farmers, manufacturers and exporters, providing greater opportunities in the Mexican market in particular,” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “At the same time, persistent market access barriers, particularly in Canada, limit the full potential of the agreement and must be addressed to ensure that U.S. dairy exporters receive the benefits they were promised.”

    The U.S. dairy industry exported about $3.6 billion in dairy products to Canada and Mexico in 2024, which accounts for about 44 percent of total export value. At the same time, USMCA has fallen short in certain key areas. USDEC and NMPF will continue to fight for several priorities in the review, including through the Coalition:

    • Combatting manipulation of administration of dairy tariff-rate quotas in Canada, denying U.S. exporters the meaningful market access guaranteed under USMCA.
    • Tackling circumvention of USMCA dairy protein export disciplines in Canada, which has resulted in continued offloading of artificially low-priced dairy proteins, undercutting U.S. products in both domestic and global markets.
    • Ensuring that Mexico upholds its USMCA commitments to protect common cheese names such as “feta.” The issue is increasingly pressing as European Union trade negotiations seek to restrict the use of generic terms worldwide.

    NMPF and USDEC will continue to work with trade negotiators to address USMCA noncompliance areas ahead of the July 1 joint review deadline.

    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.

  • Trade Agreements Strengthen Protections for U.S. Dairy Exports

    The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and Consortium for Common Food Names welcomed the United States’ signing of reciprocal trade agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala, underscoring the importance of reinforcing long-standing market access gains for U.S. dairy exporters and preventing the emergence of new trade barriers.

    As outlined in the agreements, El Salvador and Guatemala have both committed to address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products, including dairy. These obligations include recognition of U.S. regulatory oversight and acceptance of currently agreed certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities, a prohibition on introducing a facility registration requirement for U.S. dairy products and streamlining of product registration requirements, which are critical elements for ensuring predictable and fair market access for all U.S. dairy exports.

    The two countries have also committed to ensuring that market access for U.S. agricultural exporters will not be restricted due to the use of certain cheese and meat terms. These include 38 widely used dairy terms such as parmesan, gruyere, feta and asiago, as well as 10 meat terms. This commitment provides important certainty for common name producers and exporters.

    “Securing durable market access and setting clear expectations with trading partners is essential for U.S. agriculture,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “This agreement builds on the success of CAFTA-DR and we thank the administration for fighting for the right of U.S. dairy exporters to compete fairly in the Salvadoran and Guatemalan market.”

    U.S. dairy exports already benefit from duty-free treatment in El Salvador and Guatemala as a result of the Central America–Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Tariffs on U.S. dairy products phased out entirely this past year, following direct advocacy from USDEC and NMPF over a decade ago to secure full market access under the agreement.

    “For dairy farmers, these agreements help to keep doors open to U.S. products,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “By protecting hard-won access and preventing new barriers from taking hold, the agreements support demand for U.S. milk and dairy products and strengthen the economic outlook for farm families across the country.”

    “As European authorities increasingly seek to confiscate common food names across Latin America, the agreements unequivocally protect 38 common cheese names and 10 generic meat terms and send a clear signal by preserving our producers’ right to label their products with terms that have been used for generations in El Salvador and Guatemala,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN.

    NMPF, USDEC and CCFN will continue working closely with USTR and U.S. government partners to monitor implementation of the agreement and to ensure that El Salvador and Guatemala fully meet their commitments to maintaining open and predictable access for U.S. dairy products and common name foods and beverages.

    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.

    The Consortium for Common Food Names is an independent, international alliance whose goal is to work with leaders in agriculture, trade, and intellectual property rights to foster the adoption of high standards and model geographical indication guidelines throughout the world. Learn more at www.commonfoodnames.com.

  • Annual Meeting Highlights Cow Comfort and Health

    NMC members from 15 countries, 32 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces gathered in Birmingham, Ala., USA, to focus on “What’s Best for Her. Keeping the cow’s well-being at the heart of milk quality.”

    The Jan. 26-29 event culminated with the group’s 65th annual meeting. NMC: The Global Milk Quality Organization attracts milk quality, mastitis and udder health researchers and graduate students, dairy producers and dairy industry partners. Meeting topics ranged from artificial intelligence to facility designs to cow comfort to milk harvest to small ruminant milk production.

    “NMC continues to expand its reach beyond mastitis prevention, treatment and control – realizing the importance of cow comfort, health monitoring, balanced nutrition and proper milk harvest preparation,” stated NMC First Vice President Roger Thomson, MQ-IQ Consulting and Michigan State University. That’s why we focused on ‘What’s Best for Her’ care during this year’s NMC Annual Meeting.”

    Additionally, NMC continues to add training programs throughout the year that foster higher milk quality and animal care standards.

    During this event, NMC honored Pamela Ruegg, Michigan State University (MSU), with the NMC Award of Excellence for Contribution to Mastitis Prevention and Control, which is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Besides MSU, Ruegg has worked for Kiel Veterinary Clinic, Kiel Wis.; Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada; Monsanto Company; and University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. With more than 40 years of experience working on mastitis and milk quality, Ruegg has dedicated herself to answering the toughest questions the dairy industry has faced. The 2010 NMC president, Ruegg is synonymous with milk quality worldwide.

    In the National Dairy Quality Awards program, NMC honored six dairy operations as Platinum winners. These top-quality milk producers included Gettyvue Farm LLC, Brian, Kevin and Terry Getty, Granville, N.Y.; Green Hill Dairy, Donald Janssen, Scipio Center, N.Y.; Larson Acres, Mike, Sandy, Ed and Barb Larson, and Jim, Luke, Dane and Brooke Trustem, Evansville, Wis.; Schultz Dairy, Dave Schultz, Sandusky, Mich.; Tollgate Holsteins, Jim and Karen Davenport, Ancramdale, N.Y.; and Walnut Ridge Dairy, Jacob and Steve Palladino, and Keith Chapin, Lansing, N.Y. Judges selected outstanding dairies to receive this honor based on quality milk production indicators, such as somatic cell count and bacteria count, along with milking routine, systems of monitoring udder health, treatment protocols and strategies for overall herd health and welfare. These herds ranged in size from 84 to 2,902 cows. Annual milk production (per cow) averaged from 24,190 pounds to 30,801 pounds. For average somatic cell count (June 1, 2024-May 31, 2025), these dairies varied from 31,000 to 85,000 cells/ml.

    NMC awarded scholarships to eight remarkable graduate students to attend the NMC Annual Meeting. This year’s NMC Scholars were Anna Acosta, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.; Elizabeth Plunkett, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio; Emily Leonard, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis; Lara Juliano, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.; Maria Marin, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Delower Hossain, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy; Joanne Hanifin, Munster Technological University, Castlemaine, Ireland; and Karise Nogara, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil. The NMC Scholars program fosters the development of mastitis research and milk quality professionals from around the world.

    NMC held a research poster competition for graduate students and selected Maria Marin, University of Florida, as the winner. She presented “Characterizing Milk Flow Patterns in Dairy Cows Using Machine Learning: Implications for Milk Yield.” Marin won a one-year NMC membership and free registration to attend next year’s NMC Annual Meeting.

    During the NMC Annual Business meeting, members elected Daniela Bruno, University of California Cooperative Extension, Fresno, Calif., to the NMC board of directors. Executive committee members are Roger Thomson, Michigan State University and MQ-IQ Consulting LLC, Battle Creek, Mich., president; Alfonso Lago, DairyExperts, Inc., Tulare, Calif., first vice president; Christy Dinsmoore, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Novi, Mich., second vice president; Pamela Adkins, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., secretary-treasurer; and Justine Britten, Udder Health Systems, Meridian, Idaho, past president. Other board members include John Penry, Dairy Australia, Southbank, Victoria Cross, Australia; Rick Watters, AgroChem, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Amy Vasquez, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; Stephen Jones, DeLaval, Trinity, Fla.; Ian Ohnstad, The Dairy Group, Dorchester, Somerset, England; Justin Graham, BrooksCo Dairy, Quitman, Ga.; Jessica Belsito, IBA Inc., Sutton, Mass.; Jeffrey Bewley, Holstein Association, USA, Elizabethtown, Ky.; and Carolina Pinzón-Sánchez, University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension, Madison, Wis. Keith Engel, GEA Farm Technologies, Hampshire, Ill., retired from the board.

    NMC thanks its annual meeting sponsors who contributed to the program’s success. The Diamond sponsors were Boehringer Ingelheim, DeLaval International and Zoetis. Platinum sponsors included AHV International, GEA Farm Technologies, Inc. and Merck Animal Health. The Gold sponsor was IBA Inc. Silver sponsors were AgroChem, Axiota and McLanahan Corporation. Bronze sponsors included ABS Global, Acepsis, Ecolab, Michigan Milk Producers Association, milc Group and Udder Health Systems. Dairy Partner sponsors included Christian Hill Dairy, Jones Family Farm, Luck-E Holsteins and Tollgate Holsteins.   

    The 66th NMC Annual Meeting is set for Jan. 25-28, 2027, in Jacksonville, Fla. For additional information, go to: www.nmconline.org.

    ABOUT THE NMC

    The Global Milk Quality Organization is a non-profit professional organization devoted to reducing mastitis and enhancing milk quality. NMC promotes research and provides science-based information to the dairy industry on udder health, milking management, milk quality, animal welfare and food safety. Founded in 1961, NMC has about 1,000 members in more than 40 countries throughout the world.

  • Bipartisan Group Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Common Name Protection in Upcoming Farm Bill

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) and allied organizations commend today’s introduction of the Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act to promote the protection of common names in the 2023 Farm Bill. Led in the Senate by Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and led in the House by Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Jim Costa (D-CA), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), the language would explicitly direct USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) to work with the U.S. Trade Representative to include the protection of commonly used terms like “parmesan”, “chateau” and “bologna” as a priority in international negotiations. This is the first farm bill effort on common names.

    “The lack of strong action by previous administrations has allowed the European Union to misuse and abuse its geographical indications, hurting U.S. exporters in several markets,” said Jaime Castaneda, Executive Director of CCFN. “This new emphasis on protecting common names is a much-needed step in the right direction to ensure that our producers can sell their products in markets around the world.”

    The proposed language would amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to define “common names” and direct the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate with the U.S. Trade Representative to proactively defend the right to use common names for agricultural commodities or food products in international markets.

    “For years, the European Union has been using illegitimate GIs to boost its own producers at the expense of others, putting a tremendous political priority on giving European companies a leg up over producers in the U.S. and other countries,” noted Castaneda. “It is time that our government takes a more proactive approach to tackling this challenge so that we can turn the tide to stand up for food and beverage producers relying on common names.”

    • Many agricultural producers in the United States and around the world depend on common food and beverage terms – such as parmesan, chateau, or bologna – to market and sell their products.
    • Since 2009, the EU has used trade negotiations and intellectual property rules to confiscate common names for their own producers – essentially monopolizing certain products in specific markets.
    • For American farmers and producers, this leads to lost opportunities overseas and expensive fights domestically, in addition to fewer choices for consumers.
    • Recently, there has been significant efforts from the private sector to defend common names, including a favorable U.S. Court of Appeals ruling and actions by congressional champions on Capitol Hill.