Podcasts about nmpf

Barb O'Brien, CEO of DMI, discusses the State of the Industry report with its authors, Will Loux, analyst with NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council, and Mike McCully, DMI consultant. DMI commissioned the report in early 2024 and highlights the unprecedented $8-10 billion in new and expanded dairy infrastructure. Key findings include the significant impact of new cheese plant capacity, consumer recovery from high inflation, and structural changes in the dairy industry in China. The report emphasizes the checkoff's need to invest in strategies focused on new product innovations and research, new technologies, and a strong commitment to meeting global demand, as well as the ability to adapt to changing market dynamics. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com Host & Guest: ·      Host: Barb O'Brien, CEO and President of Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Will Loux, Senior Vice President, Global Economics Affairs of U.S. Dairy Export Council ·      Guest: Mike McCully, President of McCully Consulting

Dairy farmers have boosted biosecurity and researchers have learned much about the H5N1 bird flu virus in dairy cattle one year after its introduction, top NMPF experts said in a Dairy Defined podcast. Still, the hope is that the virus may leave the dairy herd completely, “We're still learning things about the virus and how it's being transmitted from farm to farm, and we still need some answers on that, but hang in there, we're going to get through this,” said Dr. Jamie Jonker, NMPF's chief science officer. “I do believe we're going to eliminate the virus from the U.S. dairy cattle population. I think it's just a matter of when, not if.” Since the H5N1 Avian Influenza virus was first reported in cattle in March 2024, more than 1,000 dairy herds have been infected, Jonker said. Still, successful eradication has taken place in some areas, and the lack of evolution of the viruses within cattle has created hope. Dr. Meggan Hain, NMPF's chief veterinary officer, said biosecurity practices are key to containment and elimination. The National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program offers a wealth of materials that can assist, she said.  Bird flu has “given us a chance to really learn some of the lessons of, where do we have opportunities, where are there things that we'll want to sort of dig into so that we're better prepared in the future if we do get challenges,” she said. “I think there's a lot of things we can take away from this that we can really make improvements on.” To learn more about biosecurity responses in dairy, visit the FARM Program website at nationaldairyfarm.com. 

Tune into this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast to learn about dairy policy, what is new in Washington D.C. and how it is affecting dairy right now from Gregg Doud, who is the president and CEO of National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).  Here's a breakdown of the episode: [~1:05] Overview of Doud's background, previous roles, etc.[~5:00] Doud shares what's new in Washington D.C. in the past few months since the new administration took office[~5:55] A comparison between the two Trump administrations[~7:25] About the new Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins[~9:25] The biggest changes between the Biden administration and new Trump administration and how it is affecting dairy[~14:25] Waters of the United States (WOTUS)[~15:49] Immigration[~18:25] Renewing the tax code[~20:35] When Doud expects to have a new farm bill[~23:05] How changes in Senate Ag Committee leadership may impact dairy[~24:15] Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) reform[~26:00] Trade, tariffs and USMCA[~35:05] What's new at NMPF: Redesigned CWT program – the NEXT program, FARM Program renewal[~37:10] Impacts of tariffs in the short term[~39:15] Other things NMPF is working on[~40:20] Dairy economics in 2025[~43:35] Doud's vision for the future at NMPF[~47:30] Highlights from his first year at NMPF[~49:40] What excites Doud most about dairy policy[~50:35] Rapid-fire questions Learn more about NMPF programs at www.nmpf.org. Email Gregg Doud at gdoud@nmpf.org.

You don't have to be part of the dairy sector to see how important whole milk is for children, best-selling author Nina Teicholz, Ph.D., said in the latest Dairy Defined Podcast.That's because nutrition science makes a compelling case for full-fat milk, underscoring the importance of getting whole milk back in schools, the goal of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, she said. Children who drink whole milk tend to be healthier, she said. “You need the fat in the milk to digest the vitamins that are in the milk, those are fat soluble vitamins. “I'm not a dairy advocate, but it turns out that the science supports the position of those of people in the industry who would prefer to see whole milk back in schools.”Teicholz, author of “The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet,” also discussed how food policy might be shaken up by Robert F. Kennedy Jr's. confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary. NMPF has a call to action supporting the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act for listeners who want to get involved on the advocacy page of our website, nmpf.org/take-action

A slight increase in milk production could mean decent price margins.

With a Republican “trifecta” of House, Senate and White House control, 2025 will be an active year in Washington, NMPF Executive Vice President for Government Affairs Paul Bleiberg said in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. “Everybody should just buckle up. It's going to be a busy 2025,” said Bleiberg, who leads NMPF's lobbying efforts. The trifecta “means a certain ability to move your agenda through unilaterally or without the other party involved,” he said. “It also in broader terms refers to setting the agenda, obviously controlling the different committees and setting topics and moving legislation through broad decisions about governing really do fall to the party that has a trifecta.”That will have meaningful effects on taxes and other areas of legislation, as well as on regulatory efforts, Bleiberg said. Immigration and trade also promise to be hot topics in the new year, ones with important implications, he said. 

Over 1,400 Georgia farmers and agribusiness leaders met on Jekyll Island last week for the 87th Annual Georgia Farm Bureau Convention, and in 2023, 26.1 cents of every dollar spent on domestically produced food went to wholesale trade, at 11.4 cents, and retail trade, at 14.7 cents.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture launched its milk testing and monitoring program to protect farmworkers and communities from H5N1 bird flu, and in 2023, 26.1 cents of every dollar spent on domestically produced food went to wholesale trade, at 11.4 cents, and retail trade, at 14.7 cents.

After nearly four decades as an economist at NMPF, Dr. Peter Vitaliano is retiring at the end of the year. He predicts a bright future for the industry.  “The U.S. dairy industry produces a huge variety of great products, for which consumption is continuing to grow,” Vitaliano said in a Dairy Defined Podcast. “It has very progressive farms and farmers, and great leadership amongst our organizations, and great organizations. That has been the case when I came, it's the case now, and it's going to be the case for many years in the future.”  Vitaliano, NMPF's longtime chief economist, reflects on the evolution of policy challenges for the dairy industry in the podcast, explaining how shifts in the industry have created greater unity – and a more effective NMPF. 

The National Milk Producers Federation does not support raw milk sales.

Overall, it has been good prices for with the trend expected to continue into to the supply-demand balance.

FARM Environmental Stewardship Version 3 is out – and it's a step forward for dairy farmers both as stewards and as business managers, according to NMPF Chief Sustainability Officer Nicole Ayache, who oversaw development of the initiative through the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. With new, updating modeling, under FARM ES Version 3, “farmers can actually run scenarios to assess practice or technology changes, see how those would impact their greenhouse gas emissions, and any potential impact on milk productivity as well,” Ayache said. “The scenarios, being able to project what-ifs, is the biggest benefit.”The FARM Program is a partnership between NMPF and Dairy Management Inc. that helps ensure dairy's success by demonstrating U.S. dairy farmer commitment to safe, high-quality, high-integrity milk. FARM ES Version 3 took effect Oct. 31.For more information on FARM ES Version 3, visit the FARM Program website. 

The Marine Institute and the Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit (SEMRU) at the University of Galway are conducting a survey of marine and marine-related companies to produce Ireland's Ocean Economy Report for 2024. This survey, which takes place every two years, aims to collect data on economic activity that is not currently available from public data sources for six of the thirteen marine industries, namely: 1. Marine Retail Services; 2. Marine Commerce and Trade; 3. Seaweed, Marine Biotechnology and Bioproducts; 4. Marine Manufacturing, Construction and Engineering; 5. Marine Technology Products and Services; and 6. Marine Renewable Energy. The results of this survey will be used to generate figures for Ireland's Ocean Economy Report 2024 on three economic indicators: Turnover, Gross Value Added (GVA) and Employment, providing essential data to support marine planning in Ireland. Ireland's Ocean Economy Report 2024 will be the eighth in the ocean economy series, since it was first published in 2010. The Report is now updated on an annual basis with figures and trends on the performance of Ireland's ocean economy. The Marine Institute provides support to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on Marine Spatial Planning in Ireland. Ireland's Ocean Economy Report 2023 is available on the Marine Institute's website: Ireland's Ocean Economy Report 2023. The accompanying dashboard is available on the Marine Plan website: MarinePlan.ie. Further information on the National Marine Planning Framework (NMPF) is available on the Government website: NMPF. The survey will be open during the months of August, and September with the results published later this year. The survey is estimated to take approximately 3 to 4 minutes to complete. If you have any queries, please contact the survey team at oceaneconomy@marine.ie. Complete the Survey: Ireland's Ocean Economy Company Survey 2024

USDA's plan for modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Order system aligns well with the principles outlined in NMPF's own proposals, NMPF economists Peter Vitaliano and Stephen Cain said in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. Still, analysis is ongoing, and NMPF will be suggesting improvements during a public comment period that lasts through mid-September. “It's important that we have a national system that helps level the playing field across the country,” said Cain, NMPF's senior director for economic research and analysis. “We do not want regulation to create winners and losers or incentivize actions that distort the marketplace or market dynamics in any way.

In this episode, AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Richard Doak to discuss the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and their 360 coverage mastitis portfolio. For more information, visit this link. Doak begins the discussion by explaining why it is important to have a national dairy farm audit program to demonstrate continual improvement to milk buyers and consumers. Doak has a unique perspective because he is a private practice veterinarian, provides third party audits, trains evaluators and serves on the task force for NMPF that is charged with reviewing and updating the standards which are ultimately approved by the NMPF board of directors. Version 5.0 of the FARM program begins on July 1, 2024 and it is important for veterinarians to review with producers the updated standards so they are prepared for their next audit. There are not a lot of significant changes in this version but there have been updates to the standards on lameness, colostrum feeding and humane euthanasia.  We discuss training and the importance of training. Doak mentions that training occurs every day on dairy farms and veterinarians are an important part of training to protect the safety of people and animals, prevent residues, and improve animal health. Although training occurs all the time, it must be documented for the FARM program. The five focus areas for training occur when the animals are most vulnerable and include newborn calf care, down cow management, humane euthanasia, fitness to transport and stockmanship. This training can mitigate risk for dairy farms and is another reason to provide and document the training.  AABP members who are interested in preparing their clients for FARM Version 5.0 can attend a seminar during the conference. More information about this seminar can be found here and the registration page for the conference can be found on this page.  Find NMPF FARM information on this page. Click on the Resources menu to find resources mentioned in this podcast. Be sure to review the AABP Humane Euthanasia of Cattle Guidelines to ensure your euthanasia protocols are compliant with the guidelines. 

This weeks Open Mic Guest is Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.  The H5N1 virus in dairy cattle has presented yet another challenge for the diary industry.  Doud says extensive testing by FDA confirms the pasteurization process is effective in keeping milk and dairy products safe for consumers.  Doud says USDA now believes the disease is being spread between dairy farms by mechanical means.  The industry is monitoring existing protocols and closing gaps that may have led to the disease spread to a number of dairy states in the nation. Doud also comments on Federal Milk Marketing Order reform and a USDA proposal that will be released soon, and he also talks about the House Ag Committee's farm bill proposal.

Dairy farmers are descending on Washington next week, as NMPF's Young Cooperators lead the organization's annual fly-in. Hannah and Matthew Lansing, this year's chairs for the YC Program, say policy engagement is critical to dairy's future. “There are so many things that affect us, but they don't affect us in a way that we see every day,” said Matthew Lansing, who along with his wife and her family milk 1,100 cows and farm more than 5,000 acres at Blue Hill Dairy in Clinton, Iowa. said. “Keeping involved and up-to-date as much as we can and pushing for things that we need on a farm on a day-to-day basis is really key for us to propel forward into the future and be what we need to be for consumers going forward.”You can find and subscribe to the Dairy Defined podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.” For more on the YC Program, click here. Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation. 

This morning we get reaction from NCGA president Harold Wolle on the ITC decision on herbicide imports plus developments with the new Farm Bill. William Loux, Senior Vice President of Global Economic Affairs for NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, talks with Chip and Karen Bohnert about the state of the dairy industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Biosecurity – what it is, and how to achieve it – is at the top of every dairy farmer's mind as cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) have been found in dairy cattle in several states. Every farmer can take simple, but meaningful, steps to ensure a well-protected industry, said Karen Jordan, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, chairwoman of the National Dairy FARM Program's animal care task force, and a member of NMPF's Board of Directors, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. “When you start trying to protect against organisms that you can't see, that puts you in a whole different ballpark,” said Jordan, who also raises about 200 dairy cattle in Siler City, NC. “The bright side is, we've got a disease that we don't have dead animals. We do have an economic disruption, severely. But this gives us an opportunity to really take a hard look at our farms and see what that biosecurity really needs to look like and then how we really enhance it.”  Jordan is joined in the podcast by NMPF's Chief Science Officer, Jamie Jonker, who is leading NMPF's HPAI response. 

On Tuesday's AOA, brought to you by Cenex, we start the show discussing Farm Bill, a need for an emergency E15 waiver, sorghum outlook and more with the Executive Director of the National Sorghum Producers, Greg Ruehle. In Segment Two, we discuss the latest Meat Demand Monitor for March 2024 with Dr. Glynn Tonsor from Kansas State University. Learn more at https://agmanager.info.   In Segment Three, we have a conversation with Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. He talks about the HPAI outbreak in dairy cattle, FMMO modernization and his goals as he is now a few months on the job at NMPF. Finally in Segment Four, we take a look at what has been moving in the dairy markets with Alyssa Badger from Highground Dairy to wrap the show.

The briefs are in, and now it's up to USDA to consider the arguments and craft a proposed modernization for Federal Milk Marketing Orders, which govern milk pricing. NMPF economists Peter Vitaliano and Stephen Cain said they're confident in the strength of NMPF's proposals in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. “If you were to read through our brief, I think you'd be struck by the fact that it is an integrated, well-reasoned, constructive proposal for doing some long overdue maintenance on the federal order program to position it for many more years of effective operation,” said Vitaliano, vice president for economic policy and market research at NMPF. “We're very confident that when we see what USDA comes up with in a recommended decision in early July, we're very confident that we've made a good enough case, that a lot of it will be adopted.”

Listen in as the dairy team discusses HPAI updates and prevention practices with State Extension Vet Dr. Jardon and Dairy Products Bureau Chief Jurgan Ehler.  Looking for more information? Check out Dr. Jardon's recommended links below. Joint APHIS, FDA, and CDC release is here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-fda-cdc-share-update-hpai-detections-dairy-cattle   Here's the new APHIS landing page for HPAI related info. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock   Below is a link to FDA developed materials addressing milk safety during HPAI outbreaks.: https://www.fda.gov/food/milk-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/questions-and-answers-regarding-milk-safety-during-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-hpai-outbreaks   Here is the NMPF resource page https://www.nmpf.org/resources/biosecurity/ This is the most recent US dairy industry public statement https://www.nmpf.org/joint-dairy-organization-statement-on-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-in-cows/

This past Monday, a report was released on the recent disease event in dairy cattle with reports of affected herds in in 2 states. Samples submitted from dairy cattle affected were confirmed by the USDA to have highly pathogenic avian Influenza.In this special episode of DairyVoice, Connie Kuber of Connor Agriscience and Sealpro silage Barrier Films speaks with Jamie Jonker, Chief Science Officer for the National Milk Producers Federation. They discuss specifically what has been found so far, how it was diagnosed, signs, symptoms and prevention.Jamie also explains that this does not affect the safety of milk to the consumer, with stringent protocols already in place for U.S. dairy farms. This podcast has everything you need to know on this situation.

Its Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) hearing now concluded, USDA is now considering more than 12,000 pages of testimony as it formulates its plan for FMMO modernization. NMPF is still doing what it can to ensure that proposal best reflects the interest of dairy farmers and their cooperatives, two NMPF economists said in a Dairy Defined podcast. The key to successful modernization is a comprehensive approach that addresses the complexity of federal orders in a way that respects the entire dairy industry while keeping in mind that orders most fundamentally must work for farmers, Dr. Peter Vitaliano, Vice President for Economic Policy and Market Research, and Stephen Cain, Senior Director for Economic Research and Analysis at NMPF. That's always been the bedrock principle behind NMPF proposals on areas ranging from returning to the “higher-of” Class I mover to updating milk composition factors. “What separates National Milk's proposals from processor groups is more of our holistic approach,” Cain said. “You can't look at the federal order system having not been updated in 20 years and not address all facets of the industry, right? You can't say in good faith that Class I differentials need to be updated because costs have gone up without also conceding the fact that make allowances need to go up for the same reason. So we took that holistic approach. That is going to help move the industry forward together.”

Gregg Doud will let us know exactly what he thinks about the FMMO hearings. And we have new sales posted!

With consumer choice scientific research and congressional legislation all going its way, 2024 promises to be a breakthrough year for whole milk, NMPF's Head of Nutrition Policy Claudia Larson and Regulatory Affairs Director Miquela Hanselman said in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today.The variety that shoppers prefer is poised to return to school lunch menus given the bipartisan approval of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act in the House of Representatives, and it will figure prominently in consideration for updated federal Dietary Guidelines that are due next year. “This is important to our students, this is important to our schools, this is important to our parents,” said Larson, a senior director of government relations at NMPF. “Reach out to your senators, let them know that this is important to you and your children in your community and ask them to please co-sponsor the bill.”NMPF has a call to action urging lawmakers to support the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act here. 

In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, Editor and host Kimmi Devaney visits with National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Jim Mulhern, who retires at the end of 2023 after more than four decades of service to agriculture and the dairy industry. Tune in to hear how NMPF is working on behalf of the nation's cooperatives and dairy producers to move the needle on dairy policy, as well as to look back at some highlights from Mulhern's career.  NMPF website: www.nmpf.org  FMMO hearing website: www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/dairy/hearings/national-fmmo-pricing-hearing Here is the episode breakdown: [~0:55] About Mulhern's professional background and career[~3:15] Overview of NMPF's work in 2023[~5:15] Mulhern's key takeaways from the FMMO hearing[~8:20] Overview of NMPF's five proposals submitted for FMMO hearing[~15:00] Differences between the 2023 hearing and previous FMMO hearings[~18:05] 2024 dairy policy[~21:10] What Mulhern wishes dairy producers knew about the policy process[~22:40] Why Mulhern's role at the helm of NMPF was his dream job[~25:40] Highlights and trends from the last 40-plus years working in dairy policy[~28:10] Mulhern's favorite part of working in the dairy industry[~29:45] His hopes and wishes for the dairy industry in the future[~32:55] Hear about NMPF's new president and CEO, Gregg Doud[~34:40] How producers can stay up to date with NMPF's work[~36:00] The strength of the dairy industry[~37:40] Rapid-fire questions

The dairy sector has benefited from strong leadership, as farmers work together to meet today's challenges, National Milk Producers Federation Chairman Randy Mooney said in a Dairy Defined podcast.A new farm bill, a national hearing on modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, and ongoing challenges in sustainability and risk management have challenged dairy farmers, Mooney said in the podcast, taken from his remarks at the organization's annual meeting in Orlando on Tuesday. Farmers have responded with their trademark resilience, uniting to advance their industry, he said.“This year we came together as an industry to unite around a number of issues that helped build that resiliency. Together we worked to make every drop count, every meeting, count every call, every email, every handshake,” he said. 

It may be one of NMPF's most-hidden secrets to its members – an influential quarterly publication that puts dairy's side of the story before the government regulatory and regulatory experts who directly influence dairy policy. But it's a secret that's hiding in plain sight, as the Regulatory Register is a critical part of NMPF regulatory work. And in this week's Dairy Defined Podcast, the organization's regulatory team talks about the critical work they're doing for dairy – and previews the next Register. “It's important for us to get our side of the regulatory story out to the broader community, not only the dairy industry itself, but also the regulators at the federal and state level on the variety of issues that happen in the regulatory space that are important for the US dairy industry,” said NMPF's Chief Science Officer, Jamie Jonker, on the podcast, where he was joined by Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and NMPF Chief Counsel, Clay Detlefsen, and Miquela Hanselman, NMPF's Director of Regulatory Affairs. 

If you want to be successful and confident in the decisions you are making in the dairy business, there is one tool I want to share with you today that will help you move forward. It's helped me in my business to gain more focus and clarity, it's helped make decisions easier, it's saved me time and money, and it can do that for you too. Join host, Peggy Coffeen, as she leads a panel discussion at the World Dairy Expo with Three NMPF Young Cooperator Members. What you'll learn: How core values play a strong role in the culture of your business How these 8 questions will provide the basics of a strategic plan for your business How these three young producers define their core values and core focus What these three producers plan to do to strategically move their dairy farms forward A Panel Discussion from the World Dairy Expo hosted by NMPF YC.

Gregg Doud, set to assume the role of CEO at the National Milk Producers Federation, delves into the significant challenges that lie ahead in his upcoming leadership role.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Between the USDA Federal Milk Marketing Order Modernization hearing and efforts to pass a new farm bill, dairy's policy plate is full this fall – with plenty of opportunities for different parts of the industry to argue over what's their favorite dish.That's to be expected, and disagreement along doesn't forestall progress, said Peter Vitaliano, NMPF vice president for economic policy and market research, in a Dairy Defined podcast released today. “There's always been contention in this industry, and as an economist, I can appreciate that, because there are genuine economic interests at stake,” he said. “So certain conflicts are inevitable, and they tend to come out in an issue such as federal orders.” But that said, NMPF's proposal for comprehensive modernization remains the strongest path forward, as shown in hearing testimony. “It's almost two years now since National Milk began crafting a very carefully balanced proposal that is in the interest of dairy farmers and their marketing cooperatives,” he said. “I think we're doing a great job of presenting our case at this hearing. That's the whole purpose of the hearing, to make our case in great detail based on factual evidence for our proposal, which our board of directors approved unanimously.” Vitaliano is joined on the podcast by Executive Vice president for Government Relations Paul Bleiberg, discussing the likely path forward for yet-to-be-passed farm bill, a twice-a-decade reauthorization of USDA programs that expired Sept. 30. 

While at World Dairy Expo yesterday we had the good fortune to record a conversation with National Milk Producers Federation president and CEO Jim Mulhern and his recently hired successor, former Ambassador Gregg Doud, who was the chief ag negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative. Hear what they say is the number one issue today and how NMPF is getting ready to seize future opportunities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) provides USDA officials with exhaustive research and expert analysis at its Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) Modernization hearing in Carmel, IN, the department is paying attention to what farmers have to say as they testify to support NMPF's plan. That makes farmer participation critical to the hearing's success, said Stephen Cain, NMPF's Senior Director or Economic Research and Analysis, in the latest Dairy Defined podcast.  “They want to hear from farmers. This is a federal program that is meant to support farmers and is continued at the behest of farmers,” Cain said. “USDA has really wanted to hear from them, and that's a big piece to make sure that these proposals that are being put forth are the right things to do.”For more information on NMPF's FMMO efforts and to follow the hearing, click here. 

A company named “Bored Cow” is marketing an “animal-free” dairy milk, and the National Milk Producers Federation isn't happy about it. Clay Detlefsen, senior vice president and staff counsel with NMPF, says the organization wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration about the fake milk product.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act may have its best chance yet of passing Congress this year. But the potential return of whole and 2% percent options to school lunch menus is only one piece of the evolution of dairy's role in federal nutrition policies, as two NMPF experts say in a Dairy Defined podcast released today.“We're in a pretty exciting spot right now for dairy and nutrition,” said Miquela Hanselman, NMPF's manager for regulatory affairs. “National Milk is working with other dairy organizations to kind of make sure that we have all of our bases covered.”Hanselman is NMPF's point person on the upcoming, twice-a-decade revision to the dietary guidelines used in federal nutrition programs, due in 2025. She's joined in the podcast by Senior Director for Government Relations Claudia Larson, who is advocating for whole milk legislation in Congress. Evolving science – and attitudes – toward the benefits of whole milk in children's diets is building momentum for expanded milk options in federal programs.“The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act expands the varieties of healthy milk options schools can choose to serve in meal programs, and we see this as a commons-sense approach for addressing nutrition insecurity among our nation's youth,” she said. “Children and adolescents do not meet their daily dairy intake recommendations, and this is a nutrition problem for our kids because dairy plays an unparalleled role in delivering the vital nutrients they need to grow and thrive.”

And who is leading the NMPF? See the results from the shows in Indiana!

On this special Let's Chat Markets episode, Eric Meyer welcomes Stephen Cain of NMPF, a featured speaker at HighGround Dairy's second annual Global Dairy Outlook Conference in Chicago!Register for our second annual Global Dairy Outlook Conference before it's too late: ⁠highgrounddairy.com/conference⁠ Website: highgrounddairy.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/highground-dairyTwitter: twitter.com/HighGroundDairyRequest a free trial today: highgrounddairy.com/free-trial

Dairy's future will be increasingly global and diverse, as emerging markets increase demand and women take on greater leadership roles in the industry, this year's chairwoman of the NMPF Young Cooperators program said in a dairy defined podcast.“The U.S. really had a competitive edge, as far as the quality and safety of the products,” said Lorilee Schultz, who milks 60 registered Holsteins and manages more than 200 acres at Mil-R-Mor Farm in Orangeville, IL, said of her time briefly working with the USDA's Foreign Agriculture Service. The member of Prairie Farms cooperative is very active in community leadership and has a special interest in teaching kids about agriculture, including interactions with more than 200,000 school children through the Adopt-A-Cow program, a free, years-long virtual experience where students care for a calf and interact with a dairy farmer. That investment in dairy's future will also be critical as new leaders emerge through programs such as NMPF's YCs, which will be in Washington next week for their annual congressional fly-in, she said. Schultz, 38, said one of her messages to lawmakers will be that “If we want to retain the talented young people that we have in our rural communities, we really need to make sure that we're investing in those communities, making sure we have things like good schools, access to healthcare, quality and affordable childcare.”And for dairy's next generation of leadership – especially for women, who are currently under- represented in top industry positions – it's critical to get involved, Schultz said. “It's really important to have our voices heard,” she said. “I just want to encourage everybody to know that they can be involved in leadership and make a difference.”

A record snowpack that's far from fully melted, combined with last winter's record rains, may mean it will be some time before Cory Vanderham, owner of Vanderham West Dairy in Corcoran, CA, will get his 4,500 cows all back to his farm.In the meantime, he's relying on leases in other locations, help from friends, and faith, to get through an ongoing disruption to the dairy industry in the nation's top milk-producing state that creates new challenges every day. “You don't realize how strong this community is and how strong ag is until things get wild like this,” said Vanderham, a member of NMPF's Board of Directors and the California Dairies Inc. cooperative, said in a Dairy Defined podcast released today. “And when it got wild, everybody showed up to help.”Vanderham also discusses his on-the-ground observations on what kind of policy changes and investments at all levels of government could improve the state's water management and infrastructure as farmers look toward a more resilient future in the face of weather extremes. 

It's Monday so that means we hear from Greg Peterson – Machinery Pete! Also we learn about the process for updating the Federal Milk Marketing Order system from NMPF president and CEO Jim Mulhern. And we hear more about the BeSure! campaign from Craig Campbell of Valent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. Many in the dairy industry believe it's time for the Federal Milk Marketing Order to be updated since much has changed in the industry over the last 23 years. The orders help guarantee an adequate supply of milk and dairy products as well as maintain orderly marketing decisions and there is disagreement in the industry on the extent of data that should be considered in the decision-making process. Mulhern describes the function of change and reasons NMPF believes this should be a more exhaustive process. He applauds progress on dairy product labeling but says legislation is needed to help consumers make educated decisions on the nutritional value of the products they buy.

This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. Many in the dairy industry believe it's time for the Federal Milk Marketing Order to be updated since much has changed in the industry over the last 23 years. The orders help guarantee an adequate supply of milk and dairy products as well as maintain orderly marketing decisions and there is disagreement in the industry on the extent of data that should be considered in the decision-making process. Mulhern describes the function of change and reasons NMPF believes this should be a more exhaustive process. He applauds progress on dairy product labeling but says legislation is needed to help consumers make educated decisions on the nutritional value of the products they buy.

Record milk prices seen in 2022 likely won't repeat themselves, as production increases and consumers grapple with an economic slowdown, according to members of the NMPF and U.S. Dairy Export Council's joint economics unit, in a Dairy Defined Podcast released today. But exports are on track to increase, and demand will likely be resilient as dairy remains must-have for buyers.“Consumers around the world still gravitate towards dairy, even when they're experiencing tighter economic situations,” said Will Loux, head of the team Vice President for Global Economic Affairs with NMPF and USDEC. “They ultimately view dairy as an essential item and will continue to consume it.”Loux discusses the global and domestic dairy outlook with NMPF's Chief Economist, Peter Vitaliano; Economic Research and Analysis Director, Stephen Cain; and the joint economic team's newest member, Economic Policy and Global Analysis Coordinator, Allison Wilton. 

Get the latest agriculture news in today's AgNet News Hour, hosted by Danielle Leal. Today's show covers the challenges and driving factors of automation in almonds, the NMPF's dairy market report, and a look making biologicals more deficient. Tune in to the show for these news stories, interviews, features and more.

Holiday giving season is under way, and NMPF's National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program is a worthy beneficiary for anyone who cares about a better industry future, explains Nicole Ayache, who leads the program at NMPF, in the latest Dairy Defined podcast. The scholarship supports graduate students, enrolled in master's or doctoral programs, who are actively pursuing dairy related fields of research that directly benefit milk marketing cooperatives and the U.S. dairy industry at large. To learn more about it or to donate, just go to NMPF's home page, nmpf.org, and click on the blue bar. “As we look at the last 10 years or so of recipients, all of those recipients have stayed within agriculture,”  said Ayache, who also serves as NMPF's vice president for environmental stewardship and sustainability and leads the FARM Program's Environmental Stewardship initiative. “In research, academia, allied industry, whatever it might be, those individuals have stayed within agriculture, and the majority within dairy itself. So we do believe that the scholarships we are awarding are really fulfilling our goal, which is to support the future of dairy.”

The International Dairy Federation (IDF) World Dairy Summit brings unique opportunities for U.S. dairy as the host nation for the Chicago event, to be held next Oct. 16-19. The global conference returns to the United States for the first time in three decades, at a moment when rising exports and world-leading sustainability gives the U.S. industry a great story to tell, according to three leaders in organizing next year's events.“It's a really exciting time for our industry, and we think that there's a tremendous opportunity, a tremendous amount of potential that dairy, globally, has here,” said Shawna Morris, Senior Vice President for Trade at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). “Looking at how we tap into that together is what we're focused on doing through the conference.”“Bringing all of these folks to the United States creates an opportunity to get folks into facilities, to get them out to farms, to really show the rest of the global dairy industry what the U.S. dairy industry is all about,” said Nick Gardner, chairman of the U.S. International Dairy Federation, the Senior Vice President for Sustainability and Multilateral Affairs at USDEC, and with Morris the co-chair of next year's summit.“This is an excellent opportunity for the U.S. dairy industry to highlight its world leading dairy production from the farm through our cooperatives and processors and out to the consumers,” said Jamie Jonker, NMPF's chief science officer and chair of IDF's Science Program Coordinating Committee. “It's a way for us to step on the world stage, reintroduce U.S. dairy, its innovation and technology to the global marketplace, and demonstrate how we are world leaders.”Morris, Gardner and Jonker also discuss how the dairy community can get involved with supporting the event, already highlighted by platinum-level sponsor Dairy Management Inc., as planning for it is already in full swing. 

Control of the House of Representatives remains in doubt nearly one week after last Tuesday's elections. But regardless of who is in charge in 2023, dairy's priorities will move forward, says Paul Bleiberg, NMPF's Senior Vice President for Government Relations, in a Dairy Defined podcast. “The basic policy priorities remain the same,” said Bleiberg. “There are some areas where we might have more support from Republicans, some where we might have more support from Democrats, some where we might have more support on regional lines, and it's really a question of strategy. Who's going to be on the Agriculture Committee? Who's going to be on the Appropriations Committee or the Ways and Means committee? Who are the members that we might go to kind of champion different priorities in those or other committees? That sort of is subject to those dynamics, but our priorities will be our priorities.”

NMPF Chairman Randy Mooney, a dairy farmer outside Rogersville, MO, said the spirit of collaboration and facing challenges head on, embodied in the cooperative model, will give dairy strength in the years to come. He spoke on Oct. 25 at NMPF's annual meeting in Denver. “This is an exciting time in our industry,” Mooney said. “What we do on our farms and in our communities is important, how we do it is important, and it's important that we stay at the forefront of this revolution, never settling for status quo, thinking differently, and seizing the opportunities.”