America’s dairy farmers have a clear message for plant-based food companies that have been meeting in California this week to assess the consistency of the labeling of their products: Dairy imitators must start complying with federal regulations that require foods such as milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt to be made from real milk. “At a time when consumers want …
NMPF, USDEC Organize Dairy Fly-In on Capitol Hill to Build Support for Trade with Canada, Mexico
U.S. dairy leaders from across the country visited Washington, D.C., this week to urge Congress and Trump Administration officials to hold Canada accountable for its trade violations and hasten the repeal of Canada’s controversial new dairy pricing system. During a fly-in rally organized Tuesday and Wednesday by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), …
Conaway Disappointed Cotton, Dairy Farmers Left in the Lurch
House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) issued the following statement concerning the exclusion of critical help for cotton and dairy farmers from the omnibus appropriations bill. “It is no secret that times are extremely difficult in farm and ranch country right now, with net farm income down 50 percent from where it stood just four years ago. It …
Trump Administration Commits to Continued Staunch Defense of U.S. Food and Beverage Manufacturers Using Common Food Names
A report on intellectual property issued Friday by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) outlined the Trump Administration’s continuing commitment to curtailing the damaging abuses of geographical indications (GIs) – particularly by the European Union (EU). The report highlighted ongoing threats to U.S. companies that legally use common food names both within the United States and in global trade. USTR’s …
U.S. Milk Exports to Mexico at Risk
$1.2 billion of milk exports from the U.S. to Mexico are at risk as Mexico appears to be seeking new trading partners. Mexico is America’s top dairy exporter, and as the Donald Trump administration makes trade relations uneasy with its North American Free Trade Agreement counterparts, Mexico is in talks to import dairy products from New Zealand. In the first …
Possible Changes in Cotton/Dairy Policies Ahead
House Ag Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson tells Politico’s Morning Agriculture Report that he’s optimistic that the fiscal 2017 government spending package will include changes to the cotton and dairy policies in the new Farm Bill. He says those potential changes would provide more financial assistance to farmers. The Minnesota Democrat says he and other committee members have been talking …
Progress on Canada Dairy Issue
The Associated Press reports more farmers impacted by what they call unfair trade practices by Canada have found a buyer for their milk. A Wisconsin state officials told the Associated Press Tuesday that around 15 more farms have found buyers or have promising leads. If those deals go through, that means 20 to 25 of the 58 farms dropped by …
Canada Doubling Down on Dairy Trade Comments
Canada continues to say ‘it’s not our problem’ when asked about dairy trade with the United States. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (true-doh) told Bloomberg News Thursday: “It’s not Canada that’s the challenge here.” Trudeau said the U.S. has a large dairy trade surplus with Canada. He stood by his own system, by saying every country subsidizes agriculture, adding: “Let’s …
Australia and New Zealand Dairy Leaders Would Support U.S. WTO Action on Canada
Dairy industry leaders from Australia and New Zealand say they would support the U.S. in potential World Trade Organization action against Canada. Leaders from both nations say they would support President Donald Trump if he included the WTO in a trade dispute over a milk pricing scheme by Canada that is harming U.S. dairy farmers. U.S. dairy groups say the …
Canada Responds to Dairy Trade Disagreement with U.S.
Canada’s Ambassador to Washington told the Associated Press this week that Donald Trump is wrong when he says that Canada’s dairy industry trade practices “are very unfair.” David MacNaughton wrote a letter to the governors of Wisconsin and New York to let them know Canada is aware of their request to the president for help with Canada’s dairy practices. “Canada …