NMPF, USDEC Highlight America’s Dairy Trade Priorities for Top Trade Official

Mar 23, 2021

The prosperity of America's nearly 32,000 dairy farmers and the jobs of three million Americans tied to the U.S. dairy sector relies on expanded trade opportunities and robust trade-rights enforcement, executives from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) wrote today in a letter welcoming the new U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai.

Tai, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week, is tasked with enforcing U.S. trade rules and negotiating terms and conditions for America's exports to foreign markets.

USDEC and NMPF outlined priorities in the letter for continued growth of export opportunities and market access to increase the volume and value of exports. Additionally, the organizations called upon USTR to enforce USMCA; restore export growth to China; counter EU efforts to impede competition; tackle nontariff barriers that limit U.S. dairy exports; and successfully conclude negotiations with new trading partners, including the U.K., Kenya and Japan.

"Our industry faces mounting barriers to exports, which is why we want to ensure Ambassador Tai's full awareness of our challenges globally," said Krysta Harden, USDEC President and CEO. "Her prior experience at USTR combined with her Congressional pedigree provides a strong platform to ensure U.S. trade policy will benefit America's agricultural community and ensure continued opportunity for future generations of U.S. dairy farmers and the millions of jobs our industry supports."

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Video: Back On The Fields | Cutting Alfalfa Hay| Crop Talk

We are cutting our second-cut alfalfa hay! Our machinery hasn't been repaired, but the weather is clear, so we take our opportunity to get back on the fields making hay. The alfalfa crop was ready to harvest, and any delays would result in poor quality feed for our sheep, so we decided to go ahead and get that mower rolling. We have a little crop talk about how we cut the hay with our John Deere hydrostatic mower, how we lay the hay out flat in rows to help it dry quicker, and how the two different plantings in that hay field have developed at varying rates and densities. We discuss the quality of the alfalfa hay and show how differing percentages of grasses mixed in with the alfalfa make a difference in the volume of the hay harvested. Hay is the primary feed source on our sheep farm. Getting it done just right is imperative for sheep farming, sheep health, and sheep care. Quality feed sets the stage for producing productive and profitable sheep and allows for feeding throughout the winter season when pasture grazing is no longer an option for those farmers raising sheep in cold climates such as Canada. While in the hay field, we also have a look at the adjacent corn crop and marvel at how well it has developed in such a short period of time.