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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
If the last seven weeks of hearing testimony is any indication, USDA has a major challenge ahead in formulating proposed changes to the federal milk marketing order and balancing the wish lists of dairy producers and processors.
Dairy producers and market participants will be sharing testimony starting Aug. 23 on a wide range of proposals for USDA as it considers updates to the federal milk marketing order.
Dairy Farmers of America, a major dairy cooperative with 83 processing facilities, had decided to withdraw its membership from the International Dairy Foods Association over IDFA’s decision to proceed with its single-issue petition to modify the federal milk marketing order system.
The National Milk Producers Federation made quick work of its search for a new top executive, announcing Wednesday the selection of Gregg Doud to be the next president and CEO.
USDA has scheduled a pre-hearing information session for Friday, June 16, to get more input from the dairy industry on a National Milk Producers Federation petition to amend five provisions of the federal milk marketing order, as well as on a narrower request from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA).
USDA must decide how it will proceed on conflicting requests from dairy producers and processors to fix what each side sees as problems with the way producers and processors are compensated through federal milk marketing orders.
Two major players in the discussion over reform of the Federal Milk Marketing Order system have come to an agreement on the need for updates, but specifics are yet to be determined.