ARLINGTON, VA – From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:
“NMPF thanks Chairman Thompson, House Agriculture Committee members, and their staffs for working to put together a farm bill that will bring greater certainty to producers at a difficult time. Dairy farmers look forward to working with House members and senators as this legislation makes its way through Congress, and we pledge our support in crafting the best legislation possible.”
Some key dairy highlights of the bill include:
- Authorizing long-term the dairy product processing cost surveys initially authorized and funded at $9 million in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA);
- Extending the Dairy Forward Pricing Program, the Dairy Indemnity Program, and the Dairy Promotion and Research Program;
- Supporting voluntary, producer-led conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), with a continued designation of conservation funds for livestock producers and a directive for states to prioritize methane-reducing practices;
- Establishing a long-term policy directive for the U.S. government to proactively negotiate protections for common cheese names like “parmesan” and “feta,” as championed by NMPF;
- Moving Food for Peace program administration to USDA and continuing $200 million in annual funding for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods that incorporate milk powder to treat chronic malnutrition globally;
- Reassigning export promotion funding initially included in the OBBBA into existing Farm Bill programs like the Market Access Program to make it easier to use by cooperators such as the U.S. Dairy Export Council;
- Expanding economic opportunities for farmers to partner with local food distribution organizations to provide fresh, locally grown foods, including milk and other dairy products, to eligible community institutions;
- Including full-fat fluid milk and hard cheeses in the Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program; and
- Reauthorizing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.
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