The dairy industry has been facing a variety of challenges this year, most notably, the COVID-19 pandemic. Dairy Foods asked the top executives of leading dairy associations to discuss the industry's more significant issues, as well as its greatest opportunities.
Year to date, the United States is on track to break $6 billion in dairy exports this year, IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes said.
October 7, 2020
Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), issued the following statement on October 6 regarding the August 2020 agricultural export data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agricultural Trade System:
IDFA encouraged the administration to continue to pursue a trade agreement with the African continent’s seventh-largest economy, but voiced its concern for Kenya’s protectionist measures over its dairy sector.
August 6, 2020
In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer regarding trade negotiations between the governments of the United States and Kenya, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said a U.S.-Kenya agreement has the potential to provide tangible market access for U.S. food and agricultural exports to Kenya’s growing economy.
IDFA released a statement in support of the legislation.
July 30, 2020
On July 28, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) — a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee — introduced legislation to create a loan program to provide relief to dairy processors who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic crisis, said the Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
IDFA said it is pleased with the recommendation, but is disappointed the report did not include relevant information on scientific studies that show the benefits of dairy at each fat level.
July 15, 2020
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., released the following statement on July 15 in response to the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) final scientific report:
The group of emerging leaders represents the diversity of people and business types across the dairy industry.
July 9, 2020
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said 28 future leaders of the dairy industry were accepted into the second class of the NextGen Leadership Program, a signature program of IDFA’s People Strategy.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) said it is recognizing 28 dairy companies for their outstanding achievements in worker safety in 2020 with an IDFA Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Award.
Literature from recent years shows that dairy foods, regardless of fat level, appear to have either neutral or beneficial effects on health outcomes.
June 16, 2020
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Va.-based National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) are urging the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) to include the full body of scientific literature from recent years showing that dairy foods, regardless of fat level, appear to have either neutral or beneficial effects on health outcomes.