Posts for Category: Supply Chain

IDFA Supports Administration’s Efforts to Strengthen U.S. Shipbuilding, Urges USTR to Reconsider Proposal WASHINGTON, March 24, 2025—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today submitted formal comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) urging the agency to reconsider its proposed actions to curb China’s dominance in global shipbuilding and boost shipbuilding in the […]

The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) strike at 36 United States Maritime Alliance, Ltd. (USMX) terminals will end following a tentative agreement on wages and the resumption of negotiations on a new contract between ILA and USMX. The dockworkers union and port officials have agreed to extended their current contract until Jan. 15 to negotiate new contract conditions.

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2024 — Today, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) submitted written comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the administration’s objective to develop strategies that support and advance U.S. supply chain resilience as a priority area in trade negotiations, enforcement, and other initiatives. Those comments are available […]

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2024 — Today, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) submitted written comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the administration’s objective to develop strategies that support and advance U.S. supply chain resilience as a priority area in trade negotiations, enforcement, and other initiatives. In addition to these comments, IDFA is grateful to be the only food and agriculture association invited to provide testimony at the […]

By: Mike Brown, Chief Economist, IDFA Earlier this week, IDFA’s outside counsel submitted our post-hearing brief to USDA. This comprehensive document reiterates IDFA’s positions on the 22 proposed changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order system that were considered during a recently concluded public hearing. You can read IDFA’s comments here. Following several years of […]

The United States’ road, rail and shipping infrastructure and systems are not improving/modernizing quickly enough to support the U.S. dairy industry’s growth. While IDFA supported the passage of landmark legislation—the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA)—just last year, a lot of work remains to be done to support the transportation needs of our growing industry.

On behalf of companies throughout the U.S. dairy industry, the International Dairy Foods Association supports President Biden’s request of Congress to step in and negotiate an agreement between rail carriers and their employees that protects our nation’s food and economic security. A rail strike would devastate our nation’s dairy industry, which employs more than 3.3 million Americans and relies on rail carriers to move nutritious, wholesome, and perishable dairy products to destinations throughout the country and to ports for export around the world. Congress must act without delay to keep our nation’s food supply chain intact.

Is there really a butter shortage? While some news reports may suggest otherwise, the answer is no—there is not a butter shortage. While there isn’t a shortage, the U.S. is experiencing tight stocks, prices that remain elevated, slightly lower production than we had last year, and higher exports of butter. Competition for butter is high, […]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2022—The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has submitted comprehensive comments to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in response to the agency’s rulemaking to implement portions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA or Public Law 116-146), which IDFA strongly supported. President Biden signed OSRA into law on June 16, 2022, after strong […]

On behalf of America’s dairy processing industry, IDFA applauds the historic investments announced today by USDA in climate smart food and agricultural practices, including dairy production. Approximately $700 million of the more than $3 billion committed today by USDA to voluntary, incentive-based efforts will support climate and conservation projects in dairy and dairy-related businesses, catapulting the United States into a position of global leadership in climate-smart food and agricultural production.