ARLINGTON, VA – The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) met with Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Daniel Maffei today to discuss the implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act and ongoing shipping challenges. Several dairy company executives from a working group addressing export supply-chain issues joined NMPF and USDEC.
Exports play a significant role in the success of American dairy farms and manufacturing facilities. Currently, the milk from one in six tankers leaving U.S. farms ends up abroad in the form of exported milk powder, cheese and other dairy products.
USDEC and NMPF members have made it clear that exporters are still encountering high costs, fees, and unreliable scheduling. Collaboration between the agricultural industry and federal agencies such as the FMC is crucial to building a supply chain that works for American suppliers and consumers around the world.
“We have an excellent opportunity to bring American dairy products to many more markets around the world now and in the coming years,” stated Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “To do that, we will need better service from the entire ocean freight system. We’re confident in Chairman Maffei’s leadership of the FMC and value the agency’s critical role in ensuring that international shipping is a two-way street, not merely a superhighway for imported goods.”
“We appreciate Chairman Maffei for his leadership, and for taking the time to discuss recent shipping challenges,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “This is a tumultuous time in ocean shipping, but we’re confident that there’s more we can do together to ease the burden that the dairy sector is facing.”
The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products.