The meeting was aptly themed: Reimagining Dairy’s Future. 

USDEC participated in the 2024 Joint Annual Meeting between the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, the National Milk Producers Federation, and the United Dairy Industry Association. The meeting, held in Phoenix, Arizona, was a testament to the collaborative spirit of the dairy community, with dairy farmers, board members, and industry stakeholders from across the country coming together to share knowledge and insights. Focused on an industry that is changing at what seems like break-neck speed, the meeting was aptly themed: Reimagining Dairy’s Future.  

Left to right, William Loux, Martha Scott Poindexter and Shawna Morris discuss the challenges and opportunities for U.S. dairy in global markets.

Export-focused breakout sessions
USDEC staff, including Chief Operating Officer Martha Scott Poindexter, Senior Vice President of Global Economic Affairs William Loux and Executive Vice President of Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris, led a panel discussion entitled “Trading Spaces: U.S. Dairy Export Opportunities in a Global Market.” During the session, the staff discussed how USDEC is helping dairy exporters succeed in various global markets despite the challenging environment. The discussion highlighted:  

• Reengagement of USDEC and U.S. dairy suppliers with China.  

• Untangling supply chain challenges.  

• The value of global dairy and agriculture policy partnerships. 

• Future trade deals and the importance of continued advocacy for trade at home and abroad.  

• The economic outlook for dairy and the price impact of the growth in processing capacity.  

 In another break-out session, USDEC and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) economists Monica Ganley, Senior Director of Global Trade Analysis, and Stephen Cain, Senior Director of Economic Research and Analysis, projected the prices and profitability dairy farmers can expect for their operations in the next 12 months and beyond. Their forecasts considered the impact of challenging on-farm margins and the domestic and international factors that affect milk supply and demand.  

Erica Louder, second from right, and Weston Abels, far right, lead visitors through the dairy export-themed dart board game. 

Hitting “target” dairy markets
At the meeting, the USDEC membership team, including Vice President of Membership Programs and Strategy Luke Waring and Managers of Member Services Weston Abels and Erica Louder, hosted a booth in the popular Dairy Bar where farmers and other attendees could network and socialize during breaks. The booth included a fun and educational dart-style game where players could learn about the various global markets for U.S. dairy products by “hitting” the  target U.S. dairy markets. Each 'target' represented a different market, and players could win prizes based on their accuracy and knowledge.  

From left, Joanna Shipp, Barb O'Brien, Gregg Doud and Krysta Harden participated in a CEO panel. 

Promotion and policy CEO panel
In the final general session of the meeting, USDEC CEO Krysta Harden participated in a panel with fellow promotion and policy CEOs, including NMPF CEO Gregg Doud and Dairy Management, Inc. CEO Barb O’Brien. National Dairy Board Chair, USDEC Farmer Founder, and Virginia Dairy Farmer Joanna Shipp moderated the panel. Together, the group wrapped up the meeting and shared their final thoughts and predictions for the dairy industry over the next 12 months. To summarize the discussion around dairy exports, Harden said the U.S. is ideally situated to become the top dairy exporter globally. "We are ready and willing, and it is ours for the taking!" she said.  

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council fosters collaborative industry partnerships with processors, trading companies and others to enhance global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients. USDEC is primarily supported by Dairy Management Inc. through the dairy farmer checkoff.