New Report Lays Out Priorities for Dairy Reform

Dec 23, 2022

A new report compiled by the American Farm Bureau Federation lays out priorities, principles and recommendations for dairy policy reform.

The Farm Bureau Dairy Working Group, comprised of 12 dairy farmer representatives (three from each of the four Farm Bureau regions), explored options for strengthening the dairy industry through the 2023 farm bill and modernizing the current Federal Milk Marketing Order system. AFBF also received input from a first-of-its-kind industry-wide Federal Milk Marketing Order Forum held in Kansas City, Missouri, in October 2022. The forum was hosted and led by AFBF.

When FMMOs were last reformed in 2000, the U.S. exported less than 5% of annual milk production, compared to 18% today. Per capita milk consumption has grown in the United States by almost 10%, but there are almost 50% fewer dairy operations now than in 2003.

“America’s dairy farmers continue to meet the challenges of growing demand for milk products, even while the number of dairy farmers in the United States continues to shrink,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The recommendations put forth by the 2022 Dairy Working Group convey the needs of dairy farmers across the country. The report provides guidance to USDA as the department prepares for future hearings to modernize the FMMO system and to lawmakers as they begin drafting the next farm bill.”

Click here to see more...

Video: What Does 20 MILLION Hogs a Year Look Like?

?? The Multi-Plant System Processing 20 Million Hogs Annually in the Midwest JBS USA operates multiple large-scale pork processing facilities across the Midwest, including major plants in Iowa, Minnesota, and Indiana. Combined, these facilities have the capacity to process approximately 20 million hogs annually.

Each plant operates high-speed automated slaughter systems capable of processing up to 20,000 head per day, followed by fabrication lines that break carcasses into primals, sub-primals, and case-ready retail products.

Hog procurement is coordinated through electronic marketing platforms that connect regional contract finishing operations and independent producers to plant demand schedules. This digital procurement system allows for steady supply flow and scheduling efficiency across multiple facilities.

Processing plants incorporate comprehensive food safety systems, including pathogen intervention technologies, rapid chilling processes, and integrated cold-chain management. USDA inspection is embedded throughout the harvest and fabrication stages to ensure regulatory compliance and product integrity. Finished pork products — from bulk primals to retail-ready packaged cuts — are distributed through coordinated logistics networks serving domestic and export markets.