When it comes to challenges, dairy producers from coast to coast agree their biggest challenge facing their farm is labor and the need for comprehensive immigration reform is long overdue. This topic resonates deeply, as more than two-thirds of the 9.36 million dairy cows in the U.S. are being milked by immigrant laborers, as noted by the National Milk Producers Federation.
At the 2025 MILK Business Conference in Las Vegas, Rick Naerbout, CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, emphasized the significance of this issue. He addressed labor and immigration, focusing on the need for pragmatic solutions.
A Call for Realistic Solutions
Naerbout stresses the importance of accepting that a perfect solution is unlikely. Instead, progress can be made through administrative changes, which, although not a “silver bullet,” could act as a catalyst. This, in turn, might encourage Congress to take meaningful action.
According to Naerbout, for dairy producers, political engagement at the local level is crucial.
“Dairymen need to be more politically active back home, particularly in conservative states given where the power dynamic currently is in D.C., to help encourage and support their members of congress to take the tough vote on this, if given the opportunity,” he says. “If they don’t have cover back home, they are much less likely to vote the right way on an immigration fix.”
Idaho Dairymen’s Association has demonstrated success in this arena by fostering relationships with Hispanic community groups and the Catholic Church.
“Even some in law enforcement have stepped forward to say that we need to focus on the violent criminals and national security threats rather than those who are here working, paying taxes, etc.,” he says. “And don’t forget homebuilders. If they lose their workers, the push to build houses that people can afford evaporates.”
Impact Beyond Dairy
Immigration reform transcends the dairy sector. Non-family farm labor across the agricultural spectrum predominantly consists of foreign-born workers. Losing these workers poses a severe threat to operations, whether at a small 100-cow dairy or a large 10,000-cow dairy.
“This isn’t only a big dairy problem,” Naerbout says. “Nine times out of 10, non-family labor on farms is foreign-born. Whether you are a 100-cow dairy with one employee or a 10,000-cow dairy with 100 employees, if you lose your worker(s), you’re in the same boat. There is no one to take care of the cows.”
Preparing for Audits and Legislation
Dairy producers are advised to prepare for potential I-9 audits or other enforcement actions. Additionally, conservative states are urged to pause on enforcing legislation like E-Verify, allowing the administration time to address the broader system issues.
The need for immigration reform is pressing and pivotal for the sustainability of the dairy industry. Policymakers, business leaders and community groups must collaborate to forge a path forward that acknowledges and supports the critical role of immigrant workers in agriculture. This is a pertinent topic the Trump administration acknowledges they are working on.
Earlier this year, at the Joint Annual Dairy Meetings in Arlington, Texas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared with Dairy Herd Management that:
“Everyone understands the dynamics of an open border, and the millions and millions, we’re unable to count how many, that crossed during the last administration. The president’s No. 1 promise as a candidate in 2022 through 2024 was sealing the border and mass deportations. Looking at this challenge through the lens of understanding labor is absolute when we can’t feed ourselves, combined with where we are in terms of immigration, those are the nuances.”
The pervasive challenge of labor and the urgent call for comprehensive immigration reform resonate as a defining issue for the U.S. dairy industry. As highlighted at MILK Business Conference and reinforced by the sheer reliance on immigrant labor, the sustainability of dairy, from the smallest family farm to the largest operation, hinges on pragmatic, bipartisan solutions. The dialogue from the MILK Business Conference, coupled with acknowledgments from the Trump administration on the complexities of labor and border dynamics, underscores that this is not merely an agricultural concern, but a national imperative. Moving forward, sustained political engagement at the local level, combined with collaborative efforts across policymakers, business leaders and community groups, will be essential to forge a path that ensures both secure borders and a stable, skilled workforce vital for feeding the nation.
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