Written by Luke Waring, U.S. Dairy Export Council
In today’s interconnected world, U.S. dairy farmers face numerous challenges when trying to grow their exports. Whether navigating complex trade barriers, understanding changing local tastes, or adapting to economic headwinds, the hurdles are significant.
Exports are a cornerstone of growth for the U.S. dairy industry. In 2024, dairy exports surpassed $8.2 billion, underscoring their critical role in stabilizing prices and supporting the economic health of the industry. That year, key markets such as Southeast Asia and South America were important opportunity areas for U.S. dairy growth. As U.S. dairy seeks to grow around the world in 2025 and beyond, collaboration is the essential ingredient to expanding the global opportunity.
When dealing with the array of regulations, market conditions, local tastes, and priorities across countries, collaboration is critical to driving access and advocacy, on-the-ground presence, innovation, and sustainability. The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) works tirelessly across these areas to increase opportunities for American dairy.
Access and Advocacy
Partnerships open doors. By teaming up with policy-focused organizations in key markets, USDEC breaks down trade barriers. From Chile to China, alliances have unlocked new markets for U.S. dairy. These efforts play a critical role in supporting the economic health and growth of the industry.
Access and advocacy are at the heart of what USDEC does. Our team works tirelessly to ensure trade laws are upheld and non-tariff barriers are reduced. If a shipment gets held up in port, our market access folks jump into action.
With a perishable product like dairy, speed is of the essence. We also engage with foreign governments to ensure our products meet their regulations, often submitting questions during their commenting periods.
Our advocacy efforts, driven by member support, ensure we can keep showing up where it matters, advocating on behalf of U.S. dairy in a complex and ever-changing global market.
On-the-Ground Presence
Being present in key markets matters. USDEC’s on-the-ground teams in Southeast Asia and South America, for example, build strong local relationships, bringing additional value to these markets and expand on what they already do so well. We maintain offices in all major export markets, including South America, Southeast Asia, China, Mexico, Europe, and elsewhere.
Our staff at our Arlington, Va. headquarters collaborates closely with these teams to address issues and connect our members with key contacts. Local teams keep a finger on the pulse of market trends, including what supermarkets are promoting and how consumer preferences are shifting. This constant communication ensures we stay informed and responsive.
Innovation
Technology and collaboration go hand in hand to meet global demand. We work with local markets through physical facilities to create prototypes of U.S. products tailored to local tastes. For example, our Center for Dairy Excellence in Singapore has developed protein matcha-flavored cookies, high-protein yogurt bites, protein-enriched granola, and a ready-to-mix protein booster that can help fortify popular local foods. We also help local companies understand how to use U.S. dairy products in their everyday cuisine.
These advances have boosted the productivity and product quality of American dairy operations. By working together, we make U.S. dairy more competitive.
Sustainability
Sustainability is increasingly important in markets worldwide, as consumers seek products that not only taste good but are good for people and the planet. USDEC supports and promotes industry efforts that help farmers reduce their environmental impact and measure, monitor, verify and report on the reductions achieved. A recent example is the U.S. dairy industry’s adoption of the new FARM Environmental Stewardship Version 3 program in 2024. This process-based greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting model enables farm-level foot printing, providing farmers with critical data to guide decisions on adopting sustainable practices and technologies.
Efficiency helps U.S. dairy produce nutrient-dense, high-quality dairy products. These U.S. dairy products can be exported around to world to nourish people, support healthy diets and increase food security.
Conclusion
For U.S. dairy farmers, the message is clear: partnerships are the key to unlocking new opportunities and securing a prosperous future for our industry. Together, we can build a thriving dairy sector that meets the needs of consumers around the world.
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