By Grace Atherton
Dairy industry leaders enjoyed a productive meeting Tuesday evening with Luke Lindberg, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The group of business owners, dairy farmers, executives, and association leaders discussed dairy exporters’ successes as well as challenges to market access.
“USDA is committed to securing fair and reciprocal trade agreements around the world, spurring dairy business growth here in America,” said Lindberg. “The farmers and processors I met with are critical to our work in this area, and we’ll continue to listen and partner with them as we strengthen the industry at home and in the international marketplace.”
Members and leadership of Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), representing over 850 dairy businesses worldwide, shared its three-part Trade Policy Plan, developed in Spring 2025 by and for members. At Tuesday’s meeting, they shared thoughts on the impact of tariffs on industry growth, along with enthusiasm for new trade negotiations and a fully-realized U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).