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Statement from USDEC President and CEO Krysta Harden on Ranking Member Boozman Farm Bill Framework

From President & CEO Krysta Harden:

“The U.S. Dairy Export Council commends Ranking Member Boozman for introducing a farm bill framework today that supports America’s dairy producers and helps exporters remain competitive in the international marketplace.

“We are pleased to see the framework includes a much-needed boost in funding in the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program – dollars that USDEC invests to promote U.S. dairy products in markets around the globe. Critical MAP and FMD funding helps to retain some balance in a competitive playing field that continues to tilt in our competitors’ favor.

“The framework also includes a USDEC-led initiative to preserve market access for common food and beverage terms like “parmesan” and “asiago.” The bipartisan Safeguarding American Value-added Exports (SAVE) Act provides direction to the U.S. government to proactively negotiate protections for terms that are frequently at risk of confiscation by the EU’s misuse of its geographical indications system.

“We thank Ranking Member Boozman for taking this important step in the process and encourage Congress to advance these priorities for U.S. dairy producers and processors.”

Krysta Harden

President and CEO

U.S. Dairy Export Council

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. USDEC accomplishes this through programs in market development that build global demand for U.S. dairy products, resolve market access barriers and advance industry trade policy goals. USDEC is supported by staff across the United States and overseas in Mexico, South America, Asia, Middle East and Europe. The U.S. Dairy Export Council prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national origin, race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, marital status, military status, and arrest or conviction record. www.usdec.org.