In dairy-related news at the end of May 2025:
- U.S. dairy secures greater market access with Costa Rica
- Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report released
- Update on USDA efforts to fight New World screwworm
- NMPF: Yogurt, butter and American-type cheese shine as prices dip in April
- Add Milk! SNAP dairy incentive program expands to Arkansas
- USDA to provide $1 billion to livestock producers impacted by drought or wildfire
- Holstein Association names distinguished leader, elite breeder
U.S. dairy secures greater market access with Costa Rica
On May 22, Costa Rica’s National Animal Health Service (SENASA) officially approved the first American dairy cooperative for export to Costa Rica, making it the first U.S. dairy facility to be registered under a new approval process that eases market access for U.S. dairy products.
The USDA and SENASA agreed to put in place a streamlined procedure for registering U.S. dairy facilities to export to Costa Rica. The new process replaces a much more cumbersome dairy facility questionnaire and lengthy registration process which Costa Rica has long maintained.
“We are proud of supporting the great work of the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Trade Representative’s Office to painstakingly reach an understanding with Costa Rica to facilitate the export of high-quality U.S. dairy products,” said U.S. Dairy Export Council president and CEO Krysta Harden. “This important step recognizes the strength of the U.S. dairy regulatory system and deepens bilateral engagement under the CAFTA-DR at a key time for U.S.-Costa Rica trade relations.”
This first registration paves the way for future U.S. dairy exports to Costa Rica, a $60 million market in 2024. With a strong economy and expanding middle class, dairy demand in Costa Rica is growing.
With all dairy tariffs having reached zero this year under the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), opportunities are ripe for U.S. dairy exporters to expand sales that complement Costa Rican dairy production. The new streamlined process for U.S. dairy facilities to register to sell products to Costa Rica brightens those prospects further.
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report released
The MAHA Commission was established by President Donald Trump earlier this year, and it recently released its first report with an assessment of childhood chronic disease.
The report points to contributing factors of diet, environmental exposures, lack of physical activity and overmedicalization.
“We must do more to improve the health outcomes of our kids and families, and President Trump knows agriculture is at the heart of the solution,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Rollins recently signed the first-ever waiver to remove soda and energy drinks from Nebraska’s SNAP program, and worked with America’s dairy producers to voluntarily remove artificial colors from products sold to K-12 schools for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs beginning during the 2026-27 school year.
In addition, Rollins and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are actively working together in crafting sensical Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which are set to be released soon.
“We appreciate that the commission’s assessment recognizes the many positive health outcomes associated with dairy products and highlights the role of improving health through dairy incentives in SNAP,” said Michael Dykes, DVM, the president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
He continued, “As the MAHA Commission develops its strategy to tackle childhood chronic disease, we urge the commission to embrace sound science and evidence throughout, and to continue to work with IDFA and our dairy industry partners to build a healthier future for all children.”
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall called for more farmer involvement in the portions that address the food system.
“Farmers are identified as ‘critical partners,’ yet were excluded from development of the report, despite many requests for a seat at the table. The report also expresses a desire to ensure farmers continue to thrive, but undermining confidence in our food system directly contradicts that noble goal,” Duvall said.
The report is intended to support further scientific research and the development of effective policy interventions.
The MAHA Commission now has less than three months to produce its Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy, based on the findings from the assessment.
Update on USDA efforts to fight New World screwworm
The USDA is working daily with Mexico to make sure the resources, tactics and tools are in place to effectively eradicate New World screwworm (NWS).
Recently, the USDA announced it is investing $21 million to renovate an existing fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico, to further the long-term goal of eradicating this insect. When operational, this facility will produce 60 to 100 million additional sterile NWS flies weekly to push the population farther south in Mexico.
The sterile insect technique, or SIT, has been used for decades to eradicate and effectively keep NWS at bay. Currently, U.S. supported sterile insect raising and dispersal operations in Mexico and Central America have been operating at full production capacity, with up to 44 flights a week releasing 100 million sterile flies. All flies used today are raised in the Panama – United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG) Facility in Panama. This investment in the Metapa facility in Mexico would allow the USDA to double the use of SIT.
Current restrictions on live animal imports from Mexico remain in place and, as previously announced, the USDA will continue to evaluate the current suspension every 30 days.
NMPF: Yogurt, butter and American-type cheese shine as prices dip in April
Yogurt, butter and American-type cheese provided bright spots in domestic commercial use during the year’s first quarter, according to a report from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).
Summarizing dairy markets in the May 2025 Dairy Management Inc./NMPF Dairy Market Report, mostly lower dairy product prices in April produced a drop in Class II and Class IV prices from both last month and a year ago. April Class III prices were down from a month ago up but well above a year earlier.
Total U.S. dairy exports have steadily increased over the past three months. First-quarter U.S. milk production rose 0.8% from a year earlier, due mostly to increased cow numbers; milk solids production grew by 2.1% over the same period.
For more information on commercial use, dairy trade, milk production, product inventories, prices and margins, view the May 2025 Dairy Market Report.
Add Milk! SNAP dairy incentive program expands to Arkansas
A nutrition incentive program that helps low-income families purchase nutritious milk is expanding to 21 grocery stores across Arkansas. Houchens Food Group, throughout its grocery store locations, will offer SNAP participants a 50% discount on any brand or size of low-fat (1%) or non-fat (skim) milk.
The program, known as “Add Milk!” is made possible by a $3 million cooperative agreement between the USDA and Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) through a program named Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) Projects. The HFMI pilot program was established with bipartisan support in the 2018 Farm Bill and funded by congressional appropriations, to promote milk as part of a healthy, balanced diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
HFMI pilot projects will be operating in more than 1,100 locations across 32 states by the end of 2025, and Congress recently appropriated an additional $3 million to expand the program to more stores and more locations in the coming years.
USDA to provide $1 billion to livestock producers impacted by drought or wildfire
The USDA announced the release of congressionally mandated Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) payments to cover grazing losses due to eligible drought or wildfire events in 2023 and/or 2024.
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is leveraging existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) data to streamline payment calculations and expedite relief. Emergency relief payments are automatically issued for producers who have an approved LFP application on file for 2023 and/or 2024, and do not have to contact the USDA to receive payments.
The American Relief Act, 2025, provided funds for emergency relief payments. This program is the first of two programs authorized to assist with eligible losses suffered by livestock producers. FSA will announce additional ELRP assistance for other losses authorized by the act, including flooding, later this summer. FSA expects demand for this first program to be great so the ELRP payments will be factored at 35%. If additional funds remain, FSA may issue a second payment.
Holstein Association names distinguished leader, elite breeder
Holstein Association USA’s 2025 Distinguished Leadership award recipient is Tom Morris.
After graduating from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Morris took a position at Northwoods Technical College in New Richmond, Wisconsin. He joined two other young instructors and started the nine-month dairy herdsman program from the ground up.
In 1977, Morris and his wife, Sandy, established Deronda Farm. Along with their children, Moriah and Adam, they built a select group of Registered Holstein cattle, concentrating on showing and merchandising. In a dozen years, they developed more than 200 Excellent cows and conducted three complete herd dispersals.
In 1982, he formed Tom Morris Ltd., a sale management business that managed over 500 Holstein auctions from coast to coast including nine National Holstein Convention sales and 35 World Classic Sales at World Dairy Expo. They also took their experiences in advertising to launch the Cattle Connection in 1990.
Morris has served Holstein Association USA at the local, state and national levels and been a member of the Holstein Foundation board of trustees. He has also been highly involved in World Dairy Expo since attending the first one in 1967, serving as chair of the Dairy Cattle Exhibitors Committee, as an executive committee member, and vice-president of the board of directors.
Holstein Association USA is recognizing Denny and Beth, Matt, and Joe and Margaret Engel of Luck-E Holsteins as the 2025 Elite Breeder award recipient.
Luck-E Holsteins was started by Denny and Beth Engel over 50 years ago. Denny began building a handpicked herd of Registered Holsteins and was an early adopter of embryo transfer. Today, the farm is known worldwide for their elite genetics, as Matt and Joe continue to carry out the legacy started by their parents.
Matt and Joe concentrate on breeding cows with extreme width throughout, high-quality udders, high components and superior health traits. They have steadily incorporated red, polled and A2A2 genetics into the herd and use IVF technology to enhance their marketing and breeding strategies.
Some influential cows from the Luck-E herd include Luck-E Blitz Australia VG-87, Luck-E Advent Asia-ET EX-94 2E, Luck-E McGucci Afro EX-94, Luck-E Advent Kandie-Red EX-95 2E 96MS, Luck-E Royal Klassy EX-94 and Luck-E Linjet Twizzle EX-95.
The herd is impressive on many levels, with over 650 Excellent cows carrying the Luck-E prefix, 18 Gold Medal Dams and 28 Dams of Merit to date, and current heifer genomics averaging +2.58 PTA Type.
Equally remarkable is Matt and Joe’s ability to market Luck-E genetics. In addition to successful sales domestically, they’ve exported over 1,000 embryos. The farm is also a popular tour stop for Holstein enthusiasts from around the world, and they’ve hosted many international interns on the farm over the years.
Morris and Luck-E Holsteins will be recognized during the National Holstein Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, in June.
