Krysta Harden was named president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) in February 2021, becoming just the third chief executive – and the first female – to lead the organization since its founding by Dairy Management Inc., in 1995.

We have been wondering what the “new normal” after COVID will look like, and when it comes to employment, the picture is emerging. The hiring challenges before COVID are intensifying, and workforce mobility is escalating.

Milk prices plateaued but feed costs continued to rise in June, cutting into monthly dairy producer milk income over feed cost (IOFC) margins calculated under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program.

• Summer repeat: July Class IV milk price stays strong, adding to depooling incentives
• FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative hosting FMMO webinar, Aug. 11
• AFBF sets FMMO Forum in Kansas City, Oct. 14-16
• Podcast covers Edge dairy policy priorities
• ‘Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act’ advances out of committee
• Hearing planned on Pennsylvania ‘over-order’ premium
• Southeast Milk selects Dyal as CEO
• Tillamook announces ‘climate action’ plan
• Borden closing two more Southeast plants
• Organic Valley adds 51 Northeast farms
• Dairy adds to call for ag workforce reform bill

If comments during an initial round of listening sessions are an indicator, risk management and additional support for both domestic nutrition and dairy trade programs will be points of dairy emphasis during development of the 2023 Farm Bill.

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) has been named in another lawsuit over alleged antitrust activities related to milk marketing practices in the Northeast.