Summer is officially in the rearview mirror, and teachers and kids are back in school. For some, the feeling of being back in the classroom is nearly electric – especially after the turbulent year that was 2020 thanks to COVID-19.

Back to school ads are everywhere, and it seems the last few weeks of summer are quickly passing us by. Before we know it, Labor Day will have come and gone, and teachers and students will be back in their classrooms, kicking off a new school year.

Trade has garnered a lot of attention from the Trump administration and in recent political discussions as of late, but trade has always been an important issue for the U.S. dairy industry. Jaime Castaneda, senior vice president of strategic initiatives and trade policy with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, explained the value international trade has for dairy farmers and their bottom line during his presentation at FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative’s annual meeting on Feb. 10.