LA CROSSE, WI – 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).
“Under Secretary Lindberg’s focus on opening new markets and reducing trade barriers to American dairy farmers and processors is very encouraging, as the industry faces regulatory and economic pressures,” said John Umhoefer, Executive Director of WCMA. “New export opportunities are the engine of future dairy growth, allowing continued diversity in dairy product offerings and strengthening rural economies in dairy states across the U.S.”
Representatives from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW), the farmer-funded organization dedicated to marketing and promoting Wisconsin dairy products, applauded recent progress in expanding Wisconsin dairy’s global presence and encouraged continued collaboration in the future.
“It was wonderful to welcome Under Secretary Lindberg to Wisconsin to have an open conversation with farmers and processors regarding the importance of export markets to the dairy industry. I was impressed with the Under Secretary’s extensive knowledge and deep understanding of the various issues impacting agricultural trade policies and look forward to working with him and his team to help grow Wisconsin’s dairy exports,” said Chad Vincent, CEO of DFW.
