Why Exports Matter to Every Farmer (Even If You Don’t Think They Do!)

If you had told me 15 years ago that I’d be crisscrossing the globe on behalf of U.S. dairy farmers, I might have pointed you back to the milking parlor.

But here I am – a fourth-generation dairy farmer, working side-by-side with my brother on our 1,200-head operation in California, and serving as chair of the checkoff-founded and funded U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC).

And let me tell you: what USDEC does matters to every single farmer, whether you’re in California or Kansas, New York or New Mexico.

Let’s be honest: exports can feel far removed from our everyday work. We get up before dawn, work in all kinds of weather, keep cows healthy, manage labor, maintain equipment and keep feed costs in check.

We might not have time to think about where our milk goes after the tanker pulls out of the driveway, let alone where in the world it might end up.

But I’m here to tell you, if you care about the milk price, you care about exports.

The 96% We Can’t Ignore

Here’s a stat that still blows me away: 96% of the world’s population lives outside the U.S. That’s not just a trivia fact – it’s a massive opportunity. About one in every six tankers of U.S. milk ends up in products sold internationally, and that is moving the needle on prices here at home.

And with more than $10 billion recently invested in new U.S. dairy production capacity, we’ll need international growth to keep up.

In the U.S., per capita dairy consumption is around 661 pounds a year – we’re already doing our part! But it’s a fraction of that in many other countries, and this gap is our growth lane.

I’ve had the chance to travel with USDEC to other countries and it’s clear that people are curious about farmers. They want to know where their dairy comes from, who’s behind it and how we treat our cows and land. When they meet someone like me who isn’t a corporate exec – just a dairy farmer from California – it changes how they see American dairy.

In a recent meeting with Mexico’s dairy industry leadership – our No. 1 export market – I watched them light up during a presentation from Dairy Management Inc. on health and nutrition research.

They’re facing the same challenges we are: how to show consumers that dairy is a smart, nutritious choice. We shared research and it was clear – that if they grow their dairy market, it benefits us, too.

Strategy Behind the Scenes

Behind every successful export deal are USDEC teams working quietly but strategically.

Rick Ortman, who leads USDEC’s global research efforts, likes to say, “We go where the growth is.” That means using real data to understand which countries have the most potential, based on everything from dairy consumption trends to trade policy and logistics.

We don’t just cast a wide net and hope something sticks. We target markets, such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Central America, where U.S. dairy can stand out. USDEC staff in those countries live the culture. They know the buyers, the regulations, the culinary preferences. And they help our processors and co-ops navigate those markets so we can compete and win.

And it’s working!

Our market share in places like Mexico has stayed strong, and there’s the USDEC-created Center for Dairy Excellence in Singapore. It’s the crown jewel of our international presence – a place where buyers can see, taste and experience the quality of U.S. dairy firsthand.

Why It Matters Back Home

At the end of the day, the question we all care about is: Can we keep farming? Can we make it work so the next generation wants to come back to the dairy?

Exports are a key part of that answer. They create more demand and they make our entire industry – from co-ops to private processors – more resilient and competitive.

As chair of USDEC, I also see how seriously the organization takes our farmer checkoff dollars. We look for efficiency. We avoid duplication. And we constantly evaluate whether programs are delivering results.

I didn’t take on the role of chair because I needed something else on my plate. I took it on because I believe in the work, and I’ve seen its impact.

So, the next time you hear “exports,” think about that cheese on pizza in Tokyo or the whey in a sports drink in Vietnam. That’s your milk – and your future – at work.

Let’s keep the momentum going. Let’s make sure U.S. dairy continues to lead – not just here at home, but around the world.

To learn more about how the dairy checkoff is growing sales and building trust, visit www.DairyCheckoff.com. To learn more about the U.S. Dairy Export Council, visit www.USDEC.org.