GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – While the pandemic continued to disrupt the world in 2021 Dairy MAX utilized webinars as well as existing communications to reach dairy farmers throughout our region. As the new year approaches, Dairy MAX will continue hosting these webinars covering a wide range of topics focusing on the dairy industry and checkoff programs. Most recently, William Loux, Senior Director of Global Trade Analysis for the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), joined a Dairy MAX webinar to give insight into the state of the International Dairy Market.
USDEC and Dairy MAX are valued partners that work together in the broader scope of the checkoff program. USDEC, which represents the global trade interest of U.S. dairy, works to provide strategic long-term growth of the U.S. dairy products in foreign markets. Today, milk from 1 in 7 trucks leaving American dairy farms ends up in products and ingredients sold overseas, making exports a vital growth path for farmers and processors alike.
“Our dairy farmer’s support of exports and the experts at USDEC are instrumental to the sustainability and growth of dairy in the Dairy MAX region. Through our webinar and our team’s dairy farm visits we want to share the value of USDEC to the farmers who work tirelessly to supply the sustainable and nutritious dairy foods throughout our region,” said Marty McKinzie, Dairy MAX vice president, industry image and relations.
During the webinar, Loux covered the current state of dairy exports and what can be expected as we move into 2022. Looking into the future of trading dairy products across borders, factors point to a strong export marketing in the coming year. The demand for trading has more than doubled compared to previous years. Additionally, it’s projected the international dairy market will surpass the U.S. domestic market within the next three to four years. “That is an astonishing figure when we consider the difference in dairy per capita in other countries compared to the United States,” said Loux.
Loux also took time to address the shipping delays impacting many industries across the United States. The U.S. has captured a more significant share of the international market; however, the drawback lies in shipping disruptions. As the world navigates continued supply chain and shipping disruptions, we can expect to see slight delays. Even with these delays the focus on relationships USDEC has built over decades is one the farmers and consumers can trust to continue to find new sales channels.
Overall, USDEC remains optimistic about the current state of international exports and the upward potential moving forward. “When analyzing the current trends, we can see an upward incline in butter, skim, and nonfat dry milk products. Other products such as cheese, whey products, and many higher-valued products remain steady,” says Loux.
Dairy MAX will continue providing educational opportunities through webinars with industry expert partners, and Dairy MAX staff as we move into the new year. For information about upcoming webinars or questions, contact your Dairy MAX representative, and they will be happy to help.
About Dairy MAX
Founded more than 40 years ago, Dairy MAX is one of the leading regional dairy councils in America – representing more than 900 dairy farmers and serving communities in eight states: Colorado, southwest Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. A nonprofit organization, Dairy MAX is part of a nationwide effort to promote American agriculture, support dairy farming and drive impact for every dairy farmer. The organization operates five audience outreach programs: business development, consumer marketing, health and wellness, industry image and relations and school marketing. For more information about Dairy MAX and its team of experts, visit DairyMAX.org. Dairy resources and delicious recipes are available at DairyDiscoveryZone.com.
