AFBF Dairy Reform Priorities and Taylor Confirmed as USDA Negotiator

**A new report from the American Farm Bureau lays out priorities, principles, and recommendations for reforming dairy policy.

A Farm Bureau Working Group explored options for strengthening the dairy industry through the 2023 Farm Bill and modernizing the current Federal Milk Marketing Order.

Some of the priorities include returning the Class 1 mover to a “higher-of” formula, increasing the Class 1 differentials to reflect changes in the marketplace, and making cost surveys and audits mandatory.

**The Senate confirmed Alexis Taylor as USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, and U.S. ag groups reacted positively.

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall says, “Trade is critically important to U.S. agriculture, and she’ll be a strong advocate on the world stage and a capable leader for USDA staff.”

U.S. Meat Export Federation President Dan Halstrom says Taylor will be a “tremendous asset to USDA and a champion for U.S. ag.”

**Public agricultural research and development funding has trended lower in the U.S. over several decades, but a USDA report shows several of America’s top trading partners have increased their funding.

The EU’s expenditures have grown since 2000, as have the funding pools in India and Brazil.

But no country has experienced as rapid an increase in funding as China, which became the largest funder of agricultural R & D after 2011.