Halal Foods, USMCA Disagreement & Milk Prices

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Asma Ahad, director of Halal Market Development for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, says that farmers should know that demand for foods that meet Halal requirements is a growing market.
The U.S. is putting together a second dispute settlement panel under the USMCA. The panel will challenge Canada’s tariff-rate quotas, which allow them to put higher tariffs on imports over a certain quantity. The U.S. argues it unfairly blocks key export opportunities for farmers and processors. Even though the U.S. won a previous dispute over this problem, the Canadian government has not fixed the problem. Sen. Tammy Baldwin says dairy farmers and cheesemakers rely on fair trade practices to grow their businesses and remain competitive on an international stage.
ever.ag broker Andy Faulman says the EU has increased milk production amidst softening demand, putting the pressure on cheese prices. Legislation is circulating in the Netherlands that would allow the government to buy up dairy farms in an effort to reduce livestock numbers in areas where they say the environment is at risk, but it's not driving market changes today. U.S. total milk production was up 0.8 percent year-over-year in December, a percent off from analyst expectations of a 1.8 percent increase. Nonfat dry milk is seeing strength in prices, but not a lot of Wisconsin milk goes to that market. However, Faulman says it is an important component to watch.

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