American dairy farmers are getting better access to international markets thanks to four new trade agreements the United States completed in February with Indonesia, Taiwan, Argentina and Bangladesh. The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council played key roles in advocating for these deals that will eliminate barriers preventing American dairy products from competing overseas.
Under the agreements with Indonesia, Taiwan and Bangladesh, all tariffs on American dairy exports will be eliminated. The deals also remove complex facility registration requirements that have made it difficult for US companies to sell their products, and they protect more than 36 common cheese names such as “parmesan” from being claimed exclusively by European producers.
These three countries purchased $3.6 billion worth of dairy products last year, but only 9% came from the United States. By removing trade obstacles, American suppliers will be better positioned to compete in these important Asian markets where people are consuming more dairy products.
The Indonesia deal builds upon existing relationships, including a memorandum of understanding the National Milk Producers Federation signed last May with Indonesia’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry to expand dairy trade and strengthen business connections. Similar partnership agreements were established with Taiwan’s Dairy Association in September to promote local dairy consumption and support school milk programs.
The timing of the Argentina agreement is particularly important as that South American nation prepares to implement the EU-Mercosur trade deal, which would give European suppliers better market access and potentially exclusive rights to certain cheese names. The US-Argentina agreement secures improved market access for several important American dairy products and includes protections for generic cheese terms while preventing additional trade barriers.
Serving as official advisors to US trade negotiators, the National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council stressed the need for lasting access to these expanding markets, ensuring American dairy farmers can compete fairly as the European Union pursues aggressive trade deals worldwide.
Both organizations have collaborated with the current administration to include new opportunities for US dairy exports in all nine reciprocal trade agreements completed so far. They plan to continue working closely with the US Trade Representative and other government partners to ensure complete implementation, though the timeline remains unclear. The organizations will monitor whether Indonesia, Taiwan, Argentina and Bangladesh fulfill their commitments to maintain open and predictable export markets for American dairy producers.
