U.S. Dairy Testifies on State of Maritime Supply Chain

National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council call for greater investment and oversight to address ongoing challenges.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 7:53pm

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Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), testified before a House Judiciary Subcommittee on the maritime supply chain challenges faced by the U.S. dairy industry, which exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of dairy products last year. Rice highlighted issues such as severe delays, cancelled bookings, and port congestion that have disrupted cargo movements and cost U.S. dairy producers billions.

Why it matters

The U.S. dairy industry relies heavily on exports, making reliable transportation critical to its economic wellbeing. However, American dairy exporters have limited options and face operational uncertainty due to actions by foreign-owned ocean carriers, which has led to significant disruptions and financial losses.

The details

Rice drew on lessons from the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis, when severe delays, routinely cancelled bookings and unprecedented port congestion disrupted cargo movements and cost U.S. dairy producers billions in unexpected costs and lost sales opportunities. While the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 addressed several issues related to unfair fees, Rice highlighted that dairy exporters in the U.S. continue to face operational uncertainty when bookings are rejected, port calls are skipped or receiving windows shift without explanation.

  • The U.S. dairy industry exported $9.6 billion and three million metric tons of dairy products last year.

The players

Tony Rice

Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC).

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)

A national dairy trade association that represents dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers.

U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC)

A non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the export trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors, and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers, and export traders.

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What they’re saying

“Dairy farmers milk their cows 365 days a year. When export shipments are delayed, cancelled, or become more expensive to move, the disruptions ripple back through the supply chain and ultimately affect farm income.”

— Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) (americanagnetwork.com)

“We recognize the importance of efficient global shipping networks. Our concern is ensuring that those networks work for American dairy exporters as well as they work for global carriers.”

— Tony Rice, Senior Director of Trade Policy at the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) (americanagnetwork.com)

What’s next

The House Judiciary Subcommittee is expected to consider legislative proposals to address the maritime supply chain challenges faced by the U.S. dairy industry, including greater investment in domestic shipbuilding capacity and increased oversight of global ocean carriers.

The takeaway

The U.S. dairy industry's reliance on exports makes it highly vulnerable to disruptions in the global maritime supply chain, underscoring the need for policy solutions that ensure American dairy producers have reliable and affordable access to international markets.