U.S.–Ecuador Agreement Improves Access to Tightly Restricted Dairy Market

Deal eliminates tariffs, recognizes U.S. oversight, and protects common cheese names

Mar. 17, 2026 at 8:51pm

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), and the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) praised the signing of a U.S.–Ecuador agreement on reciprocal trade that will improve export opportunities for U.S. dairy products in a market plagued by restrictive tariffs and nontariff trade barriers.

Why it matters

The agreement is expected to eliminate tariffs on several U.S. dairy products, recognize U.S. regulatory oversight, overhaul Ecuador's burdensome import licensing system, and protect 40 common cheese names like 'parmesan.' This will help U.S. dairy exporters gain better access to the Ecuadorian market, which has long been difficult to crack.

The details

The deal includes provisions to eliminate tariffs on several U.S. dairy products, recognize U.S. regulatory oversight and accept dairy certificates issued by U.S. authorities, overhaul Ecuador's import licensing system for agricultural products, and protect 40 common cheese names like 'parmesan.' These changes are expected to improve export opportunities for U.S. dairy ingredients and cheese products in Ecuador.

  • The agreement was signed on Friday, March 17, 2026.

The players

U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC)

An organization that represents the export trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors, and cooperatives, as well as ingredient suppliers, export traders, and others.

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)

A national farm commodity organization that develops and carries out policies that advance the well-being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own.

Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN)

An independent, international non-profit alliance that works to protect generic food names and promote fair competition in the global marketplace.

Krysta Harden

President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council.

Gregg Doud

President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

Jaime Castaneda

Executive director of the Consortium for Common Food Names.

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What they’re saying

“Ecuador has long been a difficult market for U.S. dairy exporters to crack. This agreement puts in place the strong nontariff disciplines needed for U.S. dairy exporters of ingredients and various cheeses to make headway in growing their sales to Ecuador, while also improving the tariff landscape in this market.”

— Krysta Harden, President and CEO of USDEC

“Ambassador Greer, Ambassador Callahan and the USTR team have racked up yet another win for American dairy farmers with this Ecuador agreement. With an unprecedented investment in U.S. dairy manufacturing capacity, deals like this are vital to making it easier for international buyers to source the great products our dairy companies are making.”

— Gregg Doud, President and CEO of NMPF

“The European Union has been working aggressively in Ecuador for several years now to pursue market restrictions impacting sales opportunities for both local product and other non-EU products. Our thanks to the USTR team, in particular Ambassador Callahan, for delivering strong common names protection that will provide greater opportunities to sell U.S. products like 'parmesan' and 'bologna' in a growing region of Latin America.”

— Jaime Castaneda, Executive director of CCFN

What’s next

The agreement is expected to be implemented in the coming months, allowing U.S. dairy exporters to take advantage of the new market access and protections.

The takeaway

This U.S.–Ecuador trade agreement represents a significant win for the U.S. dairy industry, opening up a previously restricted market and providing new opportunities for American dairy products to be sold in Ecuador and the broader Latin American region.