Achievements

The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) is advocacy led by dairy farmers, for dairy farmers. Our mission is simple: ensure dairy producers have a strong, informed voice working to shape policies affecting your farms and rural communities while staying on top of the issues to ask the tough questions and act early, keeping dairy farmers informed about what’s next, so policy doesn’t catch your farm off guard.

What ADC Does

ADC works daily to keep producers informed, engaged, represented using tools that get results:

• Farmer-led advocacy grounded in real-world dairy operations.
• Education on issues via white papers, surveys, webinars, conferences, and policy briefs.
• Direct engagement with lawmakers, agencies, and industry leaders.
• Collaboration that does not compromise the dairy farmers’ voice.
• Undiluted dairy farmer advocacy at the table in Washington and across the industry.

In 2026, ADC is undertaking an intensive membership and sponsorship campaign to expand participation, engage partners, and strengthen collective influence. Your Membership Matters because strong participation gives ADC credibility and impact. Your support makes our work for you possible. Thank you for standing with a coalition that stands up for dairy farmers.

Our advocacy has already made a difference on critical issues, including:

• Whole milk in schools The bill passed and was signed into law. ADC is now focused on implementation, working on tools for school board engagement and with USDA and others to ensure guidance is clear, workable, and results in whole and 2% milk staying on the menu.
• Federal milk pricing & transparency ADC continues pressing for fairness and clarity in milk pricing and milk checks, keeping farm profitability front and center. We help farmers navigate pricing concerns, conduct surveys, advocate for transparency improvements, and flag outcomes that don’t add up.
• FMMO changes & follow-up Farmers were told higher make allowances would restore premiums and reduce deductions; we’re not seeing that. While the return to the higher-of (which ADC strongly advocated for) has improved pooling and PPDs, negative PPDs and strategic depooling have occurred as milk checks plunge. ADC is digging into why, pushing for accountability.
• Workforce modernization & immigration reform ADC is advocating for legal, year-round work authorization for foreign-born dairy employees with no criminal record. Dairy cannot function without a stable workforce. We’ve provided feedback to the House task force and will engage again as draft legislation emerges, while also weighing in on proposals such as the Dignity Act.
• Labeling integrity With FDA’s final rule under review, ADC sees renewed opportunity and continues direct correspondence to protect dairy’s identity and consumer trust.
• Accountability for federal checkoff dollars Farmers deserve transparency and accountability for how mandatory checkoff funds are used. ADC continues asking tough questions and pressing for clearer oversight.
• Animal health, data & sustainability Ensuring farmers retain control of their proprietary data and that sustainability policies reflect on-farm realities, not top-down mandates.