ARLINGTON, Va. – American dairy leaders are pressing for meaningful reforms in a new trade framework with the European Union, warning that entrenched protectionism across the Atlantic has cost farmers billions of dollars and blocked fair access to markets.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) welcomed the release of the Joint Statement on United States–European Union Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade. Both organizations say the agreement presents a crucial opportunity to rebalance long-standing inequities in the dairy trade relationship.
Push for Market Access
At the heart of the debate is preferential market access. According to the White House, the new agreement pledges to expand access for U.S. dairy products while also working to resolve long-standing non-tariff barriers, such as burdensome certification requirements. Officials describe these steps as critical for strengthening Transatlantic trade ties.
Industry leaders, however, are making it clear that promises must translate into tangible benefits for producers and exporters.
“U.S. farmers win when competition is fair, but there’s nothing fair about Europe’s system,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “An agreement with the EU has the potential to unlock billions in new opportunities for American dairy. To get there, dairy exporters need to see market access opportunities into the EU mirror those the EU already enjoys when it ships butter, cheese and other dairy products into the U.S. market. We look forward to working with the Administration to ensure the EU follows through on delivering results that farmers can see in their milk checks.”
Structural Barriers to Trade
Exports remain vital to the American dairy sector, particularly for farmers and processors in rural communities. But U.S. industry officials argue that Europe has created a system of one-way trade, benefitting its own producers while erecting obstacles for foreign competition.
They point to tariffs, red tape, and the EU’s use of geographical indications (GIs) — rules restricting the use of product names tied to specific European regions — as barriers that unfairly disadvantage American goods. According to U.S. trade groups, these policies amount to disguised protectionism and prevent globally recognized U.S. dairy products from reaching European consumers.
Mounting Deficit
The imbalance is being measured not only in limited opportunities but also in lost revenue.
“This announcement is an important step in the right direction. America’s dairy farmers are done playing second fiddle in Europe’s rigged system,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “For too long, the EU has wielded tariffs and red tape, and misused geographical indications, as weapons to shut U.S. products out while European exporters enjoyed extensive access to our shelves. That imbalance has saddled us with a staggering $3 billion dairy trade deficit in 2024 alone. We’re pleased that the Administration is working to finally address this imbalance of opportunity.”
The U.S. dairy industry stresses that achieving reciprocity will be essential for turning the framework into more than a symbolic step. Leveling the playing field, they argue, means ensuring American producers can sell competitively in European markets under the same terms already granted to EU exporters in the United States.
Broader Implications
While the deal is framed as a step toward balanced trade, industry leaders caution that the outcome will depend on enforcement and follow-through. For U.S. farmers and processors, the stakes are high: securing fairer terms could open billions in new opportunities, boost rural economies, and reduce a persistent trade deficit that has frustrated the sector for years.
The dairy industry’s calls echo broader concerns in North America about agricultural trade fairness and the ability of domestic producers to compete on equal footing. For policymakers, the challenge lies in balancing diplomatic relations with Europe while ensuring the agreement delivers practical results for U.S. stakeholders.
For now, dairy leaders are framing the framework as an overdue opportunity to correct structural imbalances and secure a fairer share of the transatlantic market. Whether that translates into meaningful change remains to be seen.
