After two years of virtual meetings and calls, Edge members finally returned to Capitol Hill to meet with their lawmakers in person. Seven Edge and Dairy Business Association members representing three states flew in for the Dairy Speaks in D.C. event, and it was exciting to see the city moving closer to “normal.” 

 

Our trip began with dinner at a restaurant near the Capitol on the evening of the State of the Union address. Security in the area was tight, but we ate our meals just feet away from high-profile senators and members of Congress.

 

The next morning we began our “lobby day” at the Michael Torrey Associates (MTA) office, where we briefed our attendees on the issues we would discuss with congressional offices. MTA is a consulting firm in D.C. specializing in food and agriculture policy that Edge partners with to keep a pulse on the day-to-day politics in the city. MTA is an excellent resource and integral part of our Edge team.

 

Following the briefings, we split into groups and made our way to the Hill, where we met with 13 congressional offices from the states of Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. It was so refreshing to see the enthusiasm that lawmakers and staff greeted us with. They are excited to be getting back to face-to-face meetings, too. While in their offices, we discussed the need to reform the ag workforce system. Our farmers need access to a year-round, renewable visa program and a pathway to keep their workers that are already in the U.S. Agriculture has been making this appeal for years, and there is still an uphill political battle to achieve this. We will continue to fight for ag workforce reform and seek new ways to achieve a stable labor pool.

 

We also discussed the need for a robust trade agenda, the the mislabeling of dairy-imitation products and our members’ sustainability efforts. Many of our federal representatives were very well versed on these issues and are friends of the agriculture industry. In some offices, we met new staff and were able to help educate them on the dairy industry. Meeting new staff and representatives is more important than ever, as rural representation in Congress and even state legislatures rapidly declines. Folks are generally further and further away from production agriculture, and we do not expect that to change. It is on us as a dairy advocacy group to put the work in, meet the people in these offices and become a reliable resource for them. 

 

Now that we are back in the Midwest, our work is not done. As we heard in our meetings, the farm bill is rapidly approaching, and Edge is developing its priorities. I look forward to visiting with you this spring and summer to gather your input on those priorities. In the meantime, reach out if you have any policy areas you would like to discuss or regulatory issues you need assistance with. I can be reached by email at mwedig@voiceofmilk.com, or call me at 608-482-3125.