IDFA, Port of Los Angeles, and CMA CGM form joint initiative to advance U.S. dairy exports

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the Port of Los Angeles, and CMA CGM — a world leader in shipping and logistics — announced the formation of a Dairy Exports Working Group aimed at identifying and addressing supply chain issues hampering U.S. dairy product exports, according to the Port of Los Angeles's release. The group will focus on seaports on the West Coast of the United States, where a majority of dairy products begin their export journey, as well as opportunities to streamline the movement of products from the interior of the United States to the West Coast.
 
The announcement was made at Dairy Forum 2022 in Palm Desert, Calif., by Gene Seroka, Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, and Michael Dykes, D.V.M., President and CEO of IDFA. Dairy Forum is an annual conference organized by IDFA that attracts the dairy industry’s top leaders and executives.
 
The Dairy Exports Working Group will examine several ocean shipping and rail challenges and solutions, including:
 Exploring ways to aggregate and streamline U.S. dairy exports from multiple suppliers to ensure more consolidated and attractive bookings;
 Working to increase rail availability in the interior of the United States to reach non-coastal exporters;
 Determining viability of implementing a “fast lane” concept for vessels agreeing to depart full or with fewer empty cargo containers;
 Defining agreed terms for exporters using empty containers currently languishing at U.S. ports; and
 Establishing guarantees to fix and surpass ghost bookings.
 
Today’s announcement comes after weeks of talks between IDFA, member company leadership, and selected ports and carriers in an attempt to develop market-led solutions to the supply chain challenges facing U.S. dairy exports. IDFA has also been advocating heavily with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the White House, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other agencies to raise awareness and ensure protection of America’s dairy industry. IDFA is committed to seeking innovative and collaborative solutions to supply chain difficulties hampering U.S. dairy exports, as determined by the IDFA Supply Chain Task Force led by IDFA Vice President of Trade Policy and International Affairs Becky Rasdall and Director of Legislative Affairs Donald Grady.