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“Dairy producers throughout the country are feeling the consequences of port congestion as delays in loading U.S. dairy exports onto carriers creates a chilling effect on farm-gate milk prices,” said Jim Mulhern, National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO. “We thank Chairman Carbajal and Ranking Member Gibbs for holding a hearing today to identify what enforcement authority the FMC requires to resolve this crisis and ensure American dairy exports can continue unimpeded.”
Specifically, USDEC and NMPF believe the FMC should require ocean carriers to certify that they are complying with the agency’s guidelines. Additionally, the organization urge Congress to allocate sufficient resources to the FMC to ensure complaints of carrier malpractice are prioritized and investigations are expedited to prevent shipping carriers from engaging in unfair trade practices.