To track the progress of the recommendations put forth by the PA Dairy Future Commission, the Commission has partnered with the Center to host this interactive dashboard. In the table below, the 54 recommendations are listed; full recommendations are accessible by clicking on their titles. Recommendations can be sorted by Timeline or by Implementation Leader(s)Progress Updates can be submitted by any industry stakeholder who has taken or knows of action taken in support of a recommendation. Please submit updates using the form under Submit Update. Updates will be reviewed and posted to this dashboard regularly to share progress. 

  • To read the full PA Dairy Future Commission report, click here.

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Percent of recommendations that have received action to-date.

52%
Recommendation
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TimelineImplementation LeaderProgress Updates
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1.1 Extend the Pennsylvania 17 Day Code for Fluid Milk1 YearPA Department of AgricultureUpdate 1: SB 1330 sponsored by Senators Vogel, Schwank and Ward was introduced in ...
1.2 Lower the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) Limit to 400,0001 YearState Regulatory Agencies and Legislature 
1.3 Encourage Pennsylvania Consumers to Choose Fresh Local Dairy Products1 YearState Legislature and Administration, Dairy IndustryUpdate 1: Using grant funds from the Pennsylvania Dairy Investment Program (PDIP), the ...
1.4 Continue Support for Center for Dairy Excellence1 YearState Legislature and AdministrationUpdate 1: The Ag Excellence line was fully funded in the 2020-2021 Commonwealth ...
1.5 Allow More Flexibility of On-Farm Disposal of Milk During Crisis1 YearState Departments of Agriculture and Environmental ProtectionUpdate 1: Emergency Land Application of Milk: Temporary Suspension implemented to June 1, 2020 Action ...
1.6 Exempt Milk Trucks from Weather Travel Bans1 YearPA Legislature and AdministrationUpdate 1: Senator Judy Ward and other Senators introduced Senate Bill 153 in January 2023 ...
1.7 Credit Farms for BMPs When Assessing Storm Water Fees1 YearState and Local Governments 
1.8 Connect Agriculture with Workforce Development Systems1 YearLocal and State Workforce Agencies and Organizations, PA Department of Agriculture, IndustryUpdate 1: PA Department of Agriculture (PDA) and Department of Labor and Industry (...
1.9 Increase Awareness of DCED Loan Guarantee Program1 YearPA Department of Community and Economic Development 
1.10 Enforce the Definition of Milk on Product Labels1 YearU.S. Food and Drug AdministrationUpdate 1: The DAIRY PRIDE Act has once again been introduced in both ...
1.11 Improve the School Milk Experience1 YearFederal Agencies, Dairy Processors and Marketers 
1.12 Encourage Regulatory Changes to FDA Product Standards of Identity1 YearState and Federal Leaders 
1.13 Support the Fill a Glass with Hope® Campaign to Provide Fresh Milk to Consumers in Need1 YearDairy IndustryUpdate 1: Fill a Glass with Hope® has now provided more than 21 million ...
1.14 Improve the Consumer Experience1 YearDairy IndustryUpdate 1: American Dairy Association North East’s retail programs were developed to ...
1.15 Support the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program or Equivalent1 YearDairy Industry and EducatorsUpdate 1: The Center for Dairy Excellence offered a Train the Trainer webinar ...
1.16 Encourage Broader Utilization of Risk Management Resources1 YearAg Lenders and Financial Industry, Dairy Support and Education EntitiesUpdate 1: The Center for Dairy Excellence continues to offer resources to encourage ...
1.17 Require Milk Contracts or Member Agreements1 YearCooperatives, Producers, Milk Buyers 
1.18 Support Dairy Checkoff Initiatives to Increase Dairy Innovation and Milk Utilization1 YearDairy IndustryUpdate 1: Dairy checkoff’s national foodservice partnerships with Domino’s, Taco Bell ...
1.19 Clarify Labeling Practices for Whole Milk1 YearProcessorsUpdate 1: Penn State Extension offered a three-part webinar series. The series, entitled ...
1.20 Continue Engagement with State and Federal Government Leaders1 YearIndividual Dairy Farmers, Processors and Support OrganizationsUpdate 1: Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers (PAMD) staff and members continue to ...
3.1 Reduce the Regulatory Burden for Agritourism3 YearsState LegislatureUpdate 1: Act 27 of 2021 provides liability protection for farmers that host agritourism events, ...
3.2 Reform State Income Tax Laws for More Consistency with Federal Tax Laws and Regulations3 YearsState Legislature 
3.3 Allow Branded Advertising Partnerships with MilkPEP Dairy Processor Check-Off Program3 yearsFederal Check-off Administrators, MilkPEP and Processors 
3.4 Promote Agritourism in Pennsylvania3 YearsPA Departments of Agriculture and Community and Economic DevelopmentUpdate 1: Pennsylvania Agritourism Activity Protection Act Act No. 27 of 2021, effective Aug. 29, 2021. Codifies ...
3.5 Increase Support for the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS)3 YearsState Legislature 
3.6 Study Existing Environmental, Zoning and Other Regulations that Impact Pennsylvania’s Ability to Attract Manufacturing and Processing Plants3 YearsState Legislature 
3.7 Student Loan Forgiveness Program for Individuals Returning to Production Agriculture or a Primarily Production-Agriculture Veterinary Practice3 YearsState Legislature 
3.8 Grow Existing On-Farm Internship and Establish Apprenticeship Programs Within Pennsylvania Dairy Industry3 YearsState Legislature and Administration, Dairy Industry 
3.9 Incentivize Investment in Pennsylvania Dairy Farms Through Tax Credits3 YearsState Legislature 
3.10 Provide Additional Funding for Farm Business Succession Facilitators and Farm Team Resources3 YearsState Legislature and Administration 
3.11 Enhance Access to New and Beginning Farmer Loan Programs3 YearsUSDA and PA Department of Community and Economic Development 
3.12 Incentivize Farmer Participation in Risk Management3 YearsState Legislature and Administration 
3.13 Provide Federal Year-Round Guest Worker Visa for Dairy Operations3 YearsCongressional Delegation, State Government Leaders, Industry Stakeholders 
3.14 Expand Dairy Exports Through Port of Philadelphia3 YearsState Department of Community and Economic Development, ProcessorsUpdate 1: PhilaPort and PA Department of Agriculture Bureau of Market Development have ...
3.15 Promote Pennsylvania Dairy Products in Expanding Global Markets3 YearsEconomic Development Agencies and Organizations 
3.16 Enhance Education and Messaging on Economic Impacts of Pennsylvania’s Agriculture Industries3 YearsState Agencies, Industry Stakeholders and Community OrganizationsUpdate 1: PA Department of Agriculture and Team Pennsylvania have initiated an update ...
3.17 Encourage Innovation in the Pennsylvania Dairy Industry3 YearsState Industry, Institution, and Government CoordinationUpdate 1: The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center was formed in 2021 to foster ...
3.18 Safeguard the Sustainability of the Pennsylvania First Industries Fund3 YearsState Legislature and Administration 
3.19 Streamline PA Act 167 / NPDES Storm Water Review Process3 YearsState and Local Government 
3.20 Repeal PA’s Prevailing Wage Requirements for Ag/Dairy Grants3 YearsState Legislature and Administration 
3.21 Enable the PA Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) to Develop an Additional Revenue Stream for Individual Pennsylvania Dairy Farms3 YearsState Legislature and Milk Marketing BoardUpdate on Recommendation 1: House Bill 1224 was passed unanimously by the Hour Agriculture ...
3.22 Enable the PA Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) to License Distributors Bringing Outof- State Milk Into Pennsylvania for Sale In-State3 YearsState Legislature and Milk Marketing BoardUpdate 1: Senators Vogel and Schwank co-sponsored Senate Bills 1260 and 1261 to permit the ...
3.23 Address Transparency Issues Surrounding the Distribution of the PA Over Order Premium3 YearsState Legislature and Milk Marketing BoardUpdate 1: A new regulation was introduced to require cooperatives to provide a ...
3.24 Recalculate Class I Differentials Within Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO)3 YearsState and Federal Legislators and Agriculture Departments 
3.25 Change Method in Which Make Allowances are Calculated3 YearsState Legislature and Department of Agriculture, Federal 
3.26 Support a Comprehensive Approach to Emergency Preparedness3 YearsDairy Farmers, Industry Stakeholder and Educators, State GovernmentUpdate 1: The National Dairy FARM Program, of the National Milk Producers Federation, ...
3.27 Expand Education and Workforce Development Within Production Agriculture3 YearsState Higher EducationUpdate 1: Several senior level dairy science courses at Penn State include whole ...
3.28 Support a More Robust Extension Dairy Foods Program3 YearsState Administration and Penn State UniversityUpdate 1: While the Penn State Extension Value-Added Dairy Foods team continues to ...
5.1 Provide State Assistance to Support a Farm Discovery Center5 YearsState Government, Dairy Industry Stakeholders and EducatorsUpdate 1: A steering committee has been leading the development of the Pennsylvania ...
5.2 Expand and Improve Broadband Infrastructure5 YearsLocal, State and Federal Agencies, and Private Sector 
5.3 Enact Clean and Green II: Property Tax Abatement for Investing in Farm Facilities/Improvements5 YearsState Agencies and Legislature 
5.4 Expand Pennsylvania’s Shelf-Stable Milk Processing Capacity5 YearsState Legislature and AgenciesUpdate 1: 2022 Act 108 (HB 1059) was passed into law creating establish a new Pennsylvania ...
5.5 Eliminate Bloc Voting in the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO)5 YearsState and Federal Legislatures and Departments of Agriculture 
5.6 Encourage Flexibility of Dairy Processing Facilities5 YearsDairy Processors, State AgenciesUpdate 1: The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC)’s goal is to ...
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