Edge Board member Christina Zuiderveen spoke on behalf of the cooperative’s members, stressing that the industry’s need for an overhaul of the agricultural visa system has been raised for decades, only to be constantly stalled by political polarization. Zuiderveen powerfully reframed the debate, asserting that dairy’s need for immigration reform is not merely a political or partisan issue; it is fundamentally a food security issue that must ultimately be recognized as a national security issue for the United States.

Highlighting the structural challenges facing the sector, Brian Rexing, an Indiana dairy farmer and leader for Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), pointed to the critical, persistent, and deepening labor shortage. Rexing detailed the historical shift in U.S. agriculture: a century ago, nearly one-third of Americans lived on farms, providing abundant labor. Today, less than 2% of the population operates farms, forcing the food system into a heavy reliance on foreign labor to manage the many responsibilities inherent to modern farm operations.

For Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, workforce and immigration reform stands as a top policy priority. Chief Policy Officer Karen Gefvert noted that the increased national attention on border security has inadvertently raised awareness of the deeply flawed immigration system currently affecting the agribusiness sector. Gefvert stated that dairy farmers are in a “dire situation” and confirmed the cooperative is actively engaging with Congressional leaders to present solutions and “offer a pathway forward to solve this situation.”