Federal inaction on immigration policy threatens the American dairy supply chain, from farms to factories, demanding urgent reform.
The U.S. dairy industry is facing a critical challenge due to a broken immigration system, which is creating instability across the entire supply chain. For decades, dairy processors and producers have called on Congress to establish a year-round agricultural visa, but a lack of political action has left the industry vulnerable. Recent federal enforcement actions, including raids on farms and processing plants, have heightened stress and confusion among the immigrant workforce, even as these skilled workers are vital to the nation’s food security and local economies.
The reliance on a stable immigrant workforce became starkly clear at a cheese factory in Monroe, Wisconsin. After new owners, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), began implementing the federal E-Verify program, a significant number of immigrant workers left the facility. This event underscored a message already put forth by DFA’s CEO, Dennis Rodenbaugh, in a prominent open letter: the dairy industry cannot be subject to political gamesmanship. Dairy farming requires year-round, skilled labor, a need that the existing, seasonal H-2A visa program simply cannot meet.
This labor challenge extends beyond the farm and into the processing sector. Like their farm partners, manufacturers of cheese, butter, and yogurt need a consistent, year-round workforce. The current visa program, designed for temporary harvesting jobs, is ill-equipped to support the round-the-clock demands of dairy processing. Rodenbaugh’s call for a policy that offers long-term workers with good conduct records the chance to secure valid work authorization resonates deeply with the entire dairy sector.
The need for a robust workforce is especially critical given the significant growth in U.S. dairy production. Members of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) have invested over $10 billion in new processing facilities in just three years. This investment is fueled by record-level domestic cheese consumption and increasing exports, highlighting a burgeoning industry that is being held back by a declining rural workforce and outdated immigration policy.
To address these issues, the WCMA has laid out a clear policy platform for Congress. Their proposals include expanding the agricultural guestworker visa program to include dairy processing and supply chain jobs, eliminating “touchback” requirements, providing legal status for family members, and extending visa terms. These reforms are not just about labor; they are about assuring national food security, strengthening rural communities, and sustaining the growth of U.S. dairy production.
Source: Cheese Reporter: https://cheesereporter.com/news/2025/08/29/dairy-needs-immigration-reform-now/
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