The conversation surrounding mass deportation has sparked widespread debate across various sectors of the American economy. Jenni Tilton-Flood, a dedicated Maine dairy farmer, passionately voices her opposition to such measures. In her words, “This isn’t just about my family farm and our farm businesses across the US. This is about economic stability, food security, which is national security, and it is about the future of America.”...

A report from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) reveals that immigrant workers account for 51% of all dairy labor. Moreover, dairies that employ immigrant laborers produce a staggering 79% of the U.S. milk supply. Dr. Robert Hagevoort of New Mexico State University, speaking at the Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) Annual Meetings last week in Arlington, Texas, says he believes the true percentage may be even higher, as the NMPF report goes back to 2015...

Family dairy farms like Tilton-Flood’s rely on workers from within the U.S. and abroad to ensure they can provide for consumers worldwide. Tilton-Flood shares that she is eager to collaborate with the new administration to enhance national security through the work of farmers. This involves producing sustainable nutrition and ensuring the protection and growth of their diverse workforce, comprised of both newer and long-standing contributors.

NMPF advocates for agricultural labor reform to grant permanent legal status to current workers and their families, while also providing dairy farmers access to a viable guest worker program...

If the U.S. dairy industry were to lose its foreign-born workforce, Tilton-Flood warns it would likely result in a doubling of retail milk prices and inflict economic losses exceeding $32 billion on the U.S. economy as a whole...