DMI Sets Record Straight

EOSEMONT, Ill.In response to recent inaccurate media reports that Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) was created by USDA or is one of its agencies, DMI issued a statement reiterating it is a private, non-profit corporation created and run by America's dairy farmers who established it to unify national and local dairy promotion efforts.

DMI, which represents 56,000 dairy farm families, said recent efforts to misrepresent this program, and the federal government's role in administering the program, are an unfortunate and unacceptable assault on the hard work and dedication of America's dairy farmers.

DMI said its programs to promote dairy consumption in the U.S. are paid for completely by America's dairy farmers, and no taxpayer dollars are used for its domestic marketing efforts. USDA does not contribute money to promote dairy products in the United States, and dairy farmers actually pay USDA for all of the costs to oversee the promotion program.

USDA performs a congressionally mandated oversight role over the collection and disbursement of dairy farmer's funds, and to ensure that our programs are consistent with the law that set up the program.

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