Ambassador Ron Kirk, a former US Trade Representative, told IDFA President Connie Tipton he believes agriculture and dairy exports offer a way for the US to regain its fiscal prosperity. He points to the world's 3.5 billion people, many of whom do not live in a country like the US that can meet their nutrition demands, especially for protein.

“Embracing competition, embracing the opportunity to go compete for these new consumers that are coming of age in markets around the world is a great way for us to sustain our way of life and to grow our economy,” says Kirk. “Our domestic industry, for the most part, has historically dominated the North American market, and exports have been a new trend for us.  That can be a real growth opportunity for the dairy industry.”