Leading U.S. dairy associations jointly urged Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to use all tools at his disposal to “ensure high-quality, nutritious U.S. dairy products are made available to our international neighbors in need.”

All across America, there are young people making big differences in their communities, proving that you don’t have to be grown-up to step up.

Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), released a statement on May 14 on the Recourse Loan Program for Commercial Processors of Dairy Products in the HEROES Act legislation.

Good Shepherd Food Bank, Pineland Farms Dairy Company Inc., Libra Foundation and Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) will distribute thousands of pounds of cheese to food-insecure Mainers through Maine’s emergency food distribution network, Bangor, Maine-based Pineland Farms Dairy said.

On May 12, Reps. Glenn “GT” Thompson (Pa.-15) and Dwight Evans (Pa.-03) introduced the “Assistance and Gratitude for Coronavirus Heroes in Agribusiness who are Invaluable to the Nation,” or the AG CHAIN Act.

As communities throughout the world look for ways to minimize the risk of COVID-19, maintaining and boosting good health is top of mind for many.

On May 8, USDA said it approved $1.2 billion in contracts to support American producers and communities in need through the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Lifeway Foods, a Morton Grove, Ill.-based supplier of kefir fermented dairy and probiotic plant-based products to support the microbiome, said it is slated to air a new commercial celebrating those who have worked tirelessly the last eight weeks to help keep America moving forward.