While it is typically obvious when a team wins, loses or ties (although ties are a rarity in sports these days), in the commodity export world, a win depends on how you define it. 

Tony Rice, trade policy manager for the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), joins us for Episode 27 of the “Let’s Talk Dairy” podcast, where he discusses supply chain challenges. 

In other international news, the second edition of the trade show Gulfood Manufacturing 2015 runs from Oct. 27 to 29 at Dubai World Trade Center.

Daxue Consulting offers some advice to Western dairy processors about exporting dairy products, especially yogurt, to China.

Nestlé Mexico plans to invest about $53 million to increase milk production in Mexico. Arla takes an ownership position in Brazil’s Vigor.

June 1 was World Milk Day and in the United States, the entire month is Dairy Month. Demand for milk is great. But, as the author writes, U.S. producers should treat export markets with caution and use the profit boost as fuel for innovation here at home.  

Chobani is exporting Greek yogurt to Singapore, Malaysia and Panama. The New Berlin, N.Y.-based dairy processor also has a plant in Idaho and currently sells in Australia, where it has a third manufacturing facility. 

California Dairies Inc. (CDI), Visalia, Calif., the state's largest dairy processing cooperative, announced on Feb. 28 that it will increase its processing capacity with the addition of a third evaporator at its Visalia plant. 

Global dairy markets are cyclical, so as conditions turn next year, it may be more challenging for U.S. suppliers to defend the share they gained in 2013. USDEC's Alan Levitt identifies five things to keep an eye on that could shape the market outlook.

Dairy Foods has selected Agri-Mark Inc., a dairy cooperative based in Lawrence, Mass., the 2013 Exporter of the Year. The magazine will present the Tom Camerlo Exporter of the Year award to the company at the annual meeting of the U.S. Dairy Export Council in Chicago in October.