Dairy Industry Invests Billions in Infrastructure, but Labor Issues Loom

FD-TV’s own Tammi Arender caught up with Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS (RFD-TV) — Labor shortages continue to weigh heavily on America’s dairy producers. It is a major topic of discussion at this week’s dairy industry convention in Arlington, Texas. RFD-TV’s own Tammi Arender caught up with Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.

According to Doud, dairy’s labor crisis is not just a staffing issue — but rather one that threatens the entire supply chain. He said $11 billion will be invested in the U.S. dairy industry nationwide through new plants and expansions of existing plants.

When it comes to connecting with consumers, the dairy industry is blending the physical with the digital. Dairy Management Inc. President and CEO Barb O’Brien said this new approach is helping farmers and brands bridge the gap between online engagement and the purchase point.

O’Brien was one of the featured speakers at this week’s National Milk Producers Convention in Arlington, Texas.

Related Stories
American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland shares the soybean sector outlook following the announcement of farm aid to offset losses for U.S. row crop growers.
Stable U.S. fundamentals continue for major crops, but global adjustments in corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton may influence early-2026 pricing.
Sen. Moran joins us to discuss the farm aid package and the financial reality faced by row crop farmers in his home state of Kansas.
Tariff relief and new trade agreements may temper food costs by reducing import costs.
Lawmakers and experts react to the Administration’s long-awaited announcement of “bridge” aid to stabilize farms and offset 2025 losses until expanded safety-net programs begin in 2026.
Lewie Pugh with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) discusses the gap in truck driver education programs and how it impacts road safety and supply chain economics.

Tammi was raised on a cotton and soybean farm in Tallulah, Louisiana. In 1981, she became a TV news anchor and reporter at KNOE-TV in Monroe, Louisiana. She is also an anchor/reporter for RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 on Sirius XM at their Nashville news studio, where Tammi currently resides.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Wilder Blue Ranch in Louisiana brings rare Clydesdale horses to the South, offering visitors a unique farm experience and hands-on ag education.
A late-season freeze in northeast Louisiana has forced farmers to replant thousands of corn acres, adding costs, straining seed supplies, and raising concerns about shifting to soybeans.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Tammi Arender takes us to Produce Ridge, where we meet Louisiana farmer Charles Holley as he continues a family legacy over 100 years old, and teaches his grandchildren the value of working the land.
With deep agricultural ties, Dr. Carrie Castille, a South Louisiana native, aims to support ULM student success and connect rural communities.
The West Carroll Parish Ag Expo represents more than farming — it is about the future of agriculture, where tradition meets innovation, and where the backbone of Northeast Louisiana continues to thrive.
The Dairy Checkoff’s new approach to consumer marketing helps farmers bridge the gap between physical vs. digital touchpoints and deliver more end sales.