The daughter of peanut farmers from Georgia, Krysta Harden shows a true passion for dairy. As the president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), she champions the work of U.S. dairy farmers and the high-quality, high-value products produced from their efforts. Progressive Dairy Managing Editor Karen Lee met with Harden to discuss how USDEC strategically meets global consumer demand for dairy and opens new opportunities for U.S. dairy products and ingredients, placing not only volume but also value in the world’s marketplace.

Four national dairy leaders were featured at the Global Dairy Summit, held by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) on the expo grounds. The panel presentation covered the topics of global dairy product prospects, domestic dairy production and manufacturing trends, consumer dairy product purchasing patterns, and the future of dairy ingredients.

At a 2024 World Dairy Expo breakfast event, Rabobank’s global dairy analysts provided an overview of the major dairy regions across the world in terms of their milk production capabilities and trade outlook.

On Friday, Oct. 4, current Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack returned to World Dairy Expo to say he accepted that challenge to develop strategies that help small and midsized operations continue to be in business.