“It was a tremendous honor to be selected. I think it’s once in a lifetime,” David Scheevel said. On January 29, Scheevel had the opportunity to be a part of the signing of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA in Washington, DC. He is optimistic about the agreement and what it means for the farming industry. “I see benefits for not just dairy farmers, but all farmers, so I was proud to be a representative,” he explained.
As a sixth generation dairy farmer, Scheevel has been active in the dairy industry his whole life. In addition to milking a herd of 130 cows, he serves as the board chairman for Foremost Farms and also sits on the board of the National Milk Producers Federation, or NMPF. His grandfather was on the Preston Creamery Co-op Board from the 1940s through the mid-1960s and his dad and uncles also served on various dairy related boards. “It was something I saw growing up,” Scheevel said. “I just believed in getting involved.” He was first elected to the Foremost board of directors in 1997 and has been the chairman since 2008. That year, he also joined the National Milk Producers Federation. “I’m doing the best I can to make a difference,” he said. He travels to Washington, DC. twice a year for national dairy meetings and plays a part in formulating dairy policies.
It was his position on the National Milk Producers Federation that gave Scheevel the opportunity to visit the White House and be present when President Trump signed the USMCA. The Trump administration invited four members of the NMPF to the signing which included the National Milk Executive Director, Scheevel, and two other dairy farmers. Once they got through security at the White House, Scheevel was one of those chosen to stand behind the president while he made his speech. “I was kind of in awe,” he said. He got to see the president and vice-president walk out and also got to shake Vice President Pence’s hand.
The USMCA will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA and will re-instate Mexico as an export for dairy products as well as increasing access to the Canadian market. “Mexico was our largest export, and we got that back,” Scheevel explained. “Canada had a policy to dump skim milk products in the market, which was hard on American dairy farms.” The agreement won’t change things right away, but Scheevel believes that within a couple of months, it should start to take effect. “The advantages are going to take some time to show,” he said.
Scheevel is optimistic about the future of dairy farming especially with the USMCA. “I don’t think the dairy industry is dying, but it is changing,” Scheevel said. “We’re dealing with competition with synthetic milks. We’ve been through a few years of pretty low prices.” He doesn’t see the challenges that the dairy industry is facing as being unique though. “All food producers have to deal with and adapt to changing food preferences and diets,” he explained.
“I went into farming so I could be my own boss and affect my own destiny,” Scheevel commented. “I never dreamed I would get to the position I’m in now. It’s been my whole career, my whole life. Between the farming and the board work, I think it’s been pretty good to me.” He’s unsure what the future holds for his own dairy farm as he’s nearing retirement age, but he is confident that, despite the setbacks and challenges it has recently faced, the dairy industry will adapt, overcome, and survive.
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