The United States Department of Agriculture is being urged to withdraw from the Pathways to Dairy Net Zero initiative.

The Pathways to Dairy Net Zero initiative, launched with the support of former Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in September 2021, currently remains on the list of projects officially participated in by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In their letter to agency head Brooke Rollins, representatives from the organizations Consumers Defense and Heartland Impact expressed concern that this program could lead to increased costs for farmers, market consolidation, and higher dairy prices for consumers.

The authors of the appeal insist on the disclosure of information regarding the department's participation in this initiative, including data on funding, staffing, grants, and technical assistance. They characterize Pathways to Dairy Net Zero as a form of private regulation, noting the risk that voluntary emissions reduction commitments could eventually become mandatory requirements in loan agreements, processor contracts, and supply chains.

The report they prepared, "The War on Dairy: Foreign Influence Undermining the U.S. Dairy Sector," points out that monitoring, auditing, and reporting create fixed costs that are easier for large agricultural enterprises to cover than for small and medium-sized farms. According to the authors, this creates a threat of pushing independent producers out of the market. Furthermore, the document questions the economic viability of the program: according to the analysis provided, the complete elimination of emissions in the American dairy sector would reduce global emissions by only a few tenths of a percent.

The Pathways to Dairy Net Zero program is focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including methane, through ration optimization, manure management, and increased production efficiency. In addition to the USDA, participants or supporters of this initiative include a number of major corporations and industry organizations, such as Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Cargill, Dairy Farmers of America, and others.

The letter to Brooke Rollins emphasizes that the Secretary has previously criticized climate strategies that could harm the dairy sector. Under her leadership, the USDA has already taken a number of measures, including the cancellation of the "Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities" program and the cessation of state support for solar projects on productive agricultural land.