March is a great month for so many reasons – we move our clocks forward resulting in an extra hour of sunlight and the anticipation of the coming summer months. It’s also the month we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, National Panda Day and the Spring Equinox. While all of this is true, March has a different meaning to the billions of women around the world. 

Recent developments in the United States and in various countries around the world have brought trade and human rights issues further into the spotlight.  Below, we explore actions by US Customs & Border Protection (CBP), the Trump and Biden Administrations, U.S. Congress, as well as summarize initiatives to combat forced labor around the globe.

​The dairy sector is one of the most protected and regulated agricultural sectors.  Many countries subsidize their dairy production, impose high tariffs and quota restrictions on imported dairy products, or establish rigorous non-tariff barriers to protect their dairy sector or safeguard domestic food safety. According to UN Comtrade data, in 2019, the United States exported $5B worth of dairy products to countries around the world, making the United States the fifth largest dairy exporter in the world, following New Zealand, Netherlands, Germany, and France.