On September 17, 2026, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will end mandatory farmer funding of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments in dairy checkoff funds. These funds are regulated under the Dairy Production Stabilization Act, and are authorized for promotion, research, and nutrition education that strengthen markets for U.S. dairy.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, established through the checkoff, has previously pursued various ESG initiatives including greenhouse gas and net-zero targets. USDA's announcement will end contribution to ESG related programs. Additionally, the action directs the Agricultural Marketing Service to ensure no research and promotion funds in other commodity checkoffs advance ESG mandates.