IDFA Names Adam Tarr Vice President of Legislative Affairs

IDFA Names Adam Tarr Vice President of Legislative Affairs

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2026- The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today announced that Adam Tarr has been named Vice President of Legislative Affairs, effective March 9. Tarr brings 20 years of federal policy experience spanning Capitol Hill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and government affairs consulting with deep expertise in agriculture, climate, conservation, and food policy. He will report to Chelsie Keys, IDFA's senior vice president of government affairs, and partner with Rob Rosado, vice president of legislative affairs, to advance IDFA's strategic advocacy priorities with Congress and the Administration.

"Adam's extensive experience in food and agriculture policy and his strong relationships across Congress and USDA make him an exceptional addition to the IDFA team," said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. "From Farm Bill negotiations to sustainability initiatives, Adam understands how to translate complex policy into practical outcomes for America's dairy industry. His leadership will be instrumental as we advance IDFA's priorities on Capitol Hill and across the federal government."

Tarr joins IDFA from Invariant, where he advised clients across a range of food, agriculture, and environmental policy issues, counseling businesses and organizations on the development and implementation of major legislative and regulatory initiatives, including the Farm Bill and conservation incentive programs. Prior to Invariant, Tarr served as a senior professional staff member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, where he focused on climate and conservation policy. In that role, he helped craft the climate-smart agriculture provisions of the legislation that became the Inflation Reduction Act and directed oversight of USDA's implementation of the Farm Bill conservation title.

Earlier in his career, Tarr held multiple roles at USDA during the Obama Administration, including Chief of Staff in the Office for Food Safety and Senior Advisor to Secretary Tom Vilsack on climate change. He also handled agriculture, environment, energy, and appropriations issues for Senator Bob Casey and former Senator Arlen Specter. Tarr is a graduate of Penn State University.

"I am honored to join IDFA and represent an industry that plays such a vital role in nourishing families across America and around the world," said Tarr. "I look forward to working with IDFA's members and congressional leaders to advance policies that promote innovation, sustainability, and economic opportunity across the dairy supply chain."

Find Tarr's downloadable headshot here.

IDFA is recruiting for a Director to join the IDFA government affairs team. Find the position description here.

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Contact: [email protected]

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3 million jobs that generate $198 billion in direct wages and $779 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA's diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.