The latest report from USDA shows another drop in the hogs and pigs inventory from a year ago, but an increase from last quarter. As of September 1, there were 65.4 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 2 percent from September 2013, but up 6 percent from June 1, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published … Read More
NMPF Provides Tool for Farmers on Use of New Dairy Safety Net
The National Milk Producers Federation has posted a slide presentation on YouTube to help dairy farmers understand the new federal dairy safety net, known as the Margin Protection Program (MPP), as part of its ongoing effort to educate farmers about the new program. The 21-minute, 34-slide presentation walks the viewer through the details of the program, including who is eligible, … Read More
USDA Unveils Dairy Farm Risk Management Program
USDA has announced farmers can enroll in the new dairy Margin Protection Program starting September 1, 2014 and the agency has launched a new web tool to help producers with the program. Established under the 2014 Farm Bill, the voluntary program provides financial assistance to participating farmers when the difference between the price of milk and feed costs falls below … Read More
Biogas Opportunities Roadmap for Dairy Farms
The White House on Friday released a Biogas Opportunities Roadmap highlighting the economic and environmental benefits and potential for biogas systems in the U.S. According to the Roadmap, biogas systems offer a wide range of potential revenue streams, growing jobs and boosting economic development for communities, businesses and dairy farms. The systems work by recycling organic material — including cow … Read More
Programs to Benefit Sheep Producers of All Sizes
Two new programs will benefit sheep producers and the sheep industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced July 28. The new Sheep Production and Marketing Grant Program, part of the 2014 Farm Bill, will provide approximately $1.5 million in grant funds that can be used by sheep organizations to assist producers by strengthening the production … Read More
Poultry Inspectors Union Wants Review of USDA Plan
The American Federation of Government Employees is calling for public review and comment on a U.S Department of Agriculture plan to overhaul the poultry inspection system before the rule takes effect. USDA submitted a revised version of the rule seeking final approval to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on July 10, which reportedly contains changes to the original … Read More
Eggland's Best Celebrates 20 Billion Eggs
Eggland’s Best (EB) this week is celebrating the 20 billionth USDA-approved Eggland’s Best egg. “20 billion approved Eggland’s Best eggs speaks volumes about the brand’s focus on quality, which is something we highly value at the USDA,” says Anne Alonzo, Administrator for the Agricultural Marketing Service of the USDA. “At Eggland’s Best, we follow the motto ‘Better taste. Better nutrition. … Read More
USDA Approves VaxLiant Adjuvants for Vaccines
USDA has just approved six adjuvants from VaxLiant that can be added to vaccines to help improve the resulting immune response in cattle and swine. “What this means is that companies can bring new vaccines to market using a shorter timeline, since we already have conducted the research needed to confirm safety for these ENABL adjuvants,” says Steve Schram, VaxLiant … Read More
Researchers Study New Animal Deworming Agent
After two moderate doses of a bacteria-derived protein were fed to worm-infected swine in an experiment, all intestinal roundworm larvae in the swine were damaged or destroyed and the infection was nearly completely eliminated, according to U.S. Department of Agricultur (USDA) and University of California-San Diego scientists. The research team included microbiologist Joseph Urban and his colleagues at the USDA … Read More
Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Numbers
USDA’s quarterly hogs and pigs report out Friday revealed the lowest inventory of U.S. swine since 2007, at 62.1 million head – about five percent below last year. Also down five percent from a year ago were the market hog inventory at 56.3 million head, the March-May 2014 pig crop, at 27.4 million head, and the number of pigs per … Read More