It’s been quite a volatile year in the ag sector, especially for dairy producers in many areas hit hard by the drought and subsequent price spikes for feed. To get a handle on what happened and how it affected production (and thus, those depending on row crops), the USDA will soon send out its end-of-year surveys. Cindy caught up with … Read More
Milking Parlor: Vilsack Talks Farm Bill, Regs at WDE
It’s regulations and legislation on the minds of dairy farmers. Producers are worried about whether they will be able to get a waiver from the federal Food and Drug Administration for corn hit by aflatoxin because of the drought, as well the lack of a new farm bill, which means the loss of the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program, … Read More
Nominations for Milk Board Sought
Nominations for the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board are being sought by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint seven individuals from those nominated to succeed members whose terms expire June 30, 2013. Appointed members will serve three-year terms from July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2016. USDA will accept nominations for board representation in … Read More
National Dairy Board Appointees Announced
Congratulations to the five new appointees to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board! All appointees’ terms will begin Nov. 1 and end Oct. 31, 2015. Newly appointed members are: Lawrence A. Hancock, Texas; Lanette M. Harsdorf, Wis.; Edward J. Jasurda, Wis.; David Veenhouwer, Idaho; and Marilyn K. Hershey, Pa. Reappointed to serve second terms were: George Marsh, Ore.; Ray … Read More
Listen to Secretary of Ag Vilsack at World Dairy Expo
We had a great town hall meeting today with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. He spent an hour and a half taking questions after making some opening remarks. I’ve uploaded the whole session for your listening pleasure. He really hammered Congress for not passing a farm/food/jobs bill and addressed a number of other topics as the audience asked questions. … Read More
Dairy Co-ops Top Income in 2011
October is National Cooperative Month and 2012 is the the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives, so it is extra special to celebrate record farm cooperative income in 2011 and dairy co-ops did very well indeed. USDA released the latest statistics today, showing that farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives posted record sales of $213 billion and $5.4 billion in net … Read More
Sec. of Ag Vilsack Visit
World Dairy Expo has a special visitor today. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack is holding an open town hall meeting. Here he is being welcomed by Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Ben Brancel. I’ll post audio from the session here on World Dairy Diary as soon as I can after the meeting is over. It is an hour and a … Read More
Milking Parlor: No Farm Bill Puts Dairy WAY Back
Congress left town with a little unfinished business… in this case, without passing a new farm bill! The old one expired at the end of September, and for dairy, that means the expiration of the Milk Income Loss Contract … or MILC … Program. And that means that program reverts back to the original 1949 policy. In this edition of … Read More
Fuel Prices Are Impacting Farms and Businesses
Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Have high fuel prices had an impact on your farm/business?” Our poll results: Sixty-four percent said Yes, big impact on our budget; fourteen percent said Yes, minimal impact on our budget; twelve percent said No, not yet; and ten percent said No, don’t expect any. Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the … Read More