Animal Proteins – Focus for Branstad as China Ambassador

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Beef, Chicken, Export, Government, Livestock, Pork, Trade

The longest serving governor in the country will be drawing on his agricultural trade experience and 30 year friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China. During his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was asked by Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE) what he will do to get more … Read More

Dairy D.C. Fly-In Builds Support for Trade with Canada, Mexico

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Dairy, Government, National Milk, Trade, USDEC

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) organized U.S. dairy leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C., this week to urge Congress and Trump Administration officials to hold Canada accountable for its trade violations and hasten the repeal of Canada’s controversial new dairy pricing system. More than 40 farmers and dairy company executives … Read More

Pork’s 6 Year Growth Is the Fastest in Foodservice

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Food, Pork, Pork Checkoff, Swine

The National Pork Board has released a report on the fastest-growing protein…pork. According to Technomic, Inc.’s 2017 Volumetric Assessment of Pork in Foodservice, over the past six years, pork use has grown on a pound basis by more than double chicken, which is the next fastest growing protein. Pork use increased by 1.145 billion pounds, while chicken use grew by … Read More

NCBA, PLC Accepting Fall Law Clerk Applications

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Beef, NCBA, Public Lands Council

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council’s (PLC) government affairs office in Washington, D.C., has extended the law clerk application deadline for the 2017 fall semester. The new deadline to submit an application for the position is June 1, 2017. The fall law clerk will provide support to both NCBA and PLC staff on matters ranging … Read More

Celebrate National Egg Month on May 5th

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Eggs, Food, Poultry

May is National Egg Month and Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. The American Egg Board says the average American eats 276 eggs a year. So why not add some eggs to your May 5th festivities. They suggest recipes like Mexican-Style Eggs-in-a-Nest for breakfast, Texas-Style Egg and Potato Skillet for lunch, Chorizo & Pepper Frittata for dinner and … Read More

Dairy Applauds USDA Sec’s Support of School Milk Options

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Cattle, Dairy, idfa, Milk, National Milk, Nutrition

The National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association thank Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for recognizing the important role school milk plays in ensuring school-aged children get the nutrition they need. Perdue visited Catoctin Elementary School in Leesburg, Va., to announce that the USDA will implement regulations to allow school districts to again offer low-fat (1%) flavored milk … Read More

U.S. Dairy Comments on USTR Report on Common Food Names

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Dairy, Food, Government, idfa, National Milk, USDEC

The U.S. dairy industry joined the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) in hailing a report on intellectual property issued by the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR) outlining the Trump Administration’s commitment to curtailing the damaging abuses of geographical indications (GIs). “Many countries protect legitimate GIs, including the United States,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director for CCFN, an international alliance … Read More

NAHMS Survey to Measure Antibiotic Use, Stewardship

Lizzy SchultzAg Group, Pork, Pork Checkoff, Research, Survey

USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will begin asking pig farmers who have at least 1,000 pigs and farm in any of the top 13 pork-producing states about their on-farm antimicrobial use and their related stewardship practices this spring. Those states include Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. The … Read More

FARM Program Releases Stockmanship Training Video

Lizzy SchultzAg Group, Animal Welfare, Beef, BQA, Dairy

The National Dairy FARM Program announced the release of a stockmanship training video through its partnership with the National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program. The 27-minute video, directed by Dr. Robert Hagevoort of New Mexico State and the U.S. Dairy Education & Training Consortium, is available on the FARM Program website and YouTube page in both English and Spanish. Topics … Read More

Tuna Feed Research Leads to Sustainable Tuna Farming

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Aquaculture, Feed, Fish, soybeans, sustainability

The Illinois Soybean Association checkoff program funded feed research by Dr. Alejandro Buentello of Ichthus Unlimited, LLC in the pursuit of finding sustainable tuna aquaculture. Various soy-based diets for use in tuna farming and ranching were tested and “Feeding Bluefin,” is a video summarizing the research project and its potential impact on protecting endangered wild tuna stocks. “The successful research … Read More