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
Letter to Congress to Pass Farm Bill
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) joined more than 230 other farm, agriculture and food groups in urging Congress to pass a new, five-year farm bill in the upcoming lame duck congressional session expected to begin this week. The letter, which was directed at the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives, noted that there is still ample … Read More
Farmer Poll Favors Romney
A poll for election day shows a significant majority of farmers say they are voting Romney over Obama for president, and most blame Democrats for failure to pass a new farm bill. The Agri-Pulse Farm and Rural Poll released today found that 78 percent of farmers polled are voting for Mitt Romney in the presidential election. On November 1, 2012, … Read More
Farm Foundation to Hold Post-Election Forum
While all elections are important, this year’s promises to have some real implications for rural America. That’s why Farm Foundation is holding a forum about a week after the polls close, and we know WHO is in office to explain WHAT they might do as as far as agriculture, food and rural policy, including what it all might mean for … 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
Wisconsin Ag Secretary Brancel Enthusiastic Agvocate
On opening day we had two secretaries of agriculture at World Dairy Expo. Yesterday the focus was on U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. He was introduced by Wisconsin’s Secretary of Agriculture, Ben Brancel. Today, let’s hear from him. I actually ran into Secretary Brancel in the exhibit hall and was able to visit with him. He was just great … 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
No Farm Bill Means MILC Will Expire
No new farm bill means dairy producers will be left holding an empty bucket at the end of this month. “With expiration of the farm bill, dairy farmers will lose what little safety net they have,” said Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) who led a failed attempt last week have the House consider the Senate-passed farm bill prior to adjourning until … Read More
Dairy State Lawmakers Seek MILC Extension
House and Senate members from dairy states are seeking a temporary fix for the dairy safety net until the new dairy program that is included in both the Senate and House farm bill versions can become law. Both bills would end the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and replace it with a new insurance program for dairy farmers and … Read More
Milk Producers, Farm Groups & Reps Rally for Farm Bill
Members of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), one of the founding groups of the Farm Bill Now coalition, were among the hundreds of farmers and lawmakers on Capitol Hill today urging Congress to pass a new farm bill before current one expires in less than three weeks. One of them was NMPF First Vice Chairman Ken Nobis, a dairy … Read More