The WIC (Women, Infants and Children) food program covered by the U.S. government, has received its first major overhaul in more than 30 years. The program provides food vouchers to low-income women and their children. The changes include the addition of fruits, vegetables and whole grains to the list of foods the vouchers cover.The amount of milk covered by WIC … Read More
Sign-Up for Dairy Disaster Relief
Eligible dairy producers throughout the country can now sign-up for the Dairy Disaster Aid Program (DDAP – III) at their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) service centers. Approved back in May, the DDAP – III will offer $16 million in federal aid to dairy producers who suffered production losses due to natural disasters between January 1, 2005, and February … Read More
Wis. Dairy Investment Tax Good News
The Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives (WFC) has announced continuing good news about the Wisconsin Dairy Farm Investment Tax Credit (DITC), which WFC was instrumental in drafting and advancing successfully through the 2003-2004 legislative session. The credit equals up to 10-percent of the amount a producer spends on dairy farm modernization or expansion. The Department of Revenue has just completed a … Read More
Have You Commented Yet?
Urged by several special interest groups, including Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and the Organic Consumers Association, more than 65 consumer, farm and agricultural, public health, animal protection and environmental organizations, food processors, retailers and dairy farmers today wrote to Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell to protest the recent Pennsylvania Department … Read More
USDA Seeks Producer Comments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that dairy producers and the public have until Dec. 26, 2007, to comment on a proposed rule concerning the new Dairy Disaster Assistance Program III (DDAP-III). USDA published the proposed rule in the Federal Register today. The proposal sets forth rules governing how this program will be administered. Comments may be made on … Read More
Speak Up!
Here’s a chance for you as a dairy farmer to make sure your opinion is heard. Terry Etherton, dairy and animal science department head at Penn State University, is encouraging producers to make sure their governor and state leaders know how they feel about false or misleading milk labels. Pennsylvania’s effort to rid milk labels of false or misleading claims … Read More
Soda Makers to Support Legislation
The main trade group representing Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc., and other beverage makers has agreed to support proposed legislation that would establish the first update to federal standards in about three decades on the sale of drinks and snacks in the nation’s schools. Under the proposed legislation, sales of sports drinks would be limited to athletic areas in high schools. … Read More
Rutter's Dairy to Protest
Rutter’s Dairy, based in York, Pa., will be meeting at the Pennsylvania state capitol tomorrow morning to protest a recent letter from Pa. Agricultural Secretary Dennis Wolff. The letter informed the dairy that they would have to stop using labels on their milk that could mis-lead consumers. Rutter’s Dairy, sister company of the Rutter’s Farm Stores convenience store chain, wants … Read More
NAIS Exemption Under Fire
The Farm Bill debate continues in the Senate, and now government watchdog groups are questioning exempting National Animal Identification from the Freedom of Information Act (FIOA). The Society of Professional Journalists, the American Civil Liberties Union and others say an attempt to ban the disclosure of information from a national animal tracking system could exempt some Agriculture Department documents from … Read More
Ohio Department May Follow Pa. Lead
The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) held a forum yesterday to hear comments on milk and dairy product labeling from farmers and consumers. ODA Director Robert Boggs will consider Tuesday’s comments in deciding how the department will address such labels. The meeting, which drew 75 people, was called after the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) last month sent warning letters … Read More