American troops in Iraq are getting an unusual Christmas present – extended shelf-life milk from America with their cookies. Currently, troops drink reconstituted milk purchased from foreign suppliers. Starting Dec. 14, the military will begin an unusual taste test to let the troops decide which they like better: the powdered milk purchased from a Middle Eastern firm or the extended … Read More
Select Sires Recieves USDA Grant for Sexed Semen
Select Sires earned a $300,000 Rural Business Cooperative Value Added Producer Grant from USDA this month, supporting Select’s efforts in commercializing Gender SELECTed sexed semen. Select will match the grant dollar for dollar in marketing and educational efforts promoting the product, highlighting the pros and cons of using sexed semen in production.
Dairy Producers to be Surveyed
Dairy Producers will soon have the chance to help determine how management practices affect the health of their animals. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be conducting a survey of dairy producers throughout January to determine the relationship between dairy management practices and health attributes of milk cows. The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Dairy 2007 project will … Read More
Wisconsin Representative Honored
The Dairy Business Association of Wisconsin has awarded Assembly Representative Samatha Kerkman the ‘Friend of the Wisconsin Dairy Industry’ award. It’s great to see our leaders getting honored for supporting the dairy industry! The Randall Republican was selected for the honor for her continual support of the industry and her 100-percent support of the issues that matter most to the … Read More
USDA Releases New Report on the Dairy Industry
Hat tip to AgriMarketing for this report from the Economic Research Service:
Current dynamics in world dairy markets and the potential for global and domestic trade policy reform are bringing the U.S. dairy sector to a new crossroads as it faces competitive forces from outside its borders.
December USDA Hearing on MMO Pricing Formulas
The National Milk Producers Federation says that USDA will hold a hearing in December at its request to consider new pricing formulas for Class I and II milk.
New Law will Protect Researchers
Animal rights advocates who threaten scientists conducting animal research or companies funding or affiliated with it could be fined and imprisoned under a proposed bill. Current federal law makes it illegal for activists to damage animal research organizations, farms, zoos, pet stores and other similar operations. The legislation extends those prohibitions to interfering with third-party organizations such as insurance companies, … Read More
Voting Cats and Dogs
According to this recent story in the Wall Street Journal, the Humane Society of the United States is now using it’s “paws” to elect candidates to Congress who support its animal-welfare agenda. This movement is something that everyone in the agricultural industry should be aware of – the Humane Society isn’t choosing one party over another, rather endorsing the candidate … Read More
Johanns at NMPF
As promised, here are the comments of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to the National Milk Producers Federation 90th annual meeting in Las Vegas last week. Just came out today from the USDA – link to remarks. Johanns concentrated much of his remarks on trade and the 2007 farm bill, highlighting his upbringing on a Nebraska dairy farm. Regarding some of … Read More
FSA Dairy Disaster Sign-Up
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), today announced that sign-up begins Nov. 1, 2006, for the $17 million 2005 Dairy Disaster Assistance Payment Program (DDAP-II), which will help dairy producers recover from 2005 hurricane losses. Eligible DDAP-II counties are those declared a natural disaster by Secretary Johanns or designated a major disaster or emergency by President Bush for 2005 calendar year … Read More