A Vermont dairy farm that turns cow manure into electricity held an open house Friday to spotlight “Cow Power.” Among those who visited Chaput Family Farms in North Troy was a team of USDA officials. The project was funded with assistance from USDA. “Anaerobic digesters like the one here at Chaput Family Farms will benefit our environment as well as … Read More
More Dairy Advisory Meetings Scheduled
USDA officials have announced the third and fourth meetings of the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee to be held at USDA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss farm milk price volatility and dairy farmer profitability, and to review various industry proposals and analysis, allowing comments from the public. The meetings are scheduled for Sept. 23 … Read More
Milk Production and Herd Size Expanding
U.S. dairy operators are expanding herds again and that will mean more production next year. The latest USDA milk report shows July output 3% ahead of July a year ago, at 15.3 billion pounds. Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 1,830 pounds for July, 59 pounds above July 2009. The total herd size is still smaller than … Read More
NMPF Gets Funding for Producer Education from NRCS
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has awarded the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) matching funds of $25,000 to inform and educate producers about revised regulations for oil storage and pending regulations for milk storage containers. The funding will be used to help dairy producers understand the Environmental Protection Agency’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulation, including development of … Read More
Milking Parlor: USDA & DOJ Work on Price Concerns
The Milking Parlor podcast is sponsored by: No new news to dairy producers across the country: the industry is being hit hard by historically low prices. In this edition of the Milking Parlor, we listen in to part of the news conference Secretary of Ag Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General Christine Varney held during a recent joint USDA-Department of … Read More
USDA and DOJ Announce Dairy Workshop Details
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice today announced additional details regarding the June 25 public workshop in Madison, Wis., to examine competition and regulatory issues in the dairy industry. The workshop will be held in the Union Theater at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. This is the third in a series of five joint public … Read More
Dairy Advisory Committee Meets at USDA
The first meeting of the new Dairy Industry Advisory Committee started Tuesday at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. and heard strong words from Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “At some point in time, this industry has got to get control of itself,” Vilsack said. “”We can’t continue to do this bandage approach where we buy a little bit or we … Read More
USDA Appoints Dairy Board Members
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the appointment of 12 members to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. All appointees will serve 3-year terms beginning immediately. Newly appointed to the board are: George E. Marsh, Oregon (Region 1); Ray S. Prock, California (Region 2); Arlene J. Vander Eyk, California (Region 2); Brian W. Esplin, Idaho (Region 3); Neil A. … Read More
Milking Parlor Podcast: New Rules for Organic Pastures
The USDA has issued the final rule on organic access to pasture. This rule amends the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to clarify the use of pasture in raising organic ruminants. USDA officials say the final rule provides certainty to consumers that organic livestock production is a pasture based system in which animals are actively grazing pasture during the grazing … Read More
USDA Ends National Animal ID System
USDA is abandoning the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and changing strategy to a state-based system. “After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a … Read More