Posted: January 19, 2012 at 7:18 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
USDA World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Gerry Bange expects milk production to increase in 2012.
Talking about the latest USDA Dairy Outlook in terms of production and price estimates, Bange says, “U.S. milk production in 2012 is expected to increase about 1.3%. We’re looking now at 198.5 billion pounds.” That’s unchanged from the last forecast, but the 2011 production total was lowered. “It looks like 2011 is going to come in right around 196 billion pounds. That’s down about 100 million pounds from what we previously thought.”
Given the 1.3% increase in production expected for the coming year, Bange says they are expecting lower prices compared to 2011. “We’re now looking at an all milk price for 2012 at $18.70 per hundred weight,” he said. That’s up 20 cents from the previous USDA forecast but down 7% from the $20.14 of 2011.
Posted: January 10, 2012 at 9:41 pm
By News Editor
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced changes to the department, based on the Blueprint for Stronger Service. These changes are a plan that helps producers continue to drive America’s economy by streamlining operations and cutting costs.
“The USDA, like families and businesses across the country, cannot continue to operate like we did 50 years ago,” said Vilsack. “We must innovate, modernize, and be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars. We must build on the record accomplishments of farm communities in 2011 with a stronger, more effective USDA in 2012 and beyond.”
“By undertaking a thorough and thoughtful review of his Department, Secretary Vilsack has saved taxpayers millions in travel and printing costs and is consolidating more than 700 different cell phone contracts into about 10. What’s more, the Department is finding significant savings by consolidating more than 200 offices across the country while ensuring that the vital services they provide are not cut,” said Vice President Biden.
The USDA will close 259 domestic offices, facilities and labs across the country, as well as seven foreign offices. In some cases, offices are no longer staffed or have a very small staff of one or two people; many are within 20 miles of other USDA offices. In other cases, technology improvements, advanced service centers, and broadband service have reduced some need for brick and mortar facilities. (more…)
Posted: December 19, 2011 at 5:19 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Milk production is on the rise according to the latest report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Milk production in the 23 major States during November totaled 14.7 billion pounds, up 2.2 percent from November 2010. October revised production at 15.2 billion pounds, was up 2.5 percent from October 2010.
The report indicates that production increases came from both a per cow production increase of 16 pounds and a herd expansion of 108,000 head since this time in 2010. Notably, California continues to lead the nation in milk production outpacing second place Wisconsin by more than 1.2 billion pounds last month.
As the U.S. dairy industry is a major market for feed corn, distillers dried grains and corn silage, the National Corn Growers Association noted that this trend benefits not only dairy but also grain farmers across the country.
“It is important to value our relationship with dairy farmers, a constant and valued customer for our product,” said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer. “In 2011 alone, it is estimated that the U.S. dairy herd will consume more than 800 million bushels of corn. As they grow, so do we thus reemphasizing the importance of cooperation throughout the agricultural community.”
Posted: September 26, 2011 at 3:34 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Despite rising feed prices and a hot summer, milk production continues to increase this year, with forecast milk output rising 1.5 percent in 2011 to 195.7 billion pounds, according to USDA.
Cow numbers continue to increase more than expected and output per cow appears to have rebounded from the July and August heat. Cow numbers are projected at 9.2 million head this year, and output per cow was raised slightly from last month to 21,280 pounds for the year.
USDA reports that milk output in August was up over 2% from a year ago, output per cow up 18 pounds over last year, and the dairy herd is now 102,000 head more than 2010 with 3,000 head added just during August.
Prices have been very strong and this year’s average all milk price is expected to set a record $20.40 cwt, up over $4 from last year. “A very strong price and an incentive for milk producers,” said USDA Outlook Board Chairman Gerry Bange. However, Bange says they are revising the 2012 outlook downward. “While we do expect production to be up 1.4%, we think it will be about 300 million pounds less than we thought,” he said. “The reason we came off the 2012 forecast is because we are looking at weaker milk prices for 2012 at $18.30 for the all milk price, and we do expect the higher grain prices to work their way through the system.”
Posted: September 8, 2011 at 2:08 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
With three of the nation’s top ten dairy states being impacted by major flooding resulting from the Hurricane Irene last week, the USDA is pledging support for affected producers.
“We continue to closely coordinate with many partners to meet the immediate and plan for the long-term needs of those affected by Hurricane Irene,” said Agriculture Secretary Tim Vilsack. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have suffered losses caused by this massive storm. USDA is ready to provide food, emergency assistance and other resources to the affected areas.”
On Saturday, Vilsack visited a New York dairy operation hit by flooding with Governor Andrew Cuomo, who pledged immediate aid of $15 million to New York farms devastated by flooding. USDA officials report that Hurricane Irene affected the ability of some dairy cooperatives and handlers in the Northeast to pick up milk at local farms particularly in Southern Vermont and Eastern New York.
In some instances milk was dumped on the farm when it was unable to be picked up on a timely basis or where loss of power impacted milk quality, rendering such milk as non-Grade A. Due to the impact of this natural disaster on dairy farmers in the Northeast, USDA is taking administrative action to include this milk as part of the Federal milk marketing order pool for the months of August and September as needed, although it was never delivered to a plant for processing. This decision will enable cooperatives and handlers to pay the Federal order blend price to affected producers on all the volume that they produced including any milk dumped due to Hurricane Irene.
USDA encourages all farmers, ranchers, producers, landowners and rural communities to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency Service Center to report damages to crops or livestock loss.
Meanwhile, a measure has been introduced in Congress by members of the New York delegation to help farmers recover from losses incurred by Hurricane Irene. The Post-Irene Emergency Farm Aid Act would authorize $10 million to support the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and the Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) that provide emergency services and resources for agricultural communities following natural disasters.
(Photo from NY Farm Bureau Facebook page)
Posted: July 20, 2011 at 9:18 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is concerned about adequate funding for the popular Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) Dairy plan of insurance.
“Congress makes $20 million a year available for all livestock programs,” says RMA administrator Bill Murphy. “The popularity of the newly-designed dairy program exhausted these funds in March, halfway through the fiscal year.”
Murphy says the agency has historically only spent about $3-4 million a year of that $20 million annual allocation. “What changed this year is that the dairy industry requested two changes. One, to provide a subsidy, which was not in there before. And they also requested that the premium payment to be changed from the beginning of the insurance period to the end, like the rest of our crop insurance programs.”
As a result, the program was so popular for dairy producers this year that they used up all the funds in four months, which was about $15 million or 75% of the total annual allocation for all livestock programs. LGM Dairy provides protection to dairy producers when feed costs rise or milk prices drop. Gross margin is the market value of milk minus feed costs. LGM Dairy uses futures prices for corn, soybean meal, and milk to determine the expected gross margin and the actual gross margin.
Posted: July 14, 2011 at 5:24 pm
By News Editor
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced a $1.1 million Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to the Dairy Research Institute™ (formerly known as Dairy Science Institute, Inc.), an affiliate of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®.
The funding will support the development of a Dairy Farm Stewardship Toolkit for dairy producers to evaluate their production techniques and identify potential improvements in management practices. These improvements could increase profitability or reduce costs on the farm.
“This grant will help take the industry’s heritage of dairy stewardship to a new business level,” said Bob Foster, owner, Foster Brothers Farm in Middlebury, Vt. “As dairy producers, we know that consumers want products that are not only nutritious and good-tasting, but also environmentally friendly. We have long been committed to stewardship, but have not had a science-based tool to identify and measure practices that reduce costs and environmental impact.”
The grant, awarded through a nationwide competitive process, is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) Natural Resources Conservation Service.
The first stage in developing the toolkit will be to establish a set of on-farm sustainability indicators that will be pilot-tested on farms. A broad group of stakeholders from the dairy industry and other experts will determine which indicators best describe the quality and quantity of economic, social and environmental value provided by farms. Indicators could include, for example: a farm’s contribution to the local community through jobs and community relations; energy efficiency; food safety and quality; water quality and use; waste management; and greenhouse gas emissions.
The toolkit will be national in scope. At least 12 dairy producers within 10 regions across the country will participate in pilot tests. The 120 producer volunteers will represent a diverse set of farms, including small- and large-scale dairies, dairies with varying milk production methods, and both conventional and organic dairies. On-farm pilot tests in the designated areas will begin in October.
When completed, the toolkit will enable producers to generate an analysis of their stewardship practices and help them communicate positive contributions their farm businesses have made to neighbors, community groups, consumers and customers.
The U.S. dairy industry is developing best practices and decision-support tools for producers, processors, manufacturers, transport and retail through a voluntary, industrywide effort to measure and improve dairy sustainability. The toolkit is an important first component of the Farm Smart project, which is creating a series of on-field decision-support tools for dairy and crop production management.
“This toolkit will give producers a resource that will help them tell their stewardship story in a way that will be easily understood and valued,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and senior executive vice president of Dairy Management Inc.™, which manages the dairy checkoff on behalf of the nation’s farmers. “By establishing benchmarks and assessing specific on-farm practices, producers will be able to better understand the efficiency of their overall operations, as well as opportunities for improvement. And that is not only good for business, but also good for the environment, for consumers and for communities.”
Source: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®
Posted: May 31, 2011 at 9:57 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
USDA researchers using computers to simulate dairy cow living situations think keeping the animals outdoors more may be better for the environment.
An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) team evaluated how different management systems on a typical 250-acre Pennsylvania dairy farm would affect the environment.
The study used the Integrated Farm System Model, a computer program that simulates the major biological and physical processes and interactions of a crop, beef or dairy farm. The scientists collected a range of field data on grazing systems, manure management and their effects on nutrient loss to the environment. Then they used their farm model, supported by the field data, to evaluate the environmental dynamics of four different dairy farms in all types of weather over 25 years.
The model generated estimates for ammonia emissions from manure, soil denitrification rates, nitrate leaching losses, soil erosion and phosphorus losses from field runoff. Estimates for emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from both primary production and the secondary production of pesticides, fuels, electricity and other resources were also considered.
Compared to high confinement systems, keeping dairy cows outdoors all year lowered levels of ammonia emission by about 30 percent. The model results also indicated that the total emissions for the greenhouse gases methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide were eight percent lower in a year-round outdoor production system than in a high-production confinement system.
Posted: March 18, 2011 at 8:21 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Thanks to a farmer’s report, a USDA grass breeder has rediscovered a long-forgotten forage grass called meadow fescue that seems perfect for intensive rotational grazing.
Charles Opitz found the grass growing in the deep shade of a remnant oak savannah on his dairy farm near Mineral Point, Wis. He discovered that his cows loved it and produced more milk when they ate it, so he reported the find to USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS). It was geneticist Michael Casler with the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison who acted on the report and identified the grass as meadow fescue, which was once popular after being introduced about 50 to 60 years before tall fescue. Casler used DNA markers to identify Opitz’s find.
Meadow fescue is very winter-hardy and persistent, having survived decades of farming. It emerged from oak savannah refuges to dominate many pastures in the Midwest’s driftless region, named for its lack of glacial drift, the material left behind by retreating continental glaciers. Casler and his colleagues have since found the plant on more than 300 farms in the driftless region of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.
Researchers discovered that meadow fescue is 4 to 7 percent more digestible than other cool-season grasses dominant in the United States. In another study, meadow fescue had a nutritional forage quality advantage over tall fescue and orchardgrass that may compensate for its slightly lower annual yield further north, as reported in the Agronomy Journal. Also, the yield gap begins to close with the frequent harvesting involved in intensive grazing. Casler has developed a new variety of meadow fescue called Hidden Valley. Seed for the new variety is being grown for future release.
Read more here from USDA-ARS.
Posted: March 14, 2011 at 11:40 pm
By John Davis
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says now is the time to act on the recommendations to dairy policy submitted by the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee.
“If we don’t act, if we simply put all of this on the shelf and say ‘dairy prices are better now, so happy days are here again,’ this is one area for us to act now, [because price instability and volatility are] driving a lot of folks out of business. And we’ve lost nearly half of our producers in the last 10 years,” Secretary Tom Vilsack said during a news conference at the recent Commodity Classic.
Vilsack said that many of the recommendations the USDA could act upon without any change to current laws, but some will require legislative action.
You can hear more of what Vilsack had to say here: Vilsack on the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee report
Posted: March 13, 2011 at 1:07 pm
By John Davis
Prospects for dairy farmers are mixed for this year, with milk prices going up but profits being a bit lower… that’s the word out of the recent USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum.
In this edition of the Milking Parlor, we hear from Ag Department dairy analyst Roger Hoskins, who told the group gathered for the forum that feed prices have gone up for producers, but fortunately, so has the price they’re getting for their products. In fact, the latest numbers from the USDA’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates show that strong international demand and improving domestic demand will help keep prices up with the all milk price forecast to average $18.10 to $18.70 per hundred weight this year … up about two dollars from last year’s prices. Hoskins believes that even with smaller profits, dairy producers will expand their herds in 2011, an assertion that is backed up by USDA Outlook Board Chairman Gerry Bange.
It’s an interesting conversation, and you can hear more of what they have to say or download the podcast here:
Milking Parlor Podcast USDA Ag Outlook Forum
Special thanks to our friend Gary Crawford at the USDA’s Newsroom for providing us with the audio for this report.
To subscribe to the Milking Parlor podcast, click here.
Posted: March 3, 2011 at 8:45 pm
By John Davis
The Dairy Industry Advisory Committee today has made some key recommendations for changes in USDA policy to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
In approving the final version of the “Recommendations for Public Policy to Improve Dairy Farm Profitability and Reduce Milk Price Volatility” report, the 17-member committee of dairy industry producers and leaders made recommendations to Vilsack on how USDA can best address dairy industry issues, both short and long-term, as well as providing feedback on how USDA actions in 2009 affected the dairy industry:
The Committee finds that existing Federal programs and legislation had a limited impact on 5 mitigating the massive impact of recent market events. Some laws provide no flexibility to the Secretary, while others allow some or even considerable discretion. When a proposed action has or is likely to have an impact on government expenditures, even programs that offer discretion to the Secretary cannot be used without approval of the OMB. Meanwhile, Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) are designed for longer-term regulation of markets and are not readily amenable to mitigating shorter-term price events…
The Committee suggests that using objective measures of sector hardship can reduce political pressures in the allocation process. The Committee recommends that the Secretary implement trigger levels based on the difference between average milk prices and a new measure of feed costs . The Secretary can then objectively determine when dairy farmers face extreme hardship by examining whether the difference between revenues and costs fall below specific trigger levels. Extreme hardship would justify shifting governmental resources from other uses. Within this framework, the first trigger would indicate use of a food assistance program to increase demand for dairy products. At the second trigger, the DPPSP purchase prices may be raised. The Committee recommends applying these responses cautiously.
The Committee also recommends that the Secretary review existing program administration to examine its impact on exacerbating price volatility or delaying the government‘s response to dairy farmers‘ economic distress.
The report also makes several recommendations on USDA programs that help dairy farmers manage price, margin, and/or income risk and to facilitate obtaining operating loans, as well as suggestions on new legislation and regulations. You can read the complete report here.
Posted: February 18, 2011 at 7:59 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
The dairy economy was a topic of discussion during a full House Agriculture Committee hearing Thursday where Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack testified about the outlook for the farm economy.
“The livestock and dairy industries could face some financial pressures in 2011 and bear watching,” Vilsack told the committee. Getting more specific in his written testimony, Vilsack noted that dairy receipts are forecast to increase in 2011, but remain below 2007 and 2008 levels.
While livestock prices are expected to remain strong and further improvement in milk prices is likely in the months ahead, higher feed costs could lead to below average margins for livestock and dairy producers in 2011. Milk production is estimated to increase by 1.8 percent in 2011 to 196.1 billion pounds. While feed costs are up considerably in recent months, a decline in cow numbers may not occur until later this year because of the large number of replacement heifers available. Milk per cow is forecast to increase again this year but at less than the pace for 2010. The gain in output per cow last year was due to good weather in addition to moderate feed prices. In recent weeks, both the domestic and international markets for dairy products have tightened considerably leading to a sharp increase in wholesale dairy product prices and futures prices for milk. Milk output has been affected by cold weather in the U.S. and Europe and heavy rains in New Zealand and Australia. Since early January, the wholesale prices of cheddar cheese, butter and nonfat dry milk have increased by 25-50 percent. The all-milk price is forecast to average $17.70-$18.40 per cwt. this year, compared with $16.29 in 2010 and $12.93 in 2009. While milk prices are forecast to be higher in 2011, increasing feed costs could continue to put financial pressure on dairy producers, especially those producers that purchase feed at current price levels.
Vilsack was asked specifically when USDA’s Dairy Industry Advisory Committee, which has been meeting for over a year, would be releasing a report. “We anticipate a report the first week of March,” Vilsack said. “They have finished their meetings and they are in the process of finalizing the draft of the report.”
Vilsack says there is a good deal of agreement, although not unanimous consensus, within the committee which was charged with trying to determine how best to address the issue of volatility in dairy markets.
Posted: February 15, 2011 at 10:38 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
The latest farm financial forecast is brighter and even the dairy sector is expected to be a little higher this year, despite increased feed costs.
According to the USDA report, net farm income is forecast to be $94.7 billion in 2011, up $15.7 billion (19.8 percent) from the 2010 forecast. The 2011 forecast is the second highest inflation-adjusted value for net farm income recorded in the past 35 years. The top five earnings years for the past three decades have occurred since 2004, attesting to the profitability of farming this decade. Net cash income, at $98.6 billion, is forecast up $7.3 billion (8%) from 2010, and $26.8 billion above its 10-year average (2000-2009) of $71.8 billion.
Dairy receipts are expected to increase by 2.8 percent in 2011 as milk prices received by farmers increase slightly by $0.20/cwt. Dairy cow numbers are expected to increase slightly in 2011, as is the milk-per-cow ratio. U.S. milk exports are projected to be lower in 2011 due to competition from Australia and New Zealand, despite strong demand from Asian and South American countries.
“Today’s report predicting strong financial performance in the agriculture sector for 2011 is good news for producers and indicates that economic improvement is underway in much of rural America. Potential record or near record prices for commodities like corn, wheat, soybeans and cotton reflects the fact that our trading partners continue a strong demand for food and fiber produced by America’s farmers,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack of the report. “While overall the report is positive, especially for producers of grains and fiber, it is a concern that farmers continue to face an increase in expenses for key inputs, including feed, fertilizer and fuel. Additionally, after a strong recovery in 2010, the report projects a revenue decline for livestock farm businesses in 2011 and continued income and loan repayment concerns for dairy farmers. Higher feed costs are a primary factor.”
The value of crop production is expected to be up over 30 percent this year, while the value of livestock production is projected to be less than five percent higher, with dairy products up less than one percent.
Posted: January 27, 2011 at 6:36 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today announced its decision to grant non-regulated status for alfalfa that has been genetically engineered to be resistant to the herbicide commercially known as Roundup.
“After conducting a thorough and transparent examination of alfalfa through a multi-alternative environmental impact statement (EIS) and several public comment opportunities, APHIS has determined that Roundup Ready alfalfa is as safe as traditionally bred alfalfa,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said. “All of the alfalfa production stakeholders involved in this issue have stressed their willingness to work together to find solutions. We greatly appreciate and value the work they’ve done so far and will continue to provide support to the wide variety of sectors that make American agriculture successful.”
Needless to say, Monsanto is pleased by the decision.
“This is great news for farmers who have been waiting for the green light to plant Roundup Ready alfalfa,” said Steve Welker, alfalfa commercial lead at Monsanto. “USDA’s action gives farmers the choice to enjoy the benefits of this product, including superior crop safety and high-quality yield opportunity.”
Roundup Ready alfalfa was developed by Monsanto and Forage Genetics International (FGI). The USDA decision comes in time for spring planting, the company noted. Monsanto, FGI and other alfalfa seed companies have varieties of Genuity Roundup Ready alfalfa seed in stock and ready for sale.
The U.S. House Agriculture Committee just held a hearing last Thursday to review the biotechnology product regulatory approval process where biotech alfalfa was in the spotlight and Secretary Vilsack testified.
Posted: January 21, 2011 at 4:44 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
The future of biotech alfalfa was in the spotlight as the U.S. House Agriculture Committee held a hearing Thursday to review the biotechnology product regulatory approval process.
Prior to the hearing, committee chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) joined Senate Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting that the department “return to a science based regulatory system for agriculture biotechnology and to deregulate without conditions genetically engineered (GE) alfalfa.” The letter noted that while science strongly supports the safety of GE alfalfa, USDA’s proposal politicizes the regulatory process and could set a harmful precedent for open pollinated crops in the future.
Vilsack was the main witness at the hearing and in his testimony he pointed out that the legal challenges related to GE alfalfa have taken years. “APHIS made its initial decision to deregulate GE alfalfa in June 2005. Yet here we are nearly six years later with the process not yet concluded,” said Vilsack. “The situation needs to be resolved. The legal challenges, and the resulting effects, have created uncertainty for all growers. Growers need to order seed and make planting decisions, but have difficulty when the legal challenges cause so much uncertainty. There are companies and researchers who have devoted significant resources to developing safe products that can help us meet our food security needs, but find themselves fighting in the courts, or waiting to see how a judge’s decision in a separate case will affect them.”
When asked about the issue during a press conference on another subject Thursday, Vilsack made several points. “Number one, we recognize our responsibilities under the plant protection act and we take them very seriously,” said Vilsack. “Number two, we understand that our decision needs to be done in a timely basis so that folks that are waiting to decide what to do and when to do it and how to do it will have enough time and enough direction to be able to do it. Number three, we recognize that any decision that is made has to be science based, that is what the law requires and that is what we will do.”
Listen to those comments from Vilsack here: Vilsack comments on GE Alfalfa
Vilsack also commented on the issue during his address at the recent American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting. “What we’re trying to do is to stimulate a conversation and to ensure that every person, every farmer, every rancher, every grower has the capacity to do on their land what they wish to do,” he said. “If you want to grow GM crops you ought to be able to do that, if you want to grow identity-preserved conventional you ought to be able to do that, if you want to be an organic farmer you ought to be able to do that.”
Listen to Vilsack’s comments on the alfalfa issue from AFBF here: Vilsack at AFBF
Posted: January 21, 2011 at 4:02 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
More than a dozen dairy operations are getting bioenergy producer payments from USDA as incentives to produce advanced biofuels. Under the Farm Bill, the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels authorizes payments to eligible producers to expand production and use of advanced biofuels.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the payments Thursday for over 120 operations in 33 states to support the production and usage of advanced biofuels. Payments, which range from less than $500 to over $1 million, are based on the amount of advanced biofuels a recipient produces from renewable biomass, other than corn kernel starch. Eligible examples include biofuels derived from cellulose, crop residue, animal, food and yard waste material, biogas (landfill and sewage waste treatment gas), vegetable oil and animal fat.
“This funding will help the nation’s advanced biofuel industry produce more fuel from sustainable rural resources, and in doing so create jobs, a new revenue stream for agriculture producers and stimulate rural economies across the nation,” said Vilsack.
Among the dairy operations receiving payments are: Scenic View Dairy in Michigan; West River Dairy in Minnesota; Bridgewater Dairy in Ohio; Berkshire Cow Power and Green Mountain Dairy in Vermont; Holsum Dairies, Green Valley Dairy, Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, Quantum Dairy, Clover Hill Dairy, and Grotegut Dairy Farm in Wisconsin.
Posted: December 21, 2010 at 4:33 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently got a pile of postcards from Dairy Farmers of America members stressing the importance of cooperatives.
Delivery of the cooperative message was made by DFA members Lee Ramsburg of Gettysburg, Pa., (left) and David Crowl of Street, Md., (center) following the last in the series of workshops conducted this year by the USDA and the Department of Justice on competition in agriculture. That final workshop was held December 8 in Washington, DC.
The two DFA representatives delivered thousands of postcards signed by DFA members expressing support for their cooperative and the Capper-Volstead Act, also known as the Co-operative Marketing Associations Act of 1922 which allowed exemptions from antitrust laws for agricultural cooperatives. They also presented Vilsack with a petition signed by DFA employees describing the importance of cooperatives to the dairy industry.
Posted: December 15, 2010 at 10:27 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today commemorated the one year anniversary of the agreement to help U.S. dairy producers cut greenhouse gas emissions that was signed on this date during climate change talks in Copenhagen, Denmark last year.
“The partnership between USDA and U.S. dairy producers to increase sustainability has achieved remarkable results over the past year,” said Vilsack. “USDA has awarded funding to establish 30 anaerobic digesters, and we are assisting farmers with digester feasibility studies and energy audits to help producers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing on-farm income. The partnership is a demonstration of the Obama Administration’s commitment to producing renewable energy, providing new economic opportunities to farmers, and preserving natural resources.”
On December 15, 2009, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy signed a sustainability-focused Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work in concert to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms by 25 percent by 2020. Since the signing, USDA and the Center have partnered to increase the number of operating anaerobic digesters on farms, and encouraged research and development of new technologies to help dairies reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Read more from USDA here.
Posted: December 9, 2010 at 9:20 pm
By News Editor
Congratulations to the dairy farmers named to the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. All appointees will serve three-year terms.
“These appointees represent a diverse cross section of the dairy industry and I am confident that they will serve dairy producers throughout the United States well,” said Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack.
Newly appointed members are: Renae A. De Jager, Region 2; Jeffrey A. Hardy, Region 3; Steven R. Hanson, Region 4; Douglas T. Danielson, Region 6; Douglas L. Krickenbarger, Region 9; Zachary H. Myers, Region 10; David P. Crowl, Region 11; and Sanford Stauffer, Region 12.
Reappointed members are: James L. Ahlem, Region 2; John B. Fiscalini, Region 2; Stephen D. Maddox, Region 2; and Brad J. Scott, Region 2.
The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board oversees the collection of the mandatory 15-cent per hundredweight assessment on all milk marketed commercially by dairy producers. In addition, the board develops and administers a coordinated program of promotion, research, and nutrition education.
The board is authorized by the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983. The Agriculture Secretary selects the appointees from nominations by dairy producers and farm organizations.
Source: USDA
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