As the dairy industry evolves, companies across the U.S. are looking to capitalize on increasing milk production through international joint ventures. A new report from CoBank says that while the U.S. has heavily invested in milk production, Europe and other regions that faced production constraints focused their effort and investment on technology for the processing sector. And, in 2017, many …
Agri View: Food Consumption Study
Everett Griner talks about the 2018 Food Consumption Study conducted by USDA in today’s Agri View. Food Consumption Study Does it make any difference how much, or which food you eat? Well, to the producer it does. When a survey shows how much chicken will be consumed this year, it gives the poultry industry an indication of what they need …
USDA Helps Dairy and Beef Industries Reach More Domestic and Global Markets
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) made two announcements about its Animal Welfare Assessment Program (AWAP), which offers an independent assessment for industry animal welfare standards and programs. AWAP is a voluntary service for industry organizations that evaluates animal welfare standards for conformance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Specification (TS) 34700 – Animal Welfare …
Federal Budget Deal Passed Friday Will Aid Farmers
The U.S. Senate and House moved quickly Friday to pass a budget deal that includes assistance for cotton and dairy farmers, following a brief government shutdown. President Donald J. Trump signed the bill into law this morning. The Alabama Farmers Federation’s Mitt Walker said the bill will provide a cushion for producers, which is critical because of dim market outlooks. …
Lobbyist Suggest Cotton, Dairy Fixes in Disaster Bill
Industry lobbyist for cotton and dairy say safety-net fixes are nearing. Key industry lobbyist told the Hagstrom Report they believe there will be fixes to the problems in the cotton and dairy programs in the package of appropriations and disaster funding that Senate leaders are working on. An unnamed source said: “This would be a big win for agriculture going …
Conaway Wants Cotton and Dairy Fix on Any Must-Pass Bill
House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says Congress should attach provisions to help cotton and dairy farmers to any must-pass bill before the farm bill comes up. Speaking at the Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention Monday in Phoenix, Arizona, Conaway signaled that he is no longer focused on just convincing the Senate to include the aid in the disaster bill, according …
Dairy Industry Emphasizing Unity
International Dairy Foods Association President and CEO Michael Dykes gave his annual state-of-the-industry speech to the Dairy Forum in California. One of his highlights focused on the unity between dairy producers and processors. The Hagstrom Report says that unity that has led to joint positions on the upcoming farm bill, as well as the Trump Administration’s strong advocacy for dairy …
CURD Act Would Codify Formal Definition of Natural Cheese
Bipartisan Senators from Wisconsin have introduced the CURD Act, or the Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act. Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, says the bill would codify a formal definition of “natural cheese”, a term commonly used on food packaging that currently has no official definition. Need Under the CURD Act, “natural cheese” would be defined as cheese that …
Dairy Production Forecast Up, Price Forecast Down for 2018
USDA’s latest look at dairy shows trends of more production and lower prices for the next 12 months. Rod Bain has more information. Dairy Production Forecast Up, Price Forecast Down for 2018
Analyst to Dairy: Speak Up Now on Immigration
CNN political analyst and Republican strategist Ann Navarro told dairy farmers it’s time to make sure lawmakers “hear your voice” on immigration. Speaking to dairy farmers at the annual Dairy Strong Conference last week, she says farmers understand the immigration issue and urged them to keep pushing their representatives in Washington to act. Immigration is a key issue for dairy …