Senator Kirsten Gillibrand this week says she is moving forward with a dairy pricing hearing. The New York Democrat announced permission was granted for a hearing in the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee she chairs on Dairy, Livestock, Poultry, Local Food Systems, Food Safety and Security. Although a Senate calendar date is not yet confirmed, the hearing is supposed to occur …
Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle Appointed as Georgia’s Next State Veterinarian
(ATLANTA/July 13, 2021) — Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary W. Black has appointed Dr. Janemarie Hennebelle as Georgia’s next State Veterinarian, succeeding Dr. Robert Cobb, who retired in June 2021. Hennebelle has served as Assistant State Veterinarian since September of 2016. In her new role, Hennebelle will oversee the Animal Health Division of the Georgia Department of Agriculture while managing staff …
Deadline Nearing to Apply for ADAI Relief Program
Back in April, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announced they were administering the Alabama Agriculture Relief Program (AARP) to provide USDA relief funds to farmers who suffered losses due to Hurricane Michael in 2018. While the original deadline to apply was June 25th, they want to remind those who experienced necessary expenses related to losses of beef …
Lawmakers Seek Reimbursement for Dairy Farmers
A group of lawmakers calls on the Biden administration to reimburse dairy producers for losses stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and market-related losses. In a letter to President Joe Biden, the 24 lawmakers say, “We strongly urge you to ensure our producers are reimbursed for as much of the roughly $725 million in foregone Class I skim milk revenue as …
Producers Can Now Hay, Graze and Chop Cover Crops Anytime
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that producers with crop insurance can hay, graze or chop cover crops for silage, haylage or baleage at any time of the year and still receive 100% of the prevented planting payment. Previously, cover crops could only be hayed, grazed or chopped after November 1, otherwise the prevented planting payment was reduced by …
NIFA Invests $14 Million in Animal Health and Disease Research
The Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $14 million in research to protect agricultural animals from disease. The grants are part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Diseases of Agricultural Animals program area priority. NIFA director Carrie Castille says, “This research will help better understand, diagnose, control and prevent diseases in …
Dairy Industry Urges Renewal of Trade Promotion Authority
To foster further expansion of U.S. dairy exports, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is calling on the Biden Administration to seek renewal of Presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) following its expiration last Thursday, July 1, 2021. TPA lays out congressional expectations for trade agreements negotiated by the administration and establishes a clear …
Supreme Court Rejects Petition against California Prop 12
The U.S. Supreme Court Monday denied a petition to review California’s Proposition 12. The denial was included in a batch of announcements by the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the North American Meat Institute supported its petition, stating the law “provides no benefit to consumers and increases breeding sow mortality.” The Meat Institute file the petition in February, challenging the …
Research Supports Dairy’s Net Zero Initiative with $10 Million Grant
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research recently awarded a $10 million grant supporting U.S. dairy’s Net Zero Initiative. Announced last Thursday, the funding will support a six-year project titled “Dairy Soil and Water Regeneration.” The project focuses on building soil health to reduce greenhouse gases and improving water quality, along with enabling new economic benefits. The research will provide …
NMPF’s Morris: U.S. Dairy has “Big Wide World” of Trade Opportunity
While the rise in U.S. dairy exports is good news for producers, Covid-19 has brought on a very challenging year. But National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Senior Vice President for Trade, Shawna Morris, notes there have been some opportunities this past year too. There are various challenges, and Morris notes that all of agriculture will benefit from U.S. insistence that trade agreements …