The Agriculture Secretary-designate recently said responses to the ongoing human pandemic provide basic lessons for dealing with infectious animal disease. Stephanie Ho has the story. During that talk with a coalition of land-grant universities, Ag Secretary-designate Tom Vilsack listed some of the top issues he’s concerned about. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, …
USDA Expects Milk Production Increase in 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects milk production to increase this year. Stephanie Ho has a story explaining why. World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Mark Jekanowski has more details of USDA’s forecast for month over month higher prices for dairy products. Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Allows Viable Research in the Cattle IndustryFebruary 6, 2026Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Track …
Rising Dairy Consumption Providing Comfort in Challenging Time
Data shows dairy is bringing some comfort during a challenging time. Throughout the market’s ups and downs of the pandemic era, consumers’ love of dairy products has been constant, rising in 2020 from 2019, according to the National Milk Producers Federation. Retail dairy purchases, which jumped at the pandemic’s beginning, remained elevated throughout the year. With more meals being prepared …
Pushing for Improved Dairy-Pricing
Many dairy producers have suffered losses due to the extreme price disruptions that have been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is calling for changes to the so-called Class I fluid milk price mover to help producers recover from those losses. They note dairy farmers may lose roughly $800 million in revenues under the current Class …
Farmers Gain Improved Access to Small Business Support as PPP Reopens
(NMPF) — The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is pleased that farmers who run their operations as sole proprietors, independent contractors, or otherwise self-employed individuals will have newly expanded access as soon as today to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under changes made in the COVID stimulus package Congress approved last month. Producers who were denied PPP loans or whose …
Regulations for Future Oversight of Animal Ag Biotechnology
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will soon have oversight of parts of federal regulations regarding food and fiber animals modified or produced by genetic engineering. Rod Bain has the story. Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, Greg Ibach, discusses the history of federal animal biotechnology regulatory oversight, leading up to a recent announcement of USDA taking over …
Farmers to Families Food Box Program Purchases to Continue
(USDA/AMS) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will purchase an additional $1.5 billion worth of food for nationwide distribution through the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. In total, USDA has distributed more than 132 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This new round of …
December 2020 Dairy Market Report
The December 2020 Dairy Market Report is now available and it indicates that 2020 continues to bring turbulent headwinds to dairy demand, which the industry has survived with heightened government support and robust export markets. The new Dairy Management, Inc. report indicates total domestic commercial use of dairy products posted a small gain during the August–October period, despite the pandemic’s …
Farm Bureau Stepping Up in Dean Foods Legal Proceedings
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is getting involved in the Dean Foods legal proceedings. The major dairy processor filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in November of 2019. Dairy farmers who had previously sold milk to the company have been sent letters demanding repayment of previous milk checks. In the letters, producers are being threatened with legal action if they …
AFBF Stands Up for Farmers in Predatory Shakedown
WASHINGTON, December 4, 2020 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is standing up for hundreds of dairy farmers being targeted by predatory lawyers representing the estate of Dean Foods, which is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Almost 500 dairy farmers who once sold milk to Dean Foods received letters threatening legal action unless they refund money legitimately earned prior to the bankruptcy filing. …