The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers, including dairy producers impacted by H5N1, that the deadline to apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) is Jan. 30, 2025, for losses due to specific adverse conditions that occurred in 2024. ELAP provides emergency relief to eligible producers of livestock, honeybees, and farm-raised fish to assist …
Efforts Continue to Stamp Out H5N1
New funding is being made available to help in the efforts to stamp out H5N1. Rusty Halvorson has more details. The Biden administration recently announced it would award $306 million more to address avian influenza cases in humans, especially livestock workers. The New York Times noted the timing of the funding reflects concerns among senior health officials that the incoming Trump …
American Agriculture History Minute: Hay Press Invented
I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. The baling of hay began with the invention of the first hay press in about 1850. Hay was baled then for easier handling, reducing space for storage and for shipment. The first bales weighed around 300 pounds because the original machines were vertical in nature. They used a horse-drawn screw press …
NCBA Looking at Various Issues to Tackle in 2025
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is looking at a variety of issues they would like to see Congress take care of this year. Rusty Halvorson has the story. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office this month and a new Congress is taking over in Washington, DC. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Mark Eisele says there’s no shortage of problems …
Registration Underway for Livestock Judging Event in Alabama
The 10th Annual SLE Livestock Judging Contest is coming to Montgomery, Alabama again this year. And according to Alabama Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Director of Field Services Reid McGuire, registration for that event is now underway. Click here to register for this year’s big livestock judging contest. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober …
USDA Surveying Cattle Operations
For the next couple of weeks, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey about 40,000 cattle operations nationwide to provide an up-to-date measure of U.S. cattle inventories. This will include producers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, as they will have the opportunity to report their beef and dairy cattle inventories, calf crop, death loss and cattle …
Dairy Industry Continues Working with Health Professionals
In 2025, the dairy industry will continue to work with health professionals. Rusty Halvorson has the story. Sponsored ContentFCEB Recurring Funding Provides Opportunity for Longer Term Research ProjectsOctober 10, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Advances Forage ResearchOctober 3, 2025Florida Cattle Enhancement Board Acts As Catalyst For Timely ResearchSeptember 26, 2025
Positive News for Red Meat Exports in 2024
There was positive news in 2024 for red meat exports. Rusty Halvorson has the story. There was more positive news than expected for red meat exports in 2024. Dan Halstrom, CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, says his group expected a step back going into 2024, which wasn’t entirely accurate. “We estimated that business would probably be down, and we …
Dairy Checkoff Highlights 2024 Work
Dairy checkoff initiatives of 2024 successfully increased dairy access in schools, expanded market share for U.S. dairy products domestically and internationally and supported the industry’s commitment to sustainability. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) President and CEO Barbara O’Brien says the checkoff is working and achieving a lot in building its next chapter. She outlined the “Now, Next, and Future” checkoff strategies at …
Red Meat Production Down Three Percent in November
USDA says red meat production fell year over year in November as cattle and hog slaughter both declined. Commercial meat output totaled 4.56 billion pounds in November, down three percent from November 2023. Beef production dropped three percent on an annual basis to 2.22 billion pounds. Cattle slaughter fell six percent to 2.57 million head last month. USDA said the …