Leptospirosis is a serious zoonotic disease that affects both animals and humans. This bacterial disease is commonly spread through the urine of infected animals and rodents, including wildlife and livestock such as cattle and swine. Humans can contract leptospirosis by having contact with water (such as by swimming, rafting, or kayaking) or soil that has been contaminated by urine or …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a second round of payments for dairy producers through the Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP), providing an additional $5 million to help dairy producers mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. USDA’s Farm Service …

The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Milk Loss Program (MLP) assistance for eligible dairy operations for milk that was dumped or removed, without compensation, from the commercial milk market due to qualifying weather events and the consequences of those weather events that inhibited delivery or storage of milk (e.g., power outages, impassable roads, infrastructure losses, etc.) during calendar years …

The U.S. beef cow herd reached its lowest level in decades this summer as prolonged drought conditions in major cattle producing regions led producers to aggressively cull their herds. The sharp reduction in beef cow numbers will tighten supplies for years to come, while consumer demand for beef has remained remarkably consistent despite elevated retail prices. The contracting beef herd …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) in partnership with innovation advisory VentureFuel, has announced the eight finalists selected to participate in the 5th Real California Milk Excelerator competition – the search to identify, curate, and accelerate the very best dairy-based products that introduce novel benefits and drive use of California milk and dairy in formulations. The largest global dairy accelerator, …

Some plants thrive even in dry years, while others need wet years to really blossom. It’s no surprise, then, that this year the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Fresno office has received several inquiries about potentially toxic plants and how to deal with them. Even if these species have always been present in the seed bank or on neighboring …

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Hilmar Cheese Company Inc. for Safe Drinking Water Act violations at its facility in Hilmar, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley. The company will pay a $92,000 penalty for findings of permit violations related to the Underground Injection Control Program. “Facilities that include underground injection in their operations …

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has announced the successful conclusion of LandFlex Phase 2, providing $16,775,162 in grants to support grower contracts within various Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) for the protection of rural at-risk water systems and advancements in groundwater sustainability. The awarded funds will be allocated to three GSAs as follows: Lower Tule Irrigation District GSA: Grant award …

Officers and directors of the USJersey organizations were elected during the Annual Meetings of the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) held on June 23 and 24, 2023 in LaCrosse, Wis., including Tulare dairyman Cornell Kasbergen. Alan Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y., was elected to his second one-year term as President of AJCA on June 24. He …

The U.S. dairy industry grew significantly over the past two years, adding nearly 60,000 new jobs, increasing average wages by 11%, and increasing its total impact on the U.S. economy by $41 billion, according to the latest economic impact report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). IDFA’s 2023 Economic Impact Study, which measures the combined impact of the dairy …