The U.S. animal protein sector is expected to face a 12% increase in feed costs in 2021, which will mark the highest year-over-year inflation since 2011. With corn futures above $4 per bushel and soybean meal futures around $350 per ton, cattle feeders, hog producers and chicken producers will pay higher prices for feed than they have in many years, …

In an International Dairy Food Association (IDFA) poll conducted by Morning Consult from December 4-7 among a national sample of 2,200 adults, 71% of adults support companies and employers partnering with public health agencies at local and state levels to aid in the distribution of the coronavirus vaccine to employees. The same poll found more than four in five adults …

United Dairy Families of California — Judge Timothy Aspinwall issued a recommended decision today that United Dairy Families of California’s petition to sunset the Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) and equalize Regional Quota Adjusters (RQAs) must move forward to a referendum. The judge’s decision confirmed that the petition submitted to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) met all legal …

President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Tom Vilsack to serve as Secretary of Agriculture. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack currently serves as president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. He took the position in February 2017 after serving eight years as the nation’s 30th Secretary of Agriculture. According to the U.S. Dairy Export Council, “Vilsack worked hard to strengthen the …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the marketing order representing California dairy producers, today announced the addition of Veronique Lagrange as the Director of the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC). The CDIC was recently created to further product-oriented innovation and enhance productivity for the California dairy industry. Working closely with the CMAB and the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF), Lagrange …

United States Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer announced today that the United States is exercising its rights under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to address measures adopted by the Government of Canada that are contrary to the provisions of the agreement and harm U.S. dairy farmers.  Specifically, the United States is challenging Canada’s allocation of dairy tariff-rate quotas (TRQs).  By …

Today, the Animal Agriculture Alliance announced that its 2021 Stakeholders Summit, set primarily for May 5-6, will be hosted virtually and themed “Obstacles to Opportunities.” The annual Summit brings top thought leaders in the industry together to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas. In addition to announcing the theme and virtual format for 2021, the Alliance also issued a call …

Dairy Cares — California’s dairy farmers are leading change and making significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and advancing planet-smart, sustainable farming practices. Ongoing partnerships remain critical to this progress. On November 5-6, the virtual California Dairy Sustainability Summit welcomed 900+ registrants, with more than 600 tuning in live throughout the two-day online event. The virtual summit hosted …

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation is currently reviewing the use of Transform (sulfoxaflor) for insect pest management in alfalfa hay production. A decision on whether to register Transform with a label for use in California alfalfa is expected to occur by the end of 2020. The registration of Transform has been so far deferred due to concerns of potential …

USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their collaborators continue garnering success in their tests of a compound that could bolster the potency of beta-lactam antibiotics, potentially reducing the dosages required and helping stave off resistance in the germs they’re meant to kill. According to Neil Price, a chemist with the ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in …