American scientific ingenuity in the form of sterile fly releases helped eliminate New World screwworm from the country in the 1960s. Now, ARS researchers are combining that ingenuity with next-generation tools to counter new resurgences of the pest threatening livestock and wildlife in New Mexico and Texas. “Releasing sterile screwworm flies is a proven, decades-old approach to eliminating populations of …

The Meat Institute said the proposed changes to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) generally recognized as safe (GRAS) regulations are a good first step but it will continue to work with the Administration to ensure reforms protect food safety, foster innovation and maintain an affordable food supply. “The Meat Institute supports updating the GRAS framework in a way that …

Leaders for 2026-27 were selected at this year’s annual meeting for the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA), including two committee chairs from California. Alan Chittenden of Schodack Landing, N.Y., was elected to his fifth one-year term as President of AJCA on June 20. He is a fourth-generation breeder and owner of registered Jerseys at Dutch Hollow Farms LLC. He owns …

Two new studies examining gray wolves in California paint a complex picture of life on California’s ranching landscapes: wolves eat cattle more than anything else and the presence of the predators causes significant stress among livestock. In the first study, UC Davis researchers found wolves from the Lassen and Harvey packs in northeastern California were primarily eating cattle. They collected …

The U.S. dairy herd has reached its largest size in 30 years, but one critical subset of the herd — replacement heifers that represent the next generation of milk cows — remains historically low. The number of heifers available to enter the milking herd has fallen sharply, dropping to the lowest level since 1978. The decline comes as strong financial …

The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board held a hearing on June 3 to consider approval of the Modesto Management Zone Implementation Plan (MZIP) and amendments to water quality permits for operations in the Modesto groundwater subbasin. This action applied to irrigated agriculture, food processors, municipal wastewater treatment plants, bovine feedlots, as well as dairy operations. At the end …

During the 2026 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) Conference and Trade Show in New Prague, Minn., DCHA revealed its revised Gold Standards — the industry benchmarks and best management practices for raising dairy calves and heifers and beef x dairy animals. The overarching goal of DCHA’s Gold Standards is to improve the health and welfare of youngstock, allowing them …

The Meat Institute released a new report entitled,  “Greenhouse Gas Accounting: Emissions Factors Brief,” offering a closer look at how companies across the animal ag supply chain are currently measuring and reporting upstream greenhouse gas emissions. “This report is intended as a practical resource for companies throughout the meat and poultry supply chain to better understand how emissions data are …

On Monday, February 2, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. While Phil was focused on the weather, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) was busy holding two virtual meetings on California dairy issues. The first meeting was a Producer Review Board (PRB) meeting. After the meeting was called to order, CDFA addressed board vacancies. The call …

Twenty-eight (28) Jersey youth between the ages of nine and twenty, representing 13 states, have been recognized by the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) as the 2025 Junior All American winners. A total of 175 youth exhibited 295 Registered Jerseys during the 73rd All American Junior Jersey Show, held November 7, 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. 2025 Junior All American Winners …