California Ag Network

Category: Dairy Industry

  • Milk Sustainability Center to Launch this Summer, Supporting Dairy Producers Across the Nation

    Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. In farming, it encompasses responsible stewardship of land and resources, while maintaining economic viability, so that farmers can continue feeding the world for generations to come.  John Deere and DeLaval have joined forces to create a new (free) tool to help dairy farmers measure the efficiency and sustainability of their operations.  California Dairy Editor Matthew Malcolm met with James Peterson from John Deere at the World Ag Expo to gain some insights on how the launch of the Milk Sustainability Center will serve the dairy industry. Watch this brief interview and read more in California Dairy Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • Global Milk Supply and Demand Trends Favor U.S. Dairy

    After a challenging 2023, what can dairy producers expect of the milk market moving forward, based on current global supply and demand trends.  California Dairy Editor Matthew Malcolm met with Senior Dairy Analyst at Rabobank Lucas Fuess to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the California and U.S. dairy industry arising from these trends. Watch this brief interview filmed at the World Ag Expo, and read more in California Dairy Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • Dairy Producers Can Enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage

    Dairy producers are now able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began Feb. 28, 2024, and ends April 29, 2024. For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.

    USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has revised the regulations for DMC to allow eligible dairy operations to make a one-time adjustment to established production history. This adjustment will be accomplished by combining previously established supplemental production history with DMC production history for those dairy operations that participated in Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage during a prior coverage year. DMC has also been authorized through calendar year 2024. Congress passed a 2018 Farm Bill extension requiring these regulatory changes to the program.

    “FSA is announcing the sign up for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage. We encourage producers to enroll in this important safety net program. In reviewing 2023 margins and the more than $1.2 billion in Dairy Margin Coverage payments issued to producers, Dairy Margin Coverage is proven to be a program to reduce risk for our dairy producers,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “If 2023 taught us anything, it’s that we honestly have no idea what will happen in the market in any given year. Producers who took advantage of this affordable risk management tool for the 2023 program year, were able to mitigate some financial impacts on their operations. At $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a relatively inexpensive investment in a true sense of security and peace of mind.”

    DMC is a voluntary risk management program that offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed price (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.  In 2023, Dairy Margin Coverage payments triggered in 11 months including two months, June and July, where the margin fell below the catastrophic level of $4.00 per hundredweight, a first for Dairy Margin Coverage or its predecessor Margin Protection Program.

    2024 DMC Coverage and Premium Fees 

    FSA has revised DMC regulations to extend coverage for calendar year 2024, which is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2024, and to provide an adjustment to the production history for dairy operations with less than 5 million pounds of production. In previous years, smaller dairy operations could establish a supplemental production history and receive Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage. For 2024, dairy producers can establish one adjusted base production history through DMC for each participating dairy operation to better reflect the operation’s current production.

    For 2024 DMC enrollment, dairy operations that established supplemental production history through Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage for coverage years 2021 through 2023, will combine the supplemental production history with established production history for one adjusted base production history.

    For dairy operations enrolled in 2023 DMC under a multi-year lock-in contract, lock-in eligibility will be extended until Dec. 31, 2024. In addition, dairy operations enrolled in multi-year lock-in contracts are eligible for the discounted DMC premium rate during the 2024 coverage year. To confirm 2024 DMC lock-in coverage or opt out in favor of an annual contract for 2024, dairy operations having lock-in contracts must enroll during the 2024 DMC enrollment period.

    DMC offers different levels of coverage, even an option that is free to producers, minus a $100 administrative fee. The administrative fee is waived for dairy producers who are considered limited resource, beginning, socially disadvantaged or a military veteran. To determine the appropriate level of DMC coverage for a specific dairy operation, producers can use the online dairy decision tool.

    DMC Payments

    DMC payments are calculated using updated feed and premium hay costs, making the program more reflective of actual dairy producer expenses.  These updated feed calculations use 100% premium alfalfa hay.

    More Information

    USDA also offers other risk management tools for dairy producers, including the Dairy Revenue Protection (DRP) plan that protects against a decline in milk revenue (yield and price) and the Livestock Gross Margin (LGM) plan, which provides protection against the loss of the market value of milk minus the feed costs. Both DRP and LGM livestock insurance policies are offered through the Risk Management Agency. Producers should contact their local crop insurance agent for more information.

    For more information on DMC, visit the DMC webpage or contact your local USDA Service Center.

  • Prepare Now to Apply for This Substantial California Dairy Funding Opportunity

    Many California dairy producers have heard of and even participated in CDFA’s Alternative Manure Management Program; but there is now an additional program available to California dairy producers for a considerable amount of funding known as the Dairy Plus program.  Investing in manure separators, dairy digesters or even vermifiltration wastewater treatment systems have a real positive impact on lowering a dairy’s carbon footprint; however, the cost of purchasing any one of these systems is often far out of reach for the dairy producer.  Watch this brief interview with Paul Sousa from Western United Dairies as he explains the new Dairy Plus program and how dairy producers can prepare and qualify for the funding.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • UC Davis & Iowa State Students Earn DCHA Scholarships

    The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) awarded $1,000 scholarships to Conor McCabe, son of Jean and John McCabe, West Linn, Ore., a University of California-Davis PhD candidate; and Irene Nielsen, daughter of Miriam Weber Nielsen, Potterville, Mich., an Iowa State University undergraduate student. The DCHA scholarship program recognizes outstanding students pursuing a degree in agriculture, with a particular interest in calf health and future productivity.

    McCabe earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from Cornell University, followed by a master’s degree in animal science from Purdue University. Currently, he is working in the Mitloehner Cattle Air Quality Research Lab at UC-Davis, where he orchestrated a successful grant proposal to perform an entire lactation dairy cattle 3-nitrooxypropanol study to measure impacts on methane emissions, animal health and milk production. Additionally, McCabe taught undergraduate and graduate students, from predominantly urban areas, on appropriate cattle handling procedures, emission measurement methodologies and best data collection practices. For the Clarity and Leadership for Environmental Awareness and Research Center, he developed eight blog writings for a lay consumer audience to communicate awareness of cattle production’s impact on climate and food systems through both an environmental and nutrition lens. During the summer of 2018, McCabe was a clinical research intern with Zoetis; during the summer of 2017, he was a global regulatory operations intern with Elanco. To complement his research and work experiences, McCabe serves as the MooC Davis (Dairy Science Club at UC-Davis) club advisor and American Dairy Science Association president of the graduate student division.

    Nielsen is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in dairy science, international agriculture and agricultural communications. Currently, she works as an undergraduate communications assistant for The Center for Food Security and Public Health, and as an undergraduate research assistant in Iowa State University’s animal science department, under the guidance of Gail Carpenter. As a communications assistant, she composes science-based blog posts for producers focused on disease prevention for food production livestock, coordinates social media for “The Livestock Project” and researches and constructs educational resources for “Day 1 Competencies for Veterinarians,” which are used in veterinary schools in developing countries. In her research role, Nielsen assists in studying associations with pre-weaning health and performance with lifetime outcomes in Holstein dairy cattle. Also, she performs data entry and analysis using PCDART to evaluate the effects of changing management practices, and records calf weights and draws blood for studying the effects of starch diets on beef-on-dairy calves. Last summer, Nielsen interned with CentralStar Cooperative as a research and development laboratory intern, and did research on mastitis pathogen PCR kits, bovine leukemia virus and fatty acids.

    The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (www.calfandheifer.org) was founded in 1996 based on the mission to help dairy producers, calf managers and those professionally focused on the growth and management of dairy calves and heifers. With a national membership of producers, allied industries and research leaders, DCHA seeks to provide the industry’s standards for profitability, performance and leadership, serving as a catalyst to help members improve the vitality and viability of their individual efforts and that of their business.

  • Record Demand for Butterfat in Dairy Expected to Continue

    At the World Ag Expo, California Dairy Editor Matthew Malcolm met with Corey Geiger, Lead Dairy Economist from CoBank, to get the inside scoop on record growth trends in demand for butterfat in dairy and what this means for California dairy producers.  Watch this brief interview, and read more in California Dairy Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.

  • Dairy Council of California Awards over $45,000 in Let’s Eat Healthy Grants

    Dairy Council of California, a leader in nutrition education and advocacy, has awarded over $45,000 in community grants to assist California schools and community-based organizations with innovative and sustainable solutions to foster healthy eating and meet local needs.

    Grants advance Dairy Council of California’s Let’s Eat Healthy Initiative, engaging nutrition champions to support equitable access to science-based nutrition education. Funds also support food and agricultural literacy and help make healthy, wholesome foods, including milk and dairy foods, more accessible for local California communities. Awardees include:

    My Healthy Reader, Riverside County
    “I have been a long-time fan of both the Dairy Council and Let’s Eat Healthy, utilizing their online resources to help educate families and young children on the benefits of good nutrition. Being a grant recipient is an exciting honor that provides support and opportunity to expand program efforts. This grant will allow us to continue to impact families in the Inland Empire, by providing knowledge and resources that assist in learning how to make healthy food and dairy choices,” says My Healthy Reader CEO Yvonne Roberson Choyce.

    Griffiths Middle School, Downey Unified School District, Los Angeles County  
    “The Let’s Eat Healthy Community Grant provides our students with the essential knowledge and tools for a healthier future. This grant opens doors to nutrition education and wellness initiatives that will lead our students on a path of lifelong well-being,” culinary teacher Kim Silverman states.

    Centennial Farm, Orange County
    “The Orange County Fair and Event Center’s Centennial Farm is excited to have been selected as a recipient of the Dairy Council’s Let’s Eat Healthy Community Grant. Funds will be used to further enhance the importance of dairy and nutrition through activities with our existing educational programs and the impact of the grant funds will benefit students for years to come,” states Evy Young, director of agriculture programs at Centennial Farm.

    Ladera Ranch Middle School, Capistrano Unified School District, Orange County  
    “The Let’s Eat Healthy grant will significantly impact culinary classes. The classroom is over two decades old. With this funding, we now have the means to procure new equipment that has worn out. These enhancements will enrich our food labs, which integrate nutrition education and experimentation with different techniques and ingredients, notably emphasizing yeast dough making, homemade butter, milk cultures for cheese, and more,” says culinary teacher Carrie Gray.

    Community Housing Opportunities Corporation, Youth Services Program, Solano County  
    According to Amahirani Reyes, youth services program manager for Community Housing Opportunities Corporation, “CHOC sincerely appreciates the generous support extended by the Dairy Council of California in establishing this valuable partnership. Their support is positioned to significantly enhance youth nutrition education within our affordable housing communities, leaving a positive and lasting impact.”

    Dairy Council of California CEO Amy DeLisio explains the further impact of the grants: “The Let’s Eat Healthy Community Grants are another powerful tool for organizations to continue to provide access and opportunities where children, families and communities can build positive connections between nutrition, agriculture and lifelong healthy eating. These grants, and the valuable work of the awardees, will make a difference in the lives of those who need it most for years to come.”

    About Dairy Council of California
    Dairy Council of California is a nutrition organization working together with champions to elevate the health of children and communities through lifelong healthy eating patterns. Focusing on education, advocacy, dairy agricultural literacy and collaboration, Dairy Council of California advances the health benefits of milk and dairy foods as part of the solution to achieving nutrition security and sustainable food systems. Learn more at DairyCouncilofCA.org.

    About the Let’s Eat Healthy Initiative
    Launched by Dairy Council of California, Let’s Eat Healthy is an initiative that brings together community leaders and stakeholders with expertise in education, school foodservice, public health, health care and agriculture, inviting these change-makers to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Through coordination and collaboration, Let’s Eat Healthy strives to provide sustainable solutions to champion community health and make healthy, wholesome foods accessible to all. The Let’s Eat Healthy Initiative is driven to provide dynamic educational resources and tools, peer networking, amplification of best practices and the latest in nutrition information, uniting individuals and organizations through shared values. Join the initiative and make a difference at HealthyEating.org.

  • Turn Employees from Potential Brand Assassins to Brand Ambassadors at Animal Ag Alliance Summit

    Food and agriculture companies spend a lot of time looking outward – focusing on external image, responding to pressure from adversarial groups, and finding new customers. In the process, these companies often overlook their most critical audience: employees. Hinda Mitchell, founder and president of Inspire PR Group, will share how to turn team members from potential brand assassins to brand ambassadors at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2024 Stakeholders Summit. Check out the full agenda and register by March 8 for the lowest rates here: https://bit.ly/AAA24.

    The annual Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. The 2024 event is themed “Ready, Set, Solve! Advancing Animal Agriculture” and set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Mo.

    “2024 Summit attendees will be scoring big with a dynamic lineup of speakers and sessions,” said Abby Kornegay, manager, issues and engagement, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “The two-day program will cover key topics and issues in agriculture including how to navigate pressure and attacks from animal rights extremist groups. This includes outreach campaigns to current food and agriculture employees in attempts to gain sensitive information. Hinda’s session will be a great place to learn more about building employee engagement and loyalty to prevent these issues.”

    In the session “Whose Team Are They On? How Employees Can Make or Break Your Brand,” Mitchell will explore employee engagement and its impact on recruitment and retention, and focus on transparency and purpose as essential workforce strategies. Attendees will learn how to turn team members from potential brand assassins to brand ambassadors, audit their own employer brand, create lasting internal communications and engagement programs that build culture, and secure that first line of defense as employees can often be pressured by animal rights extremist groups to turn their back on their own team.

    Mitchell leads Inspire PR Group, a national, multi-service public relations and marketing communications firm based in Columbus, Oh. A trusted counselor to major c-suite executives, she is a sought-after strategic leader and crisis and issues manager for corporate leaders, manufacturers, food companies, higher education, and school districts. She has led crisis management for numerous high-profile, challenging crises during her career, including recalls, labor negotiations, activism, and worker accidents. She has protected the reputations and preserved the brands of hundreds of businesses and organizations in her role. She has passion for employee engagement and positioning major food brands as an employer of choice.

    Get involved:

    Maximize your brand visibility and impact by becoming a sponsor of the 2024 Summit today! For more information on sponsorship opportunities still available, contact Logan Hall at lhall@animalagalliance.org.

    Help us spread the word about Summit! If you refer a friend to attend the 2024 Summit who has never attended a previous Summit and they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each referral will count as one entry and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers. We will give away two $100 gift cards during the Summit – one drawing for referrers and one drawing for those who were referred. All registrations for the in-person event with a referral listed made until online registration closes on May 3 will be entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card.

    Check the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA24 for updates about the event on social media. For general questions about the Summit please email summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.

    About the Alliance:

    The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.

  • $4.1 Million In Grants Available To California Dairy Processors

    Through February 29, 2024, dairy processors along the Pacific Coast are encouraged to apply for grants from the Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII). $4.1 million in grants are currently available to dairy processors in California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon. This fourth round of funding will include pandemic recovery (such as price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.)

    Dairy producers and dairy processing businesses in the aforementioned states are invited to submit proposals that meet one or more of the PCC DBII program goals:

      • Developing new dairy value-added products, culturally diverse and ethnic value-added dairy products to meet evolving consumer trends in the region.
      • Adapting current dairy products to meet evolving consumer “wants,” to meet both domestic and export demand trends.
      • Developing new product lines and expanding the dairy product portfolio to meet domestic and/or export demand for fresh milk and milk products.
      • Expanding milk usage beyond food and drink, for example packaging/films, edible products for companion animals, cosmetics, and other high-value segments.
      • Adding value to milk by increasing its intrinsic value through differentiation production system/feed additives for nutritional enhancement, and fractionation of components.
      • Adopting alternative processing technologies for value-added dairy products, optimization, and/or recovery of high-value co-streams to increase the profitability of the dairy sector.
      • Creating future opportunities for value-added ingredients and nutritional powders, milk fat products, and specialty blends, and decreasing the dependence on commodity markets.
      • Developing sustainability leadership through innovation in packaging, processing efficiencies, reduced losses/waste, and novel uses of co-products (net-zero dairy processing plants). Note: Dairy producer and/or processor applicant(s) may need to partner with non-dairy entity(ies) to address this goal)
      • Extending awareness and consumption of higher value dairy processing products through communications, strategic planning, marketing plans, and expanding hands-on agritourism

    The PCC-DBII, hosted by California State University, Fresno and funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, is dedicated to strengthening and supporting the dairy industry. By addressing these goals, they seek to help diversify the dairy product market, reduce risk and develop higher value uses for dairy products, promote business development that diversifies farmer/processor income through innovation, and encourage the use of regionally produced milk.

    The initiative is in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Chico State, Oregon State University, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, UC Davis, New Mexico State University, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center. This is the fourth round of grant funding through the PCC-DBII. Once this round closes, the PCC-DBII will have made nearly $9.1 million in grants from the USDA AMS available to regional dairy businesses for innovation-related investments, helping dairy processors evolve their operations and adopt more sustainable practices.
    href=”https://usw2.nyl.as/t1/215/cugi9vpqil9hha9bmv337zhmi/7/6487d7386d0c69671f1faeee82993294a2c160e63ce0a9e4c7872b6694f53f2e”>Applications will be accepted January 2, 2024 – February 29, 2024.

    The PCC-DBII is hosting an “Office Hours” via Zoom on Thursday, February 8th at 4pm to answer any questions businesses may have about their eligibility and the application process. Link to attend HERE

    Meeting ID: 853 0563 1054
    Passcode: 045233

    For more information: https://www.dairypcc.net/

  • California’s Jennifer Fernandez-Hanf Among New Dairy Girl Network Board of Directors

    Dairy Girl Network (DGN), an organization offering programs and events supporting all women in dairy reaching across the nation, has welcomed three new dairywomen to the board of directors: Jennifer Fernandes-Hanf of California, Julie Patterson of New York and Lorilee Schultz of Illinois. Jennifer, Julie, and Lorilee recently joined the board which together with industry partners, allow DGN members to gain valuable connections, resources and shared experiences while supporting and encouraging fellow dairywomen.

    Jennifer Fernandes-Hanf was raised on her family dairy farm in Tulare County, Calif. She was active in her local 4-H and Jr. Holstein clubs and enjoyed raising replacement heifers, registered Holsteins and showing cattle. Jennifer earned a B.S. degree in Agricultural Business Management from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Jennifer’s career has combined her passion for the dairy industry with her keen interest in software and technology. The bulk of her career was as IT Director for World Wide Sires, Ltd before she joined the Milc Group team in 2019. As Vice President of Product at Milc Group, she heads up the organization’s people management and employee training software products.

    Julie Patterson is an owner at Patterson Farms, Inc., alongside her husband, as sixth generation dairy and crop farmers in Cayuga County, NY. Julie’s responsibilities at Patterson Farms, Inc., include financial management, HR management, safety training, social media, outreach and workforce development. Julie attended Alfred State College and earned an associate degree in architectural engineering and worked in that field for a few years after graduating. After going back to school, Julie completed the Cornell Dairy Executive Program in 2004 with a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Julie serves on the NYS Dairy Promotion Order Board, on a cohort for the National Young Farmers Coalition and is involved in Workforce Development for agriculture in her community.

    Lorilee Schultz manages Mil-R-Mor Farm, in Orangeville, Ill. On the farm, some of her passions include developing deep pedigrees, producing high quality milk, and incorporating practices that improve soil health and increase biodiversity. She graduated from Iowa State University with a double major in Agricultural Business and Economics. While in college, she enjoyed some terrific internships with Hoards Dairyman and the USDA Foreign Ag Service, but her love of cows brought her back to her grandparents’ farm. Lorilee is active in her local Holstein club, a YDLI graduate, and former president of the Holstein Foundation. She recently served as the chairperson for the National Milk Producers Federation Young Cooperators advisory council.

    The DGN Board of Directors is comprised of twelve voting members along with two advisory members. These individuals are elected representatives serving as dairy farmers and industry professionals. They oversee the overall execution of the organization’s mission. In building the organization and supporting dairywomen through connections, encouragement and inspiration, DGN is proud to continue to add to our board of directors with new leadership.

    Jennifer, Julie, and Lorilee join the current DGN Board of Directors who include Laura Daniels, founder and president, of Wisconsin; Rebecca Shaw, vice president, of Pennsylvania; LuAnn Troxel, financial officer, of Indiana; Carrie Mess of Wisconsin; Kristy Pagel of Wisconsin; Tami Smith of Pennsylvania; Mary Knigge of Washington DC; Julie Veldhuis of Idaho; Rosario Ibarra of Wisconsin. Advisors to the board include Leah Ziemba of Wisconsin and Dr. Kelly Reed of Washington. These individuals are advocates for advancing women within agriculture and are dedicated to the mission and vision of DGN.

    Learn more about the organization and the opportunities DGN offers at dairygirlnetwork.com. Membership is free for all dairywomen. If you are interested in becoming a member of DGN, go to https://dairygirlnetwork.com/join/.

    The Dairy Girl Network connects all women of the dairy industry, encouraging ideas and camaraderie in an effort to achieve personal and professional development. Designed as a welcoming network of passionate women involved in dairy, relationships will grow through shared experience, support and inspiration.