California Ag Network

Category: Dairy Industry

  • Mentors Announced for 2023 College Aggies Online Program

    Cattle ranchers and social media influencers Natalie Kovarik and Brandi Buzzard are two of the mentors set to advise participants in the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship program, which begins on September 11. Registration is now open for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students studying in the U.S., as well as collegiate clubs and classes. Last year, nearly $20,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded to participants. Sign up for this year’s competition here: https://animalagalliance.org/initiatives/college-aggies-online/.

    CAO connects college students from across the country who are passionate about sharing positive, factual information about agriculture. Participants receive nine interactive and educational weeks of content to help them become confident and effective communicators for agriculture with guidance from farmers and industry mentors. During their scheduled week of the program, Kovarik and Buzzard will share valuable insights and helpful tips when it comes to engaging about agriculture.

    “College Aggies Online equips college students with the tools needed to effectively bridge the gap between farm and table,” said Emily Ellis, manager, communications and content, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “In only nine weeks in 2022, more than 8.5 million people were reached through the program with the students’ social media content and on-campus events. This is thanks, in part, to the opportunities for students to network with and learn from mentors like Kovarik and Buzzard, two fan-favorites who are returning this year.”

    Kovarik is a proud rancher’s daughter, wife, mother, and rancher herself. She works alongside her husband, Luke, and her three sons, where they own and operate Kovarik Cattle Co, a cow calf business with a growing registered herd. Growing up, Natalie was raised on her family’s registered Hereford operation in southwest Montana. She began sharing her ranching story online four years ago to foster a community that trusts and believes in agriculture as much as she does. Today, she is the co-host of the popular podcast Discover Ag as well as the co-founder of Elevate Ag, an online course and community providing farmers and ranchers with the tools needed to successfully advocate for agriculture online.

    Buzzard is editor of the Red Angus Magazine and blogger and speaker under the title Buzzard’s Beat. She and her husband operate a small ranch in southeast Kansas where she spends a majority of her time rodeoing, ranching, and engaging with her rural community. Buzzard started the blog, “Buzzard’s Beat,” in 2009 and focuses on opening the door to American agriculture, how our food is raised, and the people who raise it. She is an active speaker and has been featured on many platforms including CBS News, Fox News, MSNBC News, and many more.

    In addition to sharing tips for communicating about agriculture, Kovarik and Buzzard will also provide feedback on submitted social media posts and challenges and help in selecting weekly scholarship winners. The top participants at the conclusion of the program will be invited to attend the Alliance’s 2024 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 8-9 in Kansas City, Missouri, for national recognition.

    Students interested in networking with industry professionals and learning from successful agriculture influencers while strengthening their communication skills are invited to sign up today at https://animalagalliance.org/initiatives/college-aggies-online/.

    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.

  • Twelve Chefs Selected for National Pizza Contest Finals Showcasing Real CA Cheeses

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced the 12 finalists for the 2023 Real California Pizza Contest (RCPC) – the fifth annual nationwide search for the best foodservice pizza recipes that include the most innovative uses of Real California cow’s milk cheeses. At stake is $30,000 in prize money as well as the prestige of winning one of the country’s most coveted pizza competitions.

    These finalists will compete in three categories during a live bake-off event at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia campus in Napa, Calif. Each category winner will receive $5,000 and the Grand Prize Winner, selected from the three category winners, will win an additional $10,000. Remaining finalists each will receive $500.

    The 2023 RCPC finalists are:

    Cal-Mex Category

    • Ahmad Butler, Miller Butler, San Pedro, Calif.
    • Bill Crawford, Righteous Slice, Rexburg, Idaho
    • Chris Decker, Truly Pizza, Dana Point, Calif.
    • Marcus Medina, Hella Pie Pizza, Tracy, Calif.

    Plant-Forward Category

    • Audrey Kelly, Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage, Boulder, Colo.
    • Giovanni Labbate, Tievoli Pizza Bar, Palatine, Ill.
    • Jordan Lawson, La Fiamma Wood Fired Pizza, Bellingham, Wash.
    • Lars Smith, State of Mind Public House, Los Altos, Calif.

    The REAL Californian Category

    • Charles Cullison, Charlie’s Pizzeria, Kingman, Ariz.
    • Matt Hutchinson, Pizaro’s Pizza, Houston, Texas
    • Peter Reinhart, Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte, N.C.
    • Vincent Sbarro, Vinnie’s Pizzeria & Forno di Sbarro, Concord, Calif.

    “Pizza’s global appeal and ability to highlight a wide range of flavors, cuisines and inspiration is reflected in this year’s entries. We’re inspired by the creativity and innovation that went into these recipes, which represent a spectrum of ingredients and flavor combinations all united by California cheeses,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “As the nation’s leading producer of Mozzarella cheese and second largest cheese producer, the CMAB recognizes that pizza is an important category for our foodservice business. We are thrilled to have such a diverse breadth of culinary backgrounds and pizzaiolo experience in the finalist group and are looking forward to seeing them in action.”

    The bake-off finals event takes place August 2, 2023, at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, Calif., where finalists will prepare and bake their entries onsite for blind evaluation by a panel of expert judges, which includes Tony Gemignani, chef, restaurateur, international pizza authority and President of the World Pizza Champions; Glenn Cybulski, certified pizzaiolo and award-winning executive chef; and David Jacobson, 2022 RCPC Grand Prize Winner. The judges chose the 12 finalists from more than 150 blind-judged entries from throughout the United States.

    Additional details on the bake-off, chef finalists and CMAB’s foodservice support are available at Real California Pizza Contest.

    California is a reliable, consistent source of sustainable dairy products used by chefs throughout the world. As the nation’s largest dairy state, California boasts an impressive lineup of award-winning cheesemakers and dairy processors, that are helping to drive dining innovation.

    About Real California Milk/the California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs.

    The Foodservice Division of the CMAB supports foodservice operators and distributors that use Real California dairy products. The CMAB offers marketing and promotional support for foodservice operators that purchase dairy products with the Real California Milk seal, which means they are made with 100 percent milk from California’s more than 1,100 family dairy farms, using some of the most sustainable dairy practices in the nation.

  • Real California Milk Cheeses Win Big At 2023 State Fair Cheese Competition

    Cheesemakers that use the Real California Milk seal placed in over ten categories at the California Commercial Cheese Competition held by the California State Fair on May 10, 2023 in Sacramento, Calif.

    Real California cow’s milk cheesemakers were recognized with a total of 63 awards: 1 Best of Show, 6 Best of CA, 32 Gold, 18 Silver, and 6 Bronze awards in this year’s judging. Highlights include:

    • Joseph Farms – Best of Show, Best of CA, and Gold: Special Reserve Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese                                                                                                                                                        Best of CA and Gold: Sharp Cheddar Cheese

    Gold: Pepper Jack

    • Central Coast Creamery  –  Best of CA and Gold: “Faultline”
    • Marin French Cheese Company – Best of CA and Gold: “Golden Gate”

    Gold: “Petite Mustard”, “Petite Truffle”, “Petite Ash”, “Petite Supreme”, “Petite Breakfast”, “Petite Camembert”

    • Sierra Nevada Cheese Company –  Best of CA and Gold: Crème Fraîche, “Gina Marie” Farmer Cheese

    Gold: “Gina Marie” Cream Cheese

    • Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company – Gold: Point Reyes “Toma”, Point Reyes Aged Gouda, Point Reyes “TomaRashi”, Point Reyes “Quinta”
    • Rumiano Cheese Company – Gold: Dry Jack, Organic Pepper Jack, Organic Sharp Cheddar
    • Nicasio Valley Cheese Company – Gold: “Foggy Morning with Garlic and Basil”, “Nicasio Reserve”, “Formagella”, “Nicasio Square”, “San Geronimo”, “Locarno”
    • Queso Salazar – Gold: Oaxaca, Mozzarella
    • Cowgirl Creamery – Gold-“Pierce Point”, “Devil’s Gulch”

    Additional results from the State Fair’s 2023 California Commercial Cheese Competition are available online.

    California is the leading producer of fluid milk, butter, and ice cream as well as Mozzarella, Hispanic-style cheese and dairy, and Monterey Jack. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with sustainably sourced milk from the state’s dairy farm families.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board
    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

  • “Snack Happy” With Return Of Retail Campaign Highlighting Dairy Snacks For Summer

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced the return of a retail campaign focused on summer snacking with Real California dairy products. Snacking has risen in popularity over recent years, which has shifted consumers to snack more than ever and continuing to look for affordable options that offer flavor and health benefits. With the addition of California dairy in simple recipes, snacking becomes a delicious summer-long experience that families can feel good about.

    The “Snack Happy This Summer” promotion will elevate awareness of California dairy products through integrated digital media and in-store elements. This will consist of targeted digital ads and social media posts, email communication, and rebate offers through Instacart, and recipes featured on Chicory. In-store components will include Shelftalk and Floortalk signage. An advertising and public relations surround sound campaign will include influencer partnerships with posts on Instagram and TikTok platforms, as well as earned media outreach to spotlight trends in dairy snacks.

    Recipes featured in the “Snack Happy This Summer” campaign range from global flavors to frozen treats, all elevated with Real California dairy. These tasty bites are perfect for outdoor activities and rising temperatures and focus on current culinary trends including Mini Unicorn Smoothies, Bang Bang Style Chili Paneer Bites, Tropical Paletas, Taquitos Ahogados, and more.

    “Consumer trends over the past few years have pushed snacking consumption to a whole new level. California dairy products add an element of variation to snacking options, whether consumers are looking for nutritious or indulgent selections, or somewhere in between”, said Katelyn Harmon, Director of Business Development – US Retail, for the CMAB.

    The “Snack Happy This Summer” campaign will run from mid-June to mid-July and includes the following California retailers: Stater Bros. Markets, Smart & Final, Gelson’s, Mollie Stone’s Markets, Nugget Markets, Bristol Farms, Save Mart, Lucky, and Food Maxx. A total of 681 California stores will participate.

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer and makes more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. California is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made with milk from the state’s dairy farm families. California dairy farm families are proud leaders in sustainable farming practices.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

  • California Dairy Families Partner with Raley’s Food For Families to Deliver Nutritious Milk to Families in Need

    One in 5 Californians — about 8 million people — currently struggle with food insecurity. In commemoration of World Milk Day, the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has announced a partnership with Raley’s Food For Families program to deliver milk, one of the most requested but least donated items, to California food banks during June Dairy Month.

    During a June 1st event at the Raley’s location on Freeport Blvd in Sacramento, the CMAB and representatives from Raley’s and the Yolo Food Bank outlined the matching funds initiative that will provide up to 13,000 gallons – more than 200,000 servings – of fluid milk to 12 food bank sites. Part of the Real California Milk CADAIRY4GOOD program and Raley’s well-known Food For Families charitable organization, the partnership is part of an ongoing commitment from both to providing resources to food banks and feeding programs to increase access to nutritious foods.

    Throughout the month of June, California dairy families, through the CMAB, will match customer in-store and online Food For Families donations, dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 to provide fresh milk to those suffering from food insecurity in northern California. Prompts with the “Do Good with Dairy” message will be shared through in-store signage and digital communications to alert consumers to the initiative.

    California Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross, was onsite to help make the announcement, stating: “In California, we’re so fortunate to grow many crops and our number one crop is from our dairy families. It’s not just about the economics of dairy, which is significant, it’s about the social good and the environmental good that our dairy families provide to the state. It’s a thrill to be here about something I’m so passionate about – being able to ensure that every person in California, the state that grows the bounty, shares the bounty. That’s what our farm families do, and our dairy farmers are always first in line. I think about the children, the adults, those people in need that are going to have fresh milk as part of a healthy, nutritious diet.”

    “California dairy farms like mine have a commitment to nourishing families with one of the most nutritious foods available – milk – with its 13 essential nutrients,” said California dairy farmer Maureen Lemos. “On a day when we celebrate the wholesome goodness of dairy milk, I’m so pleased to be here to announce this partnership and focus on the impact it will have on our local communities.”

    The California milk donations will be distributed to 12 Food For Family partner food banks – Alameda County Community Food Bank, Central California Food Bank, Food Bank for Monterey County, Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano, Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Placer Food Bank, Redwood Empire Food Bank, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County, Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, and Yolo Food Bank.

    Karen Baker, Executive Director for Yolo Food Bank, said: “On behalf of Yolo Food Bank and the rest of the food banks benefitting from this effort, I’m honored to thank our dairy farmers who are always there to feed our families. Milk is an important source of nourishment for the more than 21,000 households we serve monthly. And the donation couldn’t come at a more important time. Not only does food insecurity often spike during the summer with children spending more time at home, but we’ve also seen a 20% increase across food bank distributions since a year ago. I can’t stress enough how critical this donation is, it’s like liquid gold for our food bank. Many thanks Raley’s Food For Families for their role in this innovative partnership.”

    With help from customers, vendors, and Raley’s team members, Raley’s Food For Families has provided millions of meals to local families. Raley’s absorbs all administrative costs, maximizing the impact of every donation.

    “Raley’s Food For Families has been around for 37 years with the sole mission of helping alleviate hunger. And we do that with great partners,” said Chelsea Minor, Executive Director of Food For Families. “When the California Milk Advisory Board approached us and said, we’d like to give you $20,000, can you help us deliver dairy to our food banks? We said, absolutely. We appreciate the leadership of the dairy farmers to ensure that dairy is getting to every person in our community, whether you purchase it at Raley’s or pick it up at your local food bank.”

    The CADAIRY4GOOD platform focuses on increasing access to nourishing dairy foods for individuals and families throughout California through partnerships to pilot programs to deliver product and refrigeration resources to the state’s food banks and feeding programs.

    California is the number one dairy state. Its 1,100 family dairy farms are focused on delivering the wholesome goodness of California milk while creating a greener, more sustainable future for dairy in the state.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world. Connect with the CMAB at RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

    About Raley’s Food For Families

    Raley’s Food For Families is a registered 501(c)3 organization providing food to Feeding America food banks and their network of partner agencies. The year-round program serves the communities of Northern California and Western Nevada through Raley’s, Bel Air Market, Nob Hill Foods and Raley’s ONE Market locations.

    Raley’s Food For Families began as a holiday food drive in 1986 and was founded by Co-Chairman and Owner Joyce Raley Teel and CEO emeritus Charles Collings. In the past 33 years, the organization has raised over $59 million and 44 million pounds of fresh wholesome food. With a long commitment to local communities, Raley’s Food For Families continues to grow and thrive as an organization dedicated to health and happiness for those experiencing food insecurity. Raley’s covers one hundred percent of the administrative costs for the non-profit, meaning all donations go directly to the food bank partners.

  • Self-Teaching Web App Improves Speed, Accuracy of Classifying Cereal DNA Variations

    Agricultural Research Service and Washington State University scientists have developed an innovative web app called BRIDGEcereal that can quickly and accurately analyze the vast amount of genomic data now available for cereal crops and organize the material into intuitive charts that identify patterns locating genes of interest.

    With the rapid advancements in the field of genomics the past 25 years, a game-changer for crop improvement has emerged referred to as the pan-genome, defined as the assembled genome sequences from multiple varieties within a species. But understanding and enhancing crops based on the huge amount of data that have been generated also has created a challenge for researchers due to the lack of efficient and user-friendly bioinformatic tools, particularly ones designed to handle large volume DNA variations in a species.

    Take wheat, for example. The standard reference wheat genome — which was done for the wheat variety Chinese Spring — is five times larger than the human genome. In addition, researchers have long struggled with the wide variation in the locations of genes that control essential agronomic traits across wheat’s 21 chromosomes. Right now, a dozen wheat genomes are publicly available.

    This adds up to a huge amount of data, making analysis of it a tedious process even for researchers with advanced bioinformatic skills. It is particularly challenging to sort through all of the data to identify similar stretches of DNA that may control the same trait no matter where they are located on a chromosome.

    “Researchers will find BRIDGEcereal to be an invaluable tool for selecting and prioritizing candidate genes that control specific traits in cereal crops,” said Bosen Zhang, a WSU postdoctoral research associate and co-developer of the web app.

    BRIDGEcereal is designed to transform the process of identifying large DNA variation from tedious to efficient.

    “By simply providing BRIDGEcereal with the sequence of DNA you are interested in, it will complete the search process in less than one minute.” explained ARS research biologist Xianran Li, the leader of the BRIDGEcereal project. Li is with the ARS Wheat Health, Genetics, and Quality Research Unit in Pullman, Wash., and is an adjunct professor at WSU.

    “And BRIDGEcereal will organize the data it finds and present it to you in easily understood charts that highlight any patterns of where that DNA is,” Li added.

    It only took a minute for BRIDGEcereal to identify a promising candidate gene as the controller of a wheat mutation that reduces the length of awns, the bristle-like extensions from the wheat grain head. It had been known since the 1940s that a gene on wheat chromosome 4A controls awn development, which is an iconic wheat trait. But the exact gene controlling that trait has remained unknown.

    “By searching dozens of potential genes through BRIDGEcereal, we were able to quickly identify a gene with a large DNA variation as the one that has been eluding researchers,” Li said.

    The scientists also designed BRIDGEcereal to be self-teaching — also called unsupervised machine-learning — meaning BRIDGEcereal can autonomously learn to recognize new patterns without the need for explicit instructions to follow.

    “So what we’ve developed is a one-stop gateway to efficiently mine publicly accessible cereal pan-genomes that will only get more efficient as the data continues to mount up,” Li said.

    BRIDGEcereal was first developed to work with wheat. It has already been adapted to analyze similar data from barley, maize, sorghum, and rice.

    This research was published in the journal Molecular Plant.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • Webinar on Investigational Food Use Authorizations for Genetically Altered Animals

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing the availability of a pre-recorded webinar for developers who are interested in learning more about the process of requesting an Investigational Food Use Authorization (IFUA) for animals with investigational intentional genomic alterations (IGAs). IGAs in animals are alterations to the animal’s genome that are made using genome editing or rDNA technologies.

    An IFUA permits edible tissues (such as meat, milk, eggs, honey) from animal species treated with investigational products like new animal drugs, food additives, and IGAs in animals to be used for food. The FDA will issue a letter authorizing the food use of a specific set of animals after evaluating data to identify any potential food safety hazards and ways to avoid them to ensure the safety of the edible products entering the human food chain. IFUAs are helpful to developers because they allow animals (or their products) to be used for food instead of being wasted.

    The webinar covers what an IFUA is; when it is appropriate to make an IFUA request; the types of data and information the FDA reviews in support of an IFUA request; three case study examples that cover different types of scenarios where developers of IGAs in animals might request IFUAs; and administrative procedures that developers of IGAs in animals follow when submitting an IFUA request.

    Any developer or sponsor of a genetically altered animal for food use can apply for an IFUA as long as they have an investigational file established with the agency. In order to receive an IFUA, the developer must submit sufficient data to demonstrate that food from these investigational animals is safe for human or animals to eat. The agency reviews the data submitted, and if appropriate, will issue an authorization allowing the developer to send the specified animals to slaughter or rendering for animal food. If an authorization is granted for human food use and slaughter of the animal is subject to inspection by USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the FDA will notify FSIS. The developer or sponsor must also notify FSIS and the FDA 10 days before sending the animals to slaughter. All products must be in compliance with any other applicable USDA requirements.

    To watch the webinar, please visit FDA Animal Biotechnology Case Study Webinar for Investigational Food Use Authorizations of Animals with Investigational Intentional Genomic Alterations. Please submit any questions following the webinar to FDA-CVM-Animal-Biotechnology-Feedback@fda.hhs.gov by June 30, 2023. If needed, we will post a follow-up with answers to the commonly asked questions.

    For more information:

  • Assistance to Help Organic Dairy Producers Cover Increased Costs

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announces assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP). ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.

    “Organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep our small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”

    FSA will begin accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24, 2023. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.

    Adam Warthesen, co-chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Feedstuffs Relief Task Force, and Senior Director of Government and Industry Affairs for Organic Valley said: “With unprecedented organic feed costs and inflationary pressures over the last couple of years, resources like ODMAP are really going to matter as farmers plan for the rest of this year.”

    Britt Lundgren, Senior Director of Sustainability and Government Affairs at Stonyfield, said: “The costs facing organic dairy today are uncommon and putting serious strain on operations. USDA is right to step in and offer support, and this is a good first step. The alternative is we lose family farmers. We look forward to working with USDA to cover more of the actual costs organic dairies are facing.”

    Lia Sieler, Executive Director of Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, said: “We welcome the monetary resources allocated to dairy farmers through ODMAP with much anticipation. Input costs have been at an unprecedented high with no foreseeable changes and farmers are struggling to keep up with these high costs at their current pay price for the specialty products they produce. Farmers are struggling to continue producing a quality, safe and nutritious product with the current costs of doing business. We thank USDA with the help of many members of Congress for stepping in, hearing our voices and working diligently to get money pushed out as quick as possible to help alleviate some of this pain. Our work is not done, but this is a major win for our industry in a time of such uncertainty.”

    Chris Adamo, Vice President of Public Affairs and Regenerative Agriculture Policy with Danone North America, said: “Recent increases to cost of feed and overall inputs have significantly impacted organic dairy farms, and on behalf of Horizon Organic, we are grateful for USDA’s thoughtful work and strong support for the farms that supply our customers’ milk.”

    How ODMAP Works

    FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing costs in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.

    ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.

    How to Apply

    FSA is accepting applications from May 24 to July 24, 2023. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.

    Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.

    ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date.  Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage

    More Information

    To learn more about USDA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and other programs by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.

  • General Mills’ Grant to Soil Health Academy Provides Scholarships for Community Leaders

    The non-profit Soil Health Academy announced the availability of educational scholarships for leaders in indigenous and underserved communities, as well as agriculture education professionals to attend one of SHA’s three-day, on-farm soil health and regenerative agriculture schools. In addition, the grant will provide ag educators with free access to the regenerative agriculture online course, Regen Ag 101.

    The scholarship and online training support is made possible thanks to a grant from global food company General Mills.

    Farmers and educators can apply for scholarships to attend any of the remaining scheduled SHA regenerative farming schools in 2023, including…

    • “Regenerating Profits Through Adaptive Grazing” May 30-June 1 in Cimarron, NM;
    • “Transforming Your Dairy,” June 20-22 in Cold Spring, MN;
    • “Regenerate Canada,” July 4-6, Tuffnell, SK;
    • “Regenerative Farming and Ranching,” July 18-20 in Redwood Falls, MN;
    • “Adaptive Grazing,” July 25-27 in Hope, MI;
    • “Implementing Regenerative Principles in Corn/Soybean Rotations,” August 1-3 in Cambridge, IL;
    • “Regenerating Profits Through Adaptive Grazing,” Sept. 19-21, Holton, KS; and
    • “Regenerative Dairying,” Oct. 3-5, Hoosick Falls, NY.

    “The grant from General Mills will provide scholarship support to educators and underserved and indigenous community leaders to learn the principles and practices of soil health-improving regenerative agriculture from the world’s most experienced farmer/rancher-instructors,” SHA President Dawn Breitkreutz said. “We know from our more than five years’ experience in delivering regenerative agriculture training that lives, farms, ranches and communities are transformed through the SHA school learning process.”

    In addition, Breitkreutz said SHA provides on-going follow-up support and education, as well as access to a network of like-minded regenerative farmers, ranchers and educators to school attendees.

    “Regenerative agriculture is a journey based on constant learning, sharing and improving,” she said. “Having other farmers and ranchers to stay in touch with after the SHA school is a valuable part of the experience and facilitates regenerative agriculture success—and more often than not, it also results in new and lasting friendships.”

    For more information about SHA’s upcoming schools and to apply for a school scholarship, visit www.SoilHealthAcademy.org.

  • Bipartisan Group Introduces Legislation to Strengthen Common Name Protection in Upcoming Farm Bill

    The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN) and allied organizations commend today’s introduction of the Safeguarding American Value-Added Exports (SAVE) Act to promote the protection of common names in the 2023 Farm Bill. Led in the Senate by Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Tina Smith (D-MN) and led in the House by Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Jim Costa (D-CA), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), the language would explicitly direct USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) to work with the U.S. Trade Representative to include the protection of commonly used terms like “parmesan”, “chateau” and “bologna” as a priority in international negotiations. This is the first farm bill effort on common names.

    “The lack of strong action by previous administrations has allowed the European Union to misuse and abuse its geographical indications, hurting U.S. exporters in several markets,” said Jaime Castaneda, Executive Director of CCFN. “This new emphasis on protecting common names is a much-needed step in the right direction to ensure that our producers can sell their products in markets around the world.”

    The proposed language would amend the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to define “common names” and direct the Secretary of Agriculture to coordinate with the U.S. Trade Representative to proactively defend the right to use common names for agricultural commodities or food products in international markets.

    “For years, the European Union has been using illegitimate GIs to boost its own producers at the expense of others, putting a tremendous political priority on giving European companies a leg up over producers in the U.S. and other countries,” noted Castaneda. “It is time that our government takes a more proactive approach to tackling this challenge so that we can turn the tide to stand up for food and beverage producers relying on common names.”

    • Many agricultural producers in the United States and around the world depend on common food and beverage terms – such as parmesan, chateau, or bologna – to market and sell their products.
    • Since 2009, the EU has used trade negotiations and intellectual property rules to confiscate common names for their own producers – essentially monopolizing certain products in specific markets.
    • For American farmers and producers, this leads to lost opportunities overseas and expensive fights domestically, in addition to fewer choices for consumers.
    • Recently, there has been significant efforts from the private sector to defend common names, including a favorable U.S. Court of Appeals ruling and actions by congressional champions on Capitol Hill.