California Ag Network

Category: Dairy Industry

  • U.S. Dairy Industry’s Economic Impact Totals $753 Billion

    The U.S. dairy industry continues to play a strong role in the U.S., supporting 3.3 million total jobs and $41.6 billion in direct wages, according to the latest economic impact report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).

    IDFA’s 2021 Economic Impact Study, which measures the combined impact of the dairy products industry, showed the U.S. dairy industry’s economic impact totaled $752.93 billion.

    The newly released figures indicate that the U.S. dairy industry now contributes:

    • 3.5 percent of U.S. GDP
    • 3.3 million total jobs
    • $41.6 billion in direct wages for workers in dairy industry
    • $67.1 billion in federal, state and local taxes (not including sales taxes paid by consumers)

    For the first time, the total value of exports was included in the study, revealing the U.S. dairy industry is responsible for a total of $6.5 billion in exported goods and reinforces the importance of fair international trade agreements for the industry.

    “Every dairy company knows that dairy products offer significant benefits that go beyond improving consumers’ health, and our latest economic impact study provides specific numbers that reinforce just how true that is,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Whether it’s milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, or dairy-derived ingredients, American dairy companies contribute significantly to the U.S. economy and their impact continues to grow year after year. IDFA’s members remain dedicated to making safe, delicious products that nourish and sustain consumers while delivering for our economy.”

    The report also demonstrates how dairy product categories contribute directly to the U.S. economy, including:

    • Cheese: Adds $55.4 billion in direct economic impact and supports 57,700 dairy industry jobs
    • Milk: Adds $49 billion in direct economic impact and supports 62,200 dairy industry jobs
    • Ice Cream: Adds $13.1 billion in direct economic impact and supports 28,800 dairy industry jobs
    • Yogurt & Cultured Products: Adds $6.8 billion in direct economic impact and supports 8,600 dairy industry jobs
    • Dairy Ingredients: Adds $17.7 billion in direct economic impact and supports 11,000 dairy industry jobs

    The study’s findings are also available in an interactive economic impact tool on IDFA’s Dairy Delivers® webpage where users can click on an interactive map of the U.S. to learn how dairy impacts their community. Just select an area of the country that interests you—options include the full U.S., any of the 50 states, or any of the 435 Congressional districts. Once you click on the state and/or district that interests you, select View/Print to generate your own detailed fact sheet or economic impact report. To learn more, visit www.idfa.org/dairydelivers.

  • Dairy Industry Applauds USTR Decision to Pursue USMCA Dispute Settlement Case Enforcing Dairy Market Access Obligations in Canada

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) praised U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai announced initiation of a U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) dispute settlement proceeding over Canada’s administration of dairy tariff rate quotas (TRQs).

    Dairy organizations have been calling for full enforcement of Canada’s trade obligations given Canada’s ongoing refusal to change how it handles dairy market access under USMCA. Initiating an official dispute settlement will, under USMCA rules, establish a panel to determine whether Canada has been violating its trade obligations. If the panel determines a lack of compliance, the U.S. would then be granted the right to impose retaliatory duties if Canada fails to fix its problematic TRQ administrative practices.

    “On behalf of America’s dairy farmers, we thank Ambassador Katherine Tai for initiating the USMCA dispute settlement process by requesting the formation of a panel to examine Canada’s failure to provide access to its dairy TRQs in accordance with USMCA,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF President and CEO. “Canada has failed to take the necessary action to comply with its obligations under USMCA by inappropriately restricting access to its market. This needs to stop and we are thankful that USTR intends to make that happen.”

    “Our appreciation goes to the Biden Administration for moving forward with a dispute settlement action against Canada’s administration of dairy TRQs,” said Krysta Harden, USDEC President and CEO. “We have had long-standing and well-founded concerns that Canada undermines its trade agreements when it comes to dairy. Our trading partners need to know that failure to meet their agricultural trade commitments with the United States will result in robust action to defend U.S. rights – today’s action demonstrates just that. The expansion of dairy market access opportunities is critical for our industry. Today’s action is a critical step toward maximizing current export opportunities while sending a strong message in defense against the erection of future barriers in Canada and other markets as well.”

    “Our negotiators and our dairy companies work too hard for the market access obligations in these agreements to be ignored,” said IDFA Trade Policy and International Affairs Vice President Becky Rasdall. “We’re indebted to Ambassador Tai and the teams at USTR and USDA for their efforts to advance this dispute.”

    These dairy organizations have carefully monitored Canada’s actions regarding its USMCA dairy commitments and have urged the administration and Congress to make this a priority as soon as USMCA entered into force. The organizations highlighted for USTR and the U.S. Department of Agriculture the inconsistencies between Canada’s dairy TRQ allocations and Canada’s USMCA obligations. In a detailed filing submitted to the administration, agencies were provided with a specific review of the Canadian TRQ system and an explanation of the negative impacts resulting from them.

    U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai

    These concerns have been echoed by a broad bipartisan coalition of members of Congress. Most recently, several leading members of the House Ways and Means and Agriculture Committees joined together on a bipartisan message to USTR urging further enforcement action and multiple members of Congress shared a similar message during Amb. Tai’s trade oversight hearings in May. Prior to that, Senators broached the topic with USTR during Ambassador Tai’s confirmation hearing process. Last August, 104 Representatives sent a letter to USTR and USDA asking for Canada to be held accountable to its trade promises while a letter in the Senate was signed by 25 Senators. USDEC, NMPF and IDFA commend the continued engagement of so many members of Congress on this important issue.

  • The Environmental and Nutritional Impact of Removing Dairy Cattle

    The United States dairy industry is a major contributor to the US food and nutrient supply. Dairy products are a major source of protein, calcium, and many essential vitamins not just in the US but all over the world. The US dairy industry also accounts for 16 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions from all of US agriculture, and contributes roughly 1.58 percent of the total US greenhouse gas emissions.
     
    One suggested approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been to reduce or eliminate animal production in favor of plant production. A new study set out to examine the nutritional and environmental impacts associated with removing dairy production.
     
    “The project is actually a continuation of some work that we put out in 2017 where we evaluated what would happen if we removed all animals from US agriculture,” says assistant professor Robin White of Virginia Tech. The 2017 study revealed an increase in micronutrient deficiencies despite greater food availability in a simulated system without farmed animals for food production. “This work is a specific follow-up to look individually at the dairy industry, which has some unique trade-offs in terms of provision of human edible nutrients and environmental impact,” says White. Dairy products contain a mix of unique nutrients required by humans, while milk production from dairy cattle has a lower environmental impact than meat production or production of some plant products, such as lettuce.
     
    White and her colleagues set out to determine the current contributions of dairy products to the nutrient supply in the US. The new study also considered the mechanics of how land use within the agricultural system might adapt to reduced consumption of animal products. Previous studies found that when non-livestock animals move into areas previously used by livestock, there is a significant effect on greenhouse gas emission. 
     
    The researchers also took into account the effects of different approaches to dairy depopulation. “We have two different types of scenarios, one focusing on the question of practicality, if we are to reduce the size of the dairy industry, how would we go about doing that, and the second question focusing on how we might use agricultural land that would be liberated when we reduce the size of the dairy industry,” says White.
     
    The researchers considered three scenarios of dairy removal—depopulation, current management (export dairy), and retirement. In the depopulation scenario, all dairy animals are removed, whereas in the current management (export dairy) scenario, animals are kept under current management and dairy products are not consumed in the US. Finally, in the retirement scenario dairy animals are retired to a pasture-based system.
     
    “We have three scenarios or three levels, one of which is kind of the extreme scenario where we actually go through and do a one-time depopulation of all dairy cattle,” says White. “That is effectively a mass slaughter of dairy cows, so that we no longer have them contributing to environmental impact,” she says. “In all likelihood that’s something that would be really socially unacceptable,” says White.
     
    “Our results suggest that depopulation probably is a scenario where we get a big environmental benefit and highlights that there are some trade-offs there,” she says. Under this scenario, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture declined 7.2% compared with emissions from the current production system, although supplies of several essential nutrients declined as well.
     
    The researchers also considered a second scenario, the current management (export dairy) scenario, where people may stop consuming dairy products, but the dairy industry largely remains unaffected because they sell dairy products for other purposes and use those products as an export instead of selling them to US consumers. “That’s kind of the extreme scenario in terms of if we were only economically motivated,” says White. Greenhouse gas emissions were unchanged in this current management (export dairy) scenario, with a decrease in nutrient supplies compared with current diets or the depopulation scenario.
     
    The researchers also considered a retirement scenario, where dairy animals are retired to pastures. “Then there’s a third scenario that probably reflects what the average consumer would expect to see when we talk about reducing the size of the industry, and that’s a scenario where effectively dairy cattle are just retired out of the milk production sector and animals are allowed to maintain their semi-feral existence on available pastures and such,” says White. She notes that this scenario doesn’t address how one would actually achieve population control for those animals, which is an issue for other feral populations in the US such as feral horses and feral cats. The retirement scenario showed an 11.97% decline in total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions compared with current emissions, likely because of the greatly reduced population of cows sustainable on available pastureland. However, available supplies of all nutrients decreased in this scenario.
     
    The researchers estimate that retiring dairy would translate to a 72.6%, 56.7%, and 53.9% decrease in domestically produced supplies of calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, respectively, relative to the current contributions of dairy to the US agricultural system. “The sheer quantity of nutrients that are contributed to from the dairy industry was pretty staggering,” says White.
     
    The study’s investigation into the impacts of removing dairy cows from US production agriculture suggests that the greenhouse gas changes would be relatively minor, equivalent to 0.7% of the total US emission. The researchers found that removal scenarios that did not reduce micronutrient availability also did not improve greenhouse gas emission relative to the current production system. They suggest that nutrient production and meeting of essential nutrient requirements should be considered when evaluating the impact of removing any animal production system.
     
    “The primary takeaway is that there are tradeoffs within the food production system between the production of high quality human edible nutrients and the environmental impact of the food production system,” says White. “Of the numerous scenarios we evaluated there wasn’t a single one that was better in both of those categories than our current agricultural system,” she says. “The current agricultural system does present some sort of optimum there, and in evaluating different strategies to try and influence some of the negative aspects of that system—the environmental impact being an example—we need to be considering the collateral impacts of those choices on the other aspects of the system,” says White.
     
    In follow-up experiments, White and her colleagues plan to work toward similar assessments at a global scale. Such assessments may help policy makers consider the pros and cons of various scenarios. “From the standpoint of deriving policy, I think that this highlights the importance of looking at the different policy options with as wide a lens as possible,” says White.
     
    “That includes the biological feasibility, the potential impact on the environment, the potential impact on climate change, the impact on the economics both at a micro and a macro scale, and the social aspects, because really agriculture exists at the intersection of all of those,” White says. — By Sandeep Ravindran, International Milk Genomics Consortium

    Post-script: A note about methane’s role in greenhouse gas emissions

    Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that is 25-28 times stronger than CO2 over a 100-year period. However, there is some evidence, including from a recent white paper, that carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane differ in the way they contribute to global warming, particularly depending on the source of methane. Whereas the burning of fossil methane—such as from natural gas—gives rise to CO2 that can remain in the atmosphere for centuries, methane emitted by cows is relatively short-lived and is broken down after 12 years in the atmosphere.

  • DMI Helps Taco Bell Unveil 2ndBeverage Featuring Dairy

    Taco Bell is unveiling its second frozen beverage featuring dairy at all participating U.S. locations for a limited time, thanks to checkoff support. The Mtn Dew® Baja Blast® Colada Freeze features a dairy-based creamer made from real heavy cream, with pineapple and coconut flavors* to give it a tropical feel. The drink will be available May 20 on a limited-time basis or until supplies run out.

    Mike Ciresi, a Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) senior dairy scientist

    “Taco Bell fans now have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious tropical, creamy twist on the iconic Baja Blast Freeze,” said Mike Ciresi, a Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) senior dairy scientist who works with Taco Bell. “The Baja Blast® Colada Freeze shows that dairy plays a key role on Taco Bell’s beverage menu. Expanding beverage offerings to include dairy not only delights customers but drives additional dairy sales and adds value to the checkoff investment.”

    The drink builds off the success of last year’s Pineapple Whip Freeze that used a similar dairy creamer. Ciresi, along with Emil Nashed, who leads DMI’s Global Innovation Partnerships science team, joined DMI’s Product Research Team and the Midwest Dairy Center at the University of Minnesota to crack the code on the creamer.

    The efforts led to a dairy-based, shelf-stable creamer that consists of real cream and met Taco Bell’s product requirements.

    “The Pineapple Whip Freeze unlocked dairy in Taco Bell’s frozen beverage category,” Ciresi said. “Once we had a way to unlock the creamer, we had flexibility to experiment with flavors and other types of freezes. Pineapple Whip Freeze was a huge beverage launch for Taco Bell and we’re building off that now.”

    Heather Mottershaw, vice president of pipeline innovation and product development for Taco Bell, said the restaurant chain benefits greatly from dairy checkoff resources.

    “We always love collaborating with DMI scientists and dreaming up amazing ideas together,” Mottershaw said. “The Baja Blast Colada is the perfect blend of signature Baja blast with a pineapple-coconut tropical creamer.”

    For information about the dairy checkoff, visit www.usdairy.com.

  • Performance & Recovery Innovation for CA Dairy

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) recently announced the return of its annual dairy innovation competition with a new name and increased focus on advancing excellence in functional dairy product development. The Real California Milk Excelerator, the 3rd edition of the CMAB dairy product innovation competition with innovation consultancy VentureFuel, will award up to $650,000 in prizes for new dairy products that support performance and recovery benefits.

    The 2021 Real California Milk Excelerator taps into the thriving functional foods market – a market that has grown significantly over the past year and is projected to reach over $275 billion globally by 2025. With consumers prioritizing personal health and wellness in response to the pandemic, the competition will seek out early-stage startups that utilize two of California’s great resources – an abundant supply of sustainably sourced California milk and the state’s entrepreneurial spirit.

    One of the biggest dairy competitions in the world, the competition seeks early-stage, potential for high-growth applicants with a cow’s milk-based product or working prototype that plays a critical role in personal performance (focus, energy, exercise, strength) and/or recovery (rejuvenation, relaxation, gut health, sleep).

    Up to twelve applicants will be selected to join the RCM Excelerator program with each receiving a $10,000 stipend and support to refine and scale their individual business as well as benefit from group resources including the development of sales and marketing tools. They will also be entered into the CMAB/VentureFuel Mentor Program which includes elite counsel from successful founders, investors, leading corporate executives, and experts across design, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution, farming and processing industries. The first place Excelerator winner will receive up to $150,000 worth of additional marketing support from CMAB to accelerate their product growth in the marketplace. Second place will receive $100,000 of marketing supports from CMAB. To further advance opportunities for finalists, a private, Buyer/Investor Day event will be hosted for finalists to pitch actual clients to drive business development and secure financing.The value of the competition awards is $650,000.

    For the first time, CMAB and VentureFuel also will be awarding up to three companies entry into the new Real California Milk Incubator Boot Camp, an option for companies that have great ideas but are too early for the competition. Led by executives at CMAB, VentureFuel and the California Dairy Innovation Center, Boot Camp participants also will gain entry into the VentureFuel Mentor program as well as review of products, tweaking of pitch, introductions to food labs, nutritionists, etc. (a value of $50,000).

    John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB

    “Consumers are redefining what health and wellness means and looking for foods that provide not only flavor but functionality to help them achieve optimal health. Whether to maximize daily performance or replenishment after physical activity, dairy is the ultimate functional food supplying quality protein plus several vital nutrients that translate to the products consumers are looking for today,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “With the Excelerator and Incubator platforms, we will be able to support companies as they innovate with dairy to bring more of these products featuring milk from California dairy farmers to market.”

     

    Fred Schonenberg, Founder of VentureFuel, Inc.

    VentureFuel, Inc., the leading corporate innovation consultancy, is again partnering with CMAB to run the program and to identify the best emerging opportunities from their global network of investors, founders and academics. “Excelsior is a Latin motto meaning ‘Ever upward!’ and after the tremendous success of our first two programs with CMAB, where we have provided mentorship and accelerated 24 dairy focused startups, we wanted to cement a name that showed our commitment to moving the industry ever upward, ever quickly. This is how we landed at the Excelerator,” said Fred Schonenberg, Founder of VentureFuel, Inc. “By adding the Incubator Bootcamp and Buyer/Investor Day, CMAB continues their commitment to creating a product innovation ecosystem to further increase the demand for California Dairy while supporting and accelerating the influx of new startups and entrepreneurs creating better-for- you products.”

    Competition rules and application documents are available at RealCaMilkExclerator.com and the deadline for application is June 25, 2021.

    The Excelerator competitions, which in the past have focused on fluid milk and snacking product startups, are part of the CMAB’s innovation ecosystem, which includes the development in 2020 of the California Dairy Innovation Center, a collaborative platform created to further product-oriented innovation and enhance productivity for the California dairy industry through research, training and education.

    California, known for innovation, has a reputation for quality dairy products. As the number one producer of milk in the nation, California also leads the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. More than 1200 family dairy farms produce the California milk found in fluid milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream and other dairy products identified by the Real California Milk seal.

    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.

    About VentureFuel, Inc.

    Founded in 2014, VentureFuel is an independent innovation consultancy that builds innovation programs for industry leaders by unlocking the power of external innovation through startup collaboration. Its programs focus on changing behaviors and beliefs in order to unlock new sources of growth. We provide senior leaders with the tools to drive transformative change within their organizations by opening up their teams to new ways of working, products, services and routes to market. Learn more at: www.venturefuel.net, Linked-In, Twitterand Instagram. You can hear The VentureFuel Podcast on Apple, Spotify or Simplecast.

  • Cal Poly Team Awarded First Place at National Dairy Challenge®

    This past year has deeply changed us — all at once, things were no longer as they once were. Dairy Challenge took a widely different path. No longer were students traveling to different areas and exploring the farms with their boots on the ground. The National Dairy Challenge transformed and forged ahead.

    College dairy students – 190 in total – from 30 colleges gathered virtually for the 19th annual Dairy Challenge. Dairy students worked to improve their dairy management and communication skills, networked with other students, and explored industry careers.

    Dairy Challenge is a unique, real-world experience where dairy students work as a team and apply their college coursework to evaluate and provide solutions for an operating dairy farm.

    This year’s contest included 24 universities, whose four-person teams competed for awards based on their quality of teams’ farm analysis and appropriate solutions. Their farm presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges, including dairy producers, veterinarians, finance specialists and seasoned agribusiness personnel.

    The Academy provided interactive training for 102 students from four-year universities or two-year dairy programs. Academy participants were divided into smaller groups including dairy industry volunteers who worked as advisors to coach these less-experienced academy participants as they assessed the dairy and developed recommendations.

    Dairy Challenge Applies Learning to a Real-world Dairy

    Over its 20-year history, Dairy Challenge has helped more than 7,000 students prepare for careers in the dairy industry, dairy production and veterinary medicine.

    “Dairy Challenge is an opportunity for college students from across North America to engage with industry professionals to learn about contemporary dairy issues.  Analysis of the dairy operation utilizing data such as financial statements, dairy health and reproduction records, feed information, farm maps, and farm manager interviews are all used to pull together recommendations for the produce,” said Wanda Emerich NAIDC board chair. “Our hope is that students build their network with other students in addition to finding jobs with our many sponsors. We want the students to walk away with new knowledge gained they will take out into the world after college.”

    The virtual event began with learning webinars where industry representatives helped students better understand dairy conditions and shared details about reproduction, cow comfort, data management, nutrition, transition diseases, and calf raising.

    The contest and academy participants received in-depth management data from a Wisconsin dairy. The next day, all students virtually visited the dairy to witness dairy operations. After a question-answer session with the farm owners, the student teams developed recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, cow comfort, and labor and financial management. The last day students presented their recommendations to the judging panel, visited with sponsors at the career fair, and attended an educational seminar presented by Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin.

    Ten College Teams Earn Top Awards

    At Friday evening’s awards ceremony, the following contest teams and students were announced as First Place winners:

    • University of Idaho: Sadie Hurley, Taythen Larson, Nicole Poxleitner, Taylor Stephenson and Amin Ahmadzadeh (coach)
    • Michigan State University: Kristen Burkhardt, Miriah Dershem, Beka McDonald, Lynn Olthof and Roger Thomson (coach)
    • California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Jacob Nicholas de Jong, Brandon Lemstra, Brian Martin, Derrick Nunes, David Vagnoni (coach), Julie Huzzey (coach) and Rich Silacci (coach)
    • The Ohio State University: Paul Bensman, Caleb Rykaczewski, Brietta Latham, Sarah Lehner, Maurice Eastridge (coach) and Benjamin Wenner (coach)
    • University of Guelph: Rebecca Barr, Brooke Boonstoppel, Clayton McWilliams, Tyrone Wagler and Trevor DeVries (coach)

    Teams and students earning Second Place include:

    • University of Wisconsin‐Madison: Emma Gwidt, Caleb LaCount, Jessica Mehre, Dawson Nickels and Ted Halbach (coach)
    • The Pennsylvania State University: Shara Allman, George DeMers, Kelly Forbes, Sydney Jewell, Lisa Holden (coach) and Virginia Ishler (coach)
    • Virginia Tech: Todd Allen, Isabelle Leonard, John McGehee, Christine Putman and Alex White (coach)
    • Aggregate Team #18: Katarina Emerich, Purdue University; Raina O’Leary, University of Idaho; Morgan Smith, University of Idaho; Louise Terwilliger Parmelee, University of Vermont; coached by Jacquelyn Boerman, Elizabeth Karcher, Wanda Emerich and Amin Ahmadzadeh
    • Texas A&M University: Christopher Childress, Lyndsey Heywood, Paige Howard, Natalie Koke, Sushil Paudyal (coach) and Jennifer Spencer (coach)

    About Dairy Challenge

    The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge is an innovative event for students in dairy programs at North American post-secondary institutions. Its mission is to develop tomorrow’s dairy leaders and enhance progress of the dairy industry, by providing education, communication and networking among students, producers, and agribusiness and university personnel. Over its 20-year national history, Dairy Challenge has helped prepare more than 7,000 students for careers as farm owners and managers, consultants, researchers, veterinarians or other dairy professionals. The next national event will be hosted in Green Bay, Wisconsin, March 31- April 2, 2022. Four regional events are held in late fall and winter; details are at www.dairychallenge.org.

  • USDA Awards 85 New Projects to Help Mitigate Climate Change

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is investing $330 million in 85 locally driven, public-private partnerships to address climate change, improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Projects are awarded through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

    “The Regional Conservation Partnership Program is public-private partnerships working at their best,” said NRCS Acting Chief Terry Cosby. “These new projects will harness the power of partnerships to help bring about solutions to natural resource concerns across the country while supporting our efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

    Across America, producers are seeing the impacts from climate change. Farmers, landowners and local communities can be a major part of the effort to combat climate change.

    Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is engaged in a whole-of-government effort to combat the climate crisis and conserve and protect our nation’s lands, biodiversity and natural resources including our soil, air and water. Through conservation practices and partnerships, including those through RCPP, USDA aims to enhance economic growth and create new streams of income for farmers, ranchers, producers and private foresters. Successfully meeting these challenges will require USDA and our agencies to pursue a coordinated approach alongside USDA stakeholders, including state, local and Tribal governments.

    About RCPP
    Through RCPP, conservation partners work in collaboration with NRCS to help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners throughout the nation to implement systems that conserve water and soil resources, improve the health of wildlife habitats and increase climate resilience.

    RCPP partners offer value-added contributions to amplify the impact of RCPP funding. These projects offer impactful and measurable outcomes. Throughout its history, RCPP has leveraged partner contributions of more than $1 for every $1 invested by USDA, resulting in nearly $3 billion collectively invested in natural resource conservation on private lands. The Department anticipates the investments made today will generate at least $440 million in additional conservation funds by communities and other partners.

    Examples of the 2021 RCPP projects include:

    • Lancaster’s Common Agenda for Clean Water (Pennsylvania): Lancaster Clean Water Partners brings together a diverse group of organizations including non-profits, government and businesses with a goal of delisting impaired waters to make Lancaster County’s streams clean and clear by 2040. The partnership will use a custom screening tool to identify critical lands for water quality improvement. An innovative incentive structure will be used to reward producers for installing riparian forest or grass buffers, or for adopting regenerative farming practices.
    • The Working Farms Fund (Georgia): The Conservation Fund, in collaboration with six local partners, proposes to establish the first-of-its-kind program in the country, known as the Working Farms Fund. The project, based on results from a successful Conservation Innovation Grant, will permanently protect farmland across the Atlanta metropolitan foodshed and create opportunities for ambitious, diverse farmers to access affordable farms through an innovative buy-protect-sell model. Partners, like Emory University and the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center will help report on the carbon sequestration, social and economic outcomes of the project. The partnership is committed to ensuring that at least 20% of its participating farmers come from historically underserved groups.
    • Northern New Jersey Small Farm Food Link Conservation Project: The Urban Agriculture Cooperative proposes to deliver technical and financial assistance to new and historically underserved urban farmers in Northern New Jersey. Implementation of seasonal high tunnels, composting facilities, cover crops and irrigation practices will improve soil health and irrigation water use efficiency, as well as help urban producers realize lower input costs and more production. Participating farms will also see new revenue streams from composting activities. The project will increase opportunities for black, Indigenous, people of color, women, immigrants and new young farmers to participate in all aspects of the local food economy from production to retail. Historically underserved farmers pursuing land tenure will benefit and strengthen their linkages with rural farmers to bring more food to urban residents who lack fresh food access.
    • Building Ranch Resiliency in South Dakota and Nebraska: By 2024, this partnership of eight organizations proposes to increase rangeland resiliency on 40 South Dakota and Nebraska ranches. The diverse partnership will contribute expertise on grazing management, wildlife habitat improvement and water development to improve range condition. A subset of the participating producers will be enrolled, on a voluntary basis, in World Wildlife Fund’s Ranch Systems Viability Planning project through which ranchers gain expertise in financial strategies, marketing, diversification and estate planning.
    • Soil Health Management Systems for Northern California: California State University will support California’s Healthy Soils Initiative to help orchard/vineyard, rangeland, dairy and row crop producers implement Soil Health Management Systems. The project leverages contributions from 13 partners to improve soil function, water infiltration and availability and protect biodiverse habitats in Northern California agro-ecosystems. In addition, the project integrates carbon farm planning activities and will report on economic and social outcomes, in addition to conservation outcomes.
    • Tri-State Western Lake Erie Basic Collaboration: Indiana, Michigan and Ohio State Departments of Agriculture propose to join forces with over 30 partners to help participating farmers improve soil health and reduce nutrient loading impacts in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The partnership will use sophisticated targeting tools to work with producers and landowners operating near the Maumee headwaters, an area identified as a source of high levels of excess phosphorus, with technical and financial assistance opportunities.
    • Arkansas-Louisiana Open Pine Landscape Restoration: The AR-LA Conservation Delivery Network Open Pine Landscape Restoration partnership proposes to advance the recovery of species of conservation concern by implementing Desired Forest Condition management practices across 30,000 acres of private lands in Arkansas and Louisiana. American Bird Conservancy and 19 partners plan to use several innovative tools and approaches to target conservation funds to lands critical for the protection of species such as Northern Bobwhite, Henslow’s and LeConte’s sparrows, Louisiana Pine Snake, and Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Partnerships with the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff and other entities, along with a tailored program and incentive package, will help ensure that Historically Underserved farmers participate meaningfully in the project.
    • Farmland & Water Quality Conservation Initiative (Michigan): The Farmland & Water Quality Conservation Initiative aims to benefit the long-term economic, social, and environmental health of Ottawa County by protecting surface and groundwater quality and improving aquatic and wildlife habitat in the Macatawa, Lower Grand, and Pigeon River watersheds. Project partners plan to develop a watershed model using the USDA-developed Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework to identify lands where implementation activities targeting both surface and groundwater conservation would have the greatest impact.

    See the interactive map of awarded RCPP projects here.

    There are currently 336 active RCPP projects that have engaged more than 2,000 partners. For more information, visit the RCPP website.

  • Dairy Farmers Seek Emergency Hearing on Class I Mover Reform

    The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors voted today to request an emergency USDA hearing on a Federal Milk Marketing Order proposal to restore fairness for farmers in the Class I fluid milk price mover. The endorsement of the board, which represents dairy farmers and cooperatives nationwide, follows approval from the organization’s Executive Committee last week.

    The NMPF plan would ensure that farmers recover lost revenue and establish more equitable distribution of risk among dairy farmers and processors. The current mover was adopted in the 2018 farm bill and intended to be revenue neutral while facilitating increased price risk management by fluid milk bottlers. But the new Class I mover contributed to disorderly marketing conditions last year during the height of the pandemic and cost dairy farmers over $725 million in lost income. NMPF’s proposal would help recoup the lost revenue and ensure that neither farmers nor processors are disproportionately harmed by future significant price disruptions.

    “As the COVID-19 experience has shown, market stresses can shift the mover in ways that affect dairy farmers much more than processors. This was not the intent of the Class I mover formula negotiated within the industry,” said Randy Mooney, the dairy farmer chairman of NMPF’s Board of Directors. “The current mover was explicitly developed to be a revenue-neutral solution to the concerns of fluid milk processors about hedging their price risk, with equity among market participants a stated goal.

    “Dairy farmers were pleased with the previous method of determining Class I prices and had no need to change it, but we tried to accommodate the concerns of fluid processors for better risk management. Unfortunately, the severe imbalances we’ve seen in the past year plainly show that a modified approach is necessary. We will urge USDA to adopt our plan to restore equity and create more orderly marketing conditions,” Mooney said.

    While the current Class I mover was designed to improve the ability of fluid milk handlers to hedge milk prices using the futures market, it was also expected to be revenue-neutral compared to the formula it replaced. But that has not been the case. The significant gaps between Class III and IV prices that developed during the pandemic exposed dairy farmers to losses that were not experienced by processors, showing the need for a formula that better accounts for disorderly market conditions.

    NMPF’s proposal would modify the current Class I mover, which adds $0.74/cwt to the monthly average of Classes III and IV, by adjusting this amount every two years based on conditions over the prior 24 months, with the current mover remaining the floor. NMPF’s request will be to limit the hearing specifically to proposed changes to the mover, after which USDA would have 30 days to issue an action plan that would determine whether USDA would act on an emergency basis.

    The National Milk Producers Federation, based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.

  • Join Mario Lopez and Real California Milk for Instagram Live Breakfast Story Reading

    With families balancing work and at-home or modified school schedules, starting the day off right has become more important than ever. To help encourage families to cherish shared moments at the breakfast table, Real California Milk has created a new digital series of short stories for children. These Breakfast Time Stories, starring lovable animated characters, will launch and be available in English and Spanish on April 24 at: realcaliforniamilk.com/BreakfastStories.

    Breakfast Time Stories include:

    • “The Chipmunk Who Was Raised by Wolves” / “La Ardilla Que Fue Criada Por Lobos”
    • “Burt, The Busiest Bear” / “Oscar, El Oso Ocupado”
    • “Shelly Shellbert, Loner Turtle” / “Soledad Caparazón, La Tortuga Solitaria”

    To celebrate the launch, California’s dairy farm families are partnering with Emmy winning host of Access Hollywood, actor and dad Mario Lopez for an Instagram LIVE reading event Saturday, April 24th at 10:30 a.m. PT. During the event, families across the country will be able to join Lopez on his Instagram page as he reads the story of Charlie, “The Chipmunk Who Was Raised by Wolves” in English and Spanish.

    Real California Milk and Celebrity Dad Mario Lopez Partner to Debut Children’s Stories Highlighting the Importance of Family and Breakfast Photo Credit: Mario Lopez.

    “As a father of three kids, I know how important it is to sit down together for a healthy breakfast, which isn’t always easy,” said Mario Lopez. “Real California Milk’s Breakfast Books are such a great tool to get everyone to take a moment to start the day off on the right foot nutritionally and as a family unit.”

    “We developed these simple, sweet breakfast stories for families to enjoy while kicking off the day with a healthy breakfast together,” says Jennifer Giambroni, VP of Communications at Real California Milk. “More time at breakfast means more time with dairy, which plays an essential role at the heart of many breakfast favorites, from cereal and milk and buttered toast to yogurt smoothies and cheesy eggs.”

    The Breakfast Time Stories were written in collaboration with Deutsch LA creative directors Trevor Kuhn, Justin Lesinski and Ryan Wolin, and illustrated by global artists Flavio Remontti, Dmytro Hladkyi and Nathan Joyce. Each one follows a relatable creature as they learn the value of community and bringing their loved ones together through the power of breakfast. Presented digitally using dynamic “scrollytelling” technology, the books allow readers to scroll through charming illustrations to activate engaging animations.

    The initiative is an extension of Real California Milk’s “The Day Can Wait” creative campaign, which showcases how breakfast with family and friends can start the day on a positive step before the demands of everyday life intrude.

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer and is responsible for producing more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state 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 exclusively with 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.

    Learn more about ways Real California dairy can make breakfast special at https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/better-breakfast and find recipes from Burt, Charlie and Shelly to enjoy with your family. 

  • Milk Cooler Bag Initiative Keeps Milk on the Menu at CA Schools Affected by COVID Changes

    California dairy farmers and processors, with the support of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and Dairy Council of California (DCC), are aiding schools in the central and southern regions of the Golden State through a pilot program that supplies California schools with portable insulated milk cooler bags to keep milk cold and remain part of school meal service.

    When the pandemic forced California schools to close their doors, many schools switched to a drive-thru service model to continue to provide meal service to students and families in their community. Drive-thru meal service is continuing despite schools opening back up, and as the weather warms, a growing concern shared by many school foodservice professionals center around challenges keeping milk cold. Milk is an important part of school meals and daily eating patterns, nourishing students and providing essential nutrients that support optimal growth and development, academic success and health.

    To solve this challenge, CMAB created and sourced custom portable cooler bags, which are heavily insulated and able to hold up to two crates of milk. Highly portable, these cooler bags can be easily moved and stored, making them ideal for in-classroom, drive-thru and outdoor meal service. Beyond the pandemic, the cooler bags will also be able to support Summer Meals, helping California schools nourish children with fresh, cold milk as part of school meal service offered during warmer summer months. The cooler bags are being distributed to schools in need to help ensure milk can stay on the daily menu.

    “School meals are an essential resource to promote healthy growth and development and support academic achievement. With the disruption of Covid, vulnerable students have faced limitations on access to healthy foods,” said Mike Gallagher, Business and Market Development Consultant for the CMAB. “By supplying California schools with cooler bags to help solve the problem of keeping milk cold, we can help ensure all children are able to access milk with their school meals.”

    “Dairy foods like milk offer a unique package of nutrients that work together to provide multiple benefits, including optimal growth and development in children and reduced risk of developing chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” said Shannan Young, RDN and Program Director of Food Systems and Access at DCC. “Access to milk and dairy foods as part of a healthy eating pattern is especially important in underserved communities and during early childhood, since nutrition and diet quality can positively impact lifelong health.”

    Three California processors took part in the test –Producers Dairy Foods, Crystal Creamery and Hollandia Dairy – to help fund and distribute approximately 5,000 cooler bags for schools in the central and southern part of the state. Distribution by these processors will continue until the supplies are exhausted in the districts of the pilot program.

    California is the nation’s leading milk producer and is responsible for producing more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state 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 exclusively with 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.

    About Dairy Council of California                                                                                              

    For over a century, Dairy Council of California has empowered stakeholders, including educators, health professionals and community leaders, to elevate the health of children and families through the pursuit of lifelong healthy eating habits. Funded by California’s dairy farm families and local milk processors and under the guidance of California Department of Food and Agriculture, Dairy Council of California’s free science-based nutrition education resources, Mobile Dairy Classroom assemblies, training programs and online resources educate millions of students and families in California and throughout the United States. Learn more at HealthyEating.org.