California Ag Network

Category: Dairy Industry

  • Changes Proposed to National Organic Crops and Livestock List

    On March 23, 2026, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List). The National List is a section of the USDA organic regulations that identifies synthetic substances that are allowed, and natural substances that are prohibited, in organic production and handling.

    The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (OFPA) prohibits synthetic substances in organic production unless they meet specified criteria, are recommended by the National Organic Standards Board and are added to the National List. This rule would implement several recommendations from the Board from their public meetings, held in October 2021, October 2022, and October 2024:

    • Allow carbon dioxide in organic crop production.
    • Allow meloxicam as a pain treatment in organic livestock.
    • Remove restrictions on the use of methionine in organic poultry feed.
    • Affirm that natural sodium nitrate is allowed in organic crop production, with certain conditions to protect soil quality.

    A complete description of the proposed amendments to the National List is available in the Federal Register proposed rule.

    More information on the National List, including how and why substances are added, modified, or removed, is available on the National List webpage.

    Submit an Effective Public Comment

    USDA welcomes comments on the proposed changes published in the
    Federal Register. The public comment period will close 60 days after publication.

    See NOP’s Organic Integrity Learning Center microlearning module
    Writing an Effective Public Comment to learn how to submit an effective public comment. This module helps members of the organic community more effectively participate in the process of developing organic standards. Effective commenting lets us hear your voice and helps USDA better balance the needs of everyone impacted in the organic market. — By the United States Department of Agriculture

  • New Sterile Fly Facility Contract Announced

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy (PDF, 1005 KB) to fight New World Screwworm (NWS), as it will expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, bolstering protection for U.S. livestock, wildlife, and public health.

    USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering, and construction of the facility.

    “The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first of its kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

    “For more than 250 years, USACE has helped secure America by engineering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges. We are proud to be partnering with USDA in the construction of the Sterile Fly Facility, a critical investment in our nation’s future agricultural, public and economic health. Combining our engineering expertise with USDA’s mission expertise brings us one step closer to alleviating this biological threat,” said Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commanding general.

    A sterile fly production facility is a specialized biosecure complex where New World Screwworm flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation and then released into targeted areas. Female New World Screwworm flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch. This method, known as the Sterile Insect Technique, has been a cornerstone of proven screwworm eradication efforts for decades and is recognized worldwide as a highly effective, environmentally responsible approach to insect control. Sterile Insect Technique, when paired with surveillance, animal movement restrictions, and education and outreach, is a proven and effective tool for controlling and eradicating New World Screwworm.

    USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama and disperses them within and just north of affected areas in Mexico. In addition to the COPEG facility in Panama, USDA invested $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa, which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates sterile fly production will begin at this facility in summer 2026. The new facility at Moore Air Base will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.

    USDA and USACE will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor. By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.

    The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on warm blooded animals, causing severe animal health impacts and significant economic losses if not controlled. The United States eliminated the pest in 1966 and has maintained that freedom through the ongoing sterile fly program and international partnerships.

    USACE, a command within the U.S. Army, is one of the world’s premier public engineering, design, and construction management organizations. With more than 35,000 employees worldwide, USACE delivers engineering solutions in support of military construction, water resources infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and federal agency partnerships. USACE provides engineering expertise to strengthen national security, energize the economy, and reduce disaster risk.

    For more information about NWS and USDA’s efforts, visit Screwworm.gov. — By the United States Department of Agriculture

  • Taking the Bite Out of Cattle Fever Tick Disease

    ARS researchers identified innovative ways to prevent the potential spread of the cattle fever tick, a known carrier of babesiosis, into the U.S. Babesiosis is a disease caused by a protozoan parasite that infects red blood cells. It was eradicated in the U.S. decades ago, but it continues to be a significant problem in Mexico, which raises concerns about its potential return to the U.S. The cattle fever tick is the most economically important pest of cattle worldwide. Pesticides have been shown to be effective in managing this tick, but pesticide resistance has become an emerging issue.

    ARS researchers in Edinburg, TX, in collaboration with university partners, evaluated the efficacy of different organic compounds for controlling this tick, including NootkaShield™, Stop the Bites®, and BioUD®. The results indicated that NootkaShield™, Stop the Bites®, and BioUD® led to significant mortality in cattle fever ticks when dosed at low concentrations. They also demonstrated strong repellent properties and a significant reduction in the tick’s fecundity (ability to produce an abundance of offspring). These compounds show promise for controlling cattle fever ticks, and scientists plan to further test them in the field.   

    Related links:

    Project: USDA ARS

    Cattle Fever Tick Research Unit: Kerrville, TX

    —By USDA Ag Research Service

  • Research Fund Drives Vaccine Breakthroughs for Cattlemen

    The Livestock Memorial Research Fund, an arm of the California Cattlemen’s Association, is on a roll.

    Since its establishment in the 1980s, members of the livestock community have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote scientific and educational projects to benefit the industry, while also providing scholarships for graduate students in ag-related fields.

    Their signature projects have included working to develop three important vaccines to address serious problems cattlemen encounter. The first one was approved for use in late 2020, the second is showing great promise with hopes of being approved within a couple of years and a third effort is now underway, said Research Fund committee member Tom Talbot.

    These grants have been crucial seed money to help researchers attract larger grants from state and federal sources.

    “Researchers can show them, look – California ranchers are excited about this, support the project and it’s important to the industry,” said Talbot, a rancher and veterinarian in Bishop.

    Talbot said the Research Fund has built up an endowment over the years to fund research and scholarships but also relies heavily on the sale of raffle tickets at the Cattlemen’s Association annual convention. The prize is a stock trailer that for more than 15 years has been purchased with donations by California Farm Credit associations.

    Ag West Farm Credit California President Kevin Ralph said Farm Credit has been proud to sponsor the prize each year, and to see the Research Fund’s investments pay off.

    “The vaccines already on the market or in the development stage will prove to be incredibly valuable for California ranchers and save them collectively millions of dollars a year,” Ralph said. “Farm Credit is proud to have played this ongoing role in the Research Fund’s successes.”

    Farm Credit associations supporting the Research Fund are AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank. These organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.

    The first vaccine was developed to prevent a dangerous ailment called epizootic bovine abortion, a tick-borne disease that for decades had caused tens of thousands of cows in the West to abort their calves.

    “That was truly a home run for the industry,” said Talbot, a rancher and veterinarian in Bishop. “The efficacy of the vaccine has just been outstanding.”

    While detailed statistics are not available, Talbot said the vaccine has caused the loss rate of calves to drop from between 10% and 40% in tick-infested areas down to the 5%-10% range today.

    The Research Fund contributed nearly $350,000 to the research over several years.

    For the past several years, the Research Fund’s has been supporting efforts to create a vaccine against another major tick-borne illness called bovine anaplasmosis. This disease, caused by bacteria that infects the red blood cells of cattle, leads to anemia, weight loss and even deaths that cost U.S. ranchers hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses each year.

    The work involved genetically modifying the pathogen in a lab. By deleting a specific gene and then injecting the modified pathogen into cattle, the animals were immunized. Talbot is hopeful that the vaccine could hit the market within a couple of years, which he said would be a significant development for California ranchers.

    The Research Fund is now providing seed money for studies into developing a third vaccine, this one to prevent pinkeye – another common livestock disease. The bacteria-caused disease, largely spread by flies, costs producers nationwide over $150 million a year due to reduced weight gain (as much as 20-35 pounds per calf), along with lower milk production and sale value.

    2026 marks the third year the Research Fund has contributed to this vaccine research.

    “We have high hopes for it as we move forward and the funding has helped allow him to recruit additional funds to support research for the beef cattle industry,” he said.

    Talbot said the Research Fund has contributed about $50,000 to each of these two projects.

    Besides helping fund vaccine projects, the Research Fund also has awarded over $150,000 in graduate-level scholarships for students in fields that would benefit cattle production

    Pierce Mallery, Director of Regional Banking with American AgCredit, said Farm Credit financially supports several ag-related scholarship programs each year because highly educated professionals must be trained to provide people with the skills and services the industry will continue to need.

    “The Research Fund is investing wisely in developing the lawyers, veterinarians and other skilled professionals the industry will need to meet the challenges of tomorrow,” Mallery said. “Farm Credit strongly supports programs to train people to help ensure that agriculture continues to thrive in California”.

    About Farm Credit:

    AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit and CoBank are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For more information, visitwww.farmcreditalliance.com

    About the Livestock Memorial Research Fund:

    The Livestock Memorial Research Fund is a 501(c)3 organization that funds scientific and educational projects and scholarships for students in fields related to California’s livestock industry. LMRF monies are used solely for scientific, charitable or educational purposes and are administered by a board consisting of California Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) members. Other uses of LMRF funds include studies by University of California researchers which identify grazing management strategies that improve riparian resource conditions. Other studies funded in part by LMRF contributions have researched the effects of livestock grazing upon endangered species and sought methods to control livestock disease.

  • Newer Equipment Helps Dairy Producers with Environmental Impact

    California farmers have made major strides to help clean the air. Over the past two decades, about 15,000 pieces of agricultural equipment in the San Joaquin Valley have been replaced wither newer, cleaner versions. This has been done in partnership with the state, with public and private investments totaling about $2 billion throughout that timeframe. Replacing older farm equipment with newer models has provided major air quality benefits by drastically cutting diesel use and the resulting emissions.

    Unfortunately, public funding to support tractor replacement has been largely eliminated in recent years, while the need for it continues to grow. Tractor sales across the United States have slowed significantly since 2024, largely attributed to economic conditions. However, farmers, including dairy farmers and other growers remain highly interested in newer equipment that provides benefits to both economic and environmental sustainability.

    Incentive programs provided through the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and local air districts have been playing a major role in promoting innovation and equipment replacements. This includes CARB’s Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Project (CORE) and the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District’s Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program (which received funding from the FARMER program). Here’s a look at some of the latest equipment innovations taking place on California’s dairy farms, investments made possible with support from the incentive programs:

    Electric Tractors and Feed Pushers

    Dairy farmers have been among the early adopters of electric farm equipment. One of the daily tasks on a dairy farm is to push the feed back to being closer within the cows’ reach, encouraging them to eat more before feed is replaced with a fresh batch. Feed pushing is traditionally done about every four to six hours by an employee using a small diesel-powered tractor. As a newer, alternative option, electric-powered robotic feed pushers (which stand about three-and-a-half feet tall) can complete this task on a more frequent basis—encouraging cows get their full nutrition, while saving time and fuel.

    Another option is the use of relatively small electric tractors to perform this task. Michael Oosten, a third-generation dairy farmer in Los Angeles County, purchased four Monarch electric tractors in 2023 with support from the CORE program. The electric tractors are used to push feed, move irrigation pipes, and perform other farm tasks.

    While the challenges remain in electrifying larger agricultural machinery for heavy-duty, continuous tasks like planting and harvesting, the equipment industry is working to address limitations through technological advancements and operational strategies. California dairy farmers have piloted such equipment, providing helpful feedback to manufacturers.

    Methane-Powered Tractors

    One of the latest technologies starting to pop up on California dairy farms is methane-powered tractors. These tractors run on refined biogas or compressed natural gas (CNG), such as the kind produced by dairy digesters. California dairies are leading the way, as the first methane tractor deployed in North America is on a Stanislaus County dairy, and it was funded in part by the Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program. According to the manufacturer, New Holland America, the tractor has the same power and torque as its diesel equivalent engine, but with lower running costs, while producing 98 percent less emissions of particulate matter.

    Wyeth Dairy in Stanislaus County uses a methane-powered tractor, purchased through the District’s Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program. Photo courtesy of Kelly Burgess.

    Electric Feed Mixing Program

    Perhaps California’s dairy’s most impactful clean-air story remains the District’s Electrified Dairy Feed Mixing Program. Through this incentive program, 22 projects have now been implemented on California dairies, resulting in a total estimated annual emission reduction of 169 tons—equivalent to removing more than 1,000 heavy-duty trucks from the road. The program has also been utilized to make further advancements in automation, efficiency, and electrification.

    Over Subscribed Programs

    In July 2025, the District suspended new applications to the Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program, noting it had received pending requests totaling about $700 million, far more than that amount of funding available. The program’s budget was reduced to $2 million in the 2024-25 state budget, and no money was included for it in the 2025-26 budget. The program’s webpage states that, “The District remains fully committed to working in close collaboration with the Governor’s Office, the State Legislature, and Valley stakeholders to underscore the ongoing importance of this program in supporting clean air efforts in the San Joaquin Valley.” The Agricultural Tractor Replacement Program is credited with removing 380,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and 27,500 tons of air particulate matter and nitrogen emissions since 2017. Additionally, CARB’s CORE program is also fully subscribed but voucher requests are still being accepted for a waitlist. Given current economics, the availability of funding to help reduce costs to farms will continue to be critical to ongoing investments in cleaner equipment. —By Dairy Cares

  • U.S. Dairy Supports Launch of New Ag Coalition for USMCA

    The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council co-led the launch of “The Agricultural Coalition for USMCA,” an industry-wide effort to support the strengthening and renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

    USMCA, which replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2020, mandates a “joint review” in 2026, which allows the countries to consider potential changes to the agreement. Since the stakeholder engagement process began in October 2025, the U.S. dairy industry has spoken to the importance of the agreement, while stressing that certain critical shortcomings must be addressed.

    “USMCA has helped grow vital export opportunities that support dairy farm incomes across the country,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Unfortunately, Canada has clearly not upheld their end of the deal and Mexico needs to fully implement USMCA commitments to respect our use of common cheese names. We look forward to working with the Administration during the review to ensure our trading partners honor their commitments so the agreement can best deliver for dairy farmers.”

    “USMCA has been critical to maintaining strong export demand for U.S. dairy farmers, manufacturers and exporters, providing greater opportunities in the Mexican market in particular,” Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. “At the same time, persistent market access barriers, particularly in Canada, limit the full potential of the agreement and must be addressed to ensure that U.S. dairy exporters receive the benefits they were promised.”

    The U.S. dairy industry exported about $3.6 billion in dairy products to Canada and Mexico in 2024, which accounts for about 44 percent of total export value. At the same time, USMCA has fallen short in certain key areas. USDEC and NMPF will continue to fight for several priorities in the review, including through the Coalition:

    • Combatting manipulation of administration of dairy tariff-rate quotas in Canada, denying U.S. exporters the meaningful market access guaranteed under USMCA.
    • Tackling circumvention of USMCA dairy protein export disciplines in Canada, which has resulted in continued offloading of artificially low-priced dairy proteins, undercutting U.S. products in both domestic and global markets.
    • Ensuring that Mexico upholds its USMCA commitments to protect common cheese names such as “feta.” The issue is increasingly pressing as European Union trade negotiations seek to restrict the use of generic terms worldwide.

    NMPF and USDEC will continue to work with trade negotiators to address USMCA noncompliance areas ahead of the July 1 joint review deadline.

    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.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. For more, visit www.usdec.org.

  • Livestock Marketing Association Opens Scholarship Applications

    The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) has announced that applications are now open for its 2026 scholarship programs, offering two distinct opportunities to support students pursuing education and careers connected to the livestock marketing industry. LMA members are encouraged to endorse applicants — customers, family members, employees or students from their communities — who demonstrate interest in or understanding of the importance of livestock marketing.

    LMA will offer the Career & Academic Education Scholarship for traditional post‑secondary education pathways and the Auctioneer School Scholarship for individuals pursuing training in the auction method of marketing livestock.

    Applications for both scholarship tracks are online at www.LMAWeb.com.

    Career & Academic Education Scholarship

    The Career & Academic Education Scholarship supports graduating high school seniors and students currently enrolled in accredited post‑secondary institutions, including trade schools, community colleges, junior colleges, universities, and programs in veterinary science, veterinary medicine, or law.

    Applicants must include the name and contact information of an active LMA member endorsing their application. Each LMA member may endorse up to two applicants per academic year, and relatives or employees of LMA member businesses are eligible.

    A review panel composed of allied‑industry representatives, LMA leadership, and/or LMA members — who are not sponsors or relatives of applicants — will evaluate submissions after the deadline. Up to nine students will each receive a one‑time $2,500 scholarship, paid directly to the academic institution.

    Auctioneer School Scholarship

    The LMA Auctioneer School Scholarship provides a one‑time award to applicants who plan to attend auction school and use their training to support the auction method of marketing livestock.

    Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 25, provide an essay demonstrating their understanding of the livestock marketing industry, and be endorsed by an active LMA member. Each LMA member may endorse up to two applicants per scholarship year, and relatives or employees of LMA member businesses may apply.

    Following the submission deadline, a panel of allied‑industry representatives, LMA leadership, and/or LMA members — who are not sponsors or relatives of applicants — will review submissions. One applicant will receive a one‑time scholarship award of up to $2,500 toward auction school tuition.

    Deadlines & Contact Information

    All applications must be received — whether emailed or mailed — by March 13, 2026, at 4 p.m. CST. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. For questions regarding the LMA Scholarship Program, please contact lmainfo@lmaweb.com.

    About the Livestock Marketing Association

    The Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas, is North America’s largest, national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through member support, education programs, policy representation and communication efforts.

  • Trade Agreements Strengthen Protections for U.S. Dairy Exports

    The National Milk Producers Federation, U.S. Dairy Export Council and Consortium for Common Food Names welcomed the United States’ signing of reciprocal trade agreements with El Salvador and Guatemala, underscoring the importance of reinforcing long-standing market access gains for U.S. dairy exporters and preventing the emergence of new trade barriers.

    As outlined in the agreements, El Salvador and Guatemala have both committed to address and prevent barriers to U.S. agricultural products, including dairy. These obligations include recognition of U.S. regulatory oversight and acceptance of currently agreed certificates issued by U.S. regulatory authorities, a prohibition on introducing a facility registration requirement for U.S. dairy products and streamlining of product registration requirements, which are critical elements for ensuring predictable and fair market access for all U.S. dairy exports.

    The two countries have also committed to ensuring that market access for U.S. agricultural exporters will not be restricted due to the use of certain cheese and meat terms. These include 38 widely used dairy terms such as parmesan, gruyere, feta and asiago, as well as 10 meat terms. This commitment provides important certainty for common name producers and exporters.

    “Securing durable market access and setting clear expectations with trading partners is essential for U.S. agriculture,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “This agreement builds on the success of CAFTA-DR and we thank the administration for fighting for the right of U.S. dairy exporters to compete fairly in the Salvadoran and Guatemalan market.”

    U.S. dairy exports already benefit from duty-free treatment in El Salvador and Guatemala as a result of the Central America–Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Tariffs on U.S. dairy products phased out entirely this past year, following direct advocacy from USDEC and NMPF over a decade ago to secure full market access under the agreement.

    “For dairy farmers, these agreements help to keep doors open to U.S. products,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF. “By protecting hard-won access and preventing new barriers from taking hold, the agreements support demand for U.S. milk and dairy products and strengthen the economic outlook for farm families across the country.”

    “As European authorities increasingly seek to confiscate common food names across Latin America, the agreements unequivocally protect 38 common cheese names and 10 generic meat terms and send a clear signal by preserving our producers’ right to label their products with terms that have been used for generations in El Salvador and Guatemala,” said Jaime Castaneda, executive director of CCFN.

    NMPF, USDEC and CCFN will continue working closely with USTR and U.S. government partners to monitor implementation of the agreement and to ensure that El Salvador and Guatemala fully meet their commitments to maintaining open and predictable access for U.S. dairy products and common name foods and beverages.

    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.

    The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. For more, visit www.usdec.org.

    The Consortium for Common Food Names is an independent, international alliance whose goal is to work with leaders in agriculture, trade, and intellectual property rights to foster the adoption of high standards and model geographical indication guidelines throughout the world. Learn more at www.commonfoodnames.com.

  • Annual Meeting Highlights Cow Comfort and Health

    NMC members from 15 countries, 32 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces gathered in Birmingham, Ala., USA, to focus on “What’s Best for Her. Keeping the cow’s well-being at the heart of milk quality.”

    The Jan. 26-29 event culminated with the group’s 65th annual meeting. NMC: The Global Milk Quality Organization attracts milk quality, mastitis and udder health researchers and graduate students, dairy producers and dairy industry partners. Meeting topics ranged from artificial intelligence to facility designs to cow comfort to milk harvest to small ruminant milk production.

    “NMC continues to expand its reach beyond mastitis prevention, treatment and control – realizing the importance of cow comfort, health monitoring, balanced nutrition and proper milk harvest preparation,” stated NMC First Vice President Roger Thomson, MQ-IQ Consulting and Michigan State University. That’s why we focused on ‘What’s Best for Her’ care during this year’s NMC Annual Meeting.”

    Additionally, NMC continues to add training programs throughout the year that foster higher milk quality and animal care standards.

    During this event, NMC honored Pamela Ruegg, Michigan State University (MSU), with the NMC Award of Excellence for Contribution to Mastitis Prevention and Control, which is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Besides MSU, Ruegg has worked for Kiel Veterinary Clinic, Kiel Wis.; Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada; Monsanto Company; and University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis. With more than 40 years of experience working on mastitis and milk quality, Ruegg has dedicated herself to answering the toughest questions the dairy industry has faced. The 2010 NMC president, Ruegg is synonymous with milk quality worldwide.

    In the National Dairy Quality Awards program, NMC honored six dairy operations as Platinum winners. These top-quality milk producers included Gettyvue Farm LLC, Brian, Kevin and Terry Getty, Granville, N.Y.; Green Hill Dairy, Donald Janssen, Scipio Center, N.Y.; Larson Acres, Mike, Sandy, Ed and Barb Larson, and Jim, Luke, Dane and Brooke Trustem, Evansville, Wis.; Schultz Dairy, Dave Schultz, Sandusky, Mich.; Tollgate Holsteins, Jim and Karen Davenport, Ancramdale, N.Y.; and Walnut Ridge Dairy, Jacob and Steve Palladino, and Keith Chapin, Lansing, N.Y. Judges selected outstanding dairies to receive this honor based on quality milk production indicators, such as somatic cell count and bacteria count, along with milking routine, systems of monitoring udder health, treatment protocols and strategies for overall herd health and welfare. These herds ranged in size from 84 to 2,902 cows. Annual milk production (per cow) averaged from 24,190 pounds to 30,801 pounds. For average somatic cell count (June 1, 2024-May 31, 2025), these dairies varied from 31,000 to 85,000 cells/ml.

    NMC awarded scholarships to eight remarkable graduate students to attend the NMC Annual Meeting. This year’s NMC Scholars were Anna Acosta, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.; Elizabeth Plunkett, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio; Emily Leonard, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis; Lara Juliano, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.; Maria Marin, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.; Delower Hossain, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy; Joanne Hanifin, Munster Technological University, Castlemaine, Ireland; and Karise Nogara, Federal University of Paraná, Paraná, Brazil. The NMC Scholars program fosters the development of mastitis research and milk quality professionals from around the world.

    NMC held a research poster competition for graduate students and selected Maria Marin, University of Florida, as the winner. She presented “Characterizing Milk Flow Patterns in Dairy Cows Using Machine Learning: Implications for Milk Yield.” Marin won a one-year NMC membership and free registration to attend next year’s NMC Annual Meeting.

    During the NMC Annual Business meeting, members elected Daniela Bruno, University of California Cooperative Extension, Fresno, Calif., to the NMC board of directors. Executive committee members are Roger Thomson, Michigan State University and MQ-IQ Consulting LLC, Battle Creek, Mich., president; Alfonso Lago, DairyExperts, Inc., Tulare, Calif., first vice president; Christy Dinsmoore, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Novi, Mich., second vice president; Pamela Adkins, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., secretary-treasurer; and Justine Britten, Udder Health Systems, Meridian, Idaho, past president. Other board members include John Penry, Dairy Australia, Southbank, Victoria Cross, Australia; Rick Watters, AgroChem, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Amy Vasquez, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; Stephen Jones, DeLaval, Trinity, Fla.; Ian Ohnstad, The Dairy Group, Dorchester, Somerset, England; Justin Graham, BrooksCo Dairy, Quitman, Ga.; Jessica Belsito, IBA Inc., Sutton, Mass.; Jeffrey Bewley, Holstein Association, USA, Elizabethtown, Ky.; and Carolina Pinzón-Sánchez, University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension, Madison, Wis. Keith Engel, GEA Farm Technologies, Hampshire, Ill., retired from the board.

    NMC thanks its annual meeting sponsors who contributed to the program’s success. The Diamond sponsors were Boehringer Ingelheim, DeLaval International and Zoetis. Platinum sponsors included AHV International, GEA Farm Technologies, Inc. and Merck Animal Health. The Gold sponsor was IBA Inc. Silver sponsors were AgroChem, Axiota and McLanahan Corporation. Bronze sponsors included ABS Global, Acepsis, Ecolab, Michigan Milk Producers Association, milc Group and Udder Health Systems. Dairy Partner sponsors included Christian Hill Dairy, Jones Family Farm, Luck-E Holsteins and Tollgate Holsteins.   

    The 66th NMC Annual Meeting is set for Jan. 25-28, 2027, in Jacksonville, Fla. For additional information, go to: www.nmconline.org.

    ABOUT THE NMC

    The Global Milk Quality Organization is a non-profit professional organization devoted to reducing mastitis and enhancing milk quality. NMC promotes research and provides science-based information to the dairy industry on udder health, milking management, milk quality, animal welfare and food safety. Founded in 1961, NMC has about 1,000 members in more than 40 countries throughout the world.

  • USDA Completes Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Governor of Texas Greg Abbott visited Moore Air Base to  celebrate a significant achievement in the fight against New World Screwworm (NWS) with the completion of a U.S.-based sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. This facility expands USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the United States, if necessary.

    “The Trump Administration continues to bring the full force of the federal government to fight New World Screwworm,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “This sterile fly dispersal facility was a high priority project, and our team delivered it in record time. This new facility is a monumental achievement for our domestic preparedness efforts, but we are also diligently working to stop the spread of screwworm in Mexico, conduct extensive trapping and surveillance along the border, increase U.S. response capacity, and encourage innovative solutions. We will never stop fighting to protect American agriculture. USDA, through a whole-of-government approach, will continue to hold Mexico accountable to mitigating the spread of this dangerous pest.”

    “America is going to take care of ourselves, including dealing with the approach of screwworm as it gets closer to our border,” said Governor Abbott. “We put together the resources necessary for Texas to provide a Texas-size response to this. We thank Secretary Rollins and President Trump for stepping forward to provide the stop gap effort essential to protecting our ranchers and our wildlife.”

    Trump Administration NWS Response

    In June 2025, Secretary Rollins announced a sweeping five-pronged plan(PDF, 1005 KB) to enhance USDA’s already robust ability to detect, control, and eliminate NWS. As part of that announcement, she also shared plans to build this sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas. The completion of the facility further expands the network of dispersal facilities through Central America and Mexico and solidifies the increased preparedness offered by having a U.S.-based facility.

    On January 30, USDA announced a shift in its 100 million per week sterile fly dispersal efforts to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border. While the sterile flies for this effort will initially be dispersed from the Tampico, Mexico facility, USDA is prepared to quickly and strategically shift operations to the new Texas facility should there be a change in the location or new concentration of NWS cases in northern Mexico.

    About Sterile Fly

    Sterile insect technique, when paired with surveillance, animal movement restrictions, and education and outreach, is a proven and effective tool for controlling and eradicating NWS. Female NWS flies only mate once in their lives, so if they mate with a sterile male, they lay unfertilized eggs that don’t hatch. Releasing sterile flies just outside of affected areas helps ensure flies traveling to new areas will only encounter sterile mates and will not be able to reproduce.

    Sterile insects are dispersed through aerial dispersal or ground release. Aerial operations are preferred because they allow for dispersal at a steady rate through a large area and also because sterile insects may be dispersed in areas that are unreachable from the ground. Ground release is used when there is a need to quickly deploy sterile insects outside of the dispersal facility range. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile flies remain critical components of an effective response.

    USDA currently produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa—which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from technical experts in USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Mexico anticipates this sterile fly production to begin as soon as summer 2026.

    To continue to expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, the Department is building a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, with a targeted maximum capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week. USDA expects to break ground on that facility later this spring. With existing and planned production facilities fully operational, USDA will have up to 500 million sterile files per week in its arsenal to fight this pest all the way back to the Darién Gap. The international network of facilities will produce 100 million sterile flies per week at COPEG in Panama, 100 million at Metapa in Mexico, and 300 million at Moore Air Base.

    What You Can Do

    Even though there have been no detections of NWS inside the U.S. and the northernmost active case of NWS is still about 200 miles away from the border, USDA is asking Americans to continue to remain vigilant by checking their livestock and pets for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for NWS larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infested with NWS, immediately report it to your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge.

    NWS maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including people. They most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh. While not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted NWS, seek immediate medical attention. — USDA