California Ag Network

Category: Livestock

  • Screwworm Strain Readied for Active Duty

    American scientific ingenuity in the form of sterile fly releases helped eliminate New World screwworm from the country in the 1960s. Now, ARS researchers are combining that ingenuity with next-generation tools to counter new resurgences of the pest threatening livestock and wildlife in New Mexico and Texas.

    “Releasing sterile screwworm flies is a proven, decades-old approach to eliminating populations of this pest and preventing the harm it inflicts—physically to livestock animals and wildlife and financially to the producers who raise livestock for our milk, meat, hide and other products,” said Kim Lohmeyer, Director of ARS’s Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, TX. “Advances in genetics have now given us better tools to understand the screwworm’s population dynamics and leverage that knowledge for improved control methods, including sterile fly releases.”

    The latest example is NovoFly™, an all-male strain of screwworm developed by Lohmeyer’s team and university collaborators. With full regulatory approval of NovoFly™, critical resources can be redirected towards producing only males, essentially doubling the number available for SIT releases to eradicate established populations of the pest or isolate outbreaks of it.     

    Central to screwworm eradication is the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). SIT is a biologically based approach to pest control that originated with the pioneering studies of ARS entomologists Edward B. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland. That research began in the mid-1930s and continues today at the  Kerrville lab, which was posthumously named after these two entomologists.

    In January 2026, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden highlighted  SIT as part of a New World Screwworm Grand Challenge to counter recent U.S. incursions of the pest up through Central America.

    The SIT calls for releasing sterilized male flies near infestation areas where they can mate with wild female flies. The resulting eggs fail to hatch into flesh-eating larvae, which typically burrow into wounds or mucus-lined openings of livestock animals such as cattle—but also wildlife and, less often, pets and people.  Without larval offspring, the screwworm population eventually collapses, sparing animals further harm and reducing producers’ costs for insecticides, veterinary services, and medications.

    Despite SIT’s success in eradicating America’s indigenous screwworm population by 1966 (and eliminating subsequent resurgences of it), researchers saw room for improvement. “A sterile male can prevent a lot of wild females from reproducing, but a sterile female fly that mates only once doesn’t help with SIT,” explained Alex Arp, an ARS Research Geneticist who co-developed the all-male NovoFly™ strain.  While only sterile males are desirable, until now there has been no good way to separate them from females prior to SIT release, he added.

    Producing only male flies would increase production efficiency by doubling the number of male larvae that can be reared and male pupae that can be sterilized without major changes to production facilities. Without sterile females being released, sterile males have increased opportunities to mate with wild females, resulting in a more effective, efficient SIT program.

    Toward that goal, Arp and collaborators engineered Novofly™ with a genetic “switch” that kills female larvae during early rearing stages but doesn’t function in males. This allows for a doubling in the number of males that can be brought to maturity for release using the same amount of artificial diet and equipment.

    NovoFly™ is currently undergoing regulatory approval before the Environmental Protection Agency. Once approved, NovoFly™ will be mobilized for “active duty” at designated screwworm rearing facilities. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service coordinates SIT efforts in the U.S, Mexico, and Central America.

    “The research that went into creating NovoFly™ will provide the basis for the Grand Challenge project led by Max Scott of North Carolina State University together with Arp and many other collaborators,” Lohmeyer added—an effort that will set the stage for the next generation of this screwworm strain.

    To learn more about USDA’s whole-of-government approach to combatting NWS, visit “Stop Screwworm: Unified Government Response to Protect the United States”

  • Meat Institute: FDA Proposed GRAS Reforms Good First Step

    The Meat Institute said the proposed changes to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) generally recognized as safe (GRAS) regulations are a good first step but it will continue to work with the Administration to ensure reforms protect food safety, foster innovation and maintain an affordable food supply.
    “The Meat Institute supports updating the GRAS framework in a way that strengthens consumer confidence while preserving a science-based, risk-based regulatory system,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “We will work closely with FDA and FSIS to ensure reforms continue to protect food safety, support innovation, and preserve affordable meat and poultry options for consumers.”
    “Consumers deserve confidence that the ingredients in their food have been rigorously evaluated for safety — and an updated GRAS process can deliver that transparency without disrupting an abundant, affordable food supply.
    “GRAS reform should improve transparency, establish a consistent national standard, while recognizing the unique regulatory framework that governs meat and poultry, where FSIS relies on FDA’s safety evaluations to approve substances as safe and suitable,” said Potts. “Close coordination between the two agencies is essential to consistent implementation.”
    The Meat Institute will provide comments during the comment period including the following priorities for regulators to consider:
    Practical timelines. New requirements should include adequate implementation time for manufacturers to comply.
    Preserving longstanding safe uses. Reform should not disturb ingredients with an established safety record.
    FDA-FSIS coordination. Close collaboration between the two agencies is critical to consistent implementation across the food supply.
    The Meat Institute warns that without thoughtful implementation, reform could delay new technologies and ingredients that improve food safety, extend shelf life, reduce food waste, and help manufacturers meet evolving consumer expectations.
    “The Meat Institute encourages HHS and FDA to pursue GRAS reform through a transparent, science-based, and collaborative approach that provides regulatory certainty for industry while protecting consumers,” said Potts.
    — Story contributed by the Meat Institute

  • National Jersey Leadership Named at Annual Meetings

    Leaders for 2026-27 were selected at this year’s annual meeting for the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA), including two committee chairs from California.

    Alan Chittenden of Schodack Landing, N.Y., was elected to his fifth one-year term as President of AJCA on June 20. He is a fourth-generation breeder and owner of registered Jerseys at Dutch Hollow Farms LLC. He owns and operates the farm with his parents and two brothers. They milk 900 Registered Jerseys and have the herd enrolled in REAP, are contract advertisers in the Jersey Journal and have contributed to Equity for 50 years. In 2012, the family was honored with the AJCA Master Breeder award. In addition, he has served as General Chair of The All American Jersey Shows & Sales in 2018, and chair of The All American Sale Committee in 2016. He served two terms as AJCA Director from the Second District from 2014-2020.

    Lynda Lehr, Canastota, N.Y., was elected to her first four-year term as AJCA Director from the First District. A third-generation Jersey breeder, Lehr operates Ky-Hi Jerseys with her family and brings decades of experience in dairy cattle breeding, herd management and agricultural education. Active at the local, state and national levels, she has served in numerous leadership roles within the Jersey community, including the National Jersey Jug Futurity Committee, the All American Junior Activities Committee and several New York Jersey organizations. Lehr is passionate about advancing the Jersey breed and supporting youth involvement in the dairy industry.

    Ted DeMent, Kenney, Ill., was re-elected to a four-year term as Director from the Second District. Ted and his family own and operate DeMents Jerseys, a 260-acre dairy farm established by his parents, Don and Shirley, in 1955. Ted was an appraiser for the AJCA for six years before returning to the home farm. In 2009, he and his wife, Cheryl, assumed management of the dairy. DeMents Jerseys is enrolled on REAP and uses JerseyTags for permanent identification. Ted and Cheryl received the AJCA Young Jersey Breeder Award in 2005. Ted was named the winner of the Max Gordon Recognition Award in 2021.

    Kristin Hogan-Killgore of Tillamook, Ore., was elected to serve a four-year term as Director from the Third District of the AJCA. A lifelong Jersey enthusiast and second-generation member of Misty Meadow Dairy, Killgore combines experience in commercial dairy management, breed promotion and industry leadership. She oversees payroll, human resources and business operations for her family’s 4,500-cow Jersey dairy while also helping manage the farm’s nationally recognized show program. A graduate of Oregon State University, Killgore has served in leadership roles with numerous Jersey and agricultural organizations, including the National Jersey Jug Committee and the Western National Jersey Show and a former National Jersey Queen. She is passionate about building connections within the dairy community and promoting the value of the Jersey breed.

    Chairs of standing committees for 2026-27 are Cornell, Kasbergen, Tulare, Calif., Finance; Tyler Boyd, Hilmar, Calif., Breed Improvement; Ralph Frerichs, LaGrange, Texas, Development; and Jason Johnson, Northwood, N.H., Information Technology and Identification.

    Cornell Kasbergen was re-elected Vice President for the coming year. Kasbergen and his family milk 6,000 Jerseys and Holsteins on their Rancho Teresita Dairy in Tulare. — Story contributed by the American Jersey Cattle Association

  • Study Finds California Wolves Feed Heavily on Cattle

    Two new studies examining gray wolves in California paint a complex picture of life on California’s ranching landscapes: wolves eat cattle more than anything else and the presence of the predators causes significant stress among livestock.

    In the first study, UC Davis researchers found wolves from the Lassen and Harvey packs in northeastern California were primarily eating cattle. They collected scat samples during the summer months of 2022 and 2023 and found 72% of wolf scat contained cattle DNA. The research was published in PLOS One.

    “Whether it’s through scavenging or whether it’s through depredation, it’s a huge component of the wolves’ diet,” said lead author Tina Saitone, a professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Davis Agricultural and Resource Economics Department. “Their conservation success is because of livestock producers in the state.”

    Cattle appeared as the most frequently occurring food item during both summers of the study, present in 86% of samples in 2022 and 55% in 2023. While all 2022 samples were from the Lassen Pack, the 2023 samples included eight from the newly established Harvey Pack.

    Wolves are a state and federally recognized endangered species. The first confirmed wolf entered California in 2011, following a nearly 100-year absence. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates the state is now home to nine wolf packs.

    Few Natural Prey

    Wolves in California live in landscapes shaped by people. They have fewer wild ungulate prey options than wolves in other parts of North America. Mule deer are their only significant wild food source, but populations have dropped sharply since the 1970s.

    Saitone said the scarcity of wild prey may be one reason wolves are eating cattle instead. Researchers found mule deer in just 45% of the scat samples, significantly less common than cattle.

    Keeping wolves away from cattle is difficult on many of these working landscapes.

    “Conservatively, we’re talking about a million acres in our study area and 10,000 cow-calf pairs,” said Saitone. “It’s not as simple as putting up an electric fence on a two-acre pasture or putting cattle in the barn at night.”

    Cattle are stressed

    Researchers also examined how living among wolves affects cattle. Their findings suggest the costs of wolf reintroduction extend well beyond animals lost to predation.

    A second study, published in Ecology and Evolution, measured cortisol levels in tail hair samples collected from beef cattle grazing rangelands in northeastern California — some herds sharing territory with wolf packs, others in areas without wolves. Cortisol, often called the stress hormone, accumulates in hair over time, making it a reliable indicator of chronic stress rather than a momentary response to fright.

    Cattle herds living among wolves had cortisol levels 58% higher than those in control herds — a significant physiological difference. This marks one of the first times hair cortisol analysis has been used to study how the reintroduction of predators reshapes livestock physiology in the field.

    “What this really confirms is that death or depredation is not the only impact here,” said Saitone. “Living among wolves for cattle is a chronically stressful experience, and that could ultimately have production-related impacts in both the short and the long term.”

    Could it Affect Reproduction?

    Saitone said the findings are just a starting point. Researchers next want to understand whether elevated stress levels translate into lower conception rates. It’s a concern long raised by ranchers that has not yet been established through direct biological evidence. When breeding cows fail to conceive, it can directly affect a rancher’s bottom line.

    “That’s their whole purpose,” said Saitone. “These are mother cows that are supposed to be generating calves as a marketable product.”

    Other authors of the PLOS One study include Kenneth W. Tate and Benjamin J. Sacks of UC Davis. Funding came from the Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment and California Cattle Council.

    Christina Nord was corresponding author of the Ecology and Evolution study. Other authors include Alexander Pritchard, Rosemary A. Blersch, Brenda McCowan, Jessica J. Vandeleest and Kenneth W. Tate. Funding came from Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and the Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment. — Story by Amy Quinton, UC Davis

  • Dairy heifer inventories to remain low before rebounding in 2027

    The U.S. dairy herd has reached its largest size in 30 years, but one critical subset of the herd — replacement heifers that represent the next generation of milk cows — remains historically low. The number of heifers available to enter the milking herd has fallen sharply, dropping to the lowest level since 1978. The decline comes as strong financial incentives are prompting dairy farmers to produce calves destined for the beef supply rather than milk production.

    According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, replacement heifer supplies are projected to shrink even further in 2026 before beginning to rebound in 2027. With replacements in short supply, producers are retaining adult dairy cows that would have typically been culled, contributing to the overall increase in the U.S. dairy herd. At the same time, producers are making more beef-on-dairy calves, further tightening dairy replacement heifer supplies. This has pushed heifer prices into record territory, well over $3,000 per head.

    “On most dairy farms, net margins are currently being driven by the beef check, not the milk check,” said Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist with CoBank. “Five years ago, calf and cull cow sales accounted for 5% of a dairy farm’s bottom line while milk sales represented 95% of their revenue. Today, beef sales account for 12% to 15% of revenue on many farms, with some operations approaching 20% when measured on a per hundredweight basis. That shift is reshaping the U.S. dairy herd, most notably through the decline in replacement heifers.”

    CoBank’s modeling indicates that dairy replacements entering the milking herd between last year and this year are shrinking by a combined 796,000 head, followed by a rebound of 360,200 head in 2027 and 2028. The projections are based on semen sales data from the National Association of Animal Breeders and assume average annual rates of conception, pregnancy loss and other key reproductive measures.

    Strong consumer demand for high‑quality protein has placed dairy farmers in a unique position to capture growing revenue streams from both beef and milk sales. However, the timing of those revenue streams differs significantly. Raising dairy replacements requires a two‑year investment, while selling beef‑on‑dairy cross calves provides immediate income.

    The economic incentive for dairy farmers to produce more calves destined for the beef supply is rooted in the historic contraction in the U.S. beef cattle herd, which currently stands at a 75-year low. Tight beef supplies and strong demand have driven beef cattle prices to record highs, prompting dairy farmers to dramatically increase their use of beef semen. In 2025, 82.7% of all U.S. beef semen units were purchased by dairy operations.

    Dairy farmers are increasingly using gender‑sorted semen, genomics and beef‑on‑dairy strategies to optimize breeding for both production and profitability. Semen purchases have consolidated into two primary categories: gender‑sorted dairy semen for producing replacement heifers and beef semen for producing beef‑on‑dairy calves. From 2020 to 2025, beef‑on‑dairy semen sales rose 62%, and gender‑sorted semen sales increased 53.6%. Meanwhile, conventional dairy semen sales fell 47.4%.

    Abbi Prins, agricultural commodities economist with CoBank, said the surge in beef semen sales to dairy farmers in 2023 will continue to suppress replacement heifer inventories this year due to the three-year biological cycle from conception to first calving.

    “Our modeling shows 438,800 fewer replacement heifers entering dairy herds this year. That trend will begin to reverse in 2027 with 285,400 dairy replacements projected to enter the milking herd. Over time, we expect dairy farmers will continue rebalancing their breeding programs to optimize production for both beef and dairy markets. But dairy will continue to play a significant role in the beef supply for the foreseeable future, as rebuilding the beef cattle herd will take several years.”

    Read the report, Dairy replacements should begin a slow rebuild in 2027 and 2028. — Story contributed by CoBank

  • CV-Salts Process Takes an Important Step

    The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board held a hearing on June 3 to consider approval of the Modesto Management Zone Implementation Plan (MZIP) and amendments to water quality permits for operations in the Modesto groundwater subbasin. This action applied to irrigated agriculture, food processors, municipal wastewater treatment plants, bovine feedlots, as well as dairy operations. At the end of the day, the Board approved the resolution as presented by staff without making any changes.

    This was an important step in the CV-Salts process that started almost two decades ago. With this action, the Regional Board officially provided a 35-year exception to meeting the nitrate drinking water standard in groundwater. This was in exchange for permit holders funding replacement drinking water for those whose wells are impacted by nitrates, something that has already been happening in the Modesto Management Zone for about five years. This hearing now sets the stage for the remaining Priority 1 management zones (Turlock, Chowchilla, Kings, Kaweah, and Tule) to move through this same process.

    The 35-year timeline does not mean that permit holders can sit on their hands. There are interim targets that must be met along the way, including those listed below. A new annual reporting tool is being developed to augment the current field-scale nitrogen accounting by adding a whole-farm nitrogen accounting component. It will also be able to show aggregated trends within the individual management zones. These are requirements of the newly adopted MZIP. The Central Valley Dairy Representative Monitoring Program (CVDRMP) is currently working on this tool.

    At 10 years, there is a milestone requiring dairies to achieve a whole-farm nitrogen balance, meaning the nitrogen available in the manure and imported as fertilizer is balanced with what is used by crops and exported off the dairy. A component of this will include a comparison of the amount of nitrogen in lagoon water to the land available to receive lagoon water. This is going to be a heavy lift for many dairies. Continued monitoring along the way will also be required to show that we are actually making progress.

    Overall, this was a positive step for dairies and other permit holders in providing additional time, but the process will also bring new urgency to addressing nitrate issues as local stakeholders work together to identify and address local nitrate sources. The dairy industry has already started this process, with changes rolling out over the next couple of years.

    This should not be confused with a separate process that will soon restart. The State Water Resources Control Board recently sent an email stating that its Remand Order on the Central Valley Water Board’s dairy permit is expected to be released on or around June 15th. The State Board anticipates holding a workshop on July 8th and a hearing to adopt the order on September 15th. Once I have reviewed the Remand Order, I will update our members on its contents and keep you informed as we move through this process.

    These are two separate actions, but there is a common message. Dairy water quality regulations in the Central Valley will be changing, and dairies need to be aware of the changes. Knowing what is coming can help dairies prepare. As always, if you have any questions on these or other environmental issues, please contact me. — By Paul Sousa, Western United Dairies Director of Regulatory & Environmental Affairs

  • DCHA Updates its ‘Gold Standards’

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

    “The Gold Standards have been developed using published data and input from DCHA leaders and advisers,” stated DCHA President Kendall Wassenaar, Orange City, Iowa. “While individual herd goals, current level of attainment and geography may vary, the Gold Standards are meant to provide a framework for successful dairy replacement and beef x dairy raising. Dairy calf, beef x dairy and heifer raisers should use this information to identify areas for improvement, conduct training and implement plans that support the performance targets they want to attain.”

    A comprehensive document which includes charts and graphs, the DCHA Gold Standards book integrates all pre-lactation ages into one document. It features performance and production standards — with animal welfare and best management strategies as the top priorities. Performance standards are the objective measures used to evaluate performance. Production standards are the recommended practices that enable achievement of performance goals. Industry-based research supports these standards.

    “The DCHA Gold Standards strive to reflect positively on the dairy/beef x dairy industry and present a positive image to consumers,” Wassenaar added. Thus, the Gold Standards address newborn care, colostrum management, nutrition, health status, biosecurity, housing and environment, growth rate, reproduction and euthanasia.

    DCHA members have access to the Gold Standards. Those interested can go to to: https://calfandheifer.org/member/membership-benefits to discover membership benefits and to join.

  • Meat Institute Releases Report on How Animal Ag Supply Chains Are Calculating Emissions

    The Meat Institute released a new report entitled,  “Greenhouse Gas Accounting: Emissions Factors Brief,” offering a closer look at how companies across the animal ag supply chain are currently measuring and reporting upstream greenhouse gas emissions.

    “This report is intended as a practical resource for companies throughout the meat and poultry supply chain to better understand how emissions data are developed, to ask clearer questions of data providers, and to build strategies that reflect their operational realities,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “The report also outlines current knowledge gaps and points to where practical guidance and coordination could help improve alignment throughout the supply chain.”

    The brief reflects input from Meat Institute packer and processor members through surveys, interviews and industry roundtables, along with review by independent experts. It focuses on the scope 3 emission factors used today for beef, pork and poultry, and highlights areas where approaches differ across data sources, system boundaries, and calculation methods.

    For the broader supply chain, the report shows that:

    — Reported emission factor values span a wide range across proteins, often due to differences in functional units, geographic assumptions and whether impacts such as land use change are included or reported separately.

    — Many companies reference the same core U.S. studies, but apply them in different ways based on their own sourcing regions, customers, and reporting needs.

    — Recent publicly available data for poultry remains limited, with most of the reported information coming from third-party tools rather than published literature.

    — Method choices — such as how methane is modeled or which Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment values are applied — can meaningfully affect reported results, even when companies are working from similar underlying data.

    This report is a product of the Meat Institute’s Sustainability Committee.

    — Story contribued by the Meat Institute

  • CDFA Holds Dairy Double Header

    On Monday, February 2, Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. While Phil was focused on the weather, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) was busy holding two virtual meetings on California dairy issues.

    The first meeting was a Producer Review Board (PRB) meeting. After the meeting was called to order, CDFA addressed board vacancies. The call for nominations remains open due to multiple vacancies, some resulting from recent resignations. Members of the dairy community were encouraged to apply or nominate qualified candidates.

    The discussion then turned to remaining funds in the former Pooling and Marketing branches of the state milk marketing order, which were left over after the transition to the California Federal Milk Marketing Order. CDFA has been providing updates on these funds for several years in preparation for their eventual release. At this meeting, CDFA reported that updated accounting showed lower balances than previously announced: approximately $2.053 million in the former Pooling Division and $2.6 million in the former Marketing Division, down from earlier estimates of about $3.5 million in each account.

    CDFA explained that it is conducting a transaction-by-transaction audit of the originating accounts to confirm the final balances, but indicated that the figures presented at this meeting were believed to be accurate. The PRB focused on the former Pooling Division funds, while the Marketing Division funds were scheduled to be discussed in a separate meeting later that afternoon.

    Related to this discussion, CDFA announced that the Quota Implementation Program (QIP) administrative fee was reinstated effective February 1, 2026, due to low account balances and the need to fund administrative operations, including development of a new QIP software tool.

    CDFA presented two options for use of the former Pooling Division funds. One option, previously discussed, was to refund the funds directly to individual dairy producers, though CDFA noted that administrative costs would significantly reduce the amount returned. A second option, newly identified by CDFA, but offered by Western United Dairies Board in January of 2024, would use the former Pooling Division funds to cover QIP administrative costs, eliminating the need to charge producers the QIP administrative fee for more than a year.

    The PRB adopted resolutions recommending that the Secretary of Agriculture move the former state pooling funds into a separate account to improve transparency and use the funds to support QIP administration. Later in the meeting, the board also approved a resolution to suspend the QIP administrative fee assessment effective March 1, meaning producers will be assessed the fee for February only.

    The agenda then moved to hardship petitions, with 16 requests before the board. CDFA legal staff recommended tabling hardship requests from four dairies involved in ongoing litigation against the Department and individual board members; the board approved this recommendation.

    The board denied the first hardship request, submitted by a raw milk producer citing bird flu impacts. At this point, several other petitioners, or their attorneys, requested continuances to allow more time for preparation, which the board approved. As the meeting approached 1:00 p.m.—when the next CDFA meeting was scheduled—the board moved more quickly through the remaining items and another hardship was denied. CDFA had deemed four of the hardship requests incomplete. The board took up all four in one motion and denied them due to insufficient information. Another request was tabled due to time constraints, and the meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.

    The second meeting focused on funds from the former Marketing Division. CDFA referenced a prior meeting in which approximately $3.5 million had been discussed as potential funding for industry grants benefiting both producers and processors. At that earlier meeting, there was broad agreement by the industry that the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) would be an appropriate entity to administer those funds.

    At this meeting, CDFA clarified that the available funding was actually $2.6 million, reflecting the updated accounting. CDFA also explained that it could not issue the funds to CDRF as a block grant because CDFA grants must be issued on a reimbursement basis for projects already underway or completed. Meeting participants suggested that the funds be treated as a refund to the industry rather than a grant, since the money originated from producer and processor assessments. CDFA expressed openness to this approach but indicated that further review would be needed. CDFA concluded by stating that it will continue working with industry representatives to determine the most appropriate and effective use of the former Marketing Division funds, with further discussion to follow.

    Punxsutawney Phil may be calling for six more weeks of winter, but he does not have the insight of seeing the bees show up in California from all over the nation as an indicator that Spring is just around the corner and almond blossoms will soon be here. — By Paul Sousa, Director of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs for Western United Dairies

  • Tulare County Youth Shows Prize-Winning Cow at All American Junior Jersey Show

    MM Joel Rowyn-ET: Reserve Junior All American Four-Year-Old Cow, shown by Kamryn Kasbergen of Tulare, CA

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

    2025 Junior All American Winners

    Spring Heifer Calf

    • Junior All American: HC-Rader KRock Hanna, Shelby Rader, Conneaut Lake, Pa.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Freedom Lane KR Gabriella-ET, Eli Arp, Norwalk, Ohio

    Winter Heifer Calf

    • Junior All American: Roc-N-Roll Keep My Sanity, Karlie Suplee, Mount Morris, N.Y.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Discoverys Ghost Janessa, Grace Sauder, Tremont, Ill.

    Fall Heifer Calf

    • Junior All American: Mead-Manor Joel Cinnamon-ET, Kailey Guilette, New Franken, Wis.
    • Reserve Junior All American: WOCC Nestle Chocochip, Clancey Krahn, Albany, Ore.

    Summer Yearling Heifer

    • Junior All American: Lost-Brooke CF Kid Rock Faith-ET, Makayla Osinga, Hico, Texas
    • Reserve Junior All American: Miss Triple-T Blayks Vixen, Noel Peters, Danville, Ind.

    Spring Yearling Heifer

    • Junior All American: Kash-In Veronas Vignette-ET, Eleanor Hanehan, Mount Upton, N.Y.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Freedom Lane VIP Gabby-ET, Hailey Drescher, Preble, N.Y.

    Winter Yearling Heifer

    • Junior All American: Haybail VIP Edelweiss, Sophia Delude, Machias, N.Y.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Roc-N-Roll Satisfaction, Peyton Wright, Mount Morris, N.Y.

    Milking Winter Yearling

    • Junior All American: Graybill Lollalala Adalyn, Emily Graybill, Freeport, Ill.
    • Reserve Junior All American: MM Chocolatier Aveda-ET, Clancey Krahn, Albany, Ore.

    Milking Fall Yearling

    • Junior All American: Locust-Ayr Victorious Hot Sauce, Kaitlyn Dowling, Taneytown, Md.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Kilgus Askn Gelato, Carla Kilgus, Fairbury, Ill.

    Summer Junior Two-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: BVSF Nuance Catalina, Camryn Crothers, Pitcher, N.Y.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Echos Victorious Elegant, Eli Graybill, Freeport, Ill.

    Junior Two-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: Discoverys Victorious Jujuba, Ava Kolodzienski, Beldenville, Wis.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Z-Class CC & Cranberry Juice-ET, Mason Ziemba, Durhamville, N.Y.

    Senior Two-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: Victorious Cinn-Star Bentley, Brielle Helmer, Half Way, Mo.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Roggua Kid Rock Naela, Grace Sauder, Tremont, Ill.

    Junior Three-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: Meadowridge Vitality Karlee, Alexa Anderson, Cumberland, Wis.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Gordons Joel Gracious, Abigail Gordon, Syracuse, Ind.

    Senior Three-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: Kilgus Victorious Glitter-ET, Carla Kilgus, Fairbury, Ill.
    • Reserve Junior All American: WF Golddust Angelina, Regan Jackson, Clear Brook, Va.

    Four-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: LC Reckless Armadillo, Sophie Leach, Linwood, Kan.
    • Reserve Junior All American: MM Joel Rowyn-ET, Kamryn Kasbergen, Tulare, Calif.

    Five-Year-Old Cow

    • Junior All American: Hillacres Chrome Hibiscus, Nicole Arrowsmith, Peach Bottom, Pa.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Kilgus Victorious Rylee, Carla Kilgus, Fairbury, Ill.

    Aged Cow

    • Junior All American: Kevetta Colton Delilah, Kyra Lamb, Oakfield, N.Y.
    • Reserve Junior All American: Barnabas Elsa of SLJ, Treasure Clark, Mountain Grove, Mo.

    Complete show results for the 73rd All American Junior Jersey Show are available at www.usjersey.com.

    Profiles of the Junior All American and Reserve Junior All American winners can be viewed at:

    https://theallamerican.usjerseyjournal.com/2025-junior-all-americans-reserve-junior-all-americans/

    The All American Junior Jersey Show is an annual production of the American Jersey Cattle Association. For information on sponsorship opportunities or to contribute to the Maurice E. Core Jersey Youth Fund, supporting Jersey youth exhibitors, contact the AJCA Communications Department at (614) 322-4451.