California Ag Network

Tag: Dairy Producers

  • Explore Manure Technologies Before Dairy Plus Applications Close

    Applications for CDFA’s Dairy Plus Program are open through September 14, and this is anticipated to be the final funding opportunity available to help producers implement advanced manure management technologies.

    To help producers evaluate their options and make informed decisions, CDQAP is hosting two educational events focused on manure management technologies eligible for Dairy Plus funding.

    Field Day: Advanced Separation with Flocculants System

    Thursday, July 23

    10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

    Lunch to follow

    Hear directly from a dairy producer and technology provider about an advanced solids separation system that uses flocculants. The field day will be held in Stanislaus County. The dairy location will be shared with registered attendees.

    Register HERE.

    Webinar: Considerations for Choosing the Right Technology for Your Farm

    Thursday, July 30

    11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

    Join Dr. Deanne Meyer as she discusses the key questions producers should consider when evaluating manure management technologies and planning for long-term success on their operations.

    Register HERE. —Story by Western United Dairies

  • Innovations Enable Fluid Milk Exports

    While California is celebrated for its cheese, demand is high for fluid milk exports. Dairies are updating their technology to give milk a longer shelf life and with it, producers can more easily get in on the export market. Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network spoke with Glenn Millar from the California Milk Advisory Board to talk about these developments and how dairy producers can expand their presence in the international market. Watch this quick video and learn more in California Dairy Magazine.

  • California Milk Advisory Board Welcomes Adrienne Daniels as EVP of Marketing

    The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the marketing order representing California dairy producers, today announced the addition of Adrienne Daniels as  Executive Vice President of Marketing. In this role, Daniels will lead strategic marketing initiatives to expand awareness, engagement, and sales of Real California dairy products across domestic and international markets.

    Daniels brings over two decades of marketing leadership experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, having built, grown, and revitalized brands across a broad spectrum of categories. Most recently, she served as Senior Marketing Director at Gallo, where she managed a portfolio of more than 60 brands, including Black Box Wines, Apothic Wines, and Carlo Rossi Wines. Under her leadership, Daniels led brand turnarounds, launched innovative campaigns with record-breaking ROI, and launched over 15 new wines.

    Before beginning her more than 11-year tenure at Gallo, Daniels spent over 13 years at General Mills, holding multiple marketing leadership positions across iconic brands such as Cheerios, Pillsbury, and Progresso. Her strategic and creative leadership helped modernize legacy brands, drive multicultural marketing initiatives, and pioneered new approaches to health-focused consumer engagement.

    Daniels earned her MBA from Stanford University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

    An active community leader, she has supported education and literacy as a past mentor to Learning Quest through the Stanislaus Community Foundation’s Profit with Purpose program.

    Daniels is dedicated to championing women in business and has held numerous leadership roles advancing this cause throughout her career. In her previous role, she served as a key leader within Gallo’s Women of Wine & Spirits group, an organization committed to promoting and recognizing the achievements of women across the industry. Daniels also engaged in women’s networks while in her position at General Mills.

    “Adrienne brings a wealth of strategic marketing expertise, creative insight, and a deep understanding of consumer engagement,” said Bob Carroll, CEO of the CMAB. “Her proven ability to grow and reposition major brands will be instrumental as CMAB continues to drive demand and build connections with today’s dairy consumers.”

    California is the number one dairy state with more than 1,000 family dairy farms focused on delivering the wholesome goodness of California milk while creating a more sustainable future for dairy in the state.

    About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board

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

  • New Dairy Funding Opportunities For Innovation Open Through Oct. 31

    Dairy farmers, producers, and more: The Pacific Coast Coalition-Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII) is now accepting grant applications through October 31, 2025.  As outlined by federal guidelines: priority areas are for projects that:

    – Diversify dairy product markets to reduce risk and develop higher value uses for dairy products,

    – Promote business development that diversifies farmer income through processing and marketing innovation, and

    – Encourage the use of regional milk production.

    The PCC-DBII will consider all applications, with higher priority given to proposals that address and uplift regional milk usage, e.g. milk sheds. Total available dollars will be either $155,550 or $500,550, depending on the current government shutdown.

    Click here for the application form:  https://forms.gle/Q7kNftvgVGPPzvay8.

    Timing (subject to the duration and results of the US Government Shutdown) includes a virtual “office hour” for prospective applicants:

    ·      October 31, 2025 – Applications due

    ·      November 1-30, 2025 – Review of applications; contractual paperwork

    ·      December 1, 2025 – proposed start date subject to contractual paperwork being completed

    ·      FRIDAY July 31, 2026 – ALL grant award spending must be completed

    For more information: See previous grant winners from funding rounds 1 – 5. Additional funding opportunities are also available through the PCC-DBII Internship and Technical Assistance programs. Please contact PCC-DBII with any questions or call Nancy Van Leuven, (206) 919-8694.

  • Cali (of Kerman, CA) Re-crowned as Grand Champion of the International Brown Swiss Show at World Dairy Expo

    Iroquois Acres Jong Cali brings home Senior and Grand Champion of the International Brown Swiss Show. Cali, the winning Component Merit Cow, is exhibited Brian Pacheco of Kerman, Calif., and received the Allen Hetts Grand Champion Trophy and Vid Vye Memorial Trophy. Following her as the Reserve Grand Champion is the Reserve Senior Champion and winning Six-Year-Old & Over Cow, Robland Norwin Bermuda-ET, exhibited by Tony Kohls and Goldfawn Farm, Arlington, Minn.

    Intermediate Champion went to the Junior Three-Year-Old cow, Jenlar Fc Whipsaw-ETV, owned by Iroquois Acres, Bridport, Vt. Whipsaw earned the Eugene Nelson Intermediate Champion Award. The second prize Junior Three-Year-Old, Fairdale Kickstart Figgy, was named Reserved Intermediate Champion. She is owned by Kylie and Micah Sparrow of Stamping Grounds, Ky.

    The Intermediate Champion of the International Brown Swiss Show, Jenlar Fc Whipsaw-ETV, is owned by Iroquois Acres, Bridport, Vt. Fairdale Kickstart Figgy was Reserve Intermediate Champion and exhibited by Kylie and Micah Sparrow of Stamping Ground, Ky.

    In the heifer show, Junior Champion honors went to the winning Fall Calf, Blessing Garbro Pistachio-ETV, owned by Logan & Chloe Duckett and Peter Vail of Rudolph, Wis. The Reserve Junior Champion was the second place Fall Calf, Jenlar Acclaimed Waikiki-ETV, exhibited by Brianna and Abby Meyer of Chilton, Wis.

    The Premier Breeder banner went home with Jenlar Holsteins and Brown Swiss from Chilton, Wis., while Pit-Crew Genetics of Cambridge, MN is named Premier Exhibitor. The Premier Sire of the show is Hilltop Acres Daredevil-ET

    Official judge Allyn Paulson of Rockford, Ill., along with his associate Brian Olbrich of Harvard, Ill., were charged with placing 384 head of Brown Swiss in the International Brown Swiss Show.

    Complete class results can be found at www.worlddairyexpo.com.

    Junior Champion honors went to Blessing Garbro Pistachio-ETV, owned by Logan and Chloe Duckett & Peter Vail of Rudolph, Wis. Following Pistachio as the Reserve Junior Champion was Jenlar Acclaimed Waikiki-ETV, exhibited by Brianna and Abby Meyer of Chilton, Wis.

    Serving as the meeting place of the global dairy industry, World Dairy Expo is the premier forum for the dairy community to learn, share, create commerce and showcase competition. The annual event is taking place in Madison, Wis. September 30 – October 3, 2025. Dairy producers can experience the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show, a world-class dairy cattle show, attend seminars, meetings and presentations highlighting the latest and greatest in the industry and connect with other producers. Download the World Dairy Expo mobile app, visit worlddairyexpo.com or follow WDE on Facebook, Instagram,LinkedIn, Spotify, or YouTube for more information.

  • $1 Billion Approved for Flood and Wildfire-Impacted Livestock Producers

    U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced eligible livestock producers will receive disaster recovery assistance through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024 Flood and Wildfire (ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW) to help offset increased supplemental feed costs due to a qualifying flood or qualifying wildfire in calendar years 2023 and 2024. The program is expected to provide approximately $1 billion in recovery benefits. Sign-up begins on Monday, September 15. Livestock producers have until October 31, 2025, to apply for assistance.

    “We are providing continued support for livestock producers whose livelihoods and way of life have been disrupted by catastrophic floods, wildfires, and poor forage conditions in 2023 and 2024. Under President Trump’s leadership, USDA is standing shoulder to shoulder with America’s farmers and ranchers, delivering the resources they need to stay in business, feed their families, and keep our food supply strong,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “This announcement builds on the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) and the historic levels of assistance we have rolled out over the last few months, once again proving that this administration is working as quickly as possible to get help out the door and into the hands of livestock and dairy producers. USDA will continue to put farmers first and ensure they have the relief they need to weather storms and build for the future.”

    Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) added,“The flooding of Tulare Lake in 2023 was devastating for the Central Valley, and I’ve worked for years to make sure our producers have the tools they need to recover. Dairy farmers faced heavy property damage, feed losses, and transportation costs from moving livestock, and today’s USDA announcement is a major step forward. Expanding the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) will help address these losses and move us closer to making our farmers and dairymen whole. I’m grateful to USDA for their partnership throughout this process and look forward to working directly with the administration to make sure we get relief into the hands of CA-22 producers as soon as possible.”

    Qualifying Disaster Events

    To streamline program delivery, FSA has determined eligible counties with qualifying floods and qualifying wildfires in 2023 and 2024. For losses in these counties, livestock producers are not required to submit supporting documentation for floods or wildfires. A list of approved counties is available at fsa.usda.gov/elrp.

    For losses in counties not listed as eligible, livestock producers can apply for ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW but must provide supporting documentation to demonstrate that a qualifying flood or qualifying wildfire occurred in the county where the livestock were physically located or would have been physically located if not for the disaster event. FSA county committees will determine if the disaster event meets program requirements.

    Livestock and Producer Eligibility

    For ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW, FSA is using covered livestock criteria similar to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) which includes weaned beef cattle, dairy cattle, beefalo, buffalo, bison, alpacas, deer, elk, emus, equine, goats, llamas, ostriches, reindeer, and sheep.

    Wildfire assistance is available on non-federally managed land to participants who did not receive assistance through LFP or the ELRP 2023 and 2024 for drought and wildfire program delivered to producers in July of this year.

    Payment Calculation

    Eligible producers can receive up to 60% of one month of calculated feed costs for a qualifying wildfire or three months for a qualifying flood using the same monthly feed cost calculation that is used for LFP.

    ELRP 2023 and 2024 for drought and wildfire and ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW have a combined payment limit of $125,000 for each program year. Producers who already received the maximum payment amount from ELRP 2023 and 2024 for drought and wildfire will not be eligible to receive an additional payment under ELRP 2023 and 2024 FW. Eligible producers may submit form FSA-510, Request for an Exception to the $125,000 Payment Limitation for Certain Programs, to be considered for an increased payment limit of $250,000.

    Supplemental Disaster Assistance Timeline

    USDA is fully committed to expediting remaining disaster assistance provided by the American Relief Act, 2025. On May 7, we launched our 2023/2024 Supplemental Disaster Assistance public landing page where the status of USDA disaster assistance and block grant rollout timeline can be tracked. The page is updated regularly and accessible through fsa.usda.gov. Contact your local FSA county office for more information.

  • Dairy Producers Can Enroll or Elect to Opt-Out for 2018 MPP Coverage

    Washington, D. C., (September 8, 2017) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that starting Sept. 1, 2017, dairy producers can enroll for 2018 coverage in the Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy). Secretary Sonny Perdue has utilized additional flexibility this year by providing dairy producers the option of opting out of the program for 2018.

    “Secretary Perdue is using his authority to allow producers to withdraw from the MPP Dairy Program and not pay the annual administrative fee for 2018,” said Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Rob Johansson. “The decision is in response to requests by the dairy industry and a number of MPP-Dairy program participants.”

    To opt out, a producer should not sign up during the annual registration period. By opting out, a producer would not receive any MPP-Dairy benefits if payments are triggered for 2018. Full details will be included in a subsequent Federal Register Notice. The decision would be for 2018 only and is not retroactive.

    The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating dairy producers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below the coverage level selected by the producer.

    MPP-Dairy gives participating dairy producers the flexibility to select coverage levels best suited for their operation. Enrollment ends on Dec. 15, 2017, for coverage in calendar year 2018. Participating farmers will remain in the program through Dec. 31, 2018, and pay a minimum $100 administrative fee for 2018 coverage. Producers have the option of selecting a different coverage level from the previous coverage year during open enrollment.

    Dairy operations enrolling in the program must meet conservation compliance provisions and cannot participate in the Livestock Gross Margin Dairy Insurance Program. Producers can mail the appropriate form to the producer’s administrative county FSA office, along with applicable fees, without necessitating a trip to the local FSA office. If electing higher coverage for 2018, dairy producers can either pay the premium in full at the time of enrollment or pay 100 percent of the premium by Sept. 1, 2018. Premium fees may be paid directly to FSA or producers can work with their milk handlers to remit premiums on their behalf.

    USDA has a web tool to help producers determine the level of coverage under the MPP-Dairy that will provide them with the strongest safety net under a variety of conditions. The online resource, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool, allows dairy farmers to quickly and easily combine unique operation data and other key variables to calculate their coverage needs based on price projections. Producers can also review historical data or estimate future coverage based on data projections. The secure site can be accessed via computer, Smartphone, tablet or any other platform, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    For more information, visit FSA online at www.fsa.usda.gov/dairy or stop by a local FSA office to learn more about the MPP-Dairy. To find a local FSA office in your area, visit http:// offices.usda.gov.