California Ag Network

Tag: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service

  • Blueberry Industry Votes in Support of USHBC

    The USDA’s Ag Marketing Service (AMS) announced that a majority of eligible blueberry producers and importers voted in favor of continuing the work of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC). The industry created USHBC 26 years ago to give more U.S. consumers more reasons to buy more blueberries, to expand demand for U.S. blueberries in global markets and to provide services that equip all in the sector for success.

    “When the industry comes together, we make bigger opportunities possible for everyone to build the business, life and legacy they want and I’m thrilled the work of USHBC will continue,” said Ellie Norris, an Oregon blueberry grower and chair of the USHBC. “No other organization can do for the industry what USHBC can do, especially when it comes to driving category growth.”

    The USDA requires USHBC to hold a referendum every five years, and Norris said she and the rest of the board worked closely with staff to ensure eligible voters were well-informed about the past, current and planned efforts and progress made by the industry-led body.

    “We have momentum on our side. Thanks to decades of USHBC marketing informed by health research, U.S. consumers know blueberries are good for them and now they want and expect them year-round.” said Norris. “That said, I recognize not everyone voted ‘yes,’ and I hope those who have different perspectives or new ideas will become more involved in USHBC moving forward. Diverse perspectives are welcome and can make us stronger.”

    According to AMS, 58% of producers and importers representing 84% of the volume of blueberries grown, were in favor of continuing the program.

    “I’m excited about what’s next because the work of USHBC has never been more important than it is today,” said Brittany Lee, a Florida grower and USHBC vice chair. “The marketplace is certainly filled with pressures, including growing supply, but it’s also filled with promise and there is plenty of room to create more demand.”

    USHBC’s 2026 Blueberry Convention will take place in Monterey, California, Sept. 22-25, and registration remains open for all in the industry.

    “It’s a place to find helpful information, share and discuss future plans and make meaningful connections” said USHBC President Kasey Cronquist. “I hope growers, marketers, suppliers and everyone with an interest in the future success of the industry can join us, because we’ve got more work to do.”

    — Story contributed by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

  • 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

  • Emerging Data Begins to Quantify Value Beef and Dairy Crossbred Cattle Bring to US Beef Supply Chain

    New data from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service is beginning to shed light on the impact of beef and dairy crossbred cattle on the beef supply chain. While limited in scope, the data collected to date suggests the growing number of beef-on-dairy animals is contributing to higher cattle prices for producers and delivering added value to feedlots and processors.

    The practice of using beef genetics in dairy reproductive programs, commonly referred to as “beef on dairy” within the industry, has steadily increased as the U.S. beef cow herd has contracted. Historically, cattle market analysts had limited pricing data to quantify the impact of beef-on-dairy on the cattle market. That changed in March 2024 when USDA began tracking beef-on-dairy animals sold at public auctions.

    According to an analysis outlined in a new CoBank Knowledge Exchange report, the slaughter auction prices for beef-on-dairy cattle were slightly higher than for beef cattle and significantly higher than for dairy cattle. The weight of beef-on-dairy animals fell between the ends of the beef and dairy cattle spectrum.

    USDA-AMS, CoBank

    “The data also showed that beef-on-dairy cattle maintained the largest proportion of their value from feeder price to slaughter cattle auction price on a per hundredweight basis,” said Abbi Prins, livestock analyst with CoBank. “That’s an important financial metric for feedlots. We’ll have to see if these patterns hold over time as additional data becomes available. But preliminarily, it reaffirms the value proposition beef-on-dairy brings to the wider beef sector.”

    The U.S. beef cow herd is at historically low levels due to prolonged drought and poor grazing conditions. Tight supplies amid robust consumer demand for beef have pushed cattle prices to record highs. Dairy producers are capitalizing on the opportunity to capture higher prices and an additional revenue stream by producing more beef-on-dairy calves for sale into the beef market.

    While beef-on-dairy breeding is not a new phenomenon, additional opportunities to track and analyze these animals using performance metrics throughout their life will enhance efficiencies and profitability in the cattle sector, Prins added.

    Beef Quality is Surging
    U.S. beef quality has undergone a near complete transformation over the last decade. Prime beef production has increased 140% to reach more than 2 billion pounds annually. Production of Choice grade beef, which makes up over three-quarters of the market, grew 20% with nearly 16 billion pounds produced in 2024. Meanwhile, production of lower-grade meat like Select decreased 37% since 2014 to land at 3.17 billion pounds in 2024.
    While the dairy industry’s contributions to meat quality are not easily discernable from publicly sourced data, many of the animals from dairy programs that utilize native beef genetics such as Angus can now qualify for branded premium programs.

    “Purebred beef cattle will remain the dominant source of the U.S. beef supply, and that’s not going to change,” said Prins. “But considering the added value crossbred dairy-beef animals are bringing to market for all participants in the supply chain, it is unlikely the trend will slow any time soon.”

    Read the report, Beef-on-Dairy Data Suggests Opportunity for Feedlots and Processors.

    About CoBank

    CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 77,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

    CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

  • Apply Now for $4.1 Million Innovation Grants to California Dairy Producers, Processors

    California producers and processors are invited to apply for funding up to $1 million for innovation initiatives to become more competitive in a second round of dairy business grant awards recently announced by the Pacific Coast Coalition’s Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII), hosted by California State University Fresno.

    The PCC-DBII will award funding to assist with innovative dairy product development, production, marketing, and distribution. Dr Carmen Licon, Project Director and Assistant Professor in Food Science and Nutrition at Fresno State said grants will range from $50,000 to $1million with the potential for up to 12 projects selected for funding. Application forms and submission details are available at https://www.dairypcc.net/ with a deadline to submit by February 28, 2023.

    “This second set of grants is larger in size and have the potential for major impact on our California dairy business community,” said John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board. “The scale of available funding allows larger processors to apply for new-to-market projects, while smaller operations and farmstead producers can still apply for projects that will allow them to add value to their milk by developing new products, testing new processes and evaluating feasibility of packaging innovations.”

    CMAB’s California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC), a major partner in the Coalition, has resources to guide qualified California dairy businesses to take advantage of this opportunity. Information and assistance is available by contacting Veronique Lagrange, Director of the CDIC at vlagrange@cmab.net.

    Funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, DBII program funded initiatives focus on product, process and packaging innovation and serve to:

    • 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.

    Grants are available to anyone operating a dairy farm or dairy processing plant in California but focus on product, process, packaging innovation for dairy manufacturing. This includes feasibility studies and workforce training. Proposals can include requests for funding for qualified equipment, feasibility studies, innovation in packaging as well as training of the workforce.  This is a reimbursement program with applicants reimbursed upon presentation of invoices/receipts for approved projects.

    The CDIC’s Steering Committee, which includes representatives of California Dairies Inc., California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dairy Management Inc., Fresno State University, Hilmar Cheese, Leprino Foods, and UC Davis assisted in the thorough review process and recommended funding applications based on objective criteria.

    About the California Dairy Innovation Center
    The California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) coordinates pre-competitive research and educational training in collaboration with industry, check-off programs, and research/academic institutions in support of a common set of innovation and productivity goals. The CDIC is guided by a Steering Committee that includes California Dairies Inc., California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dairy Management Inc., Fresno State University, Hilmar Cheese, Leprino Foods, and UC Davis.

    About the Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Initiative (PCC-DBII)

    The PCC-DBII is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and hosted by California State University, Fresno in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Chico State, Oregon State University, UC Davis, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center.  For more information:  https://www.dairypcc.net.