California Ag Network

Tag: USDA

  • NIFA Invests $14M in Animal Health & Disease Research

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $14 million in research to protect agricultural animals from disease. The grants are part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Diseases of Agricultural Animals program area priority.

    “Animal health is critically important to farmers and ranchers,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille. “This research will help better understand, diagnose, control and prevent diseases in agricultural animals and aquaculture.”

    Funded projects will focus on developing new and improved vaccines, diagnostics and antimicrobial alternatives; breeding disease resistant animals; and understanding better ways to manage animals to minimize disease outbreaks.

    Examples of the 31 recently awarded Diseases of Agricultural Animals Program grants include:

    • Iowa State University’s project will introduce a new approach to Vitamin A and Zinc supplements to help protect cattle against stress and respiratory disease ($500,000).
    • University of Maine, Orono’s project will develop a new, safe aquaculture vaccine to help improve disease immunity in Atlantic salmon in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way (495,000).
    • University of Florida’s project will examine ways to improve immunity in pigs that can protect them from lung disease and influenza virus infections ($500,000).

     

    NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

    Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science (searchable by state or keyword), visit www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts.

  • USDA Reminds Producers to File Crop Acreage Reports

    Agricultural producers who have not yet completed their crop acreage reports after planting should make an appointment with their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before the applicable deadline. July 15 is a major deadline for most crops, but acreage reporting deadlines vary by county and by crop.

    “USDA offers a lot of programs to assist producers, but in order to receive many of these program benefits, you must file an accurate crop acreage report,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Once planting is complete, call your local FSA county office to make an appointment.”

    An acreage report documents a crop grown on a farm or ranch and its intended uses. Filing an accurate and timely acreage report for all crops and land uses, including failed acreage and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the loss of benefits.

    How to File a Report

    Producers can contact their FSA county office for acreage reporting deadlines that are specific to their county.

    Service Center staff continue to work with agricultural producers via phone, email, and other digital tools. Because of the pandemic, some USDA Service Centers are open to limited visitors. Producers should contact their Service Center to set up an in-person or phone appointment.

    To file a crop acreage report, you will need to provide:

    • Crop and crop type or variety.
    • Intended use of the crop.
    • Number of acres of the crop.
    • Map with approximate boundaries for the crop.
    • Planting date(s).
    • Planting pattern, when applicable.
    • Producer shares.
    • Irrigation practice(s).
    • Acreage prevented from planting, when applicable.
    • Other information as required.

    Acreage Reporting Details

    The following exceptions apply to acreage reporting dates:

    • If the crop has not been planted by the acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 15 calendar days after planting is completed.
    • If a producer acquires additional acreage after the acreage reporting date, then the acreage must be reported no later than 30 calendar days after purchase or acquiring the lease. Appropriate documentation must be provided to the county office.

    Producers should also report crop acreage they intended to plant but were unable to because of a natural disaster. Prevented planting acreage must be reported on form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, no later than 15 calendar days after the final planting date as established by FSA and USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA).

    Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the earlier of the dates listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.

    More Information

    For questions, producers should call their FSA county office. To find their FSA county office, they should visit farmers.gov/service-center-locator.

  • Study Shows Amygdalin in Almond Nectar can Reduce Viruses & Gut Parasites in Honey Bees

    Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that a component in almond nectar and pollen can reduce honey bee viruses and gut parasites, which are some of the leading threats to bee health and colonies.

    The study, published in the journal Insects, showed amygdalin – a naturally-occurring chemical compound found in the nectar and pollen of almond trees – decreased levels of chronic bee paralysis virus, black queen cell virus and deformed wing virus. The bees also showed increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria and lower levels of the gut parasite Lotmaria passim.

    “We have found nectar chemicals can work as an antibiotic in bees, even against important viruses,” said Jay Evans, USDA-ARS research entomologist. “We were interested in amygdalin as a possible inhibitor of bee disease, because it is so important to the diet of honey bees.”

    The bees were fed natural concentrations of amygdalin over a two-month period as part of the study conducted in a bee yard at the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, MD. In the treatment group, bees received a sugar solution supplemented with dissolved amygdalin from a supplier. The control group just received sugar water.

    The findings showed that amygdalin, which was previously reported to cause malaise in bees when fed sugar syrup, did not cause any negative effects to bee behavior.

    Amygdalin is not only found in the nectar and pollen of almond trees, but in a variety of other crops, such as cherries, nectarines and apples. During almond pollination season, western honey bees inevitably consume the natural compound since almond crops are almost exclusively pollinated by honey bees.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $17 of economic impact.

  • July 2021 USDA Lending Rates for Ag Producers

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for July 2021, which are effective July 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.

    Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans

    FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically underserved producers, including beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

    Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for July 2021 are as follows:

    FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

    You can find out which of these loans may be right for you by using our Farm Loan Discovery Tool.

    Commodity and Storage Facility Loans

    Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

    Disaster Support

    FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the year’s winter storms, drought, and other natural disasters that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared with a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to residents, agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster assistance options.

    Pandemic Support

    Through September 1, 2021, FSA’s Disaster Set-Aside provision is available to direct loan borrowers who have been impacted by the pandemic. This enables an upcoming annual installment to be set aside for the year and added to the final installment. For annual operating loans, the loan maturity date may be extended up to twelve months in order to set aside the installment.  This provision is normally used in the wake of natural disasters, and a second Disaster Set-Aside may be available for direct loan borrowers who already have a DSA in place on a loan due to another designated natural disaster.

    More Information

    Producers can explore available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.

  • NRCS Drought Assistance for High Priority Areas in CA (EXTENDED)

    In the middle of California’s drought, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is meeting with landowners, Tribal representatives, and agencies to assess resource concerns and offer assistance to farmers and ranchers, as well as, forest and Tribal land managers. Programs through NRCS include the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the newest pilot program, EQIP-Conservation Incentive Contracts (EQIP-CIC).

    “Although we still have CDC coronavirus related health precautions in place for the safety of our customers and employees, we strongly encourage you to call the nearest office and schedule an appointment,” said Carlos Suarez, NRCS California state conservationist. “Our field conservationists are available to assess your resource concerns and we have a variety of conservation practices and programs to help agricultural producers.”

    The new pilot program, EQIP-CIC, can provide long-term support to address drought on agricultural and other lands. NRCS is taking applications through July 12 (EXTENDED TO JULY 14) and encourages interested land managers to contact their local offices for more information.

    Specifically through this new pilot program (EQIP-CIC), six high priority areas were identified:

    1.  San Joaquin Valley (cropland);

    2.  Statewide (cropland);

    3.  Klamath Basin (cropland);

    4.  Statewide (range, pasture);

    5.  Statewide (forest); and

    6.  Statewide Tribal Land (cropland, range, pasture, forest).

    In addition to these high priority areas, NRCS conservationists are available to discuss best conservation practices and enhancements for cropland, rangeland, forestland, pastureland, and tribal land, which can result in development of a conservation plan. A conservation plan is a roadmap to the natural resources stewardship of your land that helps you to successfully implement your conservation improvements.

    NRCS can help you develop a plan that is right for your operation. Starting with healthy soil as the foundation of a healthy environment, landowners can use mulching or cover crops to minimize erosion and improve soil health. With the new pilot EQIP-CIC, landowners would also be able to receive reimbursement for their efforts to decrease tillage intensity and increase plant-available moisture, for example, with complimentary practices.

    Plants are the natural solution for many conservation challenges. For example, landowners can install hedgerow and other plantings to establish multi-purpose wildlife habitat. With the new pilot EQIP-CIC, land managers could receive reimbursement for planting cover crops for pollinators while improving soil health and for planting trees, shrubs, grasses, and forbs to create habitat for beneficial insects and Monarch butterflies, while reducing soil erosion or improving livestock well being.

    As a western drought state, California landowners may reduce risks of wildfires while protecting homes and communities by using conservation practices such as brush management, fuel break, woody residue treatment, and forest stand improvement. With the new pilot EQIP-CIC, landowners would also be able to receive reimbursement to continue the longer term management of these best conservation practices for reducing the height and density of forest understory to limit wildfire risk.

    Landowners can efficiently use water resources by implementing practices such as irrigation ditch lining, irrigation pipeline, or micro irrigation. Through the new pilot, irrigation scheduling technology can be included in a conservation plan to help farmers explore new technology with agricultural innovations to help decrease energy and water use.

    For more information on the new pilot EQIP-CIC and the July 14, 2021 application deadline, contact a local field office to schedule an appointment. Our office locator is available at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/ca/contact/.

  • House Appropriations Committee Advance FY 2022 Agriculture Spending Bill

    National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition — The House Appropriations Committee advanced their agriculture appropriations funding bill for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 today, which was marked up and approved by the Agriculture Subcommittee last week. The agriculture appropriations bill plays a major role in shaping our food and farm systems as it funds many of the major programs and functions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For FY 2022, the bill proposes a total of $26.55 billion, a more than 10 percent increase from FY 2021.

    “The House bill includes historic wins for sustainable agriculture priorities,” said Eric Deeble, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) Policy Director. “NSAC applauds House appropriators for advancing comprehensive investments in rural communities, sustainable agriculture research, and local and regional food systems,” Deeble added.

    Notably, the legislation includes a substantial increase in investments for the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program at $50 million, a $10 million increase from FY21. This funding level will allow SARE’s farmer driven research to keep pace with the growing challenges farmers face in remaining profitable and viable in the context of climate change. Moreover, NSAC is pleased to see an overall commitment of $347.4 million to address climate change across the USDA.

    NSAC supports the considerable allocation to build resiliency by investing in local and regional food systems. This includes $21.4 million in discretionary funding for the Local Agriculture Market Program, building on the $100 million in emergency funding allocated in the December COVID aid package, along with the $50 million in yearly mandatory farm bill funding.

    NSAC also commends the $2 million allocated to the Agricultural Marketing Service for a new Small Meat Packing Plants Apprenticeship program. Given the increasing demand for local or regional sustainable meat and poultry, and the challenges faced by small- and medium-sized meatpacking operations during the pandemic, this funding aims to bolster workforce development for smaller meatpackers and foster partnerships with existing institutions and organizations with expertise in meatpacking operations.  NSAC applauds Representatives Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee ranking member Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) for introducing this provision through the Strengthening Local Processing Act and providing funding for it through the FY22 bill.

    While it is not clear what the timeline will be, NSAC is pleased to see the House agriculture appropriations bill moving forward and we recognize that major hurdles remain to securing final FY 2022 funding levels. We encourage the Senate, as they move forward with their own appropriations process, to replicate these robust investments.

    “We hope Congress will expeditiously move forward with the appropriations process and avoid passing a Continuing Resolution, so that these significant increases in the House bill can be enacted as soon as possible to provide much-needed support to farmers, researchers, and organizations. Making these crucial investments now is key to recovering from the pandemic’s impacts and building a resilient rural economy, bolstering sustainable food systems, and addressing the climate crisis,” said Deeble.

    For more detailed information about the FY2022 Appropriations visit NSAC’s Agriculture Appropriations Chart.

  • NIFA Invests Over $1.1M for Commercial Innovations in Food Science & Nutrition

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced today an investment of over $1.1 million in grants to 11 U.S. small businesses to address emerging food safety, food processing and nutrition issues.

    “NIFA’s Small Business Innovation Research program stimulates technological innovations in the private sector and strengthens the role of federal research and development in support of small businesses,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille.  “These investments will help our nation’s small businesses improve food science and nutrition through a variety of early stage research and development projects.”

    Examples of the 11 projects awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program’s Food Science and Nutrition priority area include:

    • Jun Innovations, Inc., Honolulu, Hawaii, will develop a proprietary, supercooling technology to preserve perishable probiotic products without cell damage and with extended shelf life ($100,000).
    • Stixfresh USA, Inc., of Tumwater, Washington, will test essential-oil based formulas to determine their effectiveness as a safe and natural way to suppress microbial spoilage of fresh fruit ($97,697).
    • Paragon Flavors, Inc., Belle Mead, New Jersey, will assess the viability of sprouting whole-grain rice to create nutritionally dense, sustainably enhanced, consumer-friendly food ingredients for packaged food products ($99,414).

    SBIR fosters and encourages participation by women-owned and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses. The next Phase 1 request for SBIR applications is scheduled to open in July 2021, with a deadline in October 2021. Learn more about USDA’s Small Business Innovation Research program.

    NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFA’s total investment was $1.95 billion.

    Visit our website: www.nifa.usda.gov; Twitter: @USDA_NIFA; LinkedIn: USDA-NIFA. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural science (searchable by state or keyword), visit www.nifa.usda.gov/impacts.

  • Early Months Suggest Bright 2021 for US Ag Exports

    U.S. agricultural exports in the first four months (January – April) of 2021 were a record $59 billion, exceeding the previous record set in 2014 by nearly $5 billion. Robust global demand, high commodity prices, and increased U.S. competitiveness have led to record exports of corn, sorghum, beef, food preparations, and other products. Others including soybeans, soybean meal, wheat, and dairy have also seen large increases during recent years and have contributed significantly to early-year export levels. At the current pace, there is a strong possibility of a record-breaking year for U.S. agricultural exports surpassing the 2014 mark of $154.5 billion.

    The agriculture, food, and related industries are vital parts of the U.S. economy, contributing an estimated $1.109 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product and providing employment for 22.2 million people in the United States in 2019, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. Agricultural exports have grown significantly within the past decades, becoming an increasingly important component of the agriculture industry. From 2000 to 2020, U.S. agricultural exports grew from $56 billion to $150 billion. It is estimated that U.S. agricultural exports supported nearly 1.1 million full-time jobs in 2019. In 2020, exports increased by nearly $9 billion during 2019. A record in 2021 would drive this total even higher, likely supporting more U.S. jobs and making a larger positive impact on the U.S. economy.

    Coming out of a strong year in 2020, the United States appears to be well-positioned for an even stronger 2021. An August 2020 World Trade Organization report examining the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural trade described the resilience of the sector as a whole, and highlighted the essential nature of food as a main factor. U.S. agricultural exports during the pandemic reinforce this idea. While the export value of a few products like tree nuts, beef, and cotton declined in 2020, total exports were up significantly. Record harvests causing low prices were the main drivers for the decline in tree nut export value (despite volume increases), but declines for beef and cotton could be partially attributed to COVID-19 due to reduced hotel, restaurant, and institutional sector demand and a slowdown of global apparel consumption. All other top export products performed as well as or better than 2019. In the first four months of 2021, exports of top products have met, exceeded, or in some cases greatly exceeded exports from the same period in 2020, contributing to an overall increase of more than $12 billion.

    Many upward trends from 2020 have continued into the new year. Global demand is rising, driven in part due to record purchases by China as it rebuilds its swine herd from African Swine Fever and demand for animal feed surges. The early 2020 signing of the Phase One agreement between the United States and China created a pathway for U.S. producers to step in and fill both the demand for pork, beef, and poultry products as well as the rising demand for animal feed. Production shortfalls reduced competition from feed exporters in South America, which also had an important effect on trade in the early months of 2021. The combination of increased global demand and reduced supply has led to price increases in the past year that look to benefit U.S. exporters. For more information on driving factors for U.S. bulk product and livestock product exports in early 2021, see additional commodity trade reports.

    Two additional major trade agreements were also implemented in 2020. The U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement entered into force at the beginning of the year, providing tariff reductions for a wide range of agricultural products including beef, pork, and dairy, as well as preferential market access provisions for others including wheat and wheat products. While tariffs on many products were eliminated immediately, others will be gradually reduced in the coming years. The U.S.- Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) entered into force in mid-2020, containing provisions to expand market access for U.S. exporters of dairy, poultry, eggs, and others while strengthening science-based trade rules and other processes. These agreements and the Phase One agreement with China serve to facilitate trade with four of the United States’ top trading partners and will have lasting positive benefits for agricultural producers in 2021 and beyond.

    Excellent agricultural export performance to date is not limited to bulk and meat products. For the period from January to April, 16 product groups reached record export levels in 2021:

    U.S. processed product exports are strongly represented on the list of high performers in early 2021. Food preparations, the largest processed product group which contains various ingredients for food manufacturing as well as some consumer-ready packaged and canned foods, had a notable increase of $125 million above the previous January – April record set in 2019. Other processed product groups like condiments & sauces, dog & cat food, and beer have also been high performers. The strongest markets for U.S. processed products are USMCA partners Canada and Mexico, but other markets have been growing in recent years. Countries with rapidly increasing numbers of middle-class households tend to show the most consumption growth for these products. For more information on consumption trends and opportunities for U.S. processed products, see recently published International Agricultural Trade Reports focused on snack foods, confectionery, baked goods, and pet food in various markets.

    Another notable achievement is that not only are year-to-date exports up across product groups, they are also up across nearly all major U.S. partners. For each of the top 10 markets for U.S. products in 2020 (China, Canada, Mexico, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Colombia), total exports are higher in January – April 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. For 9 of these 10 markets (excluding the European Union), this sets a 4- month export record. This diversity of potential markets is a source of strength and stability and is an indicator of high overall competitiveness of U.S. products in 2021. This performance is reinforced by trade agreements with many of these top partners, including the recent agreements with Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, as well as with South Korea and Colombia.

    Based on current performance, U.S. producers should look forward to a bright 2021 for agricultural exports. Global demand is high, and consumption habits for products that were affected by COVID-19 will continue to normalize. If U.S. exports continue to be as competitive as they have been in the early months of the year, 2021 has a great chance at becoming a record year, paving the way for more records to come. As income worldwide increases and more customers emerge, U.S. farmers, ranchers, and those employed in the industries driving agricultural trade should expect a large part of global demand to be met by the United States, fulfilling its role as one of the world’s largest suppliers of food and agricultural products. — USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

  • Market Fundamentals Drive the Beef & Cattle Market

    The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute), the largest and oldest trade association for packers and processors of beef, pork, lamb, veal and turkey today said market fundamentals drive the beef and cattle market and additional government intervention will have unintended consequences for livestock producers, packers and consumers.

    “Long time critics of the meat and poultry industry are again proposing additional regulations and shortsighted market interventions that do not consider the basic laws of supply and demand. Many of these proposals have already failed in practice or before the courts,” said Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “The beef market is dynamic, with recent challenges due to labor shortages and the COVID pandemic rather than problems with market structure.

    “The members of the Meat Institute – and their livestock suppliers – benefit from, and depend on, a fair, transparent and competitive market. The North American Meat Institute is prepared to discuss these issues and work with the Administration and the Congress on the issues facing the industry.” 

    The Meat Institute made these remarks in written testimony submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for a hearing entitled, “Examining Markets, Transparency, and Prices from Cattle Producer to Consumer.”

    The testimony provides a comprehensive picture of the dynamic and growing beef industry and an analysis of rhetoric surrounding oversight of the market, antitrust issues and the market forces at play.

    Of particular interest is a new analysis (pages 8 and 9 of the testimony), using USDA data, of the profit margins of the three sectors of the fed cattle industry: cow-calf producers, feeders and packers. The data show that over the last 25 years, while the four-firm concentration ratio in the fed cattle market has remained relatively constant, it has not ensured packer profitability at the expense of producers. 

    “No sector – cow-calf, feedlot, nor packer – has realized positive margins every year,” Potts said. “For example, the four-firm ratio in 2014, when cow-calf and feedlot profit margins were at record highs, was the same as in 2017 when all three sectors showed positive margins. However, over this 25-year timeline, the cow-calf sector incurred negative margins the fewest number of years of the three.”

    In addressing calls for additional packer capacity as a solution to the challenges due to the COVID pandemic, the testimony demonstrates that packer capacity is already growing as a result of market forces, without government intervention.

    “These new entrants or company expansions were based on decisions to build or expand based on market conditions, not because of government intervention.  Government interference into the market could well undermine this industry growth,” said Potts.

    “During the pandemic, small and midsize beef slaughter and processing companies endured the same challenges large companies faced, perhaps more so. Artificially creating more, smaller regional harvest facilities will not prevent future market disruptions nor protect cattle producers from cyclical or volatile markets. The unintended outcome could be the opposite.”

    For additional information about beef markets see the Meat Institute’s Facts about Common Meat Market Myths and the Meat Institute’s comments submitted earlier this week in response to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s request for comments on efforts to improve supply chains for the production of agricultural commodities and food products. The Meat Institute has several resources about beef markets here. And for more on the pandemic and its effect on the meat and poultry industry, go here.

    About North American Meat Institute

    The North American Meat Institute is a leading voice for the meat and poultry industry. The Meat Institute’s members process the vast majority of U.S. beef, pork, lamb, and poultry, as well as manufactures the equipment and ingredients needed to produce safe, high quality meat and poultry products.

  • Western United Dairies Announces Aubrey Bettencourt as Director of Sustainability

    Western United Dairies – Continuing to provide resources and services for California’s dairy and cattle community, Western United Dairies (WUD) has hired Aubrey Bettencourt as the new Director of Sustainability, a position made possible by the California Cattle Council to benefit all dairy farmers, statewide.

    As Director of Sustainability, Bettencourt will support farmers in cultivating a shared vision of sustainability to achieve state and local natural resources goals and economic prosperity for California’s dairies, farmers, and ranchers by developing plans, projects, and programs specifically focusing on watershed health, meeting the direct needs of dairy farmers in maintaining a healthy California milkshed.

    Bettencourt’s skillsets will directly assist the industry’s leading environmental and regulatory guru – Paul Sousa, by broadening the industry’s ability to be laser focused on water supply. Bettencourt will work to ensure a strong milkshed remains in areas of the state that are critically over drafted through diversified production goals, exploring, among other things, groundwater banking and land management strategies, and identifying and securing opportunities and additional funding for watershed improvement projects. Bettencourt’s ability to bring diverse stakeholders together to identify and implement collaborative solutions will be key to helping our dairy farmers meet new regulatory and natural challenges, fostering working relationships among multiple interests including affected communities, domestic well users, tribes, the State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water, local planning departments, health officials, groundwater sustainability agencies, and disadvantaged communities.

    As a fourth generation California farmer, Bettencourt most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Water and Science at the Department of the Interior working extensively to bring efficiency and coordination among the federal water community with Bureau of Reclamation, USGS, and other DOI agencies & bureaus, along with USDA, EPA, DOE, DOC AND DOD for delivery of safe and reliable water supplies to the nation. Prior to DOI, Bettencourt served as USDA Farm Service Agency California State Director, where her mission was clear: keep farmers farming through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs to California’s farmers, ranchers and agricultural partners. As executive director of a statewide non– profit, California Water Alliance for nearly ten years, Bettencourt’s understanding of the dynamics and importance of member–focused organizations, developed a network of diverse water leaders statewide bridging the gap between rural and urban, agriculture and environment advocating for water supply reliability for all Californians.

    Aubrey is committed to the work of the farmer and the agricultural community, and brings the knowledge, experience, expertise, and collaborative energy it will take to assure a sustainable and reliable dairy industry. Aubrey can be reached at aubrey@wudairies.com.