Living out his belief that service involves giving more than receiving led Robert Glock, D.V.M., Ph.D., to receive the Academy of Veterinary Consultants (AVC) Outstanding Service Award. The award was presented at the AVC spring meeting in April in Oklahoma City and was sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. The AVC Outstanding Service Award recognizes a member who has made outstanding contributions to AVC and the beef-cattle and veterinary medicine industries. Glock received a commemorative plaque, and Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health donated $2,000 to the AVC Foundation in his honor.

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today praised the legislation offered by a bipartisan group of senators, led by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, to responsibly transition and transform current ethanol tax policy. This legislation would reduce the current blender’s credit, also known as VEETC, for a two year period before transitioning to a tax credit that would adjust based on the price of oil. Importantly, this legislation would also improve upon current tax credits for the installation of blender pumps and ethanol fueling infrastructure. Additionally, the bill would extend tax credits for small ethanol producers as well as for advanced and cellulosic ethanol.

The National Milk Producers Federation’s proposal to reduce the maximum level of somatic cell counts in milk – a measure of milk quality – was rejected today by the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS), which has just concluded its biennial meeting here in Baltimore. NMPF had asked the NCIMS voting delegates – a group of state regulators overseeing milk safety rules – to reduce the maximum threshold of allowable somatic cells in milk at the farm level from the current 750,000 cells/mL, down to 400,000, starting in 2014. But on a vote of 26-25, the voting delegates rejected the proposal, meaning that the status quo threshold of 750,000 cells will remain.

SHARON, N.D. -- It's déjà moo for Chris Johnson. For the second straight year, the Sharon, N.D., rancher and his family have seen a torrent of twin calves that far exceeds what's normal.

The Hoof Trimmers Association, Inc. will host its 2011 Hoof Health Conference – the dairy industry’s exclusive international forum on hoof health – July 21-23, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at the Doubletree Willow Valley. Registration information is available online. Hoof trimmers as well as dairy producers, veterinarians and nutritionists – everyone on the dairy management team interested in hoof health – is welcome to attend this comprehensive, three-day seminar that will address all facets of hoof health issues on today’s dairy operations.

The American Jersey Cattle Association announced a new leader in its Living Lifetime Production Contest. After ranking second in the two previous contests, Queen-Acres Barber Booper moved into first place with lifetime totals on Dec. 31, 2010, of 306,145 pounds milk, 14,664 pounds fat and 10,520 pounds protein. Average daily production was 81.4 pounds milk, 3.9 pounds fat and 2.8 pounds protein.

Horizon announced that all of its quart and 96-ounce jug organic milk products sold in New York now feature the Pride of New York label, letting consumers know the milk is sourced from the region, including its hundreds of farmers across the state. The Pride of New York program, sponsored by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, promotes and supports agricultural products grown and processed in New York and provides an opportunity for the state’s residents to easily purchase products that have been verified as local.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has selected Validus as the third-party verifier for the National Dairy FARM Animal Care program. Validus is an ISO 9001: 2008 certified auditing and verifying company, with more than 10 years of experience verifying on-farm animal care. Validus documents and verifies socially-responsible animal welfare, environmental, on-farm security, and worker care production practices through audits and assessments, environmental planning, and consulting services.