Solid market growth over the last five years has milk – and the products derived from it – making an unprecedented leap in value. With the substantial increase in the value of dairy, researchers at the Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group find many along the supply chain wondering who is profiting from the bullish dairy market. The Rabobank International Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group’s “Show Me the Money!” report notes many of the profits flowing through the dairy supply chain in recent years have been absorbed by input costs for farmers or capitalized into the value of farmland.

Merck Animal Health announced it has signed an agreement with the Department of Medical Microbiology of the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University to embark on the development of innovative vaccination strategies against bacterial udder infections (mastitis) in dairy cattle.

Do you want to speak out for agriculture but aren’t sure where to start? Have you ever wanted to respond to a news article that didn’t quite get the facts right about modern agriculture? Do you seek ways to keep your farm secure from “undercover” activists?

The Got Manure? Enhancing Environmental and Economic Sustainability Conference and Tradeshow will be held March 28-29 in Liverpool, New York. Dairy producers and their advisers, agribusiness professionals, project developers, dairy scientists, agricultural and environmental engineers, farm managers, financial advisers and lenders, agricultural economists, extension educators, policymakers, regulatory agencies and utility companies are all invited to attend this two-day national event to learn about anaerobic digestion and other viable manure handling, treatment and management systems.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) recently praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s updated school meal standards that continue to stress the nutritional benefits of low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products. A final version of those standards was released Wednesday by the USDA following more than a year of public comment and review. NMPF submitted comments to USDA last April focusing on the nutrient package of milk and dairy foods, which will continue to be a core component of school meals, with fluid milk being offered at all meals.

The Supreme Court has blocked a California law that would require euthanizing downed livestock at federally inspected slaughterhouses to keep the meat out of the nation's food system. The high court ruled that the state's 2009 state law was blocked from going into effect by federal law administered by the Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The world’s feed production has reached an estimated 873 million metric tons, according to a global survey commissioned by Alltech. Conducted through Alltech’s regional managers, the survey assessed the tonnage of 132 countries and all species. “This new global estimate is quite significant, especially when compared to the 2010 WATT report, which indicated 717.6 million metric tons,” said Aidan Connolly, vice president of corporate accounts at Alltech.

January of 2012 and the California snow pack is at a meager 19 percent of average for this time of year! If the snow pack persists at this level until April, the total amount of precipitation from snow will be 7 percent of a "normal" year. A drought in the making? We don't know yet, but it seems sure that our snow melt water supply will be very much behind the abundance of last year and perhaps will be drastically below normal.

Click here to download a pdf of the latest export watch, provided by U.S. Dairy Export Council. PD