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Ag Committee chairs say no dairy policy reform before Farm Bill
There seems to be consensus between the U.S. House and Senate agriculture committees about when dairy reform should move through Congress. At least for now, it will remain where it has always been – within the farm bill.
In a recent interview with Agri-Pulse in May, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, clearly indicated her belief that dairy policy would not move ahead of the 2012 Farm Bill.
“The only reason to even talk about moving it separately would be if there was agreement on a package. At the moment, there is not,” Stabenow said.
The loss of Alaska’s state-subsidized Matanuska Maid dairy at the end of 2007 devastated milk producers in the fertile Matanuska Valley, long the agricultural heart of Alaska.
Now, more than three years later, the state’s milk production has recovered from a low of 2009 – when Alaska milk production dropped 17 percent – to rebound at the end of last year.
Per capita U.S. milk consumption has declined nearly two gallons in the past decade due to increased consumption of water and alternative milk beverages and a decline in cereal consumption, a new study found.
The U.S. fluid milk processor checkoff organization, or Milk Processor Education Program, known as MilkPEP, sponsored the comprehensive market research study released earlier this year.
According to the study, at the beginning of the current decade, annual fluid milk consumption per person was 22.4 gallons. By 2009, consumption fell by 1.8 gallons to 20.6 gallons of milk per person per year.
MilkPEP CEO Vivian Godfrey says the study showed clear winners and losers.
Not many organizations, or couples for that matter, get to celebrate a 75th or “diamond” anniversary.
But in Thornton, Colorado, this June, appropriately during “Dairy Month,” the Western Dairy Association (WDA) will celebrate 75 years of regional dairy farmer-directed promotion, research and nutrition education.
Final preparations are underway for the 2011 National Holstein Convention and 126th Annual Business Meeting, taking place June 22-25 in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia Convention Planning Committee has assembled a schedule highlighting the state’s Registered Holstein farms, historic sites and scenery, while allowing attendees time to discuss Association business. Below is a summary of Convention events; for complete schedule details and information, click here.
The Missouri Dairy Grazing Conference planned for July 6-8 has been moved from Joplin to Springfield, Missouri. Joplin, Missouri experienced significant destruction from an EF5 Tornado in May 2011. Although the Holiday Inn (where the conference was to be held) did not experience any physical damage, it has become a major support facility for multiple agencies needed to sustain displaced residents and facilitate the rebuilding effort.
Butch Lerum of Minnesota/Select Sires Co-op Inc. and Don Mullen of NorthStar Cooperative, have been honored as the Select Mating Service (SMS) genetic consultants of the year. Lerum and Mullen received this award at Select Sires’ national SMS Consultant Conference held in Texas and New Mexico in early May.
This national award is presented annually to genetic consultants who exemplify the qualities that make SMS known worldwide as the premier mating program in the industry to assist dairy producers in developing genetic business plans. The recipient must have years of superior service, a history of high-quality evaluations and the ability to build and maintain successful relationships with dairy producers.
After successfully raising more than $100,000 in the first year of a new grass-roots campaign that provided funds to local FFA chapters throughout the country, the nation’s leading fence manufacturer has announced its decision to make this campaign an annual event.
Early last year, Peoria, Illinois-based Keystone Steel and Wire Co., maker of Red Brand fence, launched its “Home Grown” initiative, a program to benefit FFA through its Red Brand agricultural fencing sales division. For every roll of Red Brand agricultural fencing purchased by a participating retailer, $1 is donated to a designated local FFA chapter or chapters of their choice.
This June Dairy Month, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) is celebrating real dairy products with its Taste the Dairy Difference campaign. Patrick Geoghegan, WMMB, explains this interactive website, which is also equipped with a mobile version.
What is the web address? GEOGHEGAN: www.TheDairyDifference.com
Why was it developed? GEOGHEGAN: The website was developed to celebrate June Dairy Month with a collection of 12 new dairy recipes, as well as dairy farm breakfast information for the 2011 June Dairy Month Taste the Dairy Difference campaign.
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