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The U.S. dairy industry is a step closer to making food aid ingredient sales a commercial reality. On July 7, the Office of Food for Peace approved the U.S. Dairy Export Council’s (USDEC’s) application for whey protein concentrate 34 and 80 (WPC34 and WPC80) to be used in programs administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Once USAID and USDEC finalize specs and resolve remaining details, both whey protein concentrates will be included in the list of ingredients that implementing partners, such as private voluntary organizations, can purchase using USAID Food for Peace funds.
How would your plan change, if at all, the way milk is priced?
The Rational Milk Pricing plan would change how milk is priced by first using a 60-month moving average to price 90 percent of a dairy’s production base. It creates a price discovery system that will involve all the buyers or processors competing for the milk in all areas of the country for the milk that is produced over the 90-percent production base. The bidding system will be component-based to determine the true value of milk’s components, which is important as milk is fractioned into many different products.
AntelBio’s expertise in developing milk sample diagnostic tests was key in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent decision to award a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant. The funding will be used to investigate novel Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) detection methods in bulk milk samples. With new clinical bTB cases emerging in cattle in a number of states; and control and eradication programs running in the millions of dollars, identifying new cost effective screening methods would be a tremendous benefit.
Semex is working hard to ensure that the Semex sales force continues to be the industry’s most well-respected and informed staff, committed to delivering profitable solutions to dairymen around the world. This continuous development and commitment to ongoing education is at the foundation of the Semex Learning Centre (SLC).
“Today’s dairy industry is competitive, very competitive,” says Brad Adams, Semex Alliance global training manager. “Semex sales staff have to be the best in the world if they are going to continue to deliver value to dairy producers globally. You can’t do that over night… It’s a long-term strategic commitment Semex is making to both our customers and to our staff.”
In response to the Obama administration’s request to look into antitrust enforcement issues, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Antitrust Division and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are holding a series of joint public workshops to explore competition issues affecting the agricultural sector in the 21st century.
The dairy workshop, held on June 25 in Madison, Wisconsin, was the third of five scheduled workshops. Other topics include agronomy, poultry, livestock and margins.
Throughout the history of wage and employment law in the U.S., agriculture has always been treated differently than any other industry. Originally, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which established national minimum wage and overtime requirements, exempted agriculture from both minimum wage and overtime requirements. While the minimum wage exemption has largely been repealed, federal law still exempts agriculture from overtime.
Presently, only California, Hawaii and Maryland require overtime pay for agricultural workers. Wisconsin required overtime for farm workers, but repealed the requirement in 2003. Currently, advocates in California are seeking to increase overtime pay for farm workers, and advocates in New York want to apply overtime pay in agriculture for the first time.
On July 6, a Union County Grand Jury cleared Gary Conklin, co-owner of Conklin Dairy Cattle Sales LLC in Plain City, Ohio, and others, of allegations of animal abuse brought about by the Mercy for Animals YouTube video release on May 26. Released of all charges, Conklin talked freely with Progressive Dairyman Editor Karen Lee, answering the questions that follow.
How were you made aware of the video?
CONKLIN: I first learned of the video when a reporter called and asked if I was aware of the video to be released at a later date. They alluded that it would be posted to YouTube in the next 24 hours. I went home and saw it that night on YouTube.
This article was #2 in PDmag's Top 5 most-well read New Technology articles in 2010.
Summary: The Walkease hoof block, created by Shoof International, is made from ethylene vinyl acetate, or EVA foam. The new foam hoof block sticks to a hoof with a one-step “super glue” for anywhere from one week to 14 days. It was designed to give producers and veterinarians an option for an early intervention hoof care treatment.
Because this article was so popular, we asked Katie Klessig of ANIMART Inc. some follow-up questions:
Horizon Organic announced four student recipients of 2010 Horizon Organic Producer Education (HOPE) program scholarships. Each recipient will receive $2,500 towards their education, encouraging them to enter the field of organic agriculture. Horizon Organic is the first and only national organic dairy brand to have a scholarship program designed to build the next generation of organic dairy leaders.
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