March 20 marks the calendar as the official first day of spring, but every farmer knows that it is never truly springtime until the cattle are out on spring pasture.

About 345 dairy farmers participating in the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) will see indemnity payments this month.

The federal dairy farm “safety net” needs some patches, dairy economists and a dairy cooperative leader told a House subcommittee recently.

The FDA recently released its nutrition facts side panel for all packaged foods and beverages. A new requirement of the redesigned panel is the labeling of “added sugars” in both grams and as a percent of suggested daily value intake. Although it is still too early to tell exactly how the added sugar label on sweetened dairy products will be perceived by consumers, industry leaders are concerned consumers will only focus on the added sugar component and not on the nutrient-rich value of dairy foods.

Editor’s note: Christina Winch originally posted this blog on Progressive Dairyman’s Proud to Dairy network. Join the site for free and share your ideas for keeping calves entertained. Farmers have creative minds when it comes to solving problems. In the fall of 2014, we installed automatic calf feeders, and for the most part, we are liking the results. The calves are bigger and healthier, along with a better quality of life for our family.

More than half of U.S. dairy producers do not support NMPF’s decision to phase out tail docking earlier than previously planned.

Have you ever picked up the phone to call a consultant and upon asking your question and hearing the answer you feel like the dumbest person on the face of the earth? Well, for those of you who have not yet had the experience, let me shed some light on the feeling.

The Progressive Publishing team is pleased to introduce Audrey Schmitz as their summer 2016 editorial intern. Schmitz began work in May and is responsible for writing feature stories and news articles for Progressive Dairyman magazine.

Let’s face it. Dairy producers are going through some challenging times. Working for an A.I. company, I see it on a daily basis. But I heard a few words at a recent conference that reinvigorated my excitement for this industry.

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series profiling sources for an in-depth feature about the Chinese dairy industry, appearing in print later this summer. Calvin Willis, Ph.D., has made his home in Southern California for the past 35 years. Widely respected throughout the southwestern U.S. as a consulting dairy nutritionist, he also works internationally.