The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced today the return of its dairy product innovation competition with the launch of the Real California Milk Snackcelerator to inspire new ideas integrating the flavor and functionality of California dairy into snack formulations that meet the needs of today’s consumers. With more than $450,000 in awards, the Real California Milk Snackcelerator taps into …

Judge Aspinwall denied Stop QIP’s Chapter 3.5 petition for a referendum, claiming it to be “legally defective.” Last month, a hearing was held to review Stop QIP’s petition to suspend Chapter 3.5 of the California Food and Agriculture Code. The hearing was presided over by an Administrative Law Judge, and the question being considered was whether or not a referendum …

One of the state’s leading experts on the role of animal agriculture in climate change today urged legislators to oppose Assembly Bill 2959, legislation that would result in more food waste ending up in the state’s landfills. University of California, Davis Professor Dr. Frank Mitloehner, who has received awards from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Distinguished Service …

United Dairy Families of California —Today, the industry-generated petition to implement a sunset plan to the QIP was qualified by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The petition qualified with 28% of the number of Market Milk producers operating in California in May 2020. CDFA anticipates holding a Producer Review Board meeting in August followed by a public hearing to …

Italian ryegrass is a major weed in orchards, vineyards, field crops, and fallow fields of California (Figure 1). Several different herbicides are used to control ryegrass and had been effective in reducing infestations until resistance evolved in many populations following repeated use of the herbicides. To date, resistance to glyphosate, paraquat, and some ACCase and ALS inhibitors has been confirmed …

As we approach the Stop QIP v CDFA court hearing date rescheduled for July 31, we received a lot of questions on the topic and if this proceeding is different than the Chapter 3.5 hearing we went through in June. Below you will find a list of commonly asked questions as well as a few others of interest regarding quota. If 
QIP …

Dehydration in calves experiencing scours is often underestimated. A scouring calf can lose anywhere between 5 to 10% of its body weight in water within one day. Dr. Jennifer Trout, Western U.S. Calf and Heifer Technical Pro, offers her insight on properly diagnosing and rehydrating scouring calves. “Shortly after I finished vet school, I was talking with my father who …

U.S. alfalfa hay pellets and cubes were among a number of U.S. agricultural products that received new or expanded access under the U.S.-China Economic and Trade Agreement, which was signed on January 15, 2020. This report briefly mentions the market access parameters for U.S. alfalfa hay pellets and cubes, discusses key market conditions (including import competition), and offers market-entry recommendations …

The implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and and other anticipated water restrictions pose major challenges for California agriculture. Without effective solutions, economists have estimated that up to one million acres of farmland will be fallowed, resulting in a revenue loss of $7.2 billion per year. As the state’s top agricultural commodity, dairy farming is an important part …

This week the American Dairy Coalition sent a letter to Secretary Perdue of the U.S Department of Agriculture and Secretary Azar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requesting they look into concerns farmers have with the draft of the Dietary Guidelines for America. The Dietary Guidelines for America (DGA), which is updated every 5 years, sets our nation’s leading nutrition …