FSA Services Available by Phone Appointment Only: USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices are open by phone appointment only until further notice, and FSA staff are available to continue helping agricultural producers with program signups, loan servicing and other important actions. Additionally, FSA is relaxing the loan-making process and adding flexibilities for servicing direct and guaranteed loans to provide credit …

President Donald J. Trump today signed the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act” (CARES Act) into law with provisions to provide financially distressed consumers and small businesses greater access to business loans and bankruptcy relief. The legislative package, which quickly passed the House of Representatives on a voice vote earlier today and 96-0 in the Senate on Wednesday, provides …

Beginning March 1, 2020, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will endorse a new version of the “Veterinary Certificate for raw milk and milk products from cloven-hoofed animals to be exported to Japan from the United States for human consumption”. The certificate has been updated to satisfy a new requirement under Japan’s Food Sanitation Law that all imported …

Congress created the Milk Donation Reimbursement Program as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. The goals of this program are to reduce food waste and provide nutrition assistance to low-income families and individuals. Under the program, eligible dairy organizations partner with non-profit organizations in their communities that distribute food to low-income individuals. The program reimburses qualifying partnerships for certain expenses …

Dairy farmers from National Milk Producers Federation member cooperatives and state dairy associations are visiting U.S. Senate offices today and tomorrow as part of a fly-in calling for an agricultural labor bill that could be reconciled with a plan the House approved last year, providing the stable, secure labor force U.S. dairy producers need.   U.S. dairy producers face labor …

To qualify, the cow must have completed the lactation between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Her owner must have been at least 9 years of age on January 1, 2018, but no older than 20 years of age, and be a Junior Member or Lifetime Member of the American Jersey Cattle Association.  Finally, the Data Collection Rating (DCR) …

World Dairy Expo® is accepting nominations for the 2020 Expo Recognition Awards now through February 1, 2020. New this year, WDE will be combining the former Dairyman and Dairy Woman of the Year Awards into one category, Dairy Producer(s) of the Year. Organizations, academic staff, producers and others involved in the dairy industry are encouraged to nominate individuals to recognize …

The California dairy community has long been dedicated to improving groundwater protection, and this commitment will only grow in the new year. By participating in the Central Valley Salinity Coalition, and working closely with regional and state officials, dairy farmers have been part of an incredible 13-year stakeholder effort, which recently resulted in the adoption of a new long-term plan. …

“Big Dairy.” One of the strangest terms attached to the industry. As seen in fear-mongering headlines, Big Dairy is used to de- personalize individual dairy farmers and imply some large, faceless force foisting an agenda on unsuspecting consumers. So, who exactly is it? Maybe by figuring out what Big Dairy is – or isn’t – some light could be shed on …