from Western United Dairymen
Edited by Mark Looker
California
Dairy Industry Headline News
from Western United Dairymen
Edited by Mark Looker
A news service of Western United Dairymen 1315 K Street, Modesto, CA 95354 (209)-527-6453 Visit us at www.westernuniteddairymen.com
Headline News is constantly updated throughout the day. Bookmark this address: http://www.westernuniteddairymen.com/WUDheadlinenews.htm
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008
BSE case confirmed in Alberta - - The
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) in a six-year-old dairy cow from Alberta. The animal's
carcass is under CFIA control, and no part of it entered the human food or
animal feed systems. The age and location of the infected animal are
consistent with previous cases detected in Canada This case will not affect
Canada’s Controlled Risk country status, as recognized by the World
Organization for Animal Health. This status clearly acknowledges the
effectiveness of Canada’s surveillance, risk mitigation and eradication
measures. Based on science, it is not expected that this case should impact
access to any of Canada’s current international markets for cattle and beef.
<more> Feb. 26, 2008 CFIA Press Release
UCSC researcher targeted in attack - animal
rights activists believed to be behind home invasion - - A UC Santa Cruz
faculty member whose biomedical research using animals sheds light on the
causes of breast cancer and neurological diseases was the target of an
attack Sunday afternoon, reportedly by animal rights activists. UCSC
Chancellor George Blumenthal confirmed late Monday that an off-campus home
invasion by six masked intruders occurred at a faculty member's home. In a
statement, Blumenthal called the incident "very disturbing." Santa Cruz
police reported that six people wearing bandanas tried to break into a
Westside home just before 1 p.m., and that one of the family members, not
the faculty member, was attacked before the intruders fled. The male victim
had made sure his wife and children were safe in the back of the house
before he confronted the attackers. He suffered minor injuries after being
hit with an unknown object. None of the other four people in the house were
injured.
<more> Feb. 26, 2008 Santa Cruz Sentinel
Value-added producer grant meeting set for Chico Feb. 29 - - USDA Rural Development is hosting an informational meeting in Chico Friday, Feb. 29 to discuss opportunities available via the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. The meeting is in conjunction with the Oroville Enterprise Zone Program at the Chico State University Farm Pavilion at 311 Nicholas C. Schouten Lane in Chico from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Attendance is highly recommended for agricultural producers, agricultural producer groups, farm and ranch cooperatives and majority-controlled, producer-based business ventures. Attendees will become familiar with the value-added program eligibility requirements and will be guided through the application process. Value-Added Producer Grants may be used for planning activities, such as feasibility studies, marketing and business plans needed to establish a viable value-added marketing opportunity for an agricultural product, or to provide working capital for operating a value-added business venture, marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects. Details on application procedures are online at www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm. The application is also available online at www.grants.gov. Applications must be postmarked no later than March 31. For more information or questions, contact Karen Firestein at karen.firestein@ca.usda.gov . Feb. 26, 2008 USDA Pres Release
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Calendar
of events
Machr 5-7, 2008 WUD annual convention.......................................... Doubletree Hotel, Modesto
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Monday, Feb. 11, 2008
Environmental quality, dairy tug of war - - Milk and related dairy
products are the No. 1 farm commodity in the Northern San Joaquin Valley,
earning dairy farmers more than $1.3 billion in 2006. That's a good thing,
right? What's more wholesome than milk? Well, clean air and water would be
right up there on the list. The San Joaquin Valley faces an uphill battle to
reach compliance with federal air quality standards, and groundwater
contamination is a growing concern. Dairies have been identified as
potentially significant sources of air and water pollution in the valley,
and some fear the cost of meeting tougher environmental standards will
prevent those businesses from expanding or force them to move out of the
state.
<more> Feb. 11, 2008 Modesto Bee
Many in state cool to farm labor fix.
Enforcement's key in Bush plan. - - The latest attempt to fix the
nation's farm labor problem isn't pleasing anyone in California agriculture.
This week, the Bush administration proposed a revamped guest worker program
meant to make it easier for farmers to legally hire foreign workers. But the
move failed to soothe California's agricultural employers, who say the
little-used guest worker program will remain costly and cumbersome. The
change also drew protests from farmworker advocates for provisions that cut
wages and weaken current guarantees on employer-provided housing and travel
expenses. Whether a significant number of the state's farmers use the new
rules will depend largely on whether the White House follows through on a
promise to prosecute the employers of undocumented workers, experts said.
<more>
Feb. 9, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Dairy Farmers, You Are the Message - - Guess
who's most credible to the public when it comes to talking about important
issues in dairy farming. Dairy industry leaders? The state vet? Animal
science professors? How about the USDA? If you said nope for all of those
and guessed dairy farmers themselves, you're right. That's why Joan Horbiak
is passionate about getting her message across to dairy producers: "If
you're not part of the story, the public won't have a clear picture of the
dairy industry." Horbiak, a media communications adviser for Dairy
Management Inc., spoke to a several hundred producers and others here
Wednesday morning at the Pennsylvania Dairy Summit.
<more>
Feb. 9, 2008 LancasterFarming.com
'Carbon-offset' forest registers its biggest sale yet - - The Humboldt
County forest that has been one of the country's highest-profile sources of
"carbon offsets" has logged its largest sale ever, a deal the forest's
managers say demonstrates the market's confidence in the value of their
product. Natsource Asset Management LLC, a New York firm that deals in
credits for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and renewable energy
development, purchased 60,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions reductions
from the Van Eck Forest for an undisclosed price. The deal was the forest's
biggest sale by a factor of 10. Emissions reductions from such projects
typically sell for about $15 a ton. The revenue helps cover the cost of
managing the forest so that it soaks up carbon from the atmosphere.
<more>
Feb. 11, 2008 Sacramento Bee
California Rep. Tom Lantos, only Holocaust survivor in Congress, has died - - Rep. Tom Lantos,(D- San Mateo) who as a teenager twice escaped from a Nazi-run forced labor camp in Hungary and became the only Holocaust survivor to win a seat in Congress, has died. He was 80. Spokeswoman Lynne Weil said Lantos died early Monday at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in suburban Maryland. He was surrounded by his wife, Annette, two daughters, and many of his 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Annette Lantos said in a statement that her husband's life was "defined by courage, optimism, and unwavering dedication to his principles and to his family." Lantos, a Democrat who chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee, disclosed last month that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus. He said at the time that he would serve out his 14th term but would not seek re-election in his Northern California district, which takes in the southwest portion of San Francisco and suburbs to the south including Lantos' home of San Mateo. <more> Feb. 11, 2008 AP
Friday, Feb. 8, 2008
Rising Stocks Depress Milk Prices, says USDA
outlook -- Rising stocks and increasing production potential contributed
to lower milk prices during the December, according to the latest outlook from
the USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. Forecasts for 2008 milk
production are raised as continued growth in cow numbers is expected to more
than offset slower growth in output per cow. Producers continue to respond to
the strong returns of 2007. USDA's Cattle report indicated that on January 1
dairy cow numbers were 1% higher, and producers expect to retain 3% more
heifers.
<more> Feb. 8, 2008 Agreport.com
USDA raises 2008 milk production estimate, lowers
prices - - World Supply and Demand Estimates from USDA on Friday. The
Outlook Board increased their 2008 milk production forecast as the increase in
cow numbers is expected to more than make up for the slower growth in
production per cow this year. Citing the latest Cattle Report from USDA, dairy
cow numbers as of January 1, 2008, were 1% higher than a year earlier. On top
of that, producers are expected to retain 3% more heifers and have 3% more
heifers calve this year. Projections are still for production to slow down in
the second half of the year as higher production, softer demand and higher
feed costs will tighten margins and put pressure on producers.
<more> Feb. 8, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Families sue raw milk producer over E. coli
outbreak - - The families of two children sickened by the E. coli bacteria
are suing a Fresno dairy. The lawsuits filed Thursday in Fresno County
Superior Court accuse Organic Pastures Dairy Co. of shipping raw milk tainted
with the bacteria to stores in September 2006. That's when at least five
children fell ill after consuming the dairy's products. Testing at Organic
Pastures did not detect the strain of E. coli that sickened some of the
children, but a government report last February said the dairy was likely
responsible.
<more> Feb. 8, 2008 Bakersfield Californian
Methane digester discussion set for Tulare breakfast
Feb. 12 - - California dairy producers who operate anaerobic digesters are
invited to a breakfast meeting Tuesday, Feb.12 at Nielsen's Restaurant, 137
S. M Street, Tulare. The meeting is organized by Rob Van Omering who invites
producers to discuss what has worked well and what hasn't. Contact Rob by
email
robvano@sbcglobal.net to reserve a $10 breakfast seat. Feb.. 8, 2008
Biofuel crops increase carbon emissions - - The
rush to grow biofuel crops -- widely embraced as part of the solution to
global warming -- is actually increasing greenhouse gas emissions rather than
reducing them, according to two studies published Thursday in the journal
Science. One analysis found that clearing forests and grasslands to grow the
crops releases vast amounts of carbon into the air -- far more than the carbon
spared from the atmosphere by burning biofuels instead of gasoline. "We're
rushing into biofuels, and we need to be very careful," said Jason Hill, an
economist and ecologist at the University of Minnesota who co-authored the
study. "It's a little frightening to think that something this well
intentioned might be very damaging." Even converting existing farmland from
food to biofuel crops increases greenhouse gas emissions as food production is
shifted to other parts of the world, resulting in the destruction of more
forests and grasslands to make way for farmland, the second study found.
<more> Feb. 8, 2008 LA Times
Applications sought for Dairy Leaders program - - Applications are being sought for WUD’s highly successful Dairy Leader program. The application deadline is March 21. The highly regarded year-long leadership training program will cover marketing, promotion and media relations, state and federal legislative processes, dairy producer prices and economics, and the full gamut of environmental issues. The program’s material will be covered in five multi-day sessions, including a trip to the nations’ capitol to personally meet California legislators. WUD began the program in 2002 to develop informed producers who will take leadership roles in the next generation of the state’s dairy organizations. Since then, 46 dairy members have graduated. Applications are available by contacting WUD at (209) 527-6453 or can be downloaded by clicking here. Because space is limited, those interested are encouraged to send in their applications right away. Application fees will be promptly refunded to any who are not selected this year. Applications must be postmarked by March 21, 2008, and sent with the $750 application fee payable to Western United Dairymen to: Western United Dairymen 1315 K Street Modesto, CA 95354. Feb. 8, 2008 WUD Weekly News Update
Assembly speaker vote set March 11 - - Assembly
Speaker Fabian Núñez, who spent more than $1 million of his own campaign funds
on a failed ballot initiative that would have extended his time in office, set
a date Thursday for his successor to be chosen. While the Los Angeles Democrat
was paving the way for his departure, numerous other Assembly members were
openly declaring their candidacies or privately assessing their prospects for
the top job. The flurry of Capitol activity was sparked by voters' defeat
Tuesday of Proposition 93, which would have altered legislative terms while
giving a reprieve to lame-duck legislators. Núñez announced after a lengthy,
closed-door meeting of the Assembly Democratic Caucus that his members will
vote for a new speaker March 11.
<more>
Feb. 8, 2008 Sacramento Bee
One house is in order. Steinberg to replace Perata
atop Senate - - Sen. Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento was designated
Thursday by his fellow Democrats to be the next president pro tem of the
California Senate, beating out Sen. Alex Padilla, who conceded after the two
had lunch. Under a transition process established by Senate President Pro Tem
Don Perata, a formal vote will not be taken until Aug. 21 and Perata will
continue as the Senate's leader until November. When Steinberg, 48, takes the
reins, he will become the first Sacramentan to hold the top leadership post in
the Legislature's upper house since 1883.
<more>
Feb. 8, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Denham recall backers turn in signatures - - A
Democratic Party effort to unseat state Sen. Jeff Denham of Merced submitted
50,000 signatures to recall the lawmaker today, the campaign said. The
Stanislaus County clerk's office confirmed that it received signatures for the
campaign this morning. The "Dump Denham" push needs 31,084 verified signatures
to get the recall on the June ballot. It targeted Denham, a Republican, in the
summer when he refused to sign off on the state budget, which hit a stalemate
for 52 days.
<more> Feb. 8, 2008 Modesto Bee
Gasoline prices are falling. Lower demand and increased inventories fuel the trend. - - Unemployment rates and food prices may be rising, but there's one bit of good news in current economic times: Gas prices are falling. The average cost of a gallon of unleaded gasoline dropped almost 19 cents in the last month in Fresno and 17 cents in the Visalia-Tulare-Porterville area, according to AAA. Prices averaged almost $3.15 a gallon in Fresno and nearly $3.18 a gallon in the Visalia-Tulare-Porterville area Thursday. Experts say a trifecta of factors is causing the falling prices: decreased demand, increased inventories and falling crude oil prices. <more> Feb. 8, 2008 Fresno Bee
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008
EPA error prompts judge to stop Kern County dairy
case - - A federal judge temporarily halted a case against a Kern County
dairy Monday after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it erred in a
decision that caused the dairy to be sued. EPA officials said they were wrong
to approve pollution rules for San Joaquin Valley farms in 2004 that were
stricter than those passed in a state law the same year. That mistake resulted
in a September ruling by federal Judge Oliver Wanger against the dairy for
violating the Clean Air Act, an attorney for the C&R Vanderham Dairy in
Shafter said. The 1,300-cow dairy is exempt from regulations under the state
law but would be regulated under the valley rules for farms approved by EPA.
Wanger based his decision on the valley regulations.
<more> Feb. 7, 2008 Bakersfield Californian
What is pushing cash cheese near $2.00? - -
Cash cheese went up for the fifth session in a row on the Chicago Mercantile
Exchange on Thursday, nudging closer and closer to the $2.00 mark. Dave
Kurzawski with Downes & O’Neill in Chicago says, “There are a lot of people in
the industry scratching their head right now saying why is this market coming
up when all other dairy product prices are under some pressure?” Kurzawski
says there really is no good answer to that question. Prices on the world
market do not justify the increases, there’s plenty of milk out there and a
lot of it is going to cheese. He says we may see the cash cheese market nudge
a little higher, “It might be $2.00 although I have a hard time believing
that.”
<more> Feb. 7, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Guest-worker changes criticized. Growers say Bush's
proposals inadequate -- The Bush administration on Wednesday proposed
streamlining an agricultural guest-worker program, but Central Valley growers
and farmworker advocates already doubt the changes will do much good. With
Congress stalled on broader immigration reform, the administration wants to
ease certain wage, housing and other requirements in the existing guest-worker
program. The revisions are supposed to make it easier to bring in the foreign
workers U.S. farmers say they need. "The changes ... will go a long way
towards ensuring that America's farmers will have a stable, legal work force
they can count on at harvest time," Deputy Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner
said Wednesday. The H-2A program allows farmers to import foreign workers if
domestic workers aren't available. It is criticized often but used relatively
rarely. Last year, about 75,000 foreign farmworkers entered the United States
through the H-2A program. This was only a fraction of the 1.2 million
farmworkers laboring in the United States last summer.
<more> Feb, 7, 2008 Fresno Bee
UCCE corn and forage production sessions set for
Valley Feb. 21-22 - - Four meetings focused on corn and forage production
will be held in the Valley Feb. 21-22. The meetings are sponsored by UC
Cooperative Extension and will look at topics such as Dairy Manure Nitrogen,
Choosing and Installing Flow Meters for Nutrient Management and How Triple
Cropping Fits Into Dairy Nutrient Management Plans. The meeting dates and
locations are:
Thursday, Feb. 21 8:30 a.m. 12630 Campus Drive, Hanford. (559)
582-3211 x 2730
Thursday, Feb. 21 1:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tulare County Ag Building, 4437 S.
Laspina St., Tulare. (559) 685-3303
Friday, Feb. 22 8:30 a.m. - 12 noon, Stanislaus County Agricultural
Center, Harvest Hall, Rooms A,B,C 3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA
Friday, Feb 22 1:30-5 p.m., Riverdale Veterans Memorial Hall, 3085 W.
Mt. Whitney Ave. Riverdale. (559) 456-7285.
For more information, call Marsha or Marie at (209) 525-6800. Feb. 7, 2008
UCCE Notice
Dairy to dominate World Ag Expo --Tulare County
tops Wisconsin as the largest milk yielding area in United States.
Unsurprisingly, cattle will be king at the World Ag Expo 2008, February 12-14.
This year's expo has expanded to include a dairy area of 100,000 square feet
and a "Dairy Technology Center," in addition to staged outdoor dairy
exhibits. Seventeen hundred exhibitors and attendees from 67 countries will
display their wares on the 2.6 million square feet of ground. New products
will be showcased in a larger pavilion area on Median and "T" Street.
<more> Feb. 7, 21008 Madera Tribune
Ag Working Group Meeting Feb. 26 on Greenhouse Gas
Scoping Plan Measures - - The Air Resources Board will be holding the
second Agriculture Stakeholder Working Group meeting to discuss agricultural
greenhouse gas reduction strategies with a focus on the technical aspects of
potential measures. The meeting will be held Feb. 26, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the
Sierra Hearing Room at the CalEPA building in Sacramento. This meeting will
also be webcast
http://www.calepa.ca.gov/broadcast/?BDO=1 . The Agriculture Stakeholder
Working Group was formed to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to
contribute to the development of the AB 32 Scoping Plan. The group will help
identify measures and provide input on reduction potentials, technological and
economic feasibility and implementation barriers. Western United Dairymen is
closely monitoring the activities of this group on issues that could impact
the dairy industry. Feb. 7, 2008 CalEPA Notice
‘The Problem is Rampant’ Animal cruelty investigator says abuse at slaughterhouses is widespread in the industry. - - Frank Allen, an animal cruelty investigator for Animal Acres in Acton, was not at all surprised to hear about the violations of California’s downed animal law uncovered last week at a meat packing plant in Chino. Allen said he has investigated stockyards, dairies and livestock auctions in the Chino Valley, uncovering numerous violations and urging officials to enforce the downed animal protection law. He even attempted to get into the Westland/Hallmark Meat Packing Co., but was denied access. “I was not surprised at all — this problem is rampant. It’s bigger than just one slaughterhouse,” Allen said Thursday. <more> Feb. 7, 2008 Santa Clarita Valley Signal
Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008
Partnering for compliance. New California
organization to assist dairies with environmental regs - - To help its
1,100 members meet the complex requirements of California’s new water
quality rules, Western United Dairymen (WUD) has formed a
fee-for-environmental services organization. The new Western United
Environmental Services (WUES) will provide environmental expertise and help
defray expenses for Central Valley dairy producers who are overwhelmed by
environmental regulations. “The goal of preventing contamination of surface
and ground water is noble, but the new waste discharge requirements (WDRs)
are extremely cumbersome and costly,” says WUD CEO Michael Marsh. “We hope
that by pooling resources, we can offer a high level of expertise and help
contain costs for our members.”
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 Dairy Today
President Bush makes personal farm bill veto
threat - - President Bush used the ceremonial swearing-in of new U.S.
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer to give a substantive address on key
agricultural issues. And the President also issued a very blunt message to
the leading members of Congress who are working on the new farm bill. It was
only at the end of his remarks that President Bush brought up the farm bill.
With Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, Ranking Senate
Agriculture Committee Republican Saxby Chambliss and House Agriculture
Committee Chairman Collin Peterson looking on from the audience at USDA
headquarters, the President gave an explicit warning about the pending farm
legislation, even as he expressed belief a deal could be struck. "It's
critical for farmers and consumers to have a good farm bill in place, so
Ed's going to work with members of both parties on a bill that spends
people's money wisely, doesn't raise taxes, reforms and tightens subsidy
payments - a farm bill that'll benefit the entire economy," President Bush
emphasized. "I'm confident we can come together to get a good farm bill, but
if Congress sends me legislation that raises taxes or not make needed
reforms I'm going to veto it."
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Administration proposing change in guestworker
pay - - Foreign farmworkers who legally come to the United States could
get paid less under regulations being proposed by the Bush administration as
a way to get more companies to stop using illegal immigrants. The Labor
Department will propose using more precise data to determine minimum wages
for H2-A visa holders when it publishes proposed changes to the foreign
agriculture worker program on Wednesday. Now, all H2-A agriculture workers
get paid the same no matter what agriculture job they work, whether picking
strawberries or driving combines. That pay is based the Agriculture
Department's Farm Labor Survey. However, the Labor Department wants to shift
to using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment Survey,
which would allow them to consider exactly what a worker does and what the
worker's skill level is. It also would allow them to divide the country into
more than 530 areas, with salaries paid appropriate to each area.
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 AP
USDA proposes changes in H-2A farm worker program
- - USDA Deputy secretary Chuck Conner today issued a statement about
changes being proposed by the USDA to the H-21 farm worker program: "The
changes we are proposing today will go a long way towards ensuring that
America's farmers will have a stable, legal workforce they can count on at
harvest time. Because farmers are tied to the land and the natural cycles of
growth and harvest, their need for labor is urgent and non-negotiable. This
is particularly true of the fruit and vegetable growers who employ so many
of our farm workers. A crop that rots in the field-for want of enough hands
to pick it-can put a farmer out of business pretty fast.”
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 USDA Press Release
USDA Suspends Inspections at Calif. Meat Plant
- - USDA has suspended meat inspections at Hallmark/Westland Meat
Company due to what USDA said was a "clear violation" of federal regulations
covering slaughter plants. The matter arose from the release last week of a
video showing workers at the Chino, Calif., plant using electronic prods and
forklifts to move "downer" cattle to slaughter. Federal rules prevent downer
animals from entering the food supply.<more>
Feb. 6, 2008 AgWeb.com
Dairy farm numbers continue to shrink - - A
USDA summary released last Friday shows that the number of dairy operations
declined last year in all size groups, except operations with 500 head or
more. In the 500-999 head category, there were 1,700 operations in 2007,
unchanged from 2006. The number of operations with 1,000 head of milk cows
or more increased from 1,443 operations in 2006 to 1,515 last year. And not
surprisingly, those farms account for a growing portion of the U.S. milk
supply - - 42 percent in 2007 versus 38 percent in 2006. Feb. 6, 2008
Dairy Herd Management
Farmers for technology group to launch at 2008
World Ag Expo - - The American Farmers for the Advancement and
Conservation of Technology (AFACT) will launch its new organization at the
World Ag Expo in Tulare, at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12 in the Hilvers Bldg.
(Location at Median and S Streets). AFACT was organized by farmers
frustrated by the loss of safe and valuable management tools resulting from
inaccurate and misleading labeling and marketing practices to the consumer.
As the organization’s name implies, AFACT is dedicated to supporting
producer choice of existing safe management practices and new technologies
with collaborative ties to all commodity segments and allied industries.
AFTAC is co-chaired by dairy farmers Liz Doornink and Carrol Campbell.
Feb. 6, 2008 AFACT Press Release
Experts: Creative thinking needed to solve water
crisis - - New, big ideas are going to be crucial to shore up and secure
California's water supply, according to experts who spoke last week at the
California Irrigation Institute's 46th annual conference. The conference
took place Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in Sacramento. The Thursday session opened
with a status report on water issues in the state Legislature offered by
state Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, who filled in for Department of Water
Resources Director Lester Snow, who was unable to attend. "We have to go
beyond this belief that we can conserve our way out of this problem and look
for a more comprehensive fix," Cogdill said. That fix - necessary to avoid
both natural and manmade (i.e. court decisions) drought - will require
several aspects, including surface storage and plans for new reservoirs.
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 Capital Press
California Approves Feed-In Tariffs, Rewards
Energy Efficiency - - The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC)
has approved long-term prices for the state's utilities to buy renewable
energy from their customers. For seven of the state's utilities, the
so-called "feed-in tariff," approved on January 31, applies to renewable
energy systems located at public water and wastewater facilities, but for
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Southern California Edison
(SCE), a separate feed-in tariff applies to any customer-located renewable
energy system up to 1.5 megawatts in capacity. The tariff requires signing a
long-term contract for 5, 10, or 15 years, but the price is adjusted based
on the time of day of the power generation.
<more> Feb. 6, 2008 PUC Order
Fire set at UCLA animal researcher’s house - - Authorities are investigating a fire caused by a device left Tuesday at a house owned by a UCLA professor who conducts animal research -- the second time the house has been targeted in less than four months. The device was placed Monday morning on the front porch of a Westside house owned by Edythe London, FBI officials in Los Angeles said. London, a professor of psychiatry and bio-behavioral sciences and of molecular and medical pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, uses lab monkeys in her research on nicotine addiction. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller confirmed that officials with the Joint Terrorism Task Force were investigating the incident. <more> Feb. 6, 2008 LA Times
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008
Ben & Jerry's joins campaign to block
restrictions on dairy labeling - - What's in a label? Plenty, say the
folks at Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream. They're fighting for their right
to use labels that proclaim their ice cream free of a synthetic hormone used
by some dairy farmers to get more milk from their cows. The ice cream maker
has joined a national campaign to block efforts in Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Indiana that critics say are being driven by Monsanto Co., the marketer of
recombinant bovine growth hormone.
<more> Feb. 5, 2008 AP
DWR increases State Water Project allocation -
- The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has increased its allocation of
2008 State Water Project (SWP) water for long-term contractors from 25
percent to 35 percent of requests. "We can credit a wetter-than-average
January for an impressive increase in our water supplies and snowpack," said
DWR Director Lester Snow. "However, tighter pumping restrictions in the
Delta will limit how much of this water we can actually provide to many
parts of Southern California, the Central Valley and the Bay Area." Last
year, a federal court curtailed Delta pumping by state and federal water
projects to protect the threatened Delta smelt. DWR estimates that the 35
percent allocation would be 50 percent without the court decision actions in
place.
<more> Feb. 5, 2008 Western Farm Press
American cattle achieve brucellosis free status
- - The USDA has announced that for the first time in the 74-year
history of the brucellosis program, all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands have simultaneously achieved Class Free status. Texas is the
last and final state to be declared brucellosis free. The classifications
for brucellosis are as follows: Class Free, Class A, Class B and Class C.
Restrictions on the interstate movement of cattle become less stringent as a
state approaches or achieves Class Free status. The Class C designation is
for states or areas with the highest rate of brucellosis. States or areas
that do not meet the minimum standards for Class C are required to be placed
under federal quarantine. In 1934, the eradication of brucellosis was
elevated to a national scale with the formation of a cooperative
state-federal brucellosis eradication program to eliminate brucellosis from
the country. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that causes decreased milk
production, weight loss, infertility, loss of young and lameness in cattle,
elk and bison. The disease is contagious and can, though rarely, affect
humans. There is no known treatment for brucellosis, and depopulation of
infected and exposed animals is the only effective means of disease
containment and eradication. The interim rule declaring Texas as brucellosis
free was published in the Feb. 1 Federal Register and is effective upon
publication. Feb. 5, 2008 American Meat Institute Press Release
Tenth TB positive Herd Found in Minnesota - -
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health today announced that cattle from a
Roseau cattle operation tested positive for bovine Tuberculosis. The newly
detected beef herd was tested because of its proximity to an operation that
tested positive for bovine TB in 2005. The Roseau County herd tested
negative in 2005 and 2006 but during a third round of testing earlier this
month, two animals tested suspect for bovine TB. Tissue samples were
submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa,
where a diagnosis of bovine TB was confirmed. Minnesota has now detected
bovine TB in ten beef herds.
<more> Feb. 5, 2008 TheFarmer.com
Senate Farm Bill Conferees Named - -
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has named the members of the conference
committee on the Farm Bill. The members are Tom Harkin (D-IA); Patrick Leahy
(D-VT; Kent Conrad (D-ND);Max Baucus (D-MT) Blanche Lincoln (D-AR); Debbie
Stabenow (D-MI); Saxby Chambliss (R-GA); Richard Lugar (R-IN; Thad Cochran
(R-MS);Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Charles Grassley (R-IA). Feb. 5, 2008
How Will the U.S. Produce 36 Billion Gallons of
Biofuel by 2022? - - The new U.S. Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), signed
into law last month as part of the revised Energy Bill, sets high goals for
the U.S. biofuels industry. It calls for the production of 36 billion
gallons of biofuels—mainly ethanol and biodiesel—annually by 2022, with 21
billion gallons coming from so-called “advanced biofuels,” which can be
produced using a variety of new feedstocks and technologies. Of this,
roughly 16 billion gallons is expected to be from “cellulosic biofuels,”
derived from plant sources such as trees and grasses. But are these biofuels
targets realistic, and can they be met without serious impacts on the
nation’s farmlands, forests, waterways, and rural communities? The answer is
complicated, but fortunately the RFS bill contains a few key caveats that
can be used to “stop the buildup” if things go wrong.
<more> Feb. 5, 2008 Environmental News Service
USDA Budget Highlights - - USDA has released details of President Bush's FY 2009 U.S. Department of Agriculture budget, which advances the President's goals of building a strong agricultural economy, improving the quality of life in rural America, increasing energy security, conserving our natural resources, and improving the Nation's nutrition and health, according to a statement released by USDA. <more> Feb. 5, 2008 AgWeb.com
Monday, Feb. 4, 2008
Cheese production up
1.5% in December - - Total cheese production in the U.S. in December was
843 million pounds, 1.5% above December, 2006 and 3.7% above November, 2007.
Italian cheese production was .5% above a year ago at 357 million pounds
while American type cheese production in December was 1.3% below a year ago
at 334 million pounds. California total cheese production in December
slipped 2.6% from a year ago to 189.44 million pounds. Italian cheese
production in the Golden State was up .4% while American production slid
8.6%. California cheddar output was down 7.9% from a year ago.
<more> Feb. 4, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Social Security
mismatch plan unites labor, business - - Kimberly Rhodes is a Sacramento
landscaper who usually votes Republican, and Sharon Cornu is a Democrat and
prominent Bay Area labor organizer. They're partners in an unusual alliance
trying to kill a Bush administration plan that would use Social Security
data to force U.S. employers to fire suspected illegal immigrants. Federal
judges in San Francisco sided last fall with the labor-business alliance,
temporarily freezing the plan by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,
which is responsible for immigration enforcement. By March, Homeland
Security intends to unveil a second version of the plan that it hopes will
pass legal muster. The idea is to pressure employers to fire any worker who
can't explain discrepancies between their names and Social Security
numbers.
<more> Feb. 4, 2008 Fresno Bee
State Labor Coalition Targeting Agricultural
Businesses - - In the past week, the Economic and Employment Enforcement
Coalition
(EEEC) has been active in investigating and citing agricultural businesses
in Riverside and Imperial counties for a variety of infractions. The EEEC
has issued 26 citations for violations of wage-and-hour and safety laws.
Wage-and-hour violations include: (1) failure to pay minimum wage; and (2)
failure to provide meal and rest breaks.Safety violations include: (1)
operating tractors with defective seat belts; (2) inappropriate operation of
driverless tractors; (3) failure to provide adequate tools for hand weeding;
(4) failure to provide adequate toilets on site; and (5) failure to maintain
drinking water close to work areas. Although the recent raids have been
located in Riverside and Imperial counties, they may signal a broader effort
to bring enforcement actions on a statewide level.
<more> Feb 4, 2008
Fresh
milk will heat up castle. Dairy producer will divert energy given off during
refrigeration - - Fresh milk from 1,100 cows will help heat up the
historic salons of an 18th century castle in southwestern Sweden, according
to the dairy producer that operates on the estate. Although the 7,900
gallons of milk per day is still destined for consumers, the heat that it
releases as it is chilled will warm a gym, a workshop, and a 50-room
accommodation complex. "We knew that there was a lot of energy when
chilling the milk — which we do to make sure it stays fresh — and so we
decided to try to put it to use," said Lennart Bengtsson, the chief
executive of Wapno AB, which runs the dairy production on the castle estate
situated near Halmstad, around 310 miles southwest of Stockholm.
<more>
Feb. 4, 2008 AP
World
Ag Expo prepares for Feb. 12 launch - - World Ag Expo's 2008 chairwoman,
Shelley Khal, is ushering in a new level of sophistication at the farm show.
From electronic registration to matching foreign visitors with product
information, Khal said this has been a big year for change. "We're moving
operations into the professional trade show arena," she said. By
professional, Khal means that instead of just providing the place for
exhibitors and visitors, the expo is actively seeking specific information
about the people who attend World Ag Expo. Those who pre-register
electronically are asked to provide some information about themselves
including what they are look for at the expo. The expo will then share some
of that information with exhibitors so they can plan marketing strategy.
<more> Feb. 4, 2008 Capital Press
Anguish and apathy in farm country - -Templeton is a slice of rural
California, outside the glare and identity politics of Los Angeles and the
Bay Area. Tranquil. The candidates aren't rushing to campaign here, but
there are delegates up for grabs in similar swatches of rural California in
Tuesday's presidential primary that count just as much as the ones in the
big cities. Presidential candidates don't talk about the most pressing
issue in Tom Jermin's life: How the price of barley has tripled in the past
year. But like others in this predominantly conservative town, it's not so
much who is president that matters to Jermin. They just want government off
their backs and out of their lives as much as possible. Clay White points to
the cab of his truck. Recent air quality regulations would give the
fifth-generation farmer two choices: Retrofit the truck for $25,000, or buy
a new one. It would cost another $100,000 to retrofit each of the tractors
and other large pieces of machinery used to work on his family's 4,200-acre
barley farm and cattle ranch. The inheritance tax "is a big thing for me,
like it is for a lot of family farmers," said the 34-year-old. "But it
doesn't matter who is in there. They make their promises, but they never
follow up."
<more> Feb. 4, 2008 SF Chronicle
Former Agriculture Secretary Earl Butz dies - - Earl L. Butz, an outspoken U.S. agriculture secretary forced from office in 1976 for making a racist joke and once a dean at Purdue University, died Saturday. He was 98. Butz died at his son's home in Washington, D.C., said Randy Woodson, dean of Purdue's College of Agriculture. He said Butz traveled to his son's home last week for a visit with family and had been in poor health recently. The free-market advocate had a relaxed and earthy style that won him acclaim as an after-dinner speaker but caused problems in his public life. <more> Feb. 4, 2008 AP
Friday, Feb. 1, 2008
California Sets Cheese and Milk Production Records
in 2007 -- California’s dairy industry set new production records in 2007,
asserting its role as the nation’s leading dairy state. The state’s cheese
producers kept production at a record pace in the past year, according to the
CDFA’s preliminary report for 2007. The 2,287,280,000 pounds of cheese that
California produced in 2007 was 3.6 percent higher than the 2,207,739,000
pounds produced in 2006, which also set a record. Cheese production in
California has increased by more than 80 percent over the past decade, growing
from 1.25 billion pounds in 1998. This rapid growth brings the state closer to
claiming the spot of top cheese producer nationally, which it is projected to
do soon. California produces nearly one out of every four pounds of cheese
made in the U.S.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 CMAB Pres Release
Bovine TB detected at Fresno County Dairy - - A
detection of Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) has occurred at a dairy in Fresno
County, the CDFA announced today. State and federal animal health officials
are working closely with the dairy farmer and his veterinarians to implement
control strategies to eradicate the disease. The diagnosis of TB was made
after a cow with suspicious lesions was found during routine slaughter
inspection. This week, CDFA and USDA veterinarians completed tests on some
herds that may have been exposed based on animal tracing records and
determined that, to date, TB is present in just one herd. The tracing of
related animal movement will continue, as will TB testing. <more>
Feb. 1, 2008 CDFA Pres Release
FSA Postpones Dairy Disaster Signup Restart - -
USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that it is postponing sign-up
for the Dairy Disaster Assistance Program (DDAP-III) until the agency
publishes final regulations in the Federal Register. Sign-up for DDAP-III was
scheduled to resume Feb. 4, 2008. Unlike other disaster programs, FSA was
forced to delay DDAP-III sign-up because of Paperwork Reduction Act and other
regulatory requirements mandating that first there had to be the issuance of a
proposed rule for public comments on the program. FSA is currently finalizing
its review of the numerous comments received from the proposed rule and
expects to publish final regulations for DDAP-III within the next few weeks.
Feb. 1, 2008 FSA Press Release
Assemblywoman Parra announces retirement from
public life - - Assemblywoman Nicole Parra is ending her bid for state
senate and her political career generally to focus on her personal life, she
announced Friday. Parra, D-Hanford, has been thinking about leaving public
life for about six months but made a firm decision over the holidays as she
spent time with her family, particularly her two young nephews. Parra is chair
of the Assembly Agriculture Committee.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 Bakersfield Californian
Chinese Factory Turns Environmental Bane into Boon
- - China is beginning to take advantage of an unusual energy source: cow
gas. Cows emit a significant amount of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas,
when they belch and flatulate. According to People’s Daily, the world’s
largest cow-dung methane power plant started operation on January 21 in
China’s Inner Mongolia region. With an investment of 45 million RMB (roughly
$US5.7 million) from the country’s largest milk producer, Mengniu Dairy, the
plant is able to supply 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to the
national power grid. Using equipment and technology from Germany, the plant
processes the dung, urine, and waste water from some 10,000 cows on Mengniu’s
farm. The facility is able to produce 12,000 cubic meters of methane and
generate 30,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity daily.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 Environmental News Service
California animal welfare group gathers over $1.6
million for petition drive - - The newly founded California animal welfare
umbrella group known as Californians for Humane Farms has gathered more than
$1.6 million to fund its drive to place an initiative on the November 2008
ballot to ban cages for laying hens, gestation crates for swine and pens for
veal calves. The effort is being spearheaded by the Humane Society of the
United States and Farm Sanctuary. The campaign finance report filed with the
Secretary of State’s office showed that Californians for Humane Farms have
raised a total of $1,624,488.46 in 2007 and spent $333,568, leaving the group
with a balance of little more than $1 million as it circulates petitions
trying to qualify the California Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act for the
November 2008 ballot. They group must collect 655,000 signatures by Feb. 22 to
qualify for the ballot. Feb. 1, 2008
Feb. 8 Santa Rosa workshop looks at grazing on
vernal pool lands - -Livestock grazing on vernal pool lands will be
discussed at a Feb. 8 workshop in Santa Rosa. The workshop is sponsored by
Sotoyome Resource Conservation District at the Laguna Water Treatment Plant,
Santa Rosa, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The purpose of this workshop is to share
information about how to make conservation grazing on these lands feasible and
effective. Presentations will be made by Jaymee Marty, Ph.D., Ecologist, The
Nature Conservancy; Greg Fisher, Restoration Manager, Sotoyome RCD; Lisa Bush,
Rangeland Management consultant; and Stephanie Larson, Range Management
Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension. Panel discussions will include livestock
producers, plant biologists and wetland experts involved with wetlands
management on the Santa Rosa Plain. Panelists will describe their experiences
with livestock grazing on vernal pool lands, and discuss methods,
opportunities, and challenges. Field trips to local sites will illustrate a
variety of grazing regimes currently used on vernal pool lands. Due to its
popularity, there is a waiting list for this event. Registration
is $20. Lunch will be provided. For more information,
contact: Joan Schwan, (707) 823-0446,
jschwan@sonic.net or Ruth Ark, (707) 569-1448 ext 103,
rark@sotoyomercd.org. Feb. 1,
2008 SRCD Notice
FSIS investigating inhumane handling allegations -
- Calling the actions observed in the video from the Hallmark Meat Packing
plant, supplied by the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS), egregious and
unacceptable humane handling practices, Dr. Kenneth Petersen with the Food
Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) told reporters Thursday, Jan. 31 that a
team is at the Westland Meat Company investigating the allegations. “Currently
there is no evidence that any of the animals, downers in particular, did in
fact enter the food supply, that is going to be one key activity we’re going
to focus on,” said Dr. Petersen.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Sierra snowpack good - drought fears lessen - -
The big aluminum pole slipped through the powdery snow and hit solid ground a
good 73 inches down, prompting satisfied grins from snow survey specialists
Frank Gehrke and Dave Hart. "That's beauticious," declared Gehrke, who trudges
every year with his colleague at the state Department of Water Resources into
the snowy Sierra backcountry to measure water content and depth. The
measurements Thursday at historic Phillips Station, next to the
Sierra-at-Tahoe resort, were too good for real words, especially after last
year's meager results prompted fears of drought. The Sierra Nevada snowpack,
which, to hydrologists, is a better holding tank than the biggest man-made
reservoir, is 13 percentage points above normal for this time of year. That,
to a man who makes a living off a good water supply, can make a cold day in
the middle of a quickly intensifying storm feel like a summer jaunt. Up to 60
percent of the state's water is contained in the Sierra snowpack, Hart said.
When it melts in the spring and summer, the water is used to irrigate 775,000
acres of farmland and quench the thirst of California's 36 million people.
About a quarter of the state's power comes from hydroelectric plants that
count on heavy mountain runoff.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 SF Chronicle
Water managers told: Plan now for crisis - -
California and Bay Area cities must start planning now for new and costly
systems to control increasing runoff from urban storms, springtime floods from
swollen rivers and rising sea levels as they invade lowlands, all as a result
of global warming, climate scientists and water experts warn. Climate change,
they say, will result in thinner winter snowpacks in the Sierra and other
Western mountains. As snowpacks melt earlier each spring, the meltwater will
increase river flows and raise new threats of floods. Even a small rise in sea
levels could threaten cities and farmland in low-lying areas, like the Delta
and Silicon Valley. New urban systems to handle winter storm runoff, new
designs for dams and flood control structures, and higher dikes and levees
around lands that even now lie below sea level will be needed, the scientists
argue.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 LA Times
State urges schools ban suspect beef - - The
California Department of Education on Thursday urged school districts
throughout the state to stop serving all but a few beef products after
allegations that a Chino-based meat supplier butchered and distributed weak or
ill cattle. In an alert issued Thursday afternoon, the California Department
of Education's Nutrition Services Division advised agencies not to use beef
products from Westland Meat Co. -- a National School Lunch Program supplier --
until further notice. "In addition, we recommend that agencies not use any
processed end-products containing beef pending further instructions," the
alert said. Such beef products would include uncooked ground beef used in
hamburgers, meatballs and "teriyaki dippers," officials said.
<more> Feb. 1, 2008 LA Times
Gas prices to soar in the spring - - Gasoline prices will soon head north again, climbing as much as 20 to 25 cents a gallon higher by early March, experts predict. Call it the cost that Californians pay for cleaner air. Every winter, the state's refiners start converting their facilities to pricier fuel blends that will cut down on smog-forming gases in summer. At the same time, production will drop as refiners shut down facilities for regular maintenance. "Gasoline prices may continue to come down for another week or so," said oil industry consultant David Hackett. But then, he warned, "it's going to go up really dramatically. Winter gasoline is so much cheaper to make the summer (fuel)." <more> Feb. 1, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008
WUD Convention Registration Brochure Available -
- A complete listing of all the activities of the Western United
Convention to be held in Modesto March 5-7 is now available in a brochure
being mailed to WUD members and supporters. The brochure can be downloaded
by clicking
here. The convention opens with a day of educational workshops at the
Modesto Convention Center. The next day there is a full lineup of speakers on
topical issues, capped off by an evening banquet. The convention closes out
Friday with updates on state and federal legislative issues, as well as a
district delegate business meeting. Deadline for hotel reservations at the
special WUD rate of $114 per night is Feb. 12.
Video Reveals Violations of Laws, Abuse of Cows at
Slaughterhouse - - Video footage being released today shows workers at a
California slaughterhouse delivering repeated electric shocks to cows too sick
or weak to stand on their own; drivers using forklifts to roll the "downer"
cows on the ground in efforts to get them to stand up for inspection; and even
a veterinary version of waterboarding in which high-intensity water sprays are
shot up animals' noses -- all violations of state and federal laws designed to
prevent animal cruelty and to keep unhealthy animals, such as those with mad
cow disease, out of the food supply. Moreover, the companies where these
practices allegedly occurred are major suppliers of meat for the nation's
school lunch programs, including in Maryland, according to a company official
and federal documents.
<more> Jan. 31, 2008 Washington Post
Snow accumulation makes it harder to measure snow -
- Snow surveyors are trudging through the mountains this morning to find out
just how much snow there is -- at spots they can get to. The sheer number of
snow storms and accompanying avalanche risk are keeping the snow-shoe clad
surveyors and their helicopters out of the most remote areas. So the state
Department of Water Resources expects surveyors will still be submitting
results early next week for the monthly snow survey, which would usually
finish by the end of the weekend. But what data has come in so far looks good,
said Elissa Lynn, senior meteorologist for the state Department of Water
Resources.
<more> Jan. 31, 2008 Modesto Bee
Former Major League Baseball Player Steve Sax will
offer keynote at WUD convention - - Former major league baseball star
Steve Sax will offer the keynote speech at the Western United Dairymen’s
annual convention on Thursday, March 6, in Modesto. Sax’s career spanned 16
years and featured many impressive moments. This five-time All-Star was named
National League Rookie of the Year in 1982. Steve Sax played second base with
intensity and toughness for the Los Angeles Dodgers until 1988. During his
years with the team, Sax’s defensive play was a key element in the team’s
winning two World Series. He then played with the New York Yankees from 1989
to 1991 and then went on to play for the Chicago White Sox, retiring from
baseball after the 1994 season. Sax is still active in the world of baseball.
He has done color commentary on ESPN and is a Major League Baseball Analyst
for FOX Sports’ Prime Time. Jan. 31, 2008 WUD
Inquiries continue about immigration, Social
Security mismatch protocols –- - Anthony Raimondo of the labor law firm of
Saqui & Raimondo reports that his company’s field representatives report there
are continuing inquiries from dairy owners about the immigration compliance
protocol and the Social Security mismatch protocol. Information about the
protocols are available by
clicking here for IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE PROTOCOL
and here for
SOCIAL SECURITY MISMATCH PROTOCOL Jan. 31, 2008
Ose to seek Doolittle post, backer says - - Former Rep. Doug Ose, R-Sacramento, will announce Friday his candidacy for the House seat being vacated by Rep. John Doolittle, Sacramento-area Republicans were told Wednesday in an e-mail. Doug Elmets, a political consultant who has worked for Ose before, declined to confirm the report from Carl Burton, president of Republicans of River City. Ose held the Sacramento area's 3rd Congressional District seat from 1999 until 2005, when he retired to keep a promise to serve no more than three terms. He would face a primary in which former state Sen. Rico Oller, R-San Andreas, and national security consultant Eric Egland have already announced. <more> Jan. 31, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2008
USDA to investigate possible abuses at California
slaughterhouse - - The Agriculture Department said Wednesday it would
investigate whether sick dairy cows were mistreated at a California
slaughterhouse in violation of state and federal laws designed to ensure
food safety and prevent animal cruelty. Newly installed Agriculture
Secretary Ed Schafer said the department was taking the allegations
seriously after video footage showed workers at the Chino-based Hallmark
Meat Packing Co. repeatedly kicking cows and ramming them with the blades of
a forklift as the animals squealed in pain. Schafer said "appropriate
actions will be taken" if violations are found in the facility but he said
there was no evidence that the nation's beef supply was at risk.
<more> Jan. 30, 2008 AP
Schafer: Bush resolved against farm bill- -
The nation’s lawmakers may find having Schafer as the U.S. Ag Secretary may
not change much in the President's position on the farm bill. After his
remarks to USDA employees, Schafer spoke briefly with reporters, telling
USDA’s Radio Newsline that the President just isn’t going to accept a farm
bill funded by new revenues. "He's not interested in signing a farm bill
that has new taxes in it," Schafer said. "The new taxes are there to
increase expenditures and I think he's going to stand hard on that issue."
Jan. 30 ,2008 Brownfield Ag News
Are algae the solution to wastewater nitrates?
- - Researchers at Arizona State University say algae may be at least
part of the solution in dealing with wastewater from livestock operations.
By running wastewater through bioreactors that contain algae, they produce
isolated algal blooms that don't disrupt anything around them. The algae
then gobble up nitrogen and phosphorus. The ASU scientists can then harvest
the algae for a variety of possible uses. Follow this link for more
information.
<more> Jan. 30 ,2008 ASU Press Release
DOE to Invest $114 Million in Small-Scale
Cellulosic Biorefineries - - The U.S. department of Energy DOE announced
on Tuesday that it will invest $114 million in four small-scale biorefinery
projects over four years. These small-scale biorefineries will use a wide
range of feedstocks to test conversion technologies for the production of
cellulosic ethanol. The new biorefineries—to be built in Colorado, Missouri,
Oregon, and Wisconsin—are expected to produce about 2.5 million gallons a
year of ethanol, as compared to the 20-30 million gallons that a full-sized
facility can produce. The news follows the February 2007 announcement that
DOE was investing $385 million for the development of six commercial-scale
biorefineries. The six full-scale biorefineries are employing near-term
commercial processes, while the four small-scale facilities will experiment
with diverse feedstocks and novel processing technologies.
<more>
Jan. 30, 2008 DOE Press Release
Grant will help Pacific Ethanol build test plant
Sacramento - - Sacramento-based Pacific Ethanol Inc. is among a group of
companies to receive a federal grant aimed at building a test cellulosic
ethanol plant in Oregon, the U.S. Department of Energy announced Tuesday.
The $24.3 million grant will fund a test plant in Boardman, Ore., where
Pacific Ethanol and its partners will seek to make ethanol -- a biofuel that
is today made from corn or sugarcane -- out of wood chips, wheat straw and
other cellulosic plant materials.
<more> Jan. 30, 2008 Fresno Bee
The New Food Inspector: You. Lacking Faith in
Government, Shoppers Are Educating Themselves as Never Before - - Ina
Fernandez admits it. She's a little obsessive-compulsive about grocery
shopping. How else to explain that in a single week the 40-year-old
Woodbridge resident visits as many as seven grocery stores -- Trader Joe's,
Wegmans, Harris Teeter, Costco, Safeway, Giant and a local Latin market --
to find what she wants? In season, Fernandez also shops at the farmers
market. Like Fernandez, a growing number of shoppers apparently are trying
to become their own food inspectors, using the Internet and their values
about health, the environment and local communities to guide them. "There's
a crisis of confidence about food. And that's why people are looking to
alternatives to the industrial food system," says Michael Pollan, whose
best-selling books "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food: An
Eater's Manifesto" may be contributing to the growing anxiety. "The safety
of food is a fundamental biological goal, and for 50 years we have
outsourced it to the USDA and to companies who tell us about 'whole-grain
goodness.' It's seductive to outsource this part of our lives, but it's been
a disaster for our health, our welfare and our pleasure." The transition
from consumer to food inspector isn't easy.
<more> Jan. 30, 2008 NY Times
Foreclosures Lead to Abandoned Animals - -
The house was ravaged -- its floors ripped, walls busted and lights smashed
by owners who trashed their home before a bank foreclosed on it. Hidden in
the wreckage was an abandoned member of the family: a starving pit bull. The
dog found by workers was too far gone to save -- another example of how pets
are becoming the newest victims of the nation's mortgage crisis as
homeowners leave animals behind when they can no longer afford their
property. Pets "are getting dumped all over," said Traci Jennings, president
of the Humane Society of Stanislaus County in northern California. "Farmers
are finding dogs dumped on their grazing grounds, while house cats are
showing up in wild cat colonies."
<more> Jan. 30 ,2008 AP
Wal-Mart Chief Offers a Social Manifesto - - Wal-Mart pledged Wednesday to cut the energy used by many of its products 25 percent, to force the chain’s suppliers to meet stricter ethical standards and to apply its legendary cost-cutting skills to help other companies deliver health care for their employees. In a lofty address that at times resembled a campaign speech, the chief executive of Wal-Mart Stores, H. Lee Scott Jr., said that “we live in a time when people are losing confidence in the ability of government to solve problems.” But Wal-Mart, he said, “does not wait for someone else to solve problems.” He then laid out sweeping plans for the company on several health and environmental issues, and he hinted that even more ambitious goals might be on the horizon. Mr. Scott said, for instance, that Wal-Mart is talking to leaders of the automobile industry about selling electric or hybrid cars — and might even install windmills in its parking lots so customers could recharge their cars with renewable electricity. <more> Jan. 30, 2008 NY Times
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2008
Hershey's candy to cost more -- Hershey, the
nation's largest candy maker, said it is raising the wholesale price of its
chocolate bars for the second time in a year as energy and commodity costs
spiral higher. The Hershey Co. defended the move, saying it is more exposed
to the rising cost of milk and cocoa than its competitors, which include
Mars and Nestlé. "While we have no way of knowing what others are thinking,
or what their cost situation is, we do know that within the category our
products include far more pure milk chocolate and solid chocolate than our
competitors," Hershey spokesman Kirk Saville said.
<more> Jan. 29, 2008 AP
Bush renews call for immigration reform,
guestworker program - - In his seventh and final State of the Union
address Monday night, President Bush issued a call for Congress to finish
work on immigration reform, trade and tax matters. Bush backed a
comprehensive immigration overhaul that failed in the Senate last year as
rancor intensified over the issue of dealing with an estimated 12 million to
15 million illegal immigrants. Republicans resisted supporting the plan,
arguing for stronger border protections. Bush said steps are being taken to
secure the nation's border and to increase worksite enforcement against
undocumented workers. He said by the end of 2008, the U.S. will have doubled
the number of border patrol agents. "Yet we also need to acknowledge that we
will never fully secure our border until we create a lawful way for foreign
workers to come here and support our economy," Bush said.
<more> Jan. 29, 2008 Capital Press
Bush skips ethanol, farm bill in State of the
Union - - President Bush touched on some issues important to ag
producers in his State of the Union Address Monday night and left out some
others. Among the highlights was a call to make permanent tax cuts that
sunset after 2010 and a plea for Congress to tackle immigration reform.
President Bush made no mention of the pending farm bill. But he did threaten
to veto any bill that included any tax increase, and the White House has
characterized the revenue generating components of both the House and Senate
versions of the farm bill as tax hikes. And President Bush did focus on a
specific provision of the farm bill he wants to see included, cash purchases
of local food for foreign aid programs.
<more> Jan. 29, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Saputo buying Alto Dairy - - Saputo is buying
the assets of Alto Dairy Cooperative. The Alto board has approved the $160
million total consideration deal which still must clear government
regulations and pass the Alto Cooperative membership. That vote is scheduled
for February 27th in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Target closing date is March,
2008. Based in Waupun, Wisconsin, Alto makes Italian and American-type
cheeses as well as whey products at plants in Waupun and Black Creek,
Wisconsin. They employ 467 people with sales of $378 million (U.S.) with
earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $19.6
million. Saputo says it has no intention of changing the Alto staff
structure at the moment. The deal is part of an ongoing plan by Saputo to
increase its position in the cheese business. Last February, they purchased
the West Coast cheese operations of Land O’Lakes for $216 million. With the
Alto deal, the Montreal, Canada-based company will have 17 manufacturing
facilities in the United States along with 26 in Canada, 2 in Argentina, 1
in Germany and 1 in the U.K. Jan. 29, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Manure drastically reduces development of lung
cancer - - Working with manure can drastically reduce chances of
developing lung cancer, scientists have discovered. Dairy farmers are five
times less likely than the general populace to develop the disease, New
Scientist magazine reports. The study found farmers typically breathed in
dust that consisted largely of dried manure, and all the bacteria that grew
in it. New Scientist said adults who had a greater exposure to germs than
usual might build up a better resistance to bugs, including cancer.
<more> Jan. 29, 2008 Daily Telegraph
World facing ethanol famine, economist says -
- Diverting corn into ethanol production is causing terrible dislocations
around the world, creating an ethanol famine, a University of Idaho
economist says. "Everything is affected by corn prices," said Garth Taylor,
of the university's Department of Agricultural Economy and Rural Sociology.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that corn acreage is
rising, fueled by growing ethanol demand and strong export sales. Planted
acreage in 2007 rose 19 percent, to 93.6 million acres, in some areas
displacing other crops.
<more> Jan. 29, 2008 Capital Press
Officials warn of salmon population 'collapse' - - The number of chinook salmon returning to California's Central Valley reached a near-record low last year, pointing to an "unprecedented collapse" that could lead to severe restrictions on West Coast salmon fishing this year, according to federal fishery regulators. The sharp drop in chinook or "king" salmon returning from the Pacific Ocean to spawn in the Sacramento River and its tributaries this past fall is part of broader decline in wild salmon runs in rivers across the West. Regulators are still trying to understand the reasons for the shrinking number of spawners; some scientists believe it's related to changes in the ocean linked to global warming. <more> Jan. 28, 2009 AP
Monday, Jan. 28, 2008
Dairy group engages labs to help farms comply
with environmental regulations and their costs - - Dairy farmers do more
these days than fill tanks with milk bound for processors. They send samples
of other liquids, such as storm runoff on their land, to laboratories as
part of an effort to prevent pollution from cow manure. Doing this under
newly tightened rules is expected to cost tens of thousands of dollars a
year per farm, so Western United Dairymen has stepped in to help. The
Modesto-based group is providing centralized services that could sharply
reduce the costs. "It's a full-time job to try to figure out this stuff, and
that's why you rely on someone you trust," said Jack Hoekstra, a dairyman in
the Oakdale area. He said he likely will sign up for the services. About 50
of the Central Valley's 1,600 or so dairy farmers have done so in the two
weeks since sign-ups began, said Michael Marsh, the group's chief executive
officer.
<more> Jan. 26, 2008 Modesto Bee
Fresno Co. dairies aim to sell 'biogas' to PG&E.
Planners approve manure digesters for four sites. -
- Four Fresno County dairies may soon be turning manure into methane and
selling it to PG&E.The dairies won unanimous approval Thursday from the
county Planning Commission to install "anaerobic digesters" that would
convert their biggest waste problem into energy, while reducing greenhouse
gases and other air pollution emissions. "It really represents a milestone
for California," said Jeffrey Dasovich, senior vice president of Microgy
Inc., the company designing the devices.
<more> Jan. 25, 2008 Fresno Bee
WUD
launches dairy video channel to highlight producer commitment to the
environment - - Western United Dairymen has launched a video channel on
its website to highlight the deeply held environmental and animal welfare
commitment of California dairy producers. The initial videos spotlights
Stanislaus County WUD member Jim Wyeth and Chris Durrer. The Wyeth and
Durrer dairies exemplify the strong bonds of family that run throughout the
California dairy industry, said CEO Michael Marsh. “These videos are the
first of many that will allow our dairy families to tell their stories
directly to the public,” explained Marsh. “California dairy families live on
the farm and are an integral part of the community. They care about the
quality of the air they breathe and the water they drink because this is
where they raise their families.” The videos were produced by the
Modesto-based Alexandria Perrin production company. Future videos are
planned as part of an ongoing campaign by WUD to highlight California dairy
families. To view the videos visit
http://wud.telefeed.com/ or
click here. Jan. 25, 2008
What's going on with dairy markets? - - Talk
about a “mixed market”, dairy traders at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
have things going in just about every direction possible these days. Cash
cheese has been sliding for the past three weeks; the barrel-to-block ratio
is inverted. Cash nonfat dry milk has been dropping pulling Class IV futures
down. And in the midst of all of this, 2008 Class III futures saw
double-digit gains on Thursday and Friday. Dave Kurzawski with Downes and
O’Neill says the Class III prices have been sliding quite a bit of late, “So
I think we had a little bit of a short-covering rally.” He says the rally in
the grain markets added support as well on Friday.
<more> Jan. 28, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Tracy
dairyman chairs San Joaquin Valley Air District - - Trace dairyman Leroy
Ornellas, a San Joaquin County Supervisor, has been named chairman of the
governing board of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. He
was elected to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors in 2002. He is a
third-generation dairy farmer and founding member of the San Joaquin County
Citizens Land Alliance and Tracy Tomorrow and Beyond committee. Jan. 28,
2008 SJVAPCD Notice
Senate
confirms Schafer as secretary of agriculture - - The Senate confirmed
Edward Schafer as secretary of agriculture with no objections on Monday even
though Congress and the administration have differing views over a pending
five-year farm bill. The former North Dakota governor was confirmed by
unanimous consent after members of the North Dakota delegation asked Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to move his confirmation quickly so
Schafer can attend the State of the Union Monday evening as a member of
President Bush's cabinet.
<more> Jan. 28, 2008 AP
California hay stocks higher - - Stocks of all hay on California farms
totaled 1.89 million tons as of Dec. 1. This was 6 percent above the 1.79
million tons on hand a year earlier. United States hay stocks on farms
totaled 104 million tons, up 8 percent from a year ago. Disappearance of hay
from May-December 2007 totaled 61.3 million tons, compared with 67.1 million
tons for the same period a year ago. Jan. 28, 2008 Western Farm Press
A Dying Breed - - In recent decades, global trade, sophisticated marketing, artificial insemination and the demands of agricultural economics have transformed the Holstein into the world’s predominant dairy breed. Indigenous animals like East Africa’s sinewy Ankole, the product of centuries of selection for traits adapted to harsh conditions, are struggling to compete with foreign imports bred for maximal production. The Food and Agriculture Organization, an agency of the United Nations, recently reported that at least 20 percent of the world’s estimated 7,600 livestock breeds are in danger of extinction. Experts are warning of a potential “meltdown” in global genetic diversity. Yet the plight of the Ankole illustrates the difficulty of balancing the conflicting goals of animal conservation and human prosperity. <more> Jan. 27, 2008 NY Times
Thursday, Jan. 24, 2008
Senators ask Schafer for farm bill help - -
Former North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer appeared to be on his way to quick
confirmation by the full Senate as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
Thursday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee was
a largely non-confrontational affair that featured a focus on getting a
pending farm bill signed into law. During the generally cordial hearing,
nearly every Senator implored Schafer to move the Bush administration toward
a compromise with Congress over the farm bill. Committee Chairman Tom Harkin
of Iowa set the tone early. "We're counting on your help in working out
differences in order to enact a new, sound farm bill for our nation," Harkin
said.
<more> Jan. 24, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Wet weather leaves water officials 'cautiously
optimistic' - - Local water officials are welcoming the cloudy skies and
drizzly days but say it is too early to judge what it means for the region's
water supply. Reservoirs still are low. They depend on snow melt. And while
the moisture is a good sign, a more telling measure will be available next
week when state water officials conduct a manual snow survey, said Steve
Boyd, assistant general manager of Turlock Irrigation District. He judged
the mood among water officials as "cautiously optimistic" after the dry
season last year.
<more> Jan. 24, 2008 Modesto Bee
Last Oahu dairy bites the dust - - The last Oahu dairy is closing down, leaving the island without any local milk or other dairy products. With the demise of Pacific Dairy in Waianae Valley, the only remaining island dairies are two on the Big Island. This leaves only imported dairy products for Oahu residents -- most of it from the mainland. <more> Jan. 24, 2008 AP
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008
Additive fights warming by cutting cows' methane
output -- Researchers have stumbled upon a way to stop cows from
emitting methane -- a potent greenhouse gas -- when they belch, a finding
that could help the fight against global warming. Methane generated when
livestock belch while eating is said to account for about 5 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions. But supplementing the animals' diet with
cysteine, a type of amino acid, and nitrate can reduce the methane produced
by the animals, according to the researchers.
<more> Jan. 22, 2008 AP
Climate controls gaining support. But U.S. firms
differ on how to fund a cap and trade system. - - U.S. businesses are
betting that the federal government soon will put mandatory limits on
greenhouse gas emissions, and they're making sure they have a say in shaping
a vast new regulatory system. Some of the country's biggest businesses
support a cap and trade system, the approach that Congress is considering.
Under cap and trade, the government gives or sells companies allowances to
emit certain amounts of greenhouse gases, and companies may sell unused
allowances to other companies. While it may sound simple, the details would
be complex and the plan would affect the entire economy and require
monitoring for decades. The U.S. Climate Action Partnership – which includes
U.S. automakers, other big manufacturers such as Alcoa and Caterpillar Inc.
and energy companies such as FPL Group, Duke Energy and PG&E Corp. –
supports a cap and trade system, but its members have questions about key
elements, such as how emissions could be offset and how much they'd have to
pay for the allowances.
<more>
Jan. 22, 2008 Sacramento Bee
USDA's Conner lobbies California farmers for help
on farm bill - - Acting USDA Secretary Chuck Conner brought his tough
talk on the 2007 farm bill to California farmers Tuesday. Speaking to a room
full of farmers on the opening day of the 2008 Stockton Ag Expo, Conner gave
the stump speech he has delivered to several farm audiences in recent weeks.
His message has remained firm: reforms must be made to the bills passed by
the House and Senate or a veto is all but certain. "I urge you to make your
voices heard once again like you did before when we were out here for our
own farm bill forum," Conner told about 75 farmers, noting that California's
specialty crop farmers made a compelling case to include funds for fruit,
nut and vegetables in the current bills pending before a congressional
conference committee. "Make those voices heard with representatives in
Congress, encourage them to find a way to move forward on a very, very
important bill."
<more> Jan. 23, 2008 Capital Press
Court decision
provides guidance to employers navigating conflicting policies regarding
undocumented workers - - A
recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit provides
some
guidance to employers navigating conflicting policies regarding undocumented
workers and the collective bargaining process. One the one hand are the
laws and policies that make it illegal to employ undocumented workers, while
on the other are those that protect the interests of workers to be
represented in their dealings with employers. At issue in Agri Processor
Co. v. NLRB, decided on January 4, 2008, was whether the National Labor
Relations Board could require the employer to bargain collectively with the
United Food and Commercial Workers after employees, including undocumented
workers, voted to be represented by the union. The employer argued that the
National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”), which requires an employer “to
bargain collectively with the representatives of his employees,” does not
cover undocumented workers. However, the court held that undocumented
workers are “employees” under the NLRA, and therefore protected by that law.
<more> Jan. 23,
2008
Closing the Barn Door After the Cows Have Gotten Out - - Last week, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the way for the eventual sale of meat and dairy products from cloned animals, saying, in effect, that consumers face no health risks from them. The next day, the Department of Agriculture asked farmers to keep their cloned animals off the market until consumers have time to get over their anticloning prejudice. That is one prejudice I plan to hold on to. I will not be eating cloned meat. The reason has nothing to do with my personal health or safety. I think the clearest way to understand the problem with cloning is to consider a broader question: Who benefits from it? Proponents will say that the consumer does, because we will get higher quality, more consistent foods from cloned animals. But the real beneficiaries are the nation’s large meatpacking companies — the kind that would like it best if chickens grew in the shape of nuggets. Anyone who really cares about food — its different tastes, textures and delights — is more interested in diversity than uniformity. <more> Jan. 23, 2008 NY Times Op-Ed
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2008
House Ag Chair discusses farm bill options -
- House Ag Committee Chair, Collin Peterson says there are a lot of
negotiations going on over the farm bill. “Lots of staff meetings going on
the last couple of weeks and we are making significant progress in a number
of areas.” However, there remains a big difference among the parties as to
how the bill will be paid for. Peterson, Senate Ag Chair, Tom Harkin and
Acting Ag Secretary Chuck Conner met with each other this past weekend while
attending the Pheasants Forever meeting in St Paul. The Minnesota Democrat
says he thinks he and Harkin can work things out to get a bill through
Congress but the White House is not budging. “They have not moved off their
position on payment limits and on no new revenue.” Peterson adds, “If we did
what they want, I don’t think it would pass the House and Senate.” However,
he does point out that the three parties are still talking.
<more> Jan. 22, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Producers urged to fill out on-road heavy-duty
diesel vehicle survey - - California dairy producers are urged to fill
out an on-line survey being conducted by the California Air Resources Board
in an effort to gather information about heavy-duty diesel vehicles and
their operations. This data will be used to better understand the age and
use of diesel vehicles used in different operations such as long-haul, local
delivery, and other types of operations. If you choose to fill out the
survey, you will be asked for your contact information, your company
information, and information about your fleet vehicles. You may keep your
company information confidential by checking the box at the top of the
Company Information table. Who should complete this survey? Any person,
business or corporation that owns or is leasing, for twelve months or more,
any diesel powered truck, bus, pickup, or other vehicle. The online survey
form can be found
by clicking here. Jan. 22, 2008 CARB Notice
Dairy Calf & Heifer Association to host Profit
Seminar in Modesto - - The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) will
be hosting a one-day Profit Seminar in Modesto, on Feb. 4. Growers,
producers, owners and managers alike in the dairy calf and heifer industry
are invited to attend the seminar at the Stanislaus County Agriculture
Center, 3800 Cornucopia Way. Labor management issues will be addressed by
Gregorio Billikopf of University of California. Billikopf will cover topics
ranging from performance appraisals and incentive pay programs to dealing
with conflict. Alois (Al) Kertz of Andhil LLC will cover critical
information on nutrition for calves, the feeding and development of heifers
and grouping and moving heifers. A representative from the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Board will cover funding for Dairy Beef Quality Assurance.
The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association will present upcoming activities and
address premises registrations. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. and the
program begins at 9:45 a.m. The seminar will conclude by 3:30 p.m. Lunch
will be provided. Visit
www.calfandheifer.org for more information. Jan. 22, 2008 DCHA
Press Release
IDFA Commends Pennsylvania's Action to Rescind
Product Labeling Decision - - The International Dairy Foods Association
(IDFA) has commended the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for its
decision yesterday to rescind a ruling that would have prevented dairy
processors from making truthful product claims on their fluid milk labels.
"We applaud Governor Ed Rendell, Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff and the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for recognizing that dairy processors
have every right to make claims on their product labels that are truthful
and not misleading," said Clay Hough, IDFA group vice president and general
counsel.
<more> Jan. 22, 2007 Fresno Bee
Bovine TB detected in ninth beef herd in
Minnesota - - The Minnesota Board of Animal Health said Tuesday that a
beef cattle herd in Roseau County has tested positive for bovine
tuberculosis. The herd is the ninth in Minnesota where the disease has been
confirmed. All cases have been in northwestern Minnesota. The board said the
U.S. Department of Agriculture is appraising the herd so it can be purchased
and the animals killed.
<more> Jan . 22, 2008 AP
California Agriculture Officials In Cuba To Promote Trade - - California hopes it can carve out an upscale market for goodies such as pistachios, figs, kiwi fruit and wine in Cuba. America's top food-producing state has sent its first official agricultural trade mission to Havana to show the communist government its powdered milk and dairy products -- as well a wide array of fruits, vegetables, nuts, dates, rice and cotton. <more> Jan. 22, 2008 AP
Monday, Jan. 21, 2008
Cheese Prices On The
Chicago Mercantile Exchange Have Been Volatile - - The National
Agricultural Statistics Service reported U.S. barrel prices over $2.12 per
pound and blocks over $1.99 per pound during the week ending December 29th.
USDA forecasts 2008 cheese prices to peak in the first quarter of the year
and then decline to average $1.645 to $1.725 per pound, just below 2007’s
average of $1.738, with higher expected milk production this year and
relative product prices likely favoring increased cheese production. Cheese
prices should remain relatively high by historical standards because cheese
exports are expected to remain strong, stocks are moderate, and production
is limited. Cheese exports climbed to over 2.5 percent of total production
through October and are expected to remain strong in 2008 because of the
weak dollar and because the economies in buying countries, many of whom are
energy exporters, remain strong. December’s Cold Storage report places total
cheese stocks at the end of November at 785,359 pounds, virtually unchanged
from the same period in 2006, and 9 percent above the 5-year average for the
end of November. The January Dairy Products report placed November
production 1.2 percent behind that of a year earlier.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 Cattle Network.com
Dairy
Situation & Outlook: Record High Milk Prices, Production Up - - The
year 2007 will be remembered as record high milk prices. Prices average
about $6.00 per hundredweight higher than 2006. Averages for the year were:
Class III $18.04, Class IV and Class II both $18.36, the Class I mover
$18.75 and the average U.S. All Milk Price $19.15. Lower prices are
forecasted for 2008, perhaps averaging about $2.00 lower, but possibly still
ending up the second highest on record. Nevertheless, higher feed prices
will shrink profit margins for dairy producers in 2008. Higher milk
production and dairy product production will push milk prices lower in 2008.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 Cattle Network.com
Madera
dairy worker killed in shooting at barn - - A newly hired dairy worker
who was about to start his first shift was killed and another man was
wounded late Saturday night during a shooting at a Chowchilla barn, the
Madera County Sheriff's Department reported. The death is Madera County's
first homicide this year, according to the department. The shooting happened
between 11:30 p.m. and midnight at a dairy at 5615 Avenue 24 between Roads
51/2 and 6, said sheriff's spokeswoman Erica Stuart.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 Fresno Bee
Ohio
Dairy farmers protest move towards hormone-free milk -- Dairy farmers
throughout Ohio are being pressured to stop using a synthetic hormone that
boosts milk production in cows, angering large-dairy farmers who claim the
move will reduce profits and increase retail milk prices.As the market for
milk from cows using the hormone dries up, Dairy Farmers of America has
asked its nearly 790 members in Ohio to stop using rBST, and Dairy Marketing
Services, which markets milk for about 575 independent producers in Ohio,
has told farmers that they must sign an affidavit promising not to use the
hormone or it won't pick up their milk.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 AP
Swedish study to measure methane released by belching cows - - A Swedish
university has received $590,000 in research funds to measure the greenhouse
gases released when cows belch. About 20 cows will participate in the
project run by the Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala,
about 40 miles north of Stockholm, officials said Monday. Cattle release
methane, a greenhouse gas believed to contribute to global warming, when
they digest their food. Researchers believe the level of methane released
depends on the type of food they eat.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 AP
Clone
ruling expected to boost firms - - When Cyagra Inc. holds an office
potluck, no one's stomach churns when the lasagna, meatloaf or tacos are
made with cloned beef. The cutting-edge ingredient was produced on the
company's Pennsylvania farm for the Food and Drug Administration, which
spent seven years evaluating the safety of meat and milk from cloned animals
and their offspring. Cyagra is one of three privately held biotech start-ups
making clones of genetically superior livestock for thousands of dollars
apiece. In the coming years, they hope the rest of the U.S. -- and the world
-- will join them in dining on steaks, pork chops and ice cream derived from
animals conceived in their laboratories.
<more> Jan. 21, 2008 LA Times
Lending, down on the farm - - Every year for farmers, the weather warms, the plants leaf out, and the lenders cut checks. Loans are a crucial part of agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley and elsewhere. They help growers get through the lean months each year, before the crop is sold, and they help pay for land, tractors and other long-term needs. Several bankers and other experts took part in a meeting last week aimed at explaining the options, especially for beginning farmers. They advised them to write business plans, to keep their financial records in order and to know the market they aim to supply. <more> Jan. 21, 2008 Modesto Bee
Friday, Jan. 18, 2008
It's official, 2007 was a record year for U.S. milk
production - - Milk production in the 23 major dairy states in December was
14.4 billion pounds, up 3.1% from a year ago. Extrapolated out to 50 states,
milk production was 15.6 billion pounds, 2.7% above a year ago. The number of
cows in the 23 states was 8.38 million, 107,000 more than a year ago. The U.S.
dairy herd hit 9.211 million, the most since the fall of 2000. Production per
cow in the 23 major dairy states in December was 1,719 pounds, 29 pound more
than December of 2006. California milk production in December totaled 3.446
billion pounds, 4.5% more than December of 2006. Production per cow in the
Golden State increased 35 pounds to 1,880 and they added 46,000 cows to make the
dairy herd 1.833 million head.
<more> Jan. 18, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
Producers Dairy issues anti-cloning statement - -
The Shehadey family, which operates Fresno-based Producers Dairy Foods, has
issued a statement opposing the cloning of cows for human consumption. The
federal Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the sale of meat and
dairy products made from cloned animals. But it asked the animal cloning
industry, farmers and ranchers to continue a voluntary moratorium on the sale of
food from cloned animals. Richie Shehadey, Producers' sales and marketing
director, said the dairy has never used milk from cloned cows and believes that
the FDA's action "is a major mistake."
<more> Jan. 18, 2008 Fresno Bee
Valley air district upset by state offer.
Recommendation gives more than half of $1b for exhaust cleanup to SoCal.
- - Diesel truckers drive more miles in the San Joaquin Valley than any
other corridor in the state, yet this region might get far less money than
Southern California to clean up the dangerous exhaust. So say officials at
the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. On Thursday, they
announced a broad lobbying campaign for a bigger cut of a $1 billion bond
allotment aimed at fighting diesel pollution. The cleanup funding would
target a key polluter as Valley authorities struggle against some of the
nation's worst air pollution and a childhood asthma rate among the highest
in California. The state's recommendation would give more than half the
money to Southern California.
<more> Jan. 18, 2008 Fresno Bee
Valley
Government Agencies Wrestle over
Tougher Composting Rules-
- All that bulky green
waste collected in your green garbage can each week may not have a place to
go next year. Two government agencies are wrestling over rules that could
hurt one environmental cause while helping another.
Looking to cut air
emissions from composting facilities in the Valley, the Air District is
proposing tough new rules on firms that divert green waste plant materials
from area landfills and compost them in piles in the open air. This past
week, the air district had a preliminary “scoping session” on the rule that
could be adopted in final form a year from now. There are 17 such facilities
in the air district boundary, including a handful in Tulare and Kings
counties.
<more> Jan.18,2007 Valley Voice
Employee reimbursement
and the IRS mileage rate deductible - -
By Michael C. Saqui and Anthony
Raimondo The California
Supreme Court recently addressed the ways in which an employer
can
comply with California law which requires reimbursement to employees for their
work-related expenses. Under California Labor Code § 2802, an employer must
reimburse employees for all necessary (and reasonable) costs incurred by the
employee in the discharge of his or her duties. This includes reimbursement for
automobile expenses when employees use their personal vehicles for the
employer’s business. The most common method of reimbursement of automobile
expenses is to pay mileage based upon the IRS’s standard mileage deductible. As
of January 1, 2008, the IRS rate is 50.5 cents per mile, up from 48.7 cents per
mile. The recent California Supreme Court case reaffirms that this rate can be
the basis on which employees are reimbursed. If using this method, California
employers must be careful that their policies and practices conform to both the
recent California decision and the IRS deductible. The California