Source Food And Beverage News 

Holstein Association USA’s Research Grant Program provides funding to universities and non-profits in the United States performing research studies that benefit the profitability of Holstein cows. Principal investigators with eligible projects are invited to apply until the August 16, 2021 deadline.

The program has a special focus on improving the health and profitability of Holsteins through genetics. However, research proposals can address a variety of areas including nutrition, reproduction, dairy foods, and economics. Research proposals of all sizes will be considered, but grants are expected to be funded with in the range of $10,000 to $80,000 per year. Grant durations are expected to be one to three years.

“Life is ever changing and research is one way to evaluate potential change. U.S. Holstein dairy producers are among the best in the world and the research grant program seeks to complement their expertise by selecting research projects for funding that look to the future,” says Dr. Roger Shanks, Holstein Association USA genetics consultant. “What new idea can make a difference? Can an old concept be improved? Holstein Association USA seeks to fund innovative research grant proposals.”

Four research projects have been funded since the program began in 2017. These include a project from North Carolina State University focusing on using genomic information to manage inbreeding, a three-year project from the University of California, Davis which examines breeding Holstein cows for the slick hair gene to improve heat tolerance, and a two-year study on double ovulation and twinning in lactating Holstein cows from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2020, a project from The Pennsylvania State University focusing on the genomic evaluation of diet digestibility was selected.

More information about the grant guidelines and process, current projects, and applications can be found at www.holsteinusa.com/programs_services/research_grant.html. With questions or for more information contact Dr. Roger Shanks at researchgrants@holstein.com. 

Everyone at The Bullvine would like to send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Freddy during this difficult time.

At his home in Victoriaville, on Monday June 7, 2021, passed away at the age of 64 years and 2 months, Mr. Freddy Steen, husband of Mrs. Nicole Nachtegaele. He was lived in Victoriaville.

Long time parterre Marc Comtois shares the following comments: 

It is with a very heavy heart that we announce the death of Mr. Freddy Steen. Our partner, our great friends, hardworking, smiling, meticulous. Freddy had “golden hands” as Marc told everyone.

Freddy and Nicole were part of Comestar as co-owner from 1993 to 2007 with Marc and France. Thereafter, they continued to work with us with heart.

The entire Comestar family wishes its sincere condolences to Nicole, Jérémy, Céline and your families.

Have a nice trip Freddy we already miss you.

Besides his wife Mrs. Nicole Nachtegaele, he is survived by his son Jérémy Steen (Leah Ungstad) and his daughter Céline Steen (Simon Godbout); as well as his cherished grandchildren: Zachary Godbout, Annika Steen, Loïc Godbout and Pénélope Steen.

His brothers and sisters: Ignace Steen (Marie-Claire Abeloos), Eric Steen (Marie-Hélène Vandenbussche), Marianne Steen (Joël Lestang) and the late André Steen (Anne-Marie Michels).

He is also survived by his sisters-in-law: Ingrid Nachtegaele (Edwin Engelbeens), Françoise Nachtegaele (André Bernard) and Patricia Nachtegaele (Joël Decreme); his godchildren (the): Ludivine Engelbeens, Manuel Steen, Hélène Steen and Frédéric Steen; his nephews and nieces as well as other relatives and friends.

The family will receive condolences on Thursday, June 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. as well as on Friday, the day of the ceremony, from 9 a.m. at the Passage Area, 155, rue Gendron, in Victoriaville, behind the Grégoire & Desrochers funeral complex.

A ceremony will be celebrated in his memory on Friday, June 11, 2021, at 11 a.m., under the Outer Rotunda.

Please note that due to current circumstances,  funeral rituals will take place in the privacy of the family by invitation. However, you are invited to attend  the ceremony  by clicking on  ‘Webcast Ceremony’,  starting at 11 am on Friday, June 11, 2021.

The family would like to thank the entire CLSC Suzor-Coté team for the good care provided at home.

Your expressions of sympathy can result in a donation to the CLSC Suzor-Coté Foundation. Forms will be available at the funeral home office or on the funeral complex website.

Le Bullvine – souhaite adresser ses plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de Freddy pendant cette période difficile.

À son domicile de Victoriaville, le lundi 7 juin 2021, est décédé à l’âge de 64 ans et 2 mois, M. Freddy Steen époux de Mme Nicole Nachtegaele.  Il était domicilié à Victoriaville. Outre son épouse Mme Nicole Nachtegaele, il laisse dans le deuil son fils Jérémy Steen (Leah Ungstad) et sa fille Céline Steen (Simon Godbout); ainsi que ses petits-enfants chéris : Zachary Godbout, Annika Steen, Loïc Godbout et Pénélope Steen.

Ses frères et sœurs : Ignace Steen (Marie-Claire Abeloos), Eric Steen (Marie-Hélène Vandenbussche), Marianne Steen (Joël Lestang) et feu André Steen (Anne-Marie Michels).

Il laisse également dans le deuil ses belles-sœurs : Ingrid Nachtegaele (Edwin Engelbeens), Françoise Nachtegaele (André Bernard) et Patricia Nachtegaele (Joël Decreme); ses filleuls(les) : Ludivine Engelbeens, Manuel Steen, Hélène Steen et Frédéric Steen; ses neveux et nièces ainsi qu’autres parents et amis.

La famille recevra les condoléances le jeudi 10 juin de 14 h à 16 h et de 19 h à 21 h ainsi que le vendredi, jour de la cérémonie, à compter de 9 h à l’Aire de Passage, 155, rue Gendron, à Victoriaville, derrière le complexe funéraire Grégoire & Desrochers.

Une cérémonie sera célébrée en sa mémoire le vendredi 11 juin 2021, à 11 h, sous la Rotonde extérieure.

Veuillez noter qu’en raison des circonstances actuelles, les rituels funéraires auront lieu dans l’intimité de la famille sur invitation.

Vous êtes toutefois conviés à assister à la cérémonie en cliquant sur « Cérémonie en webdiffusion », à compter de 11 h, le vendredi 11 juin 2021.

La famille tient à remercier toute l’équipe du CLSC Suzor-Coté pour les bons soins prodigués à domicile.

Vos marques de sympathie peuvent se traduire par un don à la Fondation du CLSC Suzor-Coté.  Des formulaires seront disponibles au bureau de la maison funéraire ou sur le site internet du complexe funéraire.

New measures to crack down on livestock worrying are to be introduced in England and Wales through the Kept Animals Bill introduced to Parliament on 8 June.

Livestock worrying is when a dog attacks or chases livestock on agricultural land or is at large in a field with sheep, which can result in significant injury or suffering and in the worst cases, death of the animals involved. This also has devastating consequences for livestock keepers, causing personal distress as well as significant financial costs.

Improved powers will enable the police to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively – making it easier for them to collect evidence and, in the most serious cases, seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents. The measures include:

• Increasing the scope of livestock species and locations covered by the law, such as llamas, emus, enclosed deer, and donkeys. New locations will include roads and paths as long as the livestock have not strayed into a road.
• Increasing powers for the police to seize dogs after particularly serious incidents, if there is a reason to believe that dog might pose an ongoing risk to livestock. Currently, the police can only seize a dog for the purpose of identifying the owner, and it has to be returned to the owner once they have been identified.
• A new power to take samples from livestock and dogs suspected of an offence, which will help the police investigate these crimes. At present, most cases of livestock worrying don’t end up in prosecution due to a lack of evidence.
• Modifying powers of entry, meaning that police can enter a premises to identify and/or seize a dog or any items they believe to be evidence of an offence.
• Making dog control, disqualification and destruction orders available to the courts upon a conviction for the offence.

Farming Minister, Victoria Prentis, said:

“Growing up on a farm, and having suffered from a dog attack at home, I know first-hand the devastating effect of livestock worrying and the distress that it causes farmers and animals as well as the financial implications.

“We are cracking down on this issue by introducing new laws to tackle this offence and giving police more powers to act on reports of livestock worrying.”

Although it is already a specific offence to allow a dog to worry livestock, with a maximum fine of £1,000, these proposed reforms will address current enforcement challenges and modernise the legislation to ensure it remains fit for purpose. Since the implementation of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act in1953 the number of livestock in England and Wales has doubled and there has also been an increase in dog ownership and visits to the countryside.

Source: thedairysite.com

This country has some 9 million dairy cows and they should all have names — Bessie or Elsie, maybe Daisy or Madame Moo Moo. But why?

In 2009, Newcastle University in England studied dairy farm employees and their herds. The university’s agriculture school wanted to know if cows have feelings, emotions and moods, as well as how their human handlers cared for them.

One of the questions in the university survey was, “Do dairy workers name their cows?” And not just “Cow 44801,” but something more personal.

Close to half of the stock managers, 46%, said they had names for their cows — and it was a smart move.

The researchers found a trend. No matter how large the dairy farm or the size of the herd, cows with names produced more milk than unnamed cows.

Scientific American summed it up: “Dairy farmers who reported calling their cows by name got 2,105 gallons out of their cows compared with 2,000 gallons in a ten-month cycle.” That’s nearly 5% more and cow by cow, that can add up.

The researchers have a theory — giving a cow a name and using it is a way to show kindness. It helps if you talk to her more and consider her more of an individual.

The cow becomes less stressed and more likely to produce more milk.

Bonus fact — if you visited the White House from 1910 to 1913, you would have seen a cow on the lawn. President William Howard Taft, of Ohio, had a pet cow which grazed freely. The cow’s name was Pauline Wayne and she was sometimes called Miss Wayne. She was the last presidential cow. The cow before Miss Wayne was Mooley Wooly, but Mooley never produced much milk.

Source: wytv.com

Maine is unique on the national dairy landscape — something that some say makes the Pine Tree State the envy of other dairy-producing states.

That’s because in Maine, as long as a dairy producer has a valid Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry dairy license, a simple heat treatment process can be used to pasteurize milk. It’s a less expensive process than the federal pasteurization standards used in the other 49 states.

The ability to work with heat-treated milk, they say, allows small farms and creameries the freedom to explore different products and diversify without first having to make a substantial monetary investment.

It’s also something that agriculture officials say does not come at the expense of dairy quality or safety.

Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. The higher the temperature used in the process, the shorter the time it takes. Outside of Maine, it must be in compliance with the United States Department of Agriculture’s pasteurized milk ordinance — or PMO. That means the process must include technology and equipment that records and documents those temperatures and times.

Heat treating is basically the same thing without the technical recording equipment. Instead, that information is recorded in written logs and based on observation.

In both cases, heating the milk for the prescribed amount of time kills microorganisms and enzymes that can reduce the quality, shelf life and safety of the milk or milk product.

Maine is also one of 13 states that allows the sale of raw milk at the retail level. Raw milk is milk that has not been treated in any manner.

For value-added products, though, the low-tech method of pasteurization opens the door for producers to experiment more, according to Eric Rector, former president of the Maine Cheese Guild. In Maine, any cheese or yogurt aged less than 60 days that is destined for retail sales must be made with milk that has been pasteurized.

“Those federal pasteurization standards are not conducive to what we do in Maine,” Rector said. “There are some dairies and creameries that would go out of business if they had to change over to PMO standards.”

The cost of PMO compliant equipment is around $10,000. It’s a cost that would be difficult for many small creameries in Maine to afford, according to Heather Donahue of Balfour Farm and The Little Cheese Shop.

She said Maine allows cheese makers to use simple vats to heat treat raw milk. They keep careful written records throughout the process that are available at all times to state dairy inspectors.

“Instead of fancy equipment, [they] are the timers and temperature monitors,” Donahue said. “What [they] write down becomes the legal record and this is something that has allowed small creameries in Maine to flourish.”

It also gives creameries the ability to more easily diversify, said Rector.

In Rector’s case, it means he can use heat-treated milk to make yogurt while he waits for up to two months for his cheeses to properly age before he can sell them.

“This allows me to keep my business humming along and to keep the money rolling in that supports the long-term aging of cheese,” Rector said. “Heat treatment is a wonderful option for small dairies who need to maintain a cash flow.”

Heat-treated milk products can’t be sold outside of Maine, creating a unique niche that cheese lovers can only find in the state.

Rector is quick to point out the heat treating that is permitted in Maine is very different from the process used in many European countries known as “thermized heating.” This process uses very low heat and shorter time to produce a milk that is somewhere between raw and pasteurized. It’s not legal anywhere in the US.

The Maine Bureau of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources inspects and licenses the 87 dairies in the state. The bureau aims to bolster the milk industry.

“We have a [dairy] program and state environment that fosters a lot of support for milk producers,” said Nancy McBrady, director of the bureau. “We want to support these businesses and our philosophy is to work with them and not be heavy handed [and] the industry welcomes that collaboration.”

Still, dairies are not free to run their operations in ways that result in unsanitary products.

“We wear a hat that is regulatory and prioritizes public health and we know we walk a fine line,” said Linda Stahlnecker, director of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry milk quality laboratory. “We know this is your business but how can we help you make it as clean as possible for people?”

Each licensed dairy in Maine is inspected multiple times throughout the year by a state certified dairy inspector. If a dairy is found to be out of state compliance in any way, Stahlnecker said the Department of Agriculture works with them to solve the problem.

“The state is a partner in my business,” Rector said. “They are 100 percent behind my succeeding and willing to do their part to help me succeed.”

That collaboration and the unique regulations are helping Maine’s cheese industry grow, according to McBrady.

“Those that are using milk to create value-added products are doing well,” McBrady said. “Our cheese industry is growing steadily and there is so much opportunity for that growth with great products.”

Source: bangordailynews.com

The Canadian government is helping farmers and agri-businesses adopt clean technologies to reduce carbon emissions as part of the new Agricultural Clean Technology Program.

During Canadian Environment Week, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced details of the new $165.7-million Agricultural Clean Technology Program.

Under the program, farmers and agri-businesses will have access to funding to help develop and adopt the latest clean technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhance their competitiveness. This funding will help them continue to move towards a low-carbon economy by focusing on three priority areas: green energy and energy efficiency; precision agriculture; and the bioeconomy.

The new program has two funding streams

The Adoption Stream will support the adoption of clean technologies, with a priority on those that meaningfully reduce GHG emissions. Eligible recipients will have access to non-repayable contributions for projects that are at least $50,000 in total cost. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will contribute up to 50% for projects with for-profit recipients and up to 75% for not-for-profit recipients. This funding stream will extend over five years, from 2021 to 2026, and will allocate $50 million specifically for the purchase of more efficient grain dryers for farmers across Canada and $10 million towards powering farms with clean energy and moving off diesel.

The Research and Innovation Stream will support pre-market innovation including research, development, demonstration and commercialization of agricultural clean technologies. Eligible recipients will have access to non-repayable and repayable contributions of up to $2 million for projects, normally cost-shared 50-50 with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. This funding stream will extend over seven years, from 2021 to 2028.

The two-step intake of applications will launch later this month. Eligible recipients for both streams include for-profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations and Indigenous groups.

“Canadian farmers have always taken care of their land, and that is why we are leaders in sustainable agriculture,” Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said.

“In the face of this new climate reality and the expectations of Canadian and foreign consumers who want to know that their food has been sustainably produced, we must double down on our efforts, particularly by investing in the development and adoption of energy-efficient technologies. Together, we will grow our agricultural sector in an even more sustainable way.”

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada estimates that this program has the potential to reduce up to 1 megaton of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide equivalent) from the Earth’s atmosphere.

The Government of Canada’s strengthened climate plan supports the development and adoption of cleaner practices and technologies that further reduce GHG emissions and protect the land, water and air that farmers depend on for their long-term sustainability.

“Canadian farmers, ranchers and agri-food businesses are constantly innovating to make their practices greener and more sustainable. Investing in continuously helping the sector adopt clean technologies to cut greenhouse gas emissions is a key part of our plan to build a healthy environment and a healthy economy for all,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Background

Canada’s agricultural industry is already making contributions in the fight against climate change, as farmers and agri-businesses continue to make their operations more sustainable. Thanks to innovative best practices and technologies, agricultural production in Canada has doubled over the last 22 years while emissions have remained relatively stable.

This program builds on the original Agricultural Clean Technology Program, a $25-million, three-year (2018-2021) investment to support research, development and adoption of clean technologies.

The new Agricultural Clean Technology Program is part of the government’s strengthened climate plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, which is a key pillar in the government’s commitment to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels. The climate plan includes 64 new measures and $15 billion in investments in addition to the Canada Infrastructure Bank’s $6 billion for clean infrastructure announced as part of its growth plan.

As part of this climate plan, the Government of Canada launched the $185 million, 10-year Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS), to help develop and implement farming practices to sequester carbon and tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Budget 2021 committed an additional $200 million to support the adoption of practices that will accelerate emission reductions in the sector.

Source: thedairysite.com

Feature Article:

• Select Sires Unification – The Federation Grows Stronger

Top News Stories:

• Select Sires’ Farmer-Owners Propose Unification for Sustainable Future
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• Judges Named for 2021 All-American Dairy Show
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• High Ranking TPI® Genomic Young Bulls – June 2021
• High Ranking TPI® Genomic Females – June 2021
• Genetics to help secure premium milk price
• Van Dairy sells off nearly half its farms
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• A2 Milk could face class action from investors
• Australia’s largest dairy operation broken up by Chinese owner in $62.5 million deal
• Duane Logan Announces Retirement From COBA/Select Sires 

National Dairy Month kicked off with World Milk Day on June 1, and dairy farmers are encouraged to participate in a month-long social media campaign to remind consumers to celebrate dairy, and to introduce the “Next Generation of Dairy.”

“We encourage farmers who are active on social media to take advantage of this free online toolkit developed to challenge the farmer stereotype,” said American Dairy Association North East CEO Rick Naczi. “The campaign is designed to show consumers what we’ve always known about dairy farmers – that they are resilient, tech-savvy and agents of change.”

The digital toolkit has easily downloadable facts, photos and videos to share on social media pages. The resources showcase farmers as a group that takes on the responsibility of delivering a nutritious and delicious product that’s made with care for the planet.

The toolkit is available here, or at AmericanDairy.com under “News and Events.” For more information, call 315.472.9143.

About American Dairy Association North East

American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing nearly 10,000 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. 

All of meatpacker JBS SA’s global facilities are fully operational after a weekend cyberattack disrupted much of its North American and Australian operations.

Reuters reports that the Brazilian meatpacker’s arm in the United States and Pilgrim’s Pride, a US chicken company mostly owned by JBS, lost less than one day’s worth of food production following the hack, according to a statement. It said the losses will be recovered by the end of next week.

JBS has recovered faster than some meat buyers and market analysts expected from the 30 May ransomware attack, which the White House linked to a Russia-based group.

The attack followed one last month by a group with ties to Russia on Colonial Pipeline, which crippled fuel delivery for several days in the US Southeast.

JBS voluntarily shut down all its systems to isolate the intrusion upon learning of the attack, which failed to infect encrypted backup servers, according to the statement.

“The criminals were never able to access our core systems, which greatly reduced potential impact,” said Andre Nogueira, chief executive of JBS USA.

US beef prices initially jumped as the attack tightened supplies. However, American consumers should not see a lasting impact on prices “if the situation continues to resolve quickly,” a US Department of Agriculture official said.

“The market is moving toward normalization,” the official said.

JBS on Tuesday 1 June halted cattle slaughtering at its US plants, which process nearly a quarter of America’s beef, according to union officials.

By Thursday 3 June, the number of cattle slaughtered by US processors including JBS was up 27% from Tuesday and 14% from Wednesday, according to USDA estimates.

Last year, the US meat supply chain buckled as COVID-19 outbreaks closed slaughterhouses, reducing production and raising prices.

“We need to invest in a food system that is durable, distributed and better equipped to withstand 21st century challenges, including cybersecurity threats and other disruptions,” the USDA official said.

Read more about this story here.

Source: Reuters

Entries are open for the 38^th annual World Forage Analysis Superbowl. The 2021 contest, held in conjunction with World Dairy Expo, is set to award over $26,000 in cash prizes, made possible by generous award sponsors. The World Forage Analysis Superbowl is open to all forage producers across North America.

The deadline to submit corn silage samples is July 15, while all other entries must be submitted by August 26. The $35 entry fee provides entry into the contest along with a detailed sample analysis that will be emailed or mailed to entrants after all samples have been judged. Entry forms are available by visiting foragesuperbowl.org or by calling 920-336-4521.

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl includes eight divisions that evaluate samples on lab and visual analyses. The winning entry of each division earns a cash award of $2,500, with additional cash prizes presented to second through fifth place. The divisions and their sponsors are: Dairy Hay, sponsored by W-L Alfalfa; Commercial Hay, sponsored by NEXGROW Alfalfa; Grass Hay, sponsored by Barenbrug USA; Alfalfa Haylage, sponsored by Ag-Bag by RCI; Mixed/Grass Haylage, sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition; Baleage, sponsored by Agri-King, Inc.; Standard Corn Silage, sponsored by Scherer Inc.; and Brown Midrib (BMR) Corn Silage, sponsored by Brevant seeds.

A Grand Champion Forage Producer is also named in the contest and receives a check for $2,500, sponsored by Kemin Animal Nutrition & Health. The Grand Champion First-Time Entrant is presented a $2,000 cash award courtesy of New Holland. Special awards also presented in the contest are the $1,000 Quality Counts Award for Hay/Haylage sponsored by CROPLAN By WinField and the $1,000 Quality Counts Award for Corn Silage sponsored by Silostop.

Additional support for the 38^th annual World Forage Analysis Superbowl is provided by general sponsors, Passion Ag, Inc., Provimi and Micro Technologies, and the contest’s platinum sponsor, Brevant seeds.

All award winners will be recognized at the Brevant seeds Forage Superbowl Luncheon on September 29, 2021 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis.

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl is organized in partnership between Dairyland Laboratories, Inc., Hay & Forage Grower, US Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin, and World Dairy Expo. To learn more, visit foragesuperbowl.org.

JBS USA, the world’s largest meat processor, was the victim of a cyberattack that the Greeley, Colorado company called organized, which affected its IT systems in North America and Australia.

When the infiltration was detected on Sunday (May 30), the company “took immediate action,” suspending the systems and notifying the appropriate authorities, JBS USA said in a statement on Monday. It then mobilized its global network of IT pros and third-party cybersecurity experts to fix the problem. JBS indicated that its backup servers were not affected by the hack.

The company is a leading processor of beef, pork and other prepared foods in the U.S. It said it is “actively working with an incident response firm” to get the servers back up and running smoothly, per the statement. The fix is anticipated to take time and could result in delays.

The company indicated that there is currently nothing indicating that data from customers, suppliers or employees was compromised in the attack.

The Colonial Pipeline hack last month reportedly cost the company $5 million in ransom, which it paid to the fraudsters in order to take back control of its fuel shipping system. The threat of cyberattacks has grown to the point of being an “epidemic,” Black Kite Chief Security Officer Bob Maley told PYMNTS.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a special task force to work on preventing ransomware and other cyberattacks, which surged during the COVID-19 pandemic along with reliance on computer networks.

Source: US AgNet

The Brazilian government is finalizing legislation that will allow farmers to get paid to preserve undeveloped rainforests and savannah, Agriculture Minister Tereza Cristina Dias said during an online event.

Reuters reports that Dias said the new rules would allow farmers to get paid if they decide not to clear land for agriculture or to raise livestock, even as in some regions of Brazil they would be legally permitted to.

Brazil has been under increasing international pressure to curb deforestation, which has spiked in recent years amid lax enforcement under the right wing government of President Jair Bolsonaro.

The minister, who did not provide a timeline for enacting such a bill, said Brazil has a strict forestry code that allows farmers to clear portions of their land depending on the region where they operate.

In some places, it remains possible to chop down trees to create space for livestock or to grow crops, but the new rules would provide incentives for farmers not to do so.

“This is a business that will grow a lot in Brazil over the coming years,” Dias said. “It could become the second or even the main business for the Brazilian farmer and rancher.”

Once the new regulatory framework is in place, each farmer would be able to survey their property and make the best choice, she said.

“They will opt for the best deal, whether it is to plant soy or raise cattle, or to preserve the forest.”

Read more about this story here.

Source: Reuters

Accepting the reality that EastGen’s four traditional youth events could not be safely held this summer, we’ve pivoted to create the EastGen Youth Ag-Stravaganza. This exciting virtual event for beef and dairy 4-Hers will be held July 6th and 7th.

Details are being finalized for this free event, to be held over two successive eve-nings. The four components of the competition are: 1) TikTok-style video entries; 2) a recorded speech submis-sion; 3) judging of dairy and beef classes; and 4) comple-tion of a written quiz.

Pre-event how-to sessions, educational presentations from experts in their field, celebrity judges, and a pleth-ora of prizes will entice and reward participants. In addi-tion, all youth who successfully complete the competi-tion will receive, via courier, their own swag box chock full of surprises. A live announcement of the winners will take place later in July, and will include a reveal of the top teams and the first time-ever grand champion com-petitor over all five provinces.

The EastGen Youth Ag-Stravaganza was created with the following goals in mind:

• Support agricultural youth by providing education-al and competitive activities.
• Connect beef and dairy enthusiasts in the same fun event.
• Create a safe venue for 4-Hers to develop their fu-ture-ready skills while embracing virtual opportuni-ties and technology.
• Bridge the distance for EastGen’s first-ever interpro-vincial event.

“Even during these trying times, EastGen is dedicated to the future of our industry, with an unparalleled commit-ment to youth programs,” said Brian O’Connor, EastGen General Manager. “We are excited that Ag-Stravaganza will provide a rewarding, challenging learning experience for our future dairy and beef agriculturalists in five provinces.”

The Ag-Stravaganza is open to the traditional age group for EastGen events – 4-H beef and dairy club members aged 14-21 as of January 1, 2021, from the provinces of Ontario, New Bruns-wick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland.

The safety of youth, their families and staff remain at the forefront of EastGen’s thoughts. The company looks forward to resuming traditional EastGen Challenge and Showcase competitions after the COVID-19 pandemic no longer prevents the organization of large gatherings.

Stay tuned to our social media channels and www.east-gen.ca for further announcements that are sure to keep the excitement building. Additional details will be also conveyed to 4-H organizations and leaders in coopera-tion with their provincial 4-H organizations, and avail-able on AssistExpo upon registration.

Participants must pre-register via the following link
Registration Opens: Tuesday, June 1st
(and acceptance of TikTok-style video entries begins via AssistExpo)
Registration Closes: Tuesday, June 22nd @ 8:00 p.m. EST

Source: Eastgen

National Dairy Month started out as a way to distribute extra milk during the warm months of summer. The commemoration was established in 1937 by grocer organizations sponsoring “National Milk Month.” By 1939, June became the official “dairy month.”

Whether it’s in coffee, cereal, or smoothies, adding one more serving of milk to your family’s day can help ensure they get the nutrients they need to build strong bones and teeth. Trusted for decades, dairy farm families pride themselves on producing wholesome dairy foods that help their families grow up strong and healthy.

There is no moo-staking the facts about dairy:

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) released the 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which reinforces the importance of consuming three daily servings of dairy foods like milk and cheese.

• The new DGA guidelines propose three different healthy eating patterns and dairy foods are a part of all three. Dairy is also highlighted for providing three of the four nutrients that are typically lacking in American diets: calcium, potassium and vitamin D.

• Dairy’s unique combination of nutrients plays key roles in preventing heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis. Dairy is important for building strong bones and teeth.

• When planning meals, choose milk, cheese and yogurt, all of which are excellent sources of calcium, vitamin D and potassium to help fuel your body.

• Cow’s milk offers a superior nutrient package over alternative beverages such as soy, almond, rice or coconut. Fat-free cow’s milk contains 15 fewer calories per glass, 70 percent more potassium and almost twice as much protein as many calcium-fortified soy beverages.

• Most milk alternative drinks have only half the nutrients of real milk and cost nearly twice as much.

• Both organic and regular dairy foods contain the same essential nutrients key to a healthy and balanced diet.

• People who are sensitive to lactose can consume dairy foods that are lactose-reduced or lactose-free.

– On the Farm:

• Dairy farming is a family tradition, one that has been a way of life for many generations. Ninety-eight percent of dairy farms are family owned and operated.

• Dairy farmers are dedicated and take pride in caring for their cows by working closely with veterinarians to keep their cows healthy and comfortable. Dairy cows receive regular checkups, vaccinations and prompt medical treatment.

• Dairy farmers work hard to provide your family with the same safe and wholesome dairy foods they give to their children.

• Dairy farmers follow strict Food and Drug Administration guidelines and process all dairy foods in a safe environment.

• Despite rising fuel and feed costs, milk continues to be a great value at about 25 cents per 8-ounce glass.

Milk production Erath County

• Number of Producers: 49

• Percentage of Total for Texas: 13.96%

• Pounds of Milk: 109,334,765

• Percentage of Total (Milk): 8.88%

• Gallons of Milk: 12,713,345

• Number of Cows: 52,064

• Milk Processors: Schreiber Foods

Information from: Texas Association of Dairymen

Milk production in Texas

Texas recently edged out New York in milk production to become the fourth-largest milk-producing state in the nation. The new ranking happened in December, when Texas’ milk production grew 7.5% over December 2019 levels to 1.3 billion pounds. For the same period, the Texas dairy cattle herd increased from 580,000 head to 613,000 head. Milk production per cow also increased from 2,085 pounds per cow to 2,120 pounds.

Information from: Texas Farm Bureau

Milk production in the U.S.

• Milk production in the 24 major states during April 2021 totaled 18.4 billion pounds, up 3.5% from April 2020.

• Production per cow in the 24 major States averaged 2,051 pounds for April 2021, 42 pounds above April 2020.

• The number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major States was 8.98 million head, 121,000 head more than April 2020, and 15,000 head more than March 2021.

• The annual production of milk for the United States during 2020 was 223 billion pounds, 2.2% above 2019.

• Production per cow in the United States averaged 23,777 pounds for 2020, 382 pounds above 2019. The average annual rate of milk production per cow has increased 11.5% from 2011.

• The average number of milk cows on farms in the United States during 2020 was 9.39 million head, up 0.5% from 2019. The average annual number of milk cows has increased 2.1% from 2011.

Source: yourstephenvilletx.com

In February 2020, Elle Purrier was at the top of the track world. “Millrose Mile was a big stepping stone when I broke the American record. A turning point in my career. When the Tokyo Olympics were postponed, Parrier seems to be on the path that all Olympic applicants are aiming for. But one record wasn’t peaking. In the spare time, Parrier added a two-mile American record and the world’s best 1500-meter record of the season to his resume. The praise here in the United States isn’t what she sticks to. “Olympic medal winning is the ultimate goal. Parrier, who grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont, doesn’t always talk about Olympic medals “When I was a kid, I didn’t think I would be a runner, especially at this level. It’s kind of funny in retrospect. To be honest, I’m not used to this” Elle “yet. Purrier Not only does she maintain her lane, but she acknowledges her renewed confidence in her physical and mental toughness. “I don’t compare myself to them because the path to myself now is different from all the other people I’m competing with,” says Purrier. I did. I really want to experience her Olympic moments. “Representing my country is my ultimate goal. And I hope I can really enjoy those moments. Only a few percent. A place that only people have been to.

Dairy farmers turn to world-famous track stars and aim to win medals at the Tokyo Olympics

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On the occasion of World Milk Day 2021, here’s a list of important nutrients milk can offer to your body other than calcium.

World Milk Day, observed on June 1 tries to highlight the importance of milk as a global food and celebrates the dairy sector. Milk is widely consumed in India. Since childhood, the importance of drinking milk is stressed enough for the better development of bones and teeth. Milk and other dairy products are popular sources of calcium which is responsible for the formation and maintenance of bones. Not many are aware of the other benefits that this nutritious drink can offer to your body. On the occasion of World Milk Day 2021, here’s a list of important nutrients milk can offer to your body other than calcium.

World Milk Day 2021: Important nutrients milk can offer to your body

1. Protein

Drinking milk can offer you good quality proteins. These are essential for the body to function and assist in the formation and repair of tissues. As per studies, drinking milk is also linked with a lower risk of age-related muscle loss.

2. Fats

Your body requires fat in some quantities. Whole milk contains fat. Those trying to lose weight often choose fat-free milk and other dairy options.

3. Vitamin B 12

Vitamin B12 is generally found in animal-based food sources. Vitamin B12 plays an important role in improving your mental health. It also reduces the risk of macular degeneration. Vegetarian can add milk to diet for better intake of vitamin B12.

Milk Day 2021: Milk is a source of vegetarian vitamin B12
Photo Credit: iStock

4. Potassium

Dairy products including milk can offer you a good amount of potassium. This micronutrient plays a role in improving heart health and lowers blood pressure.

So not just calcium, you can enjoy these many nutrients by drinking milk regularly.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Source: Doctor NDTV

World Milk Day is a day to celebrate the agriculture of milk by putting a personal connection to your food. One West Michigan farm is doing just that while going after a world record.

Swisslane Farm’s Dairy Discovery team in Alto is trying to break a world record for serving thousands of glasses of milk in one hour. Dairy Discovery’s whole mission is to share the miracle of milk and by doing events like this they say it gives them the chance to share that food to farm connection with the community. Costa Rica holds the record, serving over 5,900 glasses of milk in 2019. Tuesday Dairy Discovery is hoping to serve 6,000 glasses over more from 10 to 11 o’clock this morning.

If you would like to help them hit their goal and learn some more about milk head out to their specialty shop at Swisslane Farm off of Fourth Street in Alto and ask for Miss Kelly she will have a glass of milk waiting for you from 10 to 11 this morning. For more information and to find out the grand total of glasses of milk served log on to dairydiscovery.org or their Facebook page.

Speciality dairy company A2 Milk may face legal action from angry investors, according to an Australian media report.

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) said law firm Slater and Gordon was looking at a class action against A2 on behalf of recent investors who had seen the value of their shares fall sharply after the company downgraded its earnings forecasts four times in nine months.

The AFR said shareholders who bought between mid-August 2020 and early May 2021 may have the basis for a claim, under Australian corporate law, that A2 may have engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct, and breached stock exchange continuous disclosure rules.

A2 Milk downgraded its earnings forecasts in September and December last year, and then February and May this year.

“There may be basis to allege that by no later than August 19, 2020, a2 Milk was or ought to have been aware the full-year 2021 guidance did not adequately take into account a number of factors which would impact the company’s financial performance,” a letter by Slater and Gordon was quoted as saying.

A2 Milk has trimmed its earnings forecasts and its margins over the four reports citing Covid-19-related issues with closed borders and the impact on the unofficial third party sales – the daigou channel, separate sales through e-commerce channels, and an overhang of supplies.

Its share price has plunged 75 percent from a record $21.74 in August to a low of $5.42 after the latest warning.

A2 Milk said it was not aware of any legal action having been started.

“The company believes that it has complied with all applicable disclosure obligations and denies any claim to the contrary,” it said in a stock exchange statement.

The law firm was reported to be following what it believed to be a shift in the source of A2’s downgrades from being Covid-19-related to more systemic and structural problems, which may have been known by the company earlier than disclosed.

Source: rnz.co.nz

By late morning, a quiet sets in over the barns full of cows Charlie Bares runs. It’s a quiet that settles him.

“You can find peace here. I do,” said Bares, the lead at Mallards Farms.

What You Need To Know

• Allegany County IDA filed for eminent domain to seize 269 acres of land from Charlie Bares’ Mallards Farms
• Bares has rejected offers from Great Lakes Cheese, including one for eight times the value of the land, saying fertile land in Bellvadere is crucial to his 3,000 head dairy business
• Great Lakes Cheese plans to build a half-billion dollar plant just south of Interstate 86’s Belmont exit
• The Ohio-based cheese company, which already employs more than 200 in Cuba, NY, has threatened to pull its factory proposal from Allegany County if the Bellvidere site is not made available

At any time, he can step into a milking suite and see another line of cows shuffling toward the milkers.

“That’s what we like to see,” he said. “Happy cows.”

Happiness is harder to find these days on this sprawling dairy operation. It’s a 10-minute ride north of Interstate 86. It is a tough business to begin with, with corporate agriculture swallowing up businesses like Charlie’s like a cold glass of milk.

Charlie has done well with his 3,000 head of cattle in the heart of the Southern Tier. It’s not bad for a guy who got into this just a generation ago. But now even his cows can smell somethings coming.

Most of the time, it’s the mix of corn and alfalfa his crews pulverize to feed the cows.

“This is how we feed them and this is the, this is the mix that is 60% forage,” Bares said.

And 100% homemade allows Mallards Dairy to stack it 15 feet high in bunkers, so the moneymakers can crush 150 tons of it a day, to keep this round the clock business flowing

He has a 269-acre parcel where grows valuable alfalfa for this feed.

“It happens to be our most fertile. It happens to be our biggest field and that makes a big difference,” Bares said.

And it is land that is flat. The rarest of green diamonds is in these foothills. And that makes it wanted.

“You don’t hear that very often,” said Craig Clark, Allegany County IDA.

Great Lake Cheese, which owns a factory just down the road from Charlie’s farm just outside the village of Cuba, wants to expand. It has a $500 million mega factory on the table, right off the main expressway in the heart of dairy country.

It wants to build it on Charlie’s alfalfa field.

“Most companies that we’ve lost over the years would come out and say, ‘we’re gone,’ Clark said. “They didn’t. They said ‘how can we how can we help them find the right location to expand and double the size of their facility?’”

If the plant is built, it becomes Allegany County’s largest employer. It would be a game-changer for the region that Clark has been working to make happen every step of the way; even after the cheesemaker threatened to leave the region if it couldn’t buy Charlie’s land and build the new factory

“Because Allegany County doesn’t have a lot of flat land, especially along I-86,” Clark said.

Charlie has no intention of selling to Great Lakes.

“You can’t throw money at it and it would take luck and time to have more, you know, somebody dies or goes out of business,” he said. “You just can’t replace land like that,” said Bares.

When Charlie said “no deal,” Allegany County IDA countered by seeking eminent domain through the courts. It would transfer Charlie’s land to Great Lakes and Charlie will get money and Land in return.

“We were hoping it would never come to this,” Clark said. “The only reason we’re looking at it is such a massive number of jobs and investment in the county, you know. “We just can’t afford to lose that. The co-op, they all support it as well as many of the farmers, the larger farmers obviously, because this is a huge impact on us, double the milk usage.”

Charlie hired the best eminent domain lawyer he could find to represent him and Marshacres LLC. A court petition to stop the IDA from taking the land was filed. The case will be heard in October.

“I say eminent domain is used when the public benefit is overwhelming the private benefit is incidental and this is exactly the opposite really,” Bares said. “The only ones that come out ahead are the politicians. If people think I’m stubborn, so be it. I mean, like, I can’t do that. This is wrong on so many fronts. It’s wrong environmentally. It’s a beautiful riparian woods. It’s wrong agriculturally. We need this land is it as a nation. We need this good cropland, you know humanity. We should not be paving over our best land in an area. We should not be picking and harming one business to help another business.”

Both sides continue private negotiations.

“Everyone has a price, right?” Charlie told a newspaper.

Source: spectrumlocalnews.com

The Zoetis Honor Your Dairy Vet campaign seeks dairy veterinarian recognition and gives back

PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 1, 2021 — The mental health and well-being of veterinarians has become one of the most important topics to trend in the dairy community in recent months, as veterinarian suicides have been on the rise. Zoetis encourages dairy industry members to help raise awareness and funds to support the dairy veterinarians who hold a unique bond and tireless dedication for protecting and caring for cattle. Participants have the opportunity to recognize and nominate dairy veterinarians in their life for a chance to receive a personalized jacket.

For every nomination, Zoetis will donate to Not One More Vet^® (NOMV) — a nonprofit organization of 32,000 members that helps veterinarian professionals and students struggling with mental health and wellness — or considering suicide — through education, resources and support. Here’s how the Zoetis Honor Your Dairy Vet campaign works:

Step 1: Nominate your dairy veterinarian — or veterinarians.

Zoetis is asking participants to visit HonorDairyVets.com from June 1 through June 30, 2021, to submit a nomination for a dairy and/or cattle mixed practicing veterinarian who has skipped dinner to help pull a calf; who leaves the farm with a sore shoulder after fixing a displaced abomasum; or who is special to them, their family and their cows. You can nominate as many veterinarians as you’d like — and each unique veterinarian you nominate is entered for a chance to be selected.

Step 2: Zoetis donates.

For every nomination, Zoetis will donate $5 to NOMV, up to $10,000. The more veterinarians you recognize and celebrate, the more Zoetis donates!

Step 3: Selected veterinarians get a personalized jacket.

Each week in June, there will be three dairy and/or cattle mixed practicing veterinarians randomly selected to receive a personalized weatherproof jacket that is great to use while visiting farms.

Zoetis is asking for your help and participation in this campaign — because one more veterinarian is one too many. To get involved, visit HonorDairyVets.com or follow along on the Dairy Wellness Facebook and Twitter accounts.

About Zoetis

As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After nearly 70 years innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide —from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. In 2020, Zoetis generated revenue of $6.7 billion with ~11,300 employees. For more, visit www.zoetis.com.

CONTEST RULES

In a collaborative study, scientists at The Pirbright Institute have identified new immune cells in cattle, called mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells.

Human MAIT cells have been shown to tackle bacterial and viral infections, as well as playing a role in wound healing and vaccine response. This is the first time that they have been characterised in cattle, and this could open new avenues for investigating and treating both livestock and human diseases.

Human MAIT cells are activated by various environmental signals which can trigger them to either promote antimicrobial activity or tissue repair. They are known to be involved in the immune response against various bacteria and viruses like influenza, HIV and hepatitis C, where they activate other immune cells which then kill infected cells.

In their study, published in Frontiers in Immunology, scientists demonstrated that cattle MAIT cells were extremely similar to human MAIT cells. They were mainly located in mucosal tissues (which cover internal organs and cavities) as well as in the lymph nodes (parts of the immune system that help to fight infection). The team also established that the cattle MAIT cells were stimulated by similar signals to their human counterparts, and showed that they are activated in response to cattle bacterial infections.

Dr Elma Tchilian, Head of the Mucosal Immunology group at Pirbright, said: “The highly conserved nature of MAIT cells demonstrated in this study suggests that they may well have an important function in protection against infection. This work was made possible because of truly international collaboration.”

As well as being an economically important livestock species, cattle also provide large animals model for human infections, such as tuberculosis and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The data and tools used in this research will facilitate the study of MAIT cell biology during immunisation and infection.

Dr Matthew Edmans, first author of the paper, said: “The identification and characterisation of these cells in cattle is a significant first step. Further investigation of MAIT cells in cattle may provide avenues for treating infections in both cattle and humans, such as foot-and-mouth disease and RSV.”

The study was a collaborative effort along with the University of Oxford, The University of Melbourne/Doherty Institute, the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Utrecht University and The University of Queensland.

Source: thedairysite.com

It’s not wise to venture out after dark in the farmlands of New South Wales, Australia.

Open the wrong door, walk near the wrong field or flick on the wrong light and you’ll find yourself facing a skittering, chewing, breeding, swarming horde of hungry mice, as the state grapples with a devastating rodent plague that threatens to destroy AU$1 billion worth of crops.

Social media footage shows horrifying scenes from the rodent-ridden state, where mice are seemingly hiding en masse in any dark space available.

The mice are devouring crops, chewing through electrical wires, eating leather seats and spreading rapidly across the region, in what the state government describes as an “absolutely unprecedented” plague.

The mouse population is estimated to be in the millions, but one government scientist said counting them would be like “trying to count up the stars in the sky.”

Farmers are reportedly putting the legs of their beds in buckets of water to avoid getting swarmed and bitten in their sleep. Mice are overrunning many farms after dark, and they come pouring out of grain bags and augers when they’re disturbed during the day.

One family has also blamed their house fire on rodents chewing the wiring.

Officials are now scrambling to kill the millions of mice in order to save the state’s winter harvest — and they’re resorting to some drastic measures to do it.

The state has ordered some 5,000 litres of bromadiolone, a banned poison, to be imported from India so it can kill the rodents as quickly as possible. The move has sparked anger from critics who fear that the poison will kill pets and birds of prey as well, but Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall says the drastic move is necessary.

“We’re having to go down this path because we need something that is super strength — the equivalent of napalm — to just blast these mice into oblivion,” Marshall said.

Officials hope to use the one-dose rodent poison soon, before the onset of winter, which comes in the middle of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.

Environmentalists say the poison could cause sweeping damage to Australia’s ecosystem, tainting the soil and polluting the food chain to kill all sorts of animals and birds.

Meanwhile, farmers say they’re running out of time, as their crops remain at the mercy of the mice.

“We just sow and hope,” farmer Bruce Barnes told The Associated Press.

The plague follows several years of fires and droughts in Australia.

“(We had) really bad years of drought, then a beautiful year in 2020, and this year is shaping up really well, too. But there’s always something,” farmer Michael Payten told CNN. “This year it’s mice.”

Payten says he’s burned a lot of straw in the hopes of ridding the mice of their favourite nesting areas.

“We’re hoping that if we take their burrows away then that’ll expose them to a cold winter,” he said.

“I know it all sounds a bit cruel, but it’s a nightmare.”

Source: Global News

Global livestock semen sorting leader and innovator Sexing Technologies^® (ST) has partnered with pioneering livestock artificial insemination company RAMSEM to establish Africa’s first semen sorting lab. The lab is at RAMSEM’s facility near Bloemfontein, South Africa.

The lab will produce fresh and frozen sex-sorted semen from sheep, goats and cattle. ST’s sex sorting method separates X chromosome (female) bearing sperm from Y chromosome (male) bearing sperm through a process called flow cytometry. This provides customers with semen that is more than 90 percent accurate for the desired gender and achieves conception rates comparable to conventional (unsorted) semen used for artificial insemination.

RAMSEM is a globally renowned leader in sheep and goat reproductive services, most notably the semen freezing and laparoscopic artificial insemination (A.I.) techniques introduced to South Africa in 1985 by Dr. Johan Steyn, one of the company’s founders. Since its founding, RAMSEM has expanded its service offerings to include embryo transfer (ET) and exporting sheep genetics worldwide. Dr. Johan Steyn remains on staff as head of the company’s laparoscopic A.I. and ET programs

“Ramsem is privileged to partner with Sexing Technologies, the most reputable name in the business of semen sorting services,” says Dr. Fanie Steyn, RAMSEM Managing Director and son of Dr. Johan Steyn. “This partnership introduced semen sorting to the African continent and is set to revolutionize the breeding industry for Southern African cattle, sheep and goats. ST’s cutting edge research and development work has resulted in its flagship sorted semen product, SexedULTRA, which is already producing results comparable to conventional fresh semen laparoscopic A.I. in South Africa.

“This partnership truly embodies RAMSEM’s motto that ‘experience plus technology equals results!’” Dr. Fanie Steyn adds.

RAMSEM also works to help conserve Africa’s wildlife. The company is providing semen freezing services to ARK Biotech for preservation of African Buffalo, Rhinoceros and Lion genetics. With the opening of the lab, RAMSEM will expand its partnership with ARK Biotech to include semen sorting and invitro fertilization services.

Sexing Technologies® is the world leader and innovator and leader in livestock semen sex-sorting technology.

Wisconsin’s 73rd Alice in Dairyland is about to make history by becoming the first person ever to hold the title twice. Julia Nunes of Chippewa Falls has begun her term as the 74th Alice in Dairyland under an arrangement made with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture last year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her term will end on July 15, 2022.

During her first year as the state’s official agricultural ambassador, Nunes wrote more than 100 articles, completed over 232 TV and radio interviews, and engaged with thousands of people on social media across 1,140 posts. Amid significant challenges caused by the pandemic, she worked to continue educating Wisconsinites about agriculture by hosting live events on Facebook and Zoom that featured Wisconsin farms and agricultural products.

“It has been a pleasure to bring Wisconsin agriculture into homes and communities across the state this past year, even when we couldn’t be together in person,” said Nunes. “I am honored to serve another term as Alice and continue promoting Wisconsin’s diverse $104.8 billion agriculture industry.”

The 75th Alice in Dairyland finals will take place in Dane County on May 19-21, 2022.

Christchurch inventor and entrepreneur Logan Williams says his recent wool invention could transform the industry in New Zealand and not only that, he has a “game changer” for the dairy industry also.

“When I was working for Fonterra I invented a device to destroy methane.

“It’s all confidential, but it’s a device that sits on the cow, sheep or goat. We did testing with NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) to verify it.”

Williams says the dairy device is “still in the commercialisation mode.”

“We’re ensuring that the device will be small, scaleable and effective.

“It has huge potential, but it’s one thing to get a patent to create something robust and get it to work on a farm.

“I think it will succeed. I’m very confident it will work.”

When he invented the dairy “methane buster”, Williams was working for Fonterra.

He is now employed by NZ Merino, which shoulder-tapped him to come up with a solution to New Zealand’s ailing wool industry.

The brief he was given was to solve the strong wool problem.

Since 1995 sheep numbers have dropped from 49 million to around 27 million, with wool production falling 5 per cent up to 2018, from 213 million kg clean equivalent to 105 million kg.

Logan Williams’ invention, Keravos, pellets made with a combination of strong wool and acid derived from corn starch.

While the price of fine wool has increased by approximately 50 per cent in the past 20 years, it has been a different story for strong, or as it is sometimes called, coarse wool of which New Zealand is the world’s leading exporter to textile manufacturers.

“They (NZ Merino) received money from the Government to solve the strong wool problem. It costs more to shear the sheep than what the wool is worth.”

Appointed as the company’s director of technology and innovation, it took him four months to invent a product called Keravos, made with strong wool and polylactic acid (PLA) from corn starch to produce wool pellets. PLA is widely used around the world as a plastic substitute.

Williams’ idea of using wool is the new part of the exercise.

“We did heaps of tests and went for advancing testing at Auckland University which proved it was stronger, lighter stiffer and more sustainable than the existing plastic products.”

The Keravos pellets are turned into products by a process called injection moulding.

Recently, Williams launched a catamaran made with Keravos to some fanfare in Lyttelton Harbour.

Williams said multiple products could be produced using Keravos: pontoons, kayaks, cooler bins to name a few.

“Our goal is simple, it’s to dominate the strong wool industry with hundreds of consumer products and displace plastic as much as possible. It should transform the industry.”

A company has been formed marketing the pellets which are produced in a Hamilton factory operated by Maisey Group.

Williams has a 20 per cent stake in the company with the remaining 80 per cent owned by New Zealand Merino.

The methane gas buster and Keravos are only two of Williams’ inventions.

Along the way there has been a list of inventions and awards: He manufactured biodegradable products, plastic and fabrics, from the pest-algae Didymo and started a business.

“I sold that company about four or five years ago.

A friend suffered from photo sensitive epilepsy, so Williams invented polarised contact lenses.

Next was a medical nebulizer, which he is in the process of selling.

It’s a far cry from his days growing up in Timaru, when Williams had little interest in inventions.

“I was in the first football XI at Timaru Boys’ High School and more interested in football and girls back then.”

Only after attending the University of Canterbury did he display his gift for invention.

He has graduated with a Bachelor of Science (first class honours), Masters in Business Administration (BMA) and is now doing PhD studies in Applied Psychology.

Williams says he is not inventing, but finding solutions to problems following a scientific process.

“Anyone can follow the framework. My goal is to inspire others to create solutions.”

More ideas are bubbling away. He could be set to transform another industry: Mānuka honey.

“It’s definitely an industry ripe for disruption.”

A new report finds that US agriculture can lead the fight against climate change if farmers are given the right incentives.

A new report commissioned by Farm Journal Foundation found that US farmers have the potential to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and become part of the global solution to climate change.

US agriculture contributes about 10% of the total greenhouse gas emissions of the entire national economy, but farmers could greatly reduce those emissions if they were provided with the right government incentives, according to the report, which was co-authored by Dr John Reilly of MIT’s Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change and Dr Stephanie Mercier, senior policy adviser at Farm Journal Foundation.

Expanding existing government programs could enable farmers to become more sustainable – helping them improve their soil health, increase livestock efficiency, convert animal waste into clean energy, and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. Farm businesses run on tight margins and are affected by volatile commodity markets, so farmers need incentives – such as tax breaks, cost share, technical assistance, or favorable loan terms – in order for sustainable investments to make financial sense.

“Farmers are already feeling the effects of climate change, with US growing areas experiencing a series of droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events in recent years,” Reilly said. “These conditions are only expected to intensify. The US should develop and expand programs that help farmers prepare for the challenges that lie ahead, and enable them to make investments to mitigate future climate change.”

A number of government programs already provide impactful financial and technical assistance for conservation, such as USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). However there is more demand for assistance than can be met under existing funding levels. For example, between 2000 and 2010, only about 40% of projects proposed under the EQIP program were actually funded, and farmers submitting requests for technical assistance often face long waiting periods.

Increasing the funding for government programs and enabling more farmers to participate would go a long way toward making the agricultural industry more sustainable. With the right incentives in place, the US farming sector could ultimately become a net carbon sink – meaning that it would absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases.

To help the industry become carbon positive, farmers could capture more carbon in their soils, increase the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer applications (which can lower emissions of nitrous oxide), and harvest biomass to produce clean fuels. Large and medium-scale livestock operations could also contribute by installing methane digesters on their farms, which are machines that collect animal waste and convert it into natural gas. According to the report, there is enough manure produced in the US each year to generate methane that could supply an estimated 10% of the country’s electricity needs.

Increased government investment in agricultural research could help deliver even more solutions, according to the report. For example, methane released by livestock during the digestive process is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, but one recent discovery found that under experimental conditions, particular types of seaweed added to livestock diets can almost completely eliminate methane emissions from those animals. Breakthrough research such as this will be critical if the industry is to become “carbon positive.”

“There is no shortage of solutions to help the US agricultural industry fight climate change, but farmers need support to put these solutions into practice,” Mercier said. “Broadening access to government incentives and increased public investment in agricultural research will be crucial for the industry to become a sustainability success story.”

Click here to read the full report. 

The heifer at the centre of a row between a dairy farmer and the Welsh government over bovine TB has been slaughtered after an early morning swoop by police officers and officials bearing a court order for her destruction.

Anthony and Heather Brunt were asleep when police and government vets arrived on their farmyard at Coybal, New Quay, on Wednesday morning (26 May).

They had a court order for the destruction of the first-lactation Shorthorn.

See also: Q&A: Wales’ chief vet outlines latest bovine TB strategy

The animal had had three inconclusive TB skin tests and five negative blood tests for the disease.

Mr Brunt, who has coronary heart disease, said the incident had left him shaken.

“I went outside to count the number of vehicles in the yard but gave up because there were so many,” he said.

Anthony Brunt with condemned heifer © Anthony Brunt

The herd is milked once a day and the heifer was grazing in the field with the other animals at the time.

“They had to look for her, I didn’t want to lead them to her but I knew they would find her eventually,” said Mr Brunt.

In April, he resisted attempts to remove the heifer from the herd and had been advised by his solicitor last week that he would be called to give evidence in court before a decision was taken on her future.

“I was expecting to have my say in court, but then this morning happened,” said Mr Brunt.

He described the impact that TB has had on his herd as “soul-destroying”.

In the past four-and-a-half years, his herd has dropped from 120 to 45 cows.

Enhanced measures

The Welsh government’s enhanced measures policy means that after a herd has been in a TB breakdown situation for 18 months, all skin tests are switched to severe interpretation, with third time inconclusive reactors (IRs) also included for slaughter and annual herd gamma interferon blood tests carried out.

Mr Brunt said he had been inundated with messages of support from the local farming community.

“If they thought we were harbouring TB on the farm that wouldn’t be the case

“We have had nothing but support and have never received a word of condemnation.”

Source: Farmers weekly

Holstein Association USA extended the Junior transfer “received by” deadline to July 15 for both heifers and cows in 2020. This new deadline for juniors will remain in place for the 2021 show season and beyond. To be eligible to participate in sanctioned Junior Holstein Shows, the July 15 deadline must be met.

A transfer deadline of July 15 aligns more closely with most of the other dairy breed associations. The extended deadline also allows Juniors an extra month and a half to purchase their show calves, providing additional marketing opportunities.

“We wanted to remind people that the Junior transfer deadline changed last year,” said Kelli Dunklee, youth programs specialist. “It is important to remember the change only impacts Junior Holstein Shows – 4-H and other youth shows may have different deadlines.”

This is a “received by” deadline – any ownership transfer not received by the Holstein Association USA office on or before July 15 will not be eligible for Junior Holstein Shows. Adding or dropping any owner after the deadline will disqualify an animal for Junior recognition. If there is a question as to whether a Junior ownership transfer has been completed, be sure to contact the Holstein Association USA customer service or visit www.holsteinusa.com to check the ownership status and ensure the transfer was received before the deadline.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has recognized Canada as negligible risk for Bovine Spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

“The recommendation by the OIE’s Scientific Commission to grant Canada negligible risk status for BSE is a historic closing of the BSE era for Canada which brought unprecedented hardship to our industry in the early 2000s,” said Bob Lowe, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) President.

CCA worked closely with the Government of Canada to see the application for negligible risk come to fruition. This change in risk status will help facilitate expanded access to foreign markets for various beef products currently limited by BSE era restrictions. The attainment of negligible risk puts Canada at the lowest level of risk for the transmission of BSE alongside the U.S. which attained their status in 2013.

To achieve negligible risk, a country must demonstrate the last case of classical BSE was born more than 11 years ago and effective control measures and surveillance systems are in place. Canada’s last case was born in 2009.

“We thank everyone involved in helping us attain this status including the Government of Canada, veterinarians across Canada and Canadian farmers and ranchers. We also thank Canadian consumers who supported Canada’s beef industry during the hardest times of BSE when Canadian beef couldn’t be exported,” added Lowe.

CCA will now focus on the removal of the remaining BSE era market access restrictions as well as the alignment of packing house requirements with international recommendations. The additional requirements placed on Canada’s processing sector because of BSE created a significant economic disadvantage in comparison with others in the international marketplace.

Canada’s first case of BSE was discovered in May 2003 and led to international borders closing to Canadian beef, a significant impact as 50 per cent of Canadian beef is exported. Although difficult to fully quantify the direct economic impacts of BSE, between just 2003 and 2006, losses were estimated to be between $4.9 to $5.5 billion. Further indirect costs have continued to be accrued, due to the opportunity costs of continued limited market access and additional processing costs for Canada’s packing industry.

Following the economic hardship from BSE, 26,000 beef producers exited the industry between 2006 and 2011.
Source: SwiftCurrentOnline

Hannah Diehl, McVeytown, Pa., Elizabeth Gross, New Ringgold, Pa., and Meghan Hettinga, Orange City, Iowa, have been selected as the 2020-2021 recipients of the Fred Stout Experience Awards.

The fund supporting these awards was created in 2000 in memory of Fred J. Stout Sr., Mt. Carmel, Ill., a lifelong Jersey breeder and member of the Jersey Marketing Service (JMS) staff from 1978 to 1997. Stout was instrumental in the growth of JMS marketing activities, and later added duties as a type evaluator and in customer field service for the American Jersey Cattle Association.

Stout believed that the best learning experiences happen in the everyday world. These awards honor that conviction by providing financial support for two paid internships each year, one on-farm and the other with JMS.

JMS Internship Recipients: Hannah Diehl and Elizabeth Gross

Two Pennsylvania Jersey youth have been selected to work with JMS during 2021.

Hannah Diehl began her internship with JMS on May 23. She will assist with the preparation, staging and wrap-up work for the company’s public auctions, online and private treaty sales including the 64th National Heifer Sale, June 25 in Donahue, Iowa.

Hannah was selected as the 2020 Fred Stout recipient, but due to COVID-19 the internship was postponed until 2021.

She is a student at Penn State University and will graduate in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in animal science with a business option. At Penn State, Hannah is active with the Penn State Dairy Science Club where she served as the Dairy Expo Show Manager in 2020. She is also a member of the dairy judging team.

When not in school, Hannah is an integral part of her family’s farm—Musser Run Jerseys. She helps with record keeping and registering the newborn calves. In addition, she monitors breeding records and offers suggestions on matings and assists with milking the 170 Registered Jerseys when able.

Hannah was a member of Class VI of Jersey Youth Academy. She placed seventh in the 2018 National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest and received the Anne E. Perchard Challenge Award the same year. She served the Pennsylvania Jersey Cattle Association as their state Queen in 2019.

The second JMS Fred Stout Experience winner is Elizabeth Gross. 

She is a May 2021 graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor’s degree in animal science with a business option. At Penn State, Elizabeth was a member of the Penn State Dairy Judging Team. She placed 13th overall and 3rd in individual reasons at the 2020 online intercollegiate judging contest. She served as treasurer of the Penn State Dairy Science Club and was a member of the Nittany Lion Fall Classic Sale committee. She also volunteered with the All-American Dairy Show assisting with check in and clerking.

Elizabeth is the owner of EVEL Jerseys. The herd of seven cows has an average appraisal score of 86%. In addition to working with her own herd, she interned with Billings Farm and Museum in 2019.  While there she learned skills from shadowing the manager and assistant manager and learning their decision-making process. She assisted with rotation, care and feeding of the milking herd and heifer groups, monitored herd health and worked with the nursery heifers.

Elizabeth will begin her internship experience with JMS for the fall sale season.

Farm Experience Internship Recipient: Meghan Hettinga

Meghan Hettinga’s internship supported by the Fred Stout Experience Fund will be at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy, Donahue, Iowa, with a focus on on-farm processing and interacting with consumers.

Meghan is a senior at South Dakota State University (SDSU) majoring in dairy production. She has a minor in communication studies and agribusiness marketing.

At SDSU, she is a member of the track team and the dairy club. She currently serves as historian of the Dairy Club and serves on the Executive Team. She manages the groups social media accounts and has designed and managed the sale of club apparel. On campus she is also a student ambassador for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Meghan is currently serving as the Iowa Dairy Princess, a goodwill ambassador for the Iowa dairy farmers.

She was a member of Class VI of Jersey Youth Academy and received the Paul Jackson Memorial Scholarship from the AJCA in 2020. She was a finalist in the National Jersey Queen contest and received the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club Youth Achievement award.

Growing up on her family’s 150 head Registered Jersey farm has fueled Meghan’s passion for the dairy industry. In 2020, she was the Dairy Production Intern for Riverview LLP. This position gave Meghan an experience of working with a large commercial dairy. During school she works as a research animal technician where she works with a variety of animal species involved in studies.

Meghan’s experience at Cinnamon Ridge Dairy will run from May 24 to August 6.

About Jersey Youth Programs

Previous recipients of the Fred Stout Experience Award are Tara Bohnert, Illinois (2003), Allison Waggoner, South Carolina (2004), Dan Bauer, Wisconsin (2005), Aaron Horst, Pennsylvania (2006), Jacob Pieper, Maryland (2007); Katie Albaugh, Maryland (2008); Brady Core, Kentucky (2009); Ivy Roberts, Florida, and Kim Wilson, Missouri (2010); Amy Maxwell, Iowa, and Joseph Fjarlie, Wisconsin (2011); Robert McGarry, Vermont, and Lyman Rudgers, New York (2012); Meagan Bolen, Ohio, and Wyatt Smith, Minnesota (2013); Meagan Chittenden, New York, and Olivia Pearson, North Carolina (2014); Gerret Boer, Texas, and Tyler Stiles French, South Carolina (2015); and Laura Bell, Tennessee, and Austin Woods, Wisconsin (2016); Tyler Kirchdoerfer, Missouri and Blake Koehn, Oklahoma (2017); Amanda LoRusso, Connecticut (2018); Brennan Topp, Ohio; and Abigail Grimm, Minnesota (2019).

The Fred Stout Experience Fund is among 14 educational awards for Jersey youth managed by the American Jersey Cattle Association, Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Contributions to these funds are recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(3) tax deductible charitable gifts and may be made at any time during the year. Applications for 2019-20 academic scholarships will be available May 1 on the USJersey website and are due July 1, 2021. Applications for the 2022 Stout Experience Awards are accepted through December 1, 2021. For more information, visit USJersey.com, or contact the AJCA Communications Department at (614) 861-3636 or email info@usjersey.com.

A blog post from the National Farmers Union’s Hannah Packman explains why farmers should not be penalised for repairing essential farm equipment.

Thanks in large part to the introduction of machinery like tractors and combines, farms today are far more efficient and productive than they were a handful of generations ago. Though these time- and labor-saving technologies can run tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, farmers often aren’t able to fix their machinery themselves – which has significant implications for their finances, privacy, and security.

A few decades ago, any given farmer often had the skills and tools needed to quickly make repairs if their machinery broke down. These days, however, it’s not so straightforward. Most modern farm equipment is technologically advanced, containing computers and sensors that collect and transmit data. As a result, specific software tools are typically necessaryto address mechanical failures and other issues.

However, most companies refuse to make those tools available to farmers, making it exceptionally difficult to fix broken machinery on their own. They can’t even go an independent mechanic, since manufacturers won’t sell them parts or diagnostic tools either. This leaves farmers essentially no choice but to take their broken equipment to a licensed dealership.

This isn’t cheap. A farmer might spend thousands of dollars on a simple adjustment they could have done themselves with the appropriate resources. On the other hand, this arrangement has proven wildly lucrative for manufacturers; for Deere, as an example, parts and repairs are up to six times more profitable than selling the equipment itself.

But money isn’t the only problem – it’s also a matter of time. Oftentimes on a farm, tasks like planting and harvesting have to be done within a window of just a few days when the moisture content, ripeness, or weather conditions are just right. If, god forbid, machinery breaks during that window and a dealership can’t make an appointment immediately, the wait can cut severely into the farmers’ annual yields and income.

There’s also the issue of privacy. Equipment manufacturers collect lots and lots of data about soil, weather, yields, and other factors, which they can then share with or sell to “affiliates and suppliers.” This intentional data sharing in and of itself is worrying for farmers’ privacy, but even worse is the possibility of hackers accessing that information. Just last month, a security expert found vulnerabilities in John Deere’s apps that would have allowed outsiders to download the company’s data on farm equipment and vehicle owners.

In addition to data breaches, there are other potential security risks. Because most modern tractors can be operated and shut off remotely, some farmers and experts worry that hackers could disable thousands of tractors at a time. Such a widespread disruption could affect the entire country’s agricultural production, threatening livelihoods and food security.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of alternatives for farmers who want to buy equipment they can fix. About 95% of large farm tractors are made by just three companies: Deere, CNH Industrial, and AgCo, all three of which engage in the kind of resource restriction that prevents on-farm repairs. Instead, some farmers have resorted to buying decades-old tractorsthat don’t require copyrighted software to repair.

Farmers shouldn’t have to choose between outdated equipment or the inability to fix their own tools. That’s why National Farmers Union will continue to fight for Right to Repair legislation that allows farmers and independent mechanics access to diagnostic software, information, and other tools necessary to repair modern equipment.

Words: Hannah Packman