Podcasts about national milk producers federation

Sustainability isn't just about the environment. Experts say carbon scores can help dairy farmers measure efficiency, improve management, and meet growing marketplace expectations. Teri Barr talks with Grace Moeller, manager of sustainability initiatives with the National Milk Producers Federation to learn how it could be an important management tool for your farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disease pressure is back in the dairy market conversation. New World screwworm has moved into the U.S. Avian flu is still lingering in dairy herds. Foot-and-mouth disease is also back in the conversation after a recent Dutton Ranch storyline raised questions about what an outbreak would mean for U.S. cattle and dairy. So, we got together the experts and asked: is U.S. dairy ready? Listen to the episode. Listen here. Also available on: Amazon Music Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube In this episode: In The Milk Check episode 101, host Ted Jacoby III is joined by Jamie Jonker, chief science officer and vice president of sustainability and scientific affairs for the National Milk Producers Federation, and Sarina Sharp, market analyst for the Daily Dairy Report and Risk Manager at Ag Business Solutions. We break down what these disease risks mean for dairy cattle, milk production, farm-level disruption and market economics. We cover: How screwworm could disrupt individual dairy farms Why the closed border with Mexico is changing feeder cattle flows, beef prices and dairy farm economics Where avian flu stands today, and why current cases are not affecting dairy like they did in 2024 Why foot-and-mouth disease remains a low-risk, high-consequence threat for U.S. livestock Get up to speed on what animal health risks mean for milk production, dairy markets and farm-level decision-making Listen to The Milk Check episode 101: Screwworm, Bird Flu and Foot-and-Mouth Disease: Is U.S. Dairy Ready? Got questions: We'd love to hear them. Submit below, and we might answer it on the show. Ask The Milk Check TMC-Intro-final Ted Jacoby III: Coming up on the Milk Check. Sarina Sharp: The border is shut, and it doesn’t look like it will open anytime soon, so we just have this vacuum of Mexican beef cattle. Ted Jacoby III: Welcome to the Milk Check from T.C. Jacoby & Co., your complete guide to dairy markets, from the milking parlor to the supermarket shelf. I’m Ted Jacoby. Let’s dive in. Ted Jacoby III: Today we are excited to have two special guests. First, we have Jamie Jonker, chief science officer and vice president of sustainability and scientific affairs for the National Milk Producers Association, And second, we have Serena Sharp, the excellent market analyst who does our weekly market report. Serena, Jamie, thanks for joining us today. We’re excited to have you. Jamie Jonker: Thank you for having me here. I think we’re gonna have a number of things that are quite timely to talk about today. Sarina Sharp: Thanks for having me again. Ted Jacoby III: In addition to those two, we have some of our usual suspects. We have Mike Brown, our VP of dairy market intelligence. We have Jacob Menge, our VP of trading strategy and risk management. We have my brother Gus, president of the dairy fluid group. We have Josh White, our VP of dairy ingredients. And we have Tristan Suellentrop on our sales and marketing team, and Manuel Polzer, who is part of Jake’s risk management team. Guys, thanks for joining us today. So the topic we’re gonna be discussing today, there are three different diseases that have been gaining news in terms of how it might be affecting milk production and dairy cows. The first would be screwworm which has come across the border from Mexico, the second is avian flu is back. And of course, the third is Dutton Ranch recently had an episode that talked about foot-and-mouth disease on their cattle farm in Texas. And so of course, we’re getting questions about that. But we’ll start with the one that’s probably getting the most attention, and that is screwworm coming across the border from Mexico. It is now in Texas, and it is in New Mexico. Jamie, why don’t you just give us a brief background on what is screwworm, and how does it affect dairy cattle versus beef cattle? Jamie Jonker: Yeah. Great question, Ted. New World screwworm is a fly that, lays its eggs in mammals. It was eradicated from the U.S. in the mid-1960s, and by 2002, it was eradicated all the way down to what’s called the Darien Gap in Panama. That is a forested area about 50 miles wide, where there are no official roads going through it. And so that was really great news about the many decades process to get it down there. What’s happened is starting in ’23, it started creeping back up through Central America through the movement of people and people moving with their animals. Got into Mexico in ’24. Started really taking off in Mexico in ’25, and then just this past June 3rd, we had our first official case in Texas. Today there are 27 confirmed cases in the U.S. 25 in Texas. Out of those about 16 are cattle, most of those are calves castrated males. There is at least one adult cattle in that. So far, all of those are beef cattle. What happens is the New World screwworm fly lays its eggs in any open wound. And when we think about a wound, I want people to understand that can be as small as a tick bite, so it doesn’t have to be a large gash on an animal. It’s very tiny. And what is very unique about the New World screwworm larvae, and also quite devastating, is that the larvae eat live tissue of the So when the eggs start hatching, and the female lays 200 to 300, it very quickly becomes an animal health and welfare issue for that individual animal. Unlike viral and bacterial diseases though, this is not directly transmissible from one animal to another. Obviously, as the larvae mature and become flies of their own, then they can continue to spread it in that area. But unlike what we’ll talk about in a little bit, the H5N1, which was highly transmissible between cows in an individual herd, this does not necessarily transmit from animal to animal. It’s when the larvae become flies, mate, and then the next generation can lay eggs in new animals So, what happens when it gets into these animals, in particular, newborn calves are highly susceptible because of the open umbilical area, they get in there, and, if left untreated, the mortality in newborn calves can approach fifty percent. However, highly recoverable if caught early and treated. Out of those twenty-seven animals, so far that have been identified at least one actually has been euthanized because that was the right decision for that animal. Where we are today, no dairy cattle so far as of June twenty-ninth when this is being recorded. But it is growing in terms of the geography where they’re finding domestic animals in Texas that have it. It’s a growing potential risk for dairy farmers that are in the Southwest. Ted Jacoby III: Jamie, sticking with beef cattle, does the beef industry handle infected cattle with screwworm right now? Jamie Jonker: Animals that have an infestation, essentially you have to clean out the larvae, then you treat the wounds. The other thing that you do is you wanna make sure that you do prevention treatment to prevent infestation from happening in other animals. Because once you have one animal infested, there’s likely a reproducing fly population there, and so there’s a higher risk for other animals in that location. There’s a number of products that are approved for prevention purposes. And they have withdrawal times, ranging, on the beef side, withdrawal times, thirty-plus days in some cases. Some of those products are also approved for use in dairy cattle. There’s a distinction that FDA does through its emergency use authorization and conditional approval processes that typically breaks between growing cattle and lactating cattle. For FDA purposes, lactating dairy cattle are twenty months of age or older, even if they’re not lactating. There’s only one product that’s approved for prevention in lactating dairy cattle at this point in time. That’s DECTOMAX. It’s an injectable product that has a nineteen and a half day milk withdrawal period and a thirty-plus day meat withdrawal period. Ted Jacoby III: Once these cows are infected and then treated, if it’s beef cattle, for at least 30 days they couldn’t be sold to a slaughterhouse, correct? Jamie Jonker: That’s correct. And we want to encourage folks to work with their veterinarian and only use those products that have been approved through the FDA processes. Because if you’re using other products, the withdrawal period is unknown; you’re setting yourself up to potentially have a residue issue. Ted Jacoby III: And how is National Milk right now working with dairy farmers in the United States to prepare for the possibility that we will have a infected dairy cow in the U.S.? Jamie Jonker: We are pulling together resources. We actually have a resource page on our nmpf.org website. And there’s a big pop-up right, right on top for New World screwworm resources for dairy farmers. We have some of our own resources. Obviously, there are lots of people putting together really great resources. We don’t need to recreate things that are done well, so we have links to other resources. We’re also keeping a keen eye on what’s happening as we get new detections in Texas, and potentially as the summer goes on, potentially in other states as well, and working with USDA, Texas Animal Health Commission, and others on keeping preparedness top of mind. Ted Jacoby III: It sounds like if you have a cow infected with screwworm, it’s reportable, and so the U.S.DA is keeping a register of where all the cows are that have been infected. Is that true for dairy as well? Jamie Jonker: Yes. If A dairy animal is found to have an infestation , the first thing we recommend, if you see something that you think might be New World screwworm in any of your dairy animals, contact your veterinarian. Because what we wanna have is an official sample taken so that they can determine whether or not it truly is New World screwworm, because some of these larvae and some of these flies, they look pretty similar, and you just can’t tell by a quick glance at them. But we get that official determination from USDA. What that does is that triggers a response, and that response is important because it’s the response to that individual animal, it’s a response to help mitigate the risk of spread on that farm and spread in that area. And when you have one or more animals that are found to have an infestation, a 20-kilometer zone is set up around them. That’s called the infested zone. There’s strict requirements on the ability for moving animals out of that zone. Then beyond that is another 20-kilometer surveillance zone. And the Texas Animal Health Commission has a great map that shows the zones in Texas, and as they’ve had an increasing number of domestic animals found to have infestations, some of those areas are starting to merge into a pretty large geography there close to the border. Ted Jacoby III: Is my understanding correct that if a beef cattle were to get infected within a 20-mile radius of a dairy farm, you couldn’t move the cattle out of that dairy farm either? Jamie Jonker: You would be able to move the animals, but you have to move them under permit. There’s inspection of the animals to ensure that they don’t have any infestations. Depending upon where they’re moving, there could be requirements for prevention treatment. That’s not necessarily that it happens 100% of the time. If they’re moving within the state of Texas, there might be requirements that are different than if the animals are moving, say, from Texas to elsewhere. And we certainly know that a lot of dairy animals spend part of their life in Texas and move elsewhere. We saw that starting in March of 2024 with the H5N1. Ted Jacoby III: So Jamie, is there a protocol set up for exactly how the milk from a dairy cow that would be infected with screwworm is handled, and how that herd would be managed if that were to happen, and what is that protocol? Jamie Jonker: Yeah, so if you have a dairy animal that is infested, you wanna get that animal isolated. You wanna have that wound where the larvae are cleaned out and then treated. There are a couple of additional products that are approved for lactating dairy cattle for treatment of the infestation itself, so Dectomax is the only one approved for prevention purposes. There’s a topical spray and a topical gel that are approved for an animal that has an infestation. You clean it out, you treat it with that, you isolate them and then, if you’re not doing additional treatments of animals in the herd, if the determination is you’ve got an isolated case and you don’t need to do a broader prevention process, that milk from all those other animals continues to flow. You wanna make sure that you’re not incidentally transferring flies in the cab of the milk truck because that is one way that you can move these flies quite a long distance by just accidentally trapping them in your vehicle. But unless the requirement is to do a broader prevention treatment in the herd, any animal that is not treated with an animal health product, its milk is perfectly sellable, so long as they’re continuing to meet the having no residues from other antibiotics. Ted Jacoby III: So, to be clear, milk from a cow that might be infected with screwworm, the milk itself is still absolutely fine and healthy unless You’re treating the cow with a medicine to get rid of the screwworm. Jamie Jonker: An infestation is an animal health and welfare issue. It’s not a food safety issue for meat or milk. Ted Jacoby III: Do you anticipate that we are going to have issues with screwworm in dairy cattle soon? Jamie Jonker: Soon is difficult to define. I would say that we have an elevated risk that it will occur at some point in time on a facility with dairy animals, a commercial dairy facility. And I say that because New World screwworm grows well in temperatures like we’re experiencing throughout a lot of parts of the U.S. right now. It’s very cold intolerant, and if you get three or four days at twenty degrees Fahrenheit, that kills most of the flies, so that’s great. But we are just at the end of June, so we have many months yet with temperatures that are very conducive for the flies to be active. And I think the other thing is that as we look at a growing geography in Texas of where we are finding screwworm infestations in domesticated livestock we probably don’t have enough New World screwworm sterile flies being produced today to respond to that. That is why USDA has worked with Mexico in renovating a fruit fly production facility there to produce New World screwworm sterile flies. I believe it was just announced late last week. That facility is up and running and at full production capacity probably towards the end of the year. That’s another hundred million flies to complement the hundred million that are being produced at the facility in Panama. And then there was, in April of this year, the announcement of a domestic plant being built on a military base in Edinburg, Texas. The target date for that is to be November of next year to produce three hundred million flies once it’s fully operational . You’ve heard Secretary Rollins discuss they are looking at ways to move that timeline faster. But I think when you consider we started off with a hundred million in Panama, we’re gonna be another hundred million sterile flies in Mexico by the end of the year, and then another three hundred million in Texas when that is up and running. That’s a realization that this is gonna be a multi-year process, and that it’s unlikely that it’s just gonna stay in a geography near the border. So, long way of saying, yes, I think it’s probably a matter of when it gets to a dairy facility and not if. Ted Jacoby III: Serena, do you think screwworm, if and when it starts to affect dairy cows, is going to materially affect milk production in the U.S.? Sarina Sharp: I guess it depends how widespread it is, but I generally don’t think so. I think that it’s gonna be a huge headache at the very least for an individual dairy producer who has to deal with it and for his livestock. But it’s not gonna be material in terms of how many dairies in the U.S. it’s likely to impact. And especially, if you look at where the beef cattle are and the typical temperatures in those areas versus where dairy cattle are in the United States, three days of cold is very common in a lot of dairy areas. And then thirdly, a lot of the beef cattle that have it now are in ranch country. They’re not in an operation where the cattle grower is hands-on, up close with these animals every single day. And on a dairy, that’s not the case. When you are milking cows every day, and bottle-feeding calves, and checking on your heifers, that’s a very hour-to-hour interaction with your livestock, and so it’s a lot easier to contain an infestation in that environment than it is on this vast ranch country with scrub brush in the southern plains. Ted Jacoby III: That makes a lot of sense ’cause you can go days without inspecting beef cattle, but you rarely go hours without inspecting a dairy cow. Sarina Sharp: Yeah. So, when I look at the market impact of screwworm on the dairy industry, I’m not focused on milk production at this point at all. I’m looking at its impact on beef prices and how that changes economics on the dairy farm Ted Jacoby III: How do you think it’s gonna change beef prices? Sarina Sharp: It has already changed beef prices because the United States closed the border with Mexico to live mammal imports. And so, the primary way that’s impacted us is we typically take hundreds of thousands and slightly over a million Mexican feeder cattle. So, that’s young beef livestock from Mexico into the United States, feed and finish them in the United States, and then they help increase our beef cattle supplies. That border has been shut for quite a while now, and for the first months of this screwworm infestation in Mexico, when it was not in the United States and not in northern Mexico, then there was a constant hope, “All right, they’ll get this under control, and we’ll reopen the border, and those feeder cattle imports, we’ll be able to bring them in again.” The border is shut, and it doesn’t look like it will open anytime soon, so we just have this vacuum of Mexican beef cattle. That means that the U.S. dairy industry is positioned to continue to supply beef crossbred calves to the beef cattle industry. That’s beef on dairy calves. At times when we have extra heifers, which is not right now, we’ll just place true dairy animals in feedlots. The price might incentivize us to consider that, although right now they’re so valuable as dairy animals, that’s not happening, at least not at scale. And then, it impacts the dairy cull cow price as well. So, I was talking to a producer last week who sold one full truckload of dairy cull cows at an average price of $3,500 per animal. That’s just an unheard-of price in the past, and it is really adding up to a lot for dairy producers’ bottom lines. For several days here, we were looking at $15, $16 milk and $4.30 corn, and the math wasn’t working out, but when you add a beef crossbred calf check and a dairy cull cow check into that mix, things are looking a lot better when you talk to your banker. Ted Jacoby III: So, it sounds like to me that even though from a public relations standpoint this is going to be a bit of a headache and we have to make sure we get the word out of exactly how screwworm is affecting the dairy industry and how we have protocols in place and plans to make sure that it doesn’t affect the milk supply, for the dairy farmer from a cashflow perspective, at the end of the day it’s probably a positive. Sarina Sharp: It is a positive. I do want to stress that there’s no less beef in the world because of screwworm. What we’ve changed is where those animals are, and the longer that the border stays closed, the more resources that the Mexican cattle industry is gonna pour into facilities to finish the cattle that are staying there, and then also beef packing facilities so they can just process them right there. So we are not importing Mexican feeder cattle. We are importing Mexican beef. So, that’s a positive for dairy producers who are supplying young livestock. In the long run, it’s a negative for the U.S. beef industry who would love to raise those cattle here and process them here. And every day that we don’t is a day that Mexico is investing in not sending them here and sending us the finished beef. Ted Jacoby III: That makes a lot of sense. Jamie Jonker: I think the one thing I would add is I don’t think there’s gonna be a milk disruption issue. But at an individual farm level, it could be very disruptive. So nationally, you probably won’t really notice much, but at an individual farm level, depending on what happens, it could be very disruptive. In contrast to H5N1, which was really a big issue in so many different places. This is something that is gonna be at the individual farm level. Ted Jacoby III: Do dairy farmers have insurance for events like this? Sarina Sharp: So I know that with H5N1, you were able to file for some insurance protection related to your lost milk revenue, and you also registered that as an event for your dairy RP. I imagine that if you’re not gonna lose milk production at scale, that it’s not insurable Ted Jacoby III: That makes sense. ​ Ted Jacoby III: Everybody, we will be right back after these messages. Diego Carvallo: I’m Diego Carballo with T.C. Jacoby & Co.. T.C. Jacoby & Co. specializes in international dairy markets. For new customers that haven’t done business with Jacoby, I would tell them that we can provide them with many of the powders, dairy products that they consume, not only with the physical product, but we can also help them mitigate their risk. We know dairy. We know the main players. We know the main providers for the whole value chain. We are one of the strongest players in the U.S. market because we have contact all the way from the farmer moving the liquid milk all the way to the end users that buy the end products. I am Diego Carballo with T.C. Jacoby & Co., and we bring dairy to the world. Ted Jacoby III: Jamie, where are we at with avian flu? Is it affecting the dairy industry as badly this year as two years ago, and how do you expect it to play out this year? Jamie Jonker: It is not affecting the dairy sector like it was in 2024. In 2024, there were 917 dairy farms officially identified as having H5N1 on their farms, probably some more that were not officially listed. Last year, in ’25 was only 171, and so far this year, halfway through the year, only 64. So, we’re seeing a downward trend but what we are seeing here is some lingering issues with H5N1 on dairy farms this year. There have been two dairy farms in Texas, three in Utah, and the remaining fifty-nine are all in Idaho. And based upon my conversations with USDA for the farms where they have the genotyping done, these are all B3.13 strains (HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype B3.13) so far, so no new spillover events. It’s a circulating one. And they are all related to a lineage of B3.13 that are circulating in Idaho. And so, it’s still kinda hanging out there. When I look at it, it’s not gonna have the big impact on overall milk production. When I say big, I think when we looked at 2024, it’s probably about a 1% reduction in production. That’s not huge but not inconsequential. Unless there was movement of this to places where there hasn’t been virus before. And you can think about large production areas around the Midwest into the Northeast where there hasn’t been this virus before. And so, that’s the risk, is that this virus moves to places where we haven’t had it before. And that’s why I think it’s important that we do our best to see if we can eliminate this B3.13 strain entirely from the U.S. dairy cattle population because the only reason we picked up the three spillover events with the D1.1 strain is because we had the mandatory surveillance. Based upon my discussions with folks that some of those herds and veterinarians that are dealing with those herds, if you weren’t testing for it, you probably wouldn’t have known that you had an outbreak of bird flu in your cattle. Unlike this B3.13, which was just so devastating, most herds that got it, ten to twenty percent of their herd had very severe clinical symptoms . And, you could see starting in September of ’24 into January, February of ’25, what it did on milk production in California. California had over seven hundred dairy farms in those months that, that were impacted by it. Ted Jacoby III: So if I’m hearing you correctly, this strain is far milder than the strain that affected us in 2024, and as a result it’s unlikely to have a major effect on milk production. Jamie Jonker: This is the same strain as 2024 that has affected the vast majority of those dairy farms. But right now, it’s occurring In places where that strain has already probably impacted most of these dairy farms in some capacity. And so, when they’re getting it in their farms, they’re being picked up as part of the mandatory surveillance process. And they’re not getting that big outbreak in a two-week period where ten to twenty percent of the herd needs to be in a hospital. Ted Jacoby III: Is some of the reason why it’s having less of an effect because, like with human viruses over time, cows build up immunity to it and just don’t get as sick the second, third time they might get sick with the same virus? Jamie Jonker: That appears to be part of that process. In most of our farms, we’re turning over, a quarter to a third of our animals every year, so you have a new naive population coming in. And some of these farms, what they’re really experiencing are they’re just constantly bringing in new naive animals, and they get like a rolling infection. But you’re not having 10% to 20% of the herd all at once. Ted Jacoby III: Thanks, Jamie. Now let’s move on to the last subject we had: foot-and-mouth disease. Jamie, what is the status of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States today? Jamie Jonker: Hollywood likes to glamorize things and I’m happy to say it’s been nearly 100 years since we’ve had a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the U.S., and I sure hope that we don’t have one in my lifetime, it can be quite devastating. But no FMD in the U.S. since an outbreak in California in the late 1920s. And importantly, there’s a lot of work that’s being done on preparation in case of an outbreak . Back in the 2018 Farm Bill, dairy, beef and swine lobbied really hard to modernize our U.S. FMD vaccine bank. And there was a significant amount of new monies that were put into that, and that has been modernized. We have the secure food supply plans, including the secure milk supply and secure beef supply plans, and secure swine supply plans that are in place to help us deal with how we continue continuity of business if an outbreak occurs in the U.S. And ,so we’re much better planned today than we were even ten years ago. That being said, FMD is a risk. We see that it moves around a lot more than we would like it to in other areas of the world. And the example that I’m gonna give, there’s seven different serotypes of FMD, and a whole bunch of subtypes. There’s one called South African type. That is typically a Sub-Saharan African type and has been quite devastating in South Africa over these past two years. In 2023, they had an outbreak of SAT 1 Type 1 in the African horn that moved into Middle East in 2025 and through the end of 2025 into 2026, an SAT Type III actually broke out starting in Asia, moving into India and China. And although not officially listed, probably also into Russia. And so it’s moved into places where they routinely vaccinate for FMD but they don’t vaccinate for this serotype. And unfortunately, the vaccines that they use do not have cross protection for the SAT types, and so it’s been a really big issue in those areas. And it’s a demonstration of how quickly animal diseases can move these days. It’s very much on my radar and of concern to me about how quickly they move. Obviously, we have several oceans on both sides of us that help keep some things at bay. But boy, there’s a lot of flights that come into the U.S. from places where FMD is every day. And we have ships that are coming to container ports that come from those areas as well. It’s not a zero risk. I would say it’s a very low risk. But we wanna make sure we keep it on our radar that we continue to be prepared. It’s better to be prepared for something that doesn’t happen than be unprepared and have an outbreak . I have fire insurance on my house not because I want a fire to happen. I have it just in case, and I hope I never use it. Ted Jacoby III: Why do you think the U.S. has been so much more successful than, let’s say, Europe at staying FMD free? Jamie Jonker: I think part of it is that bit of geographic isolation. The vast majority of the Western Hemisphere is free of foot-and-mouth disease. There may be some in Venezuela, but their political issues over the past decade, their instability , their reporting of disease has been a bit spotty, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they still had a little bit circulating there . But everywhere else in South America, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay those places have all gotten rid of FMD, and they’ve done it through vaccination campaigns and culling. Essentially eliminating it from the Western Hemisphere, our risk is much lower than Europe, which has direct geographic connections to places where it’s endemic. Ted Jacoby III: That makes a lot of sense. Serena, I’ve got one last question for you. What is the thing that keeps you and your family’s farms what keeps you guys up at night in terms of a disease or an outbreak in the U.S.? Sarina Sharp: Foot-and-mouth disease would be terrible, but it doesn’t feel like that’s imminent. I think that another round of avian influenza feels much more likely to have a devastating impact on an individual dairy. It’s not something that’s keeping us up at night every night, but it is something that when you hear, “Yep, there’s 50-plus cases in Idaho,” it feels could happen right here, kind of no matter where in the US right here is. So I think that one is forefront of dairy producers’ minds. But I just don’t think that disease pressure is keeping dairy producers up at night in the way that it did in 2024 when it was a mysterious virus. We were trying to figure out how to treat it. We weren’t sure how it was spreading, and the impact on animal health was so severe. And it feels to me like how we treat the flu and, to a lesser extent, COVID today compared to how we did in 2020. I think that’s how dairy producers generally feel about disease pressure in general today. I don’t want myself or my kids to get COVID or the flu, and we sure don’t want avian influenza on any of our farms Ted Jacoby III: I’d have to agree with that sentiment. This is what I’ve heard today. I’ve heard that screwworm, we are well prepared to deal with it if it does get on a U.S. dairy, but in general, it’s not something we’re terribly worried about affecting milk production in the United States. Avian flu is something maybe we’re a little bit more worried about affecting milk production, but the strain that’s out there today is one that’s been out there before, and we seem pretty well prepared for it. And foot-and-mouth disease is not in the United States, and we’ve got a lot of protocols in place to really keep it at bay, and we’re in a pretty good place in terms of making sure that foot-and-mouth disease stays away from this country. Jamie, hey, thank you very much for joining us today. I really appreciate it. I learned a lot today, and thank you so much for your time. Jamie Jonker: Yeah. Thank you for having me. Ted Jacoby III: Thanks, guys. Thanks, Serena. Thanks, guys. Jamie Jonker: Thank you. Thank Sarah Olson: you, Serena. Jamie, thank Jamie Jonker: you. Yes, see you. Bye, guys. Ted Jacoby III: Coming up next time. Scott Briggs: Yeah, the US is really in a great position to drive global dairy markets over the next five to 10 years. Ted Jacoby III: Tune in next time when we have Scott Briggs from Bridgescape Commodities joining us, talking about milk production on the global scale and how the US is positioned to be competitive against the major global exporters moving forward

The National Milk Producers Federation praised a new USDA interim final rule expanding milk options in federal child nutrition programs, and dispute is growing over federal grazing policy in western states as environmental groups prepare legal challenges.

The National Milk Producers Federation says the exemption cuts unnecessary requirements tied to the Food Traceability List.

There was breaking news at the start of the program that USDA AMS announced $263 million in commodities orders, including significant purchases of dairy products. We get perspective from National Milk Producers Federation president and CEO Gregg Doud. But first, we talk about the latest Ag Economist's Monthly Monitor with Grant Gardner, University of Kentucky Assistant Extension Professor, Grain Marketing. Then Krista Swanson, National Corn Growers Association chief economist, shares details of NCGA's recently released report, America's Crop at Risk: The Future of Corn and Family Farms.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Day Two of our coverage of Top Producer Summit 2026 with coverage sponsored by BASF. This morning we talk weather with Matt Reardon, senior atmospheric scientist at Nutrien Ag Solutions. And we have a conversation with Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dairy industry is experiencing a period of growth in the U.S. right now. Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, says one of the road signs is the current boom in dairy processing expansion. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Inside D.C., where we break down how the policy decisions made in Washington can impact your farm. This week, Brownfield's Carah Hart talks about the good and challenging parts of trade agreements with former chief ag negotiator Gregg Doud, who is currently the President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A familiar voice in the U.S. dairy industry is calling it a career. Chris Galen, the senior vice president of member service and governance for the National Milk Producers Federation, is retiring after 28 years. Galen said he’s seen some changes over the years. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Gregg Doud, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, explains how global agricultural trade negotiations actually work behind closed doors. Drawing on his experience as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Gregg breaks down trade leverage, non tariff barriers, and why communication matters more than tariffs alone. He also shares why agriculture and dairy exports are central to US economic and food security. Listen now on all major platforms to hear this insider perspective on global trade!Meet the guest: Gregg Doud is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Milk Producers Federation, where he leads efforts to strengthen US dairy competitiveness and global trade. He previously served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative and held senior roles in Congress and agricultural economics.What you will learn: (00:00) Introduction(06:13) Trade scale explained(13:18) China negotiations(16:01) Trade preparation(20:32) Regulatory barriers(29:13) Trade misconceptions(45:22) Closing thoughtsDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast". This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Welcome to another episode of the Fenceline Podcast. Bob Quinn is joined by the dairy farmers or industry partners in this episode. We'll hear from farmers on opposite sides of the state about what's really going on in the dairy world. Dig into exports with the CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, and Secretary Mike Naig drops by to chat about his favorite topic - Iowa agriculture.Iowa State Dairy Association: https://www.iowadairy.org/CSIF: http://supportfarmers.com

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins discussed the Dairy Action Plan at the National Milk Producers Federation annual meeting, focusing on improving milk variety options in dietary guidelines.

This week's Open Mic guest is Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. Dairy farmers are seeing better financial returns than in previous stages of a traditionally cyclical market. Doud says beef demand is providing uncharacteristically strong income support for dairy calves and cull animals, while consumer's protein demand is a boon for the industry. Milk producers are hopeful the new Dietary Guidelines report and MAHA Commission will provide an additional boost for their industry. He also discusses agricultural trade issues with Canada, Mexico and China and the need to get negotiations back on track. 

Our broadcast team is on the ground this week at the 2025 NAFB Convention in Kansas City. On this special edition of the show – we'll hear interviews conducted by members of our team. Nicole Heslip talks with William Loux from the U.S. Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation, Jared White interviews Ed Elfman from the American Bankers Association, and Brent Barnett sits down with Iowa farmer Tim Meyer for a harvest update.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the Wednesday edition of the Hoosier Ag Today Daily Podcast: You'll hear from Gibson County dairy producer Brian Rexing, who was elected last week as the new Chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation. Rexing will address some of the biggest issues facing America's dairy producers. Greg Allen will introduce you to Chloe Riddle from Johnson County. Last weekend, she was the recipient of the Indiana 4-H Foundation's Communication accomplishment scholarship—sponsored by Hoosier Ag Today. Chief Meteorologist Ryan Martin has your Indiana Farm Forecast, and Karl Setzer with Consus Ag Consulting reviews Tuesday's grain and livestock markets. That's all coming up on the Hoosier Ag Today Daily Podcast!

Freezing fog covers the state, but sunshine should be coming by the end of the week according to ag meteorologist Stu Muck. Winter conference season is here and one of the first to start is the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative. Bob Bosold talks with Mick Homb the General Manger of the cooperative to see how their first few meetings have gone. MAHA is a hot topic in the country today, and it may leave many producers wondering where dairy fits into it. Stephanie Hoff has a chat with Gregg Doud, the National Milk Producers Federation president and CEO, about where he sees it sliding in. Farm Director Pam Jahnke joins the show with Wisconsin Beef Council Executive Director Tammy Vaassen. They give a look into what is currently happening in the world of beef.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National Milk Producers Federation emphasizes the importance of SNAP, particularly for purchases of fluid milk, yogurt, and cheese, and the WIC program.

A new analysis from the Institute for Feed Education and Research shows a greater reliance on Chinese feed supplements. The U.S. and Mexican governments announced the opening of a new sterile fly dispersal facility. An Indiana dairy farmer is the new chair of the National Milk Producers Federation. 

The National Milk Producers Federation applauded the recent announcement from the Trump administration of new trade agreements in Southeast Asia. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Wisconsin native was recognized with special honors during World Dairy Expo. Jim Mulhern, Former President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation delivered numerous positive results for America’s diligent dairy farmers by working behind the scenes to have conversations explaining many of dairy’s dynamic and deep issues to elected leaders and policymakers. His work has made lasting impacts on dairy and ag policy, and his colleagues routinely say his kindness, hard work, and collaborative nature are unmatched in policy circles. These are among the many reasons Jim Mulhern has been named World Dairy Expo’s 2025 Industry Person of the Year. Bob Bosold talks with the honoree. Weather's a little damp and chilly today, but the rainfall won't amount to much. Stu Muck says we'll bounce back up into the 70's by the end of the week. Combines are in the fields and the experts at Wyffels Hybrids are tuned in! Lucas Clayton, District Sales Manager at Wyffels Hybrids, talks with Kiley Allan about the corn harvest. He says it's is off to a great start, and that both yield and quality are looking good. Wyffels Hybrids has effective tools both in the field and online that help you "Plant Your Independence. Their Harvest Progress Report is showing real time insights into corn harvest. Check it out: https://www.wyffels.com/agronomy/harvest-progress-report As the leaves change and temperatures drop, your yard is getting ready for a new season, too. Don’t overlook landscaping projects this fall! Stephanie Hoff finds out what we should, and shouldn't be doing with the home stretch of good weather. Dane County Extension Horticulture Educator Lisa Johnson says there’s not a specific date to get your fall landscaping to-do list done. That requires eyes on the forecast. Other notes on today's interview: don't prune woody plants in the fall; some perennials need to be planted now, and some can wait until November; and keep native plant stems up to allow insects to overwinter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy's future is bright, and it's brightest when the industry is united toward common goals, the chairmen of the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Milk Producers Federation said.  “$11 billion or so in projects are happening or about to happen that will significantly grow the industry capacity throughout the country,” said Daragh Maccabee, CEO of Idaho Milk Products and Chairman of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) in the podcast released today. “That means the processor community is stepping up, and we all know that the dairy producer community will do its part as dairy farmers always, always do. And aligned with that investment also comes furthering innovation capabilities or further investment in innovation capabilities so that the US can continue to lead the way in delivering value for milk in increasingly sophisticated ways.” The discussion covers the unique qualities of the U.S. dairy industry, including its scale, efficiency, and sustainability. Maccabee and Mooney, who serves as chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation and Dairy Farmers of America, the largest U.S. dairy co-op, with the strength of cooperatives and industry organizations are also highlighted as keys to industry progress. However, dairy faces challenges around labor shortages and trade uncertainty, they said. “We need new laws that help farmers continue to have the labor that we need on the farms to produce the milk. And without that, that's the biggest critical issue that I see as what could affect future dairy production in this country, is just making sure the cows get taken care of and the cows get milked under the labor standards that we have today,” Mooney said. Still, the industry's overall outlook remains something to cheer about, said Mooney, who soon will be stepping down as NMPF's chairman. Reflecting on nearly two decades of leadership in that role, Mooney said it's been an honor to be part of a profession that improves people's lives.  “This industry is going to be bright for the future of farming. It's going to be bright for the producers,” he said. “And not only that, what makes me feel good at the end of the day is on our individual farms.”  

Greg Peterson – Machinery Pete – has a list of interesting auctions he's covering, including his Pick of the Week. Former Chief Agricultural Negotiator, Ambassador Gregg Doud, is currently the president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. He joins us to share perspective on the trade impasse with China, plus the importance of trade with Canada and Mexico to the U.S. dairy industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are some key differences between President Trump’s first and second terms that agriculture should take note of? We’re hearing it today from someone who was inside the administration. Gregg Doud is the National Milk Producers Federation president and CEO. Before arriving at NMPF, he served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 2018 to 2021. He outlines some shifts in priorities for President Trump this time around, including tax updates in the One Big Beautiful Bill, immigration reform, and Make America Healthy Again. Where does dairy fit in? Take a listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Miquela Hanselman, Director of Regulatory Affairs with the National Milk Producers Federation, says the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act currently before Congress would give kids even more choices for the nutrition they need. NAFB News ServiceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are celebrating five years of The Dairy Download with a very special episode featuring two dairy trade association leaders!How is the dairy industry evolving? What challenges and opportunities are dairy farmers and processors facing today? How are policy decisions being made in Washington, D.C. affecting the industry nationwide?This week on The Dairy Download, we are joined by Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association and Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation to discuss how the industry has grown and adapted over the past five years and what the future looks like for dairy. If your company is interested in sponsoring a block of episodes of The Dairy Download, contact IDFA's Lindsay Gold at lgold@idfa.org.Like the show?Rate The Dairy Download on Apple Podcasts!

This collaboration episode between Uplevel Dairy and World Dairy Expo features Jim Mulhern, a seasoned dairy policy expert, who shares his journey from growing up in small town Wisconsin to leading the National Milk Producers Federation. Jim talks about his early exposure to politics and policy in seventh grade, which led to his interest in agricultural policy during his college years. He also discusses his career trajectory, significant industry challenges, such as workforce and trade policy, and the major changes in the dairy sector over the last four decades. Jim reflects on the importance of staying connected to the people he serves, the value of meaningful work, and his philosophy of balancing change with core values. As he receives the World Dairy Expo's Industry Person of the Year award, Jim fondly remembers the people who've impacted his career and offers advice for young professionals in the dairy industry. Be sure to start planning your trip to World Dairy Expo, September 30th through October 3rd. Get your passes now worlddairyexpo.com. This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Dairy Show and World Dairy Expo. 00:00 Introduction to Jim's Journey in Dairy00:57 Early Influences and Education02:30 First Steps in Dairy Policy03:43 Internship and Early Career Challenges05:29 Balancing Supply and Demand in Dairy07:23 Realizing the Impact of Policy Work10:04 Career Growth and National Milk Producers Federation18:40 Changes and Challenges in the Dairy Industry28:09 Future Challenges for Dairy Producers34:27 The Importance of Middle Ground in Politics38:22 Engaging in Industry Organizations41:09 Advice for Young Professionals43:41 Receiving the World Dairy Expo Honor45:54 Reflecting on a Career in Dairy49:17 Personal Reflections and Future Plans01:01:40 Closing Thoughts and Gratitude

Welcome to this special episode of The Dairy Show, brought to you in partnership with Peggy Coffeen, host of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast. She serves as your guest host for a three episode series spotlighting the 2025 World Dairy Expo Recognition Award winners.   In this first episode, we'll celebrate the vast impact of Jim Mulhern, former President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, who will be honored as the Industry Person of the Year at the Recognition Award Banquet on Wednesday evening, October 1, in Madison, Wisconsin. Jim will be joined by fellow honorees Juan F. Moreno of STgenetics, the International Person of the Year, and the McCarty Family of Rexford, Kansas, recognized as the Dairy Producers of the Year.   Stay tuned for future episodes as we highlight each of these industry leaders. And, if you'd like to be part of the celebration, visit worlddairyexpo.com (under the Contest tab) to purchase banquet tickets. Now, let's dive into today's conversation.

California fruit growers and national dairy groups respond as Dr. Julie Callahan is tapped for key agricultural trade role.

Today on AgNet News Hour: Freight, Fuel, and Food Security Take Center Stage It's a jam-packed Tuesday on the AgNet News Hour, and today's episode dives deep into the issues that matter most to growers, shippers, and ag advocates across the nation. With hosts Nick “The Ag Meter” Papagni and Josh McGill leading the conversation, this episode brings a frank and timely look at the agricultural headlines shaping our industry this week. Top of the show is coverage of the ongoing G7 summit in Canada, where global leaders are tackling everything from war and trade to AI and climate change. But noticeably absent from their formal agenda? Agriculture. That's why the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture launched a concurrent summit in Alberta, focused exclusively on food security, innovation, and small-scale farmers. Nick and Josh unpack how these global conversations (and omissions) ripple into policy and practice here at home. From there, the focus shifts back to the states with an in-depth breakdown of the “Big Beautiful Bill”—a sweeping piece of legislation touching everything from SNAP reform and border security to crucial updates in farm safety net programs and estate tax relief for family farms. Featuring insights from the National Milk Producers Federation, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, and pork industry leaders, this segment highlights how the bill could support dairy, livestock, and long-term farm viability. Listeners also get the latest on Blue Diamond Almonds' planned closure of its century-old Sacramento processing plant. Nick and Josh discuss what the consolidation means for employees, land use, and ag manufacturing in California. Finally, freight, fuel, and trade frustrations take the spotlight. With diesel prices soaring and regulatory burdens piling up, truckers and ag haulers are reaching a breaking point. Special guest Nick Folio from Folio Commodities joins the show with real talk on California's freight crisis, followed by Dave Puglia of Western Growers sharing policy perspectives and urgent calls for reform. Don't miss today's candid and critical conversations.

The National Milk Producers Federation explains why plant based meat and milk are boring.

Something as simple as the name of a food can be a trade barrier for U.S. dairy. Shawna Morris is the executive vice president for trade policy and global affairs for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. She says there are quite a few unfair trade policies that the European Union forces on the United States. Geographical Indications are an example -- GIs are a protective label for products with a specific geographical origin. Morris explains why GIs are problematic for dairy products that, according to other places in the world, have a common name.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. dairy industry took a milestone step to further collaborations with Indonesia. Shawna Morris is the executive vice president for trade policy and global affairs for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. These are two of several organizations that signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia that could result in more dairy exports for U.S. producers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friday on AOA, powered by Cenex, we start the show with thoughts on weather premium in the markets and perspective on price action ahead of the holiday weekend with DuWayne Bosse from Bolt Marketing. In Segment Two, we have a conversation about the dairy industry, the reconciliation process and more with Paul Bleiberg, Executive Vice President, Government Relations at the National Milk Producers Federation. In Segment Three, we have a conversation about reconciliation moving to the Senate, the Farm Bill, mental health awareness in agriculture and much more with Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS). Then we close the show with an update and comments on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report released on Thursday with Caleb Ragland, President of the American Soybean Association.  

We have a special State of the Dairy Industry program featuring Farm Journal's Milk editor Karen Bohnert and Phil Plourd, head of market intelligence at EverAg. Plus William Loux of the National Milk Producers Federation also shares his knowledge on dairy, including exports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Scott sits down with Gregg Doud, president of the National Milk Producer's Federation, to discuss the evolving dairy industry, highlighting rising global protein demand, the need for better ag education among policymakers and the importance of technology and sustainability. He emphasizes trade diversification, regulatory reform and industry unity while advising future ag leaders to focus on communication, risk management and strong mentorship.

This episode was recorded at the 2025 Western Dairy Management Conference in Reno, Nevada. Gregg Doud, National Milk Producers Federation, begins with an overview of his talk regarding recent and ongoing investments in the dairy industry. Dan Siemers, Siemers Holsteins, notes they were able to build a new dairy and find a new milk market because Agropur built a new plant in their area. Corey Geiger, CoBank, describes that the US is approaching $9 billion of new investment in dairy plants coming online through 2027, over half of that in cheese. High-quality whey protein isolates are in equal demand as cheese, so that has been a large part of the investment as well. He mentions investment in class one beverage milk and extended shelf life, as well as growth in yogurt and Greek yogurt. The panel also discusses milk in schools.  (1:35)Corey talks about the generational change on dairy farms regarding components. Dan mentions that in one generation, you can increase the fat percentage by 0.4 using bulls available today. The focus on pounds of fat and protein plus health traits has resulted in somewhat less milk. Dan feels that the industry needs to focus a bit more on pounds of milk as a carrier to get protein back in the business. Some plants indicate there might almost be too much fat, so a focus on protein pounds may be in order. (11:03)Corey states that 92% of dairy farmers get paid on multiple component pricing, and 90% of that milk check is butter fat and protein. While some cheese plants don't quite need all the butter fat that's coming from dairy farms, it's important to note that we are still not filling our butter fat needs domestically. There are definitely opportunities in the butter sector. The panel discusses some shuffling in domestic processing might also be needed to better use the sweet cream that's available. (13:01)Scott asks about export markets in developing countries. Gregg mentions that many Central American dairy products contain vegetable oil, so there is a lot of potential there. Corey agrees and states there is also similar potential in the Middle East and North Africa. He also notes that lack of refrigeration is still an issue in some parts of the world, so shelf-stable products are critical. Gregg mentions that drinkable yogurts are in demand in Latin America. (18:29)The panel dives into the way beef on dairy has changed the industry. Dan notes the baby calf market has been a huge profit center, where the dairy can essentially break even and the calves provide the profit. This may be creating a challenge where a lot of dairies aren't creating enough replacement dairy heifers. (23:16)Data and how we use it is the next topic the group discusses. Gregg shares a story of an MIT grad who is developing an artificial intelligence algorithm to combine cow genetics with different diet ingredients and feed additives to decrease methane production while improving cow productivity. (28:49)The panelists close out the episode with their take-home messages. Corey gives listeners a look at the impact of the domestic dairy market. Dan shares the sustainability story and climate impact of the dairy industry will continue to be important. Gregg is excited about new technologies, but asks for assistance in working with the federal government to get those technologies approved at the speed of commerce. The panel also discusses the impacts of tariffs on agriculture and how dairy farmers need to be communicating with their members of Congress. (32:56)Please reach out to your Congress members. Start the conversation, and  help them understand!Please subscribe and share with your industry friends to invite more people to join us at the Real Science Exchange virtual pub table.  If you want one of our Real Science Exchange t-shirts, screenshot your rating, review, or subscription, and email a picture to anh.marketing@balchem.com. Include your size and mailing address, and we'll mail you a shirt.

Lorrie Boyer and Nick "The Pagmeter" discussed the challenges faced by young farmers and ranchers, highlighting the American Farm Bureau Federation's FUSION Conference in Denver. Key issues include high costs of farmland, machinery, and cattle, financial barriers, and the impact of taxes and regulations. They noted the enthusiasm and innovation among young farmers, such as diversifying into cheese making. Infrastructure challenges. Lorrie and Nick also discuss the hay market, noting that 2023 was tough for dairies and predicting a slow start to 2025 due to rain in California. They highlight the importance of hay and alfalfa for dairies and mention the impact of rain on tree fruit blooming. Avocado and strawberry seasons are off to a good start, with steady demand and quality. They also address government restructuring, potential closures or consolidations of USDA and NRCS offices, and the impact on farmers. Water allocation is at 35%, with concerns about land sinking and alkalinization affecting farming in California. Lorrie has an interview with the National Milk Producers Federation, who reported strong dairy margins due to low feed grain prices and stable milk prices. The conversation also touched on water management, with farmers in the western U.S. receiving 35% of their water allocation, up from 15% last year. The importance of specialized knowledge in water management and the challenges of aging infrastructure were highlighted. The segment concluded with a discussion on the future direction of the Export Assistance Program.

On Friday's AOA, we start the show with a reaction and thoughts on the 45Z/climate smart agriculture guidance and where we go from here with Chris Bliley, Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Growth Energy. In Segment Two, we get perspective and reaction to USDA's updates to Federal Milk Marketing Orders released on Thursday. Paul Bleiberg, Executive Vice President, Government Relations for the National Milk Producers Federation joins us to discuss.   In Segment Three, we examine the Make America Healthy Again movement and potential impacts to food, nutrition and the agriculture industry as a whole. Brandon Lipps is Principal and Founder for Caprock Strategies and he joins us for that conversation. In Segment Four, we close the show with a recap of EPA nominee Lee Zeldin's confirmation hearing this week and new appointees announced for USDA under the incoming Trump Administration in news headlines.

In this episode, Sabrina Halvorson and Lorrie Boyer explore the devastating Southern California wildfires and their ripple effects across the agricultural sector. They delve into differing perspectives on the fires' causes, contrasting remarks from President-elect Donald Trump and Governor Gavin Newsom. The discussion highlights the agricultural challenges posed by wildfires, including damage to crops, livestock losses, and water resource strain. They advocate for improved wildfire management strategies and innovative agricultural practices, such as grazing livestock to reduce wildfire fuel. Key Highlights: Chris Galen Interview (at 13:00): Lorrie speaks with Chris Galen, Senior VP at the National Milk Producers Federation, about pressing agricultural and policy issues: The Trump administration's goals, including tax cuts, border control, and tariff strategies. Concerns for the dairy industry due to the lack of a visa program for full-time foreign workers and the potential impacts of deportations. 2025 projections for stable milk prices and production growth, despite bird flu outbreaks. The importance of the H-2A visa program for seasonal workers, with a 2% increase in certified positions for FY 2024. Congressman Adam Gray Interview (at 25:35): Sabrina interviews Adam Gray, newly elected Congressman for California's 13th district: His role in founding the California Problem Solvers Caucus to promote bipartisan collaboration. Key legislative priorities, including the farm bill, water supply improvements, and addressing healthcare shortages in the San Joaquin Valley. Gray's focus on bringing results for his district and reshaping Washington's political climate. Subscribe to AgNet News Hour for in-depth coverage of agricultural issues, policymaker insights, and actionable solutions for the farming community. 

On today's episode of the AgNet News Hour, hosts Sabrina Halvorson and Lorrie Boyer delve into the topic of using autonomous vehicles on farms. They discuss the ongoing conversations and concerns surrounding Cal OSHA's role in regulating these technologies, focusing on safety, liability, and operational protocols. They highlight the broader implications of autonomous machinery in agriculture, including societal concerns, the potential risks involved, and the need for effective oversight to ensure safe implementation. They also discuss the phenomenon of Tulare Lake, once dried up for 130 years, now reappearing due to extreme weather patterns. This reemergence has caused significant disruptions for California farmers, submerging tens of thousands of acres of farmland, destroying crops, and damaging infrastructure including homes, roads, and irrigation systems. The hosts address the broader implications for water management and insurance in the area, noting the challenges farmers face as they lose valuable agricultural land to this unexpected floodwater revival. Lorrie talks with Chris Galen, the Senior Vice President of Member Services and Strategic Initiatives at the National Milk Producers Federation. They discuss the current lame duck session in Congress, focusing on temporary funding measures and delays in the new farm bill. The conversation explores the potential impacts of the upcoming Trump administration on dairy producers and personnel shifts in key agricultural positions. Galen provides an economic overview of the dairy industry, noting good harvests and steady margins. They also address the ongoing bird flu issue, emphasizing the risks associated with raw milk and advocating for pasteurization.

It is Monday October 21st and it is going to be another hot day nearing record highs according to Stu Muck during the Compeer Financial Ag weather update. Bob Bosold joins the show with Peter Vitaliano, the vice president for economic policy and market research for the National Milk Producers Federation, to discuss FMMO policies and reform that is needed in the dairy industry. Charitee Seebecker joins the show with Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin to discuss how sustainable agriculture is changing the dairy industry for the better, helping increase productivity.  Stephanie Hoff also joins the show with Paul Koch, the UW-Madison Extension turf grass specialist, to discuss how to best care for your lawn in the fall to have a good yard come spring.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. Dairy Export Council and National Milk Producers Federation expressed their strong disappointment with a preliminary ruling by Colombia's government that targets U.S. dairy exporters.

The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council are asking the U.S. government to leverage all available tools if Colombia implements countervailing tariffs on U.S. milk powder exports.

Beth Panko Briczinski, Ph.D. is the Senior Science Advisor for Milk Safety in the Office of Food Safety at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this capacity, she advises FDA senior leadership on policies and programs involving scientific matters affecting the safety of milk. Prior to working at FDA, Dr. Briczinski was a Vice President with the National Milk Producers Federation, where she worked with state and federal agencies on regulatory issues in the areas of food safety and nutrition. Dr. Briczinski holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Food Science, as well as a Ph.D. in Food Science, all from Pennsylvania State University. Casey McCue is the Conference Chair for the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) and the Director of the Division of Milk Control and Dairy Services for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, a position he has held since 2000. Casey has served in many positions since starting as a Dairy Products Specialist in Jefferson and Lewis counties. He grew up deeply involved in his grandparents' dairy farm near Lowville, and after graduating from SUNY Canton with a degree in Milk and Food Quality Control, he began his career in industry on both the producer and processor sides. Casey was also the 2012 recipient of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture's Administration Award for his work on behalf of New York's rapidly growing dairy industry. Megin Nichols, D.V.M. serves as the Deputy Division Director for the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Prior to this role, she lead the team at CDC responsible for investigating multistate outbreaks of Salmonella and Escherichia coli resulting from exposure to animals, pet products, and raw milk. Prior to joining CDC, Dr. Nichols worked in her home state at the New Mexico Department of Health for five years. She holds a B.S. degree in Animal Science from New Mexico State University, a D.V.M. from Colorado State University, and an M.P.H. degree in Food Safety and Biosecurity from the University of Minnesota. She is board certified in veterinary preventive medicine, and her areas of interest include zoonotic disease, food safety, and pediatric health. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Briczinski, Mr. McCue, and Dr. Nichols [29:50] about: What the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) requires of milk and dairy producers, how it differs from Grade “A” milk standards, and the public health impact of PMO since its adoption 100 years ago The accomplishments of NCIMS since the first conference was held in 1950, and revisions to the PMO that have come out of recent NCIMS conferences The microbial risks of, and foodborne illnesses caused by, raw milk and dairy products, which have been increasing in popularity among consumers The possibility of combining audits for producers that make both Grade "A" and non-Grade "A" products Ways in which public health agencies and food safety professionals can combat misinformation about “natural” foods like raw milk and dairy being healthier than pasteurized products FDA's future plans to expand upon the PMO and milk and dairy product safety. News and Resources FDA Publishes Dairy Food Safety Research Agenda for HPAI H5N1Federal Report Gives FDA Nine Recommendations to Improve Infant Formula OversightEU to Develop New Traceability Requirements to Tackle Honey Adulteration, Revises Origin Labeling Rules Second Bill Introduced to Weaken FSMA 204; Safe Food Coalition Voices Opposition The End of Chevron Doctrine Does Not End Food Safety Regulation, But it May Make It More Difficult Upcoming Webinar—How Rapid Development of Technology has Revolutionized Food Safety We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com

Gregg Doud with National Milk Producers Federation joins Trent Loos and Jay Truitt to discuss current dairy issues, the H5N1 virus and Chevron.

This weeks Open Mic Guest is Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.  The H5N1 virus in dairy cattle has presented yet another challenge for the diary industry.  Doud says extensive testing by FDA confirms the pasteurization process is effective in keeping milk and dairy products safe for consumers.  Doud says USDA now believes the disease is being spread between dairy farms by mechanical means.  The industry is monitoring existing protocols and closing gaps that may have led to the disease spread to a number of dairy states in the nation. Doud also comments on Federal Milk Marketing Order reform and a USDA proposal that will be released soon, and he also talks about the House Ag Committee's farm bill proposal.

Is U.S. dairy consumption going up or down? What is the current dairy product mix and how has it changed over time? What are some of the latest product trends that dairy is part of? Listen in as New York dairy farmer and National Dairy Board member Val Lavigne asks two legendairy experts, Madlyn Daley, Senior Vice President, Strategic Insights & Evaluation at Dairy Management Inc. and Peter Vitaliano, Vice President, Economic Policy and Market Research for National Milk Producers Federation, these questions and much more. They will discuss how U.S. consumers are purchasing and consuming their dairy then versus the past and how they feel about the future of dairy. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit www.usdairy.com.   Host & Guest: ·      Host: Val Lavigne, New York Dairy Farmer and National Dairy Board Member ·      Guest: Peter Vitaliano, VP, Economic Policy and Market Research ·      Guest: Madlyn Daley, SVP, Strategic Insights & Evaluation at Dairy Management Inc.

Dairy farmers are descending on Washington next week, as NMPF's Young Cooperators lead the organization's annual fly-in. Hannah and Matthew Lansing, this year's chairs for the YC Program, say policy engagement is critical to dairy's future. “There are so many things that affect us, but they don't affect us in a way that we see every day,” said Matthew Lansing, who along with his wife and her family milk 1,100 cows and farm more than 5,000 acres at Blue Hill Dairy in Clinton, Iowa. said. “Keeping involved and up-to-date as much as we can and pushing for things that we need on a farm on a day-to-day basis is really key for us to propel forward into the future and be what we need to be for consumers going forward.”You can find and subscribe to the Dairy Defined podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Amazon Music under the podcast name “Dairy Defined.” For more on the YC Program, click here. Media outlets may use clips from the podcast on the condition of attribution to the National Milk Producers Federation. 

Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation has the details.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.