Latest News From Milk - General

Georgia Dairy Farmer Teaches NBA Superstars, Including Charles Barkley, How to Milk a Cow by Hand
Georgia Dairy Farmer Teaches NBA Superstars, Including Charles Barkley, How to Milk a Cow by Hand

NBA superstars Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith learned how to hand milk a cow on live television thanks to a Madison, Georgia dairy farm, Big Sandy Creek Farm.

Walmart Announces Plans to Build $350 Million Milk Processing Plant in Southern Georgia
Walmart Announces Plans to Build $350 Million Milk Processing Plant in Southern Georgia

America’s largest retail store has announced its plans to build a $350 million milk processing plant in Valdosta, Ga.

EPA and Hershey together commit $2 Million to Land O’Lakes Member Dairy Farms in PA
EPA and Hershey together commit $2 Million to Land O’Lakes Member Dairy Farms in PA

The EPA and Hershey announced that $2 million will go towards supporting local dairy farmers. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in collaboration with Land O’Lakes will use funds to promote environmental goals.

Three Famous Athletes Join the Famous Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair
Three Famous Athletes Join the Famous Butter Cow at the Iowa State Fair

A few things you can count on if you make your way to Des Moines, Iowa for the Iowa State Fair—corn dogs, livestock shows and the iconic Iowa State Fair butter cow. 

prison at joilet
California Man Sentenced: An Unbelievable Multimillion-Dollar Cow Manure Scheme

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office, a California man has been sentenced to more than six years in prison due to his involvement in a nearly $9 million cow manure Ponzi scheme.

Midwest Dairy Producers Forced to Dump Milk
Midwest Dairy Producers Forced to Dump Milk

With much of the Upper Midwest processing capacity maxed out in terms of milk production, finding a new home for milk is not an easy task. This is causing dairy farms to dump milk due to the oversupply. 

Indiana Dairy Farmers Excited to Be Part of the Indy 500 Winner Circle
Indiana Dairy Farmers Excited to Be Part of the Indy 500 Winner Circle

A winning tradition unfolds in the midsection of the country each Memorial Day weekend for the biggest motorsports event in the world. The Indy 500 is a tradition that Indiana dairy farmers get to help orchestrate.

Wood Milk—Calling Attention to What People Are Drinking
Wood Milk—Calling Attention to What People Are Drinking

The “Wood Milk” ad— funded through MilkPEP —goal is to make people pause and question what they are consuming and the nutritional value of their choices.

U.S. Milk Production and Cow Numbers Both Rise
U.S. Milk Production and Cow Numbers Both Rise

The February 2023 USDA Milk Production report showed an 0.8% increase in year-over-year milk production with a total of 17.7 billion lbs. of milk. Also following suit, U.S. cow numbers also documented growth.

Bomb Cyclone: Not Helpful in Ending California's Drought
Bomb Cyclone: Not Helpful in Ending California's Drought

The bomb cyclone has sucker punched California. While farmers have prayed for rain to end the drought plaguing the state, a leading expert says that the bomb cyclone will not end California’s persistent drought.

Major Flooding: Bomb Cyclone Storm Causing Havoc to California Dairy Farmers
Major Flooding: Bomb Cyclone Storm Causing Havoc to California Dairy Farmers

While normally any moisture to the Golden State would be welcomed, the massive “Bomb Cyclone” storm hitting California is far from normal. High winds, heavy rain and power outages have impacted California farmers.

Is the Great Financial Reset Now Underway?
Is the Great Financial Reset Now Underway?

The latest CPI shows that while inflation may be slowing, it still remains above the Fed's target. As inflation impacts farmers across their operation, Dan Basse looks at some of the concerns as farmers head into 2023.

Recession or Not: The Consumer Has Reached Their Breaking Point
Recession or Not: The Consumer Has Reached Their Breaking Point

The consumer no longer can absorb higher costs. Tanner Ehmke with CoBank says that lighter foot traffic is seen in some grocery stores, while discount retailers have seen a significant increase in foot traffic.

One Year Later: New Jersey’s Largest Dairy Rebuilds After Being Leveled by Hurricane Ida
One Year Later: New Jersey’s Largest Dairy Rebuilds After Being Leveled by Hurricane Ida

One year ago, a tornado completely devasted Wellacrest Farms, New Jersey's largest dairy farm. Community support outpoured from a group of Amish to a GoFundMe account that helped with the rebuild.

Peanut Butter & Jelly’s Alternate Universe
Peanut Butter & Jelly’s Alternate Universe

The real elephant in the room when it comes to plant-based foods is not the ingredients or the sometimes over-the-top health claims. No, it is the agenda that comes along with it.

Hurricane Ian's Deadly Punch to One Florida Dairy
Hurricane Ian's Deadly Punch to One Florida Dairy

Despite experiencing Hurricane Ian firsthand, Dakin Dairy Farms in Myakka City, Fla., is committed to not only making sure their cows are still well cared for, but they’re also becoming a local helping hub.

These Farm Kids Had the Best School Absent Note Excuse
These Farm Kids Had the Best School Absent Note Excuse

When Julie ten Hoeve called her son’s high school to report Ian being absent to help chop corn on the family's 650-cow dairy farm, she worried about what the school would say. The school’s response eased her mind.

Nominate Outstanding Farmers for Top Honors
Nominate Outstanding Farmers for Top Honors

During the 2023 Top Producer Summit, Top Producer will recognize remarkable farmers who have taken risks, built thriving businesses and given back to their communities.

Premium Alfalfa Hay Delivered by Amazon Prime
Premium Alfalfa Hay Delivered by Amazon Prime

California dairy farmer, Steve Maddox found a newfound love for Amazon Prime, who hauled premium alfalfa dairy hay from his Logan, Utah hay ranch to his Riverdale, Calif. dairy farm.

Trucker Blockade Shuts Down Major California Seaport for Second Day
Trucker Blockade Shuts Down Major California Seaport for Second Day

Truckers protesting California's new "gig worker" law blockaded the state's third-busiest seaport for a second day on Thursday, stalling agricultural exports and threatening to worsen U.S. supply chain backups.

Water Shortage Pushes Central Oregon Dairy Farmer to Sell 40% of His Herd
Water Shortage Pushes Central Oregon Dairy Farmer to Sell 40% of His Herd

This ongoing Oregon water issue has become a headache for many farmers, like Jos Poland. Less water doesn’t only mean fewer aces for his cows to graze on. It has forced Poland to sell 40% of his herd earlier this year.

School_Lunch
Are Diets Based on Plants or Meats Better for Kids?

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada recently published a study showing kids who eat a vegetarian diet had similar growth and nutrition compared to children who consume meat.

AgSource Gains Agronomy Lab and Brand Update
AgSource Gains Agronomy Lab and Brand Update

Just announced, a broad-based agricultural service cooperative specializing in laboratory testing, AgSource Cooperative Services, acquired Dairyland Laboratories, Inc. Agronomy Services Division in Stratford, Wisconsin.

Fighting Food Insecurity with Football: Here’s What Joe Burrow and Farmers Have in Common
Fighting Food Insecurity with Football: Here’s What Joe Burrow and Farmers Have in Common

Joe Burrow might be best known for his strong arm that is leading his team to the Super Bowl. However, the NFL quarterback is also taking advantage of the spotlight to help draw much needed attention to food insecurity.

Butter Makers Struggle to Keep Pace with Demand
Butter Makers Struggle to Keep Pace with Demand

Heavy demand, falling milk production, and a shortage of labor combine to send butter prices to four-year-highs.

Biden Administration Scores First USMCA Trade Dispute Victory Over Dairy, Canada Also Claims Victory
Biden Administration Scores First USMCA Trade Dispute Victory Over Dairy, Canada Also Claims Victory

USTR Katherine Tai announced Tuesday that the United States prevailed in its first dispute settlement panel proceeding brought under USCMA. As U.S. dairy leaders applaud the ruling, Canada is also claiming victory.

COVID-19 Disruptions Causing Historic Economic Changes
COVID-19 Disruptions Causing Historic Economic Changes

Nearly two years after COVID-19 invaded our world, we are still living with its disruptions, but we should not overlook the more traditional factors also at play.

See Your People – 1 On 1
See Your People – 1 On 1

Talent is rarer than ever. Attracting it and keeping it is your key to success. Culture is king. Go see your people, and listen one-on-one.

Vermont Dairy Farmer, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, Punches Her Ticket to Summer Olympics
Vermont Dairy Farmer, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, Punches Her Ticket to Summer Olympics

Elle Purrier St. Pierre, a Vermont dairy farmer turned world-renowned track star, has punched her ticket to compete in the 2021 Summer Olympic Games hosted in Tokyo.

CRP ground rotator
‘America The Beautiful’ Plan Still Missing Details

The plan requires conserving 440 million acres.

The strength and timing of the economic recovery are contingent on three uncertain factors.
3 Factors Weigh on the Economic Recovery

The strength and timing of the economic recovery are contingent on three uncertain factors.

U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) speaks during a news conference in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 26, 2021. REUTERS/Al Drago
Sen. Stabenow Supports CFAP Freeze and Review

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) says she supports the Biden Administration’s move to freeze payments under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

The surge of COVID-19 cases across the country is hitting rural hospitals especially hard. Many aren’t equipped to handle critical patients, and with hospitals at capacity, some rural hospitals are unable to send patients to urban hospitals for care.
COVID-19 Crisis: Rural Hospitals Have Nowhere to Send Critical Patients

The surge of COVID-19 cases across the country is hitting rural hospitals especially hard. Many aren’t equipped to handle critical patients. Now some hospitals are unable to send patients to urban hospitals for care.

COVID-19 Surge Slices U.S. Demand for Big Thanksgiving Turkeys
COVID-19 Surge Slices U.S. Demand for Big Thanksgiving Turkeys

As a last-minute shift toward small-scale celebrations upends demand for the star of Thanksgiving tables, turkey producers and retailers are scrambling to fill orders for lightweight birds and partial cuts.

After a slow start to 2020 and a drastic drop in commodity prices, government payments combined with improving commodity prices could push 2020 net farm income to record levels.
Dramatic Recovery in 2020 Net Farm Income Could Hint at New Record

As the 2020 harvest comes to a close, it’s a year marked with unknowns, but with government payments combined with improving commodity prices, the net farm income picture is looking brighter.

The board of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) voted unanimously to implement a group of workplace protocols to protect employees from COVID-19.
California, to be First State to Mandate COVID-19 Workplace Safety Rules

The board of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) voted unanimously to implement a group of workplace protocols to protect employees from COVID-19.

Rural hospitals are feeling the pressure from an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
COVID-19 Update: Rural Hospitals Overwhelmed

Rural hospitals are feeling the pressure from an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

The outlook continues to be for hot and dry conditions.
High Heat And Wild Weather Rule The Week

The outlook continues to be for hot and dry conditions.

Farmers from across the country are being asked to dump their milk this week, as the restaurant and food service demand crumbled rapidly due to COVID-19.
As Dairies Dump Milk, Frustration Mounts Over Retail Buying Limits

Farmers across the country are being asked to dump their milk, as food service demand crumbled rapidly due to COVID-19. Still, farmers are frustrated that consumers can't buy as much milk as they want right now.

“Laboratory-grown meat will become more prevalent in the future, and this bill will proactively prevent these ‘franken-meat’ alternatives from being labeled as meat,” Gallion said at Thursday’s bill hearing.
Maryland Bill Would Limit What Foods May Be Labeled ‘Meat’

Foods made of animal tissues cultured from cells outside of the original animal, or made from plants or insects could not be labeled “meat."

Borden Becomes Second Big U.S. Milk Producer to File for Bankruptcy
Borden Becomes Second Big U.S. Milk Producer to File for Bankruptcy

Borden Dairy Co. filed for bankruptcy, becoming the second major U.S. milk seller to do so in two months as competitive pressures, declining consumption and falling profits made its debt load unsustainable.

Fair Oaks Farms Details Changes Following Animal Abuse Allegations
Fair Oaks Farms Details Changes Following Animal Abuse Allegations

Fair Oaks Farms co-founder and owner sits down for a one-on-one interview. It's been nearly six months since the farm's reputation was stung after animal activists released undercover videos of alleged animal abuse.

When Is that Report Coming Out?  The USDA Releases a List of Dates
When Is that Report Coming Out? The USDA Releases a List of Dates

The USDA has released a list of dates of when reports delayed by the partial government shutdown will be released.