- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the establishment of a National Incident Coordination Center to provide direct support to producers whose animals cannot move to market as a result of processing plant closures. Additional details are available on the USDA website.
- R-CALF USA along with some of its members has launched a petition urging the President and Congress to immediately pass Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling for beef, pork and dairy products to strengthen national food security and help stimulate economic growth. The petition has gained an unprecedented number of signatures in a very short period of time and continues to gain new signatures rapidly. The petition can be viewed at www.DemandUSABeef.com.
- The USDA laid out its plan to award contracts to the private sector to purchase meat, dairy and produce for distribution to the nation’s food banks and other nonprofits addressing hunger. The USDA is authorized to spend $3 billion on hunger relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Farm Bureau Federation and Feeding America, the country’s largest hunger relief organization, sent a letter to the USDA requesting a nimble approach to quickly and effectively get food from America’s farms to the nation’s food banks.
- The newly announced Wisconsin Dairy Recovery Program—a partnership between Hunger Task Force, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection—is in full swing. The first 2,480 gallons of fresh, whole milk were delivered to Hunger Task Force on Friday and has been distributed to local food pantries.
- For 53 years, World Dairy Expo has been a place of commerce, education, networking and competition that has united and strengthened the global dairy industry. Expo continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its potential impact to our show. Out of respect of the heightened economic hardships our industry faces, a final decision to hold or cancel WDE 2020 will be made by the World Dairy Expo Executive Committee on July 1 and communicated extensively.
- A Wisconsin dairy farm, Rosy-Lane Holsteins, is the winner of a national award for Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability. The ninth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards were announced on April 22 in recognition of Earth Day. The Watertown farm is owned by Lloyd and Daphne Holterman and their partners Tim Strobel and Jordan Matthews and is one of three national winners in its category.
- Parents nationwide now have access to new ways to keep children learning and engaged during the coronavirus crisis, thanks to free materials developed in conjunction with the Pork Checkoff. The lesson plans and activity information can be found at: http://ymiclassroom.com/lesson-plans/pork-family/.
- Boehringer Ingelheim is now accepting applications for its fourth annual Producers for Progress Recognition Program. The program commends dairy producers who demonstrate a commitment to the well-being of animals, consumers and the industry through the judicious use of antibiotics. Apply by visiting Producers4Progress.com to fill out the online application form, or contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim representative. Applications are due July 1, 2020.
- Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health announced the appointment of Randolph Legg as the new Head of U.S. Commercial Business.
