The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is excited to highlight the launch of the NEW Unified New World screwworm website, screwworm.gov. This dynamic new site centralizes NWS information available across the federal government and reflects our whole-of-government effort to fight this pest through implementation of Secretary Rollins’ comprehensive five-pronged plan.
Gracyn Stevens of Kirklin, Indiana, is the winner of the 13th annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, sponsored by Norbrook®. Stevens will sing the “Star-Spangled Banner” at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3-5. Online voting by the public determined the winner.
More than 270 leaders from across the dairy value chain gathered Nov. 18 for the 2025 Dairy Sustainability Alliance® Fall Meeting, sending a clear message: progress happens faster when the community moves forward together. The meeting drew 28 dairy farmers as well as representatives from cooperatives, processors, brands, research institutions and NGOs, underscoring the strength of collaboration in advancing U.S. dairy’s sustainability leadership. The meeting’s opening session highlighted the release of the 2023-2024 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report, which tracks industry-wide performance across three priority areas: Advance Well-being, Regenerate the Environment and Care for our Animals and Communities.
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released a statement expressing disappointment after Tyson Foods announced it will close the beef processing plant located in Lexington.
The Meat Institute released an economic study that found the meat and poultry processing industry contributes $57.3 billion to the US economy and provides 584,000 jobs. The entire meat and poultry industry, including livestock production, animal feed, equipment manufacturing, transportation and more contributes $347.7 billion in value to the nation, supporting 3.2 million jobs. The Meat Institute commissioned Decision Innovation Solutions to conduct the economic contribution study. The complete analysis is here. The study and data searchable by state and Congressional district is here.
Integrity, ingenuity and the pursuit of excellence earned three farms and one program evaluator this year’s National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program’s Excellence Awards. The awards recognize participants who uphold program values by demonstrating U.S. dairy farmers are committed to producing high quality, wholesome milk. The 2025 FARM Excellence Award recipients are: Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship — Bar E Dairy (Land O’Lakes Inc.); Environmental Stewardship – Five Star Dairy Farm LLC (Associated Milk Producers Inc.); Workforce Development — Glezen Farms, LLC (Maola Local Dairies); Evaluator of the Year — Lisa Ford (Cayuga Marketing).
Athian announced that it has facilitated $18 million in payments to farmers since 2024, financially rewarding them for implementing emissions-reducing practices, including innovative feed ingredients and alternative manure management. Athian, which was founded in 2022 to connect food companies with farmers in their supply chains to achieve Scope 3 goals, also announced it successfully completed a $4 million Series A funding round. These milestones not only signal the food industry’s continued commitment to sustainability goals but also demonstrate the credibility of Athian’s unique, technology-driven model.
The Dairy Business Association announced its 2026 Dairy Strong conference agenda, highlighting impactful session topics and speakers. The conference is set to take place in Green Bay at the KI Convention Center, Jan. 14-15. Dairy Strong will feature keynote speakers: Brett Sciotto, CEO of Idealyst Innovation, and Ben Leibl, Public Relations Specialist for Kwik Trip, Inc., as well as a variety of breakout sessions that explore current topics shaping the future of the dairy community.
The U.S. Poultry & Egg Harold E. Ford Foundation, in collaboration with the Poultry Science Association, is pleased to announce the Ph.D. and Vet Student Career Fair, taking place during the 2026 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). The Career Fair will be held Tuesday, Jan. 27, from 8 – 11:30 a.m. in Room B-401 at the Georgia World Congress Center, in conjunction with the International Poultry Scientific Forum.
