U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge. This funding opportunity marks a pivotal step in USDA’s comprehensive strategy to combat NWS and prevent its northward spread.
The 2026 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) will showcase cutting-edge products and services as part of the New Product Showcase offered at Booth BC36119. On Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 2:30 p.m. in the Discovery Zone, Booth B51027, IPPE will award three exhibitors with New Product Showcase “Best of the Best” plaques in three categories: animal food, processing and live production. A list of the featured innovative products and services can be found here and through the IPPE app.
The International Poultry Welfare Alliance (IPWA) will launch WelfareLab, a new multi-stage global initiative designed to align poultry welfare science, policy, and implementation through a coordinated cycle of data gathering, collaborative sprint sessions, and global synthesis activities. The initiative will begin at the 2025 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), where IPWA will host the first WelfareLab Sprint Event in collaboration with the International Poultry Council (IPC). The inaugural sprint held in collaboration with IPC will take place on Monday, January 26, 2026, from 2:00–4:00 PM in Georgia Ballroom 1, immediately following the IPC meeting.
National FFA Officer Candidates will attend the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2026 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), through the USPOULTRY Foundation’s ongoing commitment to attracting top talent to the poultry and egg industries. The students will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta, Ga., to participate in the Expo.
More than 300 people gathered at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay on January 15 for the annual Dairy Strong conference focused on the most pressing issues and topics facing today’s dairy farmers. The Dairy Business Association honored Chuck Ripp of Ripp’s Dairy Valley with the association’s Advocate of the Year award for his contributions to Wisconsin’s dairy community. The award, sponsored by Vita Plus Corporation, was presented during DBA’s Dairy Strong conference. Also, in collaboration with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, DBA honored Tom Zwald and Steve Schalla of Bomaz Farms in Hammond, Wis., with the association’s third annual Community Outreach Award which recognizes farmers who are actively involved in their community and share stories and positive messages about dairy farms and their products.
The National Milk Producers Federation is pleased that Dairy Margin Coverage Program signup is under way, with key improvements aiding farmers as prices have fallen and DMC assistance becomes essential for some farms in 2026.
CattleCon is the cattle industry’s largest event of the year, and the 2026 event in Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3-5, combines business, education and entertainment for thousands of attendees. A highlight of CattleCon 2026 is Cowboy’s Night at the Opry on Thursday, Feb. 5, and features country music favorite Vince Gill. Other performers include The SteelDrivers, The Castellows and Don Schlitz.
Shelley Curry of Kennard, Texas, and Sydney Bowman-Schnug of Fort Lupton, Colorado, have each been awarded a $15,000 W.D. Farr Scholarship by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF). The annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program recognizes outstanding graduate students for their academic achievements, leadership and commitment to the advancement of the beef industry. The scholarship recipients will be recognized during CattleCon 2026, Feb. 3-5, in Nashville, Tennessee.
The U.S. chicken industry is on a decades-long winning streak. Steady growth in consumer demand coupled with efficiency gains in broiler production have powered the sector’s remarkable growth over the last 30 years. However, an emerging set of challenges could put that track record of consistently reliable growth in jeopardy. A slowdown in new processing plant construction — combined with the inherent limitations of existing production systems and an undersupply of chicks — could ultimately hinder processors’ ability to maintain recent growth trends. According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the near-term outlook for broiler production remains exceptionally strong. But the opportunities for increasing output are becoming more limited. Higher capital costs, tight labor availability and increased local regulation have stalled greenfield site expansion. Chick availability has trended downward as genetic priorities have shifted from hatchability to meat yield, and adding more pounds per bird has its limits.
