At Moore Air Base, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Governor of Texas Greg Abbott celebrated a significant achievement in the fight against New World Screwworm (NWS) with the completion of a U.S.-based sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. This facility expands USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the United States, if necessary.
Ten students pursuing careers in the beef industry were awarded $1,500 scholarships by the National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) and recognized during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee. The CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship program recognizes talented and thoughtful students emerging as industry leaders.
The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, shared expert market and weather analysis. Despite near-term volatility, the long-term outlook remains positive. Strong domestic demand, improving beef quality, and sufficient packing capacity are expected to continue supporting profitability for the cow-calf sector as the industry moves into the next phase of the cattle cycle.
B&R Poultry in Barclay, Md., was one of five farms across the United States to receive the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award during the 2026 International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta. USPOULTRY sponsors the annual awards to recognize exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation recognized Dr. Nikki Shariat as the recipient of the annual Dr. Charles Beard Research Excellence Award. Dr. Shariat is an associate professor in the Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia (UGA). The award is named in honor of Dr. Charles Beard, former director of the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory and former vice president of research at USPOULTRY.
Zoetis Inc. announced the launch of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) genetic predictions in INHERIT® Select for commercial cow-calf operations and as an upgrade to its INHERIT Connect test for seedstock. This marks the first time that cattle producers can select replacement females and evaluate sires based on genetic predictions for BRD health and survival.
Boehringer Ingelheim, a global leader in animal health, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the use of IVOMEC (ivermectin) 1% Injection for the prevention of infestations caused by New World screwworm (NWS) in cattle.
The checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced new board officers and members of the organization’s executive committee, elected at its first meeting of the new year. The executive committee helps guide the board by advising on priorities and shaping the issues brought forward for full board consideration. Dairy Farmers of America President and CEO Dennis Rodenbaugh will remain chair of the board of directors, which includes leadership from across the dairy value chain.
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Pork Board (NPB) are proud to announce the Class of 2026 for the Pork Leadership Institute (PLI), a premier program designed to equip pork producers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead the industry forward. This year, 19 exceptional individuals from across the country have been selected to join the program, representing a diverse group of leaders ready to drive innovation, advocacy, and progress within the pork sector.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recognized the extraordinary leadership of David Ahlem, board advisor and former CEO and president of Hilmar, and Mike McCloskey, co-founder & CEO emeritus of Select Milk Producers, chairman & CEO of Fair Oaks Farms, and founder of fairlife, with the IDFA Laureate Award during the association’s annual Dairy Forum. Now in its seventh year, the IDFA Laureate Award is given to leaders in the dairy industry who have made significant, prolonged contributions to the development and growth of dairy. Candidates from across the dairy industry as well as suppliers and academics are eligible, and the awardee is chosen by a panel of industry professionals.
The Public Lands Council (PLC) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote cooperative monitoring of grazing allotments on National Forest System lands. The MOU will help public lands ranchers and local BLM officials cooperate to collect and analyze data on rangeland health to ensure higher quality management of federal rangeland.
At the 2026 Winter Policy Conference, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture members encouraged USDA to develop an additional pathway for products from state-inspected meat and poultry processing facilities to be sold across state lines. The policy amendment members passed states that NASDA supports the modification of existing or addition of a new USDA Food Safety Inspection Service program allowing meat and poultry products processed at state-inspected facilities to enter interstate commerce, provided that the inspection services are ‘at least equal to’ USDA requirements.
