The Maryland Dairy Convention attracted about 170 dairy producers and supporters to learn about reducing electric costs, genomics, apps and automated milking systems.

Information from the USDA reflects that pesticide residues are nearly nonexistent in milk and that antibiotic residues continue to decline.

The most recent national government survey looking for pesticide residues in foods found virtually no positive levels in milk, and none that exceeded government tolerance levels.

In order to search for genetic markers for fertility, Dr. Pablo Pinedo, an AgriLife Research ruminant animal health scientist, has led a collaborative effort to develop a study that involves seven universities and 12 scientists.

Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack recently said he won’t run for the U.S. Senate seat opening up when Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin leaves office in 2014.

No matter how you look at it, Pennsylvania’s dairy industry is unique. The Keystone State has ranked among the top five dairy-producing states ever since the USDA started tracking milk production in 1964. However, over the past 10 years, Pennsylvania’s position as a national dairy leader has been slipping.