News

Despite challenges with late spring planting and hay harvest, dairy producers are signing up for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program in high numbers, according to Bill Northey, USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation. DMC enrollment began at local USDA Farm Service Agency offices on June 17.

Digest Highlights

• Coming up: DMC, crop acreage updates
• Proposal would provide student loan forgiveness for young farmers
• Johne’s disease vaccine investigators use bacterium's own protein against It
• Partnership building more California dairy biodigesters
• Taiwan company selects Idaho for dairy powder plant
• Huffman to lead First District Association
• FARM Program announces safety, HR educational resources
• Maryland to cover DMC premium costs in 2019
• Wisconsin Dairy Task Force 2.0 adopts final report, ‘dairy hub’ funding advances

With forage supplies generally tight, dairy and other livestock farmers may be looking for late planting options with the hopes of building feed inventories before next winter. Recent federal policy changes make planting harvestable cover crops – including corn silage – on prevented plant acreage possible, but producers should review crop insurance policies and deadlines to maximize economic returns. States and geographies have different late planting and prevent plant deadlines under the federal crop insurance program.

Members of St. Albans Cooperative Creamery will meet in late July to vote on a possible merger with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). St. Albans’ board of directors voted unanimously to recommend the merger, providing some details at an informational meeting on June 24.

After years of frustration over declining milk prices and what he felt was lack of promotion and education about whole milk, Richland, Pennsylvania, dairy farmer Nelson Troutman decided it was time he take the initiative to inform consumers himself.