NMPF Executive Vice President Alan Bjerga discusses how fluid milk consumption is rising, with whole milk leading the way, in an interview with RFD-TV. With the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act making its way through Congress, this could be the year consumer choices are reflected in federal policy.
Tag: dairy farmers
NMPF’s Galen Explains Importance of New Legislation to Increase School Milk Choices
NMPF’s senior vice president Chris Galen discusses the introduction of new legislation in the House and Senate that would increase the range of milk options available to school children. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act would give schools the option of serving 2% and whole milk once again. The House passed a similar bill in 2023, but the Senate didn’t act on it – prompting a renewed effort this year in Congress.
NMPF’s Bleiberg Reviews Capitol Hill Agenda in New Year
NMPF’s executive vice president Paul Bleiberg discusses the current agenda for Congress as the leadership transitions in Washington from President Biden to President-elect Trump. Bleiberg also highlights that the USDA plans to soon open the 2025 sign-up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program, for those farmers not already enrolled in the federal safety net.
NMPF’s Galen Offers Highlights of 2024 Annual Meeting in Phoenix
NMPF’s Senior Vice President Chris Galen reviews highlights of National Milk’s 2024 annual meeting in Phoenix for the listeners of Dairy Radio Now. The annual conference, which just concluded Oct. 23, reviewed NMPF’s work this year on FMMO modernization, the farm bill, and dealing with HPAI in dairy cows.
NMPF’s Bjerga on Dairy’s Clout in the Elections
NMPF Executive Vice President for Communications & Industry Relations Alan Bjerga discusses the reasons why dairy farmers may be an especially influential portion of the farm vote in an interview on RFD-TV. Because dairy farms tended to cluster around major metro areas, they’re disproportionately represented in some of this year’s most closely contested states in the competition for the White House.
How the World Dairy Expo Shows NMPF’s Breadth
Alan Bjerga, NMPF Executive Vice President of Communications, discusses how NMPF’s strong presence at the World Dairy Expo shows the breadth of the organization’s service to its members in an interview with WEKZ, Janesville, WI. NMPF-affiliated offerings include a panel on Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization, a seminar on succession planning, a look at women’s leadership in dairy and H5N1 biosecurity management on dairy farms. The National Dairy FARM Program will also be out in full force, Bjerga noted.
Dairy Farmers See Advances in USDA’s FMMO Plan, NMPF’s Bjerga Says
Dairy farmers have reasons to be pleased with the draft proposal for Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization, NMPF Executive Vice President Alan Bjerga said in an interview with Dairy Radio Now. That said, the process isn’t complete. Farmers still have a 60-day comment period and a final producer vote before any final proposal is implemented. NMPF is ready to lead, as it has throughout, Bjerga said.
NMPF’s Bjerga on H5N1, Farm Bill
NMPF Executive Vice President for Communications & Industry Relations Alan Bjerga speaks on RFD-TV about dairy farmer challenges and their broader relationship with agriculture, ranging from H5N1 in dairy cattle to discussions of the 2024 Farm Bill in Washington. Success across all fronts will require communication and collaboration across agricultural sectors, he said. Meanwhile, NMPF is optimistic regarding the future of milk pricing, with a USDA plan on Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization expected within the next few weeks.
https://www.rfdtv.com/from-farm-bill-to-hpai-what-is-dairy-farmer-sentiment-looking-like
NMPF Young Cooperators Take Dairy’s Message to Capitol Hill
NMPF’s Senior Director Theresa Sweeney-Murphy tells Dairy Radio Now listeners about the recent visit to Washington by National Milk’s Young Cooperator representatives, who came to Capitol Hill this week to advocate for the dairy community on key issues like the farm bill and proper dairy foods labeling.
FARM Biosecurity helps protect dairy’s future
By Miquela Hanselman Director of Regulatory Affairs, National Milk Producers Federation
Biosecurity may be more top-of-mind than ever in dairy herds in light of how industry practices are changing in reaction to the presence of the H5N1 virus in dairy cows. The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Biosecurity Program has resources that can support dairy farmers as they face evolving animal care challenges.
The FARM Program launched its Biosecurity Program in 2021 via a cooperative agreement with the USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response program. FARM Biosecurity builds on the existing FARM Animal Care Program and Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan, providing resources focused on protecting cattle and employee health.
The program includes both everyday biosecurity practices as well as enhanced biosecurity resources. The FARM Everyday Biosecurity Program focuses on preventing disease introduction and spread by building on the good husbandry practices dairy farmers have long included in animal care. Everyday biosecurity practices protect against common diseases like contagious mastitis, respiratory infections, and scours.
Enhanced biosecurity brings the practices developed under the SMS Plan into the FARM program. Though FARM Enhanced Biosecurity was developed to help ensure continuity of business during a foot and mouth disease outbreak, the concepts can help protect against other known disease threats, such as the current highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in dairy cattle.
Take steps now
We are still learning about how HPAI virus spreads among cattle, with more information expected as testing ramps up and federal agencies begin isolating data patterns. Below are some every day and enhanced biosecurity focus areas that help against the spread of many known diseases in cattle. These measures may also help prevent HPAI virus exposure to cattle and the people who care for them. Great first steps are identifying a line of separation, limiting animal movement as much as possible, using premovement testing, and having logs of visitors, deliveries, and animal movements.
Protecting the dairy from exposure:
- Minimize access of wild birds to cattle and their environment.
- Manage movements of cattle and their transport.
- Limit livestock contact to essential people.
Preventing cattle or calf exposure:
- Avoid feeding raw colostrum or milk to calves, cattle, and other mammals.
- Follow good milking practices.
- Separate new or returning animals and isolate sick animals.
- Sanitize milking equipment after use with new, returning, or sick cattle.
Precautions for animal caretakers:
- Avoid consuming unpasteurized (raw) milk and cheeses from suspect or confirmed HPAI cattle.
- Wear protective gear covering the eyes, nose, mouth, and hands when contacting infected animals, carcasses, milk, or manure.
The enhanced biosecurity prep guide and online training include key biosecurity concepts that can be used during the H5N1 outbreak.
Good biosecurity takes time and practice to be effective, but as current challenges show, more attention to it will be critical to our industry today and tomorrow. Building everyday practices into your routine and having an enhanced biosecurity plan can protect your animals, employees, and business from disease threats.
Visit nationaldairyfarm.com to learn more about biosecurity and access resources, and visit nmpf.org/hpai for the latest updates on HPAI in cattle.
This column originally appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman Intel on June 3, 2024.
NMPF’s Galen Explains Latest Development in Farm Bill Process in Congress
NMPF’s Senior Vice President Chris Galen explains for listeners of Dairy Radio Now how the House and Senate agriculture committees are each now seeking to advance their respective versions of the 2024 Farm Bill. Galen describes how the measures may affect dairy policy, and what the next steps are for lawmakers this spring on Capitol Hill.
NMPF Statement on House and Senate Farm Bill Frameworks
From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:
“Dairy farmers are heartened that today, both House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, R-PA, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-MI, each released documents providing an overview of their farm bill priorities and plans. Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own are better-served by the certainty provided under a five-year farm bill, and as both chairs point the way toward important dairy priorities across multiple farm bill titles, all of dairy is eager to see this process get moving.
“We look forward to the House Agriculture Committee’s markup of its bill on May 23. We’re ready, and excited, to work with both chairs and their ranking members to complete work on a farm bill this year.”
