from Western United Dairymen
Edited by Mark Looker
California
Dairy Industry Headline News
from Western United Dairymen
Edited by Mark Looker
A news service of Western United Dairymen 1315 K Street, Modesto, CA 95354 (209) 527-6453 Visit us at www.westernuniteddairymen.com
Headline News is constantly updated throughout the day. Click here to read the latest news
Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008
Modesto-based Foster Farms clarifies its name. Dairy company will now go by
'Crystal'; poultry not affected - - Foster Farms Dairy products, made in
Modesto for 67 years, are getting a new name. The company announced Tuesday
that the brand will change to Crystal as of Monday. The new name comes from
Crystal Cream and Butter Co., a Sacramento producer that Foster Farms bought
last year.The Foster Farms name is well-known in and near Stanislaus County
but not in other parts of Northern California, said Dennis Roberts, vice
president of sales and marketing for the company. Crystal, on the other
hand, has "tremendous name recognition" in Sacramento and the Bay Area, he
said. The new name will go on fluid milk, butter, ice cream and other
products that Foster Farms processes and makes at its plants on Kansas
Avenue in Modesto and in Fresno.
<more> Aug. 28, 2008 Modesto Bee
Card check bill passes Legislature again, heads to Governor’s desk
By
Michael C. Saqui and Anthony P. Raimondo --
The
California State Senate has passed
Assembly Bill 2386 (AB 2386) on a 23-15 vote, right along
party lines. AB 2386 is the latest
attempt by the United
Farm Workers (UFW) to sidestep secret ballot elections, which
have been a nemesis for the union in recent years. AB 2386 comes in the wake
of a series of alleged heat-related deaths, which the UFW has used as
propaganda in an ongoing membership campaign. If AB 2386 becomes a law, it
would revolutionize the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA). Under
current law, the ALRA provides employees the opportunity to engage in a
secret ballot election,
free from coercion, in a monitored
voting booth.
AB 2386 would change all that. AB 2386 allows unions to force elections on
employers. Once a union forces an election, AB 2386 allows the unions to
force representation on employees. AB 2386 provides “mediated elections.”
Proponents say the mediated election is just like
absentee balloting. Both absentee
ballots and the mediated election ballots allow voters to vote
at home. But the similarities end there. Most absentee ballots do not allow
one
political party access to the voter’s
home, allowing the political party to “help” fill out the ballot, while
completely denying the other political party access to the voter. Opponents
of AB 2386, from farm workers to Republican Senators, cite the opportunity
for union organizers
to pressure employees into choosing union representation as their reason for
opposition. Sen. Tom
McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, stated, "An election in which
someone is looking over your shoulder as you cast your vote is no election
at all. It's a sham." The fate of AB 2386 now lies in
Governor Schwarzenegger’s
hands. The measure head’s back to the Assembly for a vote on Senate
amendments before heading to the governor's desk. The Governor vetoed two
previous “card-check” Bills that would have allowed farm workers to
authorize a union by signing membership cards, but did not afford employees
the right to a secret ballot. However, the Governor has not taken a position
on the latest bill, which proponents claim overcomes the Governor’s prior
objections. <more> Aug. 28, 2008
Leading animal welfare
advocate to participate in Sept. 3 Prop. 2 forum - - Wayne Pacelle,
president and CEO of the Humane Society of the U.S., has been confirmed as a
participant in the Sept. 3 forum on the Standards for Confining Farm Animals
Initiative Prop. 2 forum set for Modesto Wednesday, Sept. 3.
HSUS is a main
sponsor of the ballot initiative on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Announcement of Pacelle’s participation came from First United Methodist Church, which is
sponsoring the forum as part of its “Faith and Politics” sermon series. Also
representing HSUS will be Rev. Michael Bruner, a Presbyterian minister who
is an adjunct professor of Religion at Azusa Pacific University and a
consultant to HSUS. Representing the No on Prop. 2 campaign are Bill Mattos,
president of the California Poultry Federation; Jill Benson with
Modesto-based egg producer J.S. West & Co., and Dr. Nancy Reimers, DVM. The
panel will be moderated by Mark Looker, agricultural communications
consultant. The proposition would add a chapter to Division 20 of
California's Health and Safety Code to prohibit the confinement of certain
farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie
down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs. The measure includes veal
crates, battery cages, and sow gestation crates. If approved by the voters,
the statute would become operative on Jan. 1, 2015. The Prop. 2 discussion
is open to the public and will be held at 7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of
First United Methodist Church, 850 16th Street, Modesto. Panelists will
offer opening statements and rebuttal statements. Written questions will be
accepted from the audience. Aug. 28, 2008 FUMC Press Release
Video
monitoring new requirement for one humane labeling program - - Video
monitoring will become a standard component of the American Humane Certified
program, a voluntary, fee-based service that certifies farms and processing
plants treat animals humanely, the American Humane Association announced.
Beta testing for the video surveillance systems will begin this fall in five
production and transportation facilities for swine, chicken (broiler and
layer farms) and cattle (veal and dairy). The surveillance systems, which
monitor conditions and events such as temperature, air flow, feeding
schedules, personnel entrances and exits and animal mobility, trigger alarms
when abnormalities occur and can be viewed — with a password — in real time
from any computer with an Internet connection.
<more> Aug. 28, 2008 Meeting Place.com
Bill
would require new rural home buyers to be told about right-to-farm law -
- Anyone who moves within a mile of a farm or ranch ought to know that
agriculture can sometimes be a noisy, smelly, dusty business. Legislation to
require that homebuyers who move next to farms be told that this is normal -
and that California growers and ranchers have a right to farm - is headed to
the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk,
D-Davis, the proposal received little opposition and cleared its final
legislative hurdle late last week. The bill requires that developers or the
expert who develops a natural hazard report for a rural property inform a
potential buyer about California's right-to-farm law whenever the property
changes hands. Wolk said the goal is to prevent complaints and nuisance
lawsuits by "come-heres" who want the rural life - without being exposed to
the messy side of agriculture.
<more> Aug. 28, 2008 Capital Press
Editorial: Terrorists targeting animal researchers - - Many people are
opposed to the practice of using animals in scientific study, including
medical research. Activists can and often do voice their concerns to the
institutions that participate. But conscientious objection and the First
Amendment right to protest do not include the right to kill, injure and
intimidate. And that is what's at the heart of an Assembly bill soon to come
before the state Senate that would give academic researchers, including
those who carry out tests on animals, the same legal protection as elected
and appointed government officials and reproductive health care workers. AB
2296 would give law enforcement new tools to investigate animal-rights
activists suspected in an unsolved succession of firebombings, trespassing
and vandalism incidents aimed at University of California scientists.
<more> Aug. 28, 2008 Bakersfield Californian
California Dairy Families: Making a Difference Today for Tomorrow's Generations
Check out our Video Channel! Watch WUD members talk about how they meet the environmental challenges facing the California dairy industry. Hear about their pride in their farming heritage and the contributions they make to their communities.
Portrait of a Dairy: Durrer Dairy, Modesto
Portrait of a Dairy: Wyeth Dairy, Modesto
Commodity Price Information
Calendar
of events
Monday, Oct. 6, 2008 - - South Valley Golf Tournament at the
Visalia Country Club
Other Dairy News Sources
WUD Headline News Archives
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Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008
USDA announces proposes complete ban on downer
cattle - - The USDA today announced a proposed rule to amend the Federal
meat inspection regulations to initiate a complete ban on the slaughter of
cattle that become non-ambulatory after initial inspection by Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspection program personnel. This proposed
rule follows the May 20 announcement by Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer
to remove the provision that states that FSIS inspection program will
determine the disposition of cattle that become non-ambulatory disabled
after they have passed ante-mortem, before slaughter, inspection on a
case-by-case basis. Under the proposed rule, all cattle that are
non-ambulatory disabled at any time prior to slaughter, including those that
become non-ambulatory disabled after passing ante-mortem inspection, will be
condemned and properly disposed of. “To maintain consumer confidence in the
food supply, eliminate further misunderstanding of the rule and, ultimately,
to make a positive impact on the humane handling of cattle, I believe it is
sound policy to simplify this matter by initiating a complete ban on the
slaughter of downer cattle,” said Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 USDA Press Release
Stanislaus County dairy owner to pay $27,500 fine
for violating waste regulations - - Inspectors first found waste water
tinged with manure flowing into the public waterways from one of Willem
Postma's dairies in 1999. They cited Postma again in 2002, twice in 2004 and
four more times in 2006. In recent years, five cases involving Postma's
dairies in Modesto and Oakdale have been filed in Stanislaus County Superior
Court, with judges imposing fines and twice signing injunctions aimed at
stopping the flow of toxic waste water into irrigation canals and drains
that lead to local rivers. Given the history, it's hard to tell who won the
latest case, which ended this month when Postma agreed to pay a $27,500 fine
but admitted no wrongdoing stemming from three discharges that allegedly
lasted for several days in winter 2006.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 Modesto Bee
Merced Farm Labor Contractor closes after death
- - The farm labor contractor that hired the 17-year-old pregnant girl
who died in a Lodi vineyard earlier this year has shut down. Merced Farm
Labor Contractor surrendered its business license for three years
voluntarily Wednesday, according to the state Department of Industrial
Relations. The company looked likely to lose its license, and had a hearing
scheduled on the matter later this week. Labor Commissioner Angela
Bradstreet wanted the company shut down because it had lied on its 2007
renewal application when company officials stated they had no outstanding
safety citations when, in fact, the company had been cited for heat illness
violations in 2006. The company also failed to comply with the requirement
to maintain a safe working environment for farm employees. "We're sending a
message that employers or labor contractors who fail to comply with
California's heat regulations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of
the law, fined in accordance with the law - and face the reality of being
shut down," said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a statement.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 Capital Press
Court ruling favors employers in lawsuit over
meal breaks - - California employers are breathing a little easier at
lunch time after a California Court of Appeals recently ruled in their favor
over employee meal breaks. The state's rules over meal and rest breaks had
become one of the most contested and costly issues in the workplace.
Numerous lawsuits were filed by employees alleging that their bosses broke
the law by not giving them a meal break for every five hours worked. At the
center of the litigation storm is San Diego-based Brinker International,
owners of Chili's Grill & Bar, Romano's Macaroni Grill and Maggiano's Little
Italy. The chain was sued by five workers for meal break violations,
including improperly requiring employees to take early meal breaks, failing
to make sure they took timely meal breaks and altering employee time cards.
Although a lower court certified the case as a class-action lawsuit with the
potential for thousands of plaintiffs and millions of dollars in damages,
the appeals court said the case did not meet that threshold. The appeals
court also ruled that employers are obligated to provide a meal break, not
make sure it is taken. And the court ruled that employers are not required
to provide a meal period for every five hours of consecutive work.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 Fresno Bee
Supreme Court denies review of wage and hour case
- - By Michael C. Saqui and Anthony P. Raimondo - - The
California Supreme Court
recently denied review of Bufil v.
Dollar
Financial Group, Inc., 162 Cal.App.4th 11, (2008). While it is less
celebrated than Brinker, Bufil is an important wage and hour case,
which contains several passages that are difficult to reconcile with the
Brinker decision. Both Brinker and Bufil are
class actions
for meal and rest break laws. While Brinker was a victory for employers,
Bufil was a victory for employees. Meal and Rest Periods
The employer in Brinker argued that employers need only make meal and
rest periods available to employees and need not ensure that they are actually
taken. However, the
Appellate Court’s opinion was a
radical departure from
traditional treatment. Historically, the Labor Commissioner found that employers
have an affirmative duty to ensure that employees actually take their meal and
rest breaks. In contrast to Brinker, the Bufil court reprimanded
the employer because they did not notify employees that they were authorized to
take meal and rest periods and because they did not instruct supervisory
personnel to take steps to provide employees with the opportunity to take the
required rest breaks finding that the “onus is on the employer.” This language
clearly reflects that employers have an affirmative duty to ensure that
employees actually take their meal and rest breaks. This is difficult to
reconcile with the Brinker holding.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008
Updated labor law information posted to WUD website
- - Updated information about labor law pertinent to California dairy
operations has been posted to the Western United Dairymen website. The updated
documents include the
protocol for Social Security No-Match, the
I-9 Immigration Compliance Protocol and rest and meal break informational
posters in
English and
Spanish. The information is provided by the law firm of
Saqui & Raimondo, which provides labor law
services to WUD members and recently hosted labor law seminars in the
Central Valley. The WUD labor web page can be
accessed at
http://www.westernuniteddairymen.com/html/about-labor.html Aug.
27, 2008
Utility fees sought for
global warming
research center
- - With this year's
legislative session in its final days, lawmakers Monday unveiled a bill
mandating new fees from electricity ratepayers to fund a University of
California-run global warming research center.
The surcharge, amounting
to $37 million a year for up to a decade, would be paid by customers of
regulated utilities such as Southern California Edison Co. and publicly
owned ones, including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The
fees would partially fund an $87-million-a-year Climate Change Research and
Workforce Development Institute, whose location has yet to be decided.
If it becomes law, the
bill would add an average of 10 cents a month to electricity bills
statewide, backers said.
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 LA Times
Legislators debate water bond that could include
dam - - Legislators debated, but didn't agree on, a water bond Tuesday
that could build a new dam at Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River and
help clean up contaminated groundwater in Tulare County and elsewhere. The
Special Committee on Water focused primarily on a $9.8 billion bond
co-authored by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, a proposal that
represented a new formal effort by Assembly Democrats. "It's a work in
progress," Caballero said, "but we've moved closer to a consensus product
than has ever been achieved."
<more> Aug. 27, 2008 Visalia Times Delta
AVMA says Prop 2 is not 'in animals' best
interests' - - The American Veterinary Medical Assn. (AVMA) issued a
statement this morning cautioning that the California ballot initiative on
farm animal housing, Proposition 2, or Prop 2, has an "admirable goal" but
also establishes requirements that could, in fact, harm the animals covered
in the initiative. AVMA said these requirements "ignore critical aspects of
animal welfare" and fall short in improving animal welfare because they do
not "adequately consider other factors." AVMA executive board chair Dr.
David McCrystle noted that animal welfare "is a complex issue" in which
animal welfare decisions need "to be based on science, tempered with
compassion and take into account all aspects of welfare." Prop 2 would
change housing standards without considering how this could affect other
aspects of animal welfare, such as protecting animals from disease and
injury, which "would not be in the animals' or society's best interests," he
said.
<more> Aug. 26, 2008 Feedstuffs
Prop 2 supporters petition to correct errors in guide. HSUS head and other supporters forced to take Catholic church and CVMA off voter guide. - - A number of persons supporting the California ballot initiative on farm animal housing had to petition the Superior Court of California for an order to change and correct language they had put in a voter guide on the initiative. The petition was the only way to make the change at this late date, according to sources who described the petition as "suing themselves" to correct their wrongs. The initiative, which will be Proposition 2, or "Prop 2," was brought to the ballot by a coalition of activist groups and individuals led by Farm Sanctuary and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), and both opponents and supporters of such initiatives are required to provide arguments to the secretary of state explaining their positions for a pamphlet to guide voters in deciding how to vote. The petitioners, who included HSUS chief executive officer and president Wayne Pacelle, Center for Science in the Public Interest executive director Dr. Michael Jacobson and California organic egg producer Nigel Walker, asked the court to require two corrections, both "in an effort to avoid any possibility of confusion on the part of the voters." <more> Aug. 26, 2008 Feedstuffs
Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008
California closer to raw milk reform - - The
California Assembly has unanimously approved changes in state regulations of
raw milk – the kind that is not pasteurized. If it makes it into law, Senate
Bill 201 would rollback a requirement that raw milk should be held to the
same bacteria standards as pasteurized milk – 10 coliform bacteria per
milliter – without taking into account the healthy bacteria that remain in
milk that is not pasteurized. Senate Bill 201 passed the California State
Assembly by a vote of 63-0. It is now in the state Senate. Last year
regulations were put in place to hold raw milk to the same bacteria
standards as pasteurized milk – 10 coliform bacteria per milliter. But that
raised opposition from consumers and the two dairies that produce raw milk,
according to an impartial legislative staff analysis.
<more> Aug. 26, 2008 Central Valley Business Times
Class III dairy futures slide for a third day
- - Class III dairy futures took a dive for the third session in a row on
the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. In that period, 2008 contracts have lost 56
to 72 cents and the September contract dropped under $16.00 on Tuesday. Matt
Mattke with Stewart Peterson says as long as cheese isn’t moving higher,
Class III futures will move lower. “They’re doing more to remove the premium
between where Class III futures are at and where the products say milk
should be priced at.” Mattke says that would be around $15.50 right now. He
also thinks we could see the 2009 and 2010 futures continue to slip as well.
<more> Aug. 26, 2008 Brownfiled Ag News
Cal Poly hosts dairy symposium Oct. 17-18 – -
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Dairy Science Department and Dairy Farm Advisory
Team is hosting its first annual dairy producer symposium Oct. 17-18.
“Creating the Future” will offer speakers on topics such as communicating
with the media, consumers and government officials, the rapid growth of
export markets and the potential benefits of micro filtration technology.
The symposium opens Oct. 17 with a tour of the Cal Poly dairy and dairy
processing center and concludes on Saturday with speakers at the Embassy
Suites Hotel. The symposium’s purpose is to connect producers with Cal
Poly’s dairy science program, launch a long-term funding campaign for Cal
Poly’s dairy and provide parents and prospective students an opportunity to
learn more about the college. Registration is $700 per dairy family or $100
per family with a sponsorship ticket provided by industry sponsors.
Registration fee covers a Friday night hotel room at the Embassy Suites,
Friday BBQ at Cal Poly, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday at the Embassy
Suites. More information is available from Dr. Bruce Golden, chair of the
Cal Poly Dairy Science Department at (805) 756-2560 or on the Cal Poly
website
http://www.calpoly.edu/~dsci/ . Aug. 26, 2009 Cal
Poly Notice
Cows have magnetic sense, Google Earth images
indicate - - Birds do it, bees do it, and so, apparently, do - cows? No,
it's not that. We're talking about sensing the Earth's magnetic field.
German scientists using satellite images posted online by the Google Earth
software program have observed something that has escaped the notice of
farmers, herders and hunters for thousands of years: Cattle grazing or at
rest tend to orient their bodies in a north-south direction just like a
compass needle. Studying photographs of 8,510 cattle in 308 herds from
around the world, zoologists Sabine Begall and Hynek Burda of the University
of Duisburg-Essen and their colleagues found that two out of every three
animals in the pictures were oriented in a direction roughly pointing to
magnetic north. The resolution of the images was not sufficient to tell
which ends of the cows were pointing north, however. Asked whether he had
ever observed such behavior in cows, dairy farmer Rob Fletcher of Tulare,
Calif., said, "Absolutely not." But, he added, "I don't spend a lot of time
worrying about stuff like that."
<more> Aug. 26, 2008 LA Times
Study says biogas has benefits over biofuels - - The journal paper, “Cow Power: The Energy & Emissions Benefits of Converting Manure to Biogas,” has implications for all countries with livestock, as it is the first attempt to outline a procedure for quantifying the national amount of renewable energy that herds of cattle and livestock can generate and the concomitant greenhouse gas emission reduction. The authors Dr. Michael E. Webber and Amanda D. Cuellar from the University of Texas believe, “In light of the criticism that has been leveled against biofuels, biogas production from manure has the lessening controversial benefit of reusing an existing waste source and has the potential to improve the environment. Nonetheless, the logistics of widespread biogas production, including feedstock and digestates transportation, must be determined at the local level to produce the most environmentally advantageous, economical and energy-efficient system.” Aug. 26, 2008 Feedstuffs
Monday, Aug. 25, 2008
Dairy producers find ways to stretch their feed
dollars - - With the dramatic rise in cost of corn, alfalfa and other
commodities traditionally used to feed their hungry cows, California dairy
farmers are getting more creative and turning to other non-traditional
products to help them stretch their feed costs. One of their biggest
conundrums has been trying to find alternatives for corn, which has seen
record-high prices driven by demand from ethanol production. Cows are
flexible with what they will eat, said Peter Robinson, a dairy nutrition and
management specialist for the University of California Cooperative
Extension, but not everything they eat will necessarily give them the
nutritional value needed to maintain the high performance and milk
production that is desired.
<more> Aug. 25, 2008 Ag Alert
Cows power train ride at California fair - -
A ride at the fair is running on a byproduct of dairy - in other words, poop
power. And the kiddie train isn't the only way methane gas is powering fair
activities. Cooling fans are also relying on the natural gas cows produce.
It doesn't smell either, if you're wondering. News10 photojournalist Brandon
Atchison shows how kids are having fun and getting a lesson about
alternative energy at the same time.
Click here to view video Aug. 25, 2008 News 10 Sacramento
Delta deadlock. The quarter-century of debate has
yielded no progress toward ending the impasse - - California voters rose
up by a 3-to-2 margin in 1982 and torpedoed the most contentious water
project in state history -- the Peripheral Canal. The 42-mile ditch would
have linked the Sacramento River to pumps near Stockton that send water from
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to thirsty Southern California and the San
Joaquin Valley. But rejection of Proposition 9 didn't settle anything.
Instead, it locked state water politics, which revolve around the delta,
into a chronic stalemate. More than a quarter-century later, advocates for
cities, farms and wildlife routinely duke it out in courtrooms and
legislative halls. Crops on the San Joaquin Valley's west side die for lack
of water. Fishing boats wait out a ban on salmon. No one is winning.
<more> Aug. 24, 2008 Fresno Bee
Dozens of calves die in Orland fire - -
Dozens of calves died in a fire that consumed about $400,000 worth of hay on
a farm south of Orland late Friday. Farm owner Martin Poldervaart said his
crew was finishing their work around 9:30, when a large storage shed burst
into flames. He said by 9:45 the building was fully engulfed. Poldervaart
said all 38 calves killed were 2-months-old or younger, with an estimated
value of nearly $4,000. A heifer recovering from a broken leg also died in
the blaze. The fire could spell disaster for the 36-year-old Orland dairy
farmer who is concerned that insurance money won’t be enough to recover the
nearly 1,300 tons of hay. The prospect of footing the lion’s share of the
costs this late in the growing season is a major concern, he said.
<more> Aug. 25, 2008 Orland Press Register
Japan's Kirin agrees to buy Australia's Dairy
Farmers for $763 million -- Kirin Holdings Co., a Japanese food and
beverage company which is already Australia's biggest milk seller, said
Monday it will buy Australia's Dairy Farmers for about $763 million as it
seeks to make a global push amid slowing domestic sales. The purchase by
Kirin unit National Foods fortifies the Japanese beverage maker's dominance
in a key overseas market and is part of a broader strategy to expand
throughout Asia and Oceania. Dairy Farmers, a cooperative of 2,000 farmers,
is Australia's second-biggest maker of dairy products.
<more> Aug. 25, 2008 AP
Farmworkers union chief wants change in voting
- - United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez has worked for more
than three decades in the labor union co-founded by Cesar Chavez in the
1960s. Rodriguez was at the Capitol last week to lobby for Assembly Bill
2386, which would make it easier for the union to organize by allowing
farmworkers to sign cards in lieu of secret-ballot voting. Why alter the
system of ballot-booth voting for union representation? We know that when
farmworkers have representation, they feel security. (Under the current
system) there's just too much intimidation and coercion that takes place –
abuse of the system (by growers seeking to discourage participation).
<more> Aug. 25, 2008 Sacramento Bee
In the Central Valley, the Ruins of the Housing
Bust - - Ellie Wooten, the likable mayor of Merced, is on her way to the
office when her cellphone rings. A constituent wants her mortgage payments
reduced, and is hoping that the mayor has some clout with her lender.
Although Merced has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country,
this borrower isn’t in such dire straits. She’s not even behind on her
mortgage. But her oldest daughter is turning 18, which means an end to $500
a month in child support. She just wants a better deal. The mayor hangs up
and shrugs: “It’s a surprise her daughter is turning 18? You’d think she
could have planned ahead. ”But hardly anyone in Merced planned very far
ahead.
<more> Aug. 24, 2008 NY Times
In the Backyard, Not Just a Garden, but Cows -- What’s a weekend farmer to do once the garden is planted and the chickens are in the coop? Get a family cow, of course. With food and fuel costs rising and the demand for fresh, local produce outpacing availability, some amateur farmers with enough acreage and agricultural acumen have opted to buy the cow instead of the milk. “We moved into an 1870 farmhouse in Lebanon four years ago and the property came with a huge cow barn,” Sue Bergamo said. “We’ve got chickens, put in a large garden, got goats and now we really want to have our own cows.” Charles, her husband, said, “We’re getting one cow — not a herd.” Because neither the husband nor the wife knows a heifer from a Holstein, the Bergamos decided to attend a workshop at Local Farm in Cornwall Bridge where other people like them — those new to farming, that is — learn what it takes to care for a cow. <more> Aug. 25, 2008 NY Times
Friday, Aug. 22, 2008
USDA
Announces Final Rule to Establish Rules of Practice for the Federal Milk
Order Hearing Process - - The USDA today announced a final rule
establishing supplemental rules of practice for the federal milk marketing
order hearing process. The intent of this rule is to establish guidelines
and timeframes to improve the timeliness of the federal milk order hearing
process. This final rule amends the general regulations for federal milk
marketing agreements and marketing orders by establishing supplemental rules
of practice in accordance with section 1504 of the Food, Conservation and
Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). This rule defines supplemental
guidelines, timeframes and procedures for amending federal milk marketing
agreements and orders; authorizes the use of informal rulemaking (5 U.S.C.
553) to amend such agreements and orders; and establishes provisions that
permit the USDA to impose assessments on pooled milk under the federal milk
marketing order program to fund expedited rulemaking. Such assessments would
supplement appropriated funds for the procurement of services required by
USDA to perform rulemaking functions. The final rule will be published in
the Aug. 20 Federal Register. Aug. 22, 2008 USDA Press Release
Federal make-allowance increase delayed - - The planned increase in the
Federal Make Allowance will be delayed at least a month. Ten dairy producer
groups have filed suit in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia so
USDA has postponed implementation from September 1 to October 1. USDA says
unless the court rules otherwise, the new make allowance will first be used
in calculating the advance Class I and Class II prices to be announced on
September 19th. The base price for Class I milk for September is $17.65,
down 82 cents from August. The Class II skim milk price for September is
$11.59 and the Class II nonfat solids price is $1.2878 per pound.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
DFA
eyes global added-value ingredient shift - - US dairy cooperative Dairy
Farmers of America (DFA) has announced the formation of a new combined
ingredients division to target growing international demand for value added
products. While manufacturing of ingredients for the company’s own branded
goods and external processors is not new, the group says that it hopes to
specifically focus the new division on industry innovation through
formulation. Mark Korsmeyer, DFA president for foods, told DairyReporter.com
that he believes the cooperative is well placed to expand its operations to
meet an industry-wide shift in improving value in the supply chain.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 DairyReporter.com
State
Senate passes bill aimed at thieves of metal fixtures - - Twice in the
past four years, San Joaquin County farmer Richard Rodriguez has been
victimized by metal thieves making off with nearly $25,000 in sprinkler
pipes. "As long as there's a market and the people who buy this stuff don't
ask questions, this is going to be a problem," said Rodriguez, who works 500
acres. Republican Assemblyman Tom Berryhill of Modesto and Democratic Sen.
Ron Calderon of Montebello have crafted legislation designed to put the
screws on metal thieves and shady recyclers. Berryhill's Assembly Bill 844,
which the Senate passed Wednesday, would require people selling metals to
recycling yards to provide their thumbprint and photo identification and
wait three days before they are paid by check. Recyclers who fail to collect
and maintain these records would be fined $1,000 for the first offense,
$2,000 for the second offense and $4,000 for the third and subsequent
offenses.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Dean
Foods share rise on analyst note - - Shares of Dean Foods Inc. rose
Friday after an analyst raised his estimate for third-quarter earnings,
citing a government report that milk prices should go down next month.
Shares rose 65 cents, or 2.65 percent, to $25.20 in afternoon trading. The
company’s stock is down about 13.5 percent from its 52-week high of $29.23.
The stock has traded as low as $17.54 in the same span. Morgan Stanley
research analyst William Pecoriello raised his estimate for third-quarter
earnings following the government report that it set the class 1 mover -- an
indicator of what milk processors pay for raw milk -- at $17.65 for next
month.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 AP
Food
safety advocate calls for veto of Senate raw milk bill - - An ambitious
and well-meaning attempt to make California's dairy products safer arrives
this week in the California Assembly in the form of State Bill 201--but the
country's top food safety advocates are calling on California legislators to
vote against it. The bill places regulations on producers of raw milk dairy
products and lays groundwork intended to stem the tide of deadly food borne
illnesses tied to the raw milk industry. It sounds good, and may have enough
support to reach the Governor's desk, where the same advocates encourage a
veto. What's the problem? "It's difficult to work so hard against a bill
that has such good intentions," said William Marler, food safety advocate
and attorney. "But SB 201 actually creates a detour around the regulation of
raw milk, and must be re-written before the bill is ready. There are
children on life support because of raw milk tainted with E. coli and other
toxic bacteria, and there will be more of them in California--and
nationwide--unless changes are made to this legislation."
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 CentreDaily.com
Raw
milk subculture goes beyond organic - - Ariella Wilber always told her
friends that if Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms ever ended its raw milk
program that she would buy a goat the next day to replenish her stock. In
one way she made good on her promise — she bought a goat — although it took
a little longer than she expected. About a week and half ago, Wilber
purchased a white Saanen dairy goat named Pearl to replace the raw milk she
once received from Alexandre. She is just one of many people in Del Norte
County who are seeking alternative sources of raw, unpasteurized milk since
the dairy voluntarily shut down its program due to an outbreak of the
bacteria Campylobacter that may have infecting up to 15 people who drank the
milk.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 The Daily Triplicate
Golden image of
corn-based ethanol shows some erosion - - From his office window at the
Al-Corn Clean Fuel ethanol plant, manager Randy Doyal watches a steady
stream of trucks roll in, weighed down with grain. A decade ago, many of the
delivery trucks were beat-up, all-purpose workhorses. Today, a growing
number are gleaming semis, reflecting the improved fortunes of this
farmer-owned facility as well as the nearby countryside. "All the folks that
invested in the first place took a gamble. It's been big for them," says
Doyal. The firms' huge fermenters, grain elevators and cooling towers loom
over the flat cornfields, physically underscoring the economic reality that
ethanol is the most important thing around. Market changes and a growing
chorus of concerns about ethanol make Doyal and other ethanol supporters
question how long the good times will last. Corn prices, though down lately,
remain high at $5.98 a bushel, making it harder for ethanol producers to
profit. Livestock producers blame the ethanol industry for driving up feed
prices and fueling food inflation for consumers.
<more> Aug. 22, 2008 USA Today
Sept.
16 deadline for USDA drought aid for crops, livestock - - The USDA’s
Farm Service Agency is reminding producers that Sept 16 is the deadline to
apply for 2008 Farm Bill Disaster Assistance Programs. FSA has disaster
programs to offer some relief for crop and livestock producers who have
experienced drought losses, but only if all of their crops and rangeland are
covered by federal crop insurance or FSA’s Noninsured Crop Disaster
Assistance Program (NAP). Growers who do not already have full coverage for
all crops can still be eligible by taking action by September 16, 2008. That
is the deadline to pay an Eligibility Buy-In fee for the 2008 Farm Bill
Disaster Assistance Programs. Programs include the Supplemental Revenue
Assistance Payments program (SURE) for crop losses, the Livestock Forage
Program (LFP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) that help farmers and
ranchers recover from crop and livestock grazing losses. More information
about eligible counties and program is available at a local FSA office. A
list of office is available by visiting
www.fsa.usda.gov/ca or calling (530) 792-5537. Aug. 22, 2008
USDA Press Release
Legal
guest workers sue contractor - - Just as the Bush administration is
trying to push agribusiness to hire more legal guest workers, a dozen of the
workers filed suit Thursday in Sacramento, claiming their employers have
cheated them and have broken promises made in Mexico about the work here.
About 180 workers – the dozen among them – arrived in the Sacramento area in
mid-July to work for six months on H-2A temporary visas. Their departure was
hailed in local media in their home state of Colima, Mexico, as a great
opportunity to work legally in the United States. The owners of Salvador
Gonzalez Farm Labor Contractor, based in Galt, had traveled to Colima to
meet with government officials there and recruit people to work for them on
the H-2A visas. In their suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Sacramento,
workers say they were promised wages of $100 a day – a figure touted in the
media in Colima – to work for eight to 10 hours a day, six days a week.
Instead, the workers say, many have been left mostly idle in remote labor
camps.<more>
Aug. 22, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Regulators expected to allow radiation for spinach, lettuce - - Federal regulators are expected today to let processors for the first time use radiation to kill bacteria in spinach and iceberg lettuce. The step will protect consumers and growers, who have been battered by E. coli outbreaks in recent years. But are shoppers ready for irradiated vegetables? Experts point out that meat and some other foods have been treated with radiation for years, with little or no resistance from shoppers. But that may be simply because few are aware of the practice. <more> Aug. 22, 2008 Fresno Bee
Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008
State
Fair Ride To Be First Powered By Cow Manure - - A children's train ride
at the California State Fair will be the first known amusement ride powered
entirely by cow manure, fair officials said Thursday. Pacific Gas and
Electric Company and developer BioEnergy Solutions will power the "Barnyard
Animal Train" ride with renewable biogas, made from state dairy cows.
Children will have the chance to take a ride and learn to be environmentally
conscious, fair officials said. The ride will be located at the Kaiser
Permanente Kids Park starting Friday and will last until Labor Day.
Fairgoers can learn more about the source of green energy created by
biodegradable wastes at an exhibit at the State Fair.
<more> Aug. 21, 23008 KCRA-TV
Lilly
paying Monsanto $300M for controversial dairy hormone - - Eli Lilly's
Elanco division will pay more than $300 million for Monsanto's artificial
dairy cow hormone that increases milk production but faces mounting public
concerns over its safety. The Indianapolis drug maker, which has been
investing more heavily in its animal health business in the past two years,
said it is ready to take on the task of promoting the BST hormone, called
Posilac, as a farming tool that can boost milk supplies for a world hungry
for more dairy products. Posilac opponents point to studies that show cows
given Posilac have higher rates of udder infections. They also say the
hormone increases a substance, called bovine insulin-like growth factor 1,
that has been linked to cancer and is passed on to humans through the milk.
"We are very familiar with it (Posilac), and we are familiar with the
controversy," said Elanco spokeswoman Joan Todd after the deal was announced
Wednesday. "We've got to feed a growing global population. This is a
recognized, safe and effective way to do it."
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 Indianapolis Star
Dan
Walters: Workers' comp battle heats up again -- The Capitol's perennial
conflict over workers' compensation benefits and burdens may be heating up
again with the independent Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB)
recommending a sharp hike in insurance premiums paid by employers and the
Schwarzenegger administration proposing new rules for disability benefits.
The WCIRB is proposing an overall 16 percent increase in work comp premiums
beginning in January, citing "a significant increase in medical payments per
claim" for job-related illnesses and injuries. While the report notes that
work comp insurance costs would still be 60 percent lower than they were
before a series of reforms enacted by the Legislature in 2003 and 2004, if
the proposal is approved by the state insurance commissioner, it would mark
the first work comp insurance boost since 2004. Last year, Insurance
Commissioner Steve Poizner rejected a WCIRB's recommendation for a 5.2
percent premium increase and left rates unchanged.
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 Sacramento Bee
In
California's fields, risks rise with the temperature -- Francisco
Muñoz's hands grabbed at unripe salad tomatoes as fast as they could,
filling two buckets that together earned him $1.05. Heat waves visibly
undulated overhead as he bent over to pick, raced to a truck to dump the
buckets – each 25 pounds – then raced back to start again. "I'm the
champion. I can earn up to $20 an hour," Muñoz, 42, said in Spanish, his
chest heaving, his face glistening with sweat. The option of piece-rate pay
allows a farmworker like Muñoz to vault far above the $8-an-hour state
minimum that he and 200 other workers were guaranteed, no matter how fast
they picked this field east of Stockton. But during heat waves, job safety
specialists say, the ubiquitous piece-rate system may be contributing to
laborers working – or being worked – to death. Since May, half of 12
heat-related job deaths under investigation in California have been of
Latino farmworkers, four of them in jobs paying piece rate. The deaths are
consistent with a new study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention that documents a disproportionate number of crop worker
fatalities.
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Assemblyman Nuñez makes a movie about field hands to persuade governor to
sign a bill to ease unionizing - - To get the movie-star governor's
attention on a pet issue -- the plight of California farmworkers -- Fabian
Nuñez made a movie. Toting a video camera, the assemblyman (D-Los Angeles)
and his staff trekked through fields near Stockton and Bakersfield to
interview field hands and labor contractors for a 21-minute documentary. The
Los Angeles Democrat and his crew were not always well received. In one
scene, Nuñez confronts a field boss about a lack of shade for workers, which
is a violation of state law. In another, an angry grower stalks toward the
camera, ordering Nuñez and the crew off his tomato field. An eerie night
scene shows workers toiling in the dark, picking onions by the light of
headlamps, "faceless bodies working the soil," according Nuñez's narration.
His purpose? To persuade Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign one of his
measures, now pending in the Legislature, intended to make it easier for
farmworkers to unionize. Making the video -- with taxpayer-funded staff and
equipment, though Assembly officials say they do not have a cost estimate --
was an unusual exercise for a state lawmaker. Their persuasive efforts
normally stop at letter-writing.
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 LA Times
Modesto Bee
Editorial: Feinstein on right track. We need more dams
- - Sen. Dianne Feinstein got a little grumpy the other day with the slow
pace of work on a state water bond she and Gov. Schwarzenegger have
proposed. She singled out members of her own Democratic party for their
intransigence when it comes to new surface water storage projects. Good for
her. Ideological conflicts threaten to throttle any action on California's
water crisis. We run the risk in California of remaining philosophically
pure and politically correct while we dry up and blow away. We must increase
our water supply. Demand grows with our growing population, and
simultaneously our existing supplies are threatened by the pace of global
climate change. When winter snowfall diminishes in the Sierra Nevada, as it
has for two years now, the slowly melting supplies we once counted on are no
longer available. More precipitation falls as rain, and we haven't
sufficient capacity to collect it for use in cities, industries and
agriculture.
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 Modesto Bee
Vegetable-based fuel may soon come to Firebaugh - - Firebaugh may soon
be able to offer trucks, tractors and city vehicles a vegetable-based source
of fuel, if plans for a new biodiesel plant and fueling stations in the city
limits come to fruition. The plans come from Watsonville-based Energy
Alternative Solutions Inc., which this week briefed the Firebaugh City
Council on its plan to build a 2.5 million gallon-per-year biodiesel
production plant within the city limits, one similar to a plant it operates
in the Salinas Valley city of Gonzalez. Waste vegetable oil from restaurants
and other sources -- and possibly locally grown oil-rich crops in the future
-- would provide the raw material, or feedstock, for the plant, which would
cost about $4.5 million to build and employ about 25 people, said Rich
Gillis, president and chief executive.
<more> Aug. 21, 2008 Fresno Bee
Appeals court tosses pesticide lawsuit - - A federal appeals court on Wednesday overturned an order that farmers in the San Joaquin Valley and Ventura County reduce air pollution from pesticides by 20 percent. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reversed a lower court ruling that found the state had failed to adopt enforceable measures to control the pollution. The panel said the lower court lacked the authority to make that finding, and it said any legal challenge had to take the form of a petition to review the Environmental Protection Agency's rule-making process. <more> Aug. 21, 2009 AP
Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008
Lilly to buy Posilac dairy brand from Monsanto
- - Monsanto Co. said Wednesday it agreed to sell its Posilac brand of cow
hormones to drug maker Eli Lilly & Co. for at least $300 million.
Indianapolis-based Lilly may also make additional payments to Monsanto, an
agricultural chemical company, contingent on the results of the deal. The
sale will be completed "as soon as practical," Monsanto said in a statement.
The Posilac brand will become part of Lilly's Elanco animal health unit.
"With the purchase of Posilac, Elanco can enhance its overall product
portfolio and work together with the industry to provide dairy farmers more
options and give consumers affordable choices," company president Jeff
Simmons said in a news release.
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 AP
Some weary of Fresno rendering plant - - A
group of southwest Fresno residents urged the Fresno City Council on Tuesday
to relocate the Darling International rendering plant from their
neighborhood, saying they are tired of the odor and presence of the
company. "Ask yourself," said Mary Curry, a neighborhood advocate, "would
you like this in your community?" Curry said that while she understands that
the plant plays an important role in the farming industry by rendering
poultry and cattle, it has no place in southwest Fresno anymore. "We can't
develop and make this a safe place to live with it here," Curry said. "It
needs to relocate." The neighborhood challenge comes when the Texas-based
company is caught in a difficult situation.
<more> Aug. 20 ,2008 Fresno Bee
Parra wins praise for political gumption. Ag
interests give lawmaker kudos on her water stand. - - A day after she
was booted from her Capitol office, Assembly Member Nicole Parra on Tuesday
showed no signs of backing off her demand that lawmakers approve a water
bond before she votes on the state budget, now 51 days late. The showdown
with Assembly Speaker Karen Bass has made Parra, D-Hanford, a bit of a hero
with the water-thirsty farmers in the Valley. But some rank-and-file
Democrats say she has gone too far. "I think the budget at this point is
more important than the water," said Candi Easter, a state Democratic Party
official in Bakersfield. "I think that Nicole should stay with her party.
I'm just really saddened by her behavior." On Fresno's conservative talk
station KMJ, AM 580, however, there was nothing but joy. Parra took calls on
Ray Appleton's afternoon show, including this from Fresno County Supervisor
Bob Waterston: "Nicole, you're a rock star. I love you. And just keep it
up."
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 Fresno Bee
Westlands discusses nuclear plants - - Fresno
Nuclear Energy Group LLC on Tuesday signed a letter of intent with the
Westlands Water District to discuss the possibility of building two
1,600-megawatt nuclear power plants on 500 acres in the district. John
Hutson, the company's president, said the district would choose the site.
Hutson said that, under the proposal, a desalinization facility, powered by
the plants, would be built "to supply clean, reliable water to the farmers
on the west side."
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 Fresno Bee
In Farm Country's Boom, Hints of a Bubble --
The trucks rumble down the main drag of this farm town all day long, the
ones heading east brimming with grains of No. 2 Yellow Corn, the ones going
west filled with Sweet Bran, a cattle feed that looks like breakfast cereal
and smells like warm beer. That eighteen-wheeled evidence of prosperity
shows why the Plains states are a bright spot in the otherwise gloomy
national economic picture. Here, the housing market is holding up just fine,
the banks are making plenty of loans, and employers keep adding jobs. The
good times in farm country show the difficulty facing policymakers grappling
with the nation's economic distress, underscored yesterday by data
indicating the steepest rise in monthly wholesale prices in 27 years and a
17 year low for new housing construction.
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 Washington Post
Water shortages threaten California farms' future - -For
Lex Iyer, the shock came in early June, when he learned that water
deliveries to his orchard would be cut from 45 percent of contract amount
down to 40 percent. For Shawn Coburn, the challenge is to prepare to keep
his trees alive--and his employees in their jobs--if allocations drop as low
as 10 percent next year. Iyer and Coburn are among the farmers who
described their efforts to cope with water shortages in a survey conducted
by the California Farm Bureau. Both grow almonds, a crop that has been among
the state's agricultural success stories in recent years. And both say they
worry that water shortages will make that success difficult to sustain. For
the past 12 years, Iyer has farmed almonds near Gustine in western Merced
County. He realized that 2008 would not exactly be his year, however, after
the federal government announced water cutbacks were necessary due to the
drought.
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 Ag Alert
Sweet Potato
Out-Yields Corn in Ethanol Production Study - - In experiments,
sweet potatoes grown in Maryland and
Alabama yielded two to three times as much carbohydrate for fuel ethanol
production as field corn grown in those states, Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) scientists report. The same was true of tropical cassava in
Alabama. The sweet potato carbohydrate yields approached the lower limits of
those produced by sugarcane, the highest-yielding ethanol crop. Another
advantage for sweet potatoes and cassava is that they require much less
fertilizer and pesticide than corn. The research is unique in comparing the
root crops to corn, and in growing all three crops simultaneously in two
different regions of the country.
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 ARS Press Release
USDA Rural Development
to Hold Public Meeting on Farm Bill Renewable Energy Provisions - -
Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Thomas C. Dorr today
announced that a public meeting will be held
on Sept. 4, 2008-in
conjunction with USDA's
Farm Service Agency and Forest Service-on how to implement
renewable energy programs authorized
under the recently enacted farm bill. "Continuing to develop renewable
energy is a key component of President Bush's strategy to reduce America's
dependence on foreign oil," Dorr said. "This meeting is an opportunity for
business owners, citizens and agricultural producers to discuss the best
ways to harness the untapped
renewable energy resources in rural
areas."
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 USDA Press Release
Net the potential of
carbon credits -- As Patterson dairy of Auburn N.Y., grew from
100 cows to 850 cows, its odor challenges expanded, too. So, owner Connie
Patterson put her nose to work to solve the problem. “I discovered that
separated solids from our lagoons smelled like peat moss,” she explains,
adding, “I wanted to be able to say the same for our liquids.” The solution
was a complete-mix methane digester installed in 2005. Then, aggregator
Environmental Credit Corporation knocked on her door, and Patterson entered
the realm of carbon credits. Carbon credits have provided Patterson with a
previously unavailable revenue stream. So far, Patterson has banked about
$15,000. But that stream will pick up as the market develops. For example,
last year the U.S. carbon credit market doubled to between $150 and $200
million. Government estimates put the potential value of agricultural carbon
offsets (credits) as high as $24 billion annually. Use the following
information to create opportunities for your dairy with carbon credits.
<more> Aug. 20, 2008 Dairy Herd Management
Grass Farmer to make "Slow Food" presentation Sept. 1 at CSU Stanislaus - - Joel Salatin, an acclaimed author and alternative farmer, will speak at California State University Stanislaus on Monday, September 1 as part of the Slow Food Nation celebration of America’s food traditions being held in San Francisco and Northern California over the Labor Day weekend. Tickets for Salatin’s 2 p.m. talk in the Bernell and Flora Snider Music Recital Hall at CSU Stanislaus must be purchased in advance. Priced at $20 general admission and $10 for students, tickets are available by calling (209) 874-1309 or (559) 706-9552, or on the Web at brownpapertickets.com or slowfoodnation.org. His talk is titled “All Flesh is Grass” and is sponsored by the University’s Department of Biological Sciences. <more> Aug. 20, 2008 CSU Stanislaus Press Release
Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2008
CDFA grants hearing
on emergency
petition for milk price increase - - The CDFA today granted a hearing on
a emergency petition submitted by Western United Dairymen, Alliance of
Western Milk Producers and the California Dairy Women Association for a
hearing to consider the implementation of a “surcharge” on the regulated
minimum prices for Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 milk. The suggested level of
the surcharge is $1.00 per hundredweight for a period of six months. The
concerns leading to this call for an emergency hearing include the
extraordinary high feed prices and fuel costs producers are facing, as well
as the extreme volatility in the cheese market. The public hearing is set
for Oct. 30-31 in Sacramento. The CDFA notice can be downloaded
by clicking here. Aug. 19, 2008 CDFA Notice
Dairy markets take a dive - - Dairy prices
took a hit on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Tuesday. Cash barrels down
4.5 cents to $1.655 while blocks dropped 6 cents to $1.70 per pound. The
Class III futures went along down with cheese, the September 2008 through
January 2009 contracts lost 22 to 27 cents and are all below the $17.00
mark. Dave Kurzawski with Downes & O’Neill says there is a lot of milk out
there and a lot of that is going into cheese, “And it’s certainly being
pushed to the market here in August.”
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
California could change farm worker union votes
- - Democratic senators cited a series of heat-related deaths in the
fields as they approved a bill Monday, Aug. 18, that could make it easier
for unions to organize California farm workers. The bill would let farm
workers choose union representation without the traditional ballot-booth
elections. The measure by former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los
Angeles, passed on a party-line, 23-15 vote. It faces a possible veto by
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento,
said helping farm workers organize is the best way to improve working
conditions and avoid more field deaths. California could hire dozens more
inspectors to enforce regulations designed to prevent heat deaths and not
have as much effect, Steinberg said.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 AP
Dairy Situation & Outlook: Strong Cheese Prices,
Higher Milk Production - - The dairy situation has changed a lot over
the past month. Strong cheese prices resulted in Class III prices averaging
well over $18.00 from January through July. But, cheese prices declined in
August. On July 28th, CME cheddar barrels were $2.0225 per pound, but
declined to $1.70 as of August 18th. CME cheddar blocks were $2.0825 per
pound on July 29th, but declined to $1.76 as of August 18th. With dry whey
prices only in the $0.26 to $0.29 per pound range the Class III price for
August will be about $17.15 compared to $18.24 for July and could fall below
$17 for September. Cheese prices are likely to recover some during the
October - November period pushing the Class III price back to the mid $17's
October through December. A little more than a month ago Class III futures
were averaging nearly $19 through July 2010. Today, Class III futures are
below $18.00 though May 2009 and in the low to mid $18s through July 2010.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 CattleNetwork.com
Chino cattleman gets probation for animal cruelty
- - A Chino cattleman found with sick cows and rotting carcasses in his
dairy barn has been sentenced to three years probation for animal cruelty.
Twenty-eight-year-old Albert Buitenhuis had 13 felony charges reduced to one
as part of a plea deal. On Monday he was sentenced to the probation and 200
hours of community service in a San Bernardino County Superior Court. He is
also not permitted to own livestock except for three goats. The Inland
Valley Humane Society says it discovered more than a dozen calves standing
atop decaying carcasses and maggots in a barn belonging to Buitenhuis and
partner Albert Rodriguez last year.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 AP
Del Norte raw milk dairy halts production after
illness-- A Del Norte County dairy has ended its raw milk program after
more than a dozen people fell ill, including a woman who became partially
paralyzed. The milk came from Alexandre Family EcoDairy Farms, which
supplied it to 115 customers. The county's Department of Public Health
suspects at least 15 people were sickened by Campylobacter, a bacteria found
in domesticated animals. The department has confirmed three cases, and are
awaiting test results for the other 12. Alexandre voluntary stopped its raw
milk program June 15 after learning one of its customers was hospitalized.
That woman later became partially paralyzed by a disorder tied to
Campylobacter.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 AP
Assembly Member Parra a pariah in struggle over
state budget -- Hanford Democrat Nicole Parra was booted from her Assembly
office Monday, a punishment for bucking her party on Sunday night's budget
vote. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass sent Parra packing not to smaller Capitol
digs -- the usual reprimand for rebellious members -- but out of the building
entirely. Parra landed across the street in a legislative office building
where no other lawmakers are quartered.
Parra has vowed to not vote for the state budget unless lawmakers also agree
to put a water bond on the November ballot -- a priority of the farmers in her
district who have long pushed for new dams. On Sunday she kept her pledge and
was the only Democrat present who abstained on a Democratic budget proposal
that was never expected to pass. The budget bill requires a super majority and
failed because no Republicans voted yes.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 Fresno Bee
California Senate considers bill to protect
animal researchers - - The recent attacks on animal researchers in Santa
Cruz have refocused attention on a bill aimed at protecting academic
freedom. Assembly Bill 2296 would make it easier for police to cite
individuals for trespassing and makes it a crime to post personal
information of a researcher with the intent to incite violence. The Aug. 2
attacks included firebombings of a car and a researcher's home in Santa
Cruz. In the latter case, the family was forced to flee the house through a
second-story window. "The most recent attacks brought to everybody's
attention that there are real concerns about the safety of academic
researchers," said Assemblyman Gene Mullin, D-South San Francisco. Mullin
wrote the bill with input from the University of California and other
universities in the state.
<more> Aug. 19 ,2008 Sacramento Bee
LA Times Op: Ed: Animal rights terrorism.
Activists have used increasingly dangerous tactics on researchers whose goal
is to save lives - - By Frankie Trull - - The firebombings of the
car and home of two UC Santa Cruz researchers earlier this month reveal an
unwelcome reality: Animal rights extremism is getting worse. Over the last
several years, militants have shifted their focus from breaking into
research labs and institutions to targeting researchers and their families
at home. In the past, they protested against scientists who work with higher
species, such as nonhuman primates and dogs; now, they are even targeting
researchers who use fruit flies. These attacks, considered domestic
terrorism and attempted homicide, should be a wake-up call to law
enforcement. Congress recognized the danger that animal rights militants
pose when it passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act in 2006. This law
gave the FBI additional tools to pursue animal rights extremism and
increased penalties for crimes related to it. The FBI has not apprehended
anyone since the law was passed. It needs to make these crimes a higher
priority.
<more> Aug. 19, 2008 LA Times
Farmers link up with Facebook- - Farmers and Facebook? The information sharing site offers a platform for farmers to trade information, advice and whatever crosses their minds. The concept comes from Jim Eadie, co-founder of www.Farmershowcase.com, who saw it as a strategic marketing initiative. "We can target and get direct feedback from farmers in specific sectors," he said in a statement. "I strongly feel like we are just scratching the surface with the ability to reach farmers direct via the internet." Farmershowcase.com is an agricultural product showcasing Web site and created the Facebook group to connect "young and progressive farming leaders throughout the world," officials said. Follow this link to join the group. Aug. 19, 2008 Fresno Bee
Monday, Aug., 18, 2008
The Bottom Line: California benefits from rise in
dairy-product exports - - We may be addicted to oil from Saudia Arabia and
Russia, but they can't get enough of our milk-fat products. U.S. dairy
processors shipped butter and cheese abroad at a record pace in the first six
months of the year, according to trade data released last week. They
capitalized on a weak dollar, high prices for cooking oils and droughts in
Australia and New Zealand, which usually dominate the international dairy
trade. Exports of butter shot up 570 percent to more than 56,000 tons, led by
sales to Russia and Saudi Arabia. Cheese exports jumped 48 percent to roughly
78,000 tons. One curious consequence of the export boom, experts say, may be a
shift in the type of cheese made in California, the nation's top producer of
milk.
<more> Aug.18, 2008 Sacramento Bee
Union organizing educational workshops in
Bakersfield and Modesto - - An educational workshop covering union
organizing activity, employers’ rights, and immigration issues will be hosted
by Western United Dairymen on Tuesday, Aug. 19 in Bakersfield, and Tuesday,
Aug. 26 in Modesto. The workshop will be led by Tony Raimondo, from the law
firm of Saqui & Raimondo, and members will learn what to expect when a union
organizer arrives at their dairy. The Bakersfield workshop will be from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. on Aug. 19 in the Kern County Ag Commissioner Conference Room at
1031 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, phone (661) 868-6225. The Modesto
workshop will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Aug. 26 in the Stanislaus County Farm
Bureau office located at 1201 L Street, Modesto, phone (209) 522-7305. Please
contact your local Western United Dairymen field representative for more
information and to RSVP.
July milk production up 1.7 percent - -
According to USDA’s monthly “Milk Production” report released Aug. 18, July
milk output in the 23 major dairy states rose 1.7 percent over July 2007
levels to 14.8 billion pounds. California milk production slipped 1% in July
to 3.415 billion pounds compared to 3.45 billion in July of last y ear. The
Golden State’s dairy herd grew by 30,000 head to 1.846 million but production
per cow dropped 50 pounds to 1,850. Meanwhile, production per cow in these states
averaged 1,742 pounds for July, unchanged from a year earlier. The additional
milk production came from an increase in cow numbers. The number of milk cows
in the 23 major dairy states during July was 8.47 million head. That’s 143,000
head more than in July 2007 and 5,000 head more than in June 2008. Texas
recorded the largest increase (10.1 percent) in cow population, while Florida
saw the biggest drop (3.9 percent) in cow numbers. The report also revised
June milk production to 14.7 billion pounds, or up 3.2 percent from June 2007.
This revision represents a decrease of 19 million pounds or minus 0.1 percent
from last month’s preliminary production estimate.
<more> Aug. 18, 2008 Dairy Herd Management
Dem leaders boot Parra from her Capitol office
- - Hanford Democrat Nicole Parra was booted from her Assembly office today
as punishment for bucking her party on Sunday night’s budget vote. Assembly
Speaker Karen Bass gave Parra until the end of the day to move into a one-room
office across the street from the Capitol in a building normally reserved for
legislative staff members. It’s not unprecedented for leaders to move
rebellious members to smaller offices, but it’s believed this is the first
time a lawmaker has been sent out of the Capitol building.
<more> Aug. 18, 2008 Fresno Bee
Export Boom Helps Farms, but Not American Factories
- - Exports are the bright spot this year in an otherwise bleak economy. But
the world is not suddenly snapping up made-in-America goods like aircraft,
machinery and staplers. The great attraction is decidedly low-luster
commodities like corn, wheat, ore and scrap metal. This helps explain why
manufacturing jobs are continuing to disappear by the tens of thousands and
factories are closing even during a miniboom in exports. While the surge in
commodities is a welcome relief, it is an unreliable prop for an industrial
power. “The historical data tell us clearly: don’t get too used to commodity
export booms; as any third world country will tell you, they tend to go away
pretty quickly,” said L. Josh Bivens, a trade expert at the labor-oriented
Economic Policy Institute. His point was that while Boeing’s aircraft or
Caterpillar’s tractors are distinctive and sought after, corn grown in Iowa is
virtually interchangeable with corn grown in Argentina or any other
bread-basket country. “Over a long period,” Mr. Bivens said, “commodities
contribute right around zero to export growth.”
<more> Aug. 18, 2008 NY Times
Significant changes may be in store for Ag Labor
Relations Act - - By Michael C. Saqui and Anthony P. Raimondo - -
California Assembly Bill No. 2386 may spell big changes
for
the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA). AB 2386 would mean the end for
secret ballot elections under the ALRA. Under AB 2386, unions can petition the
Agricultural Labor Relations Board (“ALRB”) to conduct either a “Ballot Booth
Election” or a “Mediated Election”. Employers will recognize the ballot booth
election as it is virtually identical to the current secret ballot election.
The new addition is the “Mediated Election”. The mediated election functions
similarly to an absentee ballot. Under current law, the union must demonstrate
a showing of interest to the ALRB along with their petition. However, the
mediated election allows unions to force a mediated election with no showing
of interest by employees. The union petition for mediated election need only
allege: 1) the number of agricultural employees currently employed by the
employer is not less than 50% of the employer’s peak agricultural employment
for the calendar year; 2) no valid election has been conducted among the
agricultural employees in the last 12 months; 3) the union is not currently
certified as the exclusive collective bargaining representative; and 4) the
petition is not barred by an existing CBA.
<more> Aug. 18, 2008
Six months later, did the Chino beef recall produce
benefits? - - The cows were caked in manure and mud. Sick or hurt, they
couldn't stand long enough to be slaughtered. So they were beaten, kicked,
jabbed in their eyes and shocked. They were dragged with chains, rammed with a
forklift and blasted with a powerful hose in a manner later described in
congressional hearings as akin to water-boarding. The mistreatment and illegal
slaughter of "downer" cows at the Westland/Hallmark Meat Co. in Chino,
captured on video by an undercover investigator posing as a plant employee,
sparked the largest U.S. beef recall in history. Six months later, the recall
is over, but its impact is clear and far-reaching.
<more> Aug. 18, 2008 Riverside Press Enterprise
Bullfights preserve culture, animals - - The
lead man for the “Turlock Suicide Squad,” wearing a green knit cap and a tight
toreador-style suit, put his hands on his hips and strutted toward the bull,
daring him to charge. The animal rushed toward Tiago Pereira, who threw
himself between the bull's horns but missed his hold – falling to the ground,
pulling his knees up to protect his mid-section and covering part of his head
with his hands. The bull prodded him with blunted horns, sheathed in leather
after their sharp tips have been cut off. It was a rough night for Pereira,
25, an electrician. But he grabbed the bull on the second try, and the rest of
the eight-man squad muscled the powerful animal to a standstill. Then Joe
Martin, 53, grabbed the bull's tail as the animal was released. The bull spun
in circles, trying to hook Martin, whose feet skidded in the dirt as he was
towed like a water-skier. The bull finally tired, and Martin let go, calmly
walking away. The suicide squad, or forcados, are a fan favorite in “bloodless
bullfights,” the signature event of Portuguese-American religious festas held
in many parts of the Central Valley during the summer.
<more> Aug. 18, 2008 San Diego Union
UCSC firebombings are reminder of how hard it is to catch extremists - - It's been more than two weeks since a pair of firebombs rattled the university community in Santa Cruz. The attacks against two University of California researchers are believed to be the work of radical animal-rights activists opposed to vivisection. But despite an Aug. 7 raid on a Santa Cruz home on Riverside Avenue, nobody has been arrested. The case is a stark reminder of how hard it is to catch animal-rights and environmental extremists, who are suspected of committing more than 1,200 criminal acts nationwide since 1990. Because of the activists' strict code of discipline that prohibits "snitching" or cooperating with investigators, many cases remain unsolved. <more> Aug. 18, 2008 San Jose Mercury News
Friday, Aug. 15, 2008
Is
this the bottom for cash cheese? - - Things have been very busy on the
Chicago Mercantile Exchange cash cheese market lately. 41 loads have been
sold in the last four sessions. On top of that, there were 20 offers
uncovered on Thursday. Jacquie Voeks with Stewart-Peterson says this could
indicate we are as low as we are going to go. “We’re seeing these guys just
load-up on cheese; that tells us there is tremendous demand.” She does
caution though that some of those sales could be the same load being resold
over and over, “Perhaps these loads are not moving anyplace.” Of particular
concern, there is no way to identify who is doing the trading on the
electronic platform.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
The
end of an active week in dairy markets - - After a pretty wild week on
the cash cheese markets, in the end, not that much changed. Barrels on the
Chicago Mercantile Exchange finish the week 2 cents lower, blocks .75 cents
lower and butter a half-cent higher. Class III futures for 2008 are lower,
August down 53 cents, September lost 71 cents from last Friday, October is
40 cents lower and November dropped 23 cents. The February 2009 contract is
a nickel higher.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 Brownfield Ag News
State
bill to help protect researchers from extremists' attacks gains ground -
- A state bill that would help state law enforcement agencies and prosecutor
protect academic researchers and their families from becoming victims of
violence and intimidation by extremist activists moved one step forward Aug.
14 when a state Senate committee passed it 3-0. The vote on Assembly Bill
2296 by the Senate Committee on Public Safety sends the bill to the Senate
Appropriations Committee, which could take action as early as next week. The
bill, introduced earlier this year by Assemblymember Gene Mullin, D-San
Mateo, at the request of the University of California, had undergone several
revisions because of concern for the First Amendment rights of protesters
and the public's right of access to information. In the version passed by
the Assembly earlier, criminal provisions had been dropped from the bill.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 UCLA Today Online
Food
prices unlikely to see relief: USDA's Schafer - - The recent plunge in
corn and soybean prices and the cost of fuel to transport products to stores
will not bring relief to soaring U.S. food prices this year, Agriculture
Secretary Ed Schafer told Reuters on Tuesday. Food prices are forecast to
rise by 5 percent this year, the largest annual increase since 1990. In its
first estimate for 2009, the U.S. Agriculture Department said prices would
rise by 4.5 percent, led by higher costs of red meat and poultry. A broad
range of commodities posted record high prices this year. Among them were
corn and soybeans, but they have since declined more than 25 percent each as
concerns over smaller crops due to a wet spring have dissipated. Oil also
has slumped from a record high above $147 a barrel on July 11 to $113.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 Reuters
Westlands water rationing finished - - Rationing within the Westlands
Water District has ended early because of declining demand that resulted
when crops were abandoned and fall planting declined. The water rationing
program, which has been under way since late May, ended Aug. 1 and
deliveries have returned to normal, based on a 40% allocation, for water
users in the district. Sarah Woolf, a spokeswoman for the district, said the
reduced demand convinced U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials that it was
acceptable to stop the rationing and allow growers to use their remaining
water supply for the year.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 Fresno Bee
Editorial: Prop 2 needs legislative treatment - - Proposition 2 backers
such as the Humane Society of the United States and Farm Sanctuary have
poured $4.2 million into the measure. Proposition 2 opponents, including
several out-of-state egg producers, have raised $1.7 million. Instead of
deciding issues based on the facts, voters will weigh sound bites, fuzzy
videos and other factors aimed at evoking emotional responses. The
legislature is the appropriate place to debate the merits of Proposition 2 -
and every initiative. There the legislation will go through public hearings,
all sides will be invited to voice their opinions and provide facts, and
legislators will be able to ask questions. Then the proposition will be
modified to address the issues that arise in those committees. In this
country, that is how laws should be written, not as part of a media circus.
<more> Aug. 15, 2008 Capital Press
Milk
board debates fee to help dairies - - Arkansas dairy farmers are in
trouble and need money to survive, said a state panel, which debated
Thursday asking the Legislature to assess a fee on wholesalers to subsidize
farmers in the shrinking field. The five-member Arkansas Milk Stabilization
Board considered a proposal offered by state Agricultural Secretary Richard
Bell to assess an as-yet undetermined fee on wholesalers that would collect
up to $ 5 million a year. That money would then be divvied up among the
state’s approximately 145 dairy farmers, most of whom operate in central and
northwestern Arkansas.
<more>
Aug. 15, 2008 Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Farmers get money for capturing carbon - - Everett Dobrinski recently got a $4,000 check for storing carbon dioxide in his soil. Dobrinski, who farms near Makoti in northwestern North Dakota, said protecting the planet from global warming is not the primary reason he enrolled in National Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program. It's about money. "I am considerate of the environment, but I'm doing it more for my own pocketbook," Dobrinski said. "It just makes economic sense." North Dakota Farmers Union President Robert Carlson said 990 farmers and ranchers in the state got about $2.6 million last month for using no-till and other practices to capture carbon dioxide, which is widely blamed for global warming. <more> Aug. 15, 2008 AP
Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008
Petaluma area dairy families are feeling the squeeze - - High gas
prices, high feed costs, stricter environmental regulations and state-set
prices are making for hard times in the dairy industry and local farmers are
really feeling the squeeze. How hard is it? It’s so tough that Don Silacci
and his son, Rich, got out of the business this year, after 100 years of the
family’s involvement in the dairy businesses. “I had to sell the dairy to
save the land,” Silacci said. He’s now working for a local electrical
contractor. Rich is still in the dairy business, tending the University of
California, San Luis Obispo dairy herd, but Don misses the farm. “I loved
working the land, being outdoors. It was a heartbreaking deal for me.” He
still owns the 165-acre farm on Lakeville Highway, but only a few heifers
are in the pastures. Silacci estimates complying with various state
requirements would cost nearly $1 million if he tried to get back into the
business. He’s not willing to take on that heavy a financial load.
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 Petaluma Argus Courier
Port
funds could be diverted to help with Valley air pollution -- Money
collected in Los Angeles County to clean up its polluted ports would be
shared with the Central Valley under a proposal by the Schwarzenegger
administration that is drawing opposition from Southern California leaders.
Sponsors of legislation that would charge shippers about $60 a container in
the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland had intended to use the
money in areas close to those cities' ports to reduce traffic congestion and
air pollution. But after the bill passed both legislative houses, aides to
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed last-minute changes that would funnel
some of the money to a statewide transportation fund and the California Air
Resources Board, which could use it in areas such as the Central Valley,
which suffers poor air quality from traffic, agriculture and other sources.
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 LA Times
Who
supports, opposes livestock welfare measure - - Supporters of
Proposition 2, a livestock welfare initiative on the November ballot, are
out-fundraising opponents 2-1 and have the edge in celebrity support,
according to financial reports and endorsements. Proposition 2 would require
farmers of egg-laying hens, as well as those raising veal calves and
pregnant pigs, to give the animals more room to extend their wings or limbs
and to lie down. The standards would take effect in six years. Supporters of
Prop. 2 have raised more money, $4.3 million, versus $2.16 million for
opponents, according to the California Secretary of State. Opponents of
Prop. 2 have stronger backing from agricultural groups and in-state donors.
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 North County Times
Dairy
energy management workshop in Tulare Sept. 17 - - PG&E and SCE will host
a Dairy Energy Management workshop on Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at
Edison Ag TAC, 4175 S. Laspina St. Tulare. The workshop will provide an
overview of dairy energy management options, including energy efficiency
technologies and incentives, emerging technologies, demand response
opportunities, water and air-quality and self generation, including various
dairy biogas options for the dairy farmer. This workshop is designed for
dairy owners and operators and dairy designers and vendors, who are
interested in developing and promoting integrated energy management
strategies for dairies. To RSVP, please register at
http://www.sce/agtac or
www.pge.com/energyclasses
or by calling 800-772-4822 or 559-263-5575. Aug. 14, 2008 PG&E
Notice
Mad
Cow Rules Hit Sperm Banks' Patrons - - When Julie Peterson decided to
have a baby on her own two years ago, she picked a tall, blond, blue-eyed
Danish engineer as a sperm donor to match her own Scandinavian heritage. But
when she went back to the sperm bank to use the same donor to have another
child, she was stunned to discover that the federal government had made it
impossible. "I just cried," said Peterson, 43, who lives in North Carolina.
"I was in complete shock. I hadn't thought about anything but having another
baby with this donor. It was just so surprising and bewildering." The sperm
bank had run out of vials from Peterson's donor and could not replace them,
because of restrictions health officials have instituted to protect
Americans against the human form of mad cow disease. Since May 2005, the
United States has effectively barred sperm banks from importing from Europe
for fear it might spread the brain-ravaging pathogen that causes the
affliction.
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 Washington Post
CDFA
joins California Fuel Cell Partnership - – The California Department of
Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has joined the California Fuel Cell Partnership
(CaFCP) as an associate member. The partnership is a collaboration of 31
member organizations including auto manufacturers, energy providers,
government agencies and fuel cell technology companies. Together they work
to promote the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as a means
of moving towards a sustainable energy future, increasing energy efficiency
and reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. “California is
looking forward to a future powered by alternative fuels, including hydrogen
fuel cells that clean the air and create new jobs,” said CDFA Secretary A.G.
Kawamura. “The California Department of Food and Agriculture has a long
history of expertise in assuring the quality and fair measurement of fuels
for our state’s consumers, and we look forward to contributing to this
partnership.”
<more> Aug. 14, 2008 CDFA Press Release
Music mooves cows to make milk - - An Israeli dairy farmer is crediting classical music with increasing the milk production of his cows. Avraham Sindlis of Givat Haim Ihud in the past two years has seen his kibbutz's cowshed move up to 11th place in Israeli milk production from 102nd. His secret? Playing the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss to the cows. "It's pleasant for them, and for me, too, and it passes the day," Sindlis told Yediot Achronot on Thursday. "It may be hard to prove scientifically, but the quantities of milk speak for themselves." Aug. 14, 2008 Jewish Ledger
Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008
Despite strong demand, dairy prices falling this summer - - California dairy farmers, already reeling from rising feed and fuel prices, will take another hit Sept. 1 when the price they're paid for whole milk will be cut. Farmers will be getting $19.23 per hundredweight, down 56 cents from the price they're being paid in August. That's $3.60 less than they made in September 2007. "Dairy producers' marg