Livestock and Dairy

For decades, the Food and Drug Administration has not enforced its standard of identity for milk, allowing plant-based imitators to use dairy terms. Late last month, the FDA released proposed guidance on the issue.  Alan Bjerga, National Milk Producers Federation Senior Vice President of Communications said the proposal is a good first step.  ...

While we’re over two months in, many questions remain about 2023, and how the year head will impact the farming community.  Dr. Phil Bass, Meat Science Assistant Professor at the University of Idaho, said he’ll keep a close eye on the weather in the weeks and months to come.  He noted note only does ...

The past couple of months have been very turbulent for the farm economy, especially the dairy sector.  How are the boots on the ground fairing?  We put that question before Monty Schilter in today's Darigold Minute.   If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsqu...

Last month, Burley-based Redox provided the University of Idaho a $500,000 gift for the school’s Central for Agriculture, Food and the Environment project in the south-central portion of the state.  Darin Moon, CEO of Redox said what attracted him to the CAFE is that the College of Agricultural Life Sciences plans to look at the entire dairy system.   “They'...

Last week was a busy one for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife crews.   On Wednesday, investigators were called to a dead calf, reported on private pastureland near Silver Lake in Lake County.  ODFW determined that calf was killed by wolves from the nearby Gearhart Mountain pack.   And o...

It’s important to figure out if a deworming program is working as it should.  Routine diagnostic testing can help producers figure out what’s working.   “We can find out where you are as a baseline for your individual operation, and then also be able to measure whether or not the expected performance or efficacy of your deworming program is at the level you would like," noted Dr. D.L. Step, p

The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors unanimously endorsed a proposal to modernize the Federal Milk Marketing Order system earlier this month.  The Federation says the move caps more than two years of discussion and more than 130 meetings on different aspects of the proposal.  The plan to r...

Unlike the Oregon and Washington sessions, the Idaho legislative session is fairly quiet for the farming community.  But that does not mean the agriculture industry isn’t watching what’s taking place in Boise very closely.  Cameron Mulrony, Vi...

Fewer cows, higher feed costs, tighter supplies.  That’s the summary of USDA's outlook for the dairy sector in 2023.   “Well, we're expecting to see is a slight decline in the average dairy herd somewhere down to about 9.83 million head in 2023.” ...

On Monday, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack announced an $89 million investment to finance the startup and expansion of independent meat processors.  USDA also announced the department's initial steps to create a more competitive marketplace for seeds and other agricultural inputs.  Vilsack...