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Release Date: 2015-05-19

In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the government asked animal agriculture industries to release guidelines to its manufacturing facilities regarding the protection of the nation’s agriculture assets. The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) developed the 2012 Bioterrorism Awareness Guidelines, which it recently redesigned as a broadened biosecurity document for the feed and ingredient manufacturing industries.

“During the last two years, AFIA discussed the development of a foreign animal disease risk model with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, formed a working group and reevaluated our 2012 bioterrorism guide,” said AFIA President and CEO Joel G. Newman.

“This is a tremendous resource for our members, and I greatly appreciate the leadership of this task force for developing a high-quality guidance document that will assist our members and the industry in the control of biological hazards. I especially appreciate the assistance of the associations that participated to provide insight and recommendations,” Newman added.

The working group — including scientists from the feed industry and representatives from the National Grain and Feed Association, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council and National Renderers Association — rewrote the guide with a focus on protecting the feed industry’s assets and ensuring the latest science was considered in order to protect AFIA’s customers’ premises and animals from the spread of animal disease.

The document’s purpose is to provide feed and ingredient manufacturers with recommendations to develop a biosecurity plan to help control the potential spread of animal disease through the manufacturing, transport and use of feed and feed ingredients.

Each facility, location or business should develop a biosecurity plan based on the potential hazards and risks of occurrence within its processes. Procedures should be developed to ensure the plan is implemented and remains effective as situations change. The new guidance document focuses on the development of biosecurity practices for feed and ingredient manufacturers to control biological hazards that may contribute to the spread of animal disease.

“We greatly appreciate the dedication and support of the 14 members and organizations that provided insight and recommendations on updating this document,” said Dr. Henry Turlington, AFIA director of quality and manufacturing regulatory affairs. “We are confident the new guidance will help our industry deal with current animal diseases to become better prepared for the next animal health issue.”

February 19, 2014

Support for the beef checkoff, at 78 percent, is the highest recorded in the past 21 years, according to a recent survey of 1,225 beef and dairy producers nationwide.

The random survey conducted by the independent firm Aspen Media & Market Research in late December 2013 and early January 2014 found an overwhelming majority of beef and dairy producers continue to say their beef checkoff has value for them in many ways:

Eight out of 10 producers say the beef checkoff has helped to contribute to a positive trend in beef demand.

71 percent of producers say the beef checkoff contributes to the profitability of their operations.

77 percent say the checkoff is there for them in a crisis.

79 percent say the checkoff represents their interests.

Two in three beef producers believe the checkoff is well managed.

“Despite being challenged by drought, critics of the checkoff and groups who would like to see us go out of business,” says Producer Communications Working Group (PCWG) Chair Jeanne Harland, “beef and dairy producers continue to see more in their Beef Checkoff Program than just paying for a few ads or a few promotions. I’m one of the eight out of 10 who believe the checkoff has helped to contribute to a positive trend in beef demand.

“The beef checkoff has, for nearly 28 years, served the beef industry with programs producers want and that is why we see the checkoff ‘as representing our interests’ according to the survey,” says Harland.

One of the key priorities of the working group which Harland chairs is to ‘increase the understanding of how the checkoff works how [it] benefits them and their role as stakeholders,’ she notes.

“It’s an increasingly competitive world and for beef producers to continue to succeed we have to be able to not only produce a safe, nutritious and sustainable product, we have to promote its benefits in this country and worldwide. We can only do this by working together through the beef checkoff,” she says.

OCT 14, 2013
While the lack of reports is leaving us blind about what’s going on across the country, business continues to be done and milk prices see another good month.
The government’s inability to agree on a budget is becoming more ridiculous. The politics involved in this whole situation are making the U.S the laughing stock of the world. Here we are, a democracy with elected officials who cannot work together and come up with a solution for the good of the nation. It is all tied up with party lines, special interest and the positioning for the next election.
Many citizens are furloughed, which is having a growing impact on various areas of the economy. Some goods and services are not being taken care of as usual. Imports and exports of various items and materials are virtually non-existent, resulting in increasing backlogs at shipyards. This has trickled down through many areas of the economy, not only here but the world. This is something that will not be cleared up overnight once a budget is finally adopted.
So far, there is little indication that exports of dairy products have been affected. It is difficult to get an accurate picture of this due to the inability of receiving government reports. If there are no factors that could hinder export demand of dairy products, the hindrance could come from the inability to ship it out as usual. The U.S. does not send a whole boat load of cheese or butter to one place. Products get put on a cargo ship along with other goods. If shipping to a particular country is slower due to reduced inspectors, which could slow the gathering of a full load, it will eventually slow all export movement. However, much of what is purchased for exports generally has a window of shipping time. When CWT agrees to assist in the exports of cheese and butter, it is generally states that it will be shipped over the duration of the next four to six months.
One issue within the dairy industry is the lack of reports. We have now plowed our way through half of the month of October without the value of any USDA reports. This leaves us blind as to what is going on across the country. Surveys are not being conducted, weekly regional reports are not being released, monthly reports are not being released, etc. Fortunately, the Federal Orders are keeping track of and releasing the weekly National Dairy Product Sales report, providing the industry with critical information for product pricing.
With all of this lack of information, business still needs to be done — and continues to be done. Trading on the CME spot market has been active, giving traders something to base their trading activity and price direction on. The recent strength in cheese prices has certainly been welcomed as it supports another good month of milk prices. Most of the pricing for October has already been factored in by the trade, with the October futures contract settling into […]

OCTOBER 10, 2013
By: Bloomberg

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering scaling back legal requirements on the use of ethanol next year amid complaints from refiners that statutory mandates would exceed their ability to blend it into fuels without putting engines at risk.
One proposal the agency is considering would mandate 15.22 billion gallons of renewable fuels in 2014 instead of the 18.15 billion gallons established by a 2007 law. The agency may call for the use of 13 billion gallons of conventional corn-based ethanol and 1.28 billion gallons of biodiesel, according to a person who saw the proposal who asked not to be identified because the EPA hasn’t issued it.
The administration of President Barack Obama, which has the ability under the law to adjust some of the legal requirements, could revamp the plan before the EPA issues it in the coming weeks. After that, the proposal could be changed before being finalized by the agency. This proposal was previously reported by Greenwire.
Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, refiners such as Exxon Mobil Corp. must use a certain amount of those fuels each year, with their target determined by their share of the fuel market. The EPA and renewable-fuel makers argue it spurs production of domestic fuels and cuts greenhouse-gas emissions by reducing use of gasoline or diesel.
Corn Husks
The EPA is also considering dropping the requirement for cellulosic fuels to just 23 million gallons from 1.75 billion gallons as required in the law, as production of fuels made from scrap wood or corn husks has failed to grow as expected, according to the person familiar with the proposal.
The 2007 law mandates the use of 14.4 billion gallons of corn-derived ethanol in 2014 and 15 billion in 2015. Lobbyists for refiners such as Valero Corp. say that requirement is too high, and have pressed both Congress to scrap the entire program and EPA to lower the requirements.
Oil industry proponents have said that the escalating requirements of ethanol to be added would force them to sell fuel blends exceeding 10 percent or export gasoline, a phenomenon known as “hitting the blend wall.”
Blending in ethanol at greater than 10 percent can cause problems with engine materials breaking down and the operation of emission-control systems, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Older vehicles can’t handle blends of 15 percent ethanol, the Washington-based trade group said.
The EPA had already pledged to adjust the quotas for falling demand for gasoline, and this proposal shows how they may be considering doing that. Based on the Energy Information Administration’s estimated 132.9 billion gallons of gasoline demand in 2014, an ethanol requirement of 13 billion gallons would fall below that 10 percent share.

Fuel Standard
Still, supporters of the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, indicated today that they are contemplating legal action if this plan is carried out.
Existing vehicles that can use fuels with 85 percent ethanol and new filling stations using 15 percent ethanol could allow for the sale of 14.4 billion gallons of ethanol in 2014, said Bob Dinneen, president of the […]