April 23, 2010

Welcome to Weekly Update, a publication of Western United Environmental Services (WUES). Our goal is to provide you with breaking coverage of environmentally related dairy news. We provide the latest information about the WDRs from the water board and information regarding your Waste Management Plan. We endeavor is to assist you with your environmental concerns and any challenges along the way. All previous publications of the Weekly Update can be found in the newsletters section on our website at www.wuenvironmental.com.

WUD asks for another temporary price support hike

Western United Dairymen has written to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack asking for implementation of another temporary price support increase. WUD asked for a six-month period hike at the same levels as occurred in August-October 2009:

·        Raise the price paid for nonfat dry milk from $0.80 per pound to $0.92 per pound.

·        Raise the price paid for cheddar blocks from $1.13 per pound to $1.31 per pound.

·        Raise the price paid for cheddar barrels from $1.10 per pound to $1.28 per pound.

Acknowledging that current market prices are above these levels, CEO Michael Marsh said the main goal of the increase at this time is “simply to provide floor price guarantee to the industry and those who support it.” WUD pointed out the current economic crisis has been felt beyond the farm, affecting many allied industries. “Dairy families need these service providers to stay committed to the industry,” said Marsh. “A temporary price support increase will send a strong message of assurance during a time of continued volatility and uncertainty.” Western United Dairymen April 21, 2010

U.S. dairies lead world with lowest carbon footprint

U.S. dairy farms have the world’s lowest emissions of climate-changing “greenhouse gases,” according to a report released this week by the United Nations. American dairy farms emit about 45 percent fewer greenhouse gases per unit of milk produced compared to the global average for dairies, according to “Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Dairy Sector – A Life Cycle Analysis,” published by the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Also according to the FAO report:

• Beef and milk production from the global dairy herd account for 4.1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Milk production: 2.7 percent of GHGs. Beef from dairy cows and non-milk producing dairy calves: 1.3 percent.
• Dairies in industrialized nations in North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand had the lowest carbon footprint, with North America lowest of all.
• Dairies in Central and South America and parts of Asia produce three to four times the carbon emissions of North American dairies, while dairies in sub-Saharan Africa produce up to seven times more emissions.
• While for dairies in industrialized nations, “methane emissions per kilogram of milk are relatively low,” the FAO said for dairies in developing nations, “marginal improvements of feed digestibility would achieve significant reductions in methane emissions per kg of milk.”

A 2006 FAO report, “Livestock’s Long Shadow,” estimated that livestock production worldwide – including components such as clearing forests in developing nations for new agricultural land, growing crops for animals, fuel and transportation– is responsible for 18 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Unfortunately, this information is sometimes misinterpreted to represent the role of dairy production rather than all livestock. Advocates of plant-based diets or vegan lifestyle have sometimes cited the “Long Shadow” report to inflate the role of dairy in climate change. Fortunately, the new FAO report adds new context to improve the understanding of where dairies fit in globally when it comes to climate change. And, this new information is consistent with estimates previously established in the U.S. Since 1944, thanks to improvements in breeding, cattle care, housing and nutrition, U.S. dairy farmers have reduced the carbon footprint of milk by 63 percent. In the same period, U.S. milk production increased by 59 percent, even as the total dairy cattle herd shrank from 25.6 million to 9.3 million cows. The U.S. dairy industry in 2009 announced additional measures to further reduce GHG emissions by 25 percent by 2020. Learn more at: www.usdairy.com/sustainability

Tulare County farmers, landowners, leaders worry about loss of Williamson Act

Tulare County government officials are gearing up for a fight in Sacramento over the Williamson Act. If Schwarzenegger doesn't renew funding for the counties — known as subventions — in the 2010-11 budget, Tulare County and other cash-strapped counties are threatening not to renew their Williamson Act agreements. Farmers here say that would be a major financial blow to the Valley's agriculture industry.  "It could put us out of business," said Joe Denny, who has a Lindsay farming operation. Farming these days generates little if any profit, he said. Losing property-tax breaks — which some farmers say represent as much as 50 percent of their tax bill — could send farmers over the financial edge. <more> April 20, 2010 Visalia Times Delta

USDA Dairy Industry Advisory Committee meets

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s Dairy Industry Advisory Committee met for the first time this week in Washington. The Secretary opened the three-day meeting by telling the 17-member panel things cannot go on as they are in the dairy industry. Vilsack noted that USDA cannot step in to buy additional product or increase the support prices temporarily like it has in the past and charged the group with coming up with suggestions by the end of the year. Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen is one of the committee members; he says that while the panel is very diverse, representing large and small producers, processors, government and academia, they all agreed dairy producers are in serious financial shape. “I’ve been around dairy all of my life and I don’t ever recall such unanimity.” <more> April 16, 2010 Brownfield Ag News

April 2010

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