USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Shares Update on H5N1 Detection in Oregon Swine

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is sharing key updates regarding the detection of HPAI H5N1 in a backyard farm operation in Crook County, Ore., as well as additional information about the agency’s proactive efforts to protect livestock, farms and communities from avian influenza.

On Wed., Oct. 30, USDA APHIS announced that H5N1 avian influenza was detected in one of the pigs at this backyard farm, that two pigs tested negative...

USDA Builds on Actions to Protect Livestock and Public Health From H5N1 Avian Influenza

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is planning to enhance national surveillance of H5N1 on dairy farms, building on measures taken by USDA since the beginning of the avian influenza outbreak. In partnership with state veterinarians, USDA will implement a tiered strategy to collect milk samples to better assess where H5N1 is present on U.S. dairy farms, with the goal to better inform biosecurity and containment measures, as well as to inform state-led efforts to reduce...

CDC A(H5N1) Bird Flu Response Update October 29, 2024.

CDC continues to respond to the public health challenge posed by a multistate outbreak of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus, or "H5N1 bird flu," in dairy cows, poultry and other animals in the United States. CDC is working in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), state public health and animal health officials, and other partners using a One Health approach.

Since April 2024, CDC, working with state public health departments... 

Meat Institute: USDA Continues to Over-Regulate Beef and Cattle Market

Following the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) requests for more information on possible new rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act on price discovery in cattle markets, Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts today made the following statement:

“Biden’s USDA is once again attempting to assert government control over the free market to the detriment of cattle producers, packers and consumers,” said Potts. “This is not about transparency. This is about the government dictating how cattle may be bought and sold...

NCBA Shares Hurricane Helene Disaster Resources

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) shared updated information about disaster relief programs available to cattle producers impacted by Hurricane Helene and opportunities to support disaster recovery through NCBA state affiliates.

“The cattle industry is a family and together we will recover from the devastation brought by Hurricane Helene,” said NCBA President Mark Eisele. “I encourage you to utilize the relief programs available through USDA and contact NCBA if you encounter any challenges or need assistance.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended flexibilities and waivers to disaster...

ANALYSIS: Imported Cattle Shake Up US Beef Market

The U.S. boxed beef market has had its fair share of trials and tribulations this year and they only seem to be growing as unfamiliar trends continue to emerge. One of those trends that has largely been absent through the last couple years during the contraction in the U.S. cattle herd, is imported cattle from Mexico and Canada. Fast forward to the present day, this trend is alive and well and has been causing some uncertainty in the market as both sides of the aisle try to gauge the...

Anthrax Confirmed in Wyoming Cattle for First Time Since 1970s

According to the Wyoming Livestock Board, anthrax was confirmed in multiple beef herds in Carbon County on August 31, 2024. This marks the first time the bacterial disease has been confirmed in Wyoming cattle since the 1970s.

“Multiple state agencies and private veterinarians responded quickly following the anthrax diagnosis by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. Protecting animal and human health is critical upon diagnosis of a zoonotic disease,” said Dr. Hallie Hasel, Wyoming State Veterinarian. 

“The Wyoming Livestock Board will continue working with producers and private veterinarians to reduce further...

ANALYSIS: New Zealand's July 2024 Beef Exports Record 19.6% M-O-M Decline; Exports to China Nosedive

New Zealand’s beef exports in July 2024 amounted to 40,046 metric tonnes (mt), falling 19.6% or 9,734 mt compared to the same period last month, data from Stats NZ indicated.

Notable decreases were seen in exports to the United States (US) and China, in line with seasonal production patterns and lower cattle numbers. Year-on-year (y-o-y), exports fell 13.8% or 6,427 mt. Higher exports to the key Japanese, Canadian and Korean markets helped to mitigate further falls... 

North American Cattle Industry Leaders Meet to Discuss Common Challenges Facing Producers 

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) hosted the 3rd 2024 triannual, trilateral meeting with its North American counterparts, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Ganaderas (CNOG) on the sidelines of the Canadian Beef Industry Conference this week. The trilateral meeting gives an opportunity for leadership to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing beef producers across Canada, the United States and Mexico. Topics at this year’s trilateral focused on trade policy, the upcoming review of the Canada-United...

FSIS to Start H5N1 Beef Monitoring Sampling

On September 16, 2024, the FSIS will be adding H5N1 influenza A monitoring in dairy cows at slaughter to its already robust national surveillance programs for pathogens and chemical contaminants.

FSIS will leverage its existing National Residue Program (NRP) and conduct H5N1 sampling in the muscle samples of dairy cow carcasses already collected for this program. Samples will be tested by FSIS laboratory personnel using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. Carcasses sampled under the NRP are held by establishments pending results of residue testing...

Butterworks Farm Welcomes New Owners, Expands Organic Grass-Fed Yogurt Reach

Butterworks Farm, a beloved gem in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, proudly announces its acquisition by Anthony Calderaro, Ania Kuniej, and Joseph Calderaro. This exciting transition marks a new chapter for the farm, a pioneer in grass-fed organic dairy farming since its founding by Jack and Anne Lazor in 1976.

Renowned for its 100% grass-fed organic dairy products made from the buttery, protein-rich, creamy milk of its Jersey cows, Butterworks Farm has earned a loyal customer base through its commitment to both quality products and sustainable farming practices...

Cattle Industry Leaders Disgusted With Targeted Persecution of Family Ranchers

Today, leaders of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) issued statements in response to news of the indictment of Charles and Heather Maude, multi-generational family ranchers in western South Dakota, by U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota:

“I am deeply disgusted by the Forest Service’s persecution of family ranchers Charles and Heather Maude,” said NCBA President and rancher Mark Eisele. “The Maude family has been ranching in South Dakota for five generations and...

ARS Scientists Discover Strategically Applied Livestock Grazing Can Benefit Sagebrush Communities

While a cow grazing in a field isn’t typically remarkable, United States Department of Agriculture scientists have identified potential ecological benefits of strategically applied livestock grazing in sagebrush communities across U.S. western rangelands.

As recently published in the scientific journal Ecosphere, the collaborative research effort among Agricultural Research Service (ARS) rangeland scientists at Burns, Oregon, and Fort Collins, Colorado, challenged the outdated dogma that livestock grazing in the sagebrush steppe always negatively impacts these ecosystems and, in fact, can convey desirable outcomes, particularly in regard to limiting both wildfire...

USDA Extends Comment Period for Sweeping Packers and Stockyards Rule by Only 15 Days

Today, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture extending the 60-day comment period for their latest Packers and Stockyards proposed rule, "Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets," by only 15 days:

"Cattle markets are immensely complicated and USDA is planning to make sweeping changes to those markets with only 75 days of public input. While today's extension is welcome, it is not nearly enough time to properly...

Study Confirms Mammal-to-Mammal H5N1 Spread

A new Cornell University study provides evidence that a spillover of avian influenza from birds to dairy cattle across several U.S. states has now led to mammal-to-mammal transmission – between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon.

A new Cornell University study provides evidence that a spillover of avian influenza from birds to dairy cattle across several U.S. states has now led to mammal-to-mammal transmission – between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon.

“This is one of the first times that we are seeing evidence...

Penn State Tests Dairy Herd for Bird Flu in Support of State Surveillance Effort

Animal health experts in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have announced that — out of an abundance of caution — they will test the University’s dairy herd for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, under a voluntary state testing program.

The announcement comes amidst an outbreak of bird flu that has affected dairy cattle in more than a dozen states since March. As of July 19, the virus had not been found in Pennsylvania dairy herds, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state animal...

Cargill Invests $1 Million in Research on Methane Reduction in Cattle

Cargill, a global food and agriculture leader, has issued a $1 million grant to Colorado State University to help fund the university’s AgNext research program. The contribution will support cutting-edge research aimed at promoting sustainable animal agriculture practices and reducing the environmental impact of the beef industry.

“Working closely with industry partners like Cargill, researchers and producers, AgNext is helping develop innovative, scalable solutions that move the livestock industry toward a more sustainable future,” said Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, director of AgNext and Co-Pl...

ANALYSIS: 1H 2024 in Review, Australia’s Beef Industry Navigates Surge in US Exports 

For a relatively small, cattle producing country, Australian beef is heavily traded. In fact, it's on the podium for one of the world's most traded this year. Australia's beef industry in the first half of 2024 has navigated a dynamic landscape reshaped by global market shifts and regional challenges. This period has been marked by significant export expansions to the world’s largest beef market, the US. Despite facing challenges in Asian markets due to evolving consumer demand dynamics, Australia continued to position...

ANAlYSIS: Brazilian Beef Exports Reach Record Highs in H1 2024 Amid Currency Depreciation

Brazilian beef exports reached unprecedented volume in the first half of 2024, totaling 1,139,166 metric tons (MT), a substantial 29.1% increase from the 882,197 MT exported during the same period last year. Just in June, export figures hit 192,567 MT, reflecting a 9.2% decrease from May's 211,976 MT and nearly similar to the same period last year’s 192,688 MT, reflecting only a 0.1% drop.

China remains the top destination for Brazilian beef, absorbing nearly half of the total volume shipped in H1 2024...

Cargill Indefinitely Shutters Production at Dodge City Plant; Shifts Cattle to Other Facilities 

Cargill has indefinitely shuttered operations at its beef processing facility in Dodge City, Kansas after suffering a partial roof collapse caused by heavy rains.

That facility, which can process roughly 5,000 to 6,000 head per day, was down on Monday, July 1st, and will likely be down tomorrow and possibly Wednesday, according to industry sources. Other market sources suspect that the plant might be down for the entirety of this week, depending in part on how quickly repairs can get underway. 

USDA estimated today's cattle slaughter at 115,000 head, on par with a week ago...

China Welcomes US Dairy Firms Expanding in the Country, Vice Minister says

China welcomes dairy companies from all countries, including the U.S., to expand their business in the Chinese market, Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen said on Tuesday.

Wang made the remarks when meeting with U.S. Dairy Export Council President Krysta Harden, the ministry said in a statement.

The visit came days after the ministry said China may impose provisional anti-dumping measures on pork imports from the European Union as part of a year-long probe that began on June 17...

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Wyoming Dairy Herd

The Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) have received confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) of the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a dairy cattle herd in Wyoming. The detection was first identified in samples received by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in a dairy farm in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Livestock Board (WLSB) and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture (WDA) have received confirmation...