Animal ag groups welcome positive TPP report

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) released its report on the likely impact to specific industry sectors and the U.S. economy from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement.

According to the report, the TPP agreement would increase annual U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by $42.7 billion and expand U.S. employment by close to 128,000 full-time equivalents (FTEs) by 2032, when the agreement is fully implemented. Moreover, the report estimates that 10 years after full implementation, those benefits will continue to grow, expanding U.S. GDP by $67 billion and employment by 174,000 FTEs.

ITC stated that the TPP agreement would increase U.S. exports and provide significant benefits for the U.S. agriculture sector, primarily through new market access in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Brunei - countries where the U.S. does not currently have free trade agreements. Under TPP, the ITC model estimates that by 2032, U.S. agricultural exports would be $7.2 billion more than the baseline (representing no TPP agreement), while U.S. agricultural imports would be $2.7 billion higher than the baseline estimate.

House committee advances school meal bill 

The House Committee on Education & the Workforce advanced its child nutrition funding bill out of committee on a 20-14 vote Wednesday. Unlike the widely bipartisan Senate version, the House has seemed to take a more partisan approach and has even distanced itself from the desires of the School Nutrition Assn. (SNA).

Introduced by Rep. Todd Rokita (R., Ind.), the legislation reauthorizes and reforms federal child nutrition programs to ensure that states and schools have the flexibility they need to provide children with access to healthy meals without additional or prohibitive costs.

A variety of child nutrition programs currently assist states, schools and other institutions as they serve children and families in need. Republicans tried to make deeper changes since the last time the bill was passed, when Democrats were in control.

Is that cheese really parmesan?

A parmesan cheese scandal earlier this year highlighted how easy it is to alter the cheese when it's grated. For producers and consumers of some of the most expensive kinds, this is a big problem. Generic versions abound, but the traditional variety comes from only a handful of provinces in Italy and commands twice the price.

Now, scientists reported in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry a way to catch adulteration of the regional products.
In February, news stories emerged about grated Parmigiano Reggiano, or parmesan, cheese that used cellulose as a filler and contained different, less-expensive cheeses. One product labeled 100% parmesan reportedly contained no actual parmesan. For consumers interested in artisanal products, there was no way to truly know what they were getting at the store.

Survey tackles consumer perception of added hormones

The latest Oklahoma State University department of agricultural economics "Food Demand Survey" delved into consumers' beliefs about the use of added growth hormones in livestock and poultry production, revealing that many are misinformed on the topic.

Survey participants were first asked: "What percentage of the following types of farm animals in the United States are given added hormones to promote growth and muscle development?" Respondents indicated that, on average, they believed that more than half of all farm animals are given added hormones to promote growth and development.

Beef cattle ranked the highest; participants stated, on average, that about 62% of all beef cattle were given added hormones. Participants also believed, on average, that just more than half of the broiler chickens and pigs in the U.S. were given added growth hormones. The reality is, however, that most beef cattle receive added growth hormones, but no broiler chickens or pigs do. Less than 2% of respondents correctly answered that 0% of hogs and broilers are given added hormones, meaning that 98% of respondents incorrectly think hormones are used in pork and chicken production.

Read more
Left uncontrolled, weeds would cost billion every year

If weeds were left to grow uncontrolled in corn and soybean fields across North America, such a scenario would cut yields in the U.S. and Canada by about 50%, resulting in $43 billion in annual economic losses for those two crops alone, according to a new study.

The research, conducted by the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) and led by Kansas State University professor Anita Dille, spanned seven years, from 2007 to 2013.

"We were interested in trying to understand just how much impact weeds still have on our crops. Despite the great improvements we have in crop genetics and fertility, we're still having to manage weeds," Dille said, noting that weeds compete with crops for everything from sunlight to moisture to nutrients in the soil.

Dille said half (52%) of corn yields were lost when weeds weren't managed "and, in soybeans, almost the same: 49.5% total yield loss, on average."

Read more
ADSA News and Happenings
Early registration ends June 3 at 11:59 pm CDT. Register today to take advantage of the early registration savings.
The 2016 ADSA-ASAS-CSAS JAM is fast approaching.  We are busily finalizing meeting details to ensure this year's meeting is great.  Please join us July 19-23 in Salt Lake City, Utah for the 2016 JAM. 
New to JAM 2016:
  • AnimalX - TED-style talks
  • ePosterboards for all Poster Sessions
 
Returning to JAM 2016:
  • Opening BBQ to include the Big Scoop ice cream competition and the Battle of the Brats contest
  • Topic lunches
  • Increased scientific poster hours
  • Enhanced family activities
 
Visit the JAM website for more information on:
 
We look forward to seeing you in Salt Lake City!
 
 
Important Meeting Details
 
Meeting Dates
July 19-23, 2016
Meeting Location
Salt Palace Convention Center
Housing Deadline
June 27, 2016
 
 
 
 
American Society of Animal Science, PO Box 7410, Champaign, IL 61826-7410
Website: asas.org, Email: [email protected], Ph. 217.356.9050, Fax 217.568-6070
 
 
USDA Announces Availability of $130 Million in AFRI Funds
On May 16th, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced that $130 million would be available in fiscal year 2016 for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's Foundational Program.   The AFRI Foundational Program funds projects that continue building a foundation of knowledge in fundamental and applied food and agricultural sciences. The Foundational Program addresses six priority areas of the 2014 Farm Bill, with various amounts of funding allocated to each priority area. Funding for 2016 is allocated as follows plant health and production and plant products, $33 million; animal health and production and animal products, $31 million; food safety, nutrition and health, $19 million; bioenergy, natural resources and environment, $14 million; agriculture systems and technology, $11 million; and agriculture economics and rural communities, $17 million.  The $31 million available for animal health and production and animal products is up from approximately $28 million in FY 2015 and continues the recent trend in increases to this component of the Foundational Program.
Application submission deadlines vary by program.  Below are some deadlines relevant to the animal sciences:
July 14, 2016
  • Animal Reproduction
  • Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation
  • Animal Well-Being
  • Animal Health and Disease
  • Tools and Resources - Immune Reagents for Agricultural Animals
August 3, 2016
  • Tools and Resources - Animal Breeding, Genetics and Genomics
The full Request for Applications can be found on the NIFA website by click here.
 
Senate Committee Approves FY 2017 Agriculture Appropriations Bill
On May 19th, the Senate Appropriations Committee met to consider its version of the FY 2017 Agriculture Appropriations Bill.  The bill was approved unanimously and includes $21.25 billion in discretionary funding, $250 million below the FY2016 enacted level. Mandatory funding in the bill totals $126.5 billion, for a total of $147.7 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding. The overall funding level is $21.7 billion below the President's budget request and $7.1 billion above the FY2016 enacted level.
Within the research accounts, the Agricultural Research Service would receive $1.178 billion, an $35 million increase over FY 2016.  Included in this increase is an additional $2 million for poultry production and health research and $1 million for workforce development related to the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility.  The committee bill also includes $64.3 million for ARS Buildings and Facilities to continue funding projects prioritized in the ARS Capital Investment Strategy.  For the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), most accounts were funded at the same level as last year, the major exception being the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which received a $25 million increase from $350 million to $375 million.  A summary of selected key accounts is listed below:
Selected Agriculture Appropriations Accounts
Account
FY 2016 - FINAL
FY 2017 - President's Budget
FY 2017 - House
FY 2017 - Senate
Agricultural Research Service
$1.143 billion
$1.161 billion
$1.151 billion
$1.178 billion
ARS Buildings and Facilities
$212 million
$94.5 million
$99.6 million
$64.3 million
NIFA Research and Education
$819.6 million
$836.9 million
$832.8 million
$851.5 million
                Hatch
$244 million
$244 million
$244 million
$244 million
                AFRI
$350 million
$375 million (discretionary)
 
$325 million (mandatory)
$375 million (discretionary)
 
$0
(mandatory)
$375 million (discretionary)
 
$0
(mandatory)
                Expanded 
               Section 1433
$4 million
$0
$4 million
$4 million
NIFA Extension Activities
$475.8 million
$501.8 million
$477.3 million
$476.2 million
                Smith Lever
$300 million
$300 million
$300 million
$300 million
NIFA Integrated Activities
$30.9 million
$35.2 million
$30.9 million
$36 million
 
Floor action for the Senate and House version of the bill has not been scheduled at this time.  Given that this is an election year it is uncertain at this time whether either of the bills will reach the floor for consideration.     
More details on the Senate committee bill and report can be found at the following links:
 
White House Announces the National Microbiome Initiative
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in collaboration with federal agencies and private-sector stakeholders, announced a new National Microbiome Initiative (NMI) to foster the integrated study of microbiomes across different ecosystems, and is hosting an event to bring together stakeholders vital to advancing the NMI.
The NMI aims to advance understanding of microbiome behavior and enable protection and restoration of healthy microbiome function. In a year-long fact-finding process, scientists from federal agencies, academia, and the private sector converged on three recommended areas of focus for microbiome science, which are now the goals of the NMI:
  • Supporting interdisciplinary research to answer fundamental questions about microbiomes in diverse ecosystems.
  • Developing platform technologies that will generate insights and help share knowledge of microbiomes in diverse ecosystems and enhance access to microbiome data.
  • Expanding the microbiome workforce through citizen science, public engagement, and educational opportunities.
The NMI builds on strong and ongoing federal investments in microbiome research, and will launch with a combined federal agency investment of more than $121 million in Fiscal Year 2016 and 2017 funding for cross-ecosystem microbiome studies.
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy is issuing a national call to action for new commitments to microbiome research from all sectors. Click here to learn more about federal involvement in microbiome research, and about all of the commitments and announcements being made. 
 
2016 Food Animal Production Stakeholder Listening Sessions
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Food Animal Production National Program 101 and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are  interested in obtaining stakeholder input towards establishing research, education and extension priorities to be addressed in their respective programs over the next five years.  A series of listening sessions were held in May 2016.
On May 9, 2016, a Stakeholder Listening Session webinar was co-hosted by the Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland and the Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wisconsin. 
To view the presentation (pdf; 2.8Mb) click on: "USDFRC and AGIL Overview NP101 Dairy Stakeholders" The presentation includes a series of questions related to program priorities. You are invited to send your responses to ([email protected]) with the subject "Feedback for Dairy Research"
 
Cooling cows efficiently with water spray: Behavioral, physiological, and production responses to sprinklers at the feed bunk
Philadelphia, PA, May 16, 2016 - Dairies use intermittent sprinkler systems to cool cows in warm weather, but little experimental work has been done to determine how much water is needed to achieve beneficial effects. A group of dairy scientists conducted a study at the University of California, Davis, to examine the effects of using low-flow sprinkler systems that cut water use for this purpose by nearly 75%. Their research is published in the current issue (June 2016) of the Journal of Dairy Science�.
"Dairies vary widely in the amount of water used to cool cows," explained lead investigator Jennifer M. Chen, of the Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, but using more water results in diminishing returns and minimizing water use is a sustainability concern for US dairy production.
Chen and colleagues compared the effects of high and low water use on cattle behavioral, physiological, and production responses, and evaluated heat abatement in relation to water use. The authors determined that the low-flow sprinkler systems were just as effective as the high-flow systems in mitigating the effects of heat in California's hot, dry climate, despite using only about one-quarter as much water.
  • Cows had lower body temperatures when given access to sprinklers, but the low-flow and high-flow systems delivered similar benefits.
  • Cows exhibited similar behavior when given access to both types of sprinklers. They showed similar patterns in time spent near the sprinkler-cooled feeding area, near the uncooled water trough area, and lying down, and experienced similar changes in feed consumption with temperature.
  • Cows produced more milk when given access to sprinklers, but both types provided similar benefits. "
Future work should evaluate the degree of heat abatement that can be achieved with even less water. An alternative to reducing sprinkler flow rate may be to apply higher flow rates for a shorter duration," added Chen. Reducing water usage by using higher flow rates for a shorter duration could also reduce spray drift, which reduces sprinkler cooling efficiency and is a concern at larger scales than the current study.
"Water use on dairies increases in the summer because cows drink more water and dairy farmers use water sprinklers to keep cows cool. This new research demonstrated that a "low-flow" sprinkler system that uses nearly 75% less water cooled cows just as well as a traditional high-volume system. Low-flow sprinklers conserve valuable natural resources without sacrificing cow comfort on-farm," said Matt Lucy, PhD, editor-in-chief, Journal of Dairy Science, and professor of animal science, University of Missouri, USA.
S-PAC Grows Again.
We are pleased to announce the addition of the proceedings of the 2015 and 2016 Dairy Calf and Heifer Association Annual Meeting to S-PAC. Subscribers now have access to 553 proceedings from 59 of the top dairy and animal related conferences in the world.  You can check out the full lineup at https://spac.adsa.org, If you are not currently a subscriber, just click on "Subscribe to S-PAC" and add it to your information toolbox today. Remember, a discount on your subscription is one of the many benefits of ADSA membership.
 
Would you like to help the animal and dairy science community and attend the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting for free?
Referrals are the most tried-and-true way businesses grow, and the same is true for FASS. Do you know a colleague working with an animal science group that is in need of high-quality, cost-effective support services? Help them out by referring them to Jamie Ritter, FASS Executive Director at [email protected] .
Help them benefit from the shared resource concept and the 264 years of collective experience the FASS staff have in working with non-profit animal science organizations. If your referral becomes a FASS customer prior to June 1, 2017, ADSA will comp your registration to the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting that will be held June 25 to 28, 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA.  It's win-win-win. For more information about services offered by FASS, click here.
Are You Part of ADSA� on Linked In
Our ADSA Linked In group continues to grow. We now include 1,539 members from around the world, are you one of them? It's a great place to get information and network with other dairy professionals from around the world.  Check it out here.

Thanks to our Corporate Sustaining Members
                                 We appreciate your ongoing support of ADSA and the Journal of Dairy Science�.

Ag Processing Inc.
Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition
Dairy Nutrition Plus
Darling International Research
Diamond V
DuPont Pioneer
Global Agri-Trade Corporation
Grande Cheese Company
Kent Nutrition Group
Kraft Heinz Foods
Lallemand Animal Nutrition
Masters Choice
Nutriad, Inc.
Papillon Agricultural Company
Quali Tech, Inc.
Renaissance Nutrition Inc.
Western Pacific Oils LLC
Zoetis
Zook Nutrition & Management Inc.
Calendar of Events
May 24-25, 2016     Basic Dairy Science & Sanitation Workshop, Online and Cornell University,  For more information contact Kim Bukowski Ph: 607-254-3313 or Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
May 24-25, 2016  IDFA's 2016 Milk and Cultured Dairy Conference, Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis, IN. For more information and registration, click here.

June 7-8, 2016     Science of Yogurt & Fermented Dairy Products Workshop (Basic), On-line and Cornell University, For more information contact Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
June 7-9, 2016   Cheese Grading Short Course, Babcock Hall, 2605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

June 15-16, 2016     4-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference, Grand River Center, Dubuque, IA, contact
Jim Salfer, U of MN, [email protected]
 
June 20-24, 2016 13th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis*, Nantes, France, For more information click here
 
June 21-23, 2016  Precision Dairy Farming 2016, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. For more information, click here.

July 2-9, 2016  American Dairy Goat Association National Show, Farm Show Complex & Expo Center, Harrisburg, PA. For more information contact ADGA, PO Box 865, Spindale, NC 28160, 828-286-3801 
www.ADGA.org.
 
July 3-8, 2016     World Buiatrics Congress 2016, Convention Centre Dublin, Ireland, For more information click here.
 
July 12-14, 2016     High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurizer Workshop in association with NYS Agriculture and Markets, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
July 18-21, 2016     Certified Milk Inspector's School in Association with NY State Agriculture & Markets, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098, Course Syllabus  , Required Course of NYS-CMIs
 
July 19-23, 2016  ADSA- ASAS Joint Annual Meeting (JAM)*, Salt Lake City, UT, for more information click here
 
July 24-28, 2016     2016 National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference (AM/PIC) Little Rock, AR, For more information click here
 
Aug 2-3, 2016  Milk Pasteurization, Babcock Hall, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Aug 15-18, 2016     Food Safety Systems (HACCP) and Implementing SQF, Cornell University, For more information contact
Kimberly Bukowski Ph: 607-243-3313 or  Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
Aug 17-18, 2016  2016 Mid-South Ruminant Nutrition Conference*, Embassy Suites, Grapevine, TX. For registration and more information, click here.

Sept 11-13, 2016    
NYS Cheese Manufacturers' Assoc. Annual Fall Meeting, Harbor Hotel, Watkins Glen NY, For more information contact Janene Lucia, Ph: 607-227-5833
 
Sept 13-14, 2016   Master Artisan Short Course Series, Babcock Hall, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Sept 14-15, 2016     Advanced Fluid Milk Cornell University, For more information contact
Kimberly Bukowski Ph: 607-243-3313 or  Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
Sept 20-22, 2016      NYS Association for Food Protection Annual Conference/FDA NE Regional Update, Doubletree Hotel Syracuse, NY For more information contact Janene Lucia, Ph: 607-227-5833

Sept 21-22, 2016  77th Minnesota Nutrition Conference*, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Prior Lake, MN. For more information and registration, click here.

Oct 3-7, 2016   Cheese Tech Short Course, Babcock Hall Room 205, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI. For more information, click here.
 
Oct 4-6, 2016  Introduction to Dairy Processing and Management. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. For more information and registration, click here

Oct 4-8, 2016     50th World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI. For more information
click here
 
Oct 11-12, 2016  Dairy Ingredient Manufacturing, Babcock Hall, Room 2015, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison, WI. For more information, click here

Oct 11-13, 2016     High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurizer Workshop, Cornell University, For more information contact
Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
Oct 13-19, 2016  120th IUSAHA- AAVLD Annual Meeting , Greensboro Sheraton Hotel. Greensboro, NC, For more information click here (Note - date correction)

Oct 19-20, 2016     Advanced Cheese Making, Cornell University, For more information contact
Rob Ralyea Ph: 607-255-7643 or Louise Felker Ph:  607-255-7098

Oct 19-20, 2016  HTST Maintenance Workshop. The Ohio State University. Columbus, OH. For more information and registration, click here.  
 
Oct 25-26, 2016   Advance Clean In Place (CIP), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. For more information and registration, click here.

Oct 25-26, 2016     Vat Pasteurization/Basic Cheese Making Workshop, On-line and Cornell University, For more information contact
Rob Ralyea Ph: 607-255-7643 or Louise Felker Ph:  607-255-7098
 
Oct 25-27, 2016  Pasteurizer Operators Workshop, Penn State University, Food Science Building, Curtain and Bigler Roads, University Park, PA 16802. For details on the workshop and registration information, click here.

Oct 25-30, 2016  American Dairy Goat Assn Convention, Hilton Austin Airport Hotel, Austin, Texas. For more information contact ADGA, P.O. Box 865, Spindale, NC 28160, 828-286-3801. www.ADGA.org

Nov 1-4, 2016    31st ADSA Discover Conference: Big Data Dairy Management,  Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort and Conference Center, Oak Brook, IL, For more information 
click here

Nov 2-4, 2016   Cheese Grading Short Course, Babcock Hall, Room 205, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison WI, For more information
click here

Nov 7-10, 2016  The Science and Art of Cheese Making Short Course, Rodney A.Erickson Food Science Building, Penn State University, University Park, PA. For more information and registration, click here.

Nov 10-11, 2016    
2016 DCRC Annual Meeting, Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel, Columbus, Ohio, For registration and more information click here

Nov 14-16, 2016  Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals*, St. Louis, MO. For more information and registration click here.

Nov 30-Dec 2, 2016   Ice Cream Makers Short Course, Babcock Hall, Room 205, 1605 Linden Dr., Madison WI, For more information
click here

Dec 6-7, 2016    
Food Safety Plans for Artisan and Farmstead Processors, Online & Hands-On Location TBD, For more information contact Kimberly Bukowski Ph: 607-243-3313 or  Louise Felker Ph: 607-255-7098
 
June 25-28, 2017 2017 ADSA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Pittsburgh, PA.  For more information click here
 
*An S-PAC Partner Conference
 
If your organization's conference isn't among the ever growing list that contribute proceedings and presentations to S-PAC�, ask your conference organizer to contact Ken Olson for more information about the benefits of participation.
 
If you would like to have an event included in the "Dates to Note," please contact Ken Olson.
 
 

ADSA Membership Benefits                                 
                                           
Did you know that your ADSA Professional Membership provides you with:

*        Electronic access to the Journal of Dairy Science�

*        Joint Annual Meeting at member rates

*        Discover Conferences at member rates

*        S-PAC: Free access to JAM and ADSA divisional abstracts

*        S-PAC subscription at member rates

*        Access to recorded symposia library                                                                       

*        ADSA News (association newsletter)

*        ADSA Dair e-news (ADSA industry newsletter)

*        Access to member directory

*        Peer recognition through ADSA and Foundation Award Program

*        Discounted page charges in Journal of Dairy Science�

*        A strong voice of advocacy for the animal sciences, animal agriculture and agriculture research

*        Broad author recognition through ADSA/Elsevier press release program

*        Linked In and You Tube sites for ADSA

*        Quality networking with academic and industry professionals

*        Travel awards for all graduate students attending Discover Conferences

*        Opportunity to serve peers via committee and officer positions

 
For more information on your benefits please visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp
To join now and gain these member benefits, visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp

American Dairy Science Association
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