From methane reduction and greenhouse gas programs to nutrition programs and NASS surveys, here is the week's news to wrap up May 2024.

Lee karen
Karen Lee
Managing Editor / Progressive Dairy

FDA confirms safety and efficacy of methane-reducing feed ingredient for dairy cows

After a comprehensive, multiyear review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined Elanco’s Bovaer (3-NOP) meets safety and efficacy requirements for use in lactating dairy cows.

This feed ingredient is designed to reduce methane emissions in lactating dairy cattle by suppressing the enzyme responsible for methane production in the rumen.

Feeding 1 tablespoon of Bovaer per lactating dairy cow per day can reduce methane emissions about 30% or about 1.2 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions annually. If fed to a million cows, it would equate to removing over 285,000 cars from the road for a year.

Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco Animal Health, hailed the FDA’s decision as “monumental,” emphasizing its potential to drive climate-neutral dairy farming.

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Katie Cook, vice president of livestock sustainability at Elanco, noted that Bovaer offers a scalable and credible means for dairy farmers to align with consumer preferences for sustainable products while generating financial returns.

By integrating Bovaer into their operations, farmers can participate in carbon markets and leverage government funding to implement sustainable practices. The added cost of a few cents a gallon of milk for the product has the potential to create an annual return of $20 or more per lactating cow, Cook said.

In addition, Elanco has partnered with dsm-firmenich to extend the commercialization of Bovaer across North America. Elanco is now able to market Bovaer in Canada and Mexico, where the product is already available for use in beef and dairy cattle.

Elanco expects product launch and added carbon credit value to producers beginning in the third quarter.

Suntado opens dairy processing plant in Idaho

Suntado LLC, a contract manufacturer in dairy and other beverages, has opened a 190,000-square-foot dairy processing facility in Burley, Idaho.

The facility can process up to 1 million pounds of local milk per day into shelf-stable and extended shelf-life (ESL) milk and other liquid dairy products, utilizing Tetra Pak’s shelf-stable packaging.

Located in the third-largest dairy-producing state of Idaho, the facility is owned by Dirk Reitsma and Jesus Hurtado, who respectively own 6,000 organic and 30,000 conventional dairy cows within 20 miles of the processing facility, thus supplying fresh local milk to the plant.

This is phase one of a three-phase project. The initial focus is on shelf-stable and ESL milk, cream and other dairy-based beverages, with the ability to triple the capacity in the future and expand beyond dairy into additional beverages.

‘Add Milk!’ program launches in southern California

A nutrition incentive program that helps low-income families purchase healthy fluid milk products is expanding to California. The Add Milk! program is being launched in 78 participating Mother’s Nutritional Center grocery stores across Southern California. It will provide a dollar-for-dollar match for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) when they purchase low-fat or nonfat milk.

The Add Milk! program is made possible by a $3 million cooperative agreement between the USDA and Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) through a program named Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives (HFMI) Projects.

The HFMI pilot program was established as part of the 2018 Farm Bill to promote milk as part of a healthy, balanced diet consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. HFMI pilot projects will be operating in more than 700 locations across 18 states by the end of 2024, and Congress recently appropriated an additional $3 million to expand the program to more stores and more locations in the coming years.

USDA expands support to stop the spread of H5N1

Earlier this month, the USDA announced financial assistance for dairy farmers with herds affected with H5N1. To further expand the support, the USDA is opening these options to include dairy farmers whose herds have not tested positive for H5N1 but are interested in implementing preventive measures.

Financial assistance is available for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) to farm workers, developing and implementing biosecurity plans, and reimbursement for veterinary costs and shipping expenses associated with sample collection for H5N1 testing.

Any dairy producer interested in financial assistance should contact the APHIS Veterinary Services office in their state.

Public input sought to develop greenhouse gas program for agriculture

The USDA is seeking feedback from the public on protocols to be considered for inclusion in a new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program.

In the announcement, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack explained, “High-integrity voluntary carbon markets offer a promising tool to create new revenue streams for producers and achieve greenhouse gas reductions from the agriculture and forest sectors. However, a variety of barriers have hindered agriculture’s participation in voluntary carbon markets, and we are seeking to change that.”

Authorized under the Growing Climate Solutions Act, the program aims to enhance technical assistance for producers and facilitate credible carbon credit generation. Following a comprehensive assessment of agriculture and forestry’s role in U.S. carbon markets, the USDA is now looking to establish this new program, which will provide a list of qualified technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers, along with widely accepted voluntary carbon credit protocols.

“USDA is now seeking to gather information about the protocols used in carbon credit markets as we work to best support the agricultural industry’s participation in carbon credit programs. Public input will be invaluable as we develop the structure of these new resources,” said USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, Jenny Lester Moffitt.

Interested parties can submit comments until 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 28, 2024.

The USDA will also seek industry participation in an advisory committee to further refine program development.

For more information, visit the Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program website or contact Sasha Strohm, program manager.

USDA to survey producers about 2024 crops, stocks, inventories and values

Over the next several weeks, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will conduct two major midyear surveys: the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey.

“The June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey are two of the most important and well-known surveys NASS conducts,” explained Greg Bussler, Wisconsin state statistician. “When producers respond to these surveys, they provide essential information that helps determine the expected acreage and supply of major commodities in the United States for the 2024 crop year.”

Producers can respond to the June Agricultural Survey online, by phone or mail. They will be asked to provide information on planted and harvested acreage, including acreage for biotech crops and grain stocks.

For the June Area Survey, agency representatives will interview farm and ranch operators in randomly selected segments of land over the phone or in person. Producers will be asked to provide information on crop acreage, grain stocks, livestock inventory, land values and value of sales.

“NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents by keeping all individual information confidential and publishing the data in aggregate form only to ensure that no operation or producer can be identified,” Bussler said. “We recognize that this is a hectic time for farmers, but the information they provide helps U.S. agriculture remain viable and capable. I urge them to respond to these surveys and thank them for their participation.”

NASS will publish the data in a series of USDA reports.

Nominees needed to fill five National Organic Standards Board vacancies

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) was established to assist in developing standards for substances to be used in organic production and to advise the secretary of agriculture on the implementation of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is requesting nominations to fill the following vacancies:

  • One individual who owns or operates an organic farming operation or employee of such individual;
  • Two individuals who own or operate an organic handling operation or employees of such individuals;
  • One individual who owns or operates a retail establishment with significant trade in organic products or employees of such individuals; and
  • One individual with expertise in areas of environmental protection and resource conservation.

Appointees will serve a five-year term beginning January 2025 and ending January 2030. Additionally, AMS seeks applications for a pool of candidates that the secretary of agriculture can draw upon as replacement appointees if unexpected vacancies occur.

Applications must be postmarked on or before June 28.

For more information about the NOSB, time commitments, workload and how to apply, visit the NOSB nominations page.