Beef exports in May, while trending below last year’s record levels, have, in many international markets, reached the highest levels so far in 2023, according to data from the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently announced that the USDA is providing 15 awards totaling $115 million in 17 states that will go toward beefing up independent processing capacity across the country.

On this episode of the podcast sponsored by Zinpro, join Progressive Cattle Editors David, Carrie, Paul and Allyson for a preview of the July issue of Progressive Cattle and the annual beef statistics poster

The USDA is providing the opportunity for interested parties to submit additional proposals regarding potential amendments to the current pricing provisions applicable to all FMMOs.

On May 19, the USDA announced a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) found at a South Carolina slaughterhouse. It was confirmed to be an atypical case, and the USDA assured the animal never entered the slaughter channels or the food supply and was of no risk to human health.

The USDA established an Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program (ODMAP) designed to help mitigate milk market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices.

With the current academic year winding down, there’s no recess in the debate over flavored milk options served in school meal programs.

Based on Class III-IV milk futures prices, depooling incentives flip back to Class IV milk handlers in May and June.

If and once a hearing is granted, multiple steps mean any proposed FMMO changes would be subject to a producer referendum in late summer 2024, at the earliest.