In the news this week: CARB approves Low Carbon Fuel Standard program updates, DFA plans to stop production at Indiana condensing plant in January, checkoff launches new conservation resource, and DCRC annual meeting addresses sustainable dairy cattle management practices.

In coordination with state health departments in Michigan and Colorado, the CDC tested blood from people who were exposed to dairy cows with H5N1 bird flu infection, also known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Eight of the 115 people tested (7% of participants) showed evidence of recent H5N1 virus infection.

The USDA’s World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report offers forecasts for dairy, beef and feedstuffs.

Strong demand for U.S. dairy products around the global, with the exception of China, propelled year-over-year dairy exports forward by 8.5% in September. Here’s Progressive Dairy’s 30,000-foot look at dairy-related export categories.

• Requirement for electronic ID tags now in effect
• Utah becomes 15th state with HPAI in dairy, following mandatory surveillance
• GDT index up 4.8%
• November FSA interest rates continue to low
• Farmer sentiment bounced back in October

Quarterly average prices in October hit a new all-time high of $2,600 per head according to estimates from the USDA.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its Agricultural Prices report Oct. 31, which includes feed costs used to calculate the September Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program margins and indemnity payments. The month’s margin was $15.57 per hundredweight (cwt).