With the 2002 Farm Bill set to expire on March 15 and no new law ready to take its place, Congress voted last month to grant a one-month extension of the current law until April 18. Lawmakers hoped that the extension would give them adequate time to get the working version of the new Farm Bill to President Bush's desk for his signature. Lead negotiators in both the House and the Senate still need to work through specific details in the Farm Bill... More [7]...

NMPF has prepared draft comments in response to requests by the Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security to submit comments on the H-2A seasonal worker visa system. NMPF's comments call attention to the fact that dairy producers have no access to the H-2A program... More [8]...

At a meeting last month at the NMPF offices, the Animal Heath Committee agreed that dairy producers would benefit from having some basic, easily-accessible tips and techniques concerning animal care. The sharing and adoption of such information within the industry will be crucial in light of the controversy generated by the treatment of dairy animals at the Hallmark meat processing plant... More [9]...

Upper left: As the new chair of the NMPF Animal Health Committee, Dr. Karen Jordan (Dairy Farmers of America) presents a certificate of appreciation to outgoing chair Velmar Green (Michigan Milk Producers Association). Mr. Green will remain on the committee.

Last week, NMPF and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) submitted joint comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding EPA's proposal to exempt animal waste from the CERCLA and EPCRA reporting requirements on air emissions. More [10]...

While attending NMPF member annual meetings, one of the most common questions asked of NMPF staff is: "When will CWT conduct the next herd retirement program?" Each month, NMPF staff members involved with CWT review a number of economic benchmarks... More [11]...

The status of the new Farm Bill, immigration reform, skyrocketing production costs, and animal well-being issues: these were just a sample of the discussion topics at NMPF's Board of Directors meeting that took place on March 10-11 in Arlington, VA. More [12]...

Upper left: NMPF honored U.S. Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) with a special recognition award for his leadership of dairy farmers and dairy cooperatives. In the photo, Rep. Peterson is flanked by NMPF Chairman Charles Beckendorf (left) and NMPF President & CEO Jerry Kozak.

Below left: USDA Secretary Ed Schafer speaks to the NMPF board about his goals for the dairy industry while in office.

[16] [17]Jim Tillison

Chief Operating Officer, CWT

(Featured author)

Click to view the latest installment of the CEO's corner. [17]