June 19, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is iglife. My name is Bob Quinn.
With you for the next hour. Are talking about agricultural
production here in the valley and all across the country. Well, friends,
whether a day trip or a camping adventure. US Forest
Service provides resources to prepare us for visits to forest
parks and day use sites.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Rod Main reports, let's see suber vacation checklist. Kids out
of school for suber vacation check destination agreed upon by
the family campsite at our local National forest check. I'm
sure I'm forgetting something a lot, actually, Toby Bloom of
the US Forest Service, What should I know before I go?

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Well, when we say no before you go, what we're
saying is, please make sure that you take steps to
prepare yourself for outdoor recreation. But another way, we are
very welcoming and we provide lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation.
But you also need to be prepared and bring your
own stuff to make sure that you have the best
day possible.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
So, for instance, for a day trip to a National park,
forest or grass lad.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Bringing your own water, making sure that you have sunscreen
and a hat, and that you are physically capable and
you know what your limits are, so that if you
are going on at particularly strenuous hip or any other activity,
that you know that you're able.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
To do that. Another important thing to bring on a
trip to your nation's forest and public lads information that
is where an online visit before heading out to www.
Dot fs dot USDA dot gov slash visit slash no,
dash you dash go comes in the psychictage's tips on

(01:42):
various items to know from activities to safety, weather at wildfire,
Bloom says on a more specific level that particular forest
or park you are going to.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
On a lot of our unit's websites, there will be
a section called no before you go, so that if
there are civic activities on those us that you are
prepared to have a great time and make sure that
you have all of the equipment and first aid stuff
or water or whatever. Make sure that that's possible.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Among other important information for you on Forest Service Unit
or ranger district websites on the day you are going.

Speaker 3 (02:17):
If there's a fire emergency or a road closure.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
And with wildfire season at activity picking up through the
summer months, Bloom reminds us to know how to prevent wildfires.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Maybe fire restrictions on any particular unit based on the weather.
If it's been dry for a while, you need to
make sure that you're aware of those fire restrictions. Need
to make sure that you don't park on dry grass,
and also to be careful when you build a campfire,
and to make sure that it is dead out and
drowned with water before you leave that campfire site.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Good advice all around, Toby, thank you.

Speaker 4 (02:51):
Hey.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Need to get the forest vacation visit checklist complete. Car
horn hawking to tell me wrap up segment and we
are leaving without them. And that's my cue. I'm Rod
Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 5 (03:07):
Did you remember the bear repellent.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Farm News coming up? You're listening to wag Life, Bob
Quinnervers and farm News this morning. Friends, there's a major
breakthrough with an alternative way of making raw milk safe
to drink. A California company called Tamarack Biotics has secured
initial FDA acceptance of its light based milk treatment process.

(03:31):
Company CEO Bob comstock with US.

Speaker 6 (03:34):
Pasteurization has existed before the Civil War, and there have
been attempts to get approval for alternative technologies, but nobody
has ever succeeded. So this is actually the first in
the world, and it was done here in Fresno, California.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
There are many benefits to pasteurize milk with UV light technology.

Speaker 6 (03:51):
Mother's milk, whether from a human or a cow, is
an amazing biofluid and it contains all these bioactive proteins
and dezimes that impart immunity to an infant right after
it's born. And an infant gets its entire immune system
through mother's milk, as does a calf. So what happens

(04:14):
is heat degrades these compounds. And we did a clinical
trial at uc Davis a few years ago, and that
trial showed that we could restore immune function in older people,
because as you get older, your immune system weakens, and
one of the best measures of your immune system's health

(04:36):
is how many antibodies you create in response to a vaccine.
So many people who are eighty and ninety years old
did not even benefit from the COVID vaccine because their
immune systems were too weak. But this you see Davis
clinical trial showed that by consuming our product for only

(04:56):
four weeks you were able to restore immune function, and
people had one hundred and twenty percent increase in the
number of antibodies they created in response to a tetness vaccine.

Speaker 7 (05:09):
So what that.

Speaker 6 (05:10):
Means is older people can use the same mechanism by
which a mother imparts immunity to her child to restore
their immune function as they age.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
Comstock explains how his company's innovative at treatment of raw
milk with advanced UV light technology works.

Speaker 6 (05:27):
It's kind of difficult to pasteurize milk with ultraviolet light
because it doesn't penetrate into the milk, so you have
to do it in very thin films and with very
high turbulence to renew the surface frequently, and that enables
you to kill all the bad bugs and milk very effectively.
In fact, we are more effective than heat at killing

(05:48):
all the bad bugs.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Camac Biotics CEO Bob Comstock, this morning, well, friends, many
come out of these are facing some challenges right now.
One sector that has enjoyed some success over the past
year and a half to two years is cattle. Carol Lee,
director of producer Engagement at Angus Certified Beef, says twenty
twenty four was a great year.

Speaker 8 (06:09):
We were able to boast our second best year ever
for certified Angus beef with sales and excess of one
point two to three billion pounds of product, the best
year we've had since pre COVID, and one of the
most encouraging things is that it's not happened in a
year when beef prices are the lowest. We know that
consumers aren't going to the meat case to purchase beef
because it's the cheapest protein out there, but we know

(06:30):
that when they are going to the meat case to
purchase beef, they want something that's quality. They want a
trusted brand that they can take home and have a
high quality eating experience.

Speaker 1 (06:39):
When it comes to demand domestically and internationally, Li says,
one of the areas she sees great growth opportunity is
with the prime category, and talk.

Speaker 8 (06:49):
About you know, kind of flying in the face of economics.
When beef prices are already high, you wouldn't necessarily expect
prime to be an area of emphasis.

Speaker 3 (06:57):
But again, as we.

Speaker 8 (06:58):
Continue to elevate consumer expectations with that consumer demand, we're
continuing to see a tremendous amount of interest in the
certified Angus vif prime.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Category, leadda. They're also seeing more cattle make it across
the finish line into the prime box. She encourages angus
producers across the Northwest to consider that prime designation for
their livestock, and when it comes to the future of
angus long term, Lee noted that genetics will continue to
play a vital role allowing more and more cows to

(07:28):
get that prime designation. Well, friends, coming up a little
bit later on in AG Life, we'll have a story
looking at treating raw milk with ultraviolet light.

Speaker 5 (07:39):
That's ahead.

Speaker 1 (07:40):
You're listening to AG Life.

Speaker 9 (07:43):
It's another agnews update. How is the economy firing? More
after this.

Speaker 10 (07:52):
When you look at me, you might see a person
with Parkinson's disease.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
But if you look closer, you'll see a warrior mom,
an endurance.

Speaker 11 (08:01):
Athlete, someone with a lot of fights.

Speaker 12 (08:03):
Every nine minutes, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Speaker 13 (08:07):
And every one of them can turn to the American
Parkinson Disease Association.

Speaker 5 (08:12):
Look closer, My spirit is on shakable.

Speaker 13 (08:15):
Visit APDA Parkinson dot org to learn more and show
your support.

Speaker 9 (08:21):
Today, Treasurey Secretary Scott besson.

Speaker 14 (08:24):
By challenging the decades old status quo on tax and trade,
President Trump is breathing new life into the American economy.
More than five hundred thousand private sector payroll jobs have
been added since January.

Speaker 5 (08:40):
Most importantly, inflation in.

Speaker 14 (08:42):
The US is at its slowest pace since twenty twenty one,
and the numbers we receive today take us back to
the slowest pace since twenty twenty. We are discelerating cost
increases for shelter, food, and energy. After four years of
price increases diminishing the US standard of living, Inflation is

(09:04):
showing substantial improvement due to the administration's policies. Furthermore, the
labor market remains strong, with low unemployment and plentiful labored
demand as job openings remain high. The strength has been
exemplified in the recent performance of the stock market and
consumer confidence data. The President's bold leadership on these issues

(09:28):
laid the ground for a Golden Age economy. With your help,
we can build on that foundation to create even more
prosperity and abundance for the American people.

Speaker 9 (09:37):
It's another at News update, Brian.

Speaker 2 (09:41):
I don't know how much to say this, so I'll
just say it.

Speaker 14 (09:44):
What is it?

Speaker 15 (09:45):
Linda, I think we should see other people.

Speaker 16 (09:47):
Are you breaking up with me on a roller coaster?

Speaker 12 (09:49):
Well, we do have a lot of fun.

Speaker 9 (09:51):
Maybe we should.

Speaker 17 (09:52):
Stead again an emotional roller coaster. Surprising. What's not surprising
how much you could say by switching to geico, I
just need a little lean time geicow fifteen minutes could
save you fifteen percent or more.

Speaker 9 (10:11):
American Cattle News wats ahead for the beef market. More
after this.

Speaker 18 (10:20):
Here's farmer and businessman James Wood.

Speaker 19 (10:22):
We farm about thirty five hundred acres. There's pipelines everywhere.
The contractor working on my property did not have the
lines located before he began work, and it resulted on
a strike on a natural gas pipeline. Fortunately no one
was hurt, but it could have been much worse.

Speaker 18 (10:38):
Never assumed the location or depth of underground lines. Always
call eight one one or visit clickbefore you dig dot
com before you start work. A message from the pipeline
operators for agg safety campaign.

Speaker 9 (10:49):
Doctor Darrell pill, Oklahoma state livestock economist with.

Speaker 5 (10:53):
The Fedcattle market kind of leading things.

Speaker 7 (10:55):
We've seen stronger prices eat on a daily basis almost well,
we don't trade every day but each week, certainly we've
set new record prices.

Speaker 5 (11:04):
The bigger feeder cattle have also.

Speaker 7 (11:06):
Gone up, and you know, the ed cattle you could
argue seasonally might drop off a little bit here in
the summer.

Speaker 5 (11:12):
They typically peek in the spring.

Speaker 7 (11:13):
If there's no underlying trend, they would typically peak in
the spring, drop off a little into a summer low,
and then come back in the you know, in the
last part of the year. We've been sort of building
towards this for you know, two years, I guess, in
terms of the general squeeze on cattle supplies. You know,
so the two questions out there, one of which we
still can't answer for sure, and that is are we

(11:35):
taking tight feeder supplies and squeezing them even farther by
holding back heifers. We think that's probably starting, but we
don't really have any data definitively, but I think what's
happening is we're beginning to see some of that work
its way through the feed lots. Feedlots have kind of
defied gravity for about eighteen months by slowing them down

(11:55):
and basically making fewer replacements look.

Speaker 5 (11:59):
Like more cattle, if you will.

Speaker 7 (12:00):
And of course we've made them bigger in the meantime,
so carcer's weights have gone up, but all of that's
going to catch up with us at some point. And
so what we've seen in the last six or eight
weeks is that fed cattle slaughter has dropped pretty sharply. Finally,
you know, last year, when we got done with the year,
we had a very you know, almost no change in
fed slaughter, but much heavier carcass weights. So beef production

(12:24):
in total was unchanged last year. Beef production is going
to fall this year. We still don't quite know about
how much, but I think it'll probably be down.

Speaker 5 (12:31):
Two percent or perhaps a little bit more by the
end of the year.

Speaker 9 (12:35):
American Cattle News.

Speaker 4 (12:38):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 20 (12:43):
The landscape of farm labor is changing day by day.
We get an update from Paul Bleiberg, Executive VP of
Government Relations with the National Milk Producers Federation. Paul, We've
talked about immigration reform in the past, but this is
a little bit different. How is this affecting dairy operations
across an aation currently.

Speaker 21 (13:01):
Well, you know, I think for a long time here
when it comes to dairy we've been making the argument
of policymakers that dairy is unique in agriculture. Right. It's
a seven day a week business, it's a year round business.
Cows require care all the time, Milk comes all the time,
there's no season, right, and no matter what happens, dairy
farmers do the best they can offer competitive wages. High

(13:23):
wages prioritize local hiring. But we have a domestic labor
shortage and we have for a long time, so we
really want to have that access to the H two
A visa program so that we can hire temporary workers
on a year round basis. Obviously, right now, there's been
a lot of back and forth that's been very much
in flux in recent few days as to what the
enforcement policy ultimately maybe or may not be, and our

(13:46):
senses that that may continue to develop. Obviously, what we
do know is that the President has had some very
positive comments just in the last week about the need
to work on addressing ags workforce needs. Secretary Brooke Rollins
at USDA asked about this last week when she was
testifying at the House Agriculture Committee by Chairman Thompson and
some other members, and she leaned in on the work

(14:07):
that she and labor Secretary Lori Chavis Dreamer are doing
to determine some solutions, and so I think there's still
a lot of work being done. Despite the back and
forth on enforcement, pause, non enforcement, whatever. I think there
is going to be continued work here. Some of it
maybe isn't in the all available for us to see yet,
but I think there's a lot still going on, and

(14:28):
we're really continuing to remind policymakers again of the unique
aspects of the dairy business and the needs we have
when it comes to being able to feed the country
and provide everybody with nutritious, wholesome dairy. We need to
act quickly here. We need to find a solution that
works for farmers and for rural communities.

Speaker 20 (14:44):
And switching gears. In Washington, lawmakers discussing the dairy Margin
Coverage program and perhaps extending that.

Speaker 21 (14:51):
Yes, so, what the Senate Agg Committee has put forward
includes quite a few the same items from the House
Agg Committee provisions. Not identical bone and to dairy margin coverage.
Actually the two are identical. It renews the program through
the twenty thirty one calendar year, and it continues the
discount option too, and it makes a couple of other changes.
One that we've been pushing is the production history boost

(15:14):
to make that more current based on twenty twenty one
twenty twenty three. So yeah, we're hopeful that that goes
through here. There's some other important items in the bill too,
around funding for dairy processing cost surveys and things like that.
But we were excited to see the text come out
from the Senate Agg Committee last week.

Speaker 20 (15:30):
We had mentioned before that everything seems pretty fluid in
Washington right now, including the Whole Milk for a Healthy
Kids Act. So, Paul, what's the latest in getting whole
milk back in schools.

Speaker 21 (15:40):
Yeah, we've had good progress there. A couple of weeks ago,
the Senate Ag Committee passed the bill on a bipartisan
voice vote, which is great. I think we are hopeful
that we can get that bill through the Senate in
the coming weeks and then you know, it comes over
to the House and the House can take it up
and pass it and send it on to the President
for signature. So don't know exactly when which week that
will all happen, and it may take over a couple

(16:02):
but we're hopeful that we can get that done yet
this summer.

Speaker 20 (16:05):
Thanks Paul, we will check in with you soon for
more updates.

Speaker 21 (16:08):
Do haveviously with immigration? There's, like you said, a lot
of different moving parts right now, both administratively and there's
also legislative or being done. So we'll be watching and
engaging actively in all of this and seeing how it
shapes up.

Speaker 20 (16:20):
From our nation's capital. That's Paul Bleiberg, Executive VP of
Government Relations with the National Milk Producers Federation. For more,
go to NMPF dot org.

Speaker 4 (16:29):
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(16:49):
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Speaker 22 (16:58):
What if I could tell you that a full blown
wildfire is going to occur tomorrow right where you live,
tell you exactly which neighborhoods it would engulf and how
fast it would do it. The first thing you would
do is talk with your loved ones and make a
plan today. It's true, I can't tell you a wildfire
will strike tomorrow, but shouldn't you make a plan anyway.

(17:19):
Visit readyla dot org and make your emergency plan today,
don't wait. Communicate brought to you by the City of
Los Angeles Emergency Management Department, FEMA and the AD.

Speaker 23 (17:27):
Council Marketing Walnuts consumer We need a pull? Is that
a push? I'm Patrick Kavanaugh with the California tree Nut Report,
part of the VASAG Information Network. Robert Verloop is the
executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Boarding Commission.

Speaker 24 (17:47):
We're driving the industry towards a demand building and pull
through strategy rather than a push and I think the
industry so far has been in this push mode where
we have what we have and we're going to push
it into the marketplace because magically someone will be there
to buy it. Well, that magic has resulted in Yes,
the volume is moving, but at a lower price because

(18:08):
we've not changed the value proposition with the last consumer
filling that last gap, which is how do we get
a higher price perception in the market from the consumer
and the trading partners.

Speaker 23 (18:18):
And there's a lot you can do with the health
aspects of eating nuts, particularly walnuts.

Speaker 24 (18:22):
Statistically, you can look at a lot of different places,
but ninety five ninety seven percent of the consumers in
the United States understand that tree nuts in general are healthy.

Speaker 23 (18:32):
And of course good for your overall health. Now this message,
a wide array of trucks, trailers in heavy equipment will
be open for public bidding at the Ritchie Brothers Los
Angeles area sale event June twenty six and twenty seven.
Register for free for this absolute unreserved auction at rbauction

(18:52):
dot com. Again, that's ourbauction dot com.

Speaker 25 (18:57):
With its increased efficiency and lower fuel costs. AGG producers
know that propane is better for their bottom line, and
now participating in the Propane Farm Research Program can impact
your bottom line. Share your propane equipment performance data and
you could receive compensation like up to five thousand dollars
for propane irrigation engines and prime power generators and up
to two thousand dollars for propane building heat systems take

(19:19):
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your bottom line. Start your application today at propane dot
Com slash PFRP.

Speaker 11 (19:26):
It's been popping up in orchards and vineyards all over
any origin theories callers, Oh hey, yeah.

Speaker 13 (19:32):
It's Seva fungicide from BASF, a category leader in disease control.

Speaker 11 (19:36):
How do you explain these healthy crops well.

Speaker 13 (19:39):
Longer lasting residual. Plus, it's built for current regulatory standards
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Speaker 11 (19:46):
So a fungicide that is out of this world. I
knew it Seva fungicide from BASF for is it always
read involuely.

Speaker 23 (19:55):
Pressions with the AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Kavanaugh.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
The most exclusive museum in the nation's capital. It became
better well known and slightly less exclusive when media two
years ago introduced the public to the USDA Museum.

Speaker 26 (20:14):
Since we haven't had an official museum here since nineteen
oh four, I decided to make that happen, and so
start with one room, this kind of continue on with
subsequent rooms. Just continue at things every day because people
are mailing things every day. I'm finding things every day.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
And interest in this historical offering, according to its founder,
curator and tug and cheek agriculturian Wayne Connolly, continues to grow.
I'm Rod Bay. Wayne provides us some history and a
sneak peak of a theater in the mind tour of
the USDA Museum. In this edition of Agriculture USA, located

(20:50):
at a quarterback side of USDA South Building, is connecting
rooms making up an unofficial museum celebrating the history of
US agric culture and the US Department of Agriculture. The
passion of USDA employee Wayne Condoley began during the return
to work in the midst of the COVID pandemic, in
part prompted by his children.

Speaker 26 (21:12):
I've always had questions about the history. I always that
a few things. When I started this museum, I kind
of started on my own time in the evening on
the weekends. Was also funded by myself.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
Meeting purchase of curated items to complement donations of historical
archives and artifacts. Now, if you have been to USDA
headquarters in Washington, d C. You may say USDA has
a museum. Condilly acknowledges the privately funded museum in the
only Federal Cabinet Department building located on the National Wall,

(21:42):
presents a conundrum both regarding public awareness and accessibility, so
much so the.

Speaker 26 (21:48):
Wall Street Journal did an article about the museum. They
called it the most exclusive museum in the US.

Speaker 2 (21:53):
But that twenty twenty three article, along with companion pieces
by various media at the same time, in a way
opened the doors to the USDA Museum. It is still
officially not open to the public, nor has it set
business hours. However, there is access. The increased publicity led
to condony receiving more by request tours of the museum.

Speaker 26 (22:16):
For instance, I've had people far away from Washington State
plan a vacation here and this is part of their itinerary.

Speaker 2 (22:21):
And with media sharing pictures of the various exhibits within
the USDA Museum and its stories, combined with Connolly posting
photos of displays on social media, well, the exclusiveness of
this historical offering is less exclusive, Connolly says. In fact,
it has increased the interest of citizens to donate farm

(22:41):
and historical items to the museum. He admits, though, that
some such offers must be balanced with practicality.

Speaker 26 (22:48):
For example, there's a family in Illinois that wants to
donate a nineteen forty five Farmall Model D with D
as a demostrare attractor.

Speaker 2 (22:55):
Nice consideration to have if you are offering a historical
view of farming and a America and the federal agency
connected to it. And as Connolly continues to build upon
the exhibits and collections of the USDA Museum, his unofficial
operational duties include display and maintenance.

Speaker 26 (23:13):
Restoring the furniture. His old legal barristers restored them, all,
wired them for lighting, and then just kind of figuring
out how it all works together, and then just creating descriptions,
determining the lighting, and then really how to maximize the space,
and then as I need more space and just go
into the next.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Room, the initial desire to create a passion to continue.
What is now the USDA Museum is a merger of
two of Connolly's favorite areas, agriculture and history.

Speaker 26 (23:40):
And it's been a labor love since the first moment
I opened the doors and started adding things to the museum.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
So what exactly might one find if they tour the
USDA Museum. The answers are available in a future edition
of Agriculture USA, but for now. Wayne offers a preview
in the form of Theater of the Mind. For one
display a Desk, a tribute to Agriculture Department leaders. Inspired
by the gallery of painted portraits of commissioners and secretaries

(24:09):
in the USDA wit And Building patio.

Speaker 26 (24:11):
One day, I'm on the patio and it's like, I
see all these beautiful portraits, but there really is any
information about these folks. So went around and all the pictures,
all the portraits I've taken pictures of kind of recreate
their pictures here, create a bio for them, and then
something that's tangible, something that's close to them. So I've
been collecting all the signatures of all the commissioners and
the secretaries, reaching out to some who are still around accessible.

Speaker 2 (24:33):
With photos and signatures, adorning the secretarial desk at the
USDA Museum. We continue our museum Theater of the Buying
Tour in a future program. This has been Agriculture USA.
Rod Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 15 (24:54):
It's time for California A today on the ag Information Network.
I am Hailey Ship. Even after the last fruit is
picked from the tree, there is still activity in the
orchard's for California's cherries Jeremy Hamlin, technical sales manager in
California from Cultiva.

Speaker 10 (25:12):
With a lot of other crops, that's kind of the
end of one thing and onto the next, but with
cherries it's much different. The trees are still working hard
to initiate buds during nutrients, setting the stage for next
season's crop.

Speaker 15 (25:24):
He told me that post harvest stress, especially from heat
or drought, can really disrupt the process.

Speaker 10 (25:31):
When photosynthesis and transporration get thrown off, it can and
often does impact bud development, and that's where problems like
cherry doubling and excess spur formations will show up in
next year's crop.

Speaker 15 (25:43):
That is when he recommends the use of Parka, a
cutical supplement that helps maintain those processes.

Speaker 10 (25:49):
And when applied post harvest, Parker can reduce doubling by
up to sixty four percent, and applying it right around now,
just after harvest, with a couple applications after that can
support healthier bud development, reduce the risk of doubles and spurs,
and ultimately sets the stage for higher quality and more
marketable fruit in the following season.

Speaker 15 (26:09):
Learn more at Cultiva dot com or connect with your
local sales representative.

Speaker 25 (26:14):
With its increased efficiency and lower fuel costs, AGG producers
know that propane is better for their bottom line, and
now participating in the Propane Farm Research Program can impact
your bottom line. Share your propane equipment performance data and
you could receive compensation like up to five thousand dollars
for propane irrigation engines and prime power generators and up
to two thousand dollars for propane building heat systems. Take

(26:36):
advantage of all the ways that propane is better for
your bottom line. Start your application today at propane dot com.
Slash PFRP enhance tree fruit quality and your marketable yield
with the best protection under the sun. Easy to tank
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(26:57):
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Put PARKA on it. Ask your retailer or Cultiva representative
about PARKA today. Visit Cultiva dot com for more information.

Speaker 15 (27:12):
This is California AGG today. On the AG Information Network,
I am Haley ship For more agnews, check US out
online at aginfo dot net.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
Bob Quinnavers and farm us. This morning, friends, there's a
major breakthrough with an alternative way of making raw milk
safe to drink. A California company called Tamarack Biotics has
secured initial FDA acceptance of its light based milk treatment process.
Company CEO Bob comstock with US.

Speaker 6 (27:42):
Pasteurization has existed before the Civil War, and there have
been attempts to get approval for alternative technologies, but nobody
has ever succeeded. So this is actually the first in
the world and was done here in Fresno, California.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
There are many benefits to pasteurize milk with UV light technology.

Speaker 6 (28:00):
Milk, whether from a human or a cow, is an
amazing biofluid and it contains all these bioactive proteins and
enzymes that impart immunity to an infant right after it's born.
And an infant gets its entire immune system through mother's milk,
as does a calf. So what happens is heat degrades

(28:25):
these compounds. And we did a clinical trial at uc
Davis a few years ago, and that trial showed that
we could restore immune function in older people because as
you get older, your immune system weakens, and one of
the best measures of your immune system's health is how
many antibodies you create in response to a vaccine. So

(28:51):
many people who are eighty and ninety years old did
not even benefit from the COVID vaccine because their immune
systems were too weak. But this UC Davis clinical trial
showed that by consuming our product for only four weeks,
you were able to restore immune function, and people had

(29:11):
one hundred and twenty percent increase in the number of
antibodies they created in response to a tetnus vaccine. So
what that means is older people can use the same
mechanism by which a mother imparts immunity to her child
to restore their immune function as they age.

Speaker 1 (29:28):
Comstock explains how his Compani's innovative a treatment of raw
milk with advanced UV light technology works.

Speaker 6 (29:35):
It's kind of difficult to pasteurize milk with ultra violet
light because it doesn't penetrate into the milk, so you
have to do it in very thin films and with
very high turbulence to renew the surface frequently, and that
enables you to kill all the bad bugs and milk
very effectively. In fact, we are more effective than heat

(29:56):
at killing all the bad bugs.

Speaker 1 (29:58):
Cama rac Biotics CEO Bob Comstock. This morning, Well friends,
US China trade was top of mind at the US
Meat Export Federation Spring Conference. We have a report this morning.

Speaker 16 (30:10):
A keynote speaker at the US Meat Export Federation Spring
conference he's optimism for a new trade deal with China.
John Newton of Terrain recently spoke to the group about
his trade outlook.

Speaker 27 (30:20):
I might be one of the few people that thinks
we're going to get a phase to deal with China.
How many people in the room think we're gonna get
a phase to deal with China? Oh more than I
thought I've been. I think it's gonna happen. I don't
know when it's gonna happen, but I think it's gonna happen.
I think what President Trump has to do is by
March of next year, he's got to show real progress
on the big beautiful Bill, real progress on trade deals,

(30:44):
real progress on the economy. Because what happens in March
next year, right into the midterms, everybody in the House
is going to be back in their district's campaigning, and
what do they want to campaign on Do they want
to campaign on wins or losses?

Speaker 5 (30:59):
They want a campaign on wins.

Speaker 27 (31:01):
Absolutely, so I think, you know, we've got about a
six or seven month window for some of these things
to get done, and I'm pretty confident that they will
get done.

Speaker 16 (31:09):
Rather than dwell on current trade obstacles, USMEF President and
CEO Dan Hallstrom says offices have been focused on how
to develop and capitalize on alternative destinations, such as a
promotion with a large grocer in Korea to build sales
of frozen beef cuts that would usually be exported to China.

Speaker 28 (31:26):
We've become pretty good at being nimble because all the
uncertainty and unknowns in the global marketplace over the last
several years. So when we see something like China happen,
where we're pivoting on the demand side. This is what
our membership expects of us. You know, they're all well
aware of the problems. You know, one hundred and fifty
percent tariff on beef into China's a big problem. But

(31:46):
we try to come with solutions, or at least partial
solutions to help them out on the demand side. And
that's our role. That's why We have these offices all
over the world, one hundred and five employees and twenty regions,
and that's what they're there for.

Speaker 16 (32:01):
For more, please visit USMEF dot org for the usban
Export Federation.

Speaker 9 (32:05):
I'm John Harris farm Used.

Speaker 1 (32:06):
This morning, you're listening to wag Life.

Speaker 29 (32:11):
From the Egg Information Network. This is your agribusiness update. Well,
despite concerns earlier this year that there would not be
enough bees to pollinate the twenty twenty five almond crop,
it does not appear to have affected production. A USDA
forecast shows California farmers will harvest two point eight billion
pounds of almonds, which is less than average, but slightly
more than last year. Blue diamond growers Mel Machado told

(32:34):
The Voice of California Agriculture podcasts growers are cautiously optimistic.
The European Union says it's open to lowering tariffs on
US fertilizer imports during trade talks with the Trump administration,
but will not weaken its food safety standards in pursuit
of a deal. Whether that would mean zero tariffs or
reduction of current rates would need to be negotiated. Reducing

(32:56):
tariffs could boost Europe's purchases of US fertilizer to gap
as the EU cut supplies from Russia. Arkansas Senator Tom
Cotton introduced the Biothreat Prevention Act that would ban federal
funding to any labor university conducting agricultural research with nationals
from China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or North Korea. Cotton

(33:17):
says foreign terrorists seeking to poison and destroy America's food
supply should not have access to American labs and universities.
This comes after three Chinese researchers were charged with smuggling
a potential agro terrorism weapon in a fungus into the US.

Speaker 11 (33:32):
It's been popping up in orchards and vineyards all over
any origin theories scholars, Oh hey, yeah.

Speaker 13 (33:38):
It's Seva fungicide from basf a category leader in disease control.

Speaker 11 (33:43):
How do you explain these healthy crops well.

Speaker 13 (33:45):
Longer lasting residual. Plus it's built for current regulatory standards
and prepare for what's to come, which improves crop marketing flexibility.

Speaker 11 (33:52):
So a fungicide that is out of this world. I
knew it Sevia fungicide from basfurs. It always reading following.

Speaker 12 (34:01):
Press today we're talking with aphids and white flies about
sephena insecticide from basf We.

Speaker 18 (34:07):
Just get nailed with it.

Speaker 12 (34:09):
So tell us, how are you feeling really really weird
and you still wanted to devour this field?

Speaker 9 (34:15):
No way, bro. There you have it, folks.

Speaker 12 (34:18):
Safena insecticide is specifically engineered to disorient aphis and wife
flies so they can't eat, and when they can't eat,
they can't destroy.

Speaker 25 (34:26):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sefena insecticide. Always
read and follow label directions.

Speaker 29 (34:31):
Get the equipment you need at Richie Brothers next to
Larry Auction June twentieth bid on over eight hundred items,
including a wide selection of farming equipment. This absolute unreserved
auction is open to the public and free to register.
For more details, visit rbauction dot com.

Speaker 1 (34:46):
Bob Quin here to wrap up Agglie for today, friends well.
Grant applications are now being accepted for USDA's Local Agriculture
Market program. Rod Bain has our final report.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
Coming up soon. Deadlines for application of USDA grant funding
to develop and expand local agricultural markets.

Speaker 30 (35:06):
Applications have to be submitted by June twenty seventh. If
you are looking to apply to that, you would do
that through the grants dot Gov website.

Speaker 2 (35:15):
Tricia Kovacs of the Agricultural Marketing Service says the Local
Agriculture Market Program has twenty six and a half million
dollars available through three offerings.

Speaker 30 (35:26):
And those are the Farmers Market Promotion Program, the Local
Food Promotion Program, and the Regional Food System's Partnership grants.

Speaker 2 (35:32):
And what is the point of focus of those programs
within the lamp umbrella. COVAC starts with the Farmers Market
Promotion Program.

Speaker 30 (35:40):
The Farmer's Market Promotion Program is designed for that direct
farmer to consumer relationships, so it is farmers markets as
the name implies, but it might also be things like
community supported agriculture where an individual or family signs up
at the beginning of a season to purchase fruits and
vegetables or meats. Those allow the farmer to receive the

(36:02):
money or at least the commitment of the funding up front.

Speaker 2 (36:04):
The Local Food Promotion Program serves as a partner program
to the Farmer's Market Promotion Program.

Speaker 30 (36:11):
Supports a lot of the same goals and outcomes, but
it is for food supply chains that are a little
more indirect to the consumer. We call them intermediated markets,
where there is somebody else in the middle of that
supply chain. That might be food hubs where they pull
and aggregate and provide distribution and marketing for a variety
of farmers in their network. Could be a distributor, could

(36:32):
be a farm to school program where they're buying from
multiple farmers and delivering it to each of their individual schools.

Speaker 2 (36:39):
Then there is the Regional Food System Partnership.

Speaker 30 (36:42):
It supports public private partnerships, ordination, convening, and planning for
local and regional food systems, all with a goal to
build and strengthen the viability and resilience of local and
regional food economies. Projects might be public private. They have
to have these fund partnerships as the name imply, so
they have to have partners from two different categories. But

(37:04):
the goal is to plan and develop those relationships with
them and with producers and with food service operators and
institutional markets or others to really create the strongest network
and foundation for markets for farmers in that region.

Speaker 2 (37:18):
AMS offers requests for application webinars to help new applicants
navigate the process. In addition, AMS is Grants website www.
Dot AMS dot USDA dot gov Slash Services. Slash Grants
offers a frequently asked questions page at grant management specialist

(37:40):
available to assist with application.

Speaker 30 (37:42):
Always recommend that people start early and go into that
system and start their application.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
I'm Broadbane, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC.

Speaker 1 (37:53):
With that, friends, r out of time for today. Thanks
for joining us back tomorrow morning with another edition of
Aaglife