Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is Aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. We
start off this morning in the garden with Rod Bain.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Now that we are in the start of autumn, at
the winding down of the gardening season for those growing flowers,
fruit and vegetables, a gardener's focus shifts to getting their
garden prepared for overwintering. Cynthia Domicghide of Kansas State University
Extension offers advice starting with if you have.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
A large area that you garden, consider looking at cover crops.
Some cover crops can be planted early fall time, and
that's a great way to protect your soil through the
winter and contribute nutrients back into the soil for your
spring planting.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Then there are the basic fall prep tips for getting
a garden ready for overwintering. To keep in mind, you.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Can start cleaning up plant debris to prevent overwintering diseases
and pests. Another thing to think of is if you
would like to grow bulbs, Planting those in the fall
is important to get them to bloom in the spring.
Some people have good intentions and they buy the bulbs,
the tulips and daffodils and hyacinths, but they don't get
(01:13):
them in the ground in time and they miss out
on that spring blooming.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
What if the garden bug continues to itch for the
gardener in the early fall, what idea.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You could also consider growing a fall crop of leafy
greens and you can continue reseeding those until you get
into a hard freeze. And leafy greens can be harvested
at any point. Really, if you harvest them when they're young,
they're considered microgreens really, But that's a fun crop to
grow in the fall because you can get regrowth and
(01:44):
extend your gardening season basically, and.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
When that first frost occurs. What are protection considerations for
tender vegetables.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Some options are to individually cover plants. Some people even
use empty plastic milk jugs where they cut the box
of the jug out and they can place that over
the top of a sensitive plant. But you can also
use blankets or sheet of plastic to create a load
tunnel or row cover over multiple plants to get them
(02:13):
through those first few frosts of the fall season and
extend the amount of time that you're able to be harvesting.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Rod Bain, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Farm News Ahead, you're listening to Waglife Bob Quinn. There
was some farm news this morning. Friends. Farmers and ranchers
are facing extreme economic pressure. Chad Smith tells US The
American Farm Bureau sent letters to Congress and the administration
asking for immediate help and long term solutions.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
The overall US farm economy is in very bad shape
and the long term viability of the sector is in danger.
Brian Glenn, director of Government Affairs for the American Farm
Bureau Federation, says costs have skyrocketed while commodity prices have
dropped sharply.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
Pressures from labor, regulatory compliance, fertilizer, and energy have eroded
margins for farmers, while their crop receepts have also fallen
steeply since twenty twenty two. Since twenty twenty two, US
AG has also experienced a trade deficit, and persistent non
tear of trade barriers have added to the volatility.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Both beginning and veteran farmers are having to make tough
choices to survive. Farm Bureau sent a letter to Congress
and the White House asking for immediate assistance in the
short term.
Speaker 5 (03:31):
We urge leaders to authorize bridge payments for farmers before
the end of twenty twenty five. These payments must be
robust enough to address sector wide gaps as the federal
government continues to work to recalibrate trade strategies, stabilized prices,
and strengthen key market relationships.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
Glenn said it's vital that Congress and the administration move
quickly to help US farmers and ranchers.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
Is extremely important that the administration in Congress moved quickly
to off the rized bridge payments for farmers before the
end of twenty twenty five really to keep farmers afluid,
and that we need swift and decisive action taken on
policy solutions to increase market access and opportunities for farmers.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
To read the letters, go to FB dot org and
click on the news section. Chad Smith, Washington Well Friends.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Concern continues to grow over the New World screwworm outbreak
in Mexico. Texas agg Commissioner Sid Miller says it's getting
dangerously close to the border.
Speaker 6 (04:30):
That's just hey, we're drawn line to sand We're very
serious about keeping the screwworm out. We're gonna trap these pasts,
We're gonna monitor them. Of course, you know, I'm the
only one saying we need to put out the fly bait.
They'll have a gut buy in from the USBA to
do a flybait. If we put out the flybait, we
can wip the screwworm out of Mexico in ninety days.
But for some reason they're very reluctant to do that.
(04:51):
They tell me that it's environmentally unsound because it will
kill the good flies, good flies.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
Is that like a good.
Speaker 6 (04:58):
Fire in I don't know what a good fly. I
don't know if they're afraid to kill house flies and
stable flies, but I'm ready to kill the screwworm fly.
I don't care if there's some collateral damage to other
fly species. This is too big a deal and too
big an industry not to jump on it and prevent
it from coming into the United States.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
He says. The State agg Department has deployed traps at
livestock export facilities, including in Brownsville, Del Rio, al Paso,
and Laredo, and we.
Speaker 6 (05:27):
Even have one at the airport in Houston. So we're
gonna put those traps up at all of those areas.
We have personnel there anyway, so it just makes sense to,
you know, put up the traps. The thing that I
think is most important in the USDA is not doing
is putting up traps around our cruise ship terminals. My
greatest fear is that some of these flies will hitchhike.
(05:48):
You know, ships come back in every day at Corpus
Christi and Galaveson Now.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
He says, the traps in bage, along with the Sterile
Fly program, are critical tools for containing and preventing outbreaks
that could threaten ranchers and the agricultural community. Well friends,
AI or artificial intelligence, is making its way into US agriculture.
Heather Hampton NODEBT, president of Nodell Farms in Illinois, recently
spoke on AI at Oklahoma State University. She said the
(06:16):
technology is already in operation in American agriculture.
Speaker 8 (06:20):
One that's exciting on the horizon. There are some versions
of it in the marketplace, but for example, in barn
cameras where you might have confinement or feeding operations and
say you have thousands of animals, there there are technologies
that can kind of track each animal individually and show
signs of maybe illness or are they going to need
an antibiotic? Are they going to need some other form
of treatment, long before we would notice it with our
(06:41):
human eye. It provides that kind of amazing kind of
early warning detection and sometimes even diagnosis.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Now, Nodle encourages small steps when adapting to artificial intelligence.
Farm News. You're listening to aglife.
Speaker 9 (06:54):
It's another rag news update. Global food security is improving,
butterfat boom is squeezing cheesemakers and farm land values rising
more after this.
Speaker 10 (07:04):
Before I started working as a soil scientist, before I
became a systems engineer, before I got started in aerospace,
I was a kid making discoveries.
Speaker 11 (07:13):
I did my first live experiment. I found oxiens school
in foro h in foro h in for h.
Speaker 10 (07:22):
One million new ideas. Learn more and see how you
can help at four dash h dot org.
Speaker 9 (07:33):
USDA economists say global food insecurity is easing, with six
hundred four million people affected this year. It's down sharply
from twenty twenty four, though Sub Saharan Africa remains most vulnerable.
Closer to home, cattle producers are on alert after a
new case of New World screwworm confirmed just seventy miles
(07:55):
south of the Texas border last week, prompting stepped up
eradication and biosecurity investments in dairy. Cobank reports butterfat levels
in US milk climbing twice as fast as protein, leaves
cheesemakers with costly imbalances and quality risk. USDA's Fruit and
(08:16):
Nut Outlook shows apples, pears, grapes, and walnuts on the rise,
but peaches, cranberries, and olives are lagging. It underscores a
mixed harvest season, and farmland values continue to climb across
the Northeast and Lake States. It's led by record highs
(08:36):
in Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Strong gains also
in Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. I'm Tony Saint Shames. It's
another agnews update.
Speaker 12 (08:49):
At the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual convention in Denver,
we caught up with Michael Gergey from Student Loan Advisor.
Speaker 13 (08:56):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans in Student Loan Forgiven says that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching team and the top line
piece of advice that we give the books.
Speaker 12 (09:15):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot.
Speaker 9 (09:17):
Org American Cattle News. How did markets clean up last week?
We'll find out after this.
Speaker 10 (09:27):
Before I started working as a soil scientist, before I
became a sistance engineer, before I got started in aerospace,
how's a kid making discoveries?
Speaker 11 (09:37):
I did my first lab experiment. I've found off science
school in four h and four h in four h
one million new ideas. Learn more and see how you
can help at four h dot org.
Speaker 9 (09:56):
Looking back at how markets ended on Fraut Virginia McGaffey
mcgaffe Commodities blight cattle was mixed.
Speaker 14 (10:04):
It seems that high prices may have reached its limit
where consumers just aren't paying anymore. A box prices did
decline again, with Choice down five dollars and forty two
cents and Select down two dollars and ninety seven cents.
There's also weaker cash out there as well, but it
didn't really put too much pressure on the market, so
it was a mixed you know. The market state traded
(10:25):
a little below and above the opening range. December we
had a two dollars and thirteen cent range. We were
really right around that two thirty two mark. Even October
was down to two thirty twenty five, with February getting
down to two thirty four five before the market's kind
of bounced back and kind of rose back up just
a little bit, but still even though sideways it's kind
(10:47):
of looking a little bit weak. Seabells at seventeen point
two percent for the live cattle feeder today were a
little bit firm. Surprisingly, traders are still trying to close
that gap with that September contract clothes and it's clawing
back much of yesterday's losses and with November. November was
up two dollars and seventy eight cents. We were up
(11:08):
to three fifty five, with October getting up to three
fifty seven forty seven, and the sea valve for the
feeders is twenty point two percent, so it's still pretty strong.
So it's just showing that there's a lot of activity
in that market. Leen Hoggs, though, is the one to
write home about. We made a new high. The quarterly
numbers were below the estimates and offered some strong market
(11:30):
support here when demand is staying strong, as packers have
been buying aggressively really all week and so pushing all
the markets to you know, making new highs this week.
Speaker 9 (11:40):
American Cattle News.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Well, this is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.
Speaker 15 (11:46):
Addressing scours and tips for debugging sick calves with doctor
Melissa Canter, a precision dairy science at Penn State University.
She has some tips on debugging sick calves. When it
comes to scours.
Speaker 16 (11:58):
We know disease detection is important most importantly for our
baby calves, and when we think about replacement halfer selection
in general, we're seeing much higher input costs. Doctor Paul
Fricky said that in Wisconsin, twenty two hundred dollars to
raise that heifer from the baby calf phase all the
way out to when she's calving and giving milk. So again,
(12:19):
these animals are really expensive to raise, and if there's
ways that we can really more efficiently manage gowers to
where we have less of it. I think it's going
to be a better thing more in the long run
for our farms, because again we're more selective about which
heifers we keep because they're so expensive to raise, and
at the end of the day, we all just want
to raise a really nice, healthy calf that becomes a
(12:40):
productive cow. But as dairy farmers know, that's not reality.
A lot of animals do get some sort of disease
along the way. Management factors are something we can control.
Everyone knows colossrum is the first step. Pretty much every
farm I work with has a beautiful protocol on paper.
They know Doctor Sandra Goddon has done an excellent job
getting the word out that it's got to be squeaky clean,
(13:03):
it's got to be at least ten percent body weight.
We got to give it right away. But many farms
are not testing their calves. So you might have a
beautiful protocol on paper, but if you aren't actually taking
serum on your baby calves, so again that would be
twenty four hours after colostrum to about three to four
or five days age that range, you have no idea
(13:23):
if your protocol is being carried out by your staff.
So the first and foremost step I tell people, if
we're dealing with at least half of our calves getting
scours in that first three weeks of life, check your
colostrum protocol. Make sure things are tight and working the
way they should be. That's love to test calves for
passive immunity. It's one of their favorite things to do,
in my opinion, So have them pull some blood on
(13:45):
your calves the next time they're doing a herd health
check on you those young, young calves and check it.
You can even check it yourself. You could leave these
in the fridge overnight. That cerum will separate naturally and
you can look at it through a bricks refractometer, the
same thing we use to check colostrum quality are eight
point two percent, we know we're doing a good job.
If a calf fails, she's two times more likely to die,
(14:06):
and even if the calf survives, she's eighty percent more
likely to require antibiotics at some point in that first
three months of life. So again, these calves are costing
us a lot of headaches and money. And of course,
when we think about being stewards a good animal care
we really want to make sure our classroom program is
on track. Ventilation is more commonly discussed when we're talking
(14:26):
about respiratory disease, and certainly that's true, but moisture is
the number one enemy for our calves. So if we're
trying to minimize scours, we got to get this environment
for our calves nice and dry. I can't tell you
how many times I've seen a facility doing such a
stellar job pressure washing and cleaning everything out and removing
(14:48):
all the bedding, and then they fail to dry out
the surface. So again, it's really important to make sure
that that's dry because that is what kills crypto, drying
the surface out.
Speaker 15 (14:57):
Comments from doctor Melissa Canter from penns State University on
addressing scours and tips for debugging sick calves.
Speaker 16 (15:04):
The most important thing for a calf dealing with scours
is keeping her hydrated. It is fundamental to keeping that
calf successful. And you might ask why calves can have
a lot of complications from scours because of dehydration. They
can actually have low blood sugar where they literally become
like a diabetic where they become hypoglycemic, and these calves
(15:26):
can head down a bad path in a very quick way,
especially if milk is only coming twice a day like
it is on those farms. So again we've got to
get fluids to those calves to get them back on
track to make sure that they don't end up with
low blood sugar and these other things. So electrolytes in
between feedings is very, very important for these calves.
Speaker 15 (15:46):
That's doctor Melissa Canter, Assistant Professor Precision Dairy Science at
Penn State University, on a recent PDP Dairy signal that
you can hear in its entirety for free simply by
going to pdpw dot org. Our thanks to the Professional
Dairy Produce Us for today's sponsorship of producer Tuesday.
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Christopher Holton.
Speaker 13 (16:06):
It was a Saturday morning.
Speaker 17 (16:08):
Normally I go from a normal wall.
Speaker 18 (16:09):
With no warning, Chris suffered a near fatal heart attack.
Brian Buckley, a bystander, saw him collapse and perform CPR.
He learned from the American Heart Association, which saved Chris's life.
Speaker 19 (16:19):
Look at your hands, These two hands could.
Speaker 13 (16:22):
Save a life.
Speaker 18 (16:23):
To learn more about how the American Heart Association helps
save lives, go to Helpheart dot org.
Speaker 7 (16:28):
A Calusive County almond grower describes what a great summer
it was to produce almonds. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh with the
California Tree Nut Report, part of that vastag Information Network.
John Lee Dunn is with Henderson Farms in Clusa County.
Speaker 17 (16:45):
Yeah, the summer was mild, which that's always a good thing,
and we didn't have a huge heat spike like we
did last year.
Speaker 7 (16:51):
But all that good weather ended this fall.
Speaker 17 (16:54):
The challenge we had was with rain. I mean here
in the North State we had some pretty good id storms,
and I know they did in the Modesto area and
down south as well. I mean, we haven't had a
harvest in a few years where we had to really worry.
Speaker 7 (17:08):
About rain and rain during almond harvest. Not a good
thing at all.
Speaker 17 (17:13):
To have that challenge, Especially some of our later varieties,
the Monterey and the Fritz, we got rain and you're
just trying to get them dried out. We have a
wholer shellar, so a lot of growers are bringing in
wet product of the which slows down your wholer shellar.
It decreases your efficiency there and again.
Speaker 7 (17:28):
It's considered one of the worst case scenarios when it
comes to almond harvest rain and if you're an almond
huller and shellar operation, it's even a worse situation.
Speaker 17 (17:38):
So we did not get to eat spike, which was
a good thing, but we did have the weather challenges
of getting all the nets off the ground at the
right time.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (17:46):
That's John A. Lee Donn with Henderson Farms and Grower
Operation and Almond Huller and Shellar.
Speaker 12 (17:52):
For over forty years, the AGG Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. EAG Information Network gives you worldwide updates
from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops like
wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops like apples, almonds,
and cherries. We report on stories that mean the most
(18:13):
to you online at aginfo dot net. The AG Information
Network trusted and transparent journalism lasting for the next generation.
For the last forty years, the AGG Information Network has
been the source of news for farmers and ranchers. Yet
we have never seen such an assault on farming and
our food supply as we do today, from fuel to fertilizer.
Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges This is why agriculture
(18:37):
news that farmers receive comes from the AG Information Network,
reaching coast to coast, deep roots and farming in decades
of reporting, the AGG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism
for generations With.
Speaker 7 (18:49):
The AG Information Network, I'm Patrick Kavanaugh.
Speaker 19 (18:52):
US Secretary of Agriculture. Brook Rawlins recently spoke on the
current state of the farm economy in the United States
and address the way President Trump is supporting American agriculture.
US farm inputs cost considerably more than what they did
four years ago, putting pressure on farmer's bottom line. Between
twenty twenty and now, set expenses have increased eighteen percent,
(19:15):
Fuel and oil expenses increase thirty two percent, fertilizer expenses
increase thirty seven percent, and interest expenses increased by wopping
seventy three percent. The US Department of Agriculture and Department
of Justice signed a memorandum of understanding that represents a
joint commitment by both agencies to protect American farmers and
(19:36):
ranchers from the burdens imposed by high and volatile input costs,
while ensuring competitive supply chains, lower consumer prices, and the
resilience of US agriculture and the food supply. The Anti
Trust Division of the Department of Justice will work hand
in hand with the USDA and take a hard look
and scrutinize competitive conditions in the agricultural workplace, including anti
(19:59):
trust enforcement that promotes free market competition. The USDA's National
Agricultural Statistics Service is about to begin data collection efforts
for the quarterly Milk Production Survey. The information collected in
the survey allows navs to accurately measure and report conditions
and trends in the US milk industry over the course
(20:19):
of a year. Now, this survey, conducted four times a year,
asks milk producers to provide the number of milk cows
in the herd, the number of cows milk, and total
milk production for the first day of the month. NAS
also collects information about milk consumed on the farm and
the amount fed to cows. Now, the dairy industry relies
on the milk production report to make decisions about marketing
(20:41):
their milk. Now's Livestock Branch chief Travis Avril says the
dairy industry relies on the milk production reports to make
decisions about marketing their milk. By participating in the survey,
milk producers can ensure that NASS provides timely, accurate, and
useful data that all sectors of the US milk industry
used to make sound business decisions.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Taking a drive this fall to a forest park or
scenic byway, deer or far to observe the beauty of
trees transforming colors from green to all sorts of shades
of red, yellow, at orange. Cythia Dobeghidi looks at this
phenomenon not just from an artistic perspective.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
It's actually quite interesting to study why leaves change color
in the fall.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
That approach comes from her background as a Kansas State
University Extension horticulture expert.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
What you actually are seeing is that the leaves aren't
necessarily changing color. They're revealing colors.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Or put another way, the colors have always been present
within the leaves. Those fall color pigments, however, are overshadowed
by nature's process in the suburb.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
The chlorophyll in the plant leaves that's capturing the energy
from the sun and making food for the plants. We're
seeing the green that's being produced.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
From all of that chlorophyll production is slowed down. In
the auto bunds. As sunlight decreases and days grow shorter, so.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
The leaves lose their green color and the other pigments
are now being revealed. They're visible now.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
For you plant pathologists out there by career or just interest.
You made all the fall color pigments that leaves contained
several components.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
So some of those pigments that you're starting to see
or you may see, depending on what varieties of plants
are around, will show orange and yellow pigment. Those pigments
are created by xanthophylls and keroteens. Tannins in the plant
are producing the brown colors that you see. Anthocyanins will
(22:43):
create red and purple pigments, and the timing and intensity
of the fall color varies depending on tree type, but
also the environmental conditions.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
That is why the fall color leaf display on any
given tree can vary from year to year, from brilliant
color the canopy to leaves already on the ground.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
That can be the result of temperature changes, rainfall, sunlight,
the soil moisture, all of those things, even just wind
blowing the leaves off the trees.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
Goll mcghidia ads other ways to appreciate the transition to
fall colors, whether in a national forest or for your
own backyard tree, It's actually.
Speaker 3 (23:22):
A really interesting thing to track if you're into journaling
and keeping records of what colors. Maybe even taking photos
of what your trees look like from one year to
the next and comparing those could be kind of interesting.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Broad Bain reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.
Speaker 20 (23:40):
With California AG Today, I am Hayley Ship. This is
the AG Information Network. Well getting political with today's story,
The California Farm Bureau is speaking out against Proposition fifty.
It's a measure on the November ballot that would suspend
California's independent Redistricting Commission and give politicians the power to
drive their own districts. According to the Farm Bureau, this
(24:03):
change would hurt rural communities and weaken fair representation. They
say the current citizens Redistricting Commission helps ensure that rural
and agricultural voices are heard. Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglas
explains that the twenty twenty commission held hundreds of meetings
and received tens of thousands of comments, resulting in districts
that combined similar interests and gave rural Californians a voice
(24:27):
in their government. She adds that Proposition fifty not only
divides farmland, but also weakens the voting power of the
people who work on farms, branches, and fields to grow
our nation's food. The organization notes that it is long
supported independent redistricting and opposed similar efforts back in twenty ten.
Now this information is coming direct from the California Farm Bureau.
(24:48):
You can get a link to their full statement by
visiting us online at aginfo dot net. Again, the California
Farm Bureau coming out in opposition to Proposition fifty, a
measure on the November ballots.
Speaker 12 (25:01):
For the last forty years, the Egg Information Network has
been the source of news for farmers and ranchers. Yet
we have never seen such an assault on farming and
our food supply as we do today, from fuel to fertilizer.
Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges. This is why agriculture
news that farmers receive comes from the AGG Information Network,
reaching coast to coast, deep roots and farming. In decades
(25:24):
of reporting, the AGG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism
for generations.
Speaker 21 (25:29):
Farm work is tough, and so is staying safe on
a road. Every year, accidents happen when tractors and traffic
share the same space, whether you're behind the wheel of
a tractor or a car. Here's what you need to remember.
Tractors move slower, be patient, don't pass on hills or curves.
Farmers make sure your slow moving vehicles, signs and lights
are visible. And everyone sailer, especially on rule roads. One
(25:51):
moment of caution can save a life. Let's work together
to keep our roads and our farms safe. This message
was brought to you by the AG Information Network.
Speaker 20 (25:59):
With Kelfornia AGG. Today on the AG Information Network, I
am Haley's ship.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Bob Quinn back with some farm use this morning, friends.
While consumer demand for cottage cheese is growing, Stephanie Hoff
has more from Wisconsin, America's dairy Land for US.
Speaker 22 (26:15):
Wisconsin's only cottage cheese producer, westb Cooperative Creamery is undergoing
a just over fourteen million dollar modernization plan. This is
after consumer demand has superseded the amount of cottage cheese
they're producing. Emily Byelkowski joins us she's the sales manager
with Westby Cooperative Creamery, and she tells us why the
(26:36):
cottage cheese market is skyrocketing sure well.
Speaker 23 (26:39):
The surgeon demand for cottage cheese is attributed to some
of the viral TikTok recipes and just increase consumer interest
in high protein, healthy diets. These interests have led to
shortages for producers who are struggling to keep up just
like us. The market is projected to keep growing and
(27:01):
we're responding to that with a modernization project that will
update our cottage cheese thinking facility in general, and we're
looking forward to meeting consumer demand. Right now, our orders
are fifteen to twenty percent more than we can produce.
We are oversold at this time, so with this project,
(27:25):
we'll be able to meet that demand.
Speaker 22 (27:28):
And I want to talk more about why the consumer
is attracted to cottage cheese from what I've seen. You
mentioned those TikTok videos, Emily, it's the protein and it's
the clean label. I mean, people are looking for a
shorter ingredientless and cottage cheese does.
Speaker 23 (27:41):
The job absolutely. It is nutrient dense, lower calorie, and
it's an affordable protein source as well. We know you
know the cost of groceries in general is going up everywhere,
so this is a nice option for people who are
looking to have that higher prot diet. Another factor is
(28:03):
we know that GLP one pharmaceuticals protein intake is really
important for people who are on those pharmaceuticals, and so
again this is a great source of protein for people.
Speaker 22 (28:15):
Emily, let's talk more now about this expansion because, as
you said, you've got to meet more demand, but it's
also about modernizing the plant as well. Does the project
will allow you to bring in more milk to the
facility or welcome new members to the cooperative.
Speaker 23 (28:30):
We currently have enough farms and milk supply, so not
necessarily the two aren't correlated. There are times that we
are selling a portion of our fluid milk if we
have extra, so as we expand, we will stop selling
fluid milk.
Speaker 22 (28:50):
So it's more about efficiency and greater yield. It sounds
like out of the plant.
Speaker 23 (28:55):
We're going to see ten to fifteen percent more cottage
cheese from the same amount of milk with this modern equipment.
And to talk a little bit about cottage cheese production,
so currently we have what are called open stainless steel
vats where the cottage cheese is literally made in well,
think of it as a giant stainless steel bathtub, if
you will. The cottage cheese is made in this giant
(29:19):
vessel that is open on top. Our new equipment will
be fully enclosed. And if you think about when you
boil water on the stove, if you put a lid
on top of that water, it's going to boil faster.
It's the same concept with the cottage cheese bats. So
it's going to save energy, it's going to save us time.
(29:41):
Production time is going to be reduced from sixteen hours
to eight hours, and we're going to get a higher
yield from the same amount of milk.
Speaker 22 (29:49):
Emily, there's also labor efficiencies in with this as well.
Speaker 23 (29:52):
Absolutely, you know, I have to say that's one of
the most exciting things to me personally. So cottage cheesemaking
is very physically demanding, and it's exciting to think about
what that's going to do for our teammates and the
plant who no longer have to lean over a cottage
cheese that with a rake moving that cottage cheese around.
It's all going to be fully enclosed, so they become
(30:13):
more operators than that physical labor, and I think that's
going to be really fantastic. So there will be no
additional jobs. The jobs will simply become more attractive to
those who work with us.
Speaker 22 (30:28):
Well. Hit Midwest Farm report up if you guys need
official taste testers for I don't know how skilled our
palettes are, but we sure do love cottage cheese, so
thank you so much, Emily Bilkowski. Along with us with
Westby Cooperative Creamery, the fourteen million dollar modernization plan is
set to be complete in the fall of twenty twenty six.
(30:50):
I'm Stephanie Hoff Farm US.
Speaker 1 (30:52):
This morning, you are listening to AG Life.
Speaker 24 (30:56):
From the Egg Information Network. I'm Bob Larson, and this
is your egg business update. With Californians casting their votes
on Proposition fifty, groups representing rural constituents are pushing back,
saying the measure would allow state legislators to draw up
new congressional maps. The proposition was crafted by California Democrats
and championed by Governor Gavin Newsom in response to President
(31:16):
Trump's urging Republican controlled states to redraw their congressional maps.
California's proposed map aims to benefit Democrats, largely by breaking
up several rural districts and attaching them to urban Districts
ex Secretary Brook Rawlin says the Trump administration will not
move forward on financial assistance for producers struggling with high
costs and low commodity prices until the government shut down ends.
(31:39):
The administration transferred thirteen billion dollars from the Commodity Credit
Corporation account to fund the aid package, but hasn't announced
the terms or the exact size of the package. Rawlin
says the government needs to reopen so they can move
forward on the assistance. An important American food aid program
is no longer in danger after funding was found to
support it during the government shutdown. Jos says the Special
(32:01):
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants in Children or WIG,
is relied on heavily by low income, pregnant, postportum, and
breastfeeding women with young children. The White House says it
will transfer funding from tariff revenue to keep the program
going for the foreseeable future.
Speaker 12 (32:15):
You've probably been told that to reach a millennial farmer
you have to go digital hmm, Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, pinterest, LinkedIn,
and online publication or maybe a podcast hmm, But which one?
Speaker 24 (32:30):
Oh?
Speaker 12 (32:30):
And how receptive is this age group to your sales
pitch during non work social time. Maybe the best place
to reach a farmer with a farming solution message is
when they are well, quite frankly farming. You know, it's
easy for us to find them during the day, as
most farmers are behind the wheel of a pickup truck
or farm equipment with the radio on. Listening to this
(32:52):
station for the agg Information Network of the West News.
If you'd like to deliver information about your terrific product
or so, give us a call and we'll connect you
directly with our community of loyal farmer listeners. Reach real
farmers right here, right now as they listen to what
is important to their farm operation. They trust us, They'll
trust you.
Speaker 24 (33:14):
Public bidding is open for the Richie Brothers Los Angeles
Sale ed October twenty third and twenty fourth. This fully
unreserved auction features trucks, trailers, heavy equipment and more. Register
for free at rbauction dot com.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
Bob Quin back to wrap up Aglie for today friends.
While the on again off again Keystone EXL pipeline maybe
on again. Dennis Sky has a report from Canada. The
trade issues of steel, aluminum, and energy dominated discussions between
Canada and the US in Washington on Tuesday, and while
Prime Minister Carney did not come away with a deal
(33:46):
or promise of tiff relief from President Trump, it seems
that Carney dangled a carrot. In private discussions. Carney expressed
interest in reviving work on the Keystone Excel pipeline, and
Trump was reported to be receptive to advancing that project.
The administration has a ten percent tariff on all Canadian
(34:07):
oil and gas imports. Describing the two countries' relationship, Mark
Carney stressed how Canada is not just a huge goods
and services trade partner, Canada is also the United States
largest foreign investor.
Speaker 25 (34:20):
We are the largest foreign investor in the United States
half a trillion dollars in the last five years alone,
probably pay trillion dollars in the next five years if
we get the agreement that we expect to get.
Speaker 26 (34:30):
It's reported that the Keystone project was raised by Carney
involving energy cooperation, but was put in the context of
getting relief for steel and aluminum tariffs. Yet, on his
return to Ottawa, when asked about the Keystone Excel issue,
the Prime Minister would only say that the delegation had
discussions on a wide range of issues. After the meeting,
(34:53):
Canada US trade representative Dominic LeBlanc told reporters in Washington
that their discussions lack argely revolved around steel, aluminum and energy.
Speaker 27 (35:04):
The focus both in the Oval Office and then again
in the lunch in the cabinet room, was on the
trading relationship. It concluded with the President and the Prime
Minister directing us to quickly land deals that will bring
greater certainty. The principal areas would be steel and aluminum
and energy. These sectors are amongst the ones that have
(35:25):
faced the most significant challenges.
Speaker 26 (35:27):
Prime Minister Carney knows that President Trump has always wanted
a direct pipeline from Alberta's oil fields to the US
Midwest and back. In February, Trump posted on social media
that he hoped the Keystone Excel project could be revived.
The former head of Alberta's Petroleum Marketing Commission believes that
bouncing the Keystone project off Trump could be helpful for
(35:51):
hard hit Canadian steel and aluminum sectors, but in reality,
a large pipeline project takes years to complete. However, Richard
Mason said that existing railway tankers could act as a
moving pipeline, at least in the short term.
Speaker 28 (36:06):
It's helpful. Canada has been a reliable supplier for the
US and they've become very dependent upon US, especially in
the Midwest. I don't know if anybody's serious about it.
Building a pipeline takes a long time. You can move
a lot of oil by rail, and that would be
what I would expect to see near term.
Speaker 26 (36:23):
The on again, off again Keystone Excel project has a
long history, first proposed under George W. Bush but squashed
by Barack Obama. Donald Trump revived the issue in his
first term, but Keystone was canceled again by Joe Biden.
So while nothing was discussed publicly, it's hoped that some
progress was made on steel and aluminum, currently under fifty
(36:47):
percent import duties, the highest of all tariff sectors. Reporting
from Canada, I'm Dennis Guy.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
With that.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
Friends, out of time for today, thanks for joining us.
Back tomorrow morning with another edition of Bag Life.