The Bush administration is proposing to strip clean-air regulations from large areas of California and other Western states. The proposed rules were published earlier this week in the Federal Register and would become final later this year after a public comment period.

The proposal says that rural areas no longer must meet federal regulations for windblown clouds of dust, and stipulates that farms and mining operations would be exempt from clean-air rules.

While the rules would be loosened for rural areas, regulations would be tightened on what’s called coarse particulates in urban areas.

Source: Los Angeles Times/ Janet Wilson, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-
me-dust18jan18,0,3046054.story?coll=la-news-
environment

National Farmers Union told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Tuesday that it opposes its proposal to change the definition of cheese.

FDA regulates standards of ingredients for over 70 different cheeses. Current standards do not allow for the use of ultra-filtered milk, which is a highly concentrated product as the result of separation by filtration. FDA is now proposing to amend the definition of “milk” and “nonfat milk” as it relates to approved ingredients in standardized cheese production.

Source: National Farmers Union/ News Release, Jan. 17, 2006
Source URL: http://www.nfu.org/newsroom_news_release.cfm?id=1381

A Wisconsin lawmaker is wants to revise how the state’s Department of Natural Resources tallies animal units. If approved, some farms would no longer be under the jurisdiction of the DNR.

State Sen. Dan Kapanke, a La Crosse Republican, would replace state standards with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for large-scale livestock operations. Environmentalists say that would remove 16 livestock operations from DNR control.

Source: La Crosse Tribune/ Reid Magney, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/01/18/news/z03farmbill0118.txt

Minnesota cattle producers packed rooms to listen to the news they didn’t want to hear: the five herds in the northwestern part of the state found infected with bovine tuberculosis appear to all have had the same strain of the disease.

To top it off, the strain officials found is the same strain seen in Mexican cattle and cows from America’s Southwest, and not the strain found in TB outbreaks in Michigan or Manitoba, said Linda Glaser, director of emergency planning and cattle programs for the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, at one meeting.

Source: Grand Forks Herald/ Stephen J. Lee, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/13649852.htm

Milk production in the 23 major States during December totaled 13.6 billion pounds, up 4.2 percent from December 2004. November revised production, at 13.0 billion pounds, was up 4.6 percent from November 2004. The November revision represented a decrease of 1 million pounds from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,665 pounds for December, 55 pounds above December 2004.

Source: USDA/ NASS, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/mkpr0106.txt

For triskaidekaphobes USDA’s Final 2005 Crop Report and December 1 Grain Stocks Report were a preview for Friday the 13th. Although the reports indicated there were a lot of corn and beans on hand, grain traders were anticipating stocks and carryout would increase somewhat, just not as much as they did. The reports had a lot of blog fodder, so we begin a 2-day chew on how Extension Marketing Specialists Darrel Good (University of Illinois), Chris Hurt (Purdue), and Bob Wisner (Iowa State) digest them. First up: Corn.

Source: Farmgate/ Stu Ellis/ University of Illinois, Jan. 17, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmgate.uiuc.edu/archive/2006/01/refine_your_mar.html

SOYBEANS:  Last week the statement of exclamation was, “What a difference two weeks can make!”  Now make that times two. The USDA WASD reported an increased production estimate of 43 million bushels to 3.086 billion … with a “B” … bushels!  This market is finding it very hard to find something positive about the report. Overall soybean use numbers declined due to lower export activity amid increases for crushings and residual use. Ending stocks for U.S. soybeans were reported higher from last December’s report by 100 million bushels, now at 505 million bushels. The season average farm price estimate was increased 10¢/bu on both ends with the range now at $5.10/bu to $5.80/bu. The MAR’06 bean futures opened the session down, rose to a level above last Friday’s close before sliding 5.2¢/bu on the close at $5.712/bu. The NOV’06 bean contract rallied to close down 4.6¢/bu at $6.004/bu after being down as much as 6.6¢/bu on the day. Futures played defense clutching to losses in the absence of fundamental support. As with corn, moisture in South America improved crop conditions across Argentina fixing the background for price moves down. With the exception of some speculative buying buoying price at times, this lower theme has been consistent. If you haven’t sold the ’05 crop by now it is time to catch up. Cash sales on the entire ’05 crop should have been completed. Cash sellers should also have at least 20% – 25% of the ’06 crop forward priced. Hedgers should now be aggressively short up to 45% of next year’s crop in the NOV’06 bean contract.

Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension/ Mike Roberts, Jan. 17, 2006
Source URL: http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/purcell/2006wp/02.html

The economic effect of lactational antibiotic treatment of chronic subclinical intramammary infections due to Streptococcus uberis or Streptococcus dysgalactiae was explored by means of partial budgeting. Effects at cow level and herd level were modelled, including prevention of clinical mastitis episodes and the prevention of transmission of infections.

Because bacterial flora, cow characteristics and management differ widely between farms, the economic outcome of lactational treatment of chronic subclinical streptococcal mastitis may be highly farm-dependent.

Source: Use of partial budgeting to determine the economic benefits of antibiotic treatment of chronic subclinical mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis or Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Journal of Dairy Research 72 (1): 75-85, 2005. Swinkels, J.M.; Rooijendijk, J.G.; Zadoks, R.N.; Hogeveen, H.

No, I'm not writing about the risks of putting a pinch of chewing tobacco between your cheek and gum! Rather, I'm talking about the dairy producer's quandary during cold weather B to use teat dip or not to use teat dip.

Giving a single answer is difficult since many variables (housing design, weather conditions, degree of teat exposure) can influence the decision.

Source: North Dakota State University/ J.W. Schroeder, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/

Russian ice cream makers are reaping the double benefit of consumers’ strong taste for sweet treats and the recent record cold weather.

While Russians continue to lick their way through large quantities of ice cream and sorbet, the cold snap has lowered the cost of refrigeration for ice cream makers as freezer walls ice over and electricity bills drop.

Today’s temperatures plunged to minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit in Moscow. Despite the cold, ice cream sales have stayed hot.

Source: Herald News Daily, Jan. 18, 2006
Source URL: http://www.heraldnewsdaily.com/stories/news-00126621.html