Mid-terms and Policy: What do we know?

By Ken Olson, FASS Science Policy Coordinator

The mid-term elections were held November 8. Most election results are in, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty as to what the results will mean for the budget, Farm Bill and more.

What do we know? The Democrats retain control of the Senate. The run-off election in Georgia will determine if there is a 50-50 split with the Vice President casting a tie breaking vote when needed, or if the Democrats have control with a 51-49 margin. On the House side we know that control has flipped, and the GOP will hold a very slim majority, the exact margin is yet to be determined. Speaker Pelosi and other members of the current Democrat leadership team have stepped down, so there will be new leadership team on that side of the aisle. On the GOP side the new Speaker of the House remains to be determined. Rep McCarthy is the likely speaker, but he does not appear to yet have the votes needed to be elected. Once party leadership is in place, committee members and chairs will be selected.

Paul Bleiberg, Senior Vice President, Government Relations at the National Milk Producers Federation said in recent interviews “It’s far too soon to know what implications the election results will have for dairy. However, despite the growing polarization and the ongoing political uncertainty, dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own have a well-worn track record of working collaboratively and productively with members of both parties. That won’t change next year regardless of who is in control.”

Much the same can be said relative to research and research funding. Who’s going to be on the Agriculture Committee? Who’s going to be on the Appropriations Committee or the Ways and Means committee? Who are the members that we might go to as champions for research on these and other committees? It is important to know and communicate with your members of Congress the importance and value of the research that you and other scientists do so that we are better prepared to help feed the world and address the many challenges that lie ahead.

FASS is working with a coalition, led by the Supporters of Agriculture Research (SoAR) and the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research (NCFAR), developing messaging for the 2023 Farm Bill. The areas addressed include: Research, Extension, Scholarship and Facilities. Priorities include: Economy and Leadership, Diverse Workforce, Resiliency and Food Safety & Security. At a meeting just prior to the mid-terms it was determined that the priorities should remain the same, but a pause was needed until early to mid-December to provide time to reassess the most effective messages in light of likely changes in committee leaders and members. We also want to assure that the messages utilize and are consistent with the USDA Strategic Plan and the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health.  Further details as the 2023 Farm Bill is developed. 

NASEM report, Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration Across the Land-Grant System

The recently released report, Enhancing Coordination and Collaboration Across the Land-Grant System, presents a range of recommendations to increase the collective impact of the system through participation in multidisciplinary, inter-institutional activities. For example, funding agencies should organize workshops to connect faculty with complementary expertise, and faculty members should consider how collaboration fits into the trajectory of an academic career and advocate for the rewards of collaboration.

“With so many challenges ahead for our food system — the need to increase efficiency, make operations more sustainable, and ensure resilience in increasingly extreme conditions — collaboration is a key ingredient to successful land-grant research that can yield new solutions,” says Kathryn J. Boor, dean of the graduate school and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell University, and chair of the committee that wrote the report. “All land-grant institutions must be enabled to participate fully in critical collaborative research efforts.” Read More

USDA WIC proposal decreases access to dairy

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service announced proposed changes to the foods prescribed to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC. The “science-based” revisions incorporate recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.

“USDA is committed to advancing maternal and child health through WIC, helping mothers, babies and young kids thrive,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These proposed changes will strengthen WIC – already an incredibly powerful program – by ensuring it provides foods that reflect the latest nutrition science to support healthy eating and bright futures.” Read more

Dairy leaders share sustainability progress

Dairy industry leaders recently gathered at the Dairy Sustainability Alliance Fall Meeting to discuss how USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities projects can help secure a climate smart and profitable future for farmers.

The Alliance, formed through the checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, consists of companies and organizations across the dairy community and others who want to contribute to dairy’s social responsibility journey. Nearly 300 industry stakeholders, including about 30 farmers, attended the meeting. Read more

ADSA Partner Webinar: Dairy Cattle Welfare Council

ADSA is pleased to share webinars delivered through our partner, the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council. 

These one-hour live educational sessions are available to attendees from around the world. Live webinars are free of charge for all, but you must register. Recordings are available to active members of the DCWC (CC capable in Spanish, French, etc.).

Spanish Webinar: Soluciones para optimizar el consumo de materia seca en vacas lecheras en transición

By: Dr. Gustavo Schuenemann – The Ohio State University

Date: December 14, 2022

Time: 5:00 p.m. EDT

REGISTER HERE

English Webinar: Cow welfare in Irish pasture based systems of milk production

By: Dr. Laura Boyle - TEAGASC, Ireland

Date: December 15, 2022

Time: 5:00 p.m. EDT

REGISTER HERE

Webinars are geared toward dairy farmers, veterinarians, consultants, industry, Extension/academia, and government representatives interested in many aspects of dairy cattle welfare. Professional, undergraduate, and graduate students are strongly encouraged to participate. Continuing Education Credit is awarded on an hour per hour basis. Contact DCWCouncil@gmail.com after your participation to request Veterinary CE documentation.

2023 ADSA Annual Meeting Call for Abstracts

The abstract submission site for the 2023 ADSA Annual Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is open! You can now submit your abstract. Submission instructions, quality standards, answers to frequently asked questions, and student competition guidelines are available on the page. There is no abstract submission fee to submit an abstract to the ADSA Annual Meeting.

The deadline for abstract submission is February 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

The 2023 ADSA Annual Meeting website will be updated frequently with the latest meeting information, so bookmark the site and visit often. Housing will open in November 2022, and meeting registration will be available in early February 2023.

The 2023 ADSA Annual Meeting scientific program will feature 1,200 oral and poster presentations from around the globe. Make sure yours is included, as 2,000 scientists from 50 countries meet in person in beautiful Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Benefit from symposia, workshops, and preconference events presented by the world's leading animal and dairy scientists. Topics will include dairy food science, dairy production, animal health and well-being, animal and human nutrition, food safety, and production and management. As always, the success of the ADSA Annual Meeting begins with the quality of the science presented; we look forward to your contributions to this global gathering of animal and dairy scientists.

Thank you!

2023 ADSA Annual Meeting Program Committee

44^th ADSA Discover Conference on Food Animal Agriculture:

Why Cheese from Milk?

March 7-9, 2023

Northern Illinois University Conference Center in Naperville, IL and presented virtually

This ADSA Discover Conference^SM will inform some of the latest research on the nutritional and health promoting aspects of milk and cheese. The overarching goals of this conference are to provide attendees with the following opportunities:

•       Access to the latest science-based information from dairy science experts

•       Engage with production and dairy foods colleagues in the cheese sector

•       Gain access to evidence-based messaging about dairy

Conference Topics

·      What is Milk and its Role in a Healthy Human Diet

·      Health Aspects of Milk and Milk Components

·      Cheese to Deliver Nutritional and Health Benefits

·      Consumer Messaging Based in Science and the Next Steps

Who Should Attend? Various stakeholders in the cheese industry including cheesemakers, dairy farmers, cheese retailers, allied organizations, as well as university and industry scientists are encouraged to participate. Graduate students and early career professionals are especially encouraged to attend. Both in-person and virtual participation options are available.

Early Registration Deadline: February 7, 2023

Registration fees increase by $100 after February 7.

For Complete Conference Information https://www.adsa.org/Meetings/44th-Discover-Conference

Dec 1, 2022 at 10 AM       56th Florida Dairy Production Conference, Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center, Gainesville, FL, Click here for information and registration

Dec 7, 2022 at 3PM CST  US Dairy Forage Webinar Series - “Taxonomic and predicted functional signatures reveal links between the rumen microbiota and feed efficiency in dairy cattle raised in tropical areas.” With Dr. Priscila Fregulia, Join with ZoomGov Meeting at https://www.zoomgov.com/j/16141396271

Dec 8, 2022 at 2:00 PM CST      DCHA webinar “Achieving Better Outcomes When BRD Comes Knocking” with Tiago Tomazi, of Merck Animal Health, Click here for details

Dec 14, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EDT   Dairy Cattle Welfare Council Webinar Series Spanish Webinar: Soluciones para optimizar el consumo de materia seca en vacas lecheras en transición with Dr. Gustavo Schuenemann – The Ohio State University, Click here for more information and registration

Dec 15, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. EDT   Dairy Cattle Welfare Council Webinar Series English Webinar: Cow welfare in Irish pasture based systems of milk production with Dr. Laura Boyle - TEAGASC, Ireland, Click here for more information and registration

2023

Jan 10-11, 2023 Coffee, Tea, and Creamers - The Science and Art of Milk in Beverages, Chapman University, Ranney Processing Lab, Orange, California. Contact: Robyne Kelly (714) 289-2040 rokelly@chapman.edu. 

Jan 12, 2023          ADSA Webinar: Scientific Publishing – Choosing a peer-reviewed journal and highlighting your scholarly and creative activity – with Paul Kononoff, Editor in Chief of the Journal of Dairy Science, Watch for details

Jan 16-17, 2023     Pacific Northwest Animal Nutrition Conference, Grove Hotel, Boise, ID, Click here for more information.

Jan 16-18, 2023     Georgia Dairy Conference, Savannah, GA, Click here for more information and registration.

Jan 16-19, 2023     49th Annual IETS Meeting, Lima, Peru, Click here for more information and registration.

Jan 17-20, 2023. Better Process Control School - Dairy Processors. Chapman University, Ranney Processing Lab, Orange, California. Contact: Robyne Kelly (714) 289-2040 rokelly@chapman.edu. For more information visit https://www.chapman.edu/scst/graduate/ms-food-science/better-process-control-school.aspx

Feb 9-10, 2023. Dairy Operations Workshop. Dairy Products Technology Center, CalPoly, San Luis Obispo, CA.  For more info: klees@calpoly.edu Registration: https://dairy.calpoly.edu/short-course-symposia

March 7-9, 2023        44thADSA Discover Conference on Food Animal Agriculture: “Why Cheese from Milk?”, Northern Illinois University Conference Center, Naperville, IL, Click here for more information

March 13-15, 2023   ADPI Dairy Ingredient Technical Symposium, Hilton Beachfront, Santa Barbara, CA, Click here for more information

April 10-12, 2023    Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference*, Grand Wayne Center Fort Wayne, IN, Click here for more information

April 23-25, 2023   ADPI/ABI Annual Conference, Sheraton Grand Hotel, Chicago, IL, Click here for more information

*An S-PAC Partner Conference

If your organization’s conference isn’t among the ever growing list that contribute proceedings and presentations to S-PAC®, ask your conference organizer to contact Ken Olson for more information about the benefits of participation.

If you would like to have an event included in the “Dates to Note,” please contact Ken Olson at keolson@prodigy.net or keoagconsulting@gmail.com