HPAI State Veterinarian Update For Producers

A big thank you to Dr. Amber Itle, WSDA, and Dr. Kevin Snekvik, WSU WADDL, for being the speakers during a webinar on April 12 designed to update dairy and beef producers as well as answer their questions. If you missed the live webinar on April 12, the webinar recording is available at: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/XRR7xdrv9t8-F6qhr5llR8no50EaTD8rmIeaQnyS26eijvOvDSUnUDWGxQUtlPhB.HY7UEXcYRtRNOgZZ

Passcode: df4b#&Gi

USDA Developments

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Service (APHIS) held a stakeholder Q&A session focused on the latest developments around HPAI in dairy cattle. The call was brief and key updates were as follows:

1. USDA communicated 26 impacted herds across 8 states – Texas (11), New Mexico (6), Kansas (3), Michigan (2), Idaho (1), South Dakota (1), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1).
2. USDA also stressed the importance of heightened biosecurity measures, including special attention to good milking practices such as equipment disinfection and milking sick cattle separately or last prior to parlor cleaning. Also, isolate newly added cattle when moved onto a premises. USDA will revise the USDA APHIS landing page with updated biosecurity guidance soon.
3. At this time, USDA will not be issuing Federal quarantine orders, nor is APHIS recommending any State regulatory quarantines or official hold orders on cattle. HOWEVER, USDA strongly recommends minimizing movement of cattle as much as possible, with special attention to evaluating risk and factoring that risk into movement decisions.
4. The USDA, CDC and FDA continue to affirm that pasteurized milk and dairy products remain safe to consume. The FDA does not currently have concerns about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide. Pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk and is required for any milk entering interstate commerce. Routine testing and well-established protocols for U.S. dairy are in place to ensure that only safe milk enters the food supply under the federal Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). The PMO also prohibits milk from sick cows from entering the food supply chain.

Dairy Producers in Washington Reminded to Enroll in 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage by April 29

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging dairy producers to enroll by April 29, 2024, for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences.



This year’s DMC signup began Feb. 28, 2024, and payments, retroactive to January, began in March 2024. So far, DMC payments triggered in January and February of 2024 at margins of $8.48 and $9.44 respectively.  

Learn more: Dairy Producers Can Enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage Beginning Feb. 28 (usda.gov)  

Emergency Loans Available to 22 Washington Counties After Secretarial Disaster Designation

Secretary Vilsack declared 22 counties in Washington State as primary and contiguous disaster areas due to excessive heat that occurred between March 15, 2023 and July 31, 2023. A Secretarial disaster designation allows farmers and ranchers in primary and contiguous disaster counties to be considered for emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provided all other eligibility requirements are met. Farmers in eligible counties have until November 14, 2024 to apply.

The primary disaster counties are Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla, and Yakima. The contiguous counties also eligible for emergency loans are Columbia, Ferry, King, Lewis, Lincoln, Pierce, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Whatcom, and Whitman. 

Dairy Margin Coverage Program

Dairy producers are able to enroll for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that provides producers with price support to help offset milk and feed price differences. For those who sign up for 2024 DMC coverage, payments may begin as soon as March 4, 2024, for any payments that triggered in January 2024.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has revised the regulations for DMC to allow eligible dairy operations to make a one-time adjustment to established production history. This adjustment will be accomplished by combining previously established supplemental production history with DMC production history for those dairy operations that participated in Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage during a prior coverage year. DMC has also been authorized through calendar year 2024. Congress passed a 2018 Farm Bill extension requiring these regulatory changes to the program.

2024 Dairy Scholarships

The Dairy Farmers of Washington are happy to announce that the Washington Dairy community scholarships are officially open for applications!

Dairy Farmers of Washington is committed to empowering the next generation of dairy leaders and industry professionals to achieve their educational goals and strengthen the Washington dairy industry.

The winning scholarship recipients will be leaders amidst their peers and committed to strengthening the Washington dairy community. The winning recipient for each scholarship will receive $5,000. Two runners-up for each scholarship will each receive $1,500.

To learn more about the scholarship criteria and application process, please visit our website. The deadline for submissions is May 1, 2024, so make sure to submit your application before then.

Rural Energy For America Program

The program provides guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing.

How may the funds be used?

Funds may be used for the purchase and installation of renewable energy systems, such as:

• Biomass (for example: biodiesel and ethanol, anaerobic digesters, and solid fuels).
• Geothermal for electric generation or direct use.
• Hydropower below 30 megawatts.
• Hydrogen.
• Small and large wind generation.
• Small and large solar generation.
• Ocean (tidal, current, thermal) generation.

Funds may also be used for the purchase, installation and construction of energy efficiency improvements, such as:

• High efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC).
• Insulation.
• Lighting.
• Cooling or refrigeration units.
• Doors and windows.
• Electric, solar or gravity pumps for sprinkler pivots.
• Switching from a diesel to electric irrigation motor.
• Replacement of energy-inefficient equipment.

Energy Efficiency Improvement applications must contain an Energy Audit, or Energy Assessment (depending on Total Project Costs) that complies with Appendix A to RD Instructions 4280-B

Agricultural producers may also use guaranteed loan funds to install energy efficient equipment and systems for agricultural production or processing.