Registration OPEN!

Washington Dairy Conference

Annual Meeting & Trade Show

December 4-6, 2023

Producer/Attendee Registration OPEN!! Producers register for free!

*Register by November 3, 2023*

USDA Issues Standards for Organic Livestock Production

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack previewed the Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) final rule. This new rule establishes clear, strong and consistent standards for organic livestock and poultry production, levels the playing field for organic livestock farmers, ranchers and businesses and promotes fairer, more competitive markets for their products, while providing consumers with more transparency about their purchases.

"USDA is creating a fairer, more competitive and transparent food system. This organic poultry and livestock standard establishes clear and strong standards that will increase the consistency of animal welfare practices in organic production and in how these practices are enforced," said Vilsack. "Competitive markets help deliver greater value to all producers, regardless of size."

This change was driven by strong interest from consumers and the organic industry. USDA encouraged the public to comment and USDA received more than 40,000 written comments, all of which were carefully reviewed to inform drafting of this final rule. USDA also held a listening session on August 2022 to hear public comments on the proposed rule.

OLPS improves uniformity with regard to animal welfare practice requirements for organic livestock and poultry, promoting their well-being and natural behaviors.

Deadline Extended For Milk Loss Program

Late last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended the deadline to sign up for the Milk Loss Program to the day before Halloween. The original five-week application period has been lengthened by two weeks, with a new deadline of Monday, October 30.

Administered by the Farm Service Agency, the Milk Loss Program (MLP) is available for farms that dumped milk or had milk removed without compensation because of qualifying weather events in 2020, 2021, and 2022. This includes the consequences of those weather events that prevented delivery or storage of milk, such as power outages, impassable roads, and infrastructure losses.

Droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), and smoke exposure are considered qualifying events. Tornados are a qualifying disaster event for 2022 only. A total of $10 billion is available for crop losses, including milk, due to qualifying disasters that took place in 2020 and 2021. Approximately $3 billion is available for 2022.

“We recognize that MLP benefits are critical to the financial recovery of dairy operations significantly impacted by weather-related disasters that inhibited their ability to deliver or store their milk in one, or even multiple years,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux in a press release about the adjusted deadline. “We also understand that dairy farming is a 24/7, 365-day commitment. We hope the application deadline extension ensures that all dairy farmers in need of assistance will now have adequate time to apply.”

To apply, dairy producers must complete the FSA-376 Milk Loss Program Application and submit a milk marketing statement from the affected month and the month prior to when milk was removed or dumped. There also needs to be a detailed statement of the milk removal circumstances including the weather event, transportation limitations, and what was done with the removed milk. A few additional forms will be needed for producers who have not previously participated in FSA programs.

Compost Reimbursement Program

The Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Compost Reimbursement Program (established under RCW 15.04.420) NOW OPEN. To apply, submit an eligibility application here: https://arcg.is/18PP5L. Responses will be processed on a first come, first served basis until we reach our participation limit. After which time, the survey will close unless more applications are considered later this year.

For participating farms, the program will pay up to 50% of the cost to obtain, transport, and spread eligible compost, not to exceed $10,000, per farm per fiscal year. For incurred costs to be found eligible, compost must be purchased from a compost facility with a solid waste handling permit (map found here).

If found eligible to participate in the program, the following steps must be completed before compost is transported and applied, to qualify for reimbursement:

1. Sign the Grant Agreement Contract within 60 days of receipt. For farms on leased land, landowner permission and signature will be required.
2. Complete the Crop & Field Survey.
3. Collect a soil sample prior to compost application. 

Once each of the above steps are completed, participating farms can submit a reimbursement application to our Plant Inspection Services & Certification Electronic System (PISCES). This application will include itemized costs, a brief description of how each item was used, and an invoice, receipt or other documentation associated with that cost.

For more information on this program, please visit bit.ly/wsdacompost. If you have any questions regarding the application and review process, please contact compost@agr.wa.gov or (360) 890-0625.

Conservation Innovation Grants- Classic

The purpose of CIG is to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production.

CIG projects present innovations that are expected to result in the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and inventive approaches to agricultural producers (such as market-based systems) into technical manuals and guides and to be used in the private sector.

CIG generally funds pilot projects, field demonstrations, and on-farm conservation research. On-farm conservation research is defined as an investigation conducted to answer a specific applied conservation question using a statistically valid design while employing farm-scale equipment on farms, ranches, or private forest lands.

Organic Certification Cost Share Program

Administered by the Farm Service Agency, OCCSP provides organic producers and handlers with financial assistance to reduce the cost of organic certification. The program reimburses producers and handlers for a portion of their paid certification costs. Once certified, organic producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for 75 percent of certification costs for program year 2023, up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope—crops, livestock, wild crops, handling, and State Organic Program fees.

Certified organic producers and handlers who have paid certification fees during the 2023 program years may apply for reimbursement of the incurred costs.

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.

Funding for the USDA's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Grant program has increased tenfold and they are now offering to pay for 50% of the cost to install a solar system. When one adds a 30% to 40% Federal Tax Credit and in many cases an Energy Trust incentive too, the simple payback on solar can be about a year. Perhaps more importantly, each net $1 invested should save $20 plus on future power bills.