A new bipartisan bill was introduced by Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA.) and Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) that would require schools to provide fluid milk substitutes upon request of a student or parent/guardian. The Addressing Digestive Distress in Stomachs of Our Youth (ADD SOY) Act would make soy milk available to children in schools who need an alternative to cow’s milk.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has issued an open letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, calling for milk pricing reform. The letter comes as a response to recent proposals from the International Dairy Foods (IDFA) Association and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) to increase allowances.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), American Sheep Industry Association (ASIA), Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), National Pork Producers Council, and the United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA) sent a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees. The letter expresses the groups' support of legislation to allow livestock market owners and operators to own or invest in small or regional livestock packing facilities.

President Joe Biden has recently vetoed a bill that would overturn the Waters of The United States rule (WOTUS), which has been in effect since March 20th. The vetoed bill had bipartisan support, as well as the support of those in the agricultural industry.

Assistance through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be available to farmers and ranchers affected by the severe weather and EF-4 tornado in Mississippi last month. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is also helping affected residents take steps to reduce their risk of foodborne illness as they return to their homes after severe weather.

The Advancing Cutting Edge (ACE) Agriculture Act has recently been introduced by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS). The ACE Act would support high-risk, high-reward agricultural research and development at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A new bipartisan bill titled, New Markets for State-Inspected Meat and Poultry Act, has been introduced to allow meat and poultry products inspected by state Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) programs to be sold across state lines. The goal of the bill is to create new markets for farmers and livestock producers across the country while maintaining high inspection standards.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and nutrient management grants through the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) program. USDA will invest $40 million in 31 projects, as well as a $19 million investment in two projects focused on nutrient management funded through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is partnering with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC), to host a series of regional economic development workshops on the “Path to Prosperity”. The workshops will take place in Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia, to provide small businesses, including farmers and ranchers, with the resources and tools they need to grow.

Propionate metabolism by the liver is thought to be a key regulator of appetite and feed intake of animals, including cattle. Previous research has shown that providing propionate to the rumen of cattle decreases feed intake.

Folic acid (FA) is an essential vitamin with anti-oxidant and growth-promoting properties. Notwithstanding, studies have shown that, like other bioactive substances, its efficacy can be affected by dosage and delivery routes. However, the in ovo delivery of bioactive substances directly to the developing embryo continues to show promising results in poultry production.

Liver abscesses in feedlot cattle, a consequence of feeding a diet of high-grain and low-roughage, are a mixed bacterial infection with Fusobacterium necrophorum, a ruminal bacterium as the primary causative agent. Cattle with liver abscesses do not exhibit clinical signs and the abscesses are detected only at slaughter.

Coupling gene editing, a technology with the potential to make specific changes to DNA sequence (e.g., quantitative trait nucleotide, QTN), with genomic selection can generate faster genetic gain in economically important traits. However, gene editing would impact the genetic relationship among individuals and, consequently, genetic evaluations. The objectives of this study were to understand how gene editing impacts genetic prediction and develop strategies to mitigate potential errors in estimated breeding values (EBV).

The diverse colors of sheep not only help to distinguish different breeds but also provide an ideal model to study the genetics underlying mammalian coat color variations. One unique coat color in sheep is the black-headed type, as represented by the famous meat breed Dorper sheep from Africa and Bayinbuluke sheep from Asia. In this study, we compared the genomes of black-headed sheep with all-white sheep in order to identify genes responsible for this distinguishable coat color.

COVID-19 had a substantial impact on markets and livelihoods. Jobs were affected and the cost of goods increased as products were in short supply, driving up prices for essential and nonessential equine care for owners, caretakers, and other associated individuals.

Vegan, mildly cooked, and human-grade dog foods are increasing in popularity, but few studies have been performed to examine their performance. Our objective was to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of mildly cooked human-grade vegan dog foods and their effects on blood metabolites and fecal microbiota, characteristics, and metabolites of dogs.

Production systems across the U.S. sheep industry are diverse, ranging from intensive management to lower-input and extensive operations. Extensive flocks are more nutritionally reliant on grazing, have lower labor costs, and have limited housing for animals.

Mealworms may serve as an alternative protein source for pet foods because of their high protein content and low environmental footprint. The amino acid (AA) content and protein quality of mealworm-based ingredients may vary depending on their composition and processing, however, so testing is required.

Fatty liver is a common occurrence in the early postpartum period, partly due to the large influx of fatty acids into the liver during adipose tissue lipolysis. Because there is a linkage between fatty acid metabolism, oxidative stress, and lipid deposition in hepatocytes of nonruminant animals, we evaluated the potential therapeutic roles of Taraxasterol on reactive oxygen species and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in vitro.

Histidine is an essential amino acid for protein synthesis, but it also plays a vital role in the metabolic system of pigs. An accurate assessment of His requirement provides pivotal information for efficient growth and health of pigs.