The discovery has the potential to reduce reliance on antibiotics and ultimately help combat the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance in both humans and animals, said Adrian Barragan, associate research professor and extension veterinarian at Penn State and co-lead author on the paper.

The findings are particularly significant for the organic dairy industry where antibiotic use is restricted, he added, and may also pave the way for future studies in humans on the use of sugar-based formulations for uterine infections such as endometritis.

“The disease is an infection of the uterus that occurs after calving and it’s one of the top diseases that affect dairy cattle in the United States,” said Erika Ganda, assistant professor of food animal microbiomes at Penn State and co-lead author on the study. “We treat cows with antibiotics only when necessary to ensure their welfare, following strict withdrawal periods to prevent residues in milk. Minimizing antibiotic use helps reduce the risk of resistant bacteria that can impact farm workers, families and communities. Antimicrobial resistance in human and veterinary medicine is a growing public health concern, so the main goal of this research was to test an antibiotic-free alternative option against the current gold standard for treating this prevalent disease.”

The study compared two treatments for a common uterine infection, called clinical metritis, that can lead to serious health problems for dairy cows. The condition is typically treated using systemic antibiotics, like ceftiofur, which are effective in treating the condition, but may contribute to the growing antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals.

“We have been searching for alternative therapies that can effectively treat metritis without relying on antibiotics,” Barragan said. “We asked two main questions when studying an alternative: Do the animals get cured with this treatment? And do treated animals have similar performance? Although the alternative treatment had the same clinical cure rate as the antibiotics, the answer wasn’t as clear cut as expected since performance between treatment groups differed based on disease severity.”

The study focused on using intrauterine dextrose, a sugar solution, as a possible alternative treatment. Dextrose has been extensively studied in animal and human clinical research for its ability to plasmolyze harmful bacteria, essentially the strong sugar solution pulls water out of the bacteria, causing them to dry out and die, Barragan explained. The approach had shown some promise in human wound healing, but previous studies in cattle yielded mixed results.

“We were hopeful that we would find positive results, but we were definitely not expecting to find that both treatments worked similarly for mild cases of metritis,” Barragan said. “That was a very exciting discovery.”

To investigate the effectiveness of dextrose, the researchers conducted a study on a dairy farm in central Pennsylvania. They enrolled 77 cows diagnosed with clinical metritis and randomly assigned them to one of two treatment groups: intrauterine dextrose or systemic ceftiofur. The researchers then monitored the cows’ recovery and analyzed their uterine microbial communities using advanced DNA sequencing to better understand the overall health of their microbiomes.

Although the sample size was not ideal for assessing clinical cure rate, Barragan said, the results suggested that both treatments had similar clinical cure rates, meaning dextrose could be just as effective as antibiotics in treating mild metritis cases.

Additionally, the analysis of the cows’ microbiomes revealed that dextrose does not significantly disrupt the bacterial balance of bacteria in the reproductive tract, unlike antibiotics, which can alter microbial communities and potentially impact the long-term health of the cow, Ganda explained.

Further research is needed to understand the full potential of dextrose as an alternative to antibiotic treatment, Barragan said, but one day that potential could even extend to treating humans.

“Our findings may be applicable for reproductive disease in human medicine,” he said. “In fact, we were inspired by medical literature and sugar-based wound treatments for people.”

The other Penn State authors on the paper are Jennine Lection, who earned a doctoral degree from Penn State and is currently an assistant professor at North Carolina State University; Emily Van Syoc, postdoctoral scholar; Asha Miles, former postdoctoral research associate who is currently a research geneticist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); Julia Hamilton, undergraduate student; Marcela Martinez, research technologist; and Justin Silverman, assistant professor of statistics and of medicine and faculty fellow of the Institute for Computational and Data Science. Santiago Bas of the Germany-based feed company Phytobiotics Futterzusatzstoffe GmbH also contributed to the paper.

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Hatch Appropriations, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health funded this research.

–Adrienne Berard
Penn State

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Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 75.8 million hogs and pigs, 69.8 million were market hogs, while 6.00 million were kept for breeding.
• Between September and November 2024, 35.2 million pigs were weaned on U.S. farms, up 2% from the same time period one year earlier.
• From September through November 2024, U.S. hog and pig producers weaned an average of 11.92 pigs per litter.
• U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.93 million sows farrow between December 2024 and February 2025, and 2.95 million sows farrow between March 2025 and May 2025.
• Iowa hog producers accounted for the largest inventory among the states, at 24.6 million head. Minnesota had the second largest inventory at 9.50 million head. North Carolina was third with 8.20 million head.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the U.S. swine industry, NASS surveyed 6,046 operators across the nation during the first half of December. The data collected were received online through NASS’s Respondent Portal, by mail, telephone and through face-to-face interviews.

The Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report and all other NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

–USDA NASS

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Paul Ebner, professor of animal sciences, has been named head of Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences by Bernie Engel, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture.

In making the announcement, Engel spoke about the overwhelmingly positive feedback he has received about Ebner: “Paul was strongly endorsed for this position by his faculty and staff colleagues. Paul’s leadership and innovation have made significant impacts both at Purdue and internationally, and I know he will continue to make a tremendous difference in his new leadership role.”

After graduating from Kalamazoo College in Michigan with a degree in political science, Ebner traveled as a Peace Corps volunteer to rural Paraguay, where he worked with poultry and swine producers. He returned to the United States and completed master’s and doctoral degrees in animal sciences at the University of Tennessee and postdoctoral work in microbiology and immunology at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Ebner joined the Purdue faculty in 2006.

Among his many contributions as a professor, Ebner has developed numerous international extension programs. He has worked with universities in Pakistan to develop technologies that can reduce the need for antibiotics in Pakistani poultry production and with colleagues in Cambodia to improve the safety of vegetables sold through informal markets. In the Dominican Republic, Ebner has collaborated with numerous governmental ministries to improve food safety and expand the country’s export capacity. Ebner and Purdue colleagues also helped establish the Department of Food Technology at Herat University in Afghanistan, the first department of its kind in the country.

Describing what he hopes to accomplish as department head, Ebner said, “I am looking forward to working with everyone involved in animal agriculture across Indiana and beyond to ensure that our research solves real problems, our Extension programs address real needs, and our graduates are prepared to make an immediate impact in animal agriculture. I’ve loved Purdue since I joined the animal sciences faculty in 2006, and I am very lucky to serve as head of a great department full of great people doing great things.”

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As of Dec. 23, 2024, that nationwide injunction is no longer enforceable, and the BOI reporting requirements of the CTA have been reinstated. The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a temporary stay on the nationwide injunction. The Fifth Circuit found that the government made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed in proving that the CTA is constitutional. The court explained that Congress exercised its broad authority under the Commerce Clause to pass the CTA, aiming to regulate the anonymous ownership and operation of businesses that constitute an “economic class of activities” significantly affecting interstate commerce. Consequently, the court determined that the reporting requirement for such businesses is within the scope of the Commerce Clause.

The court further concluded that “a last-minute injunction of a statute proposed and passed by the people’s representatives inevitably causes irreparable harm.” Additionally, the court determined that the burden on businesses required to report is minimal. When weighed against the “public’s urgent interest in combatting financial crime and safeguarding national security,” the court found that a stay of the injunction was justified.

Following the Fifth Circuit’s ruling, the Department of the Treasury issued an alert on the FinCEN website acknowledging that reporting companies may require additional time to comply with the CTA due to the period when the preliminary injunction was in place. As a result, the reporting deadlines have been extended as follows:

• Reporting companies established or registered before January 1, 2024, now have until January 13, 2025, to submit their initial BOI reports to FinCEN. (Previously, these companies were required to report by January 1, 2025).
• Reporting companies formed or registered in the United States on or after September 4, 2024, and before December 3, 2024, have until January 13, 2025, to submit their initial BOI reports to FinCEN.
• Reporting companies formed or registered in the United States between December 3, 2024, and December 23, 2024, have an additional 21 days beyond their original filing deadline to submit their initial BOI reports to FinCEN.
• All reporting companies created or registered in the United States on or after January 1, 2025, have 30 days to file their initial BOI reports with FinCEN.

So, what does it all mean? 

If your farm business is registered in Ohio, compliance with the CTA’s reporting requirements is once again mandatory. While farm businesses now have a slight extension to meet the BOI reporting requirements, it is probably best practice not to delay too long.

This situation is unfolding quickly. This case may still undergo further review by the Fifth Circuit or potentially reach the Supreme Court of the United States. Additionally, several other federal courts are currently evaluating challenges to the CTA. We will make every effort to keep you informed promptly as the situation develops.

— Jeffrey K. Lewis, Esq., Program Coordinator, Income Tax Schools
Ohio State University CFAES

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I hope all of you will be able to look back on the year’s greatness. Put your pencil to paper as you consider all you learned from 2024; some very important lessons were sprinkled in there.

To give time for reflection and enjoyment this holiday season, we will not be sending out our daily emails the week between Christmas and New Year’s. The Morning Ag Clips’ daily email will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

There will still be news articles published on our site, so make sure to stay up-to-date by going to morningagclips.com. Every day there will be something new, and there will be an editor watching for breaking ag news every day. But like you, we all need a break, and the only way to get it is to be extremely intentional about it, so we are!

Here’s to you, your family, and a prosperous and healthy New Year! We will see you in 2025!

With love,
Kate

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I expect the January Cattle Inventory report to show some additional liquidation has occurred leading to a smaller calf crop in 2025. It seems most likely that the summer of 2026 is the soonest substantial national heifer retention may begin. While there is recently elevated uncertainty around international trade that should not be overlooked, most anticipate domestic beef availability to decline perhaps by 2-3% per year (per person) in 2025 and 2026.

Given this setting and the opportunity for some extended armchair-pondering around the holidays, some context on economic concepts and an important historical reminder is prudent. Economists analyzing the beef industry use the term “demand” to refer to the willingness and ability to buy beef at a specific price. A change in beef demand is not triggered by changes in beef prices but rather by consumer income or wealth adjustments, changes in prices of other goods, or perceptions of beef quality evolving. To this later point, the clear improvement in overall beef quality (simple example is Prime or Upper Choice percentage versus past decades) has been core to beef demand growth (see K-State demand indices here: https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/meat-demand/monthly-domestic-meat-demand-indices-usdabls-data/monthly-domestic-0 ).

As we turn to 2025 it is important to pause and connect the dots around things such as current feedlot supplies, future breeding herd size and corresponding beef availability, and what one may expect at the retail and food service level. Yes, lower beef supplies are expected and with that, most anticipate higher end-user beef prices. In fact, the industry should be hoping for that! Research with Melissa McKendree, Ted Schroeder, and Nathan Hendricks (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1093/ajae/aaz034 ) shows that feeder cattle sellers stand to gain the most when beef demand grows, and lose the most when demand falters.

If alternatively, lower beef availability is observed in conjunction with flat or lower beef prices, then beef demand clearly declined. In that unfortunate situation, economic viability for most in the industry also declines. While some younger market participants may dismiss this scenario, recall the 1980s & 90s was a period largely characterized by a shrinking herd, weakening beef demand, and overall decline in industry vitality. Indeed, lower beef volumes alone do not guarantee higher beef nor cattle prices. This experience is worth periodic reflection as the industry has made massive improvements that should not be overlooked or taken for granted. To the extent that beef prices increase reflecting stable or growing beef demand that indeed is a market outcome that should not only “be allowed” but encouraged. While the term “demand destruction” is likely to appear more in coming months, industry stakeholders are encouraged to take pause and in fact hope that higher prices develop reflecting stable or growing beef demand.

Finally, and most importantly I wish all readers a Merry Christmas, the ability to see the true reason for the season, and a joyous New Year.

— Glynn T. Tonsor, Ph.D., Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

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“We’re thrilled to bring together such a distinguished group of experts,” says Phillip Cox, Purdue Extension Educator. “This conference offers novice and experienced gardeners’ valuable knowledge, addressing current challenges and practical solutions.”

The conference kicks off with Heather Miller, Program Coordinator and Instructor at the University of Illinois School of Earth, Society, and Environment. Her talk, “Catch My Drift: Understanding Spray Drift and Its Impact on Plants and the Environment,” dives into the growing concern of pesticide drift, its causes, and mitigation strategies.

Following, Kyle Daniels, Nursery & Landscape Outreach Specialist at Purdue University, shares his expertise in “Beyond Glyphosate: Exploring Effective Alternatives.” Kyle will discuss alternative solutions for managing weeds in landscaping.

The afternoon session features Will Drews, Nursery Inspector, and Compliance Officer at the Indiana DNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Will’s presentation, “Pests in the Green Industry and Beyond,” delves into the most prevalent nursery pests of 2024, potential threats for 2025, and other ongoing pest-related efforts by the DNR.

The full-day Bi-State Gardening Conference, starting at 10:30 a.m. and concluding at 1:30 p.m., costs $30, including a delicious lunch the Beef House serves. Cash or checks will be taken at the door. Registration closes on Thursday, Jan. 9.

For more information or to register, visit go.illinois.edu/BiStateGarden . If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please email Phillip Cox at cox119@purdue.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.  University of Illinois and Purdue University Extension provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.

— Illinois Extension

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The teachers were nominated by members of their communities, their students, administrators or other teachers for their hard work, dedication, and impact on students.

“Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future and we recognize the hard work and dedication they pour into their classrooms,” said Jeanette Merritt, Director of Communications for Indiana Pork. “We hope these gift cards can help ease some of the burden of out-of-pocket expenses for supplies and resources, ensuring teachers have the tools they need to create a positive learning environment for students.”

The gift cards will be distributed to teachers across Indiana who are often faced with the challenge of purchasing classroom materials using their personal funds. By alleviating some of these financial pressures, Indiana Pork seeks to show its appreciation for educators while also encouraging continued excellence in the classroom.

“Teachers often go above and beyond for their students and it’s important that we recognize their sacrifices and dedication,” Merritt added. “Indiana Pork is honored to give back to educators who work tirelessly to prepare the next generation.”

Indiana Pork, representing Indiana’s nearly 2,800 pig farmers, remains committed to fostering community relationships, supporting education, and promoting agriculture throughout the state.

For more information about Indiana Pork and its initiatives, visit www.IndianaPork.org.

— Indiana Pork

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Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) President and CEO Barbara O’Brien pointed to a collective effort of national and local teams that delivered results this year.

“The checkoff is working, and we have achieved a lot in building the next chapter of our history,” said O’Brien, who outlined “now, next and future” checkoff strategies at this year’s joint annual meeting. “This success was made possible by the dedication and hard work of everyone across the checkoff federation. This was a strong year of results as we continue to work with and through others to catalyze action against our trust- and sales-building priorities.”

Checkoff-led highlights from 2024 include:

Increasing Dairy Access in Schools

A partnership provided hot chocolate milk to students during a pilot with Chartwells K12, which serves more than 2 million meals daily at 700 school districts. National Dairy Council (NDC) and Chartwells launched the Hot Chocolate Milk program in 58 schools, which features hot chocolate milk – with toppings such as cinnamon and peppermint – served during breakfast and lunch.

Another school pilot offered lactose-free chocolate milk and increased consumption and reached students who weren’t drinking milk because of real or perceived lactose intolerance. NDC and American Dairy Association Mideast worked with Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) to offer the country’s first single-serve lactose-free chocolate milk program. When compared to the rest of the district, the pilot schools experienced a 16-percent increase in milk consumption. The pilot was so successful that CPS is offering lactose-free chocolate milk in all schools.

Partnerships Growing Sales

The checkoff’s longstanding strategy of working with and through powerful partners continues to deliver results. For example, the checkoff supported Domino’s with its launch of cheese-centric items, including the New York Style Pizza and five-cheese mac and cheese.

This strategy of working with pizza partners also continues to find success internationally, a key tactic to reach the 95% of the world’s population that lives outside of the United States. DMI’s partnership with Pizza Hut Japan led to the chain announcing a permanent 30% increase of cheese use on all pizzas.

Other partnership innovations included working with General Mills to create YoBark, a yogurt-based snack designed to give families a tasty option and expand yogurt’s presence in the snacking category.

Sharing The Science of Dairy

One emerging research area is dairy’s impact on the first 1,000 days of life – encompassing pregnancy through a child’s second birthday. This is a critical period for brain development, which is impacted by nutrition and dairy can significantly support cognitive development, thanks to nutrients including iodine and choline. Checkoff organizations nationally and locally teamed with MilkPEP to elevate awareness and understanding of dairy’s contributions with expecting mothers and parents seeking nutrition guidance.

NDC also showed its ability to convene thought leaders when it hosted more than 100 national and international health and wellness experts for a two-day scientific conference addressing the dairy matrix, the concept of exploring the unique nutrient, non-nutrient and molecular compositions of dairy foods. Among the meeting attendees were representatives and speakers from major health professional organizations leading universities and organizations.

Supporting Dairy’s Sustainability Legacy

 The checkoff is focused on deepening its knowledge and attracting the investment in research on practices and technologies that work from a mitigation standpoint, and tools and resources to support adoption. DMI is tracking more than $29 million in additional investment from partners for pilot projects and research that empower sustainability action. One example is the Greener Cattle Initiative, a collaboration which announced a second round $5 million funding for enteric methane mitigation research.

The checkoff launched the Dairy Conservation Navigator, a resource hub designed to provide farm advisors, stakeholders and conservation professionals with science-based information on sustainable practices and technologies. Checkoff scientists and others developed a list of 80-plus practices that have a positive environmental benefit.

Checkoff Sparking Innovation

 The checkoff showcased dairy innovation and its nutrition package to 70,000 people attending Natural Products Expo West, the leading trade show in the natural, organic and healthy products industry. DMI unveiled its www.InnovateWithDairy.com tool, which serves as a one-stop shop for anyone seeking information about dairy innovation.

DMI also kept its focus on future innovators with its New Product Competition. A University of Minnesota team took first with a creamy Norwegian-style, whey-based cheese spread.

More checkoff results, including financial reports, can be found at www.dairycheckoff.com.

About Dairy Management Inc.

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is funded by America’s more than 26,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

–Dairy Management Inc.

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The workshop was an extension of INAgLaw’s annual Estate & Succession Planning for the Family Farm program, which is targeted toward family farmers and attorneys to arm them with the basics of succession planning. The new workshop is more intensive and geared toward directly assisting families with their plans in a smaller group environment.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) latest Census of Agriculture, 51% of Indiana producers say they are involved in estate planning or succession planning.

“With only about half of farmers in Indiana stating they have some sort of plan, it is clear that these conversations about transitioning the farm can be difficult for families to navigate,” said John Shoup, director of INAgLaw. “The goal of the new workshop was to be an extension of our annual program by diving deeper into the specifics needed for a succession plan in a smaller, group environment that facilitates some of those hard conversations for families, while benefiting from one-on-one counseling from experts.”

The workshop was hosted by Shoup and facilitated by Clint Fischer, attorney with Ribstein & Hogan Law Firm in Brookings, South Dakota. During the day-long workshop, families discussed their farm vision, values, goals and inventory. They also talked about developing a transition plan framework and learned about key legal concepts and business structures. Each family participated in breakout sessions where they had conversations about defining their farm’s legacy, understanding farm assets and liabilities, and reflecting on how they want the transition and estate planning process to unfold for their family.

Bryant Barger attended the workshop with his dad, uncle and cousin. Their family raises corn and soybeans in Wells and Adams counties. As the third generation, his cousin will eventually take over the farm while Barger, who is an attorney, steps away from the day-to-day operations. The workshop helped facilitate conversations about how his dad and uncle want that to happen.

“My family was able to have some very important — if not difficult — discussions about the future of our operations, and the workshop structure and prompts served as a great catalyst to get those conversations going,” Barger said. “One of the biggest takeaways was the importance of having your ‘team’ built in advance, like your attorney, CPA and financial planner, as well as the importance of clear communication between these parties to ensure that they are all working together toward a unified goal.”

The Stafford family also attended. They are a third-generation farm family growing corn, soybeans and wheat in Tipton County. Jarren Stafford attended along with his mom, dad and brother. They each have their own entities of the farm, and they had been working on a written succession plan, so the workshop was a natural next step.

“We had a good start to our planning and had been working with an estate attorney previously,” said Jarren. “But it is important to maximize every aspect of the plan and update it every few years. The program allowed dedicated time to have important conversations and look through our plan to see what pieces of the puzzle we needed.

“For me, the most important takeaway was to always communicate and be open about what everyone is thinking. There are too many situations where miscommunication happens, and it can be prevented.”

Jarren’s dad, Tim, agreed that the time at the workshop was beneficial.

“Even if you have a plan in place, things change and it is important to keep having those conversations,” explained Tim. “The breakout sessions made you think about things that you may have missed or view something in a different way. I would recommend this to other farm families who need to plan for the future.”

INAgLaw plans to offer more farm succession workshops in 2025. Families interested in learning more about the program and potentially attending a future session, should fill out the form at infb.org/farmsuccession. Additionally, you can contact John Shoup for more information at jshoup@inaglaw.org.

About INAgLaw
The Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established in 2005 by Indiana Farm Bureau. Indiana farmers operate in a complex legal environment. Federal, state and local laws, statutes and regulations present difficult challenges to Indiana agriculture. Navigating the legal landscape has become an essential facet of modern agriculture. Through its existence, INAgLaw has effectively promoted a better understanding of legal issues facing Indiana agriculture through support of precedent-setting litigation and educational programming.

— Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation

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