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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“The Corporate Transparency Act requires millions of family farmers and ranchers to file complex paperwork and disclose beneficial ownership information with the federal government under penalty of severe fines and jailtime,” said NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus. “FinCEN should do the right thing and provide a realistic delay to the Corporate Transparency Act until Congress has an opportunity to provide a permanent fix that protects family farmers and ranchers.”

On Monday, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a nationwide preliminary injunction on the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act, holding that the government is likely to prevail in a constitutional challenge. This decision places many small businesses in jeopardy that have not yet filed Beneficial Ownership Information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

In light of the Fifth Circuit’s decision, FinCEN announced it will delay enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act until January 13, 2025—just three weeks from now. This delay does not allow enough time for millions of small businesses to comply with the law, and it is deeply concerning that FinCEN will proceed with enforcing this law when it has failed to give adequate notice and instructions to law abiding family business owners.

NCBA will continue fighting for a permanent solution that protects cattle farmers and ranchers from this overreaching mandate. In the meantime, cattle producers are advised to consult their attorney and/or tax professional regarding this new development.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy.  As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef.  Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 1-866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org.

–National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

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“As Chairs of the Legislature’s Agriculture Committees, our top priority is closing this loophole in the Farm Overtime Tax Credit as soon as possible to provide direct financial relief to more farms and help them continue to support their employees. While unfortunately, that day is not today, we are heartened to see the Governor pledge her support for getting this done in her veto message, with a retroactive solution in the state budget. Keeping New York’s farms in business is essential to securing our food supply and sustaining a critical pillar of our state’s economy, which is why this bill passed the State Legislature with unanimous support. We expect that same level of support to carry through as we work to resolve this issue in the budget process.”

–The Office of New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey

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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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The first bill (A1234/S1752) clearly defines cannabis as an agricultural product, making it eligible to receive an agricultural assessment along with other protections afforded in the Agricultural Districts law. Ambiguity in the law resulted in some localities questioning whether cannabis was an agricultural crop in relation to tax assessments and zoning rules. Without the important protections this law provides, cannabis farmers were at risk of losing their agricultural tax assessments.

Additionally, farmers who converted land from growing an agricultural product currently receiving an agricultural assessment to cannabis, could have lost their agricultural assessment on the portion of land they converted, resulting in an unforeseen real property tax increase and possible penalty for conversion. Cannabis will now be considered an agricultural crop and treated as such, the same as grapes grown for wine production, hops and malting barley, along with grains used by distillers.

The Governor also signed legislation (A10398/S9679) which gives the NYS Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) the authority to issue Cannabis Showcase Event permits, similar to the successful Cannabis Growers Showcase (CSG) program which sunsetted on January 1, 2024. By all accounts, the CSG program was a success, bringing cultivators, processors, and retail licensees together where they could directly interact with and educate consumers, build brand recognition, and orient consumers to the legal market’s offerings.

The legislation will allow OCM to issue Cannabis Showcase Event permits for events at farmer’s markets and “pop-up” locations, while providing the agency with the flexibility to authorize other locations. Permits will be valid for up to 14 days.

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo, Chair, Assembly Agriculture Committee, said, “The roll-out of the adult-use cannabis market has been rocky to say the least for NY’s cannabis farmers. Clarifying that they are eligible to receive agricultural assessments will provide statewide uniformity to the way legally grown crops are viewed by local tax assessors. Also, establishing a new Cannabis Showcase Event permit will expand market opportunities for smaller farmers and provide sales opportunities in areas where legal stores have yet to open. I’d like to thank the Governor, Senator Hinchey, and the advocates who correctly remind us that without licensed NY cannabis farms, we have no legal cannabis market.”

Senator Michelle Hinchey, Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee, said, “These two new laws create lasting business opportunities for New York’s cannabis growers and offer the same financial relief already in place for other farmers. Those who are stepping up to build our cannabis industry—literally from the ground up—shouldn’t face unnecessary hurdles to growing their product and getting it to market. Through these bills, we’ve fought hard to deliver support by providing a direct way for farmers to sell their products through the now-permanent Cannabis Grower Showcases and by clarifying their eligibility for agricultural assessments. I’m grateful to Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo for her partnership and thank Governor Hochul for signing our bills into law. This is a meaningful step toward helping New York’s cannabis farmers succeed in this new industry.”

–The Office of Assemblymember Donna Lupardo
Chair, Assembly Agriculture Committee

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On February 4, Vegetable Day will take place at Jordan Hall, Geneva Experimental Station. This event will feature a diverse program designed to offer insights and education to industry professionals. Attendees will benefit from six engaging presentations, with three speakers scheduled in the morning and three in the afternoon, offering a balanced perspective from farmers and extension experts. Continuing Education Credits (CECs) for pesticide certification will also be available, making this a vital opportunity for professional development.

On February 5, the Becker Forum will take center stage, focusing on key issues and trends shaping the industry’s future. This forum provides a unique platform for thought-provoking discussions and valuable networking opportunities.

More details on presentation topics and speakers will be shared soon. Be sure to save the date and plan to attend! For any questions, please contact nysvegtebalegrowers@gmail.com.

—New York State Vegetable Growers Association

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This hour-long webinar is free however pre-registration is required. Everyone who registers will receive a link to a recording of the webinar afterwards. Please register here:  https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/6aa52ea6-707f-46d2-a12e-044e3ced9262@ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697

MASC helps specialty crop producers meet higher marketing costs related to:

• Perishability of specialty crops like fruits, vegetables, floriculture, nursey crops and herbs;
• Specialized handling and transport equipment with temperature and humidity control;
• Packaging to prevent damage;
• Moving perishables to market quickly; and
• Higher labor costs.

To be eligible for MASC, a producer must be in business at the time of application, maintain an ownership share and share in the risk of producing a specialty crop that will be sold in calendar year 2025.

MASC covers the following commercially marketed specialty crops:

• Fruits (fresh, dried);
• Vegetables (including dry edible beans and peas, mushrooms, and vegetable seed);
• Tree nuts;
• Nursery crops, Christmas trees, and floriculture;
• Culinary and medicinal herbs and spices; and
• Honey, hops, maple sap, tea, turfgrass and grass seed.

FSA provides programs and loans to help farmers provide food, fuel, and fiber to millions of people worldwide. The New York FSA staff work hard every day to ensure that New York farmers have the information they need to participate in federally funded agricultural programs. FSA-administered programs benefit all Americans by providing stability for our agricultural producers, thus helping ensure a safe, abundant, and affordable supply of food and fiber.

If you would need to request an accommodation, please contact Lynnette Wright at (315) 477-6309, or by e-mail at lynnette.wright@usda.gov  by 12/27 to request accommodations (e.g., an interpreter, translator, etc.) or materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape – captioning, etc.).

—USDA FSA New York

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The experience is designed to foster the understanding that local dairy foods are sourced responsibly and with care for the animals and environment.

The “Winter on the Farm” activities invite guests to experience life as a dairy farmer allowing children to use their imaginations and step into a pop-up dairy farm experience. Young visitors can navigate their way through the farm on play tractors and learn how to care for the cows with activities like:

• Keep Cows Warm: Children can choose a colorful calf jacket to fasten on to plush calves to keep them warm.
• Keep Cows Comfortable: Kids can snuggle up with plush calves inside a real calf hutch from a local dairy farm that has been transformed into a book nook with farm-themed children’s books.
• Keep Cows Healthy: Children will have the opportunity to feed the plush cows using real calf bottles and dress up as veterinarians to ensure their cows are healthy.

There will also be a photo opportunity with a 16-foot inflatable dairy cow. Other interactive areas designed to help children roleplay the part of a dairy farmer include dress up items, tractors for toddlers, and a kitchenette and farm stand.

Additionally, the Strong’s Play Lab will feature winter cardboard villages where the kids can contribute to the scene through the week by adding houses, businesses and other buildings, complete with 5,000 dairy-themed stickers.

ADA North East will also offer samples of lactose-free Cabot Cheese throughout the 16 days of programming on a first come, first served basis.

On Friday, December 27, New York State Dairy Ambassadors will be in the Play Lab from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., to serve hot chocolate with assorted toppings.

For more information, click here.

About American Dairy Association North East

American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing more than 8,300 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc., the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com.

–American Dairy Association North East

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The New York Certified Organic field crop and dairy farmer-to-farmer – or “NYCO” meetings – are free to attend, and all are welcome. They are held in Jordan Hall auditorium, 630 W North Street in Geneva. Participants are encouraged to bring a dish to pass for lunch. This year, the meeting schedules will be as follows:

January 14, 2025

10am – Welcome and coffee

10:15am – Organic grain market update – Heath Dewey, USDA

10:30am – Organic dairy market update – Dan Mezzoprete, Wegmans

10:45am – Experiences with new or alternative markets

• Chris Johnson, Tuscarora Grain Company (Bloomsburg, PA)
• Direct market dairy – in communication with several speakers

Noon – Potluck lunch

1:00pm – Guided breakout group discussions based on the morning topics as well as agronomic challenges and any new topics of interest.

2:00pm – Adjourn

March 11, 2025

10am – Welcome and coffee

10:15am – Vipan Kumar, Cornell – harvest weed seed destruction

10:45am – Lightning talks: experiences with alternative fertility sources

• Jean Bonhotal, Cornell Waste Management – On-farm composting
• Adam Murray, PRO Dairy – Integrating animals in a grain rotation
• Thomas Bjorkman, Cornell – Selecting the most suitable cover crops for fertility
• Emily Reiss, CCA – How to compare fertility sources, including off-farm manure

Noon – Potluck lunch

1:00pm – Guided breakout group discussions based on the morning topics as well as agronomic challenges and any new topics of interest.

2:00pm – Adjourn

There is no registration required for this year’s event, but to receive updates on possible weather-related changes, contact Bryan Brown at bjb342@cornell.edu or leave a message at 315-787-2432.

–New York Certified Organic
New York State Integrated Pest Management
Cornell University

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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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