Posted by William Francis, AMS, Acting Director, Dairy Grading and Standardization in Food and Nutrition

Nov 01, 2017

New Agricultural Marketing Service infographic gives you a snapshot about butter grading, types and uses. (Click to enlarge)

It’s the time of year when many of us start thinking about holiday baking and cooking.

Whether it’s roasting a turkey with all the trimmings for Thanksgiving dinner or batches of cookies and other baked goods to share with loved ones, butter is often a key ingredient in our favorite recipes.

Butter is made by churning—or stirring—milk or cream until it reaches a semisolid state and is separated from buttermilk. By law, butter must be at least 80 percent butterfat. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS), each person in the United States consumed about 5.7 pounds of butter in 2016.

Today, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is releasing a new infographic that gives you a snapshot about butter grading, types and uses.

For example, did you know that there are 30 USDA butter graders across the country who typically taste about 200 samples of butter each week to ensure the quality of this dairy product, which USDA has graded since 1919.

So, if you plan to use butter in your recipes, this infographic will give you a quick look at the various types of butter—salted, unsalted, whipped and clarified—and suggest how best to store butter until you need it.

Matthew Siedschlaw, one of 30 USDA butter graders, uses a “trier” to remove a sample of butter which will be tested to ensure it meets the national uniform quality standards for Grade AA butter. (USDA photo)

Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 1:00pm

Contact Info: Peter Wood

Release No.: 142-17

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2017 - Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of 27 members to the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. Twenty-five of the appointees will serve three-year terms. Two appointees will serve the remaining one-year portion of vacant positions.

• Bruce T. Jackson, Lockesburg, Ark.
•  J. Kent Bamford, Haxton, Colo.
• Cliff W. Coddington, Bradenton, Fla.
• Jared Brackett, Filer, Idaho
• Phil Perry, Oskaloosa, Kan.
• Trista Brown Priest, Satanta, Kan.
• Ryan Miller, Bardstown, Ky.
• Leon James, Hurdland, Mo.
• Turk Stovall, Billings, Mont.
• Katie Cooper, Willow Creek, Mont.
• Bill Baldwin, Mitchell, Neb.
• Jim Eschliman, Ericson, Neb.
• Raymond Erbele, Streeter, N.D.
• Blayne Arthur, Stillwater, Okla.
• Jimmy Taylor, Cheyenne, Okla.
• Dick McElhaney, Hookstown, Pa.
• Bill Slovek, Philip, S.D.
• Jackie White Means, Van Horn, Texas
• Jason Peeler, Floresville, Texas
• Michael Wayne White, Vernon, Texas
• Sean P. Jones, Massey, Md., Mid-Atlantic Unit
• Rob Von Der Lieth, Copperopolis, Calif., Southwest Unit
• Laurie Bryant, Burke, Va., Importer
• Rob Williams, Chase, Md., Importer
• Jeffrey Isenmann, Rochester Hills, Mich., Importer
• Nicholas Brander, Wilmette, Ill., Importer (1-year term)
• Steven Hobbs, Larkspur, Colo., Importer (1-year term)

“The Cattlemen's Beef Board works to build demand for beef by helping to maintain and expand markets through their research, promotion, and information sharing efforts,” said Perdue. “Their work represents all segments of the beef industry and I know that the agricultural sector will be well served by them."

The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board is composed of 99 members, all of whom are beef producers or importers of cattle, beef or beef products. The board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards.  They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Services provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity for participating stakeholders.

A list of board members is available on the AMS Cattlemen's Beef Board webpage. More information can also be found on the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board’s website.

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

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Date: December 5, 2017

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today that it is updating the voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef. USDA quality grades are used by companies to provide information to purchasers about meat’s tenderness, juiciness, and flavor and are a major factor in determining the value of beef and live cattle.

This update to the standards will provide companies using the USDA grading program with additional options – dentition or age documentation – to establish the maturity of animals and ensure that cattle 30 months old, or less, are included in the youngest maturity group recognized as “beef” (A maturity). Skeletal and muscular evidence will still be used to determine maturity for those animals over 30 months of age.

This change for voluntary beef grading activities will be implemented on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017. Companies using the USDA voluntary grading program must do the following prior to Monday, Dec. 18, 2017:

1)     Provide documentation to the AMS Supervisor and Graders describing how carcasses over 30 months of age (MOA) are identified and segregated within the plant.  AMS will review these procedures either during routine QSA audits or during supervisory visits.

         a.      Plants with a Quality Systems Assessment (QSA) program (e.g., for Export Verification) will provide the applicable section from their quality manual which details this process.

         b.     Plants without a QSA program will document their process through a Standard Operating Procedure or similar document.

2)     Ensure the AMS Supervisor and Graders are aware of how carcasses over 30 MOA are identified/marked.  The carcasses must be identified in a manner that allows the AMS Grader to easily see the identification when presented for grading.

On Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, companies may only offer carcasses for initial quality and/or yield grading.  No carcasses shall be presented for grading that were held as regrades from the previous week.  These requirements are included in QAD 500 - Beef, Bullock, and Bull Grading Methods and Procedures.

AMS will hold a conference call with industry at Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.  The toll-free conference line is (888) 844-9904; access code 2887241.

If you have questions, please contact Joel Gottlieb, National Meat Supervisor, at Joel.Gottlieb@ams.usda.gov (202) 253-1379 or Dana Stahl, Grading Branch Chief, at Dana.Stahl@ams.usda.gov or (202) 690-3169.

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Date: December 13, 2017

Beginning January 10, 2018, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will publish an enhanced Weekly Average Weight of Barrows and Gilts Report to provide additional customer service to the swine industry.  The report will now provide national average weight data on carcass and live hogs along with regional data.  These enhancements will offer more market transparency and provide customers with additional data to use in an evolving and competitive marketplace.

The expanded report replaces the Weekly Estimated Average Live Weights of Barrows and Gilts for Iowa-Southern Minnesota-South Dakota Report.  During a recent review of Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) data, it was found the weight data could be broken down further to reflect regional and national average weight data on carcass and live hogs.

The reports will run side-by-side until March 1, 2018, to ensure customers have time to adapt to the expanded report.  For more information on LMR, visit: www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/mmr.  You may also contact Jim Bernau, Livestock, Poultry, and Grain Market News Acting Director, at (202) 720-1749; or Taylor Cox, Field Chief, at (515) 284-4460.

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Date: June 19, 2017

Since May 2014, the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) has required dairy and infant formula plants that ship products to China to be registered with them through the publication of facility lists.

To be successfully published on CNCA’s dairy and infant formula plant lists, the plants must be found compliant with Chinese laws and regulations.  On June 15, 2017, CNCA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that recognizes the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) as a third-party certifier eligible to conduct verification audits against Chinese requirements for U.S. dairy and infant formula plants intending to export to China.

Obtaining a verification audit is mandatory for plantsto be registered; plants not registered are not eligible to ship to China.  CNCA has published a catalogue of products (pdf) that require registration.

In order to facilitate understanding of CNCA’s product categories, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified the following Harmonized System (HS) product codes that require registration with CNCA:

• 0401 – Fluid milk and cream of varying fat contents
• 0402 – Concentrated milk, including milk powder, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk
• 0403 – Yogurt, buttermilk, other fermented and acidified milk and cream
• 0404 – Whey and modified whey up to 80% protein; other products of natural milk constituents (including milk protein concentrate and milk permeate, but excluding colostrum)
• 0405 – Butter, dairy spreads, milk fats
• 0406 – Cheese
• 1901.10 – Infant formula

USDA has identified the following HS product codes that do not require registration with CNCA:

• 1702 – Lactose
• 1901.90 – Dairy-based food preparations based on goods of HS 0401-0404
• 2105.00 – Ice cream, edible ice

Plants should note that CNCA has reserved the right to modify the list of products requiring registration, so information contained in this notice is subject to change.  For more information about AMS audit verification services, please contact:

Michael Eichorst
Administrative Officer
AMS Dairy Grading National Field Office
Tel:  630-810-9999
Email:  DairyNFO@ams.usda.gov

OR

AMS Dairy Program
Tel:  202-720-4392

OR

Carrie L. Sayasithsena
National Program Coordinator, All Products, Grade Labels, Resident Programs, Export Certification
AMS Dairy Grading and Standards
Tel:  202-720-9381
Email:  DairyNFO@ams.usda.gov

For further information regarding the CNCA/FDA MOU or how AMS audit services will be used in the registration process, please refer to FDA’s Guidance for Industry on Establishing and Maintaining a List of U.S. Milk and Milk Product, Seafood, Infant Formula, and Formula for Young Children Manufacturer/Processors with Interest in Exporting to China.

For further information regarding CNCA’s registration requirements, please contact the Foreign Agricultural Service: agexport@fas.usda.gov or (202) 720-2378.

Date: Friday, January 13, 2017 - 11:00am

Contact Info: Sam Jones-Ellard

Release No.:  191-16

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2017 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed 17 members and 17 alternate members to serve on the Cotton Board.  All appointees will serve 3-year terms ending on Dec. 31, 2019. 

The re-appointed members are:  Walter L. Corcoran, Eufoula, Ala.; David J. DeFelix, Campbellton, Fla.; James L. Webb, Leary, Ga.; Suzanne R. Drouhard, Danville, Kan.; Kim M. Mayberry-Holifield, Kennett, Mo.; Jess “Mark” M. Nichols, Altus, Okla.; R. Guy Darby, Jr., Chester, S.C.; Willie L. German, Somerville, Tenn.; Madison "Matt" Farmer, Lamesa, Texas; Lance V. Everett, Stony Creek, Va.; Helga L. Ying, Piedmont, Calif.; Michael D. Wallace, Bentonville, Ark.; Joe D. Long, Irvine, Ky.; Peter M. McGrath, Addison, Texas; and, Arlene M. Eastwood, Neptune, N.J.     

The re-appointed alternate members are: Timothy J. Mullek, Robertsdale, Ala.; Alan J. Edwards, Jay, Fla.; Benjamin R. Grimsley, Weston, Ga.; Thomas L. Lahey, Moscow, Kan.; Clint D. Abernathy, Altus, Okla.; Catherine S. Via, Bells, Tenn.; Sigifredo "Sigi" Valverde, Shallowater, Texas; Sarah "Sally" M. Gilligan, San Francisco, Calif.; James C. Self III, Greenville, S.C.; Gary E. Ross, Yardley, Pa.; and, Tara E. Hoffman, New York, N.Y.

The newly appointed members are: Alisa Ogden, Carlsbad, N.M.; and, Monica J. Gorman, Winchester, Mass.

The newly appointed alternate members are: Albert R. James, Sikeston, Mo.; Nathan H. Jurva, Carlsbad, N.M.; Don B. Wakefield, Jackson, S.C.; Shelley S. Butler Barlow, Suffolk, Va.; Laurie A. Rando, Scotch Plain, N.J.; and, Crystal A. Button, Great Neck, N.Y.

Secretary Vilsack also appointed Darren J. Hembree, Doerun, Ga., as an alternate member to fill a vacant Georgia position with a term expiring December 31, 2018.

Research and promotion programs are industry-funded, were authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966, when Congress passed the Cotton Research and Promotion Act. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower farmers, ranchers, and other stakeholders to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.

Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at http://www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Date: February 28, 2017

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced it is conducting a required five-year review of the Cotton Research and Promotion Act (Act) Amendments of 1990 to determine if a referendum is needed on the continuation of these amendments. In such a referendum, producers and importers would determine whether they favor continuation of the amendments to the Cotton Research and Promotion Order.

A notice published today in the Federal Registerinvites producers, importers and all other interested parties to submit written comments. USDA will consider comments in determining if a referendum is warranted and will announce the decision later this year.

Authorized under the Cotton Research and Promotion Act, the Cotton Board administers the national promotion and research program to maintain and expand markets for Upland cotton.

AMS monitors the operations of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.

Comments will be accepted until April 28, 2017. Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning this notice to Research and Promotion, Cotton and Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406 or at CottonRP@ams.usda.gov. Comments may also be submitted electronically through www.regulations.gov.

Date:  Tuesday, June 13, 2017 - 4:00pm

Contact Info:  Carl E. Purvis

Release No.: 082-17

WASHINGTON, June 13, 2017 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for candidates to fill 13 member and 13 alternate positions on the Cotton Board.

The Cotton Board represents Domestic cotton producers and importers. Nominations are made by certified producer organizations (CPO) and certified importer organizations (CIO). The CPOs and the CIOs will caucus to nominate two qualified persons for each open position representing their state. The Secretary of Agriculture then appoints members and alternates from the list of nominees.

Members and alternates serve staggered 3-year terms. Open positions this round will represent cotton producers from Arkansas, California/Nevada, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas. Nominees are also sought to fill vacancies for importers.

Appointees will serve terms that begin on Jan. 1, 2018, and end Dec. 31, 2020.

Release & Contact Info

Press Release

Release No. 0018.18

Contact: USDA Press
Email: press@oc.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2018 – Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of three members to serve on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors. The appointed producers and marketing expert who will serve three-year terms are:

• Jeremy Geske, Producer, New Prague, Minn.
• Brenda J. Reau, Producer, Petersburg, Mich.
• Steve W. Lewis, Expert in Marketing, Artesia, N.M.

“The Sheep Center was established to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry and these appointees bring experience that will serve this agricultural sector well,” said Perdue.

The board is composed of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members of the board include four members who are active producers of sheep in the United States, two members that have expertise in finance and management, and one member that has expertise in lamb, wool, or lamb product marketing. Non-voting members of the board include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretaries for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Research, Education, and Economics. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight of the center.

Additional information can be found on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Website at www.nsiic.org.

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Release & Contact Info

Press Release

Release No. 0019.18

Contact: USDA Press
Email: press@oc.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2018 - Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of five members to serve on the American Lamb Board. The members appointed to serve three-year terms are:

• Sally J. Scholle, Producer, Littlestown, Pa.
• David Quam, Producer, San Angelo, Texas
• Peter J. Camino, Feeder, Buffalo, Wyo.
• Elizabeth A.W. Dressler, First Handler, Parker, Colo.
• Greg Deakin, Seedstock Producer, Cuba, Ill.

“These appointees represent a cross section of the lamb industry with great experience in the industry and I know they will help us better meet the needs of our American farmers, ranchers, and producers,” said Perdue.

The American Lamb Board is composed of 13 members including six U.S. producers, three feeders, three first handlers, and one seedstock producer. The board is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996. Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 industry-funded research and promotion boards. They empower farmers and ranchers to leverage their own resources to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity for participating stakeholders.

A list of board members is available on the AMS American Lamb Board webpage. More information can also be found on the American Lamb Board’s website.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.