Dairy farmers to cull $2.3 million worth of dairy calves

Wisconsin dairy farmers are culling an estimated $2.3 million worth of dairy calves this year.

According to the Wisconsin State Farmer, "the number of culls is down from last year but still above the five-year average with cow numbers up. The market has pushed prices lower than normal, making it tough for some farmers to profitable keep young stock."

In total, 6,000 calves will be culled in the state, which is down from last year's total of 7,500 calves but still higher than the five-year average of 5,500 calves.

The article goes on to state that, "culling rates have been increasing due to several factors: Dairy farmers are receiving less for their milk, replacement heifers are costing more to buy and feed, and there is more interest in meat production as the demand for beef increases."

This news comes as a blow to dairy farmers in Wisconsin who are already struggling to make ends meet. The market for milk has been in decline for many years now, and it doesn't seem like things are going to improve anytime soon.

This is just another example of how farm bankruptcies are on the rise across the United States. In order to stay afloat, dairy farmers are having to make tough decisions like culling their herds or selling off their land.

The future looks bleak for dairy farmers in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the United States. Unless something changes soon, many of them will be forced out of business.

Up to 5,000 chickens killed in barn fire

At around 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, a fire in a barn near the intersection of County Road 124 and Range Road 232 killed up to 5,000 chickens.

The blaze took firefighters several hours to extinguish, and the cause is still under investigation.

No people were injured in the fire, but it's unclear how many of the chickens died.

Poultry plant fined for unsanitary conditions

A poultry plant in Alabama has been fined for unsanitary conditions.

The Department of Agriculture inspected the plant and found that it was rife with violations, including chicken droppings on the floor and live birds being stored next to dead ones.

The plant has been fined $12,000.

This is not the first time that this particular plant has been fined for unsanitary conditions. In fact, it has been fined six times in the past two years.

This is just another example of how big agribusiness doesn't care about the safety of its workers or consumers.

Fed: Bird flu outbreaks linked to smuggled poultry

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland issued a report Feb. 14 stating that bird flu outbreaks in the U.S. are likely linked to smuggled poultry.

"The surge in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases since December is most likely attributable to smuggled poultry," the report said.

The report also said that the illegal trade of poultry is a "significant and growing problem" in the United States.

Since December, there have been more than 190 outbreaks of HPAI reported in the U.S., including more than 40 deaths in commercial chicken and turkey farms.

Farm bill includes money for poultry producers

As the Farm Bill heads to the Senate, it is being reported that poultry producers will be receiving $85 million in assistance. The money is part of a wider $8 billion package that will be divided among commodity producers. The House passed their version of the Farm Bill last week, and now the Senate must pass their own version before a conference committee can hammer out the differences between the two bills.

The farm bill has come under increased scrutiny in recent months, as lawmakers have been unable to agree on how to fund it. The bill provides money for a variety of programs, including:

• Food stamps

• Agricultural subsidies

• Conservation programs

• Rural development programs

The $8 billion package that includes money for poultry producers was proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as a way to get bipartisan support for the Farm Bill. Some Democrats have complained that the bill doesn't do enough to help low-income Americans, while some Republicans have said that it does too much. The House and Senate will need to agree on a final version of the bill before it can be signed into law by President Trump.