USDA to Provide Aid to Organic Dairy Producers for Marketing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide assistance for dairy producers with the new Organic Dairy Marketing Assistance Program. ODMAP is established to help mitigate market volatility, higher input and transportation costs, and unstable feed supply and prices that have created unique hardships in the organic dairy industry. Specifically, under the ODMAP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency is making $104 million available to organic dairy operations to assist with projected marketing costs in 2023, calculated using their marketing costs in 2022.
“Organic dairy producers have faced significant and unique increases in their marketing costs, compounded by increases in feed and transportation costs and the limited availability of organic grain and forage commodities,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Without assistance, many organic dairies, particularly small organic dairies, will cease production, which not only impacts the domestic supply and consumption of organic milk but also the well-being of many rural communities across the country. This program will keep our small organic dairies in operation as they continue to weather a combination of challenges outside of their control.”
FSA will begin accepting applications for ODMAP on May 24. Eligible producers include certified organic dairy operations that produce milk from cows, goats and sheep.
Adam Warthesen, co-chair of the Organic Trade Association’s Organic Feedstuffs Relief Task Force, and senior director of government and industry affairs for Organic Valley said: “With unprecedented organic feed costs and inflationary pressures over the last couple of years, resources like ODMAP are really going to matter as farmers plan for the rest of this year.”
Britt Lundgren, senior director of sustainability and government affairs at Stonyfield, said: “The costs facing organic dairy today are uncommon and putting serious strain on operations. USDA is right to step in and offer support, and this is a good first step. The alternative is we lose family farmers. We look forward to working with USDA to cover more of the actual costs organic dairies are facing.”
Lia Sieler, executive director of Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, said: “We welcome the monetary resources allocated to dairy farmess through ODMAP with much anticipation. Input costs have been at an unprecedented high with no foreseeable changes and farmers are struggling to keep up with these high costs at their current pay price for the specialty products they produce. Farmers are struggling to continue producing a quality, safe and nutritious product with the current costs of doing business. We thank USDA with the help of many members of Congress for stepping in, hearing our voices and working diligently to get money pushed out as quick as possible to help alleviate some of this pain. Our work is not done, but this is a major win for our industry in a time of such uncertainty.”
Chris Adamo, vice president of public affairs and regenerative agriculture policy with Danone North America, said: “Recent increases to cost of feed and overall inputs have significantly impacted organic dairy farms, and on behalf of Horizon Organic, we are grateful for USDA’s thoughtful work and strong support for the farms that supply our customers’ milk.”
How ODMAP Works
FSA is providing financial assistance for a producer’s projected marketing cost in 2023 based on their 2022 costs. ODMAP provides a one-time cost-share payment based on marketing costs on pounds of organic milk marketed in the 2022 calendar year.
ODMAP provides financial assistance that will immediately support certified organic dairy operations during 2023 keeping organic dairy operations sustainable until markets return to more normal conditions.
How to Apply
FSA is accepting applications from May 24 to July 24. To apply, producers should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center. To complete the ODMAP application, producers must certify to pounds of 2022 milk production, show documentation of their organic certification, and submit a completed application form.
Organic dairy operations are required to provide their USDA certification of organic status confirming operation as an organic dairy in 2023 and 2022 along with the certification of 2022 milk production in hundredweight.
ODMAP complements other assistance available to dairy producers, including Dairy Margin Coverage and Supplemental DMC, with more than $300 million in benefits paid for the 2023 program year to date. Learn more on the FSA Dairy Programs webpage
More Information
To learn more about USDA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and other programs by logging into their farmers.gov account. If you don’t have an account, sign up today.
Alberstons Names Moriarty EVP, General Counsel
Albertsons Companies, Inc. has named Tom Moriarty as executive vice president and general vounsel effective June 5.
Moriarty brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience to Albertsons Cos., including senior positions across legal, corporate strategy, policy and operations. He joins the company from CVS Health, where he spent more than 10 years serving in roles of increasing responsibility, including chief strategy officer, EVP global pharma, and, most recently, executive vice president, chief policy and external sffairs officer and general counsel.
During his tenure at CVS Health, Moriarty oversaw all legal and regulatory functions within the company, including CVS Health’s $78 billion acquisition of Aetna. He also led global pharmaceutical sourcing operations and served as the company’s lead representative to the White House COVID-19 task force as CVS provided testing, vaccinations and other essential healthcare services to millions of Americans, including those in underserved communities.
“Tom is a proven leader whose broad background and deep understanding of corporate and legal strategy make him a welcome addition to our talented leadership team,” Albertsons Cos. CEO Vivek Sankaran said. “His experience leading high-performing teams and successfully implementing important strategic initiatives at top companies will be invaluable as we continue to execute on our Customers for Life strategy.”
Prior to his time at CVS Health, Moriarty spent 12 years at Medco Health Solutions where he held various leadership roles in corporate strategy, legal affairs, global supply chain management and mergers and acquisitions. While at Medco Health, he played a key role in leading the merger with Express Scripts, the then-largest healthcare transaction on record.
Moriarty sits on the Board of Directors for Northside Center for Child Development, a nonprofit providing behavioral and mental health programs to children and families living in poverty. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lafayette College and received a J.D. from University of Virginia School of Law.
“I am incredibly energized to be joining Albertsons Cos. at such a dynamic time for the industry,” Moriarty said. “One of the things that excites me most about this opportunity is the vital role that Albertsons Cos. plays in the communities it serves as a grocery and pharmacy retailer committed to its customers and their well-being.”
Moriarty will report to Sankaran. Moriarty succeeds Juliette Pryor, who left Albertsons Cos. in April to pursue another career opportunity.
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Goodbye, Wienermobile; Hello, Frankmobile
Oscar Mayer has ushered in a new era for its beloved Wienermobile, changing the vehicle’s name for the first time since it first hit the road in 1936. The newly coined “Frankmobile” pays homage to the brand’s 100% Beef Franks as it debuts a tasty new recipe with a more balanced flavor profile and iconic beefy taste that is more flavorful than ever – all while sparking miles of smiles and uniting fans around a love of meat.
The fleet of six vehicles feature bun-derful new elements, including saucy exterior decals, Frank Whistles (formerly Wiener Whistles) and a newly renamed class of Hotdoggers behind the wheel – now known as Frankfurters. What’s more, the Frankmobile is offering “Franks for Franks,” so anyone named an iteration of “Frank” can stop by in real life to get their hands on a coupon for a free pack of delicious Oscar Mayer 100% Beef Franks.
“The Wienermobile is a beloved American icon that has been sparking smiles and driving craveability for our iconic delicious wieners for nearly 100 years,” said Stephanie Vance, associate brand manager, Oscar Mayer. “This summer, it’s time to highlight another fan-favorite: our delicious 100% Beef Franks. When Oscar Mayer makes anything, we prioritize taste over everything, so no matter what kind of hot dog you enjoy this summer, if it’s Oscar Mayer, you know it will be 100 percent tasty, and 100 percent make you smile.”
The debut of the new Frankmobile comes as Oscar Mayer continues to bring its signature brand platform, “Keep It Oscar,” to delicious new heights. From Frank-themed whistles to comical “please do not lick” decals, Oscar Mayer designed every detail of the Frankmobile to encourage people from takings things too seriously, freeing people up to enjoy themselves with seriously delicious meats, like Oscar Mayer’s 100% Beef Franks.
To learn more about the Frankmobile and track its upcoming stops, visit OscarMayer.com/Frankmobile or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
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