Bovine intervention: senators want to direct more aid to troubled dairy farmers

October 8th, 2009 Senate sends agriculture spending bill to ObamaWASHINGTON — Dairy farmers suffering from low milk prices would benefit from $350 million in emergency funding approved by the Senate on Thursday as it cleared a $121 billion agriculture spending bill for President Barack Obama's signature. The bill also delivers a record $58.2 billion for the food stamp program, which when combined with benefit increases passed under Obama's stimulus bill earlier in the year would mean a 19 percent increase in food stamp spending above current levels.

October 7th, 2009 Congress to consider water bill for Calif. farmersWASHINGTON — Democratic lawmakers from California have introduced legislation intended to increase the flow of water to the state's parched San Joaquin Valley, where farmers have idled thousands of acres.

October 6th, 2009 Ag. secretary: Dairy industry must restructureBATH, S.D. — The struggling U.S.

October 1st, 2009 East vs West in fight over money for dairy farmersWASHINGTON — Although federal lawmakers have agreed to provide $350 million to dairy farmers, they were haggling Thursday on just how to dish out most of the money. Led by Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Eastern lawmakers pushed for the system already in use, a program that pays farmers when prices fall but caps benefits after they produce 3 million pounds of milk.

September 30th, 2009 Congress fashions $350 million dairy aid packageWASHINGTON — Amid a crisis of low milk prices and mounting losses in dairy country, lawmakers in Congress are fashioning a $350 million emergency aid package aimed at helping struggling milk farmers. Secretive talks on Capitol Hill have produced a tentative compromise, slated to be unveiled Wednesday, that would leave it to Agriculture Department chief Tom Vilsack to figure out how to deliver most of the aid, $290 million.

September 30th, 2009 Deal would offer $350M for struggling milk farmersWASHINGTON — Lawmakers from dairy-producing states announced agreement Wednesday on $350 million in aid for struggling milk farmers. Some $290 million would go for direct support of dairy farmers under a program to be devised by the Agriculture Department, according to Rep.

September 18th, 2009 Euro farmers dump milk to protest price slumpPARIS — Angry French farmers dumped millions of liters of fresh milk next to one of France's most famous tourist sites on Friday to denounce the slumping cost of milk and an EU plan to end production quotas, which could further drive prices down. APLI, a small dairy farmer's union that organized the protest, said over 1,000 farmers and 300 tractors took part in the event, pouring 3,5 million liters (925,000 gallons) of milk onto fields next to the famed Mont Saint-Michel.

September 17th, 2009 Program asks consumers to help New England farmersRICHMOND, Vt. — Several New England states are urging consumers to chip in and save the region's dwindling dairy farms, which are struggling with record-low milk prices.

September 17th, 2009 EU offers extra help to ease dairy crisisSTRASBOURG, France — The European Commission on Thursday promised extra steps to combat sinking dairy prices but insisted it would not abandon long-term farm reforms that include phasing out milk quotas after 2015. Faced with farmers spilling vast amounts of milk on roads and farmlands around Europe to protest sagging milk prices, EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said she will propose to cut red tape to be able "spring into action in the future if we hit further problems in the dairy sector." She also suggested that a European dairy futures market could stabilize prices and said she would study if better long-term contracts between farmers and the dairy industry can improve supply and demand.

September 1st, 2009 American Dairy pays down convertible notes earlyLOS ANGELES — American Dairy Inc. on Tuesday said that it has paid down a portion of its convertible notes ahead of schedule.

July 31st, 2009 USDA will aid struggling dairy farmsWASHINGTON — The Agriculture Department is helping struggling dairy farmers by raising the price the government pays for milk and cheddar cheese through a dairy price support program. The department estimates the temporary increases, which will be in place until October, will boost dairy farmers' overall revenue by $243 million.

June 25th, 2009 ANAND - Amul has been ranked amongst the top 21 largest dairy businesses in the world as per the findings published by International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) at the 10th IFCN Dairy Conference 2009 at Stockholm. The IFCN is a network of dairy researchers responsible for analysing global dairy trends and creating knowledge to guide the various stakeholders in the dairy sector covering about 80 countries, over 60 dairy related companies, a number of dairy related institutions and dairy farmers.

April 2nd, 2009 ANAND - Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which owns the Amul brand of dairy products, posted a turnover of Rs.6,705 crore (Rs.67.05 billion) in 2008-09, reflecting an increase of around 28 percent, the company announced Thursday in a statement. The federation's turnover has almost doubled over the last three years, the statement said, adding that the group turnover of GCMMF and its dairy 13 cooperatives, all members of the federation, has touched Rs.10,000 crore.

February 6th, 2009 PANAJI - India needs to actively pursue a National Milk Vision 2020 in an integrated manner if it is to hold its position as a global milk production giant, former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said here Saturday.

January 12th, 2009 ANAND - Milk farmers from Jammu and Kashmir, who were on a visit to the state of 'white revolution', feel inspired by their Gujarati counterparts for their success in creating Amul as one of Asia's largest milk brand. At least 50 milk producers of Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers' Co-operative Ltd (JKMPCL) came on a five-day Amul Yatra in the first week of January to study a model of milk production.