2 October 2025

Headlines

Dairy Policy

• Government Shutdown Begins as Lawmakers Fail to Reach Deal
• Dairy’s Moment, Policy Hurdles, and Global Trade: A Case for Dairy’s Undeniable Momentum
• Antibiotics with Purpose: Building Stewardship into Dairy Practice
• FDA Conditionally Approves New Drug for Treatment of New World Screwworm
• Secretary Rollins Speaks on State of Farm Economy, Announces Suite of Actions to Support American Farmers

Dairy/Beef Markets

• Cull Cow Prices Hit Record in July
• Butterfat Boom: Dairy Squeezed by Rising Supply, Lower Prices; Adapting to FMMO Changes
• Global Market Cannot Absorb Growing Milk Consumption
• China Stays Off the Buying Table on U.S. Commodities

Dairy Management

• A Fresh Prospective on Young Dairy Farmers and the Digital Revolution
• New Genetic Tools Address Reality of Cow Longevity
• Immigration Crackdowns on Farms Expected to Rise; Employers Can Plan Ahead

Trade

• Trump Says He’ll Use Tariff Revenue to Bail Out Farmers
• US Plans Trade Mission to Taiwan to Boost Ag Exports
• World’s Biggest Dairy Planned in Algeria

Georgia to Receive $531,236,000 in Federal Relief for Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program

The following is an announcement from the Georgia Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, September 30. 

ATLANTA, GA – Today, just following the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper and United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced that the State of Georgia will receive approximately $531,236,000 in federal funds for the Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program. The State of Georgia’s Block Grant Program will cover future economic losses, infrastructure losses, and timber losses caused by Hurricane Helene.

“I am incredibly proud to announce the State of Georgia will receive $531,236,000 in federal funding to provide much-needed relief to impacted farmers and producers through Georgia’s Hurricane Helene Block Grant Program,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “This funding is absolutely essential to help our farm families bounce back from Hurricane Helene, and our team invested hundreds of hours into the negotiation process to secure the maximum possible amount of federal funding for our state and our producers. I want to thank Sec. Brooke Rollins and her team at USDA FSA for understanding the urgency of the situation and their strong partnership and collaboration throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Trump Administration to deliver real results for Georgia farmers.”

“Farmers and ranchers in Georgia have been hit hard and suffered significant economic losses during 2024. USDA is working closely with the State of Georgia to ensure those impacted have the relief they need,” said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The Trump Administration has our farmers' backs and will ensure they have the resources they need to continue to produce the safest, most reliable, and most abundant food supply in the world.” 

The State of Georgia continues to work with USDA to simultaneously finalize administrative details in the State’s block grant agreement and corresponding work plan. More details about the program and how to apply will be forthcoming.

The Government Shutdown

Yesterday, the National Milk Producers Federation released a report about how the government shutdown will affect the dairy industry. A summary is below:

Due to Congress's failure to pass a funding bill, the federal government is shutting down, halting normal operations until a budget agreement is reached. Essential services, those related to safety and security, such as food inspections and cybersecurity, will continue while non-essential programs will be closed. For dairy farmers, the impact will vary depending on which services are deemed essential. Regulatory functions funded by user fees, like butter grading and export certifications, will continue. The Grade A milk program will remain unaffected by the shutdown. However, many USDA and FDA staff handling other regulatory matters will be furloughed, and most U.S. Trade Representative staff will continue working with minimal disruption.

In terms of farm programs, most staff from the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service will be furloughed, resulting in closed county offices and halted services such as loan processing and technical assistance. Disaster assistance payments, including those from the 2023 and 2024 Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP), will also be paused. Key agricultural data reports, like milk production and trade data, will be suspended. Pricing and market news reports will continue. Emergency responses to animal and plant health threats, such as avian flu and rabies, will remain active throughout the shutdown.

To learn more about how this affects the dairy industry, read the full report here. Also be on the lookout for other reports including the USDA and FDA which are issuing individual reports.

Nominations for the 2026 Bobby Walker Award Are Open

Georgia Milk Producers is taking nominations for the 2026 "Bobby Walker Award." Each year, the Georgia Milk Producers Board of Directors presents the award to a dairy professional, farmer, and/or company that is driving Georgia's dairy industry toward a brighter future through leadership, advocacy, and service. The award presentation will take place at the 2026 Georgia Dairy Conference in January.  This award is open to any individual who is involved with the dairy industry (Cooperative officials/field representatives, feed/ supply companies or salesperson, veterinarian, farmer, etc.). Please send in nominations for this award to our office by November 10th, 2025 by using this link or emailing info@gamilk.org.

Georgia Department of Agriculture is Accepting Applications for 2026 Veterinary Loan Repayment Program

The following is from the GDA.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture is currently accepting applications for the 2026 cycle of the Georgia Veterinary Education Loan Repayment Program (GVELRP). Eligible veterinarians have until Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, to submit their applications. The GVELRP provides student loan repayment assistance to licensed veterinarians who commit to practicing in designated rural areas of Georgia and delivering veterinary care for food animals in communities with critical shortages.

 “The GVELRP plays a crucial role in addressing the shortage of rural veterinarians in our state,” said Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “Now more than ever, our rural communities need access to high-quality veterinary services that support farmers, ranchers, and rural pet owners. I appreciate the General Assembly’s continued support for this vital program, and I strongly encourage eligible veterinarians to apply.”

Program Overview:

To qualify for the GVELRP, applicants must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or have lawful presence in the United States
• Reside in Georgia
• Be either a licensed practicing veterinarian or a veterinary student in their final year of study
• Commit to working in a Board-approved rural county (population of 50,000 or less)

Detailed GVEDLRP information is available at https://agr.georgia.gov/vet-education-loan-repayment-program.

 Completed applications and inquiries about the program can be made via email to: statevetedboard@agr.georgia.gov. The State Veterinary Education Board will review, determine, and announce award recipients later in the year.

USDA Issues Second Assistance Payment to Agricultural Producers

The following is from the USDA.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made the announcement yesterday at the Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City. 

“Initial ECAP payments were factored by 85% to ensure that total program payments did not exceed $10 billion in available funding. Since additional funds remain, FSA is issuing a second payment,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Brooke Appleton. “As producers continue to face market volatility, these payments along with the entire suite of supplemental disaster assistance programs, will help producers navigate market uncertainty, pay down debt for the 2024 crop year, and secure financing for the next crop year.” 

Payments will automatically be made to eligible producers with approved ECAP applications who received an initial payment. Any application approved after Sept. 25, 2025, will receive one lump sum payment. Authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025, these economic relief payments are based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. 

ECAP Payments  

FSA is issuing a second payment ECAP equal to 14% of the gross ECAP payment to eligible producers, making the final payment factor 99%. 

ECAP assistance is calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. Payments are based on acreage and not production. For acres reported as prevented planted, ECAP assistance is calculated at 50%. 

Additional USDA Supplemental Disaster Assistance 

In addition to the over $8 billion in ECAP payments, USDA has issued more than $1 billion in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to livestock producers impacted by drought and federally managed lands wildfires in 2023 and 2024 with an additional $1 billion in expected payments for livestock producers impacted by floods and non-federally managed land wildfires in 2023 and 2024 (ELRP 2023/2023 FW). Livestock producers have until Oct. 31, 2025, to apply for (ELRP 2023/2023 FW) assistance. Producers have also received over $5.4 billion through Stage 1 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program for indemnified crop losses in 2023 and 2024. SDRP Stage 2 assistance for uncovered, quality, and shallow losses will be announced soon.  

USDA’s disaster recovery programs complement recently announced state block grant agreements in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia totaling $958 million in assistance to help agricultural producers with disaster recovery needs. USDA is working with 14 states on block grant agreements.  

More Information 

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.

Find Your Local USDA Service Center

GMP Classifieds

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Calendar of Events

October 2-12 - Georgia National Fair and Livestock Shows

The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter, Perry, GA

October 14-16 - Sunbelt Ag Expo

Spence Field - Moultrie, GA

October 10 - Certified Waste Operator CEU Opportunity: Webinar on Mortality Management

Register by clicking here

October 15 - Sunbelt Dairy Showdown

Dairy Pavilion - Moultrie, GA

October 15 - Vet Loan Repayment Application Deadline

View full program details here



November 7 - Georgia Agribusiness Council Harvest Celebration

The Classic Center - Athens, GA

December 7-9 - Georgia Farm Bureau Convention

Jekyll Island Conference Center - Jekyll Island, GA

January 19-21 - Georgia Dairy Conference

Marriott Savannah Riverfront Hotel - Savannah, GA

Until Next Time,

GMP