Today's episode features a re-run of The Dairy Download , a podcast from our partner organizations Blimling and IDFA. This episode (S2E3), Trucking Along: A Focus on Freight tackles the important issue of supply chain logistics and the role they play in moving product; featuring a perspective on global dairy from DairyAmerica CEO Patti Smith, a analysis from Bob Costello, Senior VP and Economist with the American Trucking Association, and a market report from Blimling's Phil Plourd and Kathleen ...
Mar 13, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Today's episode features a market update with Tiffany LaMendola, our contract economist of Blimling. We visit with Devin Gioletti, WUD's Board President about the QIP referendum that started this week, and we hear from Anja via our weekly Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting about all of the fun and exciting legislation on the table in Sacremento this year and how it's shaping WUD's policy directions. For more information on the QIP referendum: https://www.dairyfamilies.org/referendum-information
Mar 06, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 9
In this week's episode we share a market update from our contract economist, Tiffany LaMendola of Blimling, Anja brings us an update/important information on the QIP referendum that kicks off next week, and we re-play this week's member meeting, hosted by Paul Sousa, about the Tri-colored Blackbird issue, including a late-breaking update on the status of payments for crop losses. For further information on the Quota Sunset Referendum: https://westernuniteddairies.com/quota/ https://www.dairyfami...
Feb 27, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 8
This week we try again! After a market update with Tiffany LaMendola, our contract economist of Blimling, and a LUC update with Rashell Echeveste we re-run the February 4th webinar of our Cattle Council/WUD round-table. We had some major editing issues two weeks ago, and we hope the message comes through in a much clearer way this go-around. Let us know if you have questions! mlema@wudairies.com darby@wudairies.com
Feb 20, 2021•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Happy Valentines Week! Today we hear a market update from Tiffany LaMendola, our contract economist of Blimling. Darby sits down with Darryl Maas of Maas Energy Works to talk about the exciting projects they're undertaking our dairy partners, and we re-run this weeks Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting with Ashley Rosales, RDN and Program Director for Nutrition with the Dairy Council of CA who shared about the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and what that means for the dairy industry. We wrap th...
Feb 13, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Today we bring you a market update with our contract economist, Tiffany LaMendola of Blimling and we re-broadcast this week's Virtual Kitchen Table meeting where California Cattle Council executive director Justin Oldfield and Board Members Jennifer Beretta, Cody Nicholson Stratton and Tyler Rebiero join WUD CEO Anja Raudabaugh and Director of Leg. Affairs, Jason Bryant, to discuss a recent partnership between CCC and WUD. For more information about the California Cattle Council: https://calcatt...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Today we share Tiffany LaMendola's Market Update from this week's Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting; Tiffany takes an in-depth look at the markets, where they have been and where they may be headed, as well as what options are out there for producer price supports in 2021. Tiffany's update is followed by a short producer Q&A. Our Market update is followed by a visit from Anja Raudabaugh and Devin Gioletti, who share an update from some work we did in Sacramento this week. We wrap today's episode...
Jan 30, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 3
This week, as per usual, we kick off with Tiffany LaMendola, WUD's contract economist with Blimling, as she brings us a bit more volatile market update than we'd like to see in the early part of the year. Join us next week on Thursday for Tiffany's Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting Market Update. Following Tiffany, Darby and Melissa chat with Ashley Rosales, RDN and Program Director of Nutrition Science with the Dairy Council of California. Ashely shares information on the newly released 2020-2025 D...
Jan 23, 2021•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3
It's the second week of January and we're back with another update-heavy episode! Tiffany LaMendola, our contract economist with Blimling joins us for a market update, Tom Barcellos, past WUD Board Member discusses his new role as the California Beef Council chair and Beef Council's priorities for 2021, Anja Raudabaugh, WUD CEO brings us the latest on the California Quota program, and we share Paul Sousa's Kitchen Table Webinar this week for an update on everything California Dairymen should kno...
Jan 16, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Happy 2021 listeners! We're so glad to be back with an action-packed episode to kick off the new year. Today we cover a TON of housekeeping/updates that run the gambit of topics...We kick off with our contract economist, Tiffany LaMendola, serving up this weeks market update, we hear from WUD Board President Devin Gioletti with some news about the Associations direction for the year, Paul Sousa brings us an update on the CV Salts ongoing roll-out, and Kevin Piercy, attorney at Raimondo and Assoc...
Jan 09, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 1
This week's episode, our last of 2020 features a market update with Tiffany LaMendola, our contract economist of Blimling. Anja Raudabaugh joins us to share the exciting rollout of a recent project WUD partnered on with the California Cattle Council and California Cattlemen's, and we are joined by Anthony Raimondo and his associate, Kevin Piercy, of Raimondo and Associates to remind and update dairy employers about all things COVID-19 that should be occurring on and around the work site. We wish...
Dec 19, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 37
This week's abridged episode features a market update with WUD's consulting economist, Tiffany LaMendola of Blimling, a Truck Rule update with Paul Sousa and a re-run of WUD's Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting this week, which featured DMI/US Center for Dairy Innovation Staff briefing producers on the Net Zero Initiative. Please note: There was a brief hiccup in recording and the first 6-7 min of DMI's presentation was cut off. You will hear Paul's introduction and then the recording cuts to the beg...
Dec 12, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 36
We hear a market update from Tiffany LaMendola, WUD’s contact economist with Blimling, an update on LUC from Rashell Echeveste and we re-run this weeks’ Virtual Kitchen Table Meeting, which featured Kevin Piercy, an an attorney with Raimondo & Associates, who provides an update on all things COVID-19 that employers should know.
Dec 05, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Happy Thanksgiving from Western United Dairies
Nov 26, 2020•13 min•Season 1Ep. 34
This week's abridged episode features our market update with Blimling Contract Economist, Tiffany LaMendola, an environmental update with Paul Sousa, WUD's Director of Environmental Affairs, and the much-anticipated reveal of the CMAB/VentureFuel Snackcelerator Winner with CMAB Director of Communications, Jennifer Giambroni, after last night's exciting final round!
Nov 21, 2020•26 min
This week's podcast update features a market report with our contract economist, Tiffany LaMendola of Blimling and a labor update with our esteemed labor attorney Anthony Raimondo of Raimondo & Associates. Full episodes will resume in January!
Nov 14, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 32
This week kicks off our "abridged" version of the podcast, which will provide basic updates through the holidays. This week we our economist, Tiffany LaMendola shares what's up and what's not in dairy markets, Rashell Segura gives us a rundown from LUC and Anja Raudabaugh brings us an update on the 2020 elections*. *Results mentioned are from Thursday, 11/5, when about 72% of the California ballots had been reported and thus are subject to change upon the airing of this episode.
Nov 07, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 31
We kick off week 30 with a little news about our podcast plans for the end of 2020, including a slightly abridged weekly offering through the end of December. Next up is a market update from our amazing Blimling economist Tiffany LaMenodola, followed by some news from the environmental desk with Paul Sousa. Our special guest this week is Carrie Mess, or Dairy Carrie, Wisconsin Dairy Farmer and Ag-vocate who shares with us a bit about her journey as a dairy farmer, social media influencer and all...
Oct 31, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 30
We are pleased to kick off this week's episode by welcoming WUD's new contract economist, Tiffany LaMendola of Blimling! Tiffany brings us this week's market update, noting that for another consecutive week, cheese is running the show in dairy markets. We follow Tiffany's market news with a political check-in with WUD's CEO Anja Raudabaugh, who covers early voting, the situation with Prop 15, and a provides a quick round-up of state races that will influence WUD's political strategy going forwar...
Oct 24, 2020•36 min•Season 1Ep. 29
This week we bid farewell to our economist and friend, Annie AcMoody, who will be leaving WUD after 10 years of service to CA dairy producers. We send Annie off with one last Market update plus messages and well wishes from producers and friends. To round out the week, Paul Sousa joins Melissa for a little update/reminder about fall water quality preparations, and Darby brings us some good news about the SBA's PPP loan/loan forgiveness process! For further information, please visit the links bel...
Oct 17, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 28
This week we hear from Economist Annie AcMoody with our weekly market update, which is once again headed in a positive direction. CEO Anja Raudabaugh, joins us for an update on WUD and the changes we're tackling this fall, Rashell Segura brings us a roundup from the world of LUC, and Darby and Melissa sit down for a lighthearted conversation with 4th generation dairyman and Cal Poly lecturer Rich Silacci, where we discuss everything from teaching during a global pandemic, to industry support for...
Oct 10, 2020•54 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Episode 26 brings us a positive market report from all-star economist Annie AcMoody complete with a round-up of this week's CDFA hearing. We get a drop-in from Tony Raimondo with a COVID-19 labor update, and we round out the episode with our friend and member, Tessa Hall, who candidly shares about the legal battle her family dairy has been in with the city of Corcoran for the past 5 years. For resources mentioned in the episode, please use and share the links below: Cal-OSHA Consultation Service...
Oct 03, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Episode 25 is full of late-summer updates for producers to absorb while they put in tractor hours harvesting, fertilizing and planting this weekend. Annie brings us a robust market update, complete with some quota/CDFA hearing news, we chat with Cody Nicholson-Stratton, WUD board member and California Cattle Council (CCC) Vice-Chair, to update listeners on what CCC has been up to this summer, and we re-run Paul Sousa's weekly "WUD Kitchen Table Webinar" which discusses the important information ...
Sep 26, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 25
This week we start, as is tradition, with a market update from the amazing Annie AcMoody, who also brings us a last minuet, very exciting announcement from USDA regarding the renewal of the CFAP program. Annie's good news is followed by a quick roundup from this week's board meeting with WUD Board President Devin Gioletti, special guest Dr. Michael Payne from UC Davis/CDQAP joins us with some some valuable information about employee/livestock safety in light of the smokey skies, and information ...
Sep 19, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 24
An episode jam-packed with information for producers. Today we're joined by co-host extraordinaire, Annie AcMoody. In addition to helping carry the torch this week, Annie brings us an update from Chrurchill Downs and the dairy markets, Paul Sousa provides info on lagoon issues in Merced County, Anja gives us the 4-1-1 on Prop 15 and WUD's involvement in the issue, and Dairyman/Volunteer Firefighter Rick Nicholson brings us some tips and tricks for dairies to prepare for unexpected emergencies. E...
Sep 12, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 23
WUD economist Annie AcMoody brings us this weeks' Market Update, Jason Bryant, director of Legislative Affairs, fills us in on the end of the 2020 legislative session, Rashell Segura gives us the run-down on what's up with LUC. We round out this week's episode with WUD member John Bucher of Healdsburg, CA who has been in the red zone of California's wildfire situation for the past 4 fire seasons.
Sep 05, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 22
We kick of Episode 21 with a PRB update and market report from Annie AcMoody, Paul Sousa shares a special alert for producers who are dealing with repercussions of last weeks' heat wave, and this week we switch up our content a bit with special guests Christine Forster and Chris DiGiovanni of PG&E for a long-form discussion on the many programs PG&E offers to their agriculture customers, specifically dairy producers. We cover safety, Bio-Methane partnerships, how dairies can prepare for ...
Aug 29, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 21
This week's episode features our industry partner and friend Denise Mullinax with an update from CDRF and CDQAP, Annie joins us for the latest on the markets and California's quota system, and Melissa and Darby talk farmer mental health amid one of the most stressful weeks California Dairymen have faced in 2020 (and that's saying something!).
Aug 22, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 20
We have a full episode to round out this HOT week in California! Annie checks in with a market update and some PPD news, Anja brings us some good news out of Sacramento this week with the advance of AB 890, the defeat of AB 2959, and gives us the latest update on the chess game that is California Quota, we hear from member and delegate Zach Cahill of Cahill Dairy in Ferndale, and we round out the episode with some very special guests, John Talbot and Jennifer Giambroni of the CMAB, to roll out t...
Aug 15, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 19
A little bit of a light week for a change! Annie AcMoody brings us up to date on all the pieces of the Quota puzzle, plus delivers a bit more of a relaxed market update this week. Paul Sousa joins Melissa for a reminder on fall preparation best management practices, and Rashell has an update from LUC. We wrap this week with a common labor question we’ve been getting.
Aug 08, 2020•40 min•Season 1Ep. 18
