Feeding time in the free stall heifer barns at Brubaker Farms, which is both a diary and green energy producer in Mount Joy, PA on March 19, 2011. The family farm owned by Luke, Mike and Tony Brubaker has approximately 850 cows and 700 young stock, producing 20,200,000 pounds of milk last year. It has 13 full-time employees and more than 1,500 acres of farmland. Their methane digester was made possible with a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant that provided a cost-share of the digester purchase. It can handle more than 41,859 metric tons of organic waste, to capture methane gas that fuels a low emission generator producing 225 kW. This powers the digester itself and farm operations. Excess power is sold to the local power grid, allowing the community to benefit from a green energy source. After producing methane, effluent from the digester is pressed to separate liquid and solid materials. The farm uses the liquids in fertilizer; and solids become the cows’ bedding for Brubaker and other local farms, that is cleaner than sawdust. The bedding saves the farm approximately $30,000 per year. Mount Joy residents can enjoy the fact that the process removes 90% of the odor from the cow manure. The methane itself is odorless and colorless. The system can accept an additional 2,600 gallons of food waste per day from local sources that would otherwise dispose of it in a local landfill. Additionally, their nutrient credits can be sold to the local municipality to help it to meet federal requirements and to keep sewer bills from rising. This provides additional revenue for the farm, and creates environmentally friendly community partnerships. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.Despite a rising number of bird flu outbreaks in California dairy herds, the USDA remains confident it can eradicate the virus. California reports 137 of the 339 infected dairy herds to date. This is 40% of the cases in the U.S. Over the last 30 days, the state accounts for 97 of the 101 outbreaks across the states. Of the 30 people infected, 15 were dairy workers in California.

USDA bird flu adviser Eric Deeble points to successes in isolating herds to prevent the spread of the disease. He added that two field trials for potential bird flu vaccines for dairy cattle are underway and more companies are expected to conduct similar research.

California has experienced significantly higher death rates among dairy cattle than the 1% to 2% documented in other states earlier this year. Deeble explained there is no evidence that the virus is acting differently. A heat wave in California that put additional stress on the livestock could be a contributing factor.

Read more about the USDA effort to eradicate bird flu in the dairy herds here.