Posted: January 31, 2009 at 4:14 pm
By Chuck
I had the pleasure this morning of conducting the first interview with the new Chairman of the Beef Board. She’s dairy producer, Lucinda Williams. The Board releases some background information on Linda which I’m sharing with you here.
Lucinda’s roots to the beef industry date back to life growing up as the daughter of a Colorado cowboy and rancher. Lucinda’s father raised cattle in Holly, Colo., and also grew sugar beets. Early in her parents’ marriage, they made the choice to put farming on hold for a while and go back to school. Her father got involved with the Extension Service and never did make it back to the land full time. Instead, he became a professor and worked for the extension service. They lived in Virginia until Lucinda was a teen, at which time they moved to Massachusetts and their current home of Hatfield. “Even though we didn’t live on a farm, we still had a 5-acre garden,” jokes Lucinda.
After moving to Massachusetts, the first family to invite them to dinner was the Williams family who had a dairy farm in town. That’s how she met Darryl and 25 years of marriage later, she would pick him again. At the time, she thought that she was marrying a teacher but soon after their engagement, Darryl realized teaching just wasn’t for him – agriculture was in his blood – he had to give back to the land.
So Lucinda was the one to return to the farm. Darryl is the 12th generation on their land, which came down through his mother’s family. Over the years, the land has been used for a sheep operation, onions, tobacco and cucumbers. It was Darryl’s father who married into the family and introduced dairy.
“Dairy farming is hard. You don’t go into it for the time off or the money, you do it because you love the animals and the lifestyle,” says Lucinda. “There was never any pressure from family for us to take over the farm. It came down to our love for farming and that outweighed all else. It’s still quite evident it’s a family trait: Darryl’s dad still helps with chores and plants corn, while his mom still does the daily feeding of calves in the morning.”
Lucinda and Darryl milk 100 cows with a total of 200 animals with replacements. They crop 250 acres (own 180, rent the rest), raising corn, alfalfa and hay. In her part of the country, farmland is small and spread out with their biggest field sizing in at just 22 acres.
“The reality is, even though we live in a quiet, rural town,” continues Lucinda, “we farm on a residential street.”
You can listen to my interview with Lucinda here: cic-09-williams-chairman.mp3
Feel free to check out my Cattle Industry Convention photos here: Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album
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Posted: January 31, 2009 at 3:47 pm
By Chuck
At this year’s Cattle Industry Forum which is held at the Cattle Industry Convention, we heard from three speakers starting with Kevin Good, CattleFax.
He made a presentation about the importance of dairy breeds to beef production and the size of herds and the trends for dairy cattle numbers including changes around the country on a regional basis.
He talks about how 2008 was another expansion year in the dairy business but that he doesn’t think the 5-year trend will continue. He also addresses the need to reduce dairy cow numbers.
You can listen to Kevin’s presentation here: cic-09-good.mp3
I was the Beef Board Blogger once again this year and have posted a lot of content on BeefBoardMeeting.com, the official blog of the Beef Board on which you can find all the committee meeting agendas, minutes, pictures, interviews. I created an online photo album from the convention which concludes today which you can find here: Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album
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Posted: January 31, 2009 at 11:43 am
By Chuck
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Block and barrel cheese prices strengthened the last week of January. The block price closed Friday morning at $1.15 per pound, up 7 1/2-cents on the week, 2 cents above support, but 65 cents below that week a year ago when blocks jumped 15 cents, to $1.80. Barrel finished the final week of January at $1.1150, up 1 1/2-cents on the week, but 66 1/2 below a year ago.
Forty one cars of block traded hands on the week and five of barrel. The NASS surveyed U.S. average block price fell to $1.1529, down 7 cents. Barrel averaged $1.1330, down 13 cents.
Butter closed Friday at $1.1025, unchanged on the week but 12 cents below a year ago. Only one car was sold on the week. NASS butter averaged $1.0724, down a half-cent. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged 82.77 cents, down 0.3 cent, and dry whey averaged 16.59 cents, also down 0.3 cent.
Price support purchases for the week amounted to 600,000 pounds of butter and 8.1 million pounds of nonfat powder, raising the market year’s cumulative totals to 2.1 million and 150.1 million pounds respectively.
Provided courtesy of Dairyline.
Posted: January 30, 2009 at 6:08 pm
By News Editor
No matter who you’re cheering for, make sure you have your milk on Superbowl Sunday! Click here to see behind-the-scenes video and photos.
Posted: January 30, 2009 at 5:56 pm
By News Editor
National Dairy Week 2009, the celebration of dairy and its health and nutritional benefits for people of all ages, is being welcomed by leaders across the UK. The week starts on February 2nd.
Jane Kennedy, Minister for Farming and the Environment, said: “UK dairy farmers are doing great work often in very tough circumstances. National Dairy Week is an excellent opportunity for all of us to celebrate the industry’s many achievements. They produce high quality milk, yoghurt, cheese and butter which are important to our diet, whilst cutting the environmental impact of the industry through the pioneering dairy roadmap.”
Dr Judith Bryans, Director of the Dairy Council and Registered Nutritionist, whose organisation initiated the week, said: “The Dairy Council is proud to champion National Dairy Week, which we have organised as a dedicated time to focus on the positives about dairy. Dairy foods are an economical source of nutrition and have contributed greatly to the British diet throughout the centuries. National Dairy Week gives us the opportunity to talk about the goodness of dairy foods, and to celebrate the role of dairy in British history, as well as the role The Dairy Council has played over the years, albeit under different names, in promoting milk, cheese and yogurt as part of a healthy balanced diet.”
Posted: January 29, 2009 at 9:04 pm
By News Editor
Despite the price of milk “thoroughly collapsing” in the past few months, Leprino Foods of Denver has not changed plans to build a new cheese plant in Greeley. And when complete, it will be the second largest of the nine plants the company has in the U.S., a Leprino official said Wednesday.
Mike Reidy, senior vice president of business development for Leprino said the new plant will be operating in 2011. Once at full capacity, perhaps a year or so later, it will need 7 million pounds of milk per day, more than double the need in Fort Morgan, and will employ 500 people. Today, Colorado dairies produce about 7 million pounds per day.
Leprino is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the country for the quick-service restaurant business. In addition to plants in Colorado, it operates facilities in Minnesota, New Mexico, Nebraska, California and the United Kingdom.
Leprino gets all of its milk from Dairy Farmers of America, a cooperative that includes most Colorado dairies. In addition to mozzarella cheese it provides as diced and shredded product, it produces whey and lactose products, which it also will do at the Greeley plant. The plant is being built at the site of the former Western Sugar Factory on the east side of the city.
“We and the dairy industry are facing unbelievable challenges,” Reidy said, noting the recent drop in the price of milk is another sign of the nation’s declining economy.
Adding to the problems are declining exports, food safety crises — such as the recent salmonella bacteria found in some peanut products — that have eroded consumer confidence, and other factors, such as McDonald’s removing a second piece of cheese from its cheeseburgers. “There was no home for that cheese,” Reidy said.
Australia and New Zealand, however, have had drought conditions that have driven those markets to the United States. Other countries face land problems, political unrest and a myriad of other problems. Because of that, the “United States is well-positioned to supply the world,” Reidy said. He sees this country as the “last bastion of milk producers in the world.” And, he said, it will be the dairy industry of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Texas and New Mexico “that will drive us to better economics. That’s why we’re building a new plant.”
Posted: January 28, 2009 at 9:04 pm
By News Editor
Well-known former Holstein World editor Robert M. “Whitey” McKown died on January 23 in Doylestown, Pa. at the age of 82 following complications from a heart attack. An icon in the Holstein industry, he had traveled to 40 states, Canada, Mexico and Japan during his career which spanned 43 years working with Holstein World readers, advertisers and fellow Holstein enthusiasts. He was an editor of the Pennsylvania Holstein News and Holstein World from 1960 until his retirement in 1999. In 1995, he was named Dairy Industry Person of the Year at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. and in 2005 he was named New York Master Breeder. Whitey was a favorite master of ceremonies at Holstein industry events.
He was born in 1926 to Paul and Florence Swank McKown in Apollo, Pa. He was a member of Apollo High School class of 1944 and Pennsylvania State University class of 1950 where he played varsity basketball. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. as a cryptographer 1944-46. He was a 50 year member of the Masons (32nd degree), China-Burma-India Veterans Assn., Sandy Creek United Methodist Church, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Klussendorf Assn., Dairy Shrine (President 1986-87), Holstein Assn. in several states. Formerly he served as Boy Scout Troop 30 Committee Chairman, President of the Sandy Creek Service Club, and coached Little League.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, the former Jeanne Young, sons Robert (Sandra) of Brevard, NC, Christopher (Abby Johnson) of Milton, MA and daughter Susan Holihan (Russ) of Doylestown, PA and five granddaughters. His parents and brother, Paul, predeceased him.
Calling hours will be at 3:00 PM Saturday, January 31 at Doylestown United Methodist Church, 320 East Swamp Road, Doylestown, PA, followed by a memorial service at 4:00 PM. A memorial service will be held in Sandy Creek at a later date.
Contributions may be made to Sandy Creek United Methodist Church, Box 158, Sandy Creek, NY 13145; or to the “Whitey McKown Fund” which will be used to grant an annual award for excellence in Holstein breeding (mail to Horace Backus, Box 69, Mexico, NY 13114).
Posted: January 28, 2009 at 8:29 pm
By News Editor
Check out the newly redesigned Holstein Association USA Web site. The new site is more member-friendly, having received a complete overhaul, with the goal of allowing members to access information and do business more easily.
Members will still have access to all of the features that they have in the past – the ability to order pedigrees, search for information on animals, view recognition lists, and download the latest genetic information. All of the menus and pages of information have been reorganized to provide easier, more intuitive navigation.
“The biggest change in the site will be the more user-friendly interface, which will allow members to access the information that they are looking for quickly and easily,” said Lindsey Worden, Communications Manager. “Our aim is to have a Web site that members come to as their first source for information about Holstein cattle and Association news.”
Some exciting new features are also being introduced. Members will have the option to order their official Holstein ear tags online and easily view account information and past orders. Other improvements include the ability to securely manage accounts and pay down account balances online, a site search function, and links to the most popular pages and lists right on the homepage.
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 8:30 pm
By News Editor
Students in kindergarten through college can enter the National Farm to School Program “Real Food is…” video contest through Feb. 8. The contest is intended to inform, inspire and encourage student advocacy to connect community, food, land and physical environment through Farm-to-Cafeteria programs. The winning videos will be prominently posted on YouTube in the spring and the winning directors will receive $1,000 for their cafeteria projects.
To enter the contest, students must create a 30-second to 3-minute video, completing the phrase, “Real food is…” while addressing:
* What real food means to them.
* How does what we eat affect our culture, health, economy, or environment?
* Why should your school cafeteria start or continue buying local foods?
The contest is sponsored by Action for Healthy Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes in schools. Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and the National Dairy Council® are proud partners of the program.
Nutrition experts warn that Americans are overweight yet undernourished. To help get balanced nutrition in their diets, children are encouraged to eat adequate quantities of nutrient-rich foods – especially those foods from the Dietary Guidelines’ “Food Groups to Encourage”: including lowfat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The Farm to School program brings nourishing foods from local farmers to school children.
Posted: January 27, 2009 at 8:22 pm
By News Editor
The California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK?, has joined forces with children’s culinary schools statewide to uncover the delicious possibilities of nutritious foods like milk and vegetables — foods essential for healthy growth and development. The recipes developed by the children’s culinary schools have been outlined exclusively online.
The partnerships with Piccolo Chef in Culver City, Captain Cook’s Culinary for Kids in San Diego and Sacramento Culinary Center & Showroom yielded palate-pleasing, nutrient-rich recipes, like melt-in-your-mouth meatballs and creamy Nutty McButternut Squash Soup.
“Nutrition is a priority for parents,” says Steve James, the executive director of the CMPB. “By creating this partnership with children’s culinary schools, we’re offering parents recipes that go beyond hot dogs and pizzas. By instilling an appreciation of milk and nutritious foods at a young age, we can ensure that young people will have the nutrients necessary to grow strong and healthy.”
Chefs from throughout the Golden State agree that children can grow to like foods like spinach, broccoli and low-fat milk if they are incorporated into tasty dishes, sauces, and soups. Another tip: Get kids in the kitchen where they will experience the colors and aromas of food. Some studies show that involving kids in meal preparation makes them more likely to try new foods.
“We don’t believe in hiding the vegetables,” says Tina Fanelli Moraccini, of children’s culinary school Piccolo Chef. “But you do have to be creative. Children should be involved in the cooking process that way they feel it with their hands, see it with their eyes, smell it with their nose, cook it and eat it.”
All of GOT MILK?’s picky eaters’ recipes include low-fat milk to boost children’s calcium intake and to allow them to enjoy milk in different ways. The fact is the majority of children aren’t getting the calcium necessary for growth and to stay healthy. National Institutes of Health reports more than 90 percent of girls and 75 percent of boys ages 9 to 13 have inadequate calcium intake.
Posted: January 26, 2009 at 7:34 pm
By News Editor
With a new leadership team arriving this past week in the White House, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today urged that they turn immediate attention to helping dairy farmers weather the crushing collapse in dairy prices.
“The plight of dairy farmers is just part of the overall ongoing story of the global recession, but it also needs to be the focus of the new Congress and the new Obama Administration,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. “Given the suddenness and severity of the plunge in farm-level milk prices, a significant number of farmers won’t survive the winter with the prices they’re receiving.” Kozak noted that farm-level milk prices in February will be nearly 50% less than at the beginning of 2008, even though farmers’ input costs, including feed and fuel, are still above historic averages.
Contrary to rumors that NMPF has been seeking some sort of government dairy cow buyout in the pending stimulus package, Kozak said that NMPF remains focused on utilizing its six year-old Cooperatives Working Together program as the primary means to manage the dairy supply. CWT is a farmer-funded, self-help program that helps balance supply with demand. Kozak said that CWT is in the process of obtaining a line of credit with a major agricultural lender to help it augment its efforts in 2009, making a government loan guarantee unnecessary.
Kozak said that NMPF had already taken a series of steps to focus the attention of policymakers on the dairy crisis. These include:
Offering the USDA a list of actions it can take immediately to help producer prices, such as making it easier for cheese makers to sell products to the USDA under the dairy product price support program, using more dairy foods in government feeding programs, and resurrecting the dormant Dairy Export Incentive Program to boost overseas sales of U.S. products. That letter was sent Jan. 8th to outgoing Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer. Kozak said newly-approved Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack should consider the letter’s recommendations, especially since the proposals are ones that USDA should be able to implement quickly.
Urging the USDA to ensure the maximum flexibility for dairy producers to choose the months they wish to receive their Milk Income Loss Contract payments. NMPF believed the USDA was sending confusing, arbitrary and overly-restrictive information to farmers about the parameters of choosing direct payments, and in a letter earlier this month, urged the department to reconsider its approach. USDA has subsequently sent clarifying instructions to its state and country offices to ensure that farmers are afforded more flexibility in signing up for the MILC program. Kozak said that the MILC program will begin issuing payments to producers on their February milk production, and thus getting the program operating correctly is of critical importance;
Preventing the agency from selling nonfat dry milk powder at prices lower than specified in the dairy product price support program. NMPF initiated legal action last month to stop the USDA from using a third-party auction service to sell the powder. The USDA subsequently dropped those plans, ending the need for further litigation by NMPF.
Posted: January 26, 2009 at 7:28 pm
By News Editor
Dairy industry leaders from around the country will converge on the Omni Interlocken Resort Hotel in Broomfield, Colo., just north of Denver, from Sunday, April 19 through Tuesday, April 21 for the 2009 National Dairy Leaders Conference (NDLC).
The NDLC provides a forum for key players in the dairy industry to facilitate discussion and interaction as participants examine key challenges and opportunities facing dairy producers and marketers. Dairy producers, cooperative executives and directors, processors, dairy suppliers and consultants, state and federal regulators, promotion organization executives, and academics are all invited to attend.
Program topics will include discussions about the increasing focus on product traceability, the possibility of changing the way milk is priced going into cheese, whey, butter, and powder, and first-person experiences of dairy producers who operate manure digesters. DMI will also host a presentation on future innovation for the U.S. dairy industry.
Program highlights will include:
Outlook for the Dairy Economy – As 2009 shapes up to be one of the toughest years on record for dairy producers, speakers will discuss how producers can deal with the collapse in milk prices, volatile grain prices, the credit crunch, and high energy costs.
Farm Labor Availability and Immigration Policy – This panel will examine the outlook for immigration policy developments in the coming year as dairy producers struggle to find and keep an adequate workforce.
Dairy Exports in Challenging Times – U.S. dairy trade officials and consultants will analyze how the global dairy market has changed dramatically in less than a year and how U.S. companies can respond to softening international markets.
Impact of Increased Spotlight on Animal Care – This session will look at anti-animal agriculture activist attacks on industry practices and technology, and the best way for the industry to respond, such as through the newly announced National Dairy FARM Program. Dairy FARM, or Farmers Assuring Responsible Management, will help demonstrate the industry’s commitment to the highest levels of animal care and quality assurance.
Climate Change Legislation – Speakers from Capitol Hill and regulatory agencies will examine the various options under consideration by Congress and the Obama Administration to control greenhouse gases and reduce global warming, and discuss which might be best for dairy producers.
Posted: January 24, 2009 at 7:48 pm
By Chuck
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Cash block cheese closed the Martin Luther King Day-holiday shortened week up a half-cent to $1.0750 per pound, but 57 1/2-cents below a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.10, up a penny on the week but 65 cents below a year ago. Twenty one cars of block traded hands and one of barrel. The NASS U.S. average block price fell to $1.2230, down 12.4 cents. Barrel averaged $1.2630, down 1.7 cents.
Butter closed Friday at $1.1025, down a penny on the week, and 13 cents below a year ago. Eight cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.0772, down 4.2 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged 83.12 cents, down 0.4 cent. Dry whey averaged 16.92 cents, down 0.2 cent.
Price support purchases for the week included 7.7 million pounds of nonfat dry milk and 1.1 million of butter, raising the cumulative totals to 142 million and 1.5 million respectively. USDA announced that it will not use a private third party to resell nonfat dry milk purchased under the price support program as was announced in early December. National Milk has thus withdrawn its legal challenge to the earlier announcement.
Provided courtesy of Dairyline.
Posted: January 22, 2009 at 8:44 pm
By News Editor
“YES PECAN!” An Inspirational Blend of Amber Waves of Buttery Ice Cream With Roasted Non-Partisan Pecans is a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with a purpose. Customers who purchase the flavor at scoop shops during the month of January, will help Ben & Jerry’s who is donating the proceeds to the Common Cause Education Fund.
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process. They are committed to honest, open and accountable government, as well as encouraging citizen participation in democracy. Their Education Fund conducts research, education, and outreach activities.
In addition to the flavor in Scoop Shops, for every person who joins Common Cause or donates $1 to the Common Cause Education Fund, Ben & Jerry’s will also donate $1. Visit their Facebook page to learn more.
Posted: January 21, 2009 at 6:02 pm
By News Editor
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) have announced the introduction of the National Dairy FARM Program: Farmers Assuring Responsible Management. A joint effort of the two organizations, Dairy FARM has been formed to bolster consumer trust and confidence in the U.S. dairy industry and demonstrate the industry’s commitment to the highest levels of animal care and quality assurance.
“Increasingly, consumers want to purchase products from sources they can trust to do the right thing,” said Jerry Kozak, president and chief executive officer of NMPF. “The National Dairy FARM Program was established to enhance the trust our industry has with consumers and demonstrate the commitment producers have to animal care and the production of wholesome products.”
According to Kozak, Dairy FARM’s first step in reaching this goal will be to introduce a national on-farm animal well-being program and make it available to all producers. The Dairy FARM animal well-being program will be consistent with the National Dairy Animal Well-Being Initiative’s (NDAWI) principles and guidelines. NDAWI is a producer-led effort to build consumer trust and confidence in the dairy industry’s commitment to animal well-being. More information on the NDAWI principles and guidelines can be found at www.dairywellbeing.org.
To accomplish this, NMPF and DMI are revising its “Caring for Dairy Animals” manual by incorporating the principles and guidelines into the new program. The “Caring for Dairy Animals” manual includes best management practices for a variety of animal care issues including animal health and on-farm environment, facilities/housing, nutrition, equipment/milking procedures, transportation and handling, and more. The manual will be updated to reflect current animal-health practices, innovations and technology.
The long-term plan of the Dairy FARM animal well-being program will be announced later this year. Co-ops and processors may choose to participate in the program to bring consistency to dairy animal care nationwide. NMPF and DMI will work with co-ops, processors and state and regional dairy producer organizations to implement it.
In order enhance the program’s validity, NMPF and DMI are also working together to develop third-party program verification to assure credibility and effectiveness. Additional Dairy FARM initiatives designed to assure the quality, safety and wholesomeness of dairy products will be introduced in the future.
NMPF and DMI have assembled an advisory panel to help guide the overall direction of Dairy FARM. The panel is comprised of dairy experts and industry professionals representing many facets of the industry. Members of the Dairy FARM advisory panel include:
* Stan Andre, California Milk Advisory Board
* Marguerite Copel, Dean Foods
* John Frey, Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence
* Mary Kamm, Safeway Inc.
* John Kennedy, Kraft Foods
* Shelly Mayer, Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin
* Dr. M. Gatz Riddell, American Association of Bovine Practitioners
* Allen Sayler, International Dairy Foods Association
* Lynn Schmoe, Washington Dairy Products Commission
Posted: January 21, 2009 at 5:56 pm
By News Editor
The U.S. Senate confirmed former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as U.S. agriculture secretary on Tuesday, a job he plans to use to promote renewable energy including biofuels and put healthier food in America’s school meals.
Vilsack was among five of President Obama’s cabinet nominees to be approved on a unanimous vote a couple of hours after Obama took office. A lawyer, Vilsack has no direct experience in agriculture but during two terms as Iowa governor, ending in 2006, was active on agricultural issues.
With 100,000 employees, the Agriculture Department has a portfolio that ranges from antihunger programs like food stamps to running the national forests, paying crop subsidies, promoting farm exports, aiding rural economic development and directing agricultural research.
As secretary, Vilsack, 57, will face two tasks immediately — working with Congress to renew USDA’s child nutrition programs, which cost more than $15 billion a year, and deciding whether to tighten USDA’s eligibility rules for farm subsidies.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Vilsack said the child nutrition programs, which include school lunch and breakfast, could be a tool for ending childhood hunger by 2015, a goal set by Obama. He said he wanted to bring more fruits and vegetables into schools and more locally grown food.
The related Women, Infants and Children feeding program, costing $6 billion a year, also needs reauthorization this year.
Obama has backed a $250,000-a-year “hard” cap on crop subsidies “so we help family farmers” and closing loopholes that allow “megafarms to get around payment limits.”
Posted: January 20, 2009 at 7:17 pm
By News Editor
Congratulations to Roger Scheibe who is the new Director of Industry Outreach for the Midwest Dairy Association in South Dakota. Scheibe’s new position includes serving South Dakota dairy producers through a variety of industry programs and activities conducted by the farmer-funded promotion organization. Scheibe will facilitate the South Dakota Division Board as well. He will also lead Midwest Dairy Association’s sustainability initiatives across the organization’s nine-state area.
Scheibe has a long history of working with the dairy industry in South Dakota, including serving as Director of the Agricultural Services Division and Administrator of the Office of Dairy Inspection at the South Dakota Department of Agriculture. Later, he led the Department’s dairy development efforts. He also was the Dairy Services Director at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and was most recently Vice President of Dairy/Ag Business Development at First Bank and Trust in Brookings.
Scheibe is a graduate of South Dakota State University in Dairy Manufacturing and was raised on a South Dakota dairy farm.
Posted: January 20, 2009 at 6:57 pm
By News Editor
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is once again encouraging dairy producers to help “Shape the Future of Dairy” by participating in the 2009 Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board director elections.
Each year, a portion of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) 25-member board is elected to three-year terms. WMMB directors guide the organization’s financial affairs, formulate and set WMMB policies, approve the organization’s mission and serve on one of two committees – Channel Management or Communications. All directors must be active dairy producers who sell milk into commercial channels and live in the district where they are nominated.
In 2009, eight districts are up for election. Those districts and their respective WMMB incumbent directors are listed below:
* District 2 – Florence, Forest, Langlade, Marinette, Oconto, Vilas (incumbent Connie Seefeldt)
* District 5 – Dunn, St. Croix (incumbent Kay Zwald)
* District 8 – Marathon County (incumbent Steven Sternweis)
* District 11 – Outagamie, Winnebago Counties (incumbent Robert Letter)
* District 14 – Jackson, La Crosse, Trempealeau Counties (incumbent Pat Kling)
* District 17 – Calumet, Manitowoc Counties (incumbent Rosalie Geiger)
* District 20 – Richland, Sauk Counties (incumbent Sharon Laubscher)
* District 23 – Iowa, Lafayette Counties (incumbent Jay Stauffacher)
Posted: January 20, 2009 at 6:41 pm
By News Editor
AgriLabs introduces First Arrival® with Encrypt™, a paste that enhances the natural immunity of beef and dairy calves, bolstering their immune protection and helping them cope with scours.
“First Arrival is specially formulated for newborn calves, and contains targeted egg-yolk proteins that help combat eight common scour-causing pathogens,” says William Vaughn, AgriLabs business unit manager. “It also contains lactic-acid-producing bacteria and other ingredients that provide additional nutrients.
“In addition, First Arrival contains Encrypt, a unique carbon extract with antimicrobial properties that decreases scour-causing pathogens and promotes growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract,” Vaughn continues.
Calves are born with naïve immune systems in environments that are filled with disease-causing pathogens. They only are able to fight these pathogens because of the passive transfer they receive from maternal antibodies in colostrum. The passive transfer must happen within 24 hours of birth; after that, they can no longer can absorb large proteins like immunoglobulins (antibodies), even though it takes weeks for their own immune systems to fully develop. Unless an animal gets enough high-quality colostrum at the right time, it likely will have an immunity gap.
“Although maternal colostrum is the ideal source of antibodies to combat these pathogens, the reality is that not all colostrum is of high quality and not every calf gets enough,” says Roger Winter, DVM, AgriLabs technical services veterinarian. “Scours are the leading cause of sickness in newborn calves1, and First Arrival can help overcome the immunity gap, decreasing the risk of disease and death.”
First Arrival paste for calves is available in boxes of 12 60-gram, dial-a-dose tubes. Administer 20 grams for mild scours, 40 grams for moderate scours and 60 grams for severe scours. It is highly palatable, easy to use, maintains effectiveness even when stored for long periods of time, and does not require a withdrawal period.
Posted: January 16, 2009 at 1:24 pm
By Chuck
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Cash cheese saw some ups and downs the second week of 2009 as it awaited Friday afternoon’s release of preliminary December milk production data and got word that the European Union is restarting its dairy export subsidies, something that will surely have repercussions on the world dairy market.
The CME block price inched higher on Monday, then saw three days of losses, but ended Friday on an up note and closed at $1.07 per pound, down a quarter-cent on the week, and 58 cents below that week a year ago when the blocks tumbled 20 cents, to $1.65.
Barrel closed Friday at $1.09, up 2 cents on the week, but 71 1/4-cents below a year ago. Nineteen cars of block traded hands on the week and 13 of barrel. The NASS U.S. average block price fell to $1.3471, down 13.1 cents. Barrel averaged $1.2804, down 15.7 cents.
Provided courtesy of Dairyline.
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