World Dairy Diary

The Snodgrass family operates O & W Dairy, milking 500 cows and farming 2,100 acres. The family began milking cows in 1966, and since then has achieved numerous production and quality awards. They frequently host tours, and both Warren and Merry have played an active role in community and dairy activities.

The Serrs operate Sandhill Dairy. Tom and his wife, Tammi, have been active in the Young Cooperator program of Dairy Farmers of America, and he is an assistant football coach at Burke High School. Todd has been involved with showing cattle and is a director with the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, while Travis serves as a deputy sheriff in Gregory County and sits on the Burke school board.

The candidates and their representing districts:

District 1-Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Rusk, Sawyer and Washburn Counties
Candidate: Benjamin J. Peterson of Grantsburg

District 4- Barron and Polk Counties
Candidate: Lyle K. Jensen of Amery

District 7- Clark County
Candidate: David Bangart of Greenwood
Candidate: Bill Herr of Greenwood

District 10-Brown, Door and Kewaunee Counties
Candidate: John Pagel of Kewaunee

District 13-Buffalo, Pierce and Pepin Counties
Candidate: Lanette Harsdorf of Beldenville

District 16-Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Marquette Counties
Candidate: Kelly Rickert of Eldorado
Candidate: David Schmitz of Fond du Lac

District 19-Columbia and Dodge Counties
Candidate: Sarah E. Lloyd of Wisconsin Dells
Candidate: Michael Zastrow of Mayville

District 22-Grant County
Candidate: Mary Wackershauser of Lancaster

This is a full-time position based in the Reynoldsburg, Ohio office, requiring constant, nationwide travel. The position description has been posted on the USJersey web site. Benefits include health and life insurance, and 401k plan.

Persons with degrees or equivalent experience in dairy or animal science, agricultural marketing or ag business are encouraged to apply. In-depth knowledge of the Jersey breed, genetic and performance evaluation tools, and dairy cattle management are essential. Excellent organizational and computer skills are required, as are superior public speaking and writing skills.

Submit letter of application and résumé to Neal Smith, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, National All-Jersey Inc. 6486 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068-2362. Applications may also be submitted by fax at 614.861.8040 or by email with “JMS Manager” in the Subject Line of the message.

Mooney’s chairman’s report included an update on DFA’s work with National Milk Producers Federation on the Foundation for the Future policy proposal. His presentation also focused on the work DFA has done on important issues facing the industry, including immigration, animal care and wellness, and environmental policy and stewardship.

Then, President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Smith provided the annual president’s report, delivering a recap of the Cooperative’s business during the past year. He discussed how events and market conditions around the world are affecting the U.S. dairy industry in general and DFA specifically, as well as a sharpened focus on growing the Cooperative’s commercial businesses and enhancing valuable farm services for members.

At the Annual Banquet Tuesday evening, the 2011 Members of Distinction were introduced. Each year, the Cooperative honors one member farm from each of DFA’s seven regional Areas demonstrating exemplary vision, leadership and innovation in the dairy industry. The 2011 honorees are: Dykshorn Holsteins, Sioux Center, Iowa; Spring-Run Farms, Shreve, Ohio; Graff Brothers Dairy, Delta, Colo.; Heritage Hill Farm, Lacona, N.Y.; Mayer Farms, Sand Hill and 76 Holsteins, Newberry, S.C.; Hinders Dairy, Canyon, Texas; and Vander Schaaf Dairies, Escalon, Calif.

The 2011 scholarship recipients also were announced at the banquet. Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students pursuing a career in the dairy industry. This year’s recipients are: Abigail Andrew, Springville, N.Y.; Justin Bowles, Preston, Idaho; Lisa Lageschaar, Pickton, Texas; Karessa Mann, Hilmar, Calif.; Amanda Moretti, Petaluma, Calif.; Katharine Nye, Delta, Utah; Megan Rice, Firth, Neb.; Bill Squire, Hagerman, N.M.; Justin Squire, Hagerman, N.M.; Laura Stockwell, Hudson, Ind.; Meghan Vaill, Vernon, N.Y.; Emily Waggoner, Pendleton, S.C.; Roxanne Wallace, Tipton, Kan.; and Luke Zeisler, Butte, Neb.

In addition, outgoing Board directors were recognized for their contributions to the Cooperative during the banquet. They are Urban Mescher, Maria Stein, Ohio; Ron Pietersma, Chino, Calif.; Eugene Robertson, Pine Grove, La.; Rod Wenstrom, Fergus Falls, Minn.; and Tom Woods, Gage, Okla.

In the Smear-Ripened Semi-Soft Cheeses Category, Crave Brothers Les Frères took the Third Place Honors. The rich rind-washed cheese is characterized by its earthy, fruity flavor. Les Frères makes a simple yet sensational presentation when served with fruits, bread and wine. This is the eleventh award the cheese has received.

The Crave Brothers—Charles, George, Tom and Mark— produce their artisan quality cheese at a farmstead cheese factory on their state-of-the-art family farm. The farm emphasizes conservation and sustainable practices.

In 2011, CWT has assisted members in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gouda cheese totaling 8,874 metric tons (19.6 million pounds) to 16 countries on three continents.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term and long-term by helping member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products.

“Obie Snider was the consummate dairy leader, setting a high bar for the industry and for the All-American Dairy Show,” said acting Agriculture Secretary George Greig. “We invite nominations for the award based on Obie’s commitment to strengthening the dairy industry and providing opportunities for youth to succeed as they prepare to be future leaders.”

Past winners of the award are Donald Seipt of Easton, Northampton County; Creedin Cornman of Carlisle, Cumberland County; David Patrick of Woodbine, Md.; Berneta Gable of New Enterprise, Bedford County; Dieter Krieg of Lititz, Lancaster County; George Cashell of Shippensburg, Franklin County; and the 2010 winner John Cope of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County.

February 2011 marked the first full month the wind turbines were online and producing power. Over 769,677 kilowatt hours of electricity were generated, providing 32 percent of the Dairy’s electricity needs for the month.

“We are so excited by our new use of wind power and all the opportunities that reduce our environmental footprint,” said Turkey Hill Dairy President Quintin Frey. “Our support for renewable energy stems from our strong commitment to a sustainable future in Lancaster County and all of the communities we serve across the United States.”

The wind turbine venture is just one of the projects undertaken by the Dairy’s sustainability program instituted in 2003. Program initiatives include waste recycling and reduction, decreases in fuel usage through reduced transportation loads and distances, cuts in packaging material, and the use of steam power, which provides at least 75 percent of the Dairy’s hot water needs.

All the power generated by the twin General Electric wind turbines will be purchased by Turkey Hill Dairy. The turbines were installed on October 28, 2010. After finalizing the installation, the wind turbines officially began producing power on January 10, 2011.

Thirty-three-people work at the plant, which is capable of using 110 million pounds of milk to produce 70 million pounds of yogurt a year. Production is expected to begin within the next few weeks.

Tell us in 300 words or fewer how the farm mom you are nominating contributes to her family, farm, community and agriculture. Ready to nominate your mom? Tell us her story by May 8, 2011. Five regional winners will be announced in mid-May. An online vote will determine the national winner, which will be announced on May 27, 2011.

Prizes: American Agri-Women will select the five regional winners. Each winner will receive a $5,000 prize. The national winner will receive an additional $2,500. To learn more about the regions, view our official contest rules and regulations.

Entries will be judged based on:
Supporting her Family — What makes this mom really special to her family? What attributes are especially appreciated above and beyond all the daily tasks and responsibilities moms perform?

Supporting her Farm — Whether it’s keeping the books or driving a combine, how does the mom play an important role in the success of the family farm?

Vilsack called on the rural telecom execs to ask the same questions and close the deal by saying “Then you might take the time to thank somebody who’s a farmer or rancher in rural America.” NCTA members are in town to push for sensible telecom regulatory reforms. Vilsack called on them to add another message to their meetings here: “We’ve got to make people stop and think that rural America is not somewhere that has no relevance.”

Voicing his signature “importance of rural America” message, Vilsack said “My life, my family’s life depends to a large part on the capacity of rural America to be successful.” He said the country as a whole needs to understand the importance of investing in rural America – as in the case of the $4 billion in new federal funds “to advance telecommunications opportunities in rural America.” He said this $4 billion in stimulus money is “an investment that’s important not just for the folks in rural America, but for all of us. If that farmer doesn’t know how to get good, timely information, he or she may not succeed, that farm may go under, and that’s one more family no longer living in rural America. That creates greater stress on our structures in urban America.”

Hoping to sign up NTCA members to spread the rural message, he told the crowd “any time you have an opportunity to talk to anybody in any position of authority or power, you ought to be talking about the fundamental concept here, which is that rural America matters, it matters, and the rest of the country needs to understand that.”

Vilsack explained “rural America really matters to this country. And I am concerned about the fact that its population is aging and declining, I’m concerned about the fact that per capita income in rural America is about $11,000 less than what folks make in urban and suburban areas, I’m concerned about the fact that 90% of America’s persistent poverty counties are located in this very important place that we all rely on for our food and our fiber and our fuel and for our protection and I’m concerned that we have to have a revitalized rural economy so that young people who genuinely want to live and work and raise their families in the same type of communities that they had the privilege of growing up in have the economic opportunity to be able to do that.”

Matt Espenshade of Evergreen-Valley Farm in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, worked with a consultant to help his family address the future of their farm.

“We realized we needed to make major changes in our dairy operation to remain profitable, but we were unsure of where to start,” Espenshade said. “In working with a dairy decision consultant, we were able to evaluate where our primary bottlenecks were and develop a plan to address our most critical challenges first.”

The consultant will evaluate the farm’s business performance, financial position and cost of production. Together, the families and consultants will explore scenarios for strengthening the farm’s balance sheet and improving financial performance while helping the family identify strategies for making strong future decisions.

“This program allows us to make consulting services available to farms that may not have used consultants or accessed center programs in the past,” said John Frey, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence. “By working with a consultant, farm families can gain outside perspective of their business operation and identify solutions they may not have uncovered on their own.”

To participate in the Dairy Decisions Consultant program, dairy farms must apply and submit with the application a current balance sheet and income statement. All information will be kept confidential. A $250 application fee must also be submitted with the application, which will be returned if the application is not approved.

Producers applying to the program must have a demonstrated need for unique consulting services and show a sincere interest in improving both herd performance and financial position. The program will fund a maximum of 15 hours, or $1,500 of time, for the consultant to spend with each individual farm business.

According to a USDA survey, organic production is poised to grow over the next five years, with more than 78 percent of producers indicating that they plan to maintain or increase production levels.

“Through extensive validation programs in the US and around the world, BiOWiSH™ has proven the ability to reduce sludge by up to 50 percent and significantly reduce odors and emissions by up to 80 percent. These outcomes are particularly important as urban sprawl has put new demands on intensive livestock producers to resolve the issues and resulting complaints,” Smith added.

New Dean-level supporters are the New York Jersey Cattle Club and the South Carolina Jersey Cattle Association.

Memorial contributions honoring James R. Chaney of Bowling Green, Ky., past Director of the AJCA and 2003 recipient of the Master Breeder Award, have been received from Dr. J.J. and Marilyn Malnati, Newberry, S.C.; Dave, Jennifer and Karl Zumbach, Hopkinton, Iowa; Warren County Farm Bureau, Bowling Green, Ky.; Adair County District Cooperative Extension, Columbia, Ky.; Dr. Robert W. and Debra K. Thompson, Franklin, Ky.; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Bellamy III, Bryn Mawr, Penna.; Wickstrom Jersey Farms, Inc., Hilmar, Calif.; Paul C. Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y.; Will Do Jerseys, LLC, Kinards, S.C.; Jerry and Sue Spielman, Seneca, Kans.; Arlene Chamberlain, Wyoming, N.Y.; Mike and Merna Fremstad, Viroqua, Wis.; Danforth Jersey Farm, Jefferson, N.Y.; and David Allen, Reedsburg, Wis.

The campaign’s success would not have been possible without the generous support of the Holstein Foundation board of trustees, the campaign’s honorary chairpersons, Judy and Charles Iager, and of course, the many donors listed below. The Holstein Foundation extends sincere thanks to all industry supporters and would like to recognize the following generous Dairy Leaders for Tomorrow Campaign donors:

Chairman Level
Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc., CA; Holstein Association USA, Inc., VT; Judy and Charles Iager/Maple Lawn Farms, MD

Executive Level
DairyBusiness Communications, NY, and Dean Foods, TX

Ambassador Level
Accelerated Genetics, WI; John and Nancy Bierbaum, MN; Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. P. Conyngham, PA; Calvin Covington, NC; Coldsprings Farms – Hoff Family, MD; Hoard’s Dairyman, WI; Doug and Matilda Maddox Family, CA; John M. and Vicki Meyer, VT; Bonnie Mohr Studio, MN; Pfizer Animal Health, NY; Tom, Linda and Ashley Thorbahn, OH; Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, WI; Charles and Vanessa Worden, NY; World Dairy Expo, Inc., WI

In 2011, CWT has assisted members in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Gouda cheese totaling 8,639 metric tons (19.1 million pounds) to 16 countries on three continents.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term and long-term by helping member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products.

Also serving on the Executive Committee are:
Tom Morris, Tom Morris Ltd., Amery, Wis.; Steve Larson, Hoard’s Dairyman, Fort Atkinson, Wis.; Steve Strickler, Strickler Farms, Iola, Kan.; and Bob Kaiser, University of Wisconsin Extension, Juneau, Wis. Mark Clarke, World Dairy Expo General Manager; and Jeff Lyon, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (WDATCP) serve as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.

Committee Leaders Elected
World Dairy Expo’s Dairy Cattle Show Committee also elected new leaders. Tom Morris of Tom Morris, Ltd, Amery, Wis., will serve as Chair of the committee. He succeeds John Dalton, who provided leadership to the committee for the past four years. Bryan Voegeli of Voegeli Farms, Monticello, Wis., was elected Vice Chair.

The 2011-12 Commercial Exhibitor’s Committee Chair is Dean Hermsdorf of Vita Plus Corporation and Jane Griswold, representing Hoard’s Dairyman, Fort Atkinson, Wis., serves as Vice Chair.

World Dairy Expo’s Board of Directors is composed of a variety of dairy business professionals and producers representing numerous industry organizations. The board was established in 1970 when World Dairy Expo, Inc. was formed.