Northeast

Updated May 17, 2013.

To have your news included here, please send potential news links, press releases, or articles to Dave Natzke at dnatzke@dairybusiness.com.

Poster showcases Pennsylvania dairy farm families

The Center for Dairy Excellence has partnered with the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program and the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association to release a new “Something to Treasure” brochure that showcases the benefits that Pennsylvania dairy farm families bring to their local communities. The attractive 2 ft. by 3 ft. poster complements the Center for Dairy Excellence’s “Something to Treasure” tri-fold brochure, released in 2010 to highlight the economic, environmental and sociological benefits a dairy farm brings to a community.

With photos of three Pennsylvania dairy farm families, the poster is available free of charge to educate non-farm neighbors and community leaders about contributions of local dairy farms. The poster features the “Your Milk Comes from a Good Place” logo to tie into the regional campaign introduced in 2011 by the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association.

Copies of the full-color “Something to Treasure” tri-fold brochure are also available at no cost to farmers, agribusiness members, civic leaders and others who want to educate the general public about the dairy industry. Ideal for distributing to community leaders, economic planners and general consumers, both the poster and brochure could be used at farm tours, dairy princess promotions, community events or as part of scheduled presentations. They can also be made available at visitor centers and other community meeting places.

To order the “Something to Treasure” poster and brochures, call the center at 717-364-0849 or visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org. Click on “Advocacy and Outreach,” then on “Reach Out to the Community.”

Farm Credit East releases ‘healthcare reform’ video for ag producers

One of the challenging regulatory requirements facing many farm businesses is compliance with the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (health care reform). To help farm employers better understand these provisions, Farm Credit East joined with Cornell Cooperative Extension and other organizations to sponsor a seminar in Syracuse, N.Y. A segment of this seminar was recorded and is now available to view. To view the recording of this seminar, visit FarmCreditEast.com.

This video segment features Sheldon Blumling, partner with Fischer and Phillips, LLP, as he talks about the key issues of healthcare reform for agricultural producers. Topics covered in the presentation include: the big picture of what healthcare reform means; employer play or pay mandate; and what employers should be doing now to prepare.

Understanding the Provisions of the Affordable Care Act seminar was coordinated by Cornell University. Sponsors included Cornell Cooperative Extension, New York State Horticultural Society, Agricultural Affiliates, Dairy Farmers of America, Dairylea Milk Cooperative, Farm Credit East and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. The seminar recording was made possible by Farm Credit East.

PMMB over-order hearing is May 22

The Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) has an over-order premium hearing scheduled for May 22. Visit Bulletin 1493 by clicking here for more information.

Pennsylvania dairy futures webinars planned

Webinars are planned this summer to review the results of the Pennsylvania Dairy Futures analysis, which offers a telling story on the new era that Pennsylvania dairy farmers are in and the interventions that will shape how our industry grows into the future. Learn more.

Pennsylvania: How much is dairy worth to your community?

Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence has a new web-based calculator to help determine the value of the dairy industry to local communities.

Pennsylvania's local communities are stronger because of their dairy farms. Dairy farms bring valuable economic revenue, good jobs and environmental benefits to a local community.

Do you know what dairy is worth to your community? Click here to find out.

‘How to host a farm tour’ workshops scheduled in New York

The New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (NYAAC) and the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council (ADADC) will conduct two training workshops to help owners of dairy and livestock farms learn how to host a successful farm tour. The four-hour long seminars will cover all aspects of farm tours, from setting the date to messaging and parking cars.

The workshops are free and include lunch. Reservations are required.

Dates and locations include:

• Monday, May 20 – 10:30am-2:30pm, Bohn’s Restaurant, 5256 Clinton St., Batavia, N.Y.

• Wednesday, May 22 – 10:30am-2:30pm, The Winner’s Circle, 3293 Route 5, Fonda, N.Y.

In the morning, ADADC and NYAAC will present a comprehensive to-do list of organizing, promoting and conducting a farm tour. All participants will be provided free take-home materials to use on a farm tour including a complete farm tour kit, a set of 10 educational farm tour signs, as well as promotional items such as pencils, erasers, coloring books, brochures and more.

After lunch, a panel of farm tour veterans will share their experiences with a variety of different types and sized farm tours.

All farm owners and tour organizers in attendance will be entered into a drawing to win a free professional photography session, valued at over $500. The session will include portraits of the farm family, as well as detail shots of the farmstead, animals, fieldwork and more. One photography session will be given out at each workshop location.

Contact Jessica Ziehm at jaz67@cornell.edu.

Knopf elected to Farm Credit East board

John P. Knopf, principal owner of of Fa-Ba Farms, LLC in Canandaigua, N.Y., was elected to a four-year term on the Farm Credit East board of directors. Fa-Ba Farms is a dairy business consisting of 500 milking cows, 440 replacements and 850 acres of land devoted to forage production.

Farm Credit East is a customer-owned agricultural cooperative and part of the nationwide Farm Credit System. Farm Credit East serves Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

Penn State Dairy Team ‘Tools for Teams’ workshop is May 16

Penn State’s Extension Dairy Team is offering an additional “Tools for Teams” workshop, May 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Berks County Ag Center, Leesport, Pa.

Instructors will be Dr. Lisa Holden, associate professor, Penn State Department of Animal Science; Rob Goodling, Penn State Extension associate; Virginia Ishler, Penn State Extension specialist; and Rebecca White, Penn State Dairy Extension Program Manager.

The workshop will highlight the use of PA Dairy Tool, Income Over Feed Cost Tool, Cash Flow Planning Tool, Dairy Analysis Tools and Monthly Monitor Tool to help teams improve success. Participants can try out tools on their own following the workshop, then access follow-up webinars and conference calls with instructors to ask questions and get more detailed information for their use.

Cost is $35 per person, with scholarships available for those willing to share data with instructors. Participants may bring a second person from their business at no additional charge. Pre-registration is necessary to ensure an adequate amount of workshop materials is available.

For additional information or questions, contact Dr. Lisa Holden, toll-free, at 888-373-7232 or lholden@psu.edu. Registration may be done toll-free at 888-373-7232.

Pennsylvania April IOFC lower

Penn State University’s measure of income over feed costs (IOFC) fell 4.8% in April, influenced by a combination of lower milk prices and higher feed costs, according to economist Jim Dunn. At $7.03/cwt./cow/day, it marks the fifth consecutive monthly decline, and is now down $2.10/cwt. from the November 2012 peak of $9.10/cow/day.

The April Pennsylvania all-milk price was down 20¢/cwt. from March’s revised estimate, to $20.50/cwt. That results in daily milk income from a cow producing 65 lbs. of milk per day at $13.33. The cost to feed the same cow rose 23¢ (3.8%) per day, to $6.29/day. The price of alfalfa hay (+15%) offset small declines in soybean meal and corn prices.

Measured another way, feed costs per hundredweight of milk produced averaged $9.68/cwt., up 35¢ from March’s revised estimate. With the lower milk price, the milk margin over feed costs was $10.82/cwt., down 55¢ from March.

Current trend: Pennsylvania’s April IOFC, milk margin per hundredweight and all-milk price are the lowest since August 2012.

To read Dunn’s latest 2013 Dairy Outlook, visit www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/w/jwd6/DairyOutlook%20may%2013.pdf

PRO-DAIRY conducting Milk Check Project

Milk pricing and the makeup of milk prices, premiums and marketing costs continue to vary year to year. For the eighth year, Cornel’s PRO-DAIRY is conducting a study of milk checks received by dairy producers. Hundreds of farmers have participated in the past.

This year, PRO-DAIRY is partnering with Dr. Mark Stephenson at the Center of Dairy Profitability at University of Wisconsin to conduct this project. Milk checks from New York and Wisconsin will be collected and regional differences will be analyzed.

To participate in this year’s study, send PRO-DAIRY the final settlement check(s) for milk produced in March 2013, including check(s) received in the middle of April. Only final or settlement checks received in April for March production are needed. Checks received for advanced March production are not needed.

Receiving actual copies milk check(s) allows PRO-DAIRY staff to accurately identify prices received by farmers and the associated milk marketing costs. All information will be held in strict confidence, and no individual farm data will be reported in any manner. Study participants will receive a personalized report of their farm’s milk check, with comparisons to farms by location and by milk shipped for the month. Participants will also receive the report on state averages on milk prices, premiums and marketing costs.

Milk checks can be mailed, emailed, uploaded online or faxed. Visit http://ansci.cornell.edu/prodairy/MCAP/instructions.html to print a cover sheet and for further instructions.

For further information, contact Jason Karszes, phone 607.255.3809 or email: jk57@cornell.edu

National Mastitis Council to host regional meeting in Maine

The National Mastitis Council (NMC) will host its upcoming regional meeting July 23-24, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Portland, Maine.

Along with networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities, this two-day conference will consist of educational seminars in addition to specialized, interactive short courses. Individuals will be able to select specific topics of interest to them, according to Anne Lichtenwalner, the 2013 NMC regional program chair and Extension veterinarian with the University of Maine.

Professionals with a vested interest in high quality milk production including, but not limited to, milk quality specialists, veterinarians, milk plant field staff, dairy suppliers, dairy producers, university researchers, Extension specialists and students are encouraged to attend.

To learn more about the NMC regional meeting contact the NMC office by e-mail at nmc@nmconline.org or phone 608.848.4615. Registration for the courses is based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Farm Credit East: Northeast ag producers optimistic

Northeast farm, fishing and forestry producers are optimistic about their farm businesses going into 2013, according to survey results reported by Farm Credit East. The financial cooperative survey asked Northeast producers to provide insight into their 2012 business results and perspectives on the year ahead.

“I am excited about the optimism among farmers,” said Bill Lipinski, Farm Credit East CEO. “Agriculture is an economic engine in the Northeast – with continuing support from agribusiness and farm-friendly public policies, it will continue to grow and create more jobs and economic activity.”

A cross section of 174 Northeast producers responded to this survey. Key results included:

• Over three-fourths of respondents indicated optimism for the future of their farming enterprise.

• Northeast producers are growth-minded for 2013, with nearly 75% of respondents indicating intent to expand their operation in 2013.

• The top three major business challenges Northeast producers anticipate in 2013 are financial volatility in income statements, changing/shrinking margins and availability of labor.

“In the Northeast we have thousands of farm businesses that are an integral part of our communities,” Lipinski continued. “This survey indicated that farm owners are concerned with the impact of government regulations and that we need to address the farm labor issue with a workable guest worker program.”

In addition, survey respondents reported on their 2013 business plans and perspectives on consumer spending, interest rates and the farm real estate market going into 2013. Looking back at 2012, survey respondents reported on their business results and impact of weather on their farming operation.

This survey was conducted in March 2013. The survey was open to any farm, fishing and forestry producers operating within the six Northeast states of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The survey was made available on Farm Credit East’s website and social media sites. To view the full report of Farm Credit East’s Pulse of Agriculture survey results, visit FarmCreditEast.com.

Northeast dairy farm income down in 2012

Northeast dairy farmers’ net earnings fell by 48% in 2012, according to Farm Credit East, the Northeast’s largest ag lending cooperative.

The information, compiled in Farm Credit’s ”2012 Northeast Dairy Farm Summary” report, shows net earnings per cow for participating dairy farms decreased to $415/cow, down from $797/cow in 2011. For the third year in a row, cash flow on the dairy farms was more than sufficient to meet financial commitments, including operating expenses, debt repayment, family living and income taxes. Net worth held steady at 72%.

Farm Credit East, in conjunction with Yankee Farm Credit and Farm Credit of Maine, compile the annual Northeast Dairy Farm Summary that looks at farms from New York, New England and New Jersey. The summary reviews all aspects of dairy financial information from participating dairy farm businesses. This year, 504 dairy farms participated.

Farm Credit East will host a webinar to provide an overview of the report, April 29, 10:30-11:30 a.m. (Eastern). The free webinar will also include reaction and commentary from an expert panel. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/webinars for registration information.

For further highlights on the 2012 Northeast Dairy Farm Summary, or to purchase a copy, interested parties can check FarmCreditEast.com.

Farm Credit East extends more than $4.69 billion in loans and has 19 local offices in its six-state service area. In addition to loans and leases, the organization also offers a full range of agriculturally specific financial services for businesses related to farming, horticulture, forestry and commercial fishing. Farm Credit East is governed by a 15-person board of directors. For more information, go to FarmCreditEast.com

Mid-Atlantic dairy promotion grants available

Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program will provide grants of up to $250 to dairy farmers to support grassroots promotion programs in the Mid-Atlantic region. The events or projects must: enhance knowledge of the dairy industry and/or the health and nutrition benefits of milk and dairy products; be a consumer-focused event or project; and applicants must be dairy farmers in our service area. Up to 25 grants will be awarded in 2012 on a first-come, first-serve basis. Click here to download a copy of the 2013 Local Dairy Promotion Grant application form, or contact Stephanie Roscinski at sroscinski@milk4u.org for more information.

‘Building Bridge’ workshop for dairy professionals planned

Dairy consulting, financial and other professionals are invited to attend a two-day workshop on dairy farm family interpersonal communications, May 30-31, at the Sheraton, Harrisburg, Pa. Facilitating the workshop will be Mike McGrann, director of the Saint Joseph's Initiative for Enterpreneurship an Family Business. Registration is now open, with the program limited to the first 60 participants. Learn more.

CDE Foundation offers scholarships

The Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania is offering five $1,000 scholarships through its Student Leader Scholarship program to college-level students with an interest in dairy. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students in academic programs that support the dairy industry. Application deadline is June 1. Learn more.

Pennsylvania Dairy PROS series begins April 23

Dairy professionals who want to learn more about the trends that will shape dairy’s future in Pennsylvania can attend the April Dairy PROS series, April 23–26.

Dairy PROS meetings are hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence and the Penn State Extension Dairy Team to offer dairy industry professionals the opportunity to gather new ideas and shared insight to benefit their dairy farm customers. The April series is the first of three Dairy PROS meeting series that will share results from the Pennsylvania Dairy Futures Analysis, a comprehensive year-long evaluation of dairy production, processing and consumption trends in Pennsylvania.

Part of the meeting will include the “Take It to the Farm” section, which will look at Penn State’s Cash Flow Summary. “Take It to the Farm” is a 30-minute segment of Dairy PROS when the Penn State Extension Dairy Team highlights tools the dairy professionals can offer to their dairy clients.

Meeting dates and locations are listed below. All meetings will be from 8-9:15 a.m., with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.

• Tuesday, April 23, at the Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd., State College, Centre Co.

• Wednesday, April 24, at the Bob Evans, 104 Bair Blvd., New Stanton, Westmoreland Co.

• Thursday, April 25, at Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, Lancaster Co.

• Friday, April 26, at Momma Spriggs, 160 York Road, Carlisle, Cumberland Co.

Other 2013 Dairy PROS meeting series include the statewide Dairy PROS meeting on Thursday, August 15, at the Ag Progress Days grounds in Rock Springs, and the October meeting series on Oct. 8, 10, 15, and 17. Specific locations will be announced.

Questions about the Dairy PROS meeting series can be referred to Penn State Extension Dairy Team at 1-888-373-7232 or askdairyalliance@psu.edu, or to the Center for Dairy Excellence at 717-346-0849 or info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Genex DG29 blood pregnancy testing expanding to Northeast lab

Dairy One Cooperative Inc. of Ithaca, N.Y., has joined the list of certified DG29 testing laboratories to for DG29 bovine blood pregnancy testing. Other certified labs include AgSource Laboratories in Menomonie, Wis., and Jerome, Idaho.

The DG29 test is over 98.7% accurate, according to research published in the Canadian Veterinary Journal. To use the test, producers draw blood samples from cattle on the farm or ranch, forward the samples to a certified laboratory, and receive pregnancy diagnosis results via mail or email. The test detects a specific pregnancy-related protein within the bovine’s blood sample. Based on the presence of that protein, positive (pregnant) or negative (open) results are reported.

For best results, testing should be conducted on cows or heifers 29 days or more post-breeding. Cows must also be at least 90 days post-calving before blood samples are collected.

Genex Cooperative, Inc. offers several DG29 purchasing options. Complete test kits come in packages of 24, 48, 72 or 144. The complete kit include blood tubes, disposable needles, needle holders, shipping containers, test analyses and shipping to the farm or ranch. Kit components are also sold individually.

Purchase DG29 from your local Genex representative, by phone at 888-333-1783 or online through the Genex Profit Shop at profitshop.crinet.com.

April ‘PYP’ call to explore trends, margins

The Center for Dairy Excellence will host a “Protecting Your Profits” conference call on Wednesday, April 24, from 12–12:15 p.m. (Eastern) to provide a quick update of the dairy markets and margins. Alan Zepp, risk management program Manager for the center, will host the call.

With dairy margins for the last half of 2013 now above the five-year average level, Zepp will explain the global and domestic issues that could influence prices for dairy and other commodities in the next ten months. Zepp will discuss current dairy production trends and how Pennsylvania’s dairy region is trending in milk production. He will also include a brief review of risk management opportunities to protect against volatility in the marketplace.

Anyone can participate in the monthly conference call series. There is no charge to participate in the call, but pre-registration is required. Each conference call is limited to 50 dairy producers. Participation is on a first-come, first-served basis.

To register, call the center at 717-346-0849 with name, phone number, and e-mail address. Once registered, participants will receive the call-in number and information.

For more details about the monthly conference call learning series, contact the Center for Dairy Excellence at 717-346-0849 or by e-mail at info@centerfordairyexcellence.org. More information about this and other resources from the center can be found at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Penn State Extension Dairy Team offer precision feeding conference

Proper feed management is essential to good health, good production and good profitability on dairy farms. To help producers examine current topics related to the precision feeding of dairy cattle, the Penn State Extension Dairy Team will hold a one-day conference on May 9 at the Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The program is designed for producers, nutritionists and certified feed management plan writers, all of whom can benefit from advanced and current information in feed management. Speakers include:

• Gabriella A. Varga, Ph. D., distinguished professor of animal science at Penn State, whose research focuses on the impact of forage sources on nitrogen balance, ammonia emission from manure, dry matter intake, nitrogen efficiency, and milk production in lactating dairy cows.

• Larry Chase, Ph.D., professor of dairy cattle nutrition and extension specialist in the Animal Science Department at Cornell University, whose current research program has three primary components: relationships between nutrition, herd management and milk components; examining the efficiency of nitrogen use in dairy cattle; and evaluating the impact of fiber digestibility in corn silage on dry matter intake and milk production in dairy cows.

• Jamie Jarrett, Ph.D., dairy marketing nutritionist, Land O’Lakes Purine Dairy Feed Team, whose research in dairy cattle nutrition focused on improving estimations of phosphorus bio-availability in lactating dairy cows.

• Dan Ludwig, grazing specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) who works with livestock producers who wish to better utilize their pastures through grazing management.

• Rebecca White, dairy program manager with the Penn State Extension Dairy Team since 2010, working in the areas of dairy profitability and nutrient management, conducting educational and hands-on workshops for dairy operators and agribusiness professionals.

Registration fee for the conference is $30 per person and may be done online at http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/events/advanced-topics-in-feed-management-conference. A form can be downloaded from the site and mailed to Penn State Extension Dairy Team, 324 Henning Bldg., University Park, PA 16802 along with a personal check. A full agenda for the day is also available at the website.

Registration deadline is May 1, 2013. For more information, call toll-free 888-373-7232.

Pennsylvania CDE offers scholarships

Outstanding students with an interest in the dairy industry can apply for one of five $1,000 “Student Leader” scholarships offered by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania. Scholarships are available for the 2013-2014 academic year, and applications are due June 1, 2013.

“With the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania, we are investing in tomorrow, today,” said John Frey, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence. “What better way to support dairy’s future than by offering scholarships to outstanding dairy youth with a passion for their industry.”

The scholarships are offered to provide recognition, encouragement and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry. In 2012, seven qualified applicants received the scholarship.

Consideration for this scholarship will be given to Pennsylvania residents who are full-time undergraduate students planning to enroll or are currently enrolled in a qualifying field of study such as dairy and animal science; agriculture marketing and business; nutrition; food science; agricultural and extension education; agri-business management; agricultural engineering; or related fields.

Students may apply for and receive the scholarship in subsequent years. Selection of the scholarship winners will be made by a joint committee of the Center for Dairy Excellence and Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation board of directors. Decisions will be based on the completed application within the following criteria: academic performance; apparent commitment to a career related to the dairy industry; evidence of leadership, character and integrity; and application compliance.

Applicants must use the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania Student Leader Scholarship Application form. Each scholarship shall be awarded for one academic year. The scholarship will be paid to the student upon certification of enrollment by the appropriate academic institution officer.

Scholarship application forms are available at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org. Go to the “Student & Educator” section and click on scholarships. You may also send an e-mail requesting an application to info@centerfordairyexcellenc.org, or call Jayne Sebright at 717-346-0849.

Applications for the 2013-2014 academic year must be received by the Center for Dairy Excellence by June 1, 2013. Completed applications should be sent to: Jayne Sebright, Center for Dairy Excellence, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110.

2013 Mycotoxin Management Summit is April 4-5

2012 may easily have been deemed the ‘year of the mycotoxin’ in North America. The widespread drought and extreme weather conditions created all of the right conditions for a storm of toxins in last year’s harvest and left many industry experts questioning how to best mitigate the problem.

Alltech’s first annual North America Mycotoxin Management Summit plans to address many of last year’s issues and share the latest in mycotoxin research and development. “Making Sense of the Maze... New Strategies for Old Problems” will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Ky., Apr. 4-5. The Summit aims to provide an open forum for discussion on mycotoxin research and analysis as well as an opportunity to present the newest applications in mycotoxin management.

For further information on the Alltech Mycotoxin Management Summit 2013, visit: www.alltech.com.

Maryland: Innovations in Manure Application Field Day is April 24

An on-farm manure application field day featuring demonstrations of the latest technology in vertical tillage equipment used to incorporate manure into the soil will be held April 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cove Run Farm and the Hickory Environmental Center in Accident (Garrett County), Md.

The event will feature field demonstrations of minimum disturbance tillage equipment, manure incorporation and no till manure injection. Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) and University of Maryland Extension (UME) experts will be on hand to discuss strategies that maximize nutrient utilization, the economic benefits of conserving nitrogen on dairy farms, ammonia loss management, GPS technology and Maryland's revised nutrient management regulations.

This program is free and includes lunch; however, advance registration is required. Continuing education credits will be awarded by the Maryland Nutrient Management Program.

To register, contact Carrie Colebank at the Garret Soil Conservation District at 301-334-695 by April 15. For more information, click here.

Student ‘Dairy Leaders’ Tour planned in Pennsylvania

High school aged students in Pennsylvania with an interest in dairy are invited to see first-hand three dairy farm businesses with a passion for dairying profitably in Pennsylvania. The three farms will be showcased in the day-long “Dairy Leaders Tour” on April 12. The tour is being coordinated by the Center for Dairy Excellence and supported by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania as part of its Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow program.

“The students will see three different yet successful ways of dairying on the tour,” said Emily Yeiser, dairy initiatives manager with the Center for Dairy Excellence. “The one thing all three of the families have in common is a passion for doing something they enjoy doing – dairying.””

The three farms are all high milk production herds in Franklin County and include:

· Mercer Vu Farms, owned by Rick and Rod Hissong, a large innovative dairy operation with 1,750 cows in Mercersburg, Pa.

· Railside Farm, owned by the Randall Martin family, is a 275-cow operation with four robotic milkers in Shippensburg, Pa.

· The Flannery family has a 130-cow herd in a tie-stall barn with tunnel ventilation in Mercersburg, Pa.

The tour is limited to 35 students, with five chaperones. There will be two to three pick up locations, dependent upon where students are from that will then meet a charter bus at a central location. The tour will run from 7 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. Further details on the locations will be provided once all applications have been received. Students must be able to access transportation to and from pick-up locations.

Those interested must complete a brief application and include a one-page document on why they are interested in the dairy industry. The application must also be signed by their agriculture teacher or an educational advisor and a parent. Absentee excuse forms should also be submitted with the application, so they can be signed to ensure that the tour counts as an educational field trip.

Applications can be downloaded from www.centerfordairyexcellence.org under “Upcoming Events” or in the Student and Educator section. Call 717-346-0849 to request one. The deadline to apply is April 1.

NDFA plans events

The Northeast Dairy Foods Association have scheduled a number of events for 2013. They include:

• The annual dairy industry Clambake will be held July 10, at Hinerwadel’s Grove in N. Syracuse, N.Y.

details and order form. The annual dairy industry golf outing will be the morning of the clambake, at Radisson Greens. Space is limited to the first 120 players. details and registration form

• The annual Northeast Dairy Convention will be at The Otesaga in Cooperstown, N.Y. on Sept. 22-24.

Pennsylvania Dairy PROS meetings to share ‘future’ analysis

Dairy professionals who work regularly with Pennsylvania’s dairy farm community are invited to attend the April series of Dairy PROS meetings, April 23–26. The April series is the first of three Dairy PROS meeting series that will share results from the Pennsylvania Dairy Futures Analysis, a comprehensive year-long evaluation of dairy production, processing and consumption trends in Pennsylvania.

Part of the meeting will also include the “Take It to the Farm” section, which will look at Penn State’s Cash Flow Summary. “Take It to the Farm” is a 30-minute segment of Dairy PROS when the Penn State Extension Dairy Team highlights tools the dairy professionals can offer to their dairy clients.

Meeting dates and locations are listed below. All meetings will be from 8-9:15 a.m., with breakfast at 7:30 a.m.

• April 23, at the Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd., State College, Centre Co.

• April 24, at the Bob Evans, 104 Bair Blvd., New Stanton, Westmoreland Co.

• April 25, at Farm and Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster, Lancaster Co.

• April 26, at Momma Spriggs, 160 York Road, Carlisle, Cumberland Co.

Other 2013 Dairy PROS meeting series include the statewide Dairy PROS meeting on Aug. 15, at the Ag Progress Days grounds in Rock Springs; and the October meeting series on Oct. 8, 10, 15, and 17. Specific locations will be announced.

Registration information and other details are available online at www.centerfordairyexcellence.org. For more information or to register for the April series of Dairy PROS meetings, visit the web site and click on “Upcoming Events.”

Vermont dairy 4-H’ers compete at State Quiz Bowl

For the 54 Vermont 4-H club members who participated in the state 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl, March 16 in Randolph Center, the annual event provided an opportunity to match wits with other 4-H'ers on everything dairy-related from what cows eat to herd health, cattle breeds and genetics.

University of Vermont (UVM) Extension hosted the event at Vermont Technical College. The competition consisted of a written test and several rounds of oral questions with the combined scores from each used to determine the winners in each age group.

In an unusual turn of events, the winner of the senior division (ages 14 and up), Maggie Kirby of East Montpelier, is ineligible for the 2013 Vermont Dairy Quiz Bowl Team because her birthday falls after the cutoff date for eligibility, making her too young to compete nationally. Instead the team will be made up of the second through fifth highest scorers in the senior division.

They include Jake Senecal, Bradford; Shelby Biasini, Morrisville; Levi Vaughan, East Thetford; and Tim Carson, Newbury. First alternate is Kelli Jerome, Leicester. Second alternate is Devin Mitchell, Richford. The team will represent the state in quiz bowl competition at Eastern States Exposition, W. Springfield, Mass., in September, and the North American Invitational 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Contest, Louisville, Ky., in November.

Junior division winners, by age group, and in order of placement were:

• 8 to 9 years old--Caroline Kirby, East Montpelier; Peter Thornton, South Royalton; Sadie Ellner, Morrisville; Michael Plouffe, Bridport.

• 10 to 11 years old--Isabel Hall, East Montpelier; Chandra Stanley, Enosburg Falls; Lucy Kelley, Morrisville; Adele Biasini, Morrisville.

• 12 to 13 years old--Lilli Seward, East Wallingford; Maddie Nadeau, Derby; Andrew Seward, East Wallingford; Will Ringey, Brandon.

For more information about the Vermont 4-H dairy program, contact Wendy Sorrell, UVM Extension 4-H livestock educator, at (802) 656-5418 or wendy.sorrell@uvm.edu.

‘Moo Fest’ Parade is June 7

Jefferson County, N.Y. will host a “Moo Fest Parade,” June 7, beginning at 7 p.m. It caps a day-long Dairy Festival at the Dulles State Office Building, Watertown, N.Y.

Jefferson County has more than 200 dairy farms, 30,000 dairy cows and two dairy manufacturers. Nearly eight billion 8 ounce glasses of milk are produced in Jefferson County every year.

Dairy producers are encouraged to participate in the parade. Find more information about the festival and parade at www.comefarmwithus.com.

Pennsylvania CDE unveils new website

Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE) has unveiled a newly designed website (www.centerfordairyexcellence.org).

On the homepage of the new website, visitors will find CDE’s upcoming events, social media posts and latest press releases. They’ll also find a listing of “Dairy Margins,” based on current milk and feed prices, which are updated weekly.

The new website design has six main sections, including:

· Business Tools, where users will find information on the center’s on-farm resource programs, risk management tools, and business planning template. Case studies on dairy farm business transformation are also included in this section.

· Dairy Information, where links to the latest market and industry reports from the center are included. Users can subscribe to blog posts of Markets and Management Updates and Dairy Week in Review issues, as well as the latest columns from Center for Dairy Excellence Executive Director John Frey.

· Programs and Events, which will house a dairy events calendar that any organization can upload their dairy events to. Information on the center’s core events, including the “Dairy PROS Series” and the “Open House and Dairy Tours” can be found in this section as well.

· Advocacy and Outreach, where users can find resources to help them share their dairy story with their non-farm neighbors, key leaders in their communities and with students and educators.

· Students and Educators, which includes information on the center’s resources for dairy youth and its “Discover Dairy” Lesson Series for upper elementary and middle school classrooms. Links to the “Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow” curriculum and the center’s scholarship program are also here.

· Dairy’s Value, a section created for community leaders to learn more about the benefits dairy farms bring includes a map showing how much dairy is worth in each county and an overview of Pennsylvania’s dairy industry.

To view the new website, go to www.centerfordairyexcellence.org.

‘Building a Bridge’ workshop for dairy professionals set

Mike McGrann, director of St. Joseph University's new Initiative for Family Business and Entrepreneurship, will facilitate a two-day workshop hosted by the Center for Dairy Excellence, May 30-31. The workshop offers dairy professionals the opportunity to develop new strategies and structures to help their dairy farm family clients adapt and evolve in a changing dairy business.

The workshop will be held at the Sheraton Hotel, Harrisburg, Pa. Participation is limited to the first 60 individuals who register, with the program designed specifically for those who work with dairy farm families in the areas of business planning, consulting, transition planning and developing a next generation model for dairy business.

Those who attend the workshop will develop skills to help farm families evaluate their advantages and constraints, utilize communications strategies to facilitate difficult conversations, develop specific steps to improve entrepreneurial capabilities, and identify strategies to become enterprising dairy farm families. In addition to McGrann, workshop presenters will include Dr. David Galligan with the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, representatives from the Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE), and other industry experts in the area of family business and communications.

The “Building a Bridge to Enterprising Farm Families” is the first of two workshops the center will host in 2013 focused on building stronger communications within Pennsylvania’s dairy farm families. The second workshop in November will be specifically for dairy farm families who want to work toward more effective communications strategies.

For more information call 717.346. 0849 or email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

April DairyPROS series planned

Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence and the Penn State Extension Dairy Team will host the next series of Dairy PROS meetings, April 23-26, at four locations. The April series is the first of three Dairy PROS meeting series that will share results from the Pennsylvania Dairy Futures Analysis, a comprehensive year-long evaluation of dairy production, processing and consumption trends in Pennsylvania. All sessions are 8-9:15a.m. Dates and locations are:

Tuesday, April 23, at Celebration Hall, 2280 Commercial Blvd., State College
Wednesday, April 24, at Bob Evans, 104 Bair Blvd., New Stanton
Thursday, April 25, at the Farm & Home Center, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster
Friday, April 26, at Momma Spriggs, 160 York Road, Carlisle

The meeting is designed for dairy professionals who work in ag lending, accounting, feed and nutrition, veterinary, pharmaceutical, extension, genetics, equipment, and other areas of the dairy industry to directly provide services to Pennsylvania’s dairy producers.

To register, click here. For more information about the Dairy PROS program, contact Lisa Holden at Penn State Extension Dairy Team at 1-888-373-7232 or Emily Yeiser at the Center for Dairy Excellence at 717-346-0849

Farm Credit East reports 2012 financial results

Farm Credit East reported 2012 financial results, with net income for the farmer-owned cooperative lender increasing 8% to $109.5 million.

Farm Credit East’s loan portfolio grew to $4.69 billion and total capital increased to $842 million, according to Bill Lipinski, CEO. Farm Credit East is the leading lender to farmers in the Northeast providing over 60% of the credit to farm businesses. Overall interest rates have been at historically low levels and Farm Credit East has maintained very competitive rates for its customers and paid patronage dividends from earnings.

A $40 million patronage payment paid to members earlier this year is an increase of $4.5 million from the association’s 2012 distribution of $35.5 million. In addition to last year’s patronage payment, Farm Credit East redeemed $34.8 million of allocated stockholder equity, totaling $70.3 million returned to customer-members in 2012. The Allocated Retained Surplus redemption resulted from the successful merger to form Farm Credit East in January 2010.

For more information, go to FarmCreditEast.com.

Monthly CDE ‘Protecting Your Profits’ conference call is March 20

Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence will host a “Protecting Your Profits” conference call on March 20, 12-12:15 p.m., to provide a quick update of the dairy markets and margins. Alan Zepp, risk management program manager for the center, will host the call.

Zepp will offer an update on Livestock Gross Margins for Dairy (LGM-Dairy) and review current futures prices for dairy and commodities. He will also review his monthly “Protecting Your Profits” scorecard, which shows national and international dairy market trends, and will offer his perspective on both current and historical margins in dairy. The call will occur just before the next sales period for the LGM-Dairy insurance program, which will be March 22 and 23.

To register, call the center at 717-346-0849 with name, phone number, and e-mail address. Once registered, participants will receive the call-in number and information.

For more information, email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org or visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Group-Housed Calf Symposium proceedings available

Select presentations from 2012 Group-Housed Calf Systems Symposium and 2013 Operations Managers Conference are now available for download. Visit the PRO-DAIRY Conferences and Events website and click on the conference you are interested in to access these files on the Proceedings page. Additional softcover copies are also available for purchase.

Herd Health and Nutrition Conference set New York, New Hampshire

PRO-DAIRY and Northeast Ag and Feed Alliance will host a Herd Health and Nutrition Conference at two locations in April. dates and locations include:

• April 10 – DoubleTree Hotel, East Syracuse, NY

• April 12 – Fireside Inn & Suites, West Lebanon, NH

The conference provides an opportunity for dairy producers, veterinarians, feed industry representatives and agri-service personnel to increase their knowledge of current herd health and nutrition management techniques while interacting with other professionals. Topics and speakers include:

• Recent Research on Hypocalcemia and Immunity – Dr. Jesse Goff, Iowa State University

• Group Feeding of Calves – Dr. Michael Capel, Perry Veterinary Clinic

• Economics on the Farm – Jason Karszes, PRO-DAIRY Program at Cornell University

• Advances in Corn Silage – Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin.

Visit http://ansci.cornell.edu/prodairy/HHNC/index.html for more information.

Pennsylvania dairy farm communications workshop planned

Dairy consulting and financial professionals are invited to a two-day workshop on dairy farm family interpersonal communications, May 30–31, at the Sheraton Hotel in Harrisburg, Pa. The conference, “Building a Bridge to Enterprising Dairy Farm Families,” is designed to enable those who attend to develop new strategies and structures to help their dairy farm family clients adapt and evolve in a changing dairy business.

Participation in the workshop is limited to the first 60 individuals who register, with the program designed specifically for those who work with dairy farm families in the areas of business planning, consulting, transition planning and developing a next generation model for dairy business.

A second workshop in November will be specifically for dairy farm families who want to work toward more effective communications strategies.

Registration information for the May “Building a Bridge” professional development workshop will be available later this month. To learn more, call the center at 717-346-0849 or email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Pennsylvania youth dairy tour day scheduled

High school aged students in Pennsylvania with an interest in dairy are invited to participate in a day-long tour of three Franklin County dairy farm operations, April 12. The tour is being coordinated by the Center for Dairy Excellence and supported by the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania as part of its Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow program.

The three farms are all high milk production herds in Franklin County and include:

• Mercer Vu Farms, owned by Rick and Rod Hissong, a large innovative dairy operation with 1,750 cows in Mercersburg, Pa.

• Railside Farm, owned by the Randall Martin family, is a 275-cow operation with four robotic milkers in Shippensburg, Pa.

• The Flannery family has a 130-cow herd in a tie-stall barn with tunnel ventilation in Mercersburg, Pa.

The tour is limited to 35 students, with five chaperones. The tour will run from 7 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m. Further details on pick-up locations will be provided once all applications have been received.

Applications can be downloaded from www.centerfordairyexcellence.org under “Upcoming Events” or in the Student and Educator section. Call 717-346-0849 to request one. Deadline to apply is April 1.

Farm transfer, estate planning workshop set in Vermont

The University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Rutland Area Farm and Food Link will host a farm family workshop focusing on issues related to farm transfers, including estate planning, retirement, distribution of assets and choosing the right business structure. It will be held March 13, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., at the South Station Restaurant, Rutland, Vt.

Agricultural attorney Jonathan Bump, will discuss wills and other legal aspects, and Bob Parsons, UVM Extension agricultural business management specialist, will discuss succession planning. A panel of Vermont farmers will explain how they developed a plan for their farm to secure farm business and/or farmland succession.

Registration, including lunch, is $20, or $25 after March 8. A downloadable workshop brochure and registration form may be found online at www.uvm.edu/extension/eventpdfs/transferring_the_farm2013.pdf.

Vermont 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl is March 16

Vermont’s State 4-H Quiz Bowl will be held March 16, at Randolph Center, Vt. The event, sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and Orange County 4-H, gets underway at 9:30 a.m. in Judd Hall at Vermont Technical College. The snow date is March 17 at the same location. Admission and parking are free.

The competition, which is open to Vermont 4-H club members, 8 to 18 years old, includes a written test and several rounds of oral questions on a wide range of topics including dairy nutrition, anatomy, genetics, herd health, cattle breeds, feeds and forages, milk production and the dairy industry, among others. In addition to increasing their dairy knowledge, participants also hone life skills such as decision-making, problem solving, communication skills, public speaking and critical thinking.

The 4-H'ers will compete by age group with the top four individuals in each group earning ribbons. The four highest scorers in the 14 and older division will comprise the State 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Team state team, which will compete at Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, Mass., in September and the National Dairy Invitational in Louisville, Ky, in November.

The dairy quiz bowl is the first of several statewide 4-H dairy events in 2013. To learn more, contact Wendy Sorrell, UVM Extension 4-H livestock educator, at (802) 656-5418 or (800) 571-0668, ext. 2, or by e-mail at wendy.sorrell@uvm.edu.

11th Annual Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference set

The 11th Annual Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference will be held March 27-28, at the Crowne Plaza- Baltimore, in Timonium, Md.

Dairy topics include probiotics and prebiotics, mycotoxins; exogenous fibrolytic enzymes in ruminant rations; exogenous amylases for dairy cows; feed efficiency; and the “Cow of the Future” project. The program also includes a technical symposium hosted by NOVUS International, focusing on dairy nutrition.

This conference represents the formal collaboration between institutions and industries in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey.

Registration materials, venue information, the updated program, past proceedings, and the 2013 abstracts will be available on our website at www.manc.umd.edu.

Accommodation arrangements need to be made before Feb. 28 to ensure the lowest rates. The Crowne Plaza has provided a block of rooms at an attractive price ($105.00/night, single or double occupancy, excluding tax). Contact the hotel at 410-252-7373 and ask for Mid-Atlantic Nutrition Conference reservations.

Small-group dairy meetings planned in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s Center for Dairy Excellence is planning to host several mealtime meetings with dairy producers and small groups across Pennsylvania for informal, roundtable discussions about dairy profitability. Producers and small groups interested in scheduling a meeting with the center are encouraged to call 717-346-0849 or email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

The center is a non-profit organization created in 2004 to empower people, create partnerships and coordinate resources to grow dairy profitability in the commonwealth. The center offers grants, educational events and informational resources, and much of what the center offers is offered at no cost to producers.

Winter dairy management programs planned

A winter dairy management program, sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell Pro-Dairy, will be held:

• March 6, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at the Elks’ Club, Carthage, N.Y. (phone 315-788-8450)

• March 15, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at The Red Mill Inn, Baldwinsville, N.Y. (phone 315-963-7286)

Topics will include:

· Is Your Repro Program the Most Profitable Alternative?

· Dairy Modernization – Factors Affecting Profitability to Consider.

· Paying Attention to Forage Quality Can Improve Net Farm Income.

· LED Lighting-Field Research Results.

· Optimizing Cow Comfort throughout the Barn.

Farm Credit East announces dividends

Farm Credit East, ACA, the Northeast’s largest agricultural lending cooperative, paid a record $40 million in patronage dividends to more than 10,000 farm, fishing and forestry business owners and operators across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Paid entirely in cash, this patronage payment is equivalent to 26.2% of the interest that Farm Credit East patrons paid in 2012.

For more information, go to FarmCreditEast.com

Primer addresses ASB alfalfa pest controls

Alfalfa growers in the Northern New York region will receive copies of a new “Management of Alfalfa Snout Beetle” (ASB) primer at meeting this winter. The 7-page primer calculates alfalfa and financial losses due to the pest, and provides strategies to control it, including information on how to successfully farm-raise the two types of nematodes that destroy the beetle in shallow and deep soil. A list of supplies is provided with how-to steps for rearing and applying the nematodes and timing their application to fields for maximum impact.

To date, more than 72 farms in Northern New York have applied the nematodes on more than 154 fields in the six northern counties of New York State. The new primer encourages more farmers to adopt the farmer-friendly practice.

ASB costs can be as high as $487/acre, plus the increased expense of buying feed to replace the lost forage. The primer also includes information on the ASB life cycle and a history of the battle to beat the beetle that was first detected in the U.S. at Oswego, N.Y., in 1896. Treatment methods for ASB from 1939 to 1972 included use of poison bait and other insecticides; these methods were banned in 1972 due to environmental contamination concerns.

The Management of Alfalfa Snout Beetle primer is also posted online under Field Crops Crop Pests at www.nnyagdev.org.

Vermont dairy, crop conferences planned in March

The University of Vermont (UVM) Extension's Northwest Crops and Soils Team has a number of conferences and informational meetings planned for March. Dairy producers, grain growers and other farmers are encouraged to save the dates for the following:

• March 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference, Vermont Technical College, Randolph Center.

• March 12, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: Northwest Crop, Soil and Dairy Meeting, American Legion Hall, St. Albans. Guest speakers include dairy nutritionist Dr. Randy Shaver, University of Wisconsin, speaking on the latest research in growing and feeding corn silage, earlage and snaplage and agronomist Dr. Greg Roth, Pennsylvania State University, on a new cover crop interseeder developed at Penn State. Other topics include strategies for alleviating and reducing soil compaction and UVM research updates on perennial grass variety trials and cover crops for winter feed.

• March 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Ninth Annual Grains Conference, Essex Resort and Spa, Essex. Conference highlights include keynote talks by St. Catherine University emeritus professor Dr. Julie Miller Jones on facts and fads regarding wheat and weight gain and Washington State's Dr. Stephen Jones on bringing small grains production back to the Northeast. Growers also will learn about building soil health with cover crops and soil amendments, building rations for livestock feed, small-scale grain production and processing, baking with local grains and more.

For information, call (802) 524-6501 or toll-free at (800) 639-2130 to speak with Heather Darby or Susan Brouillette.

‘Taking Stock’ program offered in Vermont

Farmers and agribusiness owners with at least five years' operating experience are invited to assess their progress and future direction with the help of "Taking Stock," a University of Vermont (UVM) Extension New Farmer Project course. Dates are March 13, 20 & 27; all sessions are 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

Sessions will take place on various farms around Chittenden County, Vt. and include farm tours and conversations with successful farm owners. Mary Peabody, program director for the UVM Extension New Farmer Project and the Women's Ag Network, will teach the course, designed to help students review how well their operation is meeting their business, financial and personal goals. Classes will focus on updating business plans, setting new goals and revisioning; instituting new policies and procedures to meet goals; cash management and future investments in the business; refining owner and manager roles and supervision of employees. As part of the course, participants will choose a project to help them achieve a specific goal within their business.

Registrations and requests for financial aid will be accepted online at www.uvm.edu/newfarmer until March 1. Click on "Classes." The fee is $135 ($100 if paid by Feb. 20).

Farm Credit awards $41,000 to Northeast dairy programs

The Farm Credit Northeast AgEnhancement Program awarded $41,000 to 18 organizations to promote northeast agriculture, support young and beginning farmer initiatives and encourage agricultural youth programs.

Among dairy-related grant recipients were:

• Cornell Dairy Fellows Program will use their $5,000 grant to support Cornell Dairy Fellows, a comprehensive undergraduate program for students considering careers in the dairy industry

• The Vermont Holstein Association will use their $2,000 grant to support their Northeast Youth Show Calf Summit in April. This event brings together over 150 youth from New England and New York to educate them on calf selection, nutrition, care and showing.

• A $1,500 grant to the New Jersey Junior Breeders Fund will support the annual Junior Breeder & Young Farmer Symposium focusing on 4-H and FFA members involved in agriculture. This is a hands-on day of learning; encouraging youth to stay involved in agriculture.

• New York Holstein Association will use their $1,500 grant to support the Northeast Spring National Dairy Judging Contest held during the New York Spring Dairy Carousel. This is an opportunity for young adults to have a hands-on experience of organizing and running an event.

• The Holstein Foundation will use its $1,000 grant to support their Young Dairy Leaders Institute which helps develop leadership for the dairy industry. YDLI consists of three phases ensuring development of essential skills for individual leadership, applying the skills in real-life scenarios, and focusing on leadership to benefit the dairy industry.

• A $1,000 grant to the New York Holstein Association will support the annual New York Holstein Spring Dairy Carousel, a 4-day dairy event which showcases animals, dairy farmers and dairy farming in the northeast.

The deadline to submit proposals for the next round of awards is April 1.

Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence plans producer meetings

The Center for Dairy Excellence (CDE) will host several mealtime meetings with dairy producers and small groups across Pennsylvania in March.

“The center’s role is to provide resources for Pennsylvania’s dairy industry and its individual dairy farm businesses,” said John Frey, executive director of the CDE. “Our industry is ever changing and with these changes, come needed resources for all aspects of dairy planning. We want to hear from, and dialogue with, dairy producers and others in the industry to learn what resources are needed.”

Producers and small groups interested in scheduling a meeting with the center are encouraged to call 717-346-0849 or email info@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Farm victims of Hurricane Sandy receive aid

Farm Credit East, in concert with CoBank and other Farm Credit associations from across the country, donated $65,000 to farm families impacted by Hurricane Sandy and to organizations that are helping devastated non-farm communities and individuals recover from this tragedy.

“It will take years for many communities throughout the Northeast to recover from the hardships brought upon by Hurricane Sandy,” said Bill Lipinski, CEO of Farm Credit East. “We hope these donations can assist in recovery and help to lessen the financial hardships experienced by these farm families.”

Donations of $500 are being provided by Farm Credit East Cares to 57 Northeast farm families in December. The donations are being distributed to farm families throughout New Jersey and southern New York. The funds were provided by Farm Credit East in conjunction with contributions from CoBank, Northwest Farm Credit Services, Frontier Farm Credit, Farm Credit of New Mexico, Farm Credit West and Farm Credit Services of Hawaii.

In addition to donations to farm families, financial support was also provided to various organizations that are distributing food and assisting with other recovery efforts in the impacted areas. Five donations were provided to GrowNYC, City Harvest (NYC), Farmers Against Hunger (NJ), Community Food Bank of New Jersey and Island Harvest (Long Island).

PMMB reduces over-order premium

The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) expressed concern over this week’s decision by the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB) to reduce the Class I over-order premium price for milk for the six-month period beginning Jan. 1, 2013. The board decided to decrease the premium by 15¢/cwt., to $1.80 for the three-month period of January through March, and then increase the premium to $1.85/cwt. from April through June.

“We believe compelling evidence was presented to the board demonstrating the severe financial burden dairy farmers are experiencing because of extremely high production costs and shrinking profit margins,” said PFB president Carl T. Shaffer. “The board already acted earlier this year to reduce the level of the producer premium. At this time, any further reduction in premium is unwarranted.”
Testimony and data offered by PFB during a PMMB hearing earlier this month showed financial conditions for Pennsylvania dairy farmers have not improved as farmers continue to face serious economic challenges. Production costs, such as feed concentrate and soybean meal, have increased substantially compared to previous years.

PMMB continued the current fuel adjuster add-on to the producer premium, established under a different pricing order. Over-order producer premiums mandated by PMMB are assessed on fluid (Class I) milk produced, processed and sold entirely within Pennsylvania.

Vermont winter manure spreading ban in effect

Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets issued a reminder that a winter manure spreading ban started Dec. 15.

The winter manure spreading ban has been in place since 1995 under Accepted Agricultural Practice (AAP) rules. Vermont selected a ban period from Dec. 15 to April 1 each year to protect water quality; however the Agency has discretion with those dates to accommodate unusual circumstances. As an example, in the spring of 2012, the ban was lifted early, due to unusually dry conditions in Vermont, a result of the warm winter.

During the ban, farmers must either have a storage structure that is capable of holding all manure produced during the 107-day period, or they must be able to stack all manure produced in a way that will not lead to water quality impacts.

When stacking manure, AAPs require that stacking sites be located more than 100 feet from private wells or property boundaries. In addition, manure cannot be stacked on unimproved sites within 100 feet of surface water, or on land that is subject to annual overflow from adjacent waters. However, farmers have the opportunity to demonstrate to the Secretary of Agriculture that no alternative sites exist to enable you to meet these restrictions.

There may be flexibility in emergency situations, subject to inspection by an agricultural resource specialist or field agent. Emergency situations can include, but are not limited to, the structural failure of a manure storage system or equipment failure. Exemptions can also be issued for other specific management needs. The exemption will specify the amount of manure to be spread, the fields suitable for manure application, and the dates during which you will be allowed to spread.

For further information, call 802-828-3475.

‘Job Description Generator’ available

The Penn State Cooperative Extension Dairy Alliance has developed a very user-friendly "job description generator" that greatly reduces the time and effort required for putting job descriptions together. There are many details available that are common to most dairies and you simply check a box to put them in. You can also add any specific requirements or details that are necessary. You can find that information at http://dasweb.psu.edu/jobdescription/.

Pennsylvania age at first calving continues to decline

Holstein herds in Pennsylvania have made progress in reducing the average age of heifers at first calving, based on dairy herd management records.

Extension data collected in 1985 found average age of Pennsylvania Holsteins calving for the first time was 26.9 months. In summarizing 2011 DRMS data, age at first calving was down to 25.5 months.

Age at first calving can be a large factor in average cost of raising heifers. Keeping un-bred heifers often costs $50-$70 a month, and extended calving ages can lead to large increases in annual replacement costs for the dairy farm. Current recommendations are for age at calving to be 23 to 24 months of age.

For more information, contact Jud Heinrichs, Professor of Dairy Science, or Coleen Jones, Research Associate.

Vermont studies formaldehyde foot baths, air quality risks

There is no evidence that spreading manure from farms that use formaldehyde foot baths influenced either indoor or outdoor air concentrations of formaldehyde as compared to other farms, according to a study conducted in Vermont.

Last spring, Vermont’s Secretary of Agriculture and Commissioner of Health petitioned the federal Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) for a study to determine if there is increased public exposure to formaldehyde associated with this agricultural practice.

In May 2012, the Vermont Department of Health, Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, and ATSDR conducted a study to determine if formaldehyde from used foot baths emptied into manure pits adds to public exposure when that manure is spread on farm fields.

Two sites (farm houses and properties in East Berkshire and Fairfax) were tested for both outdoor and indoor levels of formaldehyde in the air. Indoor air measurements ranged from 4.2 to 47 parts per billion, consistent with indoor air levels measured in nationwide studies. Outdoor air measurements were mostly below the detection limit; three detections ranged from 4 to 5.7 parts per billion, consistent with outdoor air levels measured in nationwide studies. Only one detection occurred on a day that manure was spread.

Manure was sampled just prior to spreading. Samples were taken from farms that use formaldehyde foot baths and from several that do not. Similar measurements of formaldehyde were detected in manure from farms that used and did not use formaldehyde foot baths.

The results of this study indicate that the current use of formaldehyde foot baths on farms, disposal into manure pits, and manure spreading on fields does not contribute to elevated levels of formaldehyde in air. Spreading manure that has been mixed with formaldehyde from foot baths is not expected to result in acute health effects.

For more information, visit http://www.whminer.com/fr_12_11_03.html.