Year: 2020

Wisconsin Farmers Union is offering two $500 scholarships for attendees to the two-day Making More From Milk course set for March 24-25 in Madison. The WFU scholarship deadline has been extended to March 4th. The [Read More …]

Dairy industry leaders visit Washington to advance dairy’s appropriations priorities

Dairy industry leaders from across the country are in Washington this week to urge Congressional leaders and appropriators to fund important research, a SNAP milk incentive pilot program, and dairy standards modernization at the Food [Read More …]

NYFB on NYSDOL wage board announcement

Timing of the statutorily required hearings challenging for farmers, their employees New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher will be one of the three appointed members of the wage board announced to consider whether agriculture can [Read More …]

Select Sires Appoints New Dairy Development Data Manager and Welcomes Dairy Sire Development Intern

Keith Gibson has assumed a new role at Select Sires as the dairy development data manager. With a master’s degree in dairy cattle genetics from Penn State University, a bachelor’s degree in animal science from [Read More …]

Farm Credit Supports the West’s Largest Organic Farming Conference

40th EcoFarm Conference educated and inspired 1,600 people about sustainable farming The 40th EcoFarm Conference – the oldest and largest organic farming conference in the West – went off without a hitch in late January, [Read More …]

The Impact of Coronavirus on Dairy Markets

Still trying to wrap my head around the impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus). If I work through the numbers based on the likely impact to GDP, it would suggest a 3-10% drop in dairy prices (basis [Read More …]

Here’s to Your Best Success!

John Ellsworth As you may recall from my last blog, I suggested that this year will present some solid opportunities for you to succeed. Yet, several years ago, I had a conversation with a producer [Read More …]

The Smart Approach to Clinical Mastitis Treatment

On-farm culturing allows for more informed decisions to be made regarding treatment and can help answer questions about whether to treat a quarter or not. Does every cow with mastitis need treated? Have you ever [Read More …]

Dairy Shrine Scholarship Applications Due April 15

The National Dairy Shrine is again looking for applications for its annual scholarship program. Applications are accepted from March 1 until the deadline of April 15. Official scholarship application award forms are available on the [Read More …]

Reduce Somatic Cell Count, Minimize Mastitis in Dairy Cows with Performance Trace Minerals

Somatic cell count can be an indicator of animal performance and milk quality. As somatic cell count increases, milk yield and quality will decrease. A high somatic cell count is usually an indicator of an [Read More …]

Where to Start Considerations for Planter Upgrades

What planter upgrades should you do first? Focusing on even emergence followed by spacing and precision upgrades is a good plan for making changes to your setup. Getting a corn crop off to a good [Read More …]

Indiana Right to Farm Act reaffirmed

Indiana Supreme Court upholds protections for farm in Hendricks County On Feb. 20, 2020, the Indiana Supreme Court upheld decisions from the Indiana Court of Appeals and the Hendricks County Superior Court that reaffirmed the [Read More …]

CA: Public Hearing on Quota Scheduled For April 7 & 8

A Notice of a Public Hearing to Consider a Petition to Suspend Chapter 3.5 of the Food and Agriculture Code was posted this week by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The hearing is [Read More …]

California Jersey Association Recognizes Members, Juniors

Meeting on Feb. 8 at the Hilmar Cheese Company in Hilmar, Calif., some 90 members of the Jersey Cattle Association in the Golden State for the 48th annual awards luncheon and annual meeting. A highlight [Read More …]

CA: Research Shows California Dairy Farms Reducing Environmental Footprint

New research published in the Journal of Dairy Science finds the climate footprint of milk production in California has been significantly reduced over the past 50 years (1964 to 2014). The amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced per unit [Read More …]

GEA introduces Effinity™ post-milking teat dip

New non-iodine teat dip has proven mastitis killing power and doesn’t require mixing. Proven mastitis killing power. No mixing. Excellent teat conditioning. GEA Effinity™, a new post-milking teat dip, provides all that and more in [Read More …]

New Research Shows Oregano Feed Additive Reduces Methane Emissions

Research published in the March 2020 Journal of Dairy Science shows that feeding Stand Strong for Ruminants to dairy cows reduced methane emissions by 15 percent. Stand Strong™ for Ruminants is a natural oregano- and [Read More …]

DairyBusiness News (USDA, Flickr/Creative Commons)

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship approved for financial training

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship approved as national vendor for FSA’s borrower training program Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) is pleased to announce that Farm Services Agency (FSA) has approved its multi-state application to conduct financial management and [Read More …]

Progress on U.S.-China Phase One agreement

China has taken actions to begin implementing its agriculture-related commitments U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced today that China has taken numerous actions to begin implementing its [Read More …]

Dairy community invited to regional event, March 12

The event is free but reservations are required by March 5 The Penn State Extension Dairy Team in partnership with the Somerset Trust Company is offering a regional event for the entire dairy community. Producers [Read More …]

Farm Bureau survey: farmers cautiously optimistic about future farm economy

USDA recently projected net farm income, a broad measure of farm profitability, to rise 3% in 2020 to the highest level since 2014. In fact, USDA data suggests that farm profitability has been on [Read More …]

2020 Outlook Projects Principal Crops Rebound

USDA’s recent Agricultural Outlook Forum presented a first look at the supply and demand projections for cotton and grains and oilseeds for the 2020/2021 crop year. The largest annual meeting of USDA, the forum is also the venue for [Read More …]

For Improved Profit Margins, the Dairy Doctor is in

For Dr. Joe Bender, what goes on in the environment surrounding an animal is just as important as what’s going on inside of it. As a veterinarian and assistant professor of clinical dairy production medicine [Read More …]

PDPW Financial Literacy for Dairy – Level 3 takes farmers to new level of business strategy

Unique to dairy, 2-day financial course will offer advanced financial development, Mar. 24-25 With tightening financial margins, it takes business savvy to be profitable and successful in today’s dairy industry. Producers need to know their [Read More …]

Largest Decline in U.S. Dairy Farms in15-Plus Years in 2019

Introduction USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service’s monthly Milk Production report, released on Feb. 20, showed the largest annual decline in the number of licensed dairy operations since 2004. Since the end of 2014, dairy farmers have [Read More …]

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship approved for financial training

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship approved as national vendor for FSA’s borrower training program Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) is pleased to announce that Farm Services Agency (FSA) has approved its multi-state application to conduct financial management and [Read More …]

NAFA stresses research funding, crop insurance during DC Fly-In

Alfalfa farmers descended on Washington, DC, for the National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance’s (NAFA) DC Fly-In to stress to lawmakers the importance of research funding and crop insurance. As a non-program crop, alfalfa farmers aren’t [Read More …]

What’s on at IDF International Cheese Science & Technology Symposium 2020

Quebec City, Quebec Canada Venue: Fairmont Chatêau Frontenac This four-in-one conference provides a unique opportunity to meet with experts and leading names from the international dairy and cheese sectors! We are proud to introduce the Cheese [Read More …]

Wisconsin experts disagree on dairy industry impact of Dean Foods sale

National Cooperative Dairy Farmers Of America announces deal With Dean Foods as bankruptcy continues Wisconsin experts disagree on how the sale of the nation’s largest milk processing company will impact the dairy industry. Dairy Farmers [Read More …]

Podcast: Michael Boccadoro discusses the California Dairy Summit and how this event helps tell dairy’s story