January 12, 2019 - Zone 2 by Dairy Star

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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™

Volume 20, No. 22

January 12, 2019

Froehlich saves the day

DHIA tester performs CPR during a farm visit By Danna Sabolik

danna.s@dairystar.com

ELROSA, Minn. - Early on a Friday morning Darcy Froehlich was on a usual milking visit to perform DHIA testing when her instincts were tested. On Dec. 14 around 5 a.m., Bruce Felling was drinking his morning cup of coffee and reading the paper when he began experiencing chest pains. “I thought I should be by people, and I knew my daughter-inlaw was milking in the barn outside,” Bruce said. That is the last thing he remembers that morning. Bruce has no recollection of bundling up or making his way down to the barn, much less calling for Tessie, his daughter-in-law, or collapsing in her arms. Tessie Felling was milking with Froehlich as they were doing DHIA testing in the barn that morning for the dairy herd near Elrosa, Minn. “I heard Bruce calling my name, but when I looked for him he wasn’t there,” Tessie said. “So I stuck my head out of the barn and as soon as I saw him I knew it was bad. He looked scary.” Tessie called for Froehlich and a couple other employees who were milking with them and together they were able to lie Bruce down on the ground. That is when Froehlich took charge. Turn to FELLING | Page 5

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Bruce and Tessie Felling stand in the parlor where Bruce collapsed the morning of Dec. 14. Tessie and DHIA tester, Darcy Froehlich, rushed to his aid by performing CPR while waiƟng for EMS to arrive.

DMC offers relief for industry

Small farms to benet most from new program By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As President Donald Trump signed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 into law on Dec. 20, Steve Schlangen saw hope for himself and the dairy community. “We thought the last farm bill was good, but it turned out to be a op,” said Schlangen, who attended the signing at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota, ranking member of the House Ag Committee. “This new bill went the other way. It will help all farms some, but smaller farms the most.” Schlangen and his wife, Cheryl, dairy farm near Albany, Minn.;

PHOTO SUBMITTED

President Donald Trumps signs the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 into law Dec. 20 in Washington, D.C.

Schlangen serves as chairman of Associated Milk Producers Inc. and on the National Milk Producers Federation Board of Directors. In this role he has had the opportunity to provide input on government programs, such as the previous Margin Protection Program for Dairy and the newly created Dairy Margin Coverage. Updates to the farm bill were given overwhelming support in Congress and now those in the dairy industry are anxious for its implementation. The most notable change for dairy farmers is the discontinuation of MPP and start-up of DMC, a risk management tool more reective of current industry trends. “MPP for dairy producers is discontinued as we know it. … They changed the name; they rebranded it,” said Dr. Marin Bozic, University of Minnesota. “This really will be a new program in terms of its effectiveness and ability to help dairy producers.” Turn to FARM BILL| Page 6

Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

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ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Amanda Thooft 320-352-6303 amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Danna Sabolik - Staff Writer (320) 352-6303 • danna.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Lori Menke (Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.

The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.

A glance at what’s inside Happy New Year! The beginning of a new year usually Favorite quotes from this issue: gives people a feeling of a fresh start. We think many people in the dairy industry are feeling the same, and are happy to see 2018 “The tools that we have now to work in the rearview mirror. While the dairy economy is still struggling as we enter 2019, there are glimmers of hope such as the signing with employees and to make our farm a place that’s pleasant for our of the new farm bill, which we covered on the front page. However, before moving forward we look back on the top employees, the cows and for anyone news stories from 2018 on pages 10-13 in rst section. Jennifer that comes to visit is very critical with Coyne highlighted a month-by-month recap of the biggest topics today’s society.” – Colette Diers (Third we covered throughout the past year ranging from re updates and By Mark Klaphake changes made on farms to Margin Protection Plan progression Section, Pages 2-3) Editor and commodity insurance for dairy information among other stories. “The amount of people that come out This issue also featured stories talking about ways to add value to dairies. The to the farm is insane, and it is denitely Millers are now in the cheese business. This summer, the young couple started an on-farm creamery, Little Red Dairy, making cheese curds on their 220-cow farm near Theilman, helping us keep the cows.” – Shayna Minn. They said it was their way to diversify their dairy and set it up to be successful for Stevens (Second Section, Pages 10-11) potential future generations. The Mayers’ dairy farm is more than just a place to milk cows. Over the years, Shelly and Dwight Mayer have delved into agri-tourism with the development of Folksong Farm. By the Numbers Shelly shared her family’s journey through this niche market during a conference last month in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. Read about the Mayers’ mission to connect people with The number of animals where their food comes from on page 28 in rst section. tested for bovine Widmer’s Cheese Cellars has been a staple in Theresa, Wis. The Widmer family has tuberculosis following an been making cheese for almost 100 years and is now in its third generation of ownership outbreak in Wisconsin. with the fourth generation also working in the business. Read on pages 23 and 25 in (First Section, Page 22) rst section how they make their old-fashioned brick cheese from milk from a few local dairies. The million dollar settlement In ongoing testing, ve more animals from a dairy farm in Dane County have tested amount from the class action positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB) since the disease was rst detected in a carcass lawsuit Carlin v. DairyAmerica, during a routine inspection in October. The total number of conrmed cases now numbers Inc. (First Section, Page 26) six. Read on page 22 in rst the results of testing and whether this will affect other dairies in the area. As we dive into 2019, we want to continue bringing you news coverage that is both informative and entertaining. If you ever have a story idea, please share with us by emailing Mark (mark.k@dairystar.com) or dropping us a message on our Facebook page.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 3

It’s all inside... Columnists Ag Insider

Pages 8-9 First Section

The Transition Pen Page 27 First Section

Mondovi

Black River Falls

Ramblings from the Ridge

First Section: Pages 15 - 16

First Section: Page 37

Page 30 First Section

Veterinary Wisdom

n Barron

Sawyer

First Section: Page 36

Price

Rusk Taylor

Page 33 First Section

St. Croix

The “Mielke” Market Weekly

Pierce

Pages 10 - 11 Second Section

Page 13 Second Section

Hatley

Women in Dairy: Heidi Fischer

ur Polk

First Section: Page 10

Come Full Circle

Country Cooking

Burnett

Dunn

Pepin Buffalo

Madison

Ibach highlights farm bill at PDPW conference First Section: Pages 34 - 35

Chippewa

Marathon Clark

Eau Claire Trempealeau

Page 32 First Section

Dairy policy greatly shaped 2018

First Section: Pages 1, 6

Iron Ashland

W as

Making Cents of Dairy

Bayeld

Douglas

Page 31 First Section

DMC offers relief for industry

Dairy Pricing Association launches petition campaign

From Our Side of the Fence

Theresa

Cheese plant’s success based on tradition

Wood Jackson

First Section: Pages 23 - 24

Adams

La Crosse Monroe

Juneau Vernon

ford

Richland

Sauk

Craw

Zone 2

Iowa

Fond Du Lac Columbia

Dane

Green

er eff

Grant Lafayette

Dodge

Rock

Wisconsin Dells

Folksong Farm a journey for Mayer family

For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com

First Section: Page 28

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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

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Dairy Star â&#x20AC;˘ Saturday, January 12, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 5

ConĆ&#x;nued from FELLING | Page 1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;My dad had just gone into cardiac arrest over Thanksgiving and my brother-in-law is an anesthetist so I was right there hanging on to Dad when he was performing emergency medicine,â&#x20AC;? Froehlich said. With that memory fresh in her mind, and CPR knowledge as a Taekwondo instructor, she got to work assessing Bruce. When the women could not ď&#x192;&#x17E;nd a pulse Froehlich knew it was time to perform chest compressions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I knew if I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it nobody was

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be today if Tessie hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t caught me and Darcy hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been there to get me going as quickly as she did.â&#x20AC;? BRUCE FELLING, DAIRY FARMER

going to do it,â&#x20AC;? Froehlich said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have to keep that oxygen going. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give them CPR they can have a lot of brain damage or maybe not make it.â&#x20AC;? Meanwhile, Tessie was calling 911 and her husband, Brandon, who lives just up the road and is on the local ď&#x192;&#x17E;re department. Froehlich was able to get Bruceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart pumping again and the Emergency Medical Services told her to stop compressions and wait for help to arrive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really scary and it all happened so fast,â&#x20AC;? Tessie said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t minutes. It felt like seconds and

everything was slow motion.â&#x20AC;? When EMS arrived, Bruce was taken 15 miles to the Sauk Centre hospital by ambulance. Once there he had a seizure so was then airlifted to a St. Cloud regional hospital, where he stabilized and later woke up confused. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I had no idea where I was or where my clothes had gone,â&#x20AC;? Bruce said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once I was caught up to speed I was so grateful for Darcy and Tessie for what they did for me.â&#x20AC;? Bruce spent six days in the hospital and is doing better now, but remains weak and is in physical therapy twice a week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be today if Tessie hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t caught me and Darcy hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been there to get me going as quickly as she did,â&#x20AC;? Bruce said. Tessie was shook up about the whole event, but is so grateful Froehlich was there and knew what to do. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to call 911,â&#x20AC;? Tessie said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You hear about it and you never think youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll actually do it. Everything happens so fast so you have to stay calm because you have to take care of the person.â&#x20AC;? One of the ď&#x192;&#x17E;rst things the doctors told Bruce was that he had broken ribs and to commend Froehlich for doing such a good job with the compressions. Applying the correct pressure and force to chest compressions should result in broken ribs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just saw what needed to be done and did it,â&#x20AC;? Froehlich said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what anyone in my situation would have done.â&#x20AC;? Bruce feels the same. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a miracle,â&#x20AC;? Bruce said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will deď&#x192;&#x17E;nitely be out in the barn for the next testing and I suspect that will be emotional.â&#x20AC;?

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Bozic presented information on the farm bill during a webinar, “2018 Farm Bill: Implications for Dairy Producers,” co-hosted by I-29 Moo University and Minnesota Milk Producers Association Dec. 27. While the formula to calculate a margin payment under DMC remains the same as was MPP, coverage options have drastically changed. First, DMC allows dairy farmers to opt for margin coverage between $4 and $9.50, in $0.50 increments for the rst 5 million pounds in Tier 1. If a farmer wishes to enroll more production in the program under Tier 2, coverage remains unchanged with margins between $4 and $8. With the additional $1.50 in margin coverage opportunity also comes a change in premiums in Tier 1. Premium levels from $4.50 to $7.50 increased, but DMC provides an economical benet for those enrolling in margin coverage at the $8 to $9.50 levels. Under DMC, a farmer may lock in $9.50 coverage level for one year with $0.15 in premiums. If they choose to commit for the full duration of the bill, a 25 percent discount is given to the premiums, resulting in $0.1125 for $9.50 margin coverage. “If I was a dairy producer, I’d go with $9.50 coverage and not think twice about it,” Bozic said. “We are in a new game right now.” Dairy farmers who previously enrolled in MPP are eligible for rebates on premiums paid in 2015 to 2017. One may either request a cash return and receive 50 percent in past net premiums paid or take 75 percent of net premiums paid and put that payment towards new payments under DMC. Additionally, dairy operations may now cover between 5 and 95 percent of their existing production history. Previously, coverage was only an option for 25 to 90 percent of production history. Calculating production history will also be different moving forward. Previously, this value varied year over year, but will now remain xed at 2018 production – or slightly above that if the government allows one more increase in January of this year. “The Congressional Budget Ofce believed that the program would become too expensive if we allowed production increases and we couldn’t have premiums as low as we have them,” Bozic said. “Also, there is a threat of oversupply. If you offer a program that is very generous and covers all the growth, then pretty soon you’ll have too much milk on the market.” The nal improvement in this risk

management tool is the option to use it with others, such as Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy or Dairy Revenue Protection. Also, those who were unable to participate in MPP 2018 because they were enrolled in LGM will have the chance to retroactively participate in MPP for the months they were unable to last year. With these changes, DMC is designed for Tier 1 participation. However, there is no clear incentive to sign up for Tier 2 coverage. “You should enroll all you can in Tier 1 coverage and anything above that could be locked in at $4 coverage in Tier 2 or use CME Futures and Options, LGM or forward contracting,” Bozic said. To decide if DMC is the right risk management option, Bozic provided an example using $9.50 margin coverage and current feed costs to calculate an estimated milk price oor. In 2019, the average feed ration costs are projected at $8.55 per hundredweight, and if the highest margin coverage is chosen then the national average all milk price is $18.05 per cwt. “Don’t hold me to this; this is a number that is the best approximation …” Bozic said. Schlangen reviewed the program and its potential relief to the dairy industry and is pleased with the price protection. “Even with trade maybe taking $1.50 out of the milk check, this is going to help everyone through the process,” Schlangen said. “This is really going to be a good program for those of us who have hung in there. It’s not just good for us, but for the future and those wanting to get started dairy farming.” However, DMC is not a catchall solution to the waning dairy prices. “I’m happy about all the people who will get some breathing space and may not be as anxious in 2019 as we’ve seen in 2018,” Bozic said. DMC caters to a farm’s rst 5 million pounds. For those farmers with more production, they will need to be more proactive in ne-tuning their risk management strategies, considering multiple ways to protect their milk. “This is a good example of what we can accomplish if we all work together,” Schlangen said. “We’ve been at this for four years now and there is nally a light at the end of the tunnel.” Enrollment for DMC will not begin for a few months yet, but once available will remain open for 90 days and payments will be made retroactive to Jan. 1. Until then, farmers should evaluate their operations and select strategies that best t their needs.

GRAPH PROVIDED BY DAIRY MARKETS AND POLICY

Premiums for margin coverage in Tier 1 and Tier 2 under the new Dairy Margin Coverage program are compared to premiums for the Margin ProtecƟon Program for Dairy.

Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 7

What are your check-off dollars doing for you?

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin updates producers at PDPW By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MADISON, Wis. – Chad Vincent, the CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, shared the focuses and results of his group’s marketing strategies and the things being accomplished with the check-off dollars, with attendees last month at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin’s (PDPW) Dairy Food and Policy Summit held in Madison, Wis. “Of the 15 cents per hundredweight, 10 cents stays in Wisconsin and a nickel goes to national. We work closely with Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) to make sure you get your full 15 cents, if not more, value out of this,” Vincent said. “The whole thing is all about building sales and trust.” For 2019 Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has identied four primary areas of impact to pursue. First, they want to create an awareness and afnity for all Wisconsin dairy products, with a main focus on cheese. Second is to create distribution, sales and trials of Wisconsin cheese both domestically and abroad, working with cheese companies and inuential retailers. “We need to make sure that we are getting more of our products into stores and restaurants where people can see it, taste it and buy it,” Vincent said. “We have to do that in partnership with retailers and processors.”

Third on the list is working to build and create consumer trust in dairy farmers, the dairy industry and dairy products as a whole. “Building trust is vital,” Vincent said. “We spend an inordinate amount of time guring out how to continue to build trust in you, your practices and your products. There are a lot of people out there that don’t love what we do. A lot of it comes out of personal beliefs and misinformation, and it’s our job to make sure people understand how well we treat the land and the animals and how important dairy is. Getting them on the farm is so important and so impactful.” Finally, they want to be culturally and operationally strong and efcient, working to develop and improve partnerships. Vincent spoke about some of DMI’s coalition partnerships, such as Fuel Up To Play 60 program, in which DMI has partnered with the NFL to promote healthy eating and exercise habits. “That’s really our entry into the schools,” Vincent said. “There isn’t a food product company or group that wouldn’t want access to school networks. We’re one of the very few that has that. The NFL with this program enables us to talk to the kids about dairy, a healthful diet, the nutrition dairy brings and living a healthy lifestyle; and to be able to tell the dairy farming story.” The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) is another coalition partnership Vincent spoke about. He said without the check-off dollars, USDEC may not exist and wouldn’t be as strong as it is. “One in seven loads of milk goes outside the country right now,” Vincent said. “Imagine, with how tight things are today, if that one load was still sit-

ting around the U.S., trying to nd a home for it.” Vincent said one of the questions most frequently asked by dairy producers is why they no longer see Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin milk ads on television. He said that is largely because of the existence of MilkPEP, an organization responsible for understanding the milk consumer and developing the television advertising. “All of the money that goes into a uid processing plant, that processor pays an additional 20 cents per hundredweight into a fund run by MilkPEP,” Vincent said. “That’s $70 to $80 million per year that MilkPEP is running national television spots. For us to spend farmer-money to create our own television spots wouldn’t make an incremental difference, and our money is better spent elsewhere.” Vincent spoke about the partnerships DMI has developed, placing scientists in the research and development departments of several large companies, such as Domino’s and McDonald’s. These scientists are charged with guring out how to incorporate dairy products into the menus and products marketed by those companies, increasing dairy consumption. “Increasing Domino’s usage of cheese on pizza by 2 ounces equals an increase of billions of pounds of milk being consumed,” Vincent said. “McDonald’s has started using butter in 14,000 locations. That’s 500 million pounds of butter annually. These big companies are the inuencers. When McDonald’s starts using butter, Burger King starts using butter. When Domino’s added more cheese, Pizza Hut started adding more cheese.” According to Vincent, despite the decrease in uid milk consumption,

total per capita dairy consumption is up, having grown an average of 4.3 pounds per person, per year since the dairy industry check-off began in 1983. However, despite the increase, Vincent stressed the importance of the role exports will continue to play in the dairy industry. “There is not enough population growth in the U.S. to absorb all the milk that we want to make, if we continue on the current trend,” Vincent said. “Ninety-ve percent of the world’s population growth is going to happen outside the U.S. We’ve got to be there, the biggest markets are out there. The USDEC guys are really helping lead the way to build those relationships to get our products sold.” Another question frequently asked by Wisconsin dairy producers is why Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin isn’t lobbying for the dairy industry. According to Vincent, by their charter, the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is not allowed to lobby, participate in activities that would directly impact milk prices, or make and deliver product. What they can do is promote Wisconsin dairy products globally, serving as the marketing arm of the Wisconsin dairy industry. In order to accomplish this, they work closely with the state’s dairy processors to help them sell more products. “We’re heavily focused on developing cheese because of the 90-90 rule,” Vincent said. “Ninety percent of the milk produced in Wisconsin is made into cheese, and 90 percent of that cheese is sold outside of the state. It takes 10 pounds of milk to make each pound of that cheese. We’re fortunate that Wisconsin Cheese has a brand and world-wide recognition.”

Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

An improved dairy safety net Dairy farmers will receive an improved safety Schlangen said the dairy industry was unied in net in the new farm bill. The Margin its approach to this farm bill. It was Ag Insider Protection Program will be rebranded a completely different situation ve as the Dairy Margin Coverage Program. years ago. “There was so much division “The coverage levels become even between the National Milk Producers higher, and the premium rate structure (Federation) and the International becomes more favorable for farmers Dairy Foods Association and when that of all sizes,” said Chris Galen, senior happens, it is hard for Congress to come vice president of members services to an agreement on anything. This year, and strategic initiatives, National Milk the dairy industry was united and I Producers Federation. “There will be a think that’s why we ended up getting discount on future premiums if farmers what we got.” Schlangen acknowledged sign-up for the full ve years, as well as Minnesota Congressman Collin premiums paid this year. The premiums Peterson for his work on the dairy title. on catastrophic coverage levels for By Don Wick larger producers are signicantly Pfaff leads DATCP Columnist reduced.” The DMC program also Brad Pfaff, who grew up in La expands exibility for dairy farmers, Crosse County, is the new Wisconsin allowing them to fully participate in the Livestock Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Gross Margin and Dairy Revenue Protection Protection. Pfaff has served as the executive director programs. The benets of the new program will be of the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency and USDA retroactive to the beginning of 2019, with sign-up Deputy Administrator of Farm Programs during the done through USDA. Obama Administration. Pfaff also served on the staff of Congressman Ron Kind. Good news for dairy farmers and rural communities Pfaff decision praised The dairy title in the new farm bill is being Brad Pfaff’s appointment as DATCP Secretary called a victory for small dairy farms. The new has been widely praised. Wisconsin Farm Bureau Dairy Margin Coverage expands margin protection President Jim Holte said Pfaff “is no stranger to coverage up to $9.50 per hundredweight on a the Wisconsin agricultural community (and) his farm’s rst ve million pounds of production. rural roots give him a solid foundation.” Wisconsin There is more exibility in the program with Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden said his reduced premium costs. Associated Milk Producers organization has worked closely with Pfaff during Incorporated chairman Steve Schlangen, who was his time at FSA and on the staff of Representative part of the farm bill event, said this program is good Kind “and we look forward to continuing to work news for dairy farmers and rural communities. “For with him in his new role as DATCP Secretary.” producers with ve million pounds of production and under, their banker will know that if they take Milwaukee environmental ofcial to oversee care of their operation that they’ll be alright because DNR they’ve got this coverage that will protect them.” The new leader for the Wisconsin Department

of Natural Resources is Preston Cole, who is a Milwaukee city ofcial. Cole has pledged to rely on science to make decisions within the DNR. Another interest rate bump As expected, the Federal Reserve has boosted short-term interest rates for the fourth time in 2018. The benchmark rate now ranges from 2.25 to 2.5 percent. The Fed also released a statement, indicating a more gradual approach to interest rate increase in 2019. Runoff risk advisory forecast to gain enhancements Wisconsin’s Runoff Risk Advisory Forecast program will see changes in 2019. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture said the enhancements will provide farmers a more detailed review of runoff issues before spreading manure. This tool considers soil moisture, weather, crop cover, snow cover and slop. The National Weather Service will update the weather information three times per day. The update should be in place by February 1. WI blue cheese plant sold Wisconsin-based Emmi Roth is acquiring the Great Lakes Cheese plant in Seymour, Wis. This plant makes blue cheese, which is also a specialty for Emmi Roth. This deal is expected to take effect at the end of February. DFA to purchase Agropur plant Dairy Farmers of America is acquiring Agropur’s St. Paul, Minn. facility. This processing plant manufactures a variety of fresh, extended shelf-life and aseptic dairy products for major supermarket chains. This deal is expected to be nalized in early January. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9

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ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8

DFA former headquarters sold After sitting empty for the past year, the former headquarters of Dairy Farmers of America has been sold to a local investor group. DFA moved its headquarters from an area on the north side of Kansas City, Mo. to Kansas City, Kan. in 2017. Two animal health businesses become one Vets Plus, which is based in Menomonie, has purchased the assets of Merrick’s Inc. The new company is now known as Merrick’s Animal Health. This business manufactures and markets animal health products, including electrolytes and boluses. WI dairy farmer joins AFBF Promotion and Education Committee Andrea Brossard will serve on the American Farm Bureau Federation Promotion and Education Committee for 2019-2021. Brossard is a third-generation dairy farmer in Beaver Dam and currently chairs the

Wisconsin Farm Bureau promotion and education committee. Trivia challenge There are numerous theories about the tradition of leaving milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. It is generally thought the tradition began during the U.S. Great Depression when parents used it as a teaching tool about sharing. That answers our last trivia question. What country leads the world in milk consumption? We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora and Sterling.

“It’s less bookwork for me and I know more about each of the cows...” What do you like about the DHIA tags? They are durable and many options to choose from such as brands and styles. Tell us about the convenience of going through DHIA for your ear tags. Ordering through DHIA is convenient since they keep track of the type of tag used and the 15 digit tag numbers are then already in the system so it’s one less tag number to record on the barn sheets. How long have you been testing with DHIA? Testing since 2005. How long have you been using the DHIA pregnancy test? What do you like about the test? Our farm has been using the pregnancy test since it became available. I like it due to the convenience of not waiting for a veterinarian and the ability to mail samples in for testing. For small dairies it’s very cost effective. Why is testing with DHIA important to your dairy? DHIA testing is important for us because it’s less bookwork for me and I know more about each of the cows that you can’t see from just looking at them.

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The past 12 months were bearish with Class III milk prices the lowest since 2014, coupled with ineffective federal assistance policies and a difcult growing season for many dairy farmers across the region. But for the punches the dairy industry took, there were also moments of hope for the future. With the new year underway, Dairy Star reected on the milestones that shaped 2018 and propelled the industry into 2019. January The year began with suppressed milk prices to the tune of $14 per hundredweight; however, for dairy farmers in the Upper Midwest, their milk check reected an earning far less than the national average. Across states in the Upper Midwest, milk production soared, yet processing capacities were limited. Likewise, some cooperatives paid less than federal minimum by blending costs back into the pay price to farmers. This trend would be recognized again later in the coming months. Last year was dened by policies, beginning Dec. 22, 2017 when the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. Throughout the rst weeks of January 2018, farmers and accountants worked to understand the revisions. DPAD was repealed and replaced with a 20 percent deduction on Qualied Business Income and Section 179 increased to $1 million and a $2.5 million threshold for purchases; these were two of the more notable changes. The law was further dened in the omnibus spending bill passed in March 2018. Section 199A was modied to allow cooperatives to determine deductions based on the former Section 199, while farmers selling to independent buyers may determine deductions according to the current law and farmers selling to their cooperatives may claim deductions on their milk sold. Cooperative farmer-members also receive a limited pass-through deduction, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. January would not pass without one Wisconsin family losing a portion of its farm to a re. On Jan. 13, a re, which began in a dryer, consumed the kitchen and ofce area and parlor and holding area on the Dettmann family’s farm near Johnson Creek, Wis. The blaze temporarily displaced the Dettmanns’ 525-cow milking herd. In three-months time, the parlor was rebuilt and small changes were made to the housing facility to improve cow comfort while the animals were away. By April, the Dettmann family was milking cows again. “It was a quick rebuild, but it felt like eternity for us,” Mike Dettmann said. “We’re continuing to rebuild the ofce area, but we wanted to get the cows’ facilities done right away. They came rst.” February With 2018 Class III milk futures bleak, and prices reaching a new low of $13.40 in February, the federal government proposed changes to both the Margin Protection Program for Dairy and Livestock Gross Margin in the federal spending bill signed by President Trump Feb. 9. The revisions raised the catastrophic level of Tier 1 in MPP-Dairy, adjusted Tier 1 production; reduced premium rates; and calculated margins monthly, among other smaller changes. Dairy farmers would later have a 90-day enrollment period, in which they could retroactively sign up for MPP beginning January 2018. Within LGM-Dairy, the annual nancial cap of $20 million was eliminated. These changes provided $1.2 billion in baseline spending for the 2018 Farm Bill and also gave some relief in the months to follow; but neither would become more than a short-term x for the growing troubled dairy economy. The month came to an end with a thrilling announcement from Agropur. The cooperative held a groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 27 for a $250 million expansion at its cheese plant in Lake Norden, S.D. Such a project warrants 85,000 additional dairy cows to meet the facility’s new processing capacity of

DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO

The parlor is damaged aŌer a re broke out Jan. 13 at DeƩmann Dairy Farm near Johnson Creek, Wis.

DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO

Tim Czmowski, midwest regional operaƟons vice president for Agropur, addresses the crowd at the cooperaƟve’s groundbreaking ceremony Feb. 27 in Lake Norden, S.D. 9 million pounds of milk per day. Previously, the plant could process one-third that amount. The expansion is on schedule to be completed by March, with an additional two years needed to reach full production. March Although dairy farming is achievable in most any location across the United States, the Upper Midwest is home to an ample feed supply and strong infrastructure, which attracts many to the region. Norman and Nicole Guisewhite are no exception, having moved to Minnesota from Pennsylvania in 2014 to pursue a dairying career. Last March, the Guisewhites furthered their aspirations and purchased a 100-cow dairy on a rented farm site near Mayer, Minn. “Starting a business no matter what is tough and it’s been a challenging year, but being it’s our rst year and being able to pull through and pay everything [despite low milk prices] makes us feel pretty good,” said Norman during an interview last spring. Since then, the Guisewhites have continued dairying. In September, they purchased a farm and Turn to 2018 | Page 11

Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 11

ConƟnued from 2018 | Page 10

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Larry and Nancy Shover’s century-old Ɵestall barn is destroyed from a re April 10 at the couple’s dairy farm in Dehli, Iowa. began milking 220 cows with four robots near South Haven, Minn. “It’s been a busy end of year and a huge learning curve for us,” Nicole said. “While it has been a rough go, with feed and milk prices and the adjustments we’ve had to make, overall it’s been good. We came to this farm for the potential it could be and are looking forward to that.” April Every year, the United States Department of Agriculture collects data on milk hauling charges in the Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Last April, 2017 data was released, causing a stir in the already frustrating market. Dairy farmers were noticing an increase in hauling charges. While charges rose, and for reasons such as distance to the processing plant or competition for milk, the report also indicated hauling costs may not have increased, but rather were noted differently in the milk check. The report indicated two types of hauling charges – simple average and weighted average, with weighted taking into account the volume of milk. The data was also collected with the understanding that dairies are charged differently – a at dollar amount per hundredweight or per hundredweight with a stop charge. Changes to the industry were not only apparent at the farm level. In April, the former Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board changed its name to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and underwent a complete rebranding. The push for change was made in attempt to easily explain the Wisconsin group’s mission – to engage with consumers and create trust surrounding dairy farmers and foods. DFW’s rebranding was accompanied by a fresh logo for Wisconsin Cheese. Like the organization’s vision, the goal in changing designs was to promote more Wisconsin cheese purchases and bring awareness to cheese production in the state. In Iowa, one family had a spring to remember – or perhaps one they would rather forget. On April 10, Larry and Nancy Shover’s century-old tiestall barn was destroyed from a re that originated in an adjacent shop. For the time being, the Shovers relocated their 84 milking cows to a second farm site. Eight months following the barn re, the Shovers continue to milk their herd at the neighboring farm site. Following the tragedy, the herd struggled with high

somatic cell counts as they transitioned from sand bedding to a bedded pack in the other housing facility. In time, the cull rates have become less drastic, milk production has been recaptured and components remain strong. The Shovers are busy with clean up surrounding the barn and are looking forward to what the future may hold for their dairy. “We’ve been more than pleased with the local support of Iowa’s dairy community and that of the wider dairy community,” Larry said.

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May As 2018 brought about challenges for U.S. dairy farmers, the same was true for dairy farmers overseas. Last spring, farmers in the European Union were still responding, on farm and industry wide, to the abolishment of the quota system in 2015, which resulted in mass overproduction and a plunge in producer prices. A drop in demand for European milk product and the United State’s unprecedented production growth also played a factor. The European Union implemented a union-wide voluntary production cuts program to combat the poor markets. Participation in the program was vast and the region was able to reduce production by 1.8 billion pounds. This was a shortterm solution to a larger, worldwide problem. In the future, the European Milk Board hopes to establish a crisis instrument that observes and reacts to market signals to stabilize the market and incentivize changes in production. June June Dairy Month began with the Spink Colony of Frankfort, S.D., celebrating the grand opening of their new dairy processing facility. The event took place June 1, highlighting a variety of cheese products Käsemeister Creamery makes from their 85-cow Holstein herd. The building, which took two years to construct, includes a retail shop that overlooks the processing area, allowing customer to watch cheese being made. Celebrating dairy continued when Todd Speltz, Minnesota dairy farmers and the grocery store chain Hy-Vee worked together to promote the dairy industry in southeast Minnesota. Throughout the month, $4,800 worth of dairy products was distributed to local consumers who participated in the campaign. Its success during the Turn to 2018 | Page 12

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ConƟnued from 2018| Page 11 farmers readily implemented it on their farms; the Qual family of Lisbon, N.D., was no exception. “Five years ago when robotic milking systems were becoming more mainstream, we looked at them to see how we could use them on a larger scale,” Jon Qual said. “When this became an option, we thought it was the best t for us.” Jon and his family installed a GEA DairyProQ 60-stall robotic rotary parlor in April 2017 and hosted a series of open houses in July 2018 – attracting local visitors and members of the dairy industry from near and far.

DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO

Sarah Thacker, markeƟng coordinator for Hy-Vee grocery stores in Rochester, Minn., and Todd Speltz, a dairy nutriƟonist in southeast Minnesota, work with the grocery store to promote June Dairy Month last summer. month of June warranted a continuation as the calendar ipped to July. “Hy-Vee always supports local farmers and with it being National Dairy Month we’re super excited to partner with … the local farmers that supply milk to our stores every day,” said Sarah Thacker, marketing coordinator for the Rochester, Minn., Hy-Vee stores, last summer. July In 2018, the dairy industry saw a boom of new technologies aimed to make milking cows more efcient. One of those technologies was a robotic rotary parlor. First present in Canada, when the technology became available in the United States, few dairy

August Throughout the summer, tensions built between key international trade partners as President Donald Trump pushed for fair trade agreements. Results of the brash interactions were steep tariffs placed on U.S. products, including dairy, being exported to Mexico and China, and the markets quickly responded. While milk prices dropped, they rose again as international leaders worked to develop trade agreements, particularly the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement. Talks were not enough to boost the markets, so the federal government distributed relief to sectors affected by the tariffs. Unfortunately, when the $12 billion aid became available only $0.12 per hundredweight went towards dairy. Tariffs are still in place, but China has begun purchasing soybeans and dairy exports to Mexico were up 25 percent, according to the United States Dairy Export Council. September For the rst time in the industry, dairy farmers were given the opportunity to purchase commodity insurance for their milk. The development of Dairy Revenue Protection was a collaboration between the American Farm Bureau Insurance Services, American Farm Bureau Federation and universities to assist farmers with a risk management option that solely focused on revenue from milk sales. DRP works similar to crop protection insurance policies where milk revenue guarantees are based on class futures, milk production and market-implied risk. Also, this program could be paired with other

government assistance programs. It was released in September with enrollment beginning in October 2018. After the rst month of enrollment, nearly 3 billion pounds of milk was covered – 1.2 billion pounds of milk coming from Wisconsin – and a majority of that insured for the rst quarter of 2019, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. While the growing and harvest seasons were ideal for some, there were many who were met with a wet, unmanageable fall. In southwest Wisconsin, heavy rains began in late August and carried on for months resulting in damaged road, crops and buildings. The extreme weather delayed harvest. The United States Department of Agriculture reported 59 percent of Wisconsin’s corn crop harvested by Nov. 5, 2018; 88 percent was reported in the latest data set released Nov. 26, 2018. Turn to 2018 | Page 13

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ConƟnued from 2018 | Page 12 October After a devastating fall storm passed through southern Minnesota in late September, the Meyer family spent much of the next month planning to rebuild fallen structures on their 120-cow dairy near Kenyon, Minn. The freestall barn and robotic milking room needed to be replaced from irreparable tornado damage. “Once the cows were moved, we focused on regular chores and harvest while also being in full clean up and construction mode,” Alan Meyer said. Meyer and his family opted to replace the old technology with two Lely Astronaut A5 milking robots. On Jan. 2, 100 cows returned to the farm and now the Meyers’ dairy is fully operational. Within four days of returning, about 80 percent of the herd was retrained on the robots, Meyer said. With the barn complete, the family plans to nish construction on the machine shed and feed mixing area this spring. November As milk production continued to push processors to capacity, Associated Milk Producers Inc. decided to upgrade one plant to meet the growing demand to produce more Cheddar cheese. The cooperative’s Paynesville, Minn., location was renovated with seven new cheese vats that replaced 1970s-era equipment. This improvement facilitated an increase of Cheddar cheese production, processing 3 million pounds of milk per day compared to the previous 2.4 million pounds. In December 2017 another processing plant installed the same cheesemaking technology. Of its 10 processing locations, the Paynesville plant is the cooperative’s fourth to undergo improvements. While some cooperatives sought additional processing capabilities, others underwent different changes to retain patrons and a market for the milk. As November came to an end, Hastings Cooperative Creamery and Plainview Milk Products Cooperative prepared for a merger Dec. 1. The merger was due in part to Hastings Cooperative Creamery’s need to nd a new outlet for product, particularly the excess uid milk. The cooperatives now operate under Plainview Milk Products Cooperative’s by-laws and daily processing at each plant are remaining the same for the

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The Meyers – (from leŌ) Alan, Sharon, Samantha and Andy – stand in their destroyed freestall barn aŌer a tornado touched down Sept. 20 on the farm site near Kenyon, Minn. time being. December During Minnesota Milk’s Dairy Conference and Expo Tom Vilsack, president and CEO of the United States Dairy Export Council, stated exports reached 16.5 percent over the last nine months. In an effort to reach 20 percent within ve years, the U.S. dairy industry has and will continue to strategically work to become a part of international markets in the Middle East, north Africa and Asia. At the end of December, a new farm bill was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. Within the law there are several programs benecial for dairy farmers and the industry, including the Dairy Margin Coverage, various crop insurance products and dairy production donation programs. After riding out the year’s rollercoaster-like markets, bearing through the challenges and celebrating the triumphs, the dairy industry embraced the year end and is looking onward to a hopeful 2019.

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From Our Side Of The Fence If you could promote dairy products, how would you do it? Betty Janke Hixton, Wis. Jackson County 45 cows

Randy Koller Mondovi, Wis. Dunn County 35 cows Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. As the current vice president and past treasurer of the Pepin County Dairy Promotion Committee, I have served and been involved with dairy promotion for over 20 years. I also nished a three-year term on the National Dairy Promotion, Research and Nutrition Education Board this past fall. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. We take pride that we bring consumers directly to a dairy farm each June and offer them the opportunity to see and learn rsthand how a farm operates including the cow’s diet, housing facility and milking equipment, all while using proper sustainability practices. They are able to enjoy an array of dairy products with their meal as well as a sweet taste of ice cream for dessert. Another noteworthy promotion has been promoting the benets of chocolate milk as a refuel beverage after physical activity to area school sports teams. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? On a regional level, I would encourage farmers to host small groups of family, friends and neighbors that are removed from the farm and share various dairy products with a meal. This way they have a personal connection with a farmer and the products they love, while having the opportunity to ask questions about how their food is produced. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? Brad Paisley has a fairly large presence and group of followers on social media. Social media is how many people of today’s generations are inuenced about the food choices available to them. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt if he wrote a song or two about the benets of dairy in your diet. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Fluid milk could use updated promotion touting the health benets and satisfying taste that comes from consuming whole fat dairy. What is your favorite dairy product? Ice cream, but my son would say grape malts. Tell us about your farm. Our farm is a second-generation dairy which my father purchased in 1961. My wife Carma works off the farm as a physical therapist. Our daughter Marissa is a senior at University of Wisconsin-River Falls and will be working as a credit underwriter for agricultural loans upon graduation in the spring. Our son Jon works as an electrician, all while still pitching in on the farm when needed. We milk 35 Holstein cows, raise our dairy steers and crop around 240 acres of alfalfa, corn and soybeans.

Tom and Joan Oberhaus Waukesha, Wis. Waukesha County 75 cows Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. We have been involved with dairy promotion since 1985. We have served as chairmen of our county dairy breakfast 14 years and hosted the breakfast at our farm for two years. We helped with library events, milk tent at the county fair, and second grade promotion in May where we distributed yogurt and dairy activity books to about 3,000 children. We hosted a farm open house called Cookies and Milk with the cows in 2018. In the fall, we also give educational farm tours to over 1,000 children. In 2007, Joan joined the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion board and has played an active role with the dairy promotions during state fair. We also provide cows and calves to the House of Moo for milking demonstrations. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. We believe the smaller events talking directly to families about the benets of dairy products are the best. There are two libraries in our area that have a summer kick off, and we have been invited to bring a cow and calf. We set up a trivia wheel, pass out recipes, string cheese and ice cream. This year we hosted an event called Cookies and Milk. We set up six stations where families could give themselves a tour of the farm with people to answer any questions and served milk and cookies. Just over 1,000 people attended the event. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? It seems like advertising is the best way to reach people and reminding people of all the basic values of milk would be the best. The basic qualities of milk. It’s all natural, great taste and healthy for you without any additives. We also need to continue to develop new products If you could choose a celebrity or wellknown person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? We need a representative without drama who everybody could love or feel good about. Consider Popeye. He was into eating good food to make his body strong and help others. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Chocolate milk for its nutrition and recovery qualities. What is your favorite dairy product? Custard. Tell us about your farm. We milk 75 Brown Swiss and Guernsey cows in urban Waukesha County. We farm about 250 acres and raise alfalfa, corn and about 20 acres of fall produce for the fall market. We also open the farm the Friday after Thanksgiving to sell 1,700 Christmas trees. Our goal at Cozy Nook Farm is to produce high quality milk and give our urban neighbors a positive view of agriculture.

Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. I am primarily involved with dairy promotion through our local dairy promotion committee. My husband and I are members, and I am the treasurer. We also hosted our county’s June Dairy Breakfast on our farm in 2015. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. Our annual June Dairy Breakfast, hosted at a working dairy farm. This is a much anticipated event for many people every year. However, another promotion is donating funds (as available) to the ag education and family/consumer education departments in the schools in our county. The funds are used at the discretion of the instructor toward dairy product and industry education. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? I would promote dairy products on a regional level. This would take into account the cultural differences of the regions of our nation, emphasizing what may be important to that particular area. I know what attracts my attention, but I also know a different approach may be needed in another part of our country. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? Michelle Obama would be a good person to represent the dairy industry. Mrs. Obama seems to be a genuine and sincere person. If she agreed to the task, I feel she would bring sincerity and believability to her message. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Butter needs better promotion. Most people have heard that everything is better with butter on it, but I still think many buy other spreads. The consumer may feel real butter is not part of a healthy diet. As with most things, moderation is key. I prefer the taste of butter, and use it for my cooking and baking recipes. What is your favorite dairy product? If I must choose, it has to be cheese, a sharp cheddar, but not too aged, on a grilled cheese, a melted ham and cheese or with snack crackers. The uses for cheese are limitless. Tell us about your farm. Our farm was recognized as a century farm in 2013. We grow corn, soybeans, oats, and alfalfa and rent out some of our cropland. Soybeans and excess corn is sold. We raise our heifers to about 6 months old, and then a grower gets them until they come back as springers. Bull calves are sold as feeder steers at about 6 months.

Brenda Conley Neosho, Wis. Dodge County 60 cows Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. In 2004, our farm hosted the Dodge County Dairy Brunch, and I have been on the committee ever since. In the fall of 2017, an opportunity opened up for me to become the ofcial dairy ambassador for the county within the committee. As dairy ambassador, I go to schools, local events, farmer’s markets and organizations to talk about the dairy industry and help promote anything dairy related. I am also in charge of our Facebook page. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. Our most effective promotion is our annual dairy brunch. We hold it on the rst Sunday of June at different dairy farms in our county. We usually serve over 1,800 people. It is a lot of work to organize it, but it shows the public how a dairy farm actually works and all of the aspects that go into dairy farming. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? In today’s society, everything is basically technology driven. So, getting out to promote dairy products via TV, radio and social media would be the way to go. Everyone is also looking at the newest and upcoming trends and trying to develop dairy products and/or use existing products that would t into their lifestyles would be key. If you could choose a celebrity or wellknown person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? I’d like to see Blake Shelton help represent the dairy industry. Not only is he a downhome country boy, but he’s funny and likable. He is well respected, but yet normal people, like myself, can also relate to him from how he grew up. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Fluid milk. More people are having to change their diets because they can’t handle milk, but there are plenty of real milk alternatives now that some people may not know about, like milk with the A2A2 gene. By letting the consumers know there are more real milk alternatives, they no longer need to cut uid milk from their diet. We need to better show the consumers what ingredients are in real milk versus plant based alternatives. What is your favorite dairy product? Cheese. I am willing to try about any type and avor of cheese there is. In Dodge County, we have over seven cheese plants that make all kinds of cheese. I especially love fresh mozzarella and cook with it often. Tell us about your farm. My husband Chris and I with our two daughters, Mckayla and Paige, farm on Chris’s grandmother’s farm. The farm consists of 174 acres. Our herd is named High-Gem Holsteins and Normandes. We milk 54 cows and work about 120 acres planting hay, corn and sorghum. The remaining land is pastures and woods. We pasture the cows from about May until November.

Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Megan Kregel Guttenberg, Iowa 400 cows Clayton County

Abbie Erickson Mauston, Wis. Juneau County 350 cows

Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. My involvement with dairy promotion began as our county Little Miss Squirt, then dairy princess. I remained active in college as the emcee for the Clayton County Dairy Banquet, then ofcially joined the committee after graduating from Iowa State University. Currently, I serve as the media chair, which involves social media posting and press releases along with collecting and writing biographies for banquet award winners. Additionally, I serve as one of the superintendents for the Clayton County Youth Dairy Show. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. In early 2018, the Clayton County Dairy Promotion Committee began getting more involved with our local food shelf. We are very happy to say we provide 24 gallons of milk every week to families in need. Funding for this project is provided by ice cream sales from our Dairy Bar at the fairgrounds. The committee thought it was our duty to help provide real milk to families in our communities. This milk campaign will continue into the foreseeable future; the committee also provides additional dairy products during the holidays. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? Midwest Dairy’s recent interactions with people at the Today Show and Times Square in New York City were great ways to reach a large consumer audience. I believe that any time we can put a face to our products and have real interactions between farmers and consumers it’s a win. On a regional level it’s great to provide as many on-farm opportunities as possible. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be and why? As corny as it sounds, I think farmers should be labeled as celebrities; after all, we are our best spokespeople. Farmers certainly don’t get the credit they deserve for the work done to provide safe, wholesome and nutritious products at the most affordable price in the world. We should receive celebrity status; however, if you’re looking for a real celebrity, I would choose Mike Rowe. He is incredibly supportive of farmers, pro-GMO and has shared real stories from farms. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Why? Years ago I would’ve said butter is the most under-rated dairy product, but now I believe chocolate/avored milks need to take center stage again in every school lunch program. The Trump Administration has started the process by bringing back low-fat chocolate milk, but there is a lot of value to full-fat dairy products that consumers (especially kids) are missing out on. What is your favorite dairy product? My favorite dairy product is, by far, ice cream. You will always nd it in my freezer no matter the time of year. Tell us about your farm. My family farm consists of 400 milk cows and 2,200 acres. I am the sixth generation on the dairy, working alongside my parents, sister and brother. My dad and brother operate the cropping aspect of the business, while I work with my mom and sister to manage the cows and youngstock. The cows are milked with six Lely robots and the herd is made up of Jerseys, Holsteins and crossbreds.

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Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. I am the treasurer and secretary of the Juneau County Dairy Promotion Council and help coordinate where and how to spend promotion monies from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. I also am a member of the Juneau County Fair Dairy Committee and assist in the preparation of the dairy barn and its activities throughout the fair. My favorite type of promotion is hosting farm tours to area school children and others who nd curiosity in visiting a dairy farm operation. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. Our Cowtastic Cowmoonity event where local businesses sponsor a plywood cow and decorate or paint it to advertize their business. Cows are displayed for the month of June and voted on by passersby. Fun dairy facts are also included throughout the display. We always have a waiting list of people or businesses who want to sponsor a cow the following year. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? Pushing for a stronger milk program in schools would be benecial. There are many areas that need to be tackled in order to achieve these results. Some of those would be the packaging of milk, so as to not alter the milk avor as current cartons do and making sure that schools are equipped with proper cooling sources to give milk the best temperature when it is distributed. Milk also needs to be advocated for among athletes and at sporting events to inform about the refueling and strengthening powers milk provides. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? It will take a whole football team to get the word out about dairy products and all of their benets. What better spokesperson than the state’s beloved football team, The Green Bay Packers. The power of advocating through professional athletes refueling with dairy could be inuential especially if the quarterback was on board. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? Fluid milk advertisement has been ignored for many years now and holds the greatest challenge in competing with articial dairy products who often times share a shelf at the grocery store. If parents don’t understand the health benets of drinking milk, they will not introduce their children to it, creating a cyclical cycle of non-milk drinkers. What is your favorite dairy product? I’m a cheese curd fanatic, and cheese of all forms will always be at the top of my list when it comes to consuming dairy. Milk takes a close second as nothing compares to a glass of cold milk with my cookie. Tell us about your farm. I am the herd manager on my family’s third generation dairy farm. We milk 350 food armor certied Holstein and Jersey cows in a parallel parlor. We have a nearby location that houses nearly 350 replacement heifers. We produce the majority of our own feed as we crop 1,400 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. My husband and three children are also actively involved on the farm with me, and we enjoy the special moments that being a farm family holds.

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Rae-Allyn Reeson Blanchardville, Wis. Green County Describe your involvement with dairy promotion. I am part of the Green County Agricultural Chest. We are a nonprot organization that promotes agriculture in and around Green County. We have two trailers that serve cream puffs, ice cream, root-beer oats, beef and pork sandwiches along with grilled cheese sandwiches. Our Green County Dairy Queens work in the trailers, read to children, pass out cheese, chocolate milk, etc., at functions, and work at our fairs and promotions. I organize events, get the ladies what they need to fulll their obligations and do most of their training. Our biggest event is the Green County Breakfast on the Farm, Farm to Table dinners, Cheese Days and this year, our county is hosting the Alice in Dairyland competition. Describe the most effective promotion your association does. At breakfasts on the farm, we serve up to 5,000 people. Our trailers are at several events, and our young ladies pass out cheese to their local churches. I am passionate about our young ladies going into the schools serving chocolate milk, reading stories to kindergartners and being excellent role models for children. If you could promote dairy products on a regional or national level, how would you do it? I would love to see these young ladies keep doing what they’re doing but expand to every county and every state. They are the grass roots of educating children and families and how important dairy products are to our health and welfare as well as our economy. If you could choose a celebrity or well-known person to represent the dairy industry, who would it be? I would rather see our young dairy queens, teachers, doctors, legislators and our president. I would like to see more money put into dairy promotion in commercials and in our schools. What is one dairy product that needs better promotion? We need to focus on milk and chocolate milk as a better source of nutrition and energy source than any juice. I think that’s where we could get and keep a young audience, if we could make the promotions stick. The young people do not have the resources to buy, but parents and families will buy it for children when they ask for good nutritional items. What is your favorite dairy product? I love milk, chocolate milk and butter. I’d have to say cheese, too. Green County has the best cheese in the entire world. Tell us about your farm. My family and I have a 160-acre farm. We have not been able to sustain milking. We rent our land and our pastures, and have a small shed and land for our childrens’ show animals. Our kids have shown in the county, state and world shows for 19 years. They have kept the love of farming and promotion alive. My son, Brock, owns and operates a welding business that caters to small farms. My daughter is going to school at the University of Oshkosh to pursue a career in agriculture marketing.

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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

Top Performers

Consistent ration helps Dickes be protable Dicke Century Farm Lyle, Shannon, Charlie and Jay Dicke Goodhue, Minn. Goodhue County 195 cows

Do you contract your milk? Has it been successful for you? We do not contract our milk.

What is your current herd average, butterfat and protein? Our rolling herd average is 30,668 pounds of milk with 1,209 pounds of fat and 974 pounds of protein.

Describe your housing and milking facility. Cows are housed in a four-row, naturallyventilated freestall barn. Prefresh, post-fresh and dry cows are kept on loose bedded pack with access to pasture in good weather. The herd is milked in a double-9 parallel parlor.

How many times a day do you milk? If you don’t milk 3X a day, have you tried it in the past? We milk twice a day.

What is your herd health program? Cows are vaccinated at 20-60 days in milk with Express and J-5. At dry off,

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

The Dickes – (from leŌ) Lyle, Shannon, Charlie and Jay – milk 195 cows on their dairy near Goodhue, Minn. Their rolling herd average is 30,668 pounds of milk with 1,209 pounds of fat and 974 pounds of protein.

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

The Dickes put up 30-ton bulk bins on their dairy, which has decreased mixing Ɵme and reduced feed waste.

they are vaccinated with J-5 and Ultrabac. Newborns get Inforce 3, First Defense, Multimin and Calf Guard. We pregnancy check with milk samples weekly and blood test heifers monthly.

prior to calving. They go to a neighbor’s farm for 40 days, and then they are brought back. They are fed pre-ground up straw, sweet corn, haylage and mineral mix.

What does your dry cow and transition program consist of? Dry cows are dried off 60 days

What is the composition of your ration? What has been one of your most

recent changes that has been successful for you? The ration includes 10 pounds of haylage, 2.75 pounds of ryelage, 17.14 pounds of BMR corn silage, 0.92 pounds of straw, 7.93 pounds of high moisture corn, 4.3 pounds of gluten pellets and Turn to DICKES | Page 20

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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 19

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WARM SPRING DAIRY Karen Hawbaker, owner-operator 2018 PA Distinguished Dairywoman of the Year CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 160 cows avg. 90 lbs/cow/day, 62,000 SCC “We started using Udder Comfort™ 5 years ago and really like the results,” says Karen Hawbaker of Warm Spring Dairy, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. She and her team operate the dairy she started with her husband in 1988 and has kept going in the 8 years since losing Rodney in a tragic farm accident, relying on her faith in God, passion for dairy, and thankful for positive people. Recently, she whittled the herd from 200 to 160, optimizing the efficiency of her parlor. They typically average 90 lbs. of high quality milk, which Karen attributes to keeping up with the basics, paying attention to details, having good employees and clean, simple protocols. Cow comfort and cleanliness are evident here. “We don’t see a lot of issues with our cows. Udder Comfort is a part of that. We love it for fresh cows and any swelling,” Karen relates.

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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

ConƟnued from DICKES | Page 18

14.28 pounds of protein mix with dry corn. We used to use a lot of baleage, but we couldn’t get a consistent particle length. Now, we can put haylage up a lot faster and it is less stressful. Putting up 30-ton bulk bins has made mixing faster and reduced waste. Feeding young ryelage has boosted components. Through the years you’ve been farming, what change has created the biggest jump in your herd average? Delivering a consistent ration along with the Juno feed pusher going around 17 times a day has caused the greatest jump. What role does genetics play in your production level and what is your breeding

program? Kim Defrang from Select sires looks at 2-yearolds, and we choose bulls based on GTPI and net merit. Since January 2017, we’ve genomic tested heifers and use that to help determine inventory, matings and ushings. We have also sold a few lower heifers. In the last few years, we have also used beef semen on lower end cows. What type of improvements would you like to make that would increase your rolling herd average even higher? Like most other farmers, we focus on efciency and protability. A rolling herd increase is only good if income stays consistent. We currently are building a barn to house calves, heifers and

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

The 195-cow herd is housed in a freestall barn built in 2000 at Dicke Century Farm near Goodhue, Minn. prefresh cows under the same roof. Hopefully we can control the environment. We started feeding BMR corn silage for the rst time about a month ago and have seen nice results. List three management strategies that have kept you protable. The rst is keeping vet costs low by pregnancy checking with blood and milk. The second is detecting heats and sickness earlier with the cow manager system. We feel we can do this well because we are the people milking. The third strategy is doing a lot of no-till farming.

KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR

A feed pusher goes around the freestall barn 17 Ɵmes within a 24-hour period and has helped increase the rolling herd average on the Dickes’ dairy.

What are the three most important factors for you that helped you attain your current herd average? The feed pusher: It provides a

quiet, calm environment with feed properly placed all day and night. Education: Charlie attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course for two years. He learned invaluable knowledge through professors, friends and farm visits, and asking dairy enthusiasts how to improve. He is currently a part of an adult farm management program of southern Minnesota. Infrastructure is readily available because we have many dairies in our area. There are sale barns, equipment dealers, dairy equipment shops, feed co-ops, peer groups, farm laborers, veterinarians, and custom operators all ready to do business with us and provide support and competition to keep prices in-line. Our feed co-op is especially supportive and

visible in our community. Tell us about your farm. Dicke Century Farm consists of Lyle and Shannon along with our two sons Charlie, who returned to the farm a few years ago, and Jay, who is a senior at Goodhue High School. Our daughter, Ann, lives in New York with her husband, Joe Evans, and their child, Paxton. She still has ownership in a few cows. The herd has 185 Holsteins and 10 Jerseys. An 80-cow tiestall barn was converted to a parlor/holding pen/breeding heifer barn in 1997. A freestall barn was added in 2000. Meters were added in the parlor in 2012. Commodity feed bins and cement pads were added in 2014-17. We also use three silos. All heifers are raised onsite.

Air King industrial air cleaners are

a valuable tool for capturing most airborne nuisance particulate. Our self-contained filtration units continuously pull contaminated air through multiple stages of highly efficient micro-glass filters. The filtered air is then recirculated back into the working environment without the need for duct work. This results in a cleaner, healthier atmosphere for employees, while saving you money by keeping heated or air-conditioned air inside your facility.

ARLSON

WHOLESALE, INC.

1-800-669-4038

www.carlsonwholesale.net Sauk Rapids, MN Rochester, MN

Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 21

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FIELD CULTIVATORS JD 2230LL, 2018, #154666 ........................................................................$54,900 JD 980, 1995, 45 ft, 5-Section Folding, #145326 .......................................$14,000 JD 960, 1993, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154535.......................... $6,500 JD 1010, 31 ft, #150876 .............................................................................. $2,825 JD 2210, 2014, 55.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154394...................$58,500 JD 980, 1997, 38 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154531........................$11,500 JD 2210, 2013, 51 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #146726......................$57,500 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #153320.......................... $9,900 JD 980, 1997, 44 ft, #145571 .....................................................................$16,500 JD 2210, 2009, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154537 ...................$43,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154507 .....................................................................................................$59,400 JD 980, 2001, 45 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #144448........................$15,900 JD 980, 1996, 41 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #148488........................$14,500 JD 2210, 2008, 60 ft, 3-Section Folding, #146682 .....................................$34,500 JD 2210, 2009, 45.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151598...................$32,900 JD 2210, 2009, 53 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154393......................$48,000 JD 2210, 2012, 55 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #148753......................$54,900 JD 980, 1994, 33 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151027........................$12,000 JD 960, 1988, 44 ft, C-Shank, #150157 ....................................................... $7,215 JD 980, 1997, 26 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151565.......................... $9,900 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154509 ....................................................................................................$59,400 JD 1010, 25.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151724 .............................. $3,495 JD 2210, 2007, 58 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151055......................$32,900 Case IH TIGRMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154508 .....................................................................................................$59,400 JD 2210 LL, 2014, 45.5 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #151363 ..............$47,500 JD 960, 1994, 36 ft, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #148486.......................... $7,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2012, 42 ft, C-Shank, #151915 ........................$44,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154510 .....................................................................................................$59,400 JD 960, 1994, 26 ft, #148845 ....................................................................... $5,500 JD 980, 2001, 45 ft, C-Shank, #147979 .....................................................$18,150 DMI Tigermate, 48 ft, #147786 ................................................................$14,500 JD 2210, 2010, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, #146707 ..................................$49,500 JD 2210, 2009, 54 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #153415......................$42,500 Case IH TIGERMATE 200, 2014, 60 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #154511 .....................................................................................................$59,400 JD 2210, 2014, 50.5 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #152038...................$55,000 JD 985, 1993, 48 ft, #138938 .....................................................................$12,900 PLANTERS: DRAWN JD DB44, 2017, 24R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #144422 .............................$189,500 Great Plains YP-1625, 32R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #150539 ........................................................$39,000 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150734 .............................$152,500 JD DB66, 2013, #155353 .........................................................................$202,460 JD DB44, 2014, 24R22, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #151691 .............................$159,000 JD 7000, #154579........................................................................................ $7,000 JD 1760, 1996, 12R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #148266 .....................................................................................................$22,000 JD 1765, 2015, #155243 ............................................................................$54,500 JD 1765, 2015, 12R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #138495 .....................................................................................................$69,500 JD 1760, 2012, 12R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #154220......................................................................$54,500 JD DB44, 2010, 24R22, #149981 .............................................................$101,650 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #140328 .........................................................................$149,500

32,900

JD 2210, 2009, $ 3 section, #151598

JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, #140328

149,500

188,000

JD DB66, 2013, $ 36R22, #150714

Over 1200 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com

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73,900

JD 2210, 2009, 50’6” cultivator, $ 5 section, #154537

7 JD 1760, 1997, 12R30, Frame: Wing Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, #137790......................................................................$28,050 7 JD 7000, 1981, 12R30, Metering System: Finger Pickup, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #149569 ...................................................................................................... $7,215 7 White 8180, 2004, #154647 .....................................................................$29,500 15 Case IH 1265 Early Riser, 2014, 36R22, #150646 ..................................$129,500 17 JD 1770NT, 2014, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, Row Command, #151600 ............................................$73,900 15 JD 1770NT, 2010, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150160 .............................................$99,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #154513 .............................$169,000 4 JD 1760, 2013, 12R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 3.0 Bushel, Row Command, #152018 ............................................$52,500 15 JD DB66, 2008, #155284 .........................................................................$139,900 15 JD DB90, 2012, 36R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150893 .............................$125,500 4 JD 1775NT, 2018, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150736 .............................$169,000 4 JD 1775NT, 2017, 16R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #154514 .............................$152,500 6 Great Plains YP2425, 2007, 24R30, Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #152236 .........................................................$65,000 14 JD 1790, 2004, 24R22 , Frame: Flex Fold, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, #154547 .........................................................$56,000 6 JD DB66, 2013, 36R22, Hopper: Mini, #150714 .......................................$188,000 14 Kinze, 2000, #155343................................................................................$15,540 8 Wil-Rich 24-22, 2009, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, Row Command, #139224 ...........................................................................$49,500 11 JD 1750, 1999, 6R30, Frame: Rigid, Metering System: Finger Pickup, #153700 .....................................................................................................$19,800 8 Case IH 900, 12R30, #150606 ..................................................................... $8,900 PLANTERS: INTEGRAL 8 JD DR24, 2018, 24R22, Metering System: Vacuum, Hopper: Central Fill System, Row Command, #150773 .........................................................................$179,500 17 JD 7300, 1988, Row Spacing: 22 in, Frame: Wing Fold, Hopper: 1.6 Bushel, #148843 .....................................................................................................$14,600 PULL-TYPE SPRAYERS 15 Top Air TA1200, 2008, #155358................................................................$16,650 5 Wil-Rich 500 GAL, #150604 ....................................................................... $6,000 7 Summers ULTIMATE 120, 2012, #155256 ...............................................$27,900 10 Redball 580, 2006, #151074 ....................................................................$18,900 5 Hardi Commander 1200, 2002, #150043 ...............................................$14,900 4 Hardi NAV 1100, #137543........................................................................$14,000 17 Hardi 4000, 2012, #144434 ......................................................................$18,500 4 Raven 1000 Gallon, #149597 .................................................................... $6,100 10 Top Air 60, #140416 .................................................................................... $5,000 14 Summers 500, 1996, #145350 ................................................................... $4,500 5 Hardi COMMANDER 1200, 2004, #148536 ..............................................$19,900 4 Hardi RANGER 2000, 2014, #155294 .......................................................$20,500 10 Fast 7400, #130185 ..................................................................................$18,900 15 Wil-Rich Blumha, #148336........................................................................ $5,500 SKID STEER LOADERS 11 New Holland L218, 2012, Cab Enclosure, Foot Controls, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 3300 hrs. , #154370..................................................................$16,900 14 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, Less Bucket, 2482 hrs., #148972 .................................................................$28,500 2 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 497 hrs., #148317 .............................................$41,900 4 JD 318E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 100 hrs., #125482 ....................................................................$37,100 7 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 2863 hrs., #151633 .....................................................................................$29,500

43,500

137,900

JD 9530, 2008, $ 4162 hrs., #147940

4 JD 330G, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, SelfLeveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 741 hrs., #152399 .....$49,900 8 JD 332G, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, Weights, Weights, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 1175 hrs., #151837 .............................................................$45,780 1 JD 320E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 76” Bucket, 645 hrs., #151636............................................$42,900 7 JD 326E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 660 hrs., #153617 ....................$39,900 9 JD 318D, 2013, ROPS, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 900 hrs., #153615 .......................................................................................$15,900 9 JD 320E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 370 hrs. , #151072 ......................................................................................$37,500 9 Bobcat S750, 2011, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 1500 hrs., #153616 .....................................................................................$21,500 17 JD 328D, 2012, 1375 hrs., #155370 ...........................................................$34,500 2 JD 315, 2013, Cab Enclosure, Foot Controls, Hi-Flo, 60” Bucket, 4500 hrs., #154193 .....................................................................................................$13,900 3 JD 326D, 2012, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 76” Bucket, 297 hrs., #151030 .......................................................................................$37,900 9 Gehl 3725, 60” Bucket, 1472 hrs., #147858 ...............................................$11,900 8 JD 320E, 2014, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 3442 hrs., #153675 .............................................................$24,900 7 JD 332E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 458 hrs., #139118...............................$49,900 6 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 530 hrs., #138363 .............................................$39,500 10 JD 332E, 2014, 1000 hrs., #155014............................................................$42,500 6 JD 320E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 105 hrs. , #140280 ............................................$39,900 16 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, Less Bucket, 2657 hrs., #148971 .................................................................$27,750 2 JD 250-II, 2003, 4162 hrs., #155369..........................................................$11,300 10 JD 326E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 1259 hrs., #152238 ..................$35,000 5 JD 320E, 2014, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 72” Bucket, 678 hrs., #152334 .......................................................................................$35,900 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, EH Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, Reversing Fan, 293 hrs., #128723........................................$42,900 4 JD 320D, 2013, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, Reversing Fan, 1336 hrs., #153614 .............................................................$24,900 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 500 hrs., #153420 .............................................$39,000 4 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 335 hrs., #142477 .............................................$46,000 15 JD 320E, 2017, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Joystick, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, 153 hrs., #144216 .......................................................................................$43,900 11 JD 320E, 2015Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 310 hrs. , #143386 ............................................$42,900 8 JD 318E, 2015, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, 72” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 140 hrs., #148061 ..............................................................$37,900 17 Bobcat 742B, 1991, #154553 ..................................................................... $8,500 4 JD 320E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 76” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 290 hrs., #153678......$40,900 4 JD 326E, 2016Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Aux Hydraulics, 78” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 193 hrs., #153677 ....................$45,900 12 JD 326E, 2016, Cab w/ AC, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 54 hrs., #126370 ...............................................$45,900 2 JD 332G, 2016, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, EH Controls, Air Ride Seat, Joystick, Ride Control, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, Aux Hydraulics, Weights, Weights, 84” Bucket, Reversing Fan, 538 hrs., #153227 ...............................................................$52,900 10 New Holland L230, 2013, Cab w/ AC, Foot Controls, Air Ride Seat, 2 Speed, Self-Leveling, 84” Bucket, 291 hrs., #146693 ..............................................$40,500

141,900

JD 6155R, 2017, $ 212 hrs., #144514

Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

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WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713 Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Waunakee, WI 608-849-5043

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Dane County Tuberculosis update Bovine TB conned to one farm; six total cases conrmed By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer

Five animals from a dairy farm in Dane County have tested positive for bovine tuberculosis (TB) since the disease was rst detected in a carcass during a routine slaughter inspection in October, bringing the total number of conrmed cases up to six. The farm was immediately quarantined following the initial tuberculosis discovery, preventing animal movement onto or off the farm – a restriction that will remain in effect for a minimum of two years. The herd is in the process of a test and removal plan, which includes bi-monthly testing of the entire herd, followed by additional verication and assurance tests. Any animals that react to the initial tuberculin skin test must be removed from the farm. As of now, 48 animals have been required to leave the herd. Positive TB test results will likely extend the quarantine. Tracing animal movement to and from the farm within the last ve years is also part of the investigation as it helps identify possible at-risk herds. The trace in and trace out process is ongoing with 3,071 animals having been tested so far. These animals have received the rst tuberculin skin test. At this time, 89 traces have been created with 32 of those completed. This means that 89 animals have been identied as either coming onto or moving out of the TB-affected herd in the last ve years, and of those 89 animals, 32 do not require further investigation. The herd is believed to be infected by a former employee of the farm who had been diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2015. Genetic sequencing of the strain found in the carcass at slaughter matches the strain of this worker. Whole genome sequencing completed on samples from four test positive animals removed during the rst herd test also match this strain of TB. However, this data is still considered preliminary and complete sample analysis for the herd is ongoing to conrm all possible sources of infection. Free of tuberculosis since 1980, Wisconsin continues to maintain its TB-free status due to Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s thorough investigation and containment of the current outbreak. TB has been isolated to just this one herd; no other cases of TB have been reported. Tuberculosis is a chronic respiratory disease affecting both animals and humans. TB is slowgrowing, taking months or even years, for symptoms to emerge, and oftentimes not until the disease has reached an advanced stage. Infected animals that appear healthy can still spread the disease to other animals, however. Weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, uctuating fever, intermittent hacking cough, diarrhea, and large, prominent lymph nodes are the most common signs of TB. Although contagious, TB does not spread easily. It cannot be spread through the wind to neighboring farms and is typically only introduced to a herd through direct contact with other cattle, the most common way being the purchase of an infected animal. Dairy farmers are encouraged to practice good biosecurity at all times to control and prevent the spread of disease. Only buy animals from an accredited TB-free herd, and be sure to test new animals prior to purchase. Always clean trailers, clothes and boots between visits to other farms and shows and limit access to your herd.

Dairy Star â&#x20AC;˘ Saturday, January 12, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ Page 23

Cheese plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success based on tradition

Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars makes authentic product from old-fashioned recipes By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer

THERESA, Wis. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars has been making cheese for almost 100 years. Now in its third generation of ownership, Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s award-winning cheeses are still handcrafted today with the same tender, loving care of previous generations in Theresa, Wis. True to his Swiss roots, Joe Widmer crafts only the ď&#x192;&#x17E;nest cheeses from old-fashioned, authentic recipes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the same recipes his grandfather used. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes our cheese so special,â&#x20AC;? said Widmer, master cheesemaker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about tradition and our nearly century-old recipes that take you back to simpler times when food was prepared in small batches rather than mass-produced. We believe these traditional recipes make for a much better cheese.â&#x20AC;? Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfather, John O. Widmer, immigrated from Switzerland in 1905 and worked as an apprentice cheesemaker before buying the cheese factory that would become Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars in 1922. He raised

his family above the factory, specializing in brick and cheddar cheese production. In the 1940s, under the direction of the founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three sons, Jim, Ralph and John (Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father), Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s began making Colby cheese, as well. The trio ran the business for 50 years before Widmer took over. Widmer grew up helping out in the cheese plant and has worked there virtually his entire life. Like his father, the plant was home to Widmer and his six brothers and sisters, and Widmer even raised his own kids there before moving to a different house nearby. Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, Joey, now lives above the cheese plant, keeping this tradition alive. Joey, a licensed cheesemaker, has worked at Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full time for ď&#x192;&#x17E;ve years since earning his masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in business administration and will likely become the fourth generation to run Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars. The buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faĂ§ade bears all the cantons of Switzerland â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a nod to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Swiss heritage. Upon entering Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, visitors have a front row view of the cheesemaking process and can purchase a

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STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Joe Widmer is a master cheesemaker, developing many award-winning brick, cheddar and Colby cheeses made with milk from local dairy farms. Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the only cheese plant that sĆ&#x;ll uses actual bricks in the cheesemaking process. Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars is in Theresa, Wis. variety of cheeses, honey and maple syrup. Famous for its authentic brick cheese, Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still uses actual bricks in the cheesemaking process. Invented in Hustisford, Wis., brick cheese is a washed-rind cheese that becomes stronger in smell and ď&#x192;&#x;avor the longer it is aged. The brick is a critical component in making a true brick cheese. While still in curd form, a brick is placed

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on top of the cheese to press it for washing, which results in a cleaner-tasting cheese and gives the cheese its distinct, brick-like shape. Widmer continues to make the same three cheeses his father and grandfather made, along with a brick spread, which contains aged brick cheese mixed with white cheddar. All of the cheeses are made with milk from local dairy farms, which the plant picks up daily from three

different dairies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our brick spread is a very popular product,â&#x20AC;? Widmer said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s won three national blue ribbons from the American Cheese Society within the last two years.â&#x20AC;? Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aged brick, Colby and cheddar cheeses have also received many awards. Cheese made by Widmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cheese Cellars can be found Turn to WIDMER | Page 25

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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 25

ConƟnued from WIDMER | Page 23 primarily in high-end, select markets and is also used by many chefs. Widmer’s also sells direct to consumers through its website and mail order business. Widmer said they ship out thousands of packages annually, mostly at Christmas – Widmer’s busiest time of year. Forming relationships with major distributors helped Widmer expand sales beyond Wisconsin. “Our main distributors are located in Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis and Sterling, Va.,” Widmer said. “We also work with a lot of smaller distributors, too.” To help build recognition for the Widmer brand and create a consistent look between products, Widmer’s developed a new logo in the late 1990s. “Prior to that, we had different labels for every product,” Widmer said. Widmer’s advertises in national food magazines such as Culture and Gourmet News and also does a lot of advertising for its Christmas gift boxes. In addition, the cheese plant is on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Widmer is a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker – an elite status that only ve percent of the state’s more than 1,200 licensed cheesemakers have attained. Becoming a master

cheesemaker is a 13-year process, as the three-year course only accepts licensed cheesemakers with 10 years of experience. “It takes longer to become a master cheesemaker than it does to become a doctor,” Widmer said. Offered only in the state of Wisconsin at UW-Madison’s Center for Dairy Research, the master cheesemaker program takes cheesemaking to a whole new level by diving into the chemistry and microbiology behind making cheeses while also examining defects of cheese. Widmer said a lawyer in his class found the course’s nal test to be more difcult than the bar exam. Widmer was among the program’s rst graduates and said master cheesemakers are better equipped to train the licensed cheesemakers who work at their plant. Including Widmer, there are four licensed cheesemakers at Widmer’s Cheese Cellars and a total of 20 employees. “We’re a small cheese plant that pays careful attention to detail and never takes shortcuts,” Widmer said. “Quality is more important to us than quantity. For the small plants, when it comes to making prot, it’s not how much cheese you make, but rather, how much money you make per pound in order to be

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Joe Widmer (leŌ) and his son, Joey Widmer, represent the third and potenƟally fourth generaƟon owners of Widmer’s Cheese Cellars in Theresa, Wis. sustainable.” Cheesemaking is a Widmer family tradition steeped in time-tested recipes that never lose sight of what makes a truly great cheese. The factory has been at its current size since 1995 and Widmer said they do not plan to get much bigger. “If we grow too much, we won’t be able to make cheese the same way we do now,” Widmer said.

STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR

Widmer’s Cheese Cellars is located in Theresa, Wis. Joe Widmer’s grandfather, John O. Widmer, a Swiss immigrant, started Widmer’s Cheese Cellars in 1922.

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$40 million settlement reached in a class action lawsuit

Claims must be led by Jan. 28 By Jennifer Coyne jenn.c@dairystar.com

Dairy farmers who sold raw Grade A milk in the Upper Midwest Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO 30) between Jan. 1, 2002 and April 30, 2007 may be entitled to part of a $40 million settlement. The settlement is the result of the class action lawsuit Carlin v. DairyAmerica, Inc. (Case No. 1:09 CV 00430-AWI) claiming DairyAmerica, Inc. and California Dairies, Inc. unlawfully reported the sales of nonfat dry milk to the United States Department of Agriculture over the course of ve years. The USDA then used the inaccurate gures to calculate minimum raw Grade A milk prices, which resulted in depressed milk prices paid to dairy farmers. To receive a share in the Milk Powder Settlement, dairy farmers must return claim forms to Rust Consulting by Jan. 28. This past August, a California judge approved the payment after both parties came to the agreement, ending nine years worth of litigation. While claim forms were sent to dairy farmers across the United States soon after the judge’s approval, those in FMMO 30 received a revised claim form in December that indicated the rst form might have identied only a portion of the volume of raw milk sales. Changes in the computer system between 2002 and 2007 only allowed for 16 months worth of production records for the claim. In an effort to fairly represent all milk production during this time period, each farm’s production for the duration of the claim period was estimated by assuming the average monthly production based on 16 months and multiplying that value by 64 to account for all months from Jan. 1, 2002 to April 30, 2007. To take action on the claim, farmers can accept the estimated total production as calculated or provide another gure with documents supporting the value. Those who received claim forms may also exclude themselves from the settlement, which allows individuals to be a part of other lawsuits against DairyAmerica Inc. or California Dairies, Inc. as they relate to the legal claims of Carlin v. DairyAmerica, Inc; object to the settlement; go to a hearing to speak about the fairness of the settlement; or simply disregard the notice. A fairness hearing is set to take place March 18 at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California in Fresno, Calif. There, the settlement will be approved or not. If warranted, dairy farmers will receive a portion of the $40 million settlement based on the amount of raw Grade A milk produced and pooled in FMMO 30 between Jan. 1, 2002 and April 30, 2007, the number of valid claims received, and the various court fees. More information regarding the Milk Powder Settlement can be found at www.milkpowdercase. com or by calling 866-680-1707.

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By John Rosenhammer & Laura Scholtz Father/Daughter Farming Duo Growing up, I didn’t always get along very well with my parents. As a child, I remember my dad refusing to give in to my begging for a horse and my mom denying my requests to buy the Oreo brand cookies instead of the generic. As a teenager, we bickered on what time I had to be home at night and whether or not I could have a boyfriend. Once I moved to college, I nally had my freedom to make choices without their approval. Following college, I moved to the tiny town of Elgin while working at Gar-Lin Dairy. My life quickly changed from having my closest friends within walking distance and our time spent together partying or studying to having phone calls and texts, now going months at a time without seeing each other. At some point during my time there, I began having long phone calls with each of my parents. Sometimes they called just to ask how my week was going, other times my dad would be asking for advice on treating a cow. I believe a turning point in how I viewed my parents came when they gathered all four of my siblings and drove 2.5 hours to the farm to surprise me. I couldn’t believe each of my siblings came along despite their busy schedules, and I know it is never easy for my dad to schedule help for chores, but he did it. I realized, “Wow! They noticed how much I missed all of them and did something about it. Maybe they do know me better than I thought.” Once I returned home to farm alongside my dad, one of the things I wanted to change was how he mated cows. I told him us kids had all outgrown the showring, and so we needed to mate our cows for production rather than type. I worked with a mating specialist to generate a list of bulls I felt would improve our genetics. However, my dad still continued to breed a few of his favorite cows to showring bulls. To add to my disapproval, he would breed certain cows several times, rather than marking her do not breed. Often I would plead with him to do things my way, but he wouldn’t budge. Finally, I gave up the struggle. Since then, I’ve come to realize why he was so stubborn. He enjoys having a few cows in the herd that stand out as being pretty and knowing each cow’s history gives him justication to try harder, giving extra chances to keep certain special cows in the herd. Though I’ve tried to resist, now I’m also guilty of giving extra chances to certain cows I look forward to seeing each day. I see that when I changed my approach, by no longer trying to sway him, I could nally see things from his point of view and be accepting of it. I’ve learned it also pays to change my approach when working with my mom. When she and I had the task of moving cows across the farm or sorting

dry cows, it always left me frustrated that she wasn’t as good at moving cows as I was. Besides this, she had little condence and kept saying, “Can Dad help you with that instead?” or “Let’s go get Dad to help us.” One day I nally quit telling her “You’re doing it wrong” and began giving suggestions, such as “Walk towards the cow from this side” and “Try standing over there instead.” Making these changes led to us being able to work together without getting frustrated. More importantly, they led to her being condent moving cows and doing other tasks on her own. I still remember the day a cow turned around and got past my mom, running through a manure pile. I proudly watched as my mom calmly turned around and climbed along the fence, as she had seen me do, and got the cow back to the lane without asking for any help. Growing up, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t

Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 27

have a horse or get Oreos. As an adult, it turns out I now deny my husband’s requests for Oreos because we don’t need them and we are hoping our daughter, Morgan, isn’t interested in horses so we don’t have to have that conversation. I realize my parents may have been right about not needing a boyfriend in high school and the need for a good nights sleep. I now look forward to nights when I can get to bed early and realize how important it is that I have found a genuine, loving partner in my husband, Chris. Changing the way I approach my parents when we aren’t on the same page has led to a stronger relationship that I am extremely grateful for. Laura Scholtz farms with her father, John Rosenhammer, and uncle, Greg, on Roseview Dairy near Sleepy Eye, Minn. They milk 200 Holsteins and run 580 acres of cropland.

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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

Barn restoration leads to agri-tourism

Folksong Farm a journey for Mayer family By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis. – Citing the importance of heritage and home to her family, Shelly Mayer of Mayer Farms near Slinger, Wis., chronicled her family’s entry into agri-tourism with the development of Folksong Farm, a restored barn on the family’s property, at last month’s Resilient Farms Conference hosted by Compeer Financial in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. In 2014, Shelly and her husband, Dwight, purchased the farm that was the original homestead of Dwight’s grandmother’s family, which is adjacent to their family farm, which was Dwight’s grandfather’s family farm. The Mayer’s children are the seventh generation of the family to be farming on both farms. They milk 60 head at Mayer Farms. They also

began Mayer Farmstead Beef about two years ago. Prior to purchasing the farm from their aunt, the Mayers had been renting the cropland from the farm. With the farm came the original dairy barn, which at the time was in a state of disrepair. “The buildings on the farm were built in 1853,” Shelly said. “When we purchased the farm, the barn was valued at $600. One of the craziest investments we probably ever made, but one made with no regrets.” Continuing the family legacy was one of the biggest reasons the Mayers decided to pursue the restoration of the barn. According to Shelly, everything in the barn was handhewed white oak. Despite all of the additions made to the barn, and the outward appearance of the barn was true from the end to end, said Shelly. The Mayers worked with

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Shelly Mayer tells aƩendees at Compeer’s Resilient Farms Conference of her family’s journey into agri-tourism with turning an heirloom barn into an event venue, Folksong Farms, near Slinger, Wis. Amish from their community to complete the restoration. While the second story of the barn is the large space where they host events, the rst story

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

Mayer shares photos of the restored barn, which she said serves as a venue for a variety of community events.

was restored to its original state as a working dairy barn, allowing them to be able to share the story of how dairy farming was in the past and how it has evolved. “They understood the barn; they were graceful and delicate with it,” Shelly said. “They were able to pull it slowly back into place. They tapped the pegs back into place and strengthened it where it needed to be.” The Mayers did not set out on the restoration project with the intent of entering into the world of agri-tourism. “We restored it with the vision of just breathing life into this barn and being able to maybe store hay in it,” Shelly said. “One thing easily led to another. I’ve done event coordination for about 25 years in my off-farm job, and the two kind of came together.” In order to begin to use the venue for agri-tourism, the Mayers had to secure approval from their town board, which

was not necessarily an easy task to accomplish. “We explained the concept of what we wanted to do to our local ofcials, and they rst said no,” Shelly said. “We just started slow. Our board has been very good to work with; it took three years to get through the planning commission. They asked a lot of tough questions and really made us think about these things.” The Mayers developed the Folksong Farm business plan, looking at the potential of the property, centered around providing community enhancement and education. “We like education,” Shelly said. “We’ve been 4-H leaders, and we’ve worked with our schools a lot. This past summer, we worked with the YMCA a lot, bringing kids out to the farm.” They have hosted weddings, ice cream socials, farm to table events, 4-H groups, a chili cook-off and it has been used by families as a place to have family portraits done. “We are full-time dairy farmers, so we have time limitations as a family time-wise, so the farm is typically open weekends or by appointment, and will probably remain that way until one of our schedules changes,” Shelly said. Shelly said in deciding what direction the barn would take, her family had to consider what they were good at and not good at. She encourages those who are looking at agri-tourism as a way to diversify their farms to research local permitting and to not worry about competing with others. “We’re farmers, that’s what we’re good at,” she said. “One of our strengths and desires is to be a bridge between where food comes from and the consumer. We know that story. We can share it. We’re not afraid of the questions. We care about agriculture.”

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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 29

Let’s talk mental health

time with the cows. - Accomplishment is the feeling of achievement, success and mastery. Contemplate the areas of your life where you nd achievement, success and mastery. Again, it can be something simple. I encourage people to try to nd at least one thing from the ve above that they can focus on every day. If you can do more, even all ve, great. Wellbeing is a big thing, but it is achieved in little ways. By focusing and building on these little aspects every day, we can ensure we are our best selves and in the best position to help others. We are all trying to be our best selves, and we are all strong in our own ways. However, even the most resilient people can, at times, succumb to circumstances outside of their control. The number of factors farmers face every day is staggering, and sometimes it can be too much. There are many behavioral and physical signs of stress. Some of the behavior signs include a loss of interest, irritability, poor concentration, feeling sad, feeling anxious, relationship problems, and increased smoking and/or drinking. Physical signs of stress include poor sleep, weight loss or gain, chest pain and poor hygiene. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or someone else, it can be hard to know what to do. If you are worried about your own stress or mental well-being, know you are not alone. Talking to someone about how you have been feeling is a great rst step in nding help and getting better. You can reach out to a loved one, friend, clergy member or your medical provider. You can also contact a mental health counselor. If you are concerned about someone else, it can be hard to bring it up to them. However, bringing it up will let them know you care about them and are concerned, and can be a step towards them getting the help they need. If you are not sure what to say, below are three simple Reaching R hi out to someone can statements and questions mentalhealth.gov be difficult, but it could be the from that can help you start the first step towards recovery conversation. The great thing about each of these is they and finding help. put the person in a position where they can respond in a number of ways; they are the time to make sure we are at our not being forced to discuss something best. Positive psychology is a way to do they do not want to. that. By focusing on positive emotion, - I have been worried about you. engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment (known Can we talk about what you are as the PERMA model), we are able to experiencing? If not, who are you comfortable talking to? really thrive. - I am someone who cares and How can we act on those ve wants to listen. What do you want me attributes listed above? In simple ways, to know about how you are feeling? each day. - It seems like you are going - Positive emotion is all about the through a difcult time. How can I help experience of positivity. Ask yourself you to  nd help? what positive emotions (like joy, hope, Our mental health and well-being pride, amusement and love) you have can be uncomfortable to discuss, but felt today, and how you can expand on by sharing honestly and openly about it them. - Engagement is being completely and our concerns, we are able to foster absorbed in activities. Reect on the comfortable conversations. Reaching times you experience ow or being so out to someone can be difcult, but it could be the rst step towards recovery engaged that distractions fall away. - Positive relationships are being and nding help. If you are interested in additional authentically connected to others. resources on this topic or would like Think about the people you share your to talk, you can contact me at 320best and worst times with; the people 255-6169, Ext. 3 or krek0033@ who know you and understand you. - Meaning is a sense of purposeful umn.edu. You can also call the free, existence and direction. Consider the condential Minnesota Farm and Rural things that get you out of bed in the Helpline 24/7 at 833-600-2670. If you morning. It does not need to be anything would like more information on the lofty, it can be as simple as seeing the resources available, visit https://www. sun rise, eating good food or spending minnesotafarmstress.com.

Farm stress. Mental well-being. Building resilience. Those can be tough subjects to discuss; we do not always know what to say about them, or how to bring them up in a respectful, constructive way. However, even having those conversations is a step in the right direction. It is no secret that things out there can be tough for farmers right now, By Emily Wilmes and ignoring the issues only makes University of MN them worse. Talking about the uncomfortable stuff, like mental health, helps make it more comfortable. Knowing what to say can be difcult, but saying something is more effective than saying nothing. Before we can help others, it is important to take a step back and make sure we, personally, are in the right state to do that. I use methods of positive psychology, which is the study of the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive. Positive psychology focuses on intentional well-being and leading a meaningful and fullling life. I was recently told, “It’s hard to pour from an empty cup,” meaning it is difcult for us to take care of others when we are not our best selves. Another way to think about it is when you are ying, and the safety announcement includes a statement about oxygen masks. “Adjust your own mask rst before helping others.” We need to make sure our own wellbeing is taken care of rst before we can truly help others. Sometimes it is easy to distract ourselves by taking care of others; however, we cannot ignore ourselves forever. It is vital to our mental (and physical) well-being that we take

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Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

Sundays with Grandpa Ike We have had this standing date for about a year. I call him up at 6:20 to tell him I am getting in gear, then it is off to Cashton to pick up my date. He is no fool; he knows I am always late.

Sundays with Grandpa Ike are my mini-vacation. I pull up around 7, and we head for our destination; uptown for the weekly breakfast meeting, where all the important people are certain to be eating. We cruise to Bobby John’s, the breakfast hot spot. Sue and her team have the bacon ipping; the griddle is hot. The smiling gang greets us with hearty hellos as we walk in, pull out chairs and ask where have you been?

A comfy

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A more jovial crew is not to be found. Set to the soundtrack of classic country music in the background, they trade tales of times past. This storytelling party is truly a blast. There is garbalogist extraordinaire Jerome at the head, ordering the aptly named Brueggen special; ready to be fed. Face never without a smirk and a joke on his tongue, his sense of humor most denitely keeps him young. His doe of 51 years, Elvera sits to his left. She jabs right back with the jokes with experienced deft, dancing polkas together most every Sunday afternoon, keeps their love for each other in ne tune.

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Ione is the baseball guru. Need to know the game time? Score? She will update you. When you are with a man, you don’t need Ramblings from the Ridge money. She quips as the check comes; as her dear says you are right honey. Her other half Bud, always good for a tease. Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze. Their entertaining banter is a sign of many a year married. They can quibble back and forth without becoming harried.

By Jacqui Davison Columnist

Mary grabs the paper to see who has passed away. Conversation ensues; who knows who is a topic every Sunday. She always makes sure to ask Grandpa about his week, leaning close and giving her volume a tweak. Dan and Lynda often up from West Bend. They t in so perfect to this circle of friends, smiling and laughing to stories heard twice or more, as Dan grabs the coffee pot, ready to pour. Then there is my dear Grandpa; his eggs, toast and bacon. He adores this Sunday group; one cannot be mistaken. The combined years of wisdom is hard to believe. No doubt time with them has helped him to grieve. Often times Uncle Jeff and Uncle Mark roll in for a meal. If Grandpa is paying, they get a good deal. The tales get taller and the @#$% gets deeper. I relish these early Sundays; good thing I am not a late sleeper. The gossiping less gossipy when laced with real concern. The wishes for a good week, sincere, as we all adjourn. This special time spent with them is a treasure to me. Grandpa Ike and all; a reminder that good friends are indeed key. Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (toddler), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.

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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019 • Page 31

Antibiotic treatment decisions for mastitis

There are only a handful of antibiotics approved we count no growth as a result, it turns out the most an organism. So, simply because the milk looks bad, for treatment of mastitis in the United States. Most common cause of clinical mastitis in most countries it does not mean treatment is likely to work, and if of them have been available for many years, and it today is no growth. The next most common organisms the milk still looks bad after treatment it does not has been many years since any new treatments have are coliforms (mostly E. coli and Klebsiella) or non- mean the treatment did not work. Even when the milk been approved. Considering these facts ag Streptococci. We should care about looks normal after treatment, it is not necessarily the one would think choosing an antibiotic Veterinary Wisdom this because treatment of clinical mastitis case that the treatment worked because most of the to treat mastitis for any clinical case should be directed at cows that are likely time milk will return to normal, usually in 4-6 days, would be simple, and that the optimal to benet and not to those that are not. This whether there is an organism present or not. choice probably has not changed much makes economic sense on the farm and In the past, it was also thought that performing over time. It turns out that nding the represents better antibiotic stewardship. sensitivity analysis on milk cultures could help guide optimal choice is not simple, and that the It is also true that the optimal antibiotic treatment decisions. Today, most experts agree there optimal choice has indeed changed over choice will vary depending on what is is little value in sensitivity testing for routine mastitis. time. There is an excellent review of this isolated, and that many isolates will not It is also true that some cows will respond more topic by Ruegg in the November 2018 respond to antibiotic therapy no matter poorly even when infected by an organism that should be responsive to antibiotic. According to Ruegg, only issue of Veterinary Clinics, Food Animal what is chosen for treatment. Practice. Much of the information in this For example, we know that 20 to 33 percent of cases are likely to benet from column comes from that article. bacteriologic cure rates for Staph aureus non-specic antibiotic treatment. Thus, what really By Jim Bennett Mastitis is dened as inammation are typically 25 percent or less, while matters is the organism, or lack of organism, and the Columnist of the mammary gland. Most of the time treatment for environmental Streps and cow. Treatment decisions need to be based on the that inammation is caused by a bacterial non-aureus Staphs would be expected organism, and protocols should be developed with infection. Cows get mild (grade one) or moderate to cure 65 to 75 percent of the time. We would also the input of or by the herd veterinarian. This is why (grade two) clinical mastitis about 85 percent of expect 75 percent or more cases caused by E. coli to on-farm culture has become so much more popular in the time, and severe clinical mastitis only about 15 cure. However, the rate of cure for non-treated E. coli recent years. Thus, in today’s world, most cases of mild and percent of the time. Severe cases may represent a real is about the same as for treated. While environmental moderate cases should not emergency and should be treated as such. However, Streps often respond to be treated on most farms. antibiotic treatment choices of the other 85 percent treatment, we also know Thus, iin today’s d ’ world, ld most The ones that should be require more scrutiny. that typically they have a Th treated might benet from Around the time of World War II, almost all poor spontaneous cure rate cases of mild and moderate different protocols based on cases of grade one and two mastitis were caused by and high rate of recurrence cases should not be treated the organism isolated. The Streptococcus agalactia and Staphylococcus aureus. As if not treated. choice to treat or not, and a result, antibiotic treatments and treatment protocols We also know that on most farms. what to use to treat is no were developed to treat these organisms. Indeed, to some environmental Streps this day, some antibiotic tubes only list causation by respond better to longer longer as simple. one of these two organisms as an indicated use on the antibiotic treatments, as does Staph aureus. Then Jim Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at label. As farmers got better at controlling these two there are a whole bunch of organisms that show little, Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in pathogens in the 1980s, coliform bacteria became if any response to antibiotic treatment such as yeasts, Plainview, Minn. He also consults on dairy farms in more common isolates from clinical mastitis. More Prototheca, Mycoplasma, Pasteurella, Trueperella, other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. recently it has been shown that the most common Pseudomonas, Serratia and others. Part of the reason Bennett can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com isolates from clinical mastitis are organisms that all of this is so hard is that the appearance of the with comments or questions. normally exist in the cows’ environment. However, if milk has little to do with the presence or absence of

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Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

Bringing Harry to Texas

I do not like cold winter weather any more. I like mowers, chain saws and small engines on the side in the warmth of the southern states. I want to help peo- his humble garage behind his humble house. For the ple when I see an honest need. How could I combine last 30 years, Harry and his wife have wintered in Mismy selsh desire to go south for a few days to escape sion, Texas. Mission is in the far southern tip of the Rio the cold, and help somebody Grande Valley. Harry lost at the same time? his wife ve years ago, but In previous years, I he has continued to drive to For the h llast 30 years, H Harry have gone on mission trips F Texas until this year. I knew to Guatemala and Mexico and his wife have wintered in he really wanted to go again which were both warm this year, but he also knew and rewarding. This year, I Mission, Texas. he was not physically up wanted to do something difto driving 1,400 miles anyferent that was more outside more. When I asked Harry if the box. Then I thought of my old friend Harry. he would be interested in me driving him down there Harry is a 90-year-old man who goes to my church. this year, he said absolutely. Flying did not interest I have known Harry since I was a kid. His daughter him, because he has a small dog to bring along. There was a classmate of mine, and Harry was also a good are three layovers to get there, and Harry is a bit old friend of my dad. Harry was the service manager at school. He does not even have a credit card. the local Ford dealership for many years and also ran The trip down was on Harry’s terms. We had to the big wrecker for the dealership. He also xed lawn

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leave the day after Christmas, so he could keep his doctor appointment to make sure his prostate cancer was under control. He also wanted to spend Christmas with his daughter and grandkids. When we left, Harry said he had been taking the same route Making Cents of Dairy for 30 years, so I turned off my phone guidance app, and I turned when Harry told me to. Chico, his 18-year-old fat little dog, sat on Harry’s lap the whole way. The only time I strayed from Harry’s plan was when he suggested we stop for the night at a Motel 6, because they allow By Dave Vander Kooi companion animals for Columnist free. I called my booking agent (daughter Tae) and told her to nd us a nice motel in Norman, Okla., that would accept a pet. She booked a brand new Best Western with a great, free breakfast for $75. We arrived at Harry’s trailer house in Mission on the second night after dark. The trailer was older with all paneling on the inside walls. It was very clean inside and only smelled a little musty from being closed up for six months. I immediately took a short walk around the trailer park to stretch my legs and enjoy the 66-degree weather. Harry informed me that at 6 the next morning we were going to his favorite local restaurant to have breakfast with about 10 of his southern friends. I soon gured out that the schedule for older retired people in the south for the winter revolves around getting together for food and or coffee about ve times a day. There are no cows to milk, feed or any other productive activities going on ever. Harry did tell me in his younger years he xed golf carts and did many small construction jobs. I think he was the exception though. The three days I spent down there I kept pretty busy in between coffee and meals getting Harry’s pantry stocked with basics and making sure everything was in working order. I even ordered a part for his golf cart on my Amazon account and got it in two days which just amazed Harry. When we were not xing or eating, we had to go and meet all his friends at the cafes and in the mobile home park. There are a lot of widows in those places, and Harry would get long hugs from every one of them. He also got hugs from all the young waitresses in every cafe. Guess how many hugs I got? Zero. Two other highlights of my trip were the grapefruit and my meandering trip home. The grapefruit in the valley had just hit the farmers markets and were gorgeous and cheap. I bought 150 pounds to take home for family and friends, and wish I would have bought more. The grapefruit, Siri and I also decided we wanted to see a little of western Texas on the way home. When one way is 1,400 miles on the shortest route, what is another 250 miles? By looking at the map, I gured I could avoid all the big city trafc of San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Oklahoma City if I went a little further west through Lubbock, Amarillo and Dalhart. I even streamed the music from Waylon Jennings and George Strait. I stopped and hand-picked ripe cotton in a eld, saw huge feedlots and a couple big dairies. We do not know for sure how Harry and Chico are getting back to Minnesota in April, but, if need be, I will go in a heartbeat. Vander Kooi operates a 1,800-cow, 4,500 acre farm with his son, Joe, and daughter-in-law, Rita, near Worthington, Minn. Send him feedback at davevkooi@icloud.com. Follow him on Instagram, @ davevanderkooi.

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It is the start of a New Year, full of promise, hope and the thrill of trying once again to organize a household, a barn ofce, calf supply room, farm shop and the list goes on. I laser my focus in on the tasks of doing a better job with the concept of getting organized every single year. My plan is simple. I channel the organizational guru, Marie Kondo. I could even re-read her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” or watch her how-to Netix shows. I have been to organizing seminars. I know the four piles of organizCome Full Dairy Circle ing when sorting through a mess: toss, recycle, give away and keep. The keepers are supposed to be led neatly, tucked away in cute baskets, cloth bins or drawers where they can always be found efciently. Starting the year right was also covered when listening to early morning radio talk show during milking in early January. The hosts interviewed psychics who not only gave their 2019 predictions of weather and political perils, but some also included good advice for people seeking self-improvement in the year ahead. The guy’s name was inaudible due to the milking noise, but the message he gave was loud and clear. Seek to remove the blocks to success in achieving your By Jean Annexstad goals. He mentioned people who have stubborn perColumnist sonalities which could thwart their self-improvement efforts (who, me?). He urged listeners to seek intellectual motivation, ongoing education and spiritual development. He made it sound so doable. I was really red up to get going. Then my 20-something daughter who really likes organizing offered to help me get busy cleaning the house basement mess. Stuff is stacked all over on the oor down there, while the shelves hold boxes of old National Geographic magazines that will never be looked at again. Take everything off of the shelf and put it in one big pile in the middle of the room and then when you see all you have, it motivates you to get rid of things, my daughter told me. If we just get the stuff off the oor and onto those big shelves, it will not look like you are a hoarder, she added. Well, that was all the motivation I needed. I do like these ideas, but then there is a big mess that might take several weeks to actually sort into those four piles. So, we compromised and did one section of shelves at a time. It went well at rst, resulting in getting a big garbage bag full to toss and several boxes hauled to our county recycling unit. Things to keep were organized, labeled and stacked neatly on the shelves. There would actually be room on the bottom two shelves to store the Christmas snow village when it gets taken down. And, yes, some things are still in the middle of the oor, because then several calves were born. Others needed vaccinating, weaning and moving. There were trips to visit my mother’s, holiday parties to attend, daily laundry and cooking happened, and the basement was ignored. My hope is to get back down there before spring and work on other shelves. The entire house needs going through after the accumulation of 21 years of three children’s things, various boxes from parental homes and so on. Really, the reason I started thinking about putting things in order is because of farm tasks that I have put off for far too long. The desire stems from a need to keep better records of calf health, diagnosis, treatment regimens and outcomes. Calf health records are not well kept or entered into our record-keeping system, so we do not know if a heifer has had past health issues. Starting this month, I am using a treatment log to record calf health events. The next step will be entering all of the information into computerized records so they can be tracked over the animal’s lifetime. Beyond calf health records, we recently went over all of our dairy’s FARM program protocols to bring them up to date. The importance of having this paperwork current and in a place where everyone working with our cattle can refer to it cannot be overstated. People consuming our products may want to know how we handle our animals and keep them healthy. If we have a program in place to record all of the events, it can only help with this goal. Even if no one comes knocking on our barn door to ask to see our records, it is a good exercise to make sure we are all on the same page. The result is doing a better job. So, whether it is keeping calf health records or sorting through the piles of life that has happened, I am determined to plow through my stubborn roadblocks to success and keep chipping away in 2019. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@gmail.com.

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Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 12, 2019

Ibach highlights farm bill at PDPW conference Trade, biosecurity, food labeling addressed By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

MADISON, Wis. – At last month’s Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin’s Dairy Food and Policy Summit, Wisconsin dairy producers had the opportunity to hear from Greg Ibach, U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture, on the day that President Trump was set to sign the 2018 Farm Bill into law. Hailing from Nebraska, Ibach’s family operates a fth and sixth-generation cowcalf and row-crop farm in the central part of the state. Prior to becoming the Under Secretary of Agriculture in October 2017, he was the director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. Ibach said the new farm bill will provide about $235 million in additional money to be used to help develop foreign markets. “In a time when exports have been depressed as we try to renegotiate our trade deals to better represent today’s mod-

ern world, and to bring sanitary and phytosanitary constraints that have been placed on us across the world into a science-based concept, being able to develop new markets is just as important as trying to renegotiate and maintain the markets that we have access to now,” Ibach said. Ibach calls the new U.S.Canada-Mexico agreement a great opportunity for the United States to modernize trade agreements. Ibach said the North America Free Trade Agreement had really grown the markets available to U.S. farmers, but had barriers that developed over the years, as the agreement didn’t keep up with modern technology advances. “There’s not many states that can say they were more impacted in the dairy industry by the concerns that Canada had put in place for the Class 6 and 7 milk imports than Wisconsin was,” Ibach said. “This agreement will go a long ways in trying to address that.” Ibach stressed the importance of producers communicating with their Congressional representatives about the importance of this trade deal, saying that the agricultural industry will be key in making sure the legislation is passed. “We need to communicate with Congress and let them

DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR

U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture Greg Ibach speaks with those in aƩendance at last month’s PDPW Dairy Food and Policy Summit about the new farm bill and other issues facing the dairy industry. know how important Canada and Mexico are to us in agriculture, and really help to move that ball across the nish line,” Ibach said. Ibach also talked about trade mitigation payments,

noting that Jan. 15 is the deadline to sign up, although documentation won’t be due until later this spring. The Agricultural Marketing Service is purchasing $1.2 billion in additional food

items that were impacted by the trade disputes and tariffs. Dairy products will be included in that program. Ibach said as part of Section 32, separate from the trade mitigation program, for the rst time ever, uid milk was purchased to put into U.S. food banks. “That’s something I very much wanted to make happen,” Ibach said. “It’s something that is very basic nutrition for many families. One of the recipients in Florida came in and said, ‘This is wonderful. My children won’t have to put water on their cereal tomorrow.’ That drives home the reality of how we can work together to try and meet the needs of citizens around this country.” Many livestock groups are very concerned about animal disease and animal disease prevention. The farm bill provides funding to reach out to states and producers on three levels in terms of animal disease prevention. First, is the continued focus on surveillance, biosecurity education and protecting our borders from diseases and pests that affect livestock. The second level is the laboratory network, with almost every state having a qualied lab. This will allow the USDA to continue to partner with those labs, ensuring they can do the Turn to IBACH | Page 35

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Make your voice heard on Dairy Pride Act Olson compels producers to take advantage of extended public comment By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com

BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The comment session on the Dairy Pride Act has been extended by the United States Food and Drug Administration until Jan. 25, and Dairy Pricing Association president Tom Olson urges dairy producers to make their voices heard by submitting comments before the deadline. The Dairy Pride Act was introduced January 2018 by Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin and was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions where it remains. The purpose of the Dairy Pride Act is to require enforcement against misbranded milk alternatives in products like yogurt, cheese and uid milk. The commenting deadline was twice extended from Oct. 11 and Nov. 27. “Labeling can be really confusing and misleading for consumers,” Olson said. “There was a survey in a recent dairy industry newsletter that said that 73 percent of consumers believed that almond milk had as much or more protein than milk. It also said that 53 percent believed that plant-based products were labeled milk because they were nutritionally similar. That is really disturbing to me.” Olson urges dairy producers to visit the FDA’s commenting website to make their voices heard about the importance of differentiating milk and other dairy products from plant-based products. The DPA has been working with milk haulers and milk processors around the country to help spread the word to dairy farmers to not let this opportunity to be heard pass by. “We need to try and stand up for what is right,” Olson said. “Getting the word out, collecting signatures on petitions and having people comment are ways we can do that.”

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While Olson is optimistic the bill will pass, he is concerned about the number of negative comments about the bill, the dairy industry and animal agriculture in general that have been posted on the FDA’s commenting site. “There are over 10,000 comments, and many of them are against the bill,” Olson said. “It’s pretty obvious that the animal rights and vegan activists are putting a lot of work into trying to defeat this. That’s why it’s important that we take the time to make our voices heard, too.” Olson sees the Dairy Pride Act and changes in labeling as an effective tool to help educate consumers on the nutritional value of dairy products and the importance they serve in maintaining a healthy diet. “Consumers are so many generations removed from actual farms,” Olson said. “When they go to the grocery store and see these alternatives labeled milk, they think they are getting something equal to milk.” According to information from the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, an 8-ounce serving of low-fat dairy milk contains 8 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of fat for 100 calories, while providing 30 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium and 25 percent of the RDA for Vitamin D. Cashew, coconut and almond beverages provide a gram or less of protein, while soy beverages provide 8 grams of protein. Cashew and almond beverages each have 2.5 grams of fat, while soy beverages have 4.5 grams and coconut beverages have 5 grams of fat. The average cost of a serving of dairy milk is 13 to 19 cents cheaper than any of the plant-based alternatives. If the Dairy Pride Act is passed into law, protecting the labeling integrity of dairy products, Olson feels that will be a needed boost for the dairy industry in terms of uid milk sales, particularly in the current depressed dairy economy. “Anytime you can get some market share back, that’s a good thing,” Olson said. “Those consuming plant-based products aren’t a huge percentage, but they shouldn’t be getting any percentage by being passed off as milk.” Comments can be made at https:// www.regulations.gov by searching FDA-2018-N-3522.

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ConƟnued from IBACH | Page 34 ferent states with 50 different labels on their food, requiring food manufactures to gure out how to comply with that incoherent network, Congress asked the USDA to develop a set of rules to provide for labeling for bioengineered food ingredients,” Ibach said. “We stayed very true to Congress’ denition of bioengineered food, and those highly rened ingredients were excluded from their denition for labeling.” Ibach said in listening to the food industry and consumers, there was a desire for the option to do some things on a voluntary basis, so parameters were laid out for a voluntary labeling system to go along with the mandatory system. “There will be mixed reviews,” Ibach said. “This was a very aggressive task that USDA was assigned, with very divergent points of view.”

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diagnostic testing, allowing isolation and containment of disease movement. The third tier authorized the USDA to begin exploring the idea of a vaccine bank for diseases such as foot and mouth and others. The farm bill also provides a big boost in funding for wild life services within APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service), especially with regard to feral hogs. While the hogs aren’t a problem in northern states, the population creates a disease component that affects livestock across the country. Although not a part of the new farm bill, Ibach shared that the Bioengineered Food Disclosure Act, which Congress passed a couple of years ago in response to some states coming up with food labeling laws, has been put out for public examination and comment. “To avoid a patchwork of 50 dif-

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chapter of our farm and our future. Our employees were there to watch and help; we had all hands on deck just in case something went wrong. It went so smoothly. Having the employees’ impute in the design of the parlor, and working with a great team of industry professionals (building engineer, construction crew, dairy equipment, etc.) made the project a success. It was collaboration from everyone – true teamwork. When I sat back and thought about how it all started with all of us around a table discussing what we had to have, what would be nice, what would make it better- and we had all these minds and great ideas and then to see it come to life – it was really special to see it all come together that day. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? I love educating people on what a modern dairy is and what we are all about. I start with our love of the animals, and discuss our respect for the environment and how we have always been stewards of the land. I also talk about how farming is always changing. We are always learning and trying to do things better. To be more efcient is better for the land and the animals. We really want to do what is best. How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I try to attend conferences and take classes. Having worked outside the home prior to joining my husband and his family, I feel I still have a lot to learn, so connecting with other farmers and sharing ideas has greatly helped. Plus, social media, especially Facebook, is a great way to get a feel for what is going on in other parts of the country. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? Why? Dr. Poock. He is our former vet and is now the associate Extension professor at the University of Missouri. His patience and passion for educating people has taught me that even though I may not have been in this industry since the beginning doesn’t mean I can’t have a positive impact and inuence on what I do or who I speak with. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be and why? Queen Elizabeth. I think she has the right edge and voice to be a positive face for farming. Plus, I know the Queen has always thought she’d have made a great farm wife, so I know we would have her support and blessing. I think more than ever, we need champions in our corner – someone with a strong platform who isn’t afraid to be a voice for this industry. What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? The best vacation we ever took was to Wyoming with our kids. We stayed in a cabin on a mountain side. We had no cell phone reception so it meant we had to unwind and reconnect with our kids. We got reception when we traveled into town, so we could stay connected if we needed to. It is very important to disconnect and have the time away. What better place than in the mountains? We always come back refreshed and ready to go. I haven’t been to a funeral where they’ve handed out an award to someone never missing a day of work and passing on time with family. What are some words you like to live by? You only get one go at this life, make it count.

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promotion group Dairy Management, Inc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s written into the act so that we as dairy producers can ask to have the program re-evaluated,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. The check-off monies collected because of the Dairy Pricing Stabilization Act were earmarked to be used for promotional activities, and Olson feels there is no better way to promote dairy products than by putting them in the hands of consumers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The farmers we talk to feel that the DPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s model of moving product is more effective than what the Dairy Pricing Stabilization Act is currently doing,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not criticizing the promotional work thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being done, but we think what we are doing is important too.â&#x20AC;? Olson said the DPA is promoting the product by giving away free samples to those who could not otherwise afford it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our hope is that they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always be in that position of needing a food bank, and they will become consumers of dairy products in the stores,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kids eat what they grow up on, so we are hopefully growing a generation of future consumers as well.â&#x20AC;? In addition to providing cheese to food banks around the country, the DPA has sent loads of cheese to areas recently affected by hurricanes, including a purchase made in November which went to the Carolinas for hurricane relief. They also have made contact with the Christian Aid Ministries, an Ohio-based group, that has the ability to export whole milk powder to help feed the hungry in other countries, and when funds become available will be making a purchase for that group. To date, over 200 farmers have signed the petition on the DPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website https://www.dairypricing. org, and they will continue talking to farmers and gathering signatures throughout the year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When the Dairy Pricing Stabilization Act was created back in 1983, there were 350,000 dairy farmers nationwide,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today, there are only about 40,000 left. Something needs to be done, and we are thinking after 35 years, maybe itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for a change.â&#x20AC;?

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Tom Olson, of Black River Falls, Wis., is the president of the Dairy Pricing Associaďż˝on, which is mounďż˝ng a peďż˝ďż˝on to allow farmers to be able to voluntarily redirect 2 cents of their checkoďŹ&#x20AC; monies to the DPA.

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BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Dairy Pricing Association is a decade-old group that was created with the mission of positively impacting milk prices while providing for the needy and potentially creating future consumers. That is accomplished through producers voluntarily donating up to 10 cents per hundredweight from the milk they produce. According to Tom Olson, the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president, the purpose of the DPA is to use pooled money to purchase loads of cheese. These loads of cheese purchased by the DPA are donated to food banks and pantries around the nation. The DPA never takes possession of the cheese; all transportation is handled by the receiving entities. Purchasing the cheese positively impacts milk prices because class III prices are largely based off of cheese price. Olson calculates that in order to positively affect milk prices, a load of cheese per week needs to be purchased. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order to support $2 cheese, and in turn $20 milk, we ď&#x192;&#x17E;gure that we would need just 2 percent of the milk produced in this country to be enrolled in DPA,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Purchasing a 40,000 pound load of cheese, at $2 per pound, would cost $80,000. Purchasing a load each week would require $4,160,000. Based on the 2016 ď&#x192;&#x17E;gure of 212 billion pounds of milk produced in the U.S., 10 cents per hundredweight on just 2 percent of the milk produced would accomplish that.â&#x20AC;? Tight margins are impacting dairy farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ability to fund the DPA. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dairy producers like the DPAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission,â&#x20AC;? Olson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want another check-off from their milk check. Times like now, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford it; and in times of good milk prices, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s necessary. We hear from producers all the time, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If only you could use the check-off money we are already paying.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? Because of that response from producers, the DPA is mounting a petition campaign to ask U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to amend the Dairy Pricing Stabilization Act of 1983, which created the dairy check-off, to allow farmers to voluntarily redirect 2 cents of the check-off monies paid by U.S. dairy producers to the DPA to fund their mission. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just getting going on this,â&#x20AC;? Olson said of the petition campaign. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the petitions complete until late summer or early fall after all the farm shows and events.â&#x20AC;? Perdue will be the one to make the decision regarding restructuring the check-off monies and how they would be reallocated if the farmer chooses to do so. In Wisconsin, 10 cents of the check-off goes to the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, while the remaining 5 cents goes to the national

8700, 2017, 600 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$379,000 8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$359,000 8600, 2016, 693 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$299,000 8600, 2015, 436 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$349,000 8600, 2015, 830 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$290,000 8500, 2017, 92 Hrs, RWA, Warranty ...............$395,000 8500, 2016, 665 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$329,000 8500, 2016, 188 Hrs, RWA, Warranty .............$375,000 8500, 2016, 588 Hrs, RWA..............................$315,000 8500, 2016, 900 Hrs, RWA..............................$298,000 7780, 2014, 1301 Hrs, RWA............................$239,000 7750, 2011, 2020 Hrs, RWA ............................$175,000 7850, 2008, 1600 Hrs, RWA............................$179,500 7550, 2012, 1825 Hrs, RWA............................$205,000 7550, 2008, 1359 Hrs, RWA............................$189,500 7350, 2008, 2950 Hrs, RWA............................$149,000 Steel Deal 7800, 2007, 1885 Hrs, RWA............................$126,000 Pricing 7700, 2007, 1570 Hrs, RWA............................$169,500 7500, 2005, 2423 Hrs, RWA............................$135,000 Steel Deal Pricing 7500, 2003, 3100 Hrs, RWA..............................$98,000 Steel Deal 7300, 2003, 3637 Hrs, RWA..............................$68,000 Pricing

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In Southern Wisconsin & Northern Illinois Call: Lori Menke 563-608-6477 lori.m@dairystar.com

Jefferson Waukesha

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