KDDC newsletter Nov/Dec2015

KENTUCKY

November - December 2015 w w w. k y d a i r y. o r g

Milk Matters New Veterinary Feed Directive Rule Find out

Supported by

more on page 8

Kentucky Dairy Partners Conference Scheduled for February 23-24 Find out more on page 18

The North American International Livestock Exposition Dairy Show - Another Great Year

Junior Supreme Heifer Champion: Meadow Ridge Centry Angie exhibited by Alleah Anderson from Cumberland, WI,1st place fall heifer calf and Junior Champion of the All American Jr. Jersey Show

Junior Supreme Champion: Sunrose Dee-TW (Comestar Zircon-ET), Bryce and Brant Gingerich, Millersburg, IN, 1st place 5-year-old and Grand Champion of the Grand Nationanl Jr. Holstein Show.

By Beth Cox

Class winners from Kentucky:

T

Open show nd

he 42 Annual North American International Livestock Exposition was held November 7-20, 2015 in Louisville, KY. The NAILE is recognized as the world’s largest purebred livestock show with nearly 30,000 entries and nearly $750,000 in prizes awarded. The Kentucky Dairy Development Council sponsors the Supreme Heifer Award and the Supreme Cow Award for the Junior Show. The winners are listed above.

• Megan Bailey from Glasgow won the Ayrshire Junior Two Year Old Class and Intermediate Champion Female.

• Fairdale Farms LLC from Owenton won the Brown Swiss Spring Yearling Heifer class and Reserve Junior Champion.

• Ariel Waldeck from Upton won the Brown Swiss Winter Yearling Heifer class.

• Keightley and Core Jerseys from Salvisa won the Four Year Old Cow Class.

• Kayden Gibson & Jordan Elmore from Eminence won the Senior Two Year Old Class in the Red & White Breed.

• Forever Farms from Horse Cave won the Produce of Dam Class in the Red & White Breed.

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

2015 KDDC Board of Directors & Staff Executive Committee President: Richard Sparrow Vice President: Charles Townsend, DVM Sec./Treasurer: Tom Hastings EC Member: Tony Cowherd EC Past President: Bob Klingenfus

Board of Directors District 1: Lesa Elliot Clark 270.210.3743 District 2: Josh Duvall 270.535.6533 District 3: Don Kinslow 270.646.0086 District 4: William Crist Sr. 270.590.3185 District 5: Tony Cowherd 270.469.0398 District 6: Todd Burgess 270.427.6403 District 7: Larry Baxter 859.612.2738 District 8: Jerry Gentry 606-875-2526 District 9: Robert List 606.748.2944 District 10: Richard Sparrow 502.370.6730 District 11: Bill Mattingly 270.699.1701 District 12: Larry Embry 270.259.6903 Equipment: Eric Risser 423.368.7753 Milk Haulers: Alan Wilson 606.875.7281 Genetics: Dan Johnson 502.905.8221 Feed: Tom Hastings 270.748.9652 Nutrition: Dr. Ron Wendlandt 502.839.4222 Dairy Co-op: Fabian Bernal 859.351.0610 Veterinary: Dr. Charles Townsend 270.726.4041 Finance: Michael Smith Former Pres.: Bob Klingenfus 502.817.3165

Employee & Consultants Executive Director: Maury Cox 859.516.1129 DC-Central: Beth Cox 859.516.1619 DC-Western: Dave Roberts 859.516.1409 DC-Southern: Meredith Scales 859.516.1966 DC -Northern: Jennifer Hickerson 859.516.2458

KDDC 176 Pasadena Drive Lexington, KY 40503 www.kydairy.org KY Milk Matters produced by Carey Brown

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 2

President’s Corner Richard Sparrow

I

n the last issue of Milk Matters, an informational article was written by Southland Dairy explaining their promotion efforts.

Some Kentucky dairy farmers felt that the Kentucky Dairy Development Council was promoting Southland by printing this article.

As I have said before, KDDC does not care where you market your milk or buy your feed, nor what kind of tractor you have. KDDC does not care what organization you send your promotion dollars to. This is another business decision that you make as a producer.

I believe both SUDIA and Southland have good milk promotion programs that educate the consumer about dairy.

Part of KDDC’s mission is to inform Kentucky dairy farmers about pertinent dairy issues. Milk Matters print space should be available to both SUDIA and Southland in order to inform dairy producers as to how their promotional dollars are spent.

On a separate, but related note, I saw where McDonald’s restaurants are replacing margarine with butter. This is a huge shift in buying pattern. I cannot help but believe dairy promotion efforts are at least partly responsible for this change. When you look at your milk checks, you see that butterfat is a large part of your milk value. This change in buying habit should have a very positive effect on the milk price.

As we consider the promotional efforts of various organizations, it is good to keep in mind that whoever is doing the promoting, we are all reaping the benefits of the positive messages.

Your Input Is Needed

Most are aware of what The Kentucky Dairy Development Council mission statement is “To educate, promote and represent dairy producers and foster an environment for growth of the Kentucky Dairy Industry.” What better way to do this than listening to the producers! We are dedicated to helping dairy producers in any way that is possible and continually strive to better our services to you. That’s why we are seeking input for your newsletter. What would YOU like to see covered in each issue. Your input and opinions are a valuable resource to us and we would enjoy hearing from you. Please take a minute to share with us what you would like to see included in the newsletter. Responses can be sent to KDDC at 859-516-2458 or email @ kddc@kydairy.org

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Executive Director Comments Maury Cox

I

t is December in Kentucky and this is a time often spent finishing up late harvest and pumping lagoons or spreading stacked manure to make way for the winter storage months. More and more, dairy farmers are adjusting to changing times and the challenges of balancing nutrient management with environmental issues.

Managing Poo Meetings The Kentucky Dairy Development Council has been pro-active in working with KY’s dairy farmers to keep them informed of the regulations and actions they need to take to stay within environmental compliance. We continue in that effort by planning four regional meetings in January 2016 working with the USDA - NRCS, and UK to provide information and follow-up assistance to producers that need to update their KY Agricultural Water Quality Plan (KAWQP) which for dairy farmers includes a Nutrient Management Plan component. Much more information will be provided including accessing EQIP Cost-Share funds, getting the most fertilizer value from your manure and building soil fertility.

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California Federal Milk Marketing Order Hearing As reported on the front page of the last edition of the KY Milk Matters Newsletter, four proposals were submitted to the USDA requesting the state of CA be established as a Federal Milk Marketing Order in the Dairy Federal Milk Marketing System. A Preliminary Analysis submitted by the USDA indicated such a move could potentially negatively impact the Southeast milk price by as much as $0.30/per hundredweight.

The KDDC teamed with Tennessee Dairy Producers Association and the Georgia Milk Producers to be represented at the hearing

by Attorney, Daniel Smith and two southeast dairy farmers: Everett Williams, GA Milk Producers President and Richard Sparrow, KDDC President. Richard’s testimony can be seen in the insert of this edition. This is one aspect of the KDDC Mission: To Educate, promote and represent dairy producers… As you will read you were represented well.

National Dairy Leaders Coalition Meeting Approximately 50 – 60 dairy leaders from 10 states gathered in Syracuse, NY in November as the New York Dairy Industry hosted the National Dairy Leaders Coalition. Attendees represent state organizations much like the KDDC. The NDLC is a national network of dairy and community leaders that meet and discuss issues that affect the dairy industry. Issues from environmental regulations, labor advocacy, protecting your farm from activist are discussed. It is also a time to share with the group the state of the industry in each area and what the organizations are doing to address these and other challenges. This year involved an afternoon of dairy farm tours ending at a winery owned by a dairyman/nutritionist.

The KDDC Young Dairy Producer Conference – Dairy Awards Banquet – The Dairy Partners Meeting The time is drawing closer quickly as we plan for another annual dairy conference scheduled for February 23-24, 2016 in Bowling Green. The two day event is full of activities with the gathering of dairy farm families, industry representatives and guests from several states and countries as well. This year, as always there is an excellent lineup of speakers and topics that you will want to hear. An agenda is enclosed in this newsletter.

An addition this year to the event is a special reception starting at 4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. following the YDPC. The KDDC is excited to be hosting the Dairy Girl Network Reception. The DGN Mission is to: Connect all women of the dairy industry, encouraging ideas and camaraderie in an effort to achieve personal and professional development.

Designed as a welcoming network of passionate women involved in dairy, relationships will grow through shared experience, support and inspiration. Laura Daniels, Cobb, WI and DGN founder will be on hand to meet and greet and will be speaking later as the Dairy Awards Banquet keynote speaker. Oh, did I mention Laura is a dairy farmer as well.

The KDDC continues to work on several other fronts to fulfill our mission listed above. We want to say a special THANK YOU!!! to the KY Agricultural Development Board and the Governor’s Office of Ag Policy folks for approving the KDDC funding for 2016. And lastly, THANK YOU to our friend Roger Thomas for his leadership to KY Agriculture.

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Building Resilient Dairy Farms

By Jeffrey Bewley What is farm resilience? Webster’s dictionary defines resilience as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” It’s easy to see how this concept can apply to a dairy farm, given that dairy farms are constantly changing, complex businesses. Farm resilience is characterized by the ability (1) to constantly evolve while protecting against shocks to the system, (2) to readjust to adapt to stresses, (3) to implement strategies to take advantage of strengths, and (4) to continually adapt to the current situation. Dr. Ika Darnhofer, from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, Austria, indicates that, in farming systems, surprises are unavoidable and the timing and length of crises cannot be predicted. Thus, farms that intend to stay around need to be able to cope with surprises and adapt to stresses. She suggests four strategies to build farm resilience.

1. Learn to live with change and uncertainty. First, discard the idea that the situation will remain stable and learn to expect the unexpected.

As crises occur, learn from each of them. Maintain a flexible farming system and be ready to change business strategies when necessary.

Limit debt levels and maintain caution with large, long-term investments or contracts. If possible, spread risk by cooperating with other farmers or making purchases that are easy to sell or convert to uses in other enterprises. Finally, do what farmers do best, by using existing buildings and equipment in creative ways or doing things yourself rather than hiring them to be done by someone else.

2. Nurture diversity. The ability to cope with changes increases with diversification—of crops, animals, breeds, products, and enterprises. On-farm independence may be increased by looking for ways to rely less on others for labor,

USDA and Organic Valley Team Up for Organic Dairy Education Tours

By Jake Schmitz, Organic Valley

O

rganic Valley collaborated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to tour eight working organic farms in five states – Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Kentucky – this fall. Kentucky was chosen to host the tour because it is one of the fastest- growing organic dairy states in the country. Kentucky also offered the USDA unique opportunities for insight into Amish and Mennonite farming communities. Tours were developed to provide educational opportunities for participants about organic production aspects and marketplace trends. The tours allowed for the sharing of information by cooperative extension representatives, USDA (Farm Service Agency [FSA] & Natural Resource Conservation Service [NRCS]) personnel, other agriculture service providers, and farmers.

Irvin Ramer and Melvin Troyer and their families hosted the tours on September 24th at their organic dairy farms, both in Todd County. The farms offer contrasting methods in organic production that gave tour participants two great examples of successful systems.

The Ramers’ place is forage focused, milking mostly spring freshening jerseys, although they milk all year. The milking facility is a renovated tobacco barn which has a compost pack attached for winter housing. Irvin extends the grazing season by stockpiling fescue for his dry cows and heifers and he plants turnips, rape and oats for the milking herd. He planted a forage trial with about 40 different plots, which offered insight for future farm improvements and made a great setting for a pasture walk.

The Troyers’ farm is larger in scope, and in addition to forage they have many acres dedicated to row crops. They milk several

Cont’d on pg. 13

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 6

Tour participants included FSA & NRCS personnel, lenders, students from the University of Kentucky, field representatives from Kentucky Dairy Development Council, professional staff from Organic Valley, and farmers.

breeds, but a lot are red Holsteins with an ever-increasing influence of Fleckvieh.

Melvin is the second generation to farm his land, and his children would like to farm there, too. Because of this, the family just expanded their operation by building a state-of-the-art compost pack barn that was so new, the tour participants enjoyed lunch in the facility one week before the cows moved in. We took a wagon ride to look at cover crops and his grazing system.

The tours were a great success, providing participants the opportunity to learn from outstanding organic farmers, and raising awareness at the national level and in the federal government about the many financial opportunities provided to farmers through organic agriculture.

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Managing Poo Begins with You and Can Increase Your Profits Too!

By Meredith Scales The Kentucky Dairy Development Council will be hosting a series of four regional workshops in January on how to best manage nutrients on your farm. These meetings are a partnership between KDDC, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and the USDA – NRCS. These workshops are to assist dairy farmers to better understand the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Plan (KAWQP), the Kentucky Nutrient Management Plan (KNMP) and the Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) and the Kentucky No Discharge Permit (KNDP). Farmers will also be assisted in learning how to access EQIP cost-share funds.

If you do not have a KAWQP (which is a state law) or either a KNMP or CNMP or a KNDP then you need to attend one of these meetings. You will be assisted in completing your KAWQP and KNDP application (which must be renewed in February 2016 if you already have one), and get started on your KNMP or CNMP. There will be qualified staff members from all of these organizations to help you develop a plan to fit your individual operation.

These meetings will assist in helping manage nutrients on your farm whether they are chemical or organic materials. These documents will enable you to get the best yield from the crops grown on your farm without contributing to the degradation of the environment.

Below are the locations and dates of the regional meetings:

Christian County Extension Office 01/20/2016 9:30-2:30 CST 10292 US-68, Pembroke, KY 42266 Barren County Extension Office 01/21/2016 9:30-2:30 CST 1463 W Main St., Glasgow, KY 42141 Taylor County Extension Office 01/22/2016 9:30-2:30 EST 11430S Columbia Ave., Campbellsville, KY 42718 Fleming County Extension Office 01/26/2016 9:30-2:30 EST 1384 Elizaville Rd., Flemingsburg, KY 41041 These meeting are for any dairy farmer that needs assistance getting in compliance with the Clean Water Act of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. They are being funded by the Regional Conservation Partnership Program through the Natural Resource and Conservation Service. There is no charge for the meeting and a meal will be provided.

Please call Meredith Scales, KDDC dairy consultant, (859) 516-1966 in advance in order that arrangements for the meal can be made. If you have any questions please call any of the KDDC staff for assistance. Their phone numbers are listed on page two of the newsletter. We will be mailing you a schedule of the meetings as a reminder closer to the meeting dates.

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 7

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Changes in Antibiotic Use in Animal Feed - What to Expect with the New Veterinary Feed Directive Rule Dr. Alan Harrision - Director Feed and Milk Programs

I

n December of 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the implementation of a 3-year plan that will radically change the use of antibiotics in food animals. FDA uses the term “judicious use” to describe how they view the future of antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

The plan focuses on the antibiotics used in both human and animals and the goal is to address the issue of antimicrobial resistance while still keeping these drugs available to the feed industry. An increase in veterinary oversight for therapeutic use of antimicrobial drugs through the existing Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) system is a major component of the plan. The final rule was published in June of 2015 and all regulations will take effect on January 1, 2017.

Only antibiotic drugs used in the feed and water of food producing animals are affected by the new regulations. Drugs included under new VFD guidelines include apramycin, chlortetracycline, erythromycin, hygromycin B, lincomycin, neomycin, oleandomycin, ormetoprim, oxytetracycline, penicillin, streptomycin, sulfadimethoxine, sufamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfaquinoxalene, tylosin, and virginiamycin. Drugs not included include ionophores (monensin and lasalocid), decoquinate, amprolium, carbadox, bacitracin, and flavomycin. These drugs are not used in human medicine.

How will antibiotic use change?

Basically, we use antibiotics in the feed industry in 4 ways: 1.Treating animals diagnosed with an illness 2. Controlling the spread of an illness 3. Preventing illness in healthy animals 4. Enhancing growth or improving feed efficiency Antibiotics will still be available in feed (or water) for treatment, control and prevention of diseases. However, with the new regulations, all the medically important drugs will all require a VFD for use in feed or a prescription if used in water. These same medically important drugs will no longer be available for use to enhance growth or improve feed efficiency.

What are some examples of current feeds that will be affected?

Products still available but requiring a VFD: A preconditioning feed containing a combination of chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine and used to keep animals on feed after shipping.

A milk replacer with neomycin and oxytetracycline. A feed or mineral product with chlortetracycline and lasalocid for control of anaplasmosis (CTC) and increased weight gain and efficiency (lasalocid). In the case of a product with a combination of drugs, if one drug is under a VFD, the combination is under a VFD. Products that would no longer be available: A calf starter with a chlortetracycline level labeled for increased weight gain and improved efficiency. A beef mineral or supplement with

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 8

chlortetracycline labeled for increased weight gain, improved feed efficiency, and reduction of liver abscesses. It is important to note that veterinarians would not be allowed to write an extra-label prescription for an antibiotic on the VFD list with an indication for use of growth promotion.

How do producers, veterinarians, and feed distributors work together to abide by VFD regulations?

Producer: Must work with a veterinarian licensed in the state where the animals are located to obtain a VFD for an animal or group of animals. Producer must also follow directions for feeding, must not feed after the expiration date, and maintain records for 2 years.

Veterinarian: Must be licensed to practice medicine and be in compliance with state requirements for an appropriate and valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). The veterinarian is responsible for preparing the written VFD (paper or electronic) with all required information including name of the VFD drug, description and location of the animals, and the length of the VFD (maximum of 6 months). Records must be maintained for 2 years.

Feed distributor: Must review the VFD for completeness and provide the feed only if all required information is provided.

The feed distributor is also required to notify the FDA of their intention to distribute VFD feeds (one-time notification). As with the producer and veterinarian, the feed distributor must maintain records for 2 years.

In the past, decisions to use medication in animal feed were primarily made by producers and nutrition advisors with veterinarians playing a very limited role. Veterinarian involvement is now required if a medically important antibiotic is fed to a food producing animal. One positive aspect of these new regulations may be to improve the relationships between producers, veterinarians, feed distributors, and nutrition advisors.

Can the industry survive without the use of these drugs for growth promotion and feed efficiency?

Yes. Alternatives to the drugs we are losing are available including ionophores (monensin and lasalocid) and probiotic supplements. The gains made over the last few decades in animal production are not all attributable to the use of antibiotics in feed.

Where can you find more information on the new VFD regulations?

Feedstuffs and Elanco have teamed up to develop an excellent website called VFD Central. This site provides articles, links to FDA publications, and webinars on the VFD regulations (http:// feedstuffs.com/vfd.aspx). Our team at the University of Kentucky Regulatory Services will be actively involved in education of our Kentucky feed industry in preparation for the coming changes.

One example of this educational effort is the development of a poster to be displayed in feed distributors with a list of VFD drugs and highlighting the regulatory changes coming in January 2017.

We are also updating our website with links to the VFD Central website and other VFD web sites (http://www.rs.uky.edu).

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Testimony of Richard Sparrow Doc. No. AO-15-0071; AMS-DA-14-0095 Proposed California Federal Milk Market Order November 12, 2015 My name is Richard Sparrow. I am a dairy farmer in north central Kentucky. The address of my farm is 1800 Old New Liberty Rd., Owenton, Kentucky, 40359. I am President of the Kentucky Dairy Development Council (“KDDC”), an advocacy group for the Kentucky dairy industry. The address of KDDC is 176 Pasadena Drive, Lexington, Kentucky, 40503.

I am testifying both as a southeast dairy farmer and as president of KDDC. I am also speaking on behalf of the Tennessee Dairy Producers Association, and have worked in collaboration with Everett Williams of Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. in developing these comments.

Introduction I preface my testimony by expressing my strong support for this Cooperative effort to join the federal Order system in order to achieve more orderly marketing conditions and more equitable producer milk prices. In seeking these most vital objectives, dairy farmers always have been, and always should be, united to the extent possible.

Notwithstanding this heartfelt support, I am compelled to travel here and testify because of the potential negative impact the Department’s preliminary analysis indicated the Cooperative proposal, as well as the other proposals, would have on the southeast dairy industry. The Department’s analysis shows that the proposals would all lower producer prices in the southeast, and have the related adverse impact on milk production in our region. This would have a particularly damaging impact for us, as the southeast is already a milk deficit region. As I am sure California producers can understand, I must oppose establishment of a California Order if it would cause such significant harm in our region, notwithstanding the benefit it might provide for them.

On behalf of KDDC, therefore, we first ask that the Department consider the impact that establishment of a California Order would have on other regions of the country as an essential factor in its decision whether to adopt the Order. Further, we ask that the Department not establish the Order unless it concludes the Order will not reduce producer milk prices in other regions of the country, and/or milk production, and so not cause adverse harm outside of the California marketing area and milkshed. In support of this conclusion, the Department must be able to make express findings and document that the evidence presented at this hearing has overcome the Department’s preliminary evidence indicating the original proposals would reduce milk pricing and production in the southeast. If the Department chooses to devise an alternative proposal, it must then find and document that the evidence demonstrates this revised proposal will not so harm the southeast.

We sincerely hope that the testimony received will allow for one of these outcomes so as to enable implementation of the California Order. In addition to explaining my and KDDC’s concern prompted by the Department’s preliminary analysis, my testimony also identifies some further actions KDDC believes the Department should take to enable that the Order, if established, will avoid new or ongoing harm to the Southeast.

In the alternative, if the Department concludes to adopt a California Order with evidence still establishing that it will lower milk prices in the southeast and other regions of the country, then the Department should include any such affected producers as part of the producer referendum required for final approval and implementation of the Order.

I. My Background I graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Animal Science in 1978. After graduation, I worked for three milk marketing cooperatives, throughout the southeast territory, for 33 years. At the start of my career, for a short time after graduation, I was employed as a Field Man for Cincinnati Cooperative Milk Sales Association, a small, southeast Ohio-based cooperative.

In this capacity, I worked directly with dairy farmers helping to coordinate delivery of their milk shipments for processing. After Cincinnati Cooperative merged with four other cooperatives, I became a Field Supervisor for the resulting, consolidated, regional cooperative, Milk Marketing Inc. Promoted to Field Supervisor for MMI, I supervised fourteen field representatives.

I worked for MMI in this capacity for 20 years, until MMI merged with the three other cooperatives to form the national cooperative, Dairy Farmers of America. With the formation of DFA, I became a Regional Manager. As a Regional Manager, I oversaw two Field Supervisors and eighteen Field Representatives.

I also conducted regional producer meetings, and provided market reports and milk pricing forecasts for our dairy farmer members.

As a Regional Manager, I was also responsible for negotiating the contracts for the milk sales from my region to our processorhandler customers. I negotiated prices, including over-order prices, developed delivery schedules, and provided on-going customer service, in general.

After working for DFA from 1998-2011, I retired back home to Owenton, Kentucky, to build and operate a new dairy with my three sons. We milk 40-50 Brown Swiss. We are members of DFA; our milk is pooled in Federal Order 5 and shipped to the Kroger, Winchester, Kentucky plant.

I would add that I was raised in the dairy industry, and so with my professional work experience, I have been a part of the industry all my life. My grandfather was the head cheese maker at the Kraft Cheese plant in my home town, Owenton. I began doing odd jobs at the plant when I was ten and worked at the plant during my summers in high school, receiving raw milk in cans and performing laboratory test on milk and cheese.

During my lifetime I have thus observed and experienced the profound transformation and consolidation of the processor and cooperative sectors of the dairy industry, both regionally and nationally. Kraft, of course, during this time period consolidated its cheese processing plant capacity scattered across the country and moved it all westward. Among other consequences this shift in processing capacity provided a significant basis for the truly remarkable expansion of the California dairy industry. Not long after, DFA was formed so as to provide a national cooperative reach and marketing capability for dairy farmers, and Land O Lakes also Cont’d on pg. 10

greatly expanded its operations out from the Midwest to both the East and West coasts for the same purpose. Combined, these changes to the industry’s two core sectors have now lead to this hearing for the establishment of a new California, federal Order.

II. Southeast Marketing Conditions and the Significance of Milk Pricing Amidst these national changes, my professional experience working for the three dairy cooperatives revolved around the continuously challenging effort to provide a fluid milk supply for the southeast region. In his testimony, Cal Covington summarized our challenges as a milk deficit region. He noted that the ten southeast states now have an estimated 76.5 million people, or almost twice the population of California. He further identified that fluid milk consumption for this number of people requires 12.2 billion pounds of milk supply. Yet milk production in the southeast in 2014 was only 9.5 billion pounds, or a deficit of 2.7 billion pounds. When balancing and standardization are considered, according to Mr. Covington, the deficit of 2.7 billion pounds is more properly understood as 4.5 billion. This deficit is more than one third of the total supply required.

Mr. Covington also described how to make up for the deficit, we

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must import milk from other regions, either in bulk or packaged form. In both cases, transportation adds expense that must be borne by producers, processors and consumers alike.

Mr. Covington’s testimony provides the frame for my work experience. On the one hand, with this deficit always in mind, we in the cooperative sector in the Southeast work constantly to maintain the sustainability of our member farmers, and also to grow their productive capacity, so as to be able to provide as much local supply as possible to our processor customers. On the other hand, given the ever-present deficit, we simultaneously confront the additional challenges presented by the need to import the required supplemental milk supply.

The crux of this dual challenge is producer prices. Higher milk prices make it far more possible to sustain, and grow, our existing, local milk supplies. Lower milk prices force farmers out, and thereby increase the pressure and need to import greater volumes of milk from away.

III. Additional Background – The Kentucky Dairy Development Council This brings me to my work with the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, KDDC. Operating in a deficit market actually represents a tremendous market opportunity. And the structure of Kentucky’s dairy farming segment holds promise for expansion so as to take advantage of this opportunity. Kentucky of course provides great commodity crops that can support productive dairy farms. Kentucky has a relatively large number of dairy farms for one state, 718 dairy farms, which ranks 12th, nationally, for licensed dairies. We produce 1.12 billion pounds of milk, ranking 27th, nationally in milk production. Yet we rank 42nd in milk production per cow, and the average farm size is only 88 cows per farm. We thus have a pretty good base, with a lot of capacity for growth.1 KDDC was formed in 2005, to educate, represent and promote the interests of Kentucky dairy farmers, and to foster an environment allowing for the growth of the Kentucky’s dairy industry. This mission is being fulfilled by the development and implementation of a number of programs to educate Kentucky dairy farmers on business and production agriculture practices and to provide services that will enhance sustainability and profitability, and increased productivity. KDDC also concentrates on working to empower young people in pursuit of dairy farming careers.

KDDC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, combined dairy farmer and allied industry organization. KDDC’s board consists of 20 members. Twelve are dairy producers representing the dairy farmers who reside in KDDC districts. The remaining eight members are allied industry dues paying representatives of the other segments of the state’s dairy industry.

KDDC has implemented a series of programs to promote top quality locally produced milk for Kentucky consumers.

The umbrella program is the Kentucky Dairy Improvement Program, KDIP, which utilizes regional dairy consultants to provide information and services to any dairy farmer in KY. The

Market Incentive Leadership for Kentucky, (MILK) Program was developed with the specific objective of increasing local milk production and quality. We also have the Young Dairy Producer Initiative, to provide leadership and management skills to active farmers 18 to 45 years of age and those interested in breaking into the dairy business.

KDIP relies on four dairy consultants who work directly with dairy farmers across the state. In addition to administering the three programs identified above, the consultants bring awareness to producers of the many other available loans, energy development and nutrient management programs offered by local, state and federal entities. The dairy consultants work in cooperation with UK Extension Specialists, Cooperative Extension Service County Agents, KY Department of Agriculture staff, and the wide range of experts in the many fields touched by dairy farm operation.

I would like to specifically highlight the Market Incentive Leadership for Kentucky, or MILK, Program. This program provides direct incentives to Kentucky producers to encourage increased production, and is one of the most dynamic programs of its kind in the nation. While I am not yet able to say that the program has succeeded in turning our production challenges completely around, the MILK Program has provided a true ray of hope that this objective is attainable. The benefits and success of this relatively new program, and the potential adverse impact on its success suggested by the Department’s analysis, are the primary motivations for my appearance in this hearing.

The MILK Program’s incentive premiums are drawn from a grant received by KDDC from the State of Kentucky’s Agricultural Development Fund and matching funds provided collectively by Kentucky’s milk handlers. To receive the premium payments, participating dairy farmers must increase actual pounds of milk marketed by a required percentage over an established yearly base, and their milk must meet or exceed a set level of quality standards. Producers must also participate in a production testing program (DHIA).

The program began in 2007. Since the program’s inception, $5.6 million in incentive premiums have been paid to Kentucky dairy producers through December 2014. The total amount K of milk produced by the MILK Program participants in 2014 was 562,061,145 pounds, which is just over half of Kentucky’s total annual milk production.

Even more significant, during the cumulative time period off the program 2007-2014 over 412 million additional pounds of milk has been generated over base years’ production. Utilizing the average FMMO mailbox price per hundredweight of milk over this time, the additional 412 million pounds of milk has yielded $82,409,768.00 of additional revenue for Kentucky dairy farmers. The program has thus leveraged the $5.6 million expenditure by a factor of nearly fifteen times.

The MILK Program also results in substantial transportation savings. The additional 412 million pounds of milk produced in Kentucky since 2007 has displaced the need for the transport

of over 8,240 tankers loads of supplemental milk into the Commonwealth for processing. Federal Order Transportation Credits subsidize handlers at or near $0.005 per hundredweight per mile. For a 50,000 pound tanker load of milk that equals $2.50 per mile. According to information received from the Appalachian Market Administrator’s office the average load travels approximately 400 miles to delivery in KY. This equals a cost of about $1,000 per load. The MILK Program has thus saved approximately $8,240,000 in transportation cost alone.

IV. Milk Pricing Concerns With the same motivation, other states in the Southeast have also implemented programs with the same objective as the MILK program. These programs, along with the amendments to Class I differentials and pooling requirements established by the 2007 FMMO hearing for the three Southeast Orders, have resulted in a slight upward trend since 2010 in milk production in the Southeast. It is critical to all segments of the dairy industry in the Southeast-- producer, processors, and consumers - that this upward trend in production continue to increase in order to provide for the fluid milk needs of our the market.

Again, milk prices are the key to all of this. We are thus deeply concerned by the Department’s preliminary analysis, which indicates that all of the proposals for a California Order will reduce Southeast producer prices. KDDC’s concern is that that such a price reduction will offset the gains we have made, particularly with the MILK program, and set us again on a downward, rather than upward, trend in milk production.

Here is a summary table of the Department’s analysis of the different proposals’ impact on Southeast producer prices, prepared and presented by Mr. Covington.

Overall, for the State’s total annual milk production of 1 billion pounds, or 1 million cwt, the average loss caused by the Cooperative proposal would be just over $2.6 million, annually.

This would wipe out half of the value of the production incentive payments that have been made under the MILK Program. This loss is projected to increase to $3.4 million for 2024 (the projected “Minimum” in Mr. Covington’s Table)

IV. Milk Marketing and Production Concerns The Department’s additional analysis confirms our concerns about the likely impact that will result from this reduction in producer prices. As Mr. Covington testified, the Department’s analysis indicates that milk production will be flat in the near future, and decline over time. The Department’s Table 5 confirms his assessment with regard to the Cooperative’s proposal. Here Cont’d on pg. 12

As may be seen, milk production is at best flat throughout the region. For the southeast, there would be an accelerating decline, over time.

V. Proposed Department Actions In my introduction, I stated that the Department must account for the potential impacts that imposition of a California Order will have on other regions of the Country. Again, on behalf of KDDC, I here ask that Department consider the impact that establishment of a California Order would have on other regions of the country as an essential factor in the Department’s decision whether to adopt the Order.

Further, we ask that the Department not establish the California Order unless it concludes that the Order will not reduce producer milk prices in other regions of the country, and/or milk production, and so not cause adverse harm to other regions of the country. If the

findings and conclusions ensuring that its revised proposed California Order would cause no such harm to the southeast.

If the California Order may be so adopted, we further propose that the Department include provisions that anticipate the impacts that will be experienced in other Orders, over time. I defer to the expertise of the Department and others as to what these provisions might be, but here emphasize that the Department must account for the Order’s impact over time rather than just its immediate impact.

In the alternative, as also requested in my Introduction, if the Department concludes to adopt a California Order with evidence still establishing that it will lower milk prices in the Southeast, or any other region of the country, then the Department should include producers in these other regions as part of the producer referendum required for final approval and implementation of the Order.

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Dare to Dairy

By Larissa Tucker, UK The fifth annual Dare to Dairy was held on October 24, 2015 at the University of Kentucky Coldstream Dairy. This event is open to youth ages 9 to 18 years old, as well as adult 4-H leaders.

Dare to Dairy began as a way to showcase some of the science behind what happens in animal agriculture. Many of today’s youth do not have the opportunity to experience the dairy farm day to day operations. This program gives them the chance to see a glimpse of some of the exciting things going on in dairy cattle research and sometimes other species.

This year there were 124 people in attendance. The stations included nutrition, reproduction, hoof health, calves, udder dissection, milking procedures, ice cream making and manure

Dr. Phil Bridges and Elizabeth Eckelkamp explain the different parts of the reproductive tract to the group.

management. Each year the stations are changed a bit to make sure those who have been in the past get to experience new things. However, we also include a few topics like how the rumen works and udder dissection every year. The youth really enjoy the hands on learning that goes on during the day.

We would like to thank the following groups for making Dare to Dairy a success. The University of Kentucky Dairy Club members provide the lunch and other leadership roles in this event. The University of Kentucky Dairy Systems Management Graduate Students and Department of Animal and Food Sciences faculty are the instructors for Dare to Dairy. Without all of these people giving their time and expertise we would not be able to have such a quality program.For more information about this or any 4-H dairy event please contact Larissa Tucker, University of Kentucky Extension Associate for Dairy Youth.

Barbara Wadsworth discusses hoof Derek Nolan discusses milking health and some of the equipment used procedures in the parlor. to care for the cattle hooves.

Cont’d from pg. 6

nutrient management, energy use, or even money. Similarly, maintain diversity in where you obtain information. For example, some information may come from conversations with friends and neighbors. On the other hand, information may also be obtained through workshops, seminars, and classes. Both on-farm experiments and new knowledge created from controlled research experiments are critical to exploring new dairy business opportunities.

3. Combine different types of knowledge and learning. The uncertainty that is characteristic of farming means that traditional thought processes, like stability, income maximization, technical fine-tuning, and biological optimization, must be balanced with adaptability, resilience, and flexibility. Traditional, practical knowledge gained through daily management of the dairy farm should be combined with the knowledge and information created through science. Farm study groups may also provide an excellent opportunity to get new ideas and learn new things. In addition to listening to industry professionals and other farmers, it is important to listen to what society and urban consumers has to say about the type of farming operations where they would like to see their food produced. Lastly, don’t overlook the value of listening to business partners and family members.

4. Create opportunities for organizing yourself and links with others. Establishing a strong network of friends, family, and contacts can help with farm resilience. Being involved in dairy producer and political organizations can help you be prepared

to deal with change through collective action. Perhaps more importantly, being involved with organized community groups, such as church, local sports, civic organizations, may prove beneficial in dealing with the impact of outside influences on your dairy business.

Dr. Darnhofer’s insight into farm resilience certainly applies to the current situation in the dairy industry. Today’s economic conditions have created a complex set of problems and changes for dairy producers to deal with. How could you have prepared to manage against the shock of decreased milk prices accompanied by increased input prices? Dairy operations who are most likely to maintain their position in the dairy industry are those that are the most resilient by being the most prepared to deal with change, uncertainty, and the pressure of internal and external forces. A resilient dairy farm develops creative solutions to dealing with change as the “rules of the game” change. The dairy farm you manage will only become increasingly more complex with increased consumer concerns for food safety, animal well-being, and the environmental impact of dairy operations. Those dairy farms that adapt through continual evolution will successfully make it through the difficult times. Resilient dairy farms take advantage of existing strengths, absorb system shocks, and adapt to changes by taking advantage of the new opportunities they create.

Striving for dairy farm resilience may help you avoid the traps that occur when the dairy farm is viewed as a constant, consistent, unchanging system.

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 13

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

By Calvin Covington

Dixie Dairy Report

December 2015

G

rowth in milk supply slowing down. USDA’s October milk production report shows production only up 0.1% compared to October a year ago. This is the lowest monthly production increase since January 2014. Estimated milk produced per cow in October was five (5) lbs. lower than last October. This is the first month, since December 2013, milk per cow is lower than the corresponding month from the previous year. Based on reports received, it appears lower milk per cow is due to poorer feed quality. The national dairy herd was estimated at 9.309 million cows in October. This is one thousand head less than September, but still more cows than last October. Regional differences in milk production continue. California production was down 5.5% in October.

On the other hand milk production in the Midwest continues to increase. Both Wisconsin and Michigan produced 4.5%

more milk this October compared to the same month a year ago. In the two southeast reporting states, Florida continues to increase milk volume with October production up 3.3%, while production was down 1.4% in Virginia.

Domestic demand is strong and powder exports are holding.

Through the first nine months of 2015, domestic commercial disappearance of butter, cheese, and powder are up compared to

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KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

Milk Prices FMMO 5 www.malouisville.com November 2015 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $19.88 December 2015 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $20.11

FMMO 7

the same period a year ago. Commercial disappearance of butter is up 3.1%, American cheese up 4.3%, other cheese up 1.6%, and nonfat/ skim milk powder up 7.9%. On the export side, butter exports for the first nine months of 2015 are down 74% compared to last year. The relatively high domestic butter price deters exports while opening the door for imports. Cheese exports are down 15% for the year to-date.

Better news, exports of nonfat/skim milk powder during the first three quarters of the year, are about the same as last year. The U.S. continues to export over one-half of its nonfat/skim milk powder production.

Some good news for fluid milk sales in the southeast. Through September of this year, conventional fluid milk sales, nationwide, are down 1.5%, and organic sales are down 1.7%. However, fluid sales in the Southeast are looking better. For the year to-date fluid sales in the Florida, Southeast, and Appalachian orders are only down 0.4%, 1.3%, and 1.2%, respectively. But the better news is that Florida and Southeast order sales in June, July, and August were higher than the same months a year ago. September fluid sales in the Appalachian order were higher than last September while sales in the Florida and Southeast orders were only slightly lower than last year. Let’s hope this trend continues.

Butter price surprising many. Many including me expected the butter price to decline by now. Instead butter gained ground in November. Butter at the CME started November at $2.77/lb. and ended the month at $2.90/lb. Evidently, strong sales including retail promotions, more fat utilized in whole milk (whole milk fluid sales up 3.8% for the year to-date), and cheese plants standardizing by adding protein, instead of removing fat (less cream to market), is positively impacting the butter price. However, with butter production creeping up and higher butter imports (the U.S. imported one million lbs. of butter in October) we still look for butter to start declining in the near future. Block cheddar at the CME gave up about a nickel in November. Look for blocks to continue to gradually decline. The powder market is described as “weak.” At the CME nonfat dry

www.fmmatlanta.com November 2015 Class I Advanced Price (@ 3.5% BF) $20.28

milk powder is back below $0.80/lb.

The November AMS powder price dropped about $0.06/lb. from October to $0.8372/lb. Reports indicate the December 2015 European Union has an abundant Class I Advanced Price supply of powder. (@ 3.5% BF) Butterfat higher than protein. In $20.51 multiple component pricing (MCP) markets, the November protein price of $1.3205/lb. is the lowest protein value since Federal Order reform was implemented back in January 2000. On the other hand the November butterfat price of $3.1830/ lb. is 2.4 times the value of protein. Historically, the protein price has been 1.5 to twice the butterfat price. November marks the third consecutive month the butterfat price per lb. is higher than the protein price. The last time this happened was back in 2001. The Southeast’s skim-butterfat markets may not see this shift in milk’s value as directly as MCP markets, but it is occurring.

Higher November blend prices are projected. We project November blend prices (3.5% fat) for the three southeast orders to be about $0.75/cwt. higher than October. Almost all of the November price increase will be due to a projected record butterfat price, exceeding $3.00/lb., in all three orders. Unfortunately, we project almost all of the $0.75/cwt. gain in November will be given back in December. Compared to last month, we have increased our 2016 blend price projections as shown below, along with our 2016 commodity projections.

My projections are more optimistic than USDA’s most recent 2016 projections. USDA projects the 2016 all-milk price to average $.20 -$1.05/cwt. below 2015. My optimism is based on four factors: 1) lower milk production; 2) strong domestic consumption; 3) powder exports holding or slightly expanding; and 4) no burdensome inventories. The bottom line as I see it in 2016, milk supply and milk demand will be more in line, thus increasing farm level milk prices.

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 15

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

American Dairy Association of Kentucky: Promoting Milk Consumption in the Commonwealth

W

hether it is through working with the media from across the Commonwealth, implementing dairy promotion programs in every one of Kentucky’s school districts, partnering with colleges and universities or engaging members of the community, your dairy checkoff team at the American Dairy Association of Kentucky (ADA of Kentucky), proud members of the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA), works passionately and diligently to promote milk sales throughout the Commonwealth.

Butter is Better Two thousand fifteen shaped up to be an exciting year for dairy as dairy fat research shook up the health and food industries, leading to a spike in butter sales. Dairy partner McDonald’s switched to real butter in all 14,000+ stores nationwide due to your checkoff investment, which is projected to move over 500 million additional pounds of butter each year.

Battling the Badvocates One of the largest threats to the dairy industry is “badvocates,” or those who oppose animal agriculture. Your dairy checkoff took action at the national and local levels to debunk myths surrounding dairy production and create opportunities for farmers to speak out about dairy. Nationally, the new Udder Truth video and print media campaign found success, reaching over 100 million consumers on YouTube and 33 million through The Onion, a satirical news outlet. The campaign focused on busting common myths about dairy farming by directly addressing consumer concerns on topics such as animal care and animal welfare. At the local level, the ADA of Kentucky/SUDIA’s Community Outreach program worked directly with dairy farmers on ways to handle a crisis, talk to the media and share your story with consumers. This year, the ADA of Kentucky/SUDIA partnered with the Kentucky Dairy Development Council to extend the program and engage more of their consultants with consumers through speaking engagements at local community organizations.

Kentucky is home to more than 766,000 students, who have better access to milk and dairy foods thanks to our Dairy Everywhere programs, which can be found in every school district in the Commonwealth. Dairy Everywhere programs bring innovative programs into schools to increase the availability of milk and dairy foods, increasing sales.

One example of the impact of Dairy Everywhere programs can be seen in Allen County. After receiving a grant through the 2014 Kentucky Breakfast Challenge to begin serving Grab ‘N Go breakfast stations, Allen County saw a 117 percent increase in number of students participating in breakfast programs and an 86 percent increase in the number of milk units sold!

In order to bring nutritious summer meals and ice-cold milk to students in the summer, SUDIA worked in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Summer Nutrition

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 16

Dairy farmer and ADA of Kentucky board member Greg Goode talks with students at Walnut Elementary School in Liberty about feeding calves and milk production on World School Milk Day. Program. Eleven grants were awarded to Kentucky school districts to ensure that milk served was kept cold during summer feeding programs where more than two million meals were served in the Commonwealth, moving over 450,000 additional pounds of milk.

Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60), the nation’s largest school nutrition initiative, impacts more than 582, 236 students in 1,717 schools across the Commonwealth daily with new programs and equipment to move more milk. Since 2010, over $472,000 has been invested in Kentucky’s schools, purchasing new coolers, blenders and equipment to aid in the promotion and preparation of dairy products during meal time. Research shows that students

Dairy farmer and ADA of Kentucky board member Kim Jones (second from right) is joined by former NFL-player Artose Pinter (second from left) to present a $3,593 grant to Maryville Elementary in Louisville to purchase new milk equipment

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund involved in FUTP 60 programs consume more milk at school and at home.

College Sports Nutrition Initiative SUDIA’s work with student-athletes reaches beyond primary school through the College Sports Nutrition Initiative program.

Whether cheering for the Big Blue Nation or the Louisville Cardinals, team members work hand-in-hand with sports dietitians, foodservice directors and student organizations across the Commonwealth to promote milk and dairy consumption by college students through equipment grants to both athletic and all-student dining service providers.

Milk: Making Splashes on the AirwavesDairy also made a splash across the airwaves in 2015, when over 450,000 Kentucky consumers were reached with dairy-friendly messaging through interviews and television segments to promote milk consumption.

In September ADA of Kentucky/SUDIA team members embarked on a media tour, taking over Kentucky’s airwaves and conducting interviews on radio and television stations in Lexington, Louisville, Paducah, Henderson and Bowling Green.

Of all the ways your dairy checkoff works across the Commonwealth, working hand-in-hand with our Kentucky dairy farmers is the top priority. We offer a wide variety of resources for our farmers, including farm tour kits, community outreach training, crisis management planning, media management and training as well as materials and merchandise to hand out at local events.

SUDIA team member Laura Buxenbaum (far right) joins WDKY in Lexington to clear up common myths surrounding dairy products.

For more information on how you can get involved in our community outreach program or on how you can obtain your farmer resources, please contact Denise Jones via phone at (270) 970-4792 or through e-mail at djones@sedairy.org.

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November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 17

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

2016 KENTUCKY DAIRY PARTNERS CONFERENCE Bowling Green, Kentucky • February 23-24, 2016 Young Dairy Producer Conference Tuesday, February 23, 2016 (All Times Central Time) 9:00-10:00 Registration 10:00-10:45 Kenny Burdine, UK – 2016 Dairy Outlook 10:45-11:45 Gordie Jones, DVM – Dairy Stockmanship 11:45-12:00 Door Prizes 12:00 PM Lunch and Trade Show 1:00-1:45 Fabian Bernal, DFA – National FARM Program: Providing Animal Care on the Farm 1:45-2:45 Gordie Jones, DVM – The Goldie Locks Dry Cow Diet 2:45-3:15 Ice Cream Break – Sponsored By Chaney’s Ice Cream 3:15-3:45 Ashely Newhall, UMD – Hiring and Firing 4:30-5:45 Dairy Girls Network Reception 6:00–8:00 Dairy Awards Banquet – Featured Speaker, Laura Daniels, a Dairy Farmer, Agriculture Advocate and Founder of Dairy Girl Network

Kentucky Dairy Partners Meeting Wednesday, February 24, 2016 (All Times Central Time) 8:00 AM Registration Opens & Trade Show 9:00 AM Welcome 9:10-9:40 Billy Rowe, ADA of KY President and Cheryl Hayn, SUDIA General Manager 9:50-10:35 Gordie Jones, DVM – Achieving Excellence in Dairying 10:45-11:30 Randy Shaver, UWM - What’s New with Corn Silage for Dairy Cows 11:30-1:30 Lunch, KDDC Annual Business Meeting and Trade Show 1:30-2:00 Kayla Matrunick, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, Director of Performance Nutrition U of L Athletics 2:00-2:35 Randy Shaver, UWM - Making Sense of Modern Feed Tests 2:40-3:10 Ashely Newhall, UMD – Animal Welfare Statues and Farm Protection Laws 3:15 Closing and Door Prizes

November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 18

KDDC is supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund

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November - December 2015 • KDDC • Page 19

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2015-16 Dairy Calendar of Events January 2016 January 4 January 5 January 6 January 20 January 20

January 21

January 22

January 26

January 28

February 2016 DFA Regional Meeting, Stanford, KY 10:00 AM DFA Regional Meeting. Maysville, KY 10:00 AM DFA Regional Meeting, Shelbyville, KY 10:00 AM Prairie Farms Inc. Annual Mtg. Somerset, KY 10:30 AM Regional Managing Poo Mtg. 9:30-2:30 Christian Co. Ext. Office, 2850 Pembroke Rd. Hopkinsville, KY Regional Managing Poo Mtg. Mtg. 9:30- 2:30 Barren Co. Ext. Office, 1463 W. Main St. Glasgow Regional Managing Poo Mtg. Mtg. 9:30-2:30 Taylor Co. Ext. Office, 1143 S. Columbia Ave. C-Ville Regional Managing Poo Mtg. Mtg. 9:30- 2:00 Fleming Co. Ext. Office, 1384 Elizaville Rd. Flemingsburg Center of Kentucky Dairy Short Course (TBA) 10:00 AM

Milk Matters November - December 2015

February 4 February 4 February 11 February 23 February 23 February 23 February 24

KY Proud Legislative Breakfast, Capital Annex CafeteriaFrankfort, 7:00 AM Center of Kentucky Dairy Short Course (TBA) 10:00 AM Center of Kentucky Dairy Short Course (TBA) 10:00 AM Young Dairy Producers Conference 9:30 AM Dairy Girls Network Reception 4:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6:00 Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green Dairy Awards Banquet, Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green 6:00 PM KY Dairy Partners Meeting and Industry Trade Show, Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green 9:30 AM

March 2016 March 8-9

42nd Annual Southern Dairy Conference, Atlanta Ga.