Michigan Milk Messenger: January 2016 by Michigan Milk Producers Association

Michigan Milk

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C AT I O N O F M I C H I G A N M I L K P R O D U C E R S A S S O C I AT I O N

MESSENGER VOL. 98 | ISSUE 7 | JANUARY 2016

Michigan Milk

MESSENGER Columns 4 MMPA Matters New Year, Steadfast Mission

6 Quality Watch Congratulations to All Quality Winners

8 News & Views

10 Legislative Watch

Januar y Features 12 2015 Leaders’ Conference 14 Pride in Producing Quality Milk Top Ten OYDC Jesse and Tessa Chase

16 14th Annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference 18 Optimizing Dairy Farm Profit

MSU Extension’s Winter 2016 Program

Managing Editor................................................ Sheila Burkhardt

41310 Bridge Street

Editor...............................................................................Allison Stuby

P.O. Box 8002

f: 248-474-0924

Advertising Manager......................................Nancy Muszynski

Novi, MI 48376-8002

w: www.mimilk.com

p: 248-474-6672

Circulation..................................................................................... 2,843 An Equal Opportunity Employer – F/M/V/D Michigan Milk Messenger (USPS 345-320) is the official publication of Michigan Milk Producers Association, published monthly since June 1919. Subscriptions: MMPA members, 50¢ per year; non-members, $5 per year.

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Periodical postage paid at Novi, MI and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Milk Messenger, PO Box 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002. (ISSN 0026-2315)

R 24 20 100 Years of Integrity, Dedication and Commitment 24 A Dairy Startup Top Ten OYDC Nick and Jared Scheurer

26 2015 Quality Award Winners

Departments

Cover Story

Merchandise

Quality Premiums

Freeliners

Classifieds

Policies

Market Report

Staff

As the world welcomes the year 2016 this month, MMPA begins its 100th anniversary celebration. Turn to page 20 to begin our journey rejoicing a full century with a special feature examining MMPA’s history. The anniversary features begin this month and will continue in each issue of 2016.

Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) Michigan Milk Producers Association, established in 1916, is a member owned and operated dairy cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.

Board of Directors

Directors-At-Large Ken Nobis, St. Johns............................989-224-6170 or 248-474-6672, ext. 201

Officers

Rodney Daniels, Whittemore......................................................... 989-756-4935

Ken Nobis, President

Dan Javor, Hastings...................................................................... 269-948-8345

Mark Halbert, Vice President

Mark Halbert, Battle Creek.......................................................... 269-964-0511

Eric Frahm, Treasurer Joe Diglio, General Manager/ Secretary Josep Barenys, Assistant Treasurer Todd Hoppe, General Counsel

James Reid, Jeddo........................................................................ 810-327-6830

District Directors 1. Hank Choate, Cement City....................................................... 517-529-9032 2. Tim Hood, Paw Paw................................................................. 269-657-5771 3. David Pyle, Zeeland.................................................................. 616-772-1512 4. Corby Werth, Alpena................................................................ 989-464-5436 5. Brent Wilson, Carson City......................................................... 989-584-3481 6. Tony Jandernoa, Fowler............................................................ 989-593-2224 7. Eric Frahm, Frankenmuth.......................................................... 989-652-3552 8. Leonard Brown, Sandusky......................................................... 810-648-4505

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MMPA MATTERS

New Year, Steadfast Mission BY KEN NOBIS, PRESIDENT

The New Year is upon us, and most dairy producers are probably wondering what 2016 will bring. 2015 turned out to be a pretty good to excellent year for crop production, depending on where your farm was located. I have yet to hear an MMPA member say they were short of feed last year. We’ll have to wait a while to see how 2016 stacks up. 2015 was disappointing, though, for milk prices after a stellar year, even though we knew prices had to decline from the lofty heights of 2014. An ample feed supply coupled with lower cost on protein supplements (but not where we would like them with today’s milk prices) leads me to believe that production gains in MMPA’s market area will continue to accelerate compared to the rest of the United States. Unless a weather event reduces milk production, it is safe to assume processing capacity will be over-taxed. This will likely happen in the same areas as last year, from Michigan to Vermont and down to the Southeast region.

“We produce very high quality products here and do not have the seasonal production swings of other regions. As the middle class grows globally, so too will the desire for nutritionally enhanced diets. Dairy proteins are a perfect fit to satisfy that desire.”

Prices did rebound in the last quarter of 2015, giving a brief respite to the severe margin squeeze. We have to expect the squeeze to return in the first and second quarters of 2016. It now looks like the soonest we will see significant price recovery is the second half of 2016. Production increases in the five major dairy areas of the globe—United States, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina—in the last three years have exceeded demand. When coupled with Russia dropping the European Union as a dairy supplier and China in an over-bought position with excess inventory, estimates state 9.8 billion tons of milk are seeking a home. While milk prices hover around the break-even point in our market, they are even lower in the European Union and New Zealand. Lower farm gate prices in those areas mean that U.S. dairy exporters must compete with lower finished product prices on the global stage. Cheese and butter are significantly cheaper if purchased from our competitors. Total dairy exported on a solids basis will fall to around 14 percent of total U.S. milk production versus 17 percent in 2014. With exports slowing and U.S. milk production growing, inventories climb. This puts a damper on any price hikes in this country. Despite this gloomy outlook for U.S. dairy in the immediate future, I am still positive about the long term. We produce very high quality products here and do not have the seasonal production swings of other regions. As the middle class grows globally, so too will the desire for nutritionally enhanced diets. Dairy proteins are a perfect fit to satisfy that desire. Domestic consumption remains stable on a per capita basis, so a current U.S. population growth rate of 0.73 percent results in a rise in total consumption. A long decline in fluid consumption has been offset by increases in products like yogurt and butter. Butter consumption has been a sweet surprise, and it should grow even more now that McDonald’s and other restaurants have made the switch to all butter. Whole milk has also shown an uptick in consumption, even though the fluid category continues to decline. I think a lot of dairy producers believe this trend will fuel even greater fluid consumption, because to our taste buds nothing beats whole milk. Whatever lies ahead, one thing will stay the same. You can count on your co-op, MMPA, to do its utmost to market your milk to the greatest advantage possible in fulfillment of its mission in 2016 and beyond.

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QUALITY WATCH

CONGRATULATIONS to all Quality Award Winners BY DEAN LETTER, DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES

or the last seventeen years, MMPA has honored it members with three levels of quality awards: bronze, silver and gold. This local meeting season, MMPA will honor its members with 352 Bronze awards, 128 Silver awards, and 29 Gold awards. The 509 total awards account for 43 percent of our membership recognized for their high quality milk. The full listing of quality award winners begins on page 26.

“Congratulations to those members who earned a quality award this year. I hope to see even more quality award winners next year.

In addition to the local meetings, some MMPA members will be honored for the excellent milk quality at the national level. Late last summer, MMPA member representatives nominated their top tier members for milk quality by filling out a short questionnaire. National Dairy Quality Award judges selected top applicants from this nationwide pool of farmers. These top producers were asked to complete a more detailed application form. From the supplied information, producers are judged on milk quality measures, udder health monitoring programs, milk routine, detection and treatment of both clinical and subclinical mastitis, and overall herd health and welfare monitoring programs. Based on this criteria, judges select platinum, gold, and silver quality award winners. The National Dairy Quality Award Platinum Level awardees will be recognized at the NMC 55th Annual Meeting in Glendale, Arizona. At the time of this writing, the awardees have not been announced but many of our nominated members advanced well into the selection process and may be recognized in the January 10, 2016 issue of the Hoard’s Dairyman. Congratulations to everyone receiving this great honor—these farms are truly among the elite in milk quality! Each year, MMPA customers place greater emphasis on milk quality and other issues related to “sustainability.” Farm sanitation is critical to maintaining a healthy herd and high milk quality. Many members recognize cleaning and sanitizing teats and teat ends is very important to preventing new cases of mastitis. Milk derived from normal healthy udders is sterile. Bacteria can be introduced to the milk during the milking process, particularly if the teats were not properly prepped or if the cow was excessively soiled. Some of these bacteria are spore-formers which are not necessarily killed through the pasteurization process and may adversely affect the quality of finished dairy products. Since 1996, MMPA has provided Milker Training Schools to its members. The importance of udder sanitation is emphasized along with the timing of certain steps of the udder prep procedure. Using optimal udder prep timing has been shown to improve milking speed by more effectively utilizing the oxytocin the cows produce naturally. MMPA hosts classroom-style Milker Training Schools January through April. Please contact Marianne Gasiewski (Gasiewski@mimilk.com) at the Novi Office if you wish to attend one of the schools. Congratulations to those members who earned a quality award this year. I hope to see even more quality award winners next year. Members can get more details on MMPA’s member services by calling their member representative or the Novi office.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

MMPA meets the National Dairy FARM Program deadline MMPA has been participating in the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program for five years. The program was born out of farmer recognition as consumers increasingly wish to source their food from farms that routinely take excellent care of their animals. At their October 2014 board meeting, the National Milk Producers Federation Board of Directors voted to make this animal care program mandatory for farmers marketing their milk through participating milk handlers. It was MMPA’s goal to have all members enrolled in the program before the end of 2015. Thank you to all our members for helping MMPA meet this very important deadline! Over the past two years, the National Dairy FARM Program has increased its focus on documentation. Last month, MMPA and Merck Animal Health partnered with local veterinarians and MMPA members to help develop or update their written herd health plans and standard operating procedures for animal care activities such as feeding calves, milking, caring for special needs animals and non-ambulatory animal movement. The FARM program states that these SOPs should be written in the animal caretaker’s native language and posted where it can be readily referenced by the animal caretaker. Records indicating that animal caretakers have received annual training on applicable animal care procedures should be kept with the employee files. It is commonly assumed that once an employee is trained, they remain trained. However, it has been demonstrated that without periodic review of SOPs, procedural drift takes hold. Once allowed to take root, farm operators may find that the actual care their animals receive does not reflect the care written on paper. This can be an unpleasant surprise to the farm operator.

January Local Meetings continue, statewide

January 28 Resolutions Committee Meeting, Novi

February District Meetings

February 4-6 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference, Mt. Pleasant

Additionally, employees need to sign an Employee Code of Ethics indicating their commitment to proper animal care and their responsibility to report any animal neglect or abuse to farm management. Going forward, MMPA’s Animal Care Team will follow up with members when the time comes to re-enroll in the FARM Program and help them close animal care gaps identified in their FARM action plan. IF YOU WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND ONE OF THE MMPA/MERCK ANIMAL HEALTH MEETINGS LAST MONTH AND WOULD LIKE HELP WITH YOUR HERD HEALTH PLAN OR SOPS, PLEASE CONTACT LINDSAY GREEN AT (989)488-8159 OR DREW RUPPRECHT AT (269)986-6793. THEY WILL WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR HERD VETERINARIAN TO GET THIS DOCUMENTATION COMPLETED.

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& VIEWS NEWS &NEWS VIEWS

November Class IV Price Up, Class III Down The USDA said November’s Class III price was $15.30 per cwt., down 16 cents from last month, while the Class IV price was $16.89 per cwt., up 46 cents from October.

MMPA Receives HungerFree Michigan Award MMPA was presented with a HungerFree Michigan award at the Michigan Harvest Gathering luncheon on November 19. The luncheon closes the annual Michigan Harvest Gathering food and fund campaign—now in its 25th year—by honoring “hunger relief champions” in Michigan. MMPA was presented with the award in recognition of the co-op’s donation of 200,000 pounds of milk over the summer to the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM). Since 1991, Michigan Harvest Gathering has provided over 54 million meals to help stock the shelves of food banks throughout the state. Cynthia Schuette, wife of Attorney General Bill Schuette, envisioned Michigan Harvest Gathering as a way to engage the whole state in hunger relief efforts.

MMPA Welcomes Michael Morrissey as Senior Director of Sales

One-Day Workshop: Energy Conservation – Impact on the Bottom Line

MMPA hired Michael Morrissey to head up the cooperative’s raw milk and manufactured products sales departments as senior director of sales. Morrissey comes to MMPA from Dairy Farmers of America, where he served as director of ingredient sales. He has over 30 years of experience with dairy and consumer packaged goods companies, also holding management positions at Fonterra, Deflecto Corporation, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gerber Products Company. Morrissey obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and marketing from Maryville University and has taken MBA level courses in marketing and accounting at the University of Southern Indiana.

Farming operations use an extraordinary amount of energy. According to a 2013 USDA report, energy requirements can be as much as 34 percent of a farm’s total costs. Helping Michigan farmers reduce their energy expenses is the focus of oneday workshops being held around the state. At each workshop, attendees will hear from energy specialists from MSU Extension on how to develop an energy use strategy.

As MMPA Senior Director of Sales, Morrissey will lead the sales team dedicated to extracting the highest value from raw milk and manufactured products through the development and implementation of a ‘go-to-market’ sales strategy.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016 Smith Hall 800 Sickles Street St. Johns, MI 48879 Thursday, January 14, 2016 DTE Energy North Area Energy Center 4100 Doerr Road Cass City, MI 48726 Tuesday, January 19, 2016 Olive Township Hall 6480 136th Avenue Holland, MI 49424 Wednesday, January 20, 2016 Hillsdale County Extension Office 20 Care Drive, Suite B Hillsdale, MI 49242 Friday, January 29, 2016 During Ag Action Day Kalamazoo Valley Community College 6767 West O Avenue Kalamazoo, MI 49009

All workshops, except the January 29th workshops, will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include lunch. There is a $15 registration fee to attend a workshop. The same program will be offered at each meeting site. Registration information and the agenda can be found by going to events.anr.msu.edu/2016_ AgEnConsWorkshop.

MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL SCHUETTE (LEFT) AND FBCM DIRECTOR PHILLIP KNIGHT (RIGHT) PRESENTED MMPA VICE PRESIDENT MARK HALBERT (MIDDLE) WITH THE HUNGER-FREE MICHIGAN AWARD.

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If you have questions about any of the workshops, contact Charles Gould, Michigan State University Extension Educator, at 616/994-4547 or gouldm@msu.edu.

2016 Direct Deposit Schedule The MMPA direct deposit program automatically deposits members’ net milk proceeds into their bank accounts through the use of a secure electronic funds transfer system. This system assures the timely deposit of funds on the dates listed below.

(L-R): BOB KRAN, ROD DANIELS, TIM HOOD, JOHN KRONEMEYER, KEN NOBIS, BRENT WILSON AND CORBY WERTH.

John Kronemeyer Honored for Years of Service to MMPA Board of Directors During the Chippewa Local meeting in December, current and past members of the board honored John Kronemeyer for his service on the MMPA board of directors. Kronemeyer was first elected to the board in 1999, holding the position as District 12 director until his retirement in 2015. Through the years, Kronemeyer has served MMPA and the agricultural community in various leadership roles. He was awarded MSU Dairyman of the Year in 1981 and along with his wife, Julia, was named District 12 Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator in 1972.

The direct deposit service is free to MMPA members. All members still receive a monthly check statement by mail. The direct deposit stub of the statement indicates the amount transferred into the members’ bank account. 4 January 19 and 26 4 February 17 and 26 4 March 17 and 25 4 April 18 and 26 4 May 17 and 26 4 June 17 and 27 4 July 18 and 26 4 August 17 and 26 4 September 16 and 26 4 October 17 and 26 4 November 17 and 25 4 December 16 and 27

MMPA Advisory Committee District 1 Art Riske, Hanover............................................... 517-524-6015 Clark Emmons, Fayette, OH................................ 419-452-6764 Jeff Alexander, Hanover....................................... 517-740-9981 Perry Cisco, Hudson............................................ 517-404-7997 Carlton Evans, Litchfield....................................... 517-398-0629

District 2 Richard Thomas, Middlebury, IN.......................... 574-825-5198 Donald Bever, Delton........................................... 269-671-5050 Heather Wing, Bellevue........................................ 269-660-0498 Michael Oesch, Middlebury, IN............................. 574-825-2454 Danny Ransler, Gobles........................................ 269-628-4218

District 3 Burke Larsen, Scottville........................................ 231-757-2090 Bill Stakenas, Freesoil.......................................... 231-757-9340 Gary Nelsen, Grant.............................................. 231-834-7610 Tim Butler, Sand Lake.......................................... 616-636-8567 Nico Eadie, Conklin.............................................. 616-550-4041

District 4 Dave Folkersma, Rudyard.................................... 906-478-3023 Russ Tolan, Ossineke........................................... 989-471-2993 Ron Lucas, Posen................................................ 989-379-4694 Marvin Rubingh, Ellsworth.................................... 231-588-6084 Jeremy Werth, Herron.......................................... 989-464-4022

District 5 Tom Jeppesen, Stanton........................................ 989-762-5399 Bruce Benthem, McBain....................................... 231-825-8182 Amy Martin, Leroy................................................ 231-388-0496 Mike Rasmussen, Edmore................................... 989-762-5380 Bill Jernstadt, Big Rapids..................................... 231-796-4650

District 6 Kris Wardin, St. Johns.......................................... 989-640-9420 Aaron Gasper, Lowell........................................... 616-897-2747 Steve Thelen, Fowler............................................ 989-640-1075 David Reed, Owosso............................................ 989-723-2023 Jamie Meyer, Ionia .............................................. 989-640-3372

District 7 Eric Bergdolt, Vassar............................................ 989-652-6500 Steve Foley, Millington.......................................... 989-871-4028 Rod Fowler, Chesaning........................................ 989-845-6131 John Bennett, Prescott......................................... 989-345-4264 Scott Kleinhardt, Clare......................................... 989-386-8037

District 8 Mike Bender, Croswell.......................................... 810-679-4782 Scott Lamb, Jeddo............................................... 810-404-8003 Mike Noll, Croswell............................................... 810-404-4071 Jeremy Sharrard, Peck......................................... 810-404-5076 Dale Phillips, Marlette........................................... 989-635-7917

At-Large Mark Crandall, Battle Creek................................. 269-660-2229 Tom Wing, Bellevue.............................................. 269-660-0498 Bill Blumerich, Berlin............................................ 810-395-2926 Chuck White, Fowlerville...................................... 517-521-3564

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LEGISLATIVE WATCH

Agricultural Leaders of Michigan Work Together to Educate Public, Policymakers Michigan agriculture has a positive story to tell—but too often, decision-makers and consumers don’t fully understand the work happening across our industry. That’s why the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan was founded four years ago. Working together, eight commodity groups and agribusiness organizations are focused on promoting Michigan agriculture, participating in the ongoing dialogue about issues affecting our state, and harnessing agriculture’s potential to grow Michigan’s economy. MMPA is a member of ALM. Other members include GreenStone Farm Credit Services, the Michigan AgriBusiness Association, Michigan Corn Growers Association, Michigan Pork Producers Association, Potato Growers of Michigan Inc., Michigan Soybean Association and Michigan Bean Commission. In 2015, ALM continued their effort to be proactive with members of the public and lawmakers. It’s critical that agriculture be at the table, and by engaging on key issues throughout the year, ALM helped to promote Michigan agriculture and encourage pro-agriculture policy in Lansing and Washington, D.C. Following are a few examples of ALM’s accomplishments this year:

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Meetings with federal lawmakers In February, ALM members had an opportunity to meet for breakfast with several members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation, including House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, House Agriculture Committee member Rep. Dan Benishek, Rep. John Moolenaar, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Rep. Dan Kildee, Rep. Bill Huizenga and Rep. Dave Trott. Following coffee with the members of Congress, ALM members also received a policy update briefing from staff of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee.

Lunch and Learn events at the Michigan Capitol ALM’s “Lunch and Learn” events provide a chance for lawmakers, their staff and executive branch officials from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to learn about key issues in our industry. On the second Monday of each month, ALM brings expert speakers to the state capitol – including ALM member organizations, as well as outside experts who are well prepared to discuss key issues in our industry. A wide range of topics are highlighted throughout the year – from updates on crop progress, to challenges from disease and weather events, to nutrition guidelines and opportunities to increase exports from Michigan. By including many different commodity group leaders and outside experts, the lunch events emphasize the diversity of Michigan agriculture. The lunch and learn events averaged more than 30 attendees from across state government.

Women in Agriculture Event In August, ALM had the opportunity to welcome USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and Sen. Stabenow to Lansing for an event focused on women in Michigan agriculture. Bringing together more than 100 women from across our industry at all levels of leadership, the half-day event served as a springboard for professional development, networking and information sharing. ALM’s infographic from the event was replicated by the USDA and used nationwide, and we are already working on ways to continue promoting opportunities for women in Michigan agriculture in 2016.

Radio updates on WJR radio and MLive ALM members worked together this year to record a weekly agricultural update that airs every Sunday evening on WJR radio and its statewide affiliates. The WJR reports give MMPA and other member organizations a chance to share updates on our industry, reaching an audience that doesn’t connect with agriculture often. The WJR report is turned into a short post on MLive, Michigan’s statewide online news outlet, and posted to ALM’s social media pages.

Working with Policymakers and the Media In addition to these key events, ALM came together in support of many different issues impacting our agriculture sector throughout the year. Members worked together on a media teleconference supporting trade normalization with Cuba, sent letters to Congress urging common-sense policy on GMO labeling, child nutrition and other key issues, and brought large trucks to the Michigan Capitol to highlight the benefits of Michigan’s unique truck weight regulations.

Looking Ahead to 2016 In 2016, ALM is already looking ahead to continue advocating for our industry. The organization will be ramping up its social media presence with the launch of a YouTube channel, continue engagement with state and federal lawmakers through the Washington, D.C. breakfast and monthly lunch and learn events, and continue education for consumers through WJR radio, MLive and other media outreach. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AGRICULTURAL LEADERS OF MICHIGAN BY VISITING WWW.AGLEADERSMI.COM OR VISITING ALM ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.

Early registration ends January 23!

Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference February 4–6 Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort Mount Pleasant, Michigan With the current state of milk prices and ever-increasing labor challenges, dairy producers are facing a volatile environment. Attend this year’s Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference to arm yourself with the knowledge, tools and strategies to navigate the rough waters you’re facing and continue to produce high-quality, safe and nutritious dairy products consumers expect.

Check-out sessions on: Understanding everything from global markets to your production costs and learning from the challenges others face to help your operation survive and thrive. Aggressively managing reproduction and genetics as well as the role that genomics and IVF play today and in the future. Improving feed efficiency in lactating cows through nutrition, genetics and grouping management. Empowering farm owners and managers to gain effectiveness and confidence in their ability to successfully lead, source and recruit employees. Learning to tell your story to help combat the misconceptions regarding dairy products and answer consumers’ toughest dairy questions. Photo courtesy of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

www.glrdc.msu.edu • 517-884-7089 • honkemeg@msu.edu

MMPA Leaders’ Conference 2015 Kicking off 2015-2016 Local Meetings, the 2015 Leaders’ Conference brought together MMPA leaders from all facets of the cooperative to the Michigan State University Kellogg Center in East Lansing on November 23.

n addition to presentations by MMPA General Manager Joe Diglio and President Ken Nobis, MMPA welcomed Joel Mergler from Select Sires, Kelly Millenbah from the Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) and Bill Creal from Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Members listened and asked questions about dairy market conditions, MSU CANR initiatives, water quality issues and the global dairy industry. Nobis first addressed the group of leaders, providing a positive outlook after a challenging year. “Our cooperative and the dairy industry are still in a good position and the future is still positive. Consumers demand a high quality protein source and dairy fits that need beautifully,” Nobis said. His presentation also included updates on the impact of the global dairy industry, programs related to MMPA’s involvement in the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan and how the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has assisted marketing members’ milk. In his overview of MMPA operations and current market conditions, Diglio presented to members a year in review snapshot of the activities and changes. “In 2015,

we saw massive market volatility and the market was very competitive when seeking new customers. Despite the distressed price, the assets you’ve invested in—our processing plants—are performing very well and we continue to pursue new opportunities for the future,” Diglio explained to the conference attendees. Diglio also highlighted MMPA accomplishments over the last fiscal year, including attaining Level 3 Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Certification in the two processing plants, realizing a net savings of $6 million and paying out $24.4 million in producer incentive premiums to members. Diglio also commended members for producing milk with historic low levels of somatic cell counts, leading customers to covet MMPA’s high quality milk. Mergler, the Vice President International Development for Select Sires, brought his expertise in international market development to share his insight on global dairy markets to MMPA leaders. Mergler strives to assist global customers breed better dairy cows, especially in countries with a growing middle class. “We are breeding for the global population,” Mergler said. Yet he noted many countries are unable to meet their domestic demand for dairy and U.S. producers are at a distinct advantage. “You are no longer just a milk producer in Michigan, you need to have a global perspective and understand the world dairy market,” Mergler relayed. 2015 Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperators (OYDC) Shawn and Beth VanDrie lead the luncheon program, which included honoring the MMPA MSU Scholarship recipients. MMPA awarded 10 scholarships to the children and employees of

District 7 Earns Donation to Charity through MMPAC Challenge Congratulations to District 7 for winning the 2015 MMPAC Challenge! District 7 had the highest percentage of members contribute to the Michigan Milk Political Action Committee (MMPAC) during the recent fundraising campaign. They will receive a matching gift of up to $1,000 designated toward the district’s choice of one of five charity organizations or youth foundations. Thank you to all of the members who contributed to the MMPAC! DISTRICT 7 OFFICER JOHN BENNETT (LEFT) ACCEPTED THE MMPA CHALLENGE AWARD FROM MMPA PRESIDENT KEN NOBIS (RIGHT) DURING THE LEADERS’ CONFERENCE.

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MMPA GENERAL MANAGER JOE DIGLIO ADDRESSED STATE, DISTRICT AND LOCAL MMPA LEADERS ON NOVEMBER 23, INCLUDING AN EXPLANATION OF THE PPD ADJUSTMENT 0N MEMBERS’ MILK CHECKS.

“In 2015, we saw massive market volatility and the market was very competitive when seeking new customers. Despite the distressed price, the assets you’ve invested in—our processing plants—are performing very well and we continue to pursue new opportunities for the future.” –Joe Diglio, General Manager

MMPA members attending the MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology. The VanDries also introduced their fellow 2015 Top Ten OYDCs and raffled off two free registrations for the 2016 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference. The couple welcomed CANR Associate Dean Millenbah during the luncheon, who provided updates on CANR, MSU Extension, AgBioResearch and the CANR dean search. Incumbent CANR Dean Fred Poston retired in December and Millenbah announced Douglas Buhler will begin serving as interim dean on Jan. 1 until a successor is named. In the afternoon, Creal provided insights on water quality issues through the lens of DEQ, including the algae bloom in Lake Erie. Following his presentation, Nobis and Diglio returned to the stage, opening up the floor for questions and comments from members. The conference offered to members a forum to hear from MMPA management and learn industry perspectives as a lead into the following months of local and district meetings and the 100th Annual State Delegate Meeting. JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

Pride in Producing Quality Milk MMPA TOP TEN OYDC JESSE AND TESSA CHASE BY ALLISON STUBY

A Top Ten OYDC, Jesse Chase knows dairy and he knows quality milk. On Chase Crest Hill Farms, LLC, founded in 1972, Jesse is the third generation to steward the land and care for cows on their farm in Hastings, Michigan. “As a dairy farmer, I enjoy working for myself. I grew up with dairy and am instilled with its values. I’ve always

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want to be a dairy farmer and enjoy the challenge,” he said. By Jesse’s side is his wife, Tessa, a registered nurse who works at a hospital in Grand Rapids. However, she’s no stranger to the industry. She grew up on a dairy farm in the area and showed dairy cows through 4-H as a kid. The couple married in 2008, after meeting in 4-H where both of her parents were involved as 4-H leaders.

“I grew up on a farm myself and so I know I want to raise my children in the same environment,” Tessa admitted. “I also enjoy taking pride in ownership.” Jesse came back to work on the farm in 2007 after attending Michigan State University. Today, Jesse oversees herd health, taking pride in carefully monitoring cows, heifers and calves. Jesse also takes on the task of managing the farm’s 14 employees, recognizing the issues finding and keeping labor in the dairy industry. Recently they have had a harder time finding quality laborers, despite being able to rely on a solid group of employees the last several years. Yet they try to overcome this obstacle facing many dairy farmers. “One issue is labor, but we found by treating our employees well and offering competitive wages we dramatically reduced this challenge,”

he noted. “We stress personal growth and advancement for all involved through recognition for accomplishments. We will provide a safe, happy labor-efficient work environment and express a high degree of pride with a Christian mentality in doing so.” The farm underwent several renovations over the last few years, including constructing a new parlor and removing a 30 year old double six parlor. The new parlor is set as a double ten herringbone parlor, but is expandable to 20 if they decide to increase their herd size. The Chases also installed a new ventilation system in their calf and transition barns in an effort to improve animal care. The ventilation system minimizes respiratory issues and has helped raise healthier calves. Recognizing the growing demands of food companies and consumers, the Chases strive to provide quality milk on the farm end. “Food safety is a huge challenge to dairy as consumers are demanding healthier, safer food. We do our part on the farm by producing high quality milk with low somatic cell counts,” Jesse stated. “We really improved our milk quality when we bought sand shooter and started putting in sand more regularly, dropping our Somatic Cell Counts (SCC) by about 50,000. We also have a very good group of milkers that take special care in keeping the facilities clean.” Chase Crest Hill Farms has won several MMPA quality awards over the last ten years, taking home several bronze and silver awards for their high quality milk. Jesse stated their milk typically runs a SCC under 100,000 and they see very few cases of mastitis in their cows. And together, the Chase family continues take pride in the family’s operation, producing quality milk and caring for the herd.

Jesse and Tessa Chase of Chase Crest Hill Farms, LLC Barry-Eaton Local, District 2 Children: Bryson (2) Herd Size: 540 milking, 605 total Acres farmed: 900 Crops grown: corn, alfalfa Milking regime: three times a day in a double 10 herringbone parlor Sustainable practices: reclaimed plate cooler water, fertilizer, cover crops, CME nutrient management Breeding program: Ovsynch timed AI, ABS daily tail chalk heats Certifications/Training: MMPA Milker Training Scool, MMPA Calf Care School, MMPA Energy Audit, FARM program Education: Jesse graduated from Lakewood High School, completed the two-year MSU Dairy Management program and went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business management from MSU. Tessa graduated from Delton Kellogg High School and has two bachelor’s degrees from MSU in nutritional sciences and nursing. Ag, Dairy and Community involvement: Jesse is on the Barry County Farm Bureau board of directors and is involved in the Young Farmer program. The couple is active in their church and has assisted with Relay for Life.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

14TH ANNUAL

Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference slated for FEB. 4-6 IN MOUNT PLEASANT

focuses on preparing producers for dairying in the future The 14th annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference (GLRDC) is set for Feb. 4-6, at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The program will focus on the latest technologies, techniques and market outlooks to help dairy producers remain successful today and into the future. The conference kicks off Thursday with a pre-conference session in which Michigan dairy producers will share their tactics on how they manage cows for first artificial inseminations (AI), when they pregnancy check and how they manage cows for repeat AI services. The panel will also share their heifer reproduction strategies to maximize pregnancy rates. Next, producers will hear from Christophe Lafougere of GIRA, a leading expert in global food and agricultural markets, on what the future holds in terms of global consumption and trade, and how changes in the European Union will have an impact on the global market. As a follow up to the global discussion, attendees will learn from one of the largest registered dairy farming operations in the nation. Stephen Maddox, owner of Maddox Dairy, will discuss his operation, the challenges facing the industry and the future of dairying in the West. The conference will then shift focus to the labor force. Human resource experts will showcase ways producers can get the most out of employees, from entry level to management, through personal leadership and best practices. Producers will have time to ask questions on labor.

Producers will have the opportunity to discover the role genomics and in vitro fertilization (IVF) can play in raising animals that are healthier, have greater longevity, and are more efficient in providing meat and milk to feed the ever-increasing food needs of a growing world population. Following this session, a panel of producer experts will discuss genomic strategies in depth. Producers can also learn how to tell their dairy stories and address the common misperceptions of the benefits of dairy foods from Kathi Eckler of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan. Finally, attendees will hear from dairy financial and market expert Gary Siporski of Vita Plus Corporation, who will take a closer look at current dairy market conditions. He will examine what is causing them, what the future holds and what producers should do about it. Producers will walk away from this final session with practical strategies for challenging financial times. Friday afternoon, attendees will have the choice of three educational workshops to attend: n Answering Consumer Questions About Dairy Farming Practices n Improving Feed Efficiency of Lactating Dairy Cows n Rebuilding DeVor Dairy – Lessons Learned In addition to educational sessions, the conference will include annual meetings for several state breed associations. The Michigan Holstein Association will conduct its annual meeting on Friday, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Jersey associations will conduct their annual meetings on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.

The Exhibitor Showcase, and the Dairy Challenge Presentation will round out the first day. Producers can also attend the Great Lakes Commercial Heifer Extravaganza XI Sale.

Individual, student and farm registration options are available. Registrations received before Jan. 23, 2016, will save up to $25 per day. Online registration closes Jan. 31, 2016, at midnight. On-site registrations are subject to availability.

The conference continues Friday morning when attendees will discover new reproductive and genetic management techniques from the experts at Trans Ova Genetics.

Visit www.glrdc.msu.edu to get the complete conference schedule or to register online. Participants can also register by phone by calling 517-884-7089.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

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JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

Optimizing Dairy Farm Profit MSU Extension Offers Winter Training Program Michigan State University Extension’s winter dairy program for 2016 will focus on optimizing dairy farm profit. The program is a joint effort of the MSUE Dairy Team and MSUE Farm Information Resource Management (FIRM) team. Meetings will be held at seven locations across the state. A variety of topics that can impact your bottom line will be covered in this oneday program. The day will be kick started by Dr. Chris Wolf who will provide a current dairy market outlook. The importance of identifying and correcting bottlenecks will be discussed. Participants will learn about key financial indicators to monitor on dairy farms and the major differences between high and low profit farms. Several critical factors for successful dairy herd management will be highlighted, including heifer raising strategies, optimum stocking density, labor productivity on farms, and benefits of custom forage harvesting. As an added bonus, participants will receive a USB drive containing useful on-farm management tools, including a dairy cash flow spreadsheet developed by MSU Extension educators to take home. This program is designed to help dairy producers improve profitability on their farms. The topics will help dairy producers think about ways in which they can more effectively manage their finances and examine their herd management practices.

Dates and Location February 23

Forward’s Conference Center, West Branch

February 24

Ottawa County Fillmore Administration Building, West Olive

MMPA LOCALS BY DISTRICT District 1 Adrian Hillsdale-Litchfield Jackson County Plus Saline-Ann Arbor Ingham County

District 2 Blossomland Constantine Kalamazoo Barry-Eaton Lansing

District 3 Grand Rapids West Michigan Muskegon

District 4 Hillman Chippewa County U.P. West Central Upstate

District 5 Alma Evart Dairyland

February 25 Falmouth Community Center, Falmouth March 1

Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizer, St. Johns

March 2

The Gathering Place, Bad Axe

March 3

Hillsdale County MSU Extension office, Hillsdale

March 15 Pickford Township Hall, Pickford

Meeting times for all locations are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration details can be accessed at: http://events.anr.msu.edu/DairyFarmProfit/

District 6 Mid-Michigan Owosso Flint Livingston Charter

District 7 Frankenmuth Sunrise Clare-Mt Pleasant Deford/Clifford-Mayville

For more details or questions about registration, please contact Faith Cullens at 989-224-5249 or cullensf@msu.edu, or your area MSU Extension dairy educator.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

District 8 Huron Mid-Sanilac Mid-Thumb

2015-2016 Local Meetings The information listed below was availiable at press time. All members will receive complete meeting details in the invitation from their local.

Local

Mtg. Date

Place

Location

Muskegon Flint/Livingston Charter/Owosso Grand Rapids Evart Mid-Michigan Hillman Alma Huron Constantine Deford/Clifford-Mayville Frankenmuth Adrian Jackson County Plus Mid-Thumb West Michigan Dairyland Ingham County Clare-Mt. Pleasant Saline-Ann Arbor Mid-Sanilac Hillsdale-Litchfield Blossomland

01/04/2016 01/06/2016 01/06/2016 01/07/2016 01/07/2016 01/08/2016 01/08/2016 01/09/2016 01/09/2016 01/11/2016 01/12/2016 01/12/2016 01/13/2016 01/13/2016 01/13/2016 01/14/2016 01/14/2016 01/15/2016 01/19/2016 01/20/2016 01/21/2016 01/22/2016

Russ’ Banquet Room Gi Gi’s Banquet Center Golden Corral Rehoboth Reformed Church Agro Liquid Headquarters Hillman Community Center Maxfield’s Franklin Inn Siloam Fellowship The Oven Sullivan’s Black Forest UAW Hall Gene Davis and Sons Catering Holly Meadows Golf Course Zeeland Township Hall St. Mary’s Hall Brookshire Inn Clare Church of the Nazarene Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds Woodland Hills Olivia’s Chophouse Zeke’s Restaurant

Muskegon Corunna Walker McBain St. Johns Hillman Blanchard Bad Axe Goshen, Ind. Caro Frankenmuth Adrian Jackson Capac Vriesland Carson City Williamston Clare Ann Arbor Sandusky Jonesville Dowagiac

Time 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 11:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m. 11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 11:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:00 p.m.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

POWER of the Past. » VISION for the Future.

100 Years OF INTEGRITY, DEDICATION & COMMITMENT BY MELISSA HART

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

One hundred years. A century. Transforming from one millennium to the next. A time span encompassing several generations and engulfing iconic changes in a civilization.

rom 1916 to 2016 that’s exactly what happened. Generations passed, a new century was turned and changes in the landscape of the dairy industry went from slow and steady to quick and intense.

On one end, dairymen were milking ten cows by hand. On the other end, thousands of cows are being milked by robots. In the beginning, milk was lucky to make it from farm to creamery with reasonable quality. Today, milk is extracted from the cow and put into a bottle, churned into butter or processed into a dairy product within hours. Automation has changed the industry from farm to table and every step of the process in between. As technological developments have driven the change of an entire industry and made it more streamline and convenient, one cog in this wheel has stayed as slow and steady as the dairy cow itself: the dairy farmer. MMPA is embarking on a year of celebration as the entire cooperative from members to leadership take a moment to enjoy 100 years of existence. MMPA pioneered the milk cooperative movement in Michigan out of sheer desire for dairymen to make a profit.

In an article from the August 1919 issue of the Michigan Milk Messenger, editor R.C. Reed writes:

“The Michigan Milk Producers Association is a corporate body under the laws of the State of Michigan. The purpose expressed: To promote in all legal ways the interests of the milk producers of Michigan by mutual co-operation in producing, buying, selling and marketing all milk and dairy products within the State of Michigan.” In short, MMPA existed for dairymen and women to sell their milk for a profit, envisioning they would be better, together. MMPA was birthed in Livingston County with early members ringing familiar names like Munsell, Bamber, McPherson, Nixon, Wrigglesworth and Carr. Influential men in their communities, they started down the untraveled road of a milk cooperative formation and laid a firm foundation from which to build decade after decade of success. LEFT: MILK CANS AT PLANT: DURING A CENTURY OF EXISTENCE, THE DAIRY PROCESSING LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

POWER of the Past. » VISION for the Future. As the first ones through the brick wall, they found themselves, bloodied, tested and tried but took their position seriously as cooperators and providers of a wholesome food to a hungry nation. R.C. Reed further writes:

“A different spirit than ever before pervades the social, moral and commercial interests of the world. In fact, we think that mankind is being dominated by higher and holier impulses than in any other decade in the world’s history. This spirit is pervading every part of our body politic. The peace table across the water is possibly the highest attainment and the nearest to the idea of all the efforts that have been made for raising the level of common humanity up to a constructive basis upon which to build the great structure for the common brotherhood of man. This principle so manifest in the establishment of the League of Nations is the same as dominated

the officers of the Michigan Milk Producers Association in their effort to do the most conscientious, careful, and constructive work for the stabilizing of this great industry upon which depends so much of the moral, mental and physical being of the people of this nation in the years to come. We feel the responsibility of the obligation we are assuming most keenly. We must not be derelict of duty nor recreant to the trust imposed in the opportunity given us to help to mold and fashion the thought and purpose of the food producers of this great commonwealth. As feeble as it may be, we must do our best. And we invite your cooperation.” In 1915, the average price of milk paid to the producer in the Detroit market was $1.60 per hundredweight. In 1916, a group of men met on the campus of Michigan Agricultural College and forged the framework of MMPA. In 1917,

the average price of milk paid to the producer was $2.24. Month after month, year after year, from 1916 to 2016, the price that producers were paid for their milk was and still is the most important result of all activities of the MMPA. Put aside all the advances in technology, the promotion explosion and number and variety of dairy products that have been developed in 100 years and zero in on what has driven the longevity of MMPA: the integrity and dedication of its leadership to the members. From the very first president, N.P. Hull to today’s leader, Ken Nobis, and every president in between, these leaders were dairymen willing to dedicate their time and offer their abilities to guide and direct a membership of independent thinking dairy producers from Michigan’s coast to coast. Along the way they faced opposition and questioning, collaborated with national agricultural leaders and had the ear of those inside the beltway including several U.S. Presidents. The leadership has been unparalleled, the dedication has been unequalled and the result has been a century of trust, commitment and strength. It’s now 2016 and the year of celebration of the 100th anniversary begins. As MMPA celebrates their long history they will continue to work together toward tomorrow. LEFT: DOWN THROUGH YEARS DEDICATED LEADERSHIP MET TO MAKE MMPA STRONGER. TOP: THE MICHIGAN MILK MESSENGER HAS TRANSFORMED OVER THE YEARS BUT THE FUNCTION TO COMMUNICATE TO THE MEMBERS HAS REMAINED THE SAME.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

ADM Elite Dairy Management

Seminars Focused on your bottom line. Everyone wants your attendance at winter meetings and yet the most valuable asset you have is your time. In developing the Elite Dairy Management Seminars, ADM asked progressive producers what topics are of most value to them and sought out noted speakers to address them.

Seminars

Dairy Supplier Showcase In conjunction with the seminar you will also have the opportunity for one-on-one time with key animal health, feed technology suppliers and analytical laboratory providers.

Topic

Speaker

Digital Dermatitis

Dr. Dorte Dopfer, University of Wisconsin

Best Dairy Mgmt. Practices, Dairy 365

Dr. Michael Bolton, Merck

2015 Forage Analyses

Rock River/Cumberland Labs

Effective Dairy Record Analysis

Dr. Robert Corbett, Phibro

Economic Decisions in Transition Cow Mgmt.

Dr. Glen Aines, Balchem

Letting the Cows Tell Us—ADM Q&A

Dr. Brian Lammers, ADM

Dates & Locations

Cost? There is no cost as we feel your time is valuable enough. Lunch will be provided. We do require an RSVP. Please RSVP with the information below.

Seminar Times 10 a.m. — 2:45 p.m.

January 12th

January 13th

January 14th

Greenbriar Conf. Centre

The University Club

Nelson’s BBQ

Wooster, OH

Lansing, MI

Wakarusa, IN

RSVP

Email to Bill.Earley@adm.com, fax to 517-647-4155, call 800-777-7692 x5, mail to ADM, BIll Earley, 401 East Grand River Ave., Portland, MI 48875, or provide to your ADM representative or dealer. Names of those attending (Maximum of two attendees per farm.) Address: Phone or Email: Seminar attending:

q Jan. 12, Wooster, OH

q Jan. 13, Lansing, MI

www.admani.com • 866-666-7626

q Jan. 14, Wakarusa, IN

A Dairy Startup MMPA TOP TEN OYDC NICK AND JARED SCHEURER BY ALLISON STUBY

Growing up on their parents’ 80 cow dairy in Ionia, Michigan, Top Ten OYDC Nick and Jared Scheurer knew they always wanted to be dairy farmers. Yet after years of slowly buying into the business, it soon became apparent they wouldn’t be able to take over the family farm.

MESSENGER | JANUARY DECEMBER2016 2015

And so, with help from funds built up from their custom baling business, the brothers set out to start their own dairy farm. And in September of 2012, they did just that. They packed up their 30 cows and 30 heifers and trekked 55 miles west to Mason, Michigan, where they purchased a farm that went bankrupt a couple years prior. As they’re building up their business, the brothers are not afraid to add new systems and programs to improve efficiencies across the farm. They use pedometers to track

activity in their cattle for breeding. The tractors run on auto steer. And the operation will soon benefit from the addition of a sand separation system, which is in the final stages of construction. The system will improve manure handling by adding efficiencies and reducing sand usage. Yet they face many of the same struggles as others in the dairy industry, with a growing disconnect between consumers and farmers. “The practices on our farm are very ethical, yet people are concerned about animal welfare. We

need to educate people that what we do on the farm is alright. People need to understand what comes from the farm versus simply the supermarket,” Jared said. In the three years since establishing Rapid Ridge Farms, the Scheurer brothers have rapidly expanded their herd size. Their most recent expansion in December 2015 now has the brothers and their 10 employees milking 630 cows three times a day. To accommodate the added cows, they recently built a new freestall barn and added four employees on Dec. 15. They also intend to expand their double eight herringbone parlor within the next two years. “I enjoy working in this business because I don’t feel like I’m going to work every day,” Nick said. “We don’t like being bored. We always want another challenge, that’s why we decided to expand to over 600.” But their hard working attitude is what helps fuel their own success. Jared is the herdsman for the farm and manages all employees, while his older brother Nick manages feed, crops, financials and equipment. “We’re young and that’s a challenge. In this industry, we’re up against other farmers who have held onto family equity for 50 years or more,” Nick admitted. “We are just starting up and had to build everything ourselves.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: NICK (LEFT) AND JARED (RIGHT) SCHEURER TOUR THEIR NEWLY CONSTRUCTED FREESTALL BARN PRIOR TO THE ADDITION OF AROUND 200 COWS TO THEIR HERD IN DECEMBER.

Nick and Jared Scheurer of Rapid Ridge Farms Ingham County Local, District 1

Family: Nick is married to Carly and together they have two children: Aiden (3) and Myles (10 months). Jared is married to Casee and together they have two children: Weston (3) and Willow (10 months). Herd size: 630 milking, 990 total Acres farmed: 1,040 Crops grown: alfalfa, corn, wheat and soybeans Milking regime: three times a day in a double eight herringbone parlor Sustainable practices: plate cooler, sand separator, Certified Nutrient Management Plan and buffer strips of grass to control erosion Breeding program: AI, clean-up bull Certifications/Training: FARM Program, MMPA Calf Care School Education: Nick graduated from Portland High School and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in agriculture business management. Jared graduated from Ionia High School and went on to complete the two year dairy management program at MSU.

TOP: NICK TAKES ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGING CROPPING OPERATIONS FOR THEIR 630-COW DAIRY.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

2015 MMPA Quality Awards

ocal meetings this season will include presentations of quality awards to 509 members for the production of outstanding quality milk over the last fiscal year. Bronze, silver and gold awards will be presented to those members who met the established criteria for each award.

Bronze quality awards are presented to MMPA members

who met both quality premium categories (10,000 or less raw bacteria and 20,000 or less PI count) and maintained a somatic cell count of 250,000 or less for nine or more months out of the previous fiscal year. Silver quality awards are presented to those members

who met the same criteria as in the bronze award category for 12 months out of the previous fiscal year. Gold quality awards are presented to members who

met the same criteria as in the silver award category and averaged a somatic cell count of 100,000 or less during the previous fiscal year. Star awards will be presented to those members who have

received a quality award for five (*), 10 (**), 15 (***) or 20 (****) consecutive years.

509 total quality awards (43% OF MMPA MEMBER FARMS)

352

BRONZE

128

SILVER

GOLD

ADRIAN LOCAL Silver Stoutcrest Farms Vissers Dairy LLC Gary A. Middleton N Randy & Eric Bleich Bronze Fred Feight and Sons Long Haven Farms Inc. Terry L. Norden Martinline LLC Perry Cisco Marvin Farms Inc. Whelan Farms Dwight Mansfield Tim & Lisa Brasher Hartland Farms Inc. ALMA LOCAL Gold Spring Lake Farms LLC Dragt Farms Silver Peacock Farms Judge Dairy Farm Inc. Bruce Carey Hillhaven Farms Inc. Lad & Agnes Doolittle TLC Dairy**** Ronald & Kevin Litwiller Vanderploeg Holsteins LLC Double-B Dairy Bebow Dairy Inc. Bronze Paulen Farms Inc.* Friesen Legacy Farm LLC Troy Haynes Albern Olson Chapin Family Farm LLC Louis & Ronald Brecht Hyde Farms LLC S & T Farms PTP Oberlin Farms LLC Jeff & Larry Nielsen* Mark Wiles

POWER of the Past. » VISION for the Future.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

Bollinger Farms LLC Carter Farms LLC Joel Ensz Chad Peters Cory & Gary Nielsen William Hough Dairy Inc. Robert F. Durham Kent L. Inniger*** Basil Ervin Jr.* Douglas B. Kamer Bebow Dairy Inc. Doeke & Melissa Prins Cindy Eldred Glen H. Miller Vanderploeg Holsteins II LLC BARRY-EATON LOCAL Gold LaDine Farms Silver Halbert Dairy Farm LLC Endsley Dairy Farms LLC Miller Vue Farm Bronze Chase Crest Hill Farms LLC Crandall Dairy Farm LLC Hammond Dairy Farm LLC Thomas & Heather Wing Pixley Dairy Farm LLC Burdock Hills Dairy LLC B & K Farms LLC BLOSSOMLAND LOCAL Gold Jerry, Jerry & Terry Koebel Bronze Howard Payne Gamble Dairy Farm LLC** CHIPPEWA COUNTY LOCAL Silver Taylor Creek Farm LLC* Bronze David & Tammy Bell Melvin G. Thorne

CLARE-MT PLEASANT LOCAL Silver H Brushaber Sons Farm LLC House Dairy LLC Elton F. Dubois Bronze Clark Dairy Farm LLC Pohl Dairy Farm LLC Gross Farms Inc. Martin C. Fox Jack Evans Stevens Farms Gross Dairy Farms Inc.*** Rick L. Newman Michael Yoder John Koch Tara Anthon Cattle & Management LLC James & Mary Ann Miller Family Paul S. Miller CONSTANTINE LOCAL Gold Thaddaeus Coning Silver Michael M. Graber Olen J. Fry David L. Mast Maynard J.Mast Wakiana Dairy Inc. Brent & Joan High Vernon A. & Vernon V. Hochstetler Virgil D. Yoder* Norman L. Yoder Bronze Alva Lengacher* James & Sarah Delagrange Wakiana Dairy Inc. Perry N. Lehman Devon Ray Yoder Glen F. Miller Omer F. Miller Vernon & Amanda Miller D & S Dairy Alvin D.Bontrager

Freeman E. Yutzy Raymond D. Yoder Harley J. Mast Dave Kulp Dave & Lorene Beechy* Perkins Twin Creek Farm Inc. * Marlin R. Miller Rufus B. Zimmerman Verlin J. Yoder Leroy E. Miller David E. Miller Dennis E. Miller Lavern J. Kurtz Devon J. Miller David E. Yoder Lavern D. Miller Lamar J. Eash Marvin M. Shrock Jacob W. Weaver Ervin J. Lehman Harley H. Lambright Allen Troyer Wayne S. Kaufman Maynard & Laura Lehman Lavern D. Miller Larry M. Hershberger Ernest & Erma Wengerd Glen R. Mast Matthew D. Miller Karl M. Bontrager Marlin Hoover Samuel M. Wengerd Clyde S. Miller Merlin R. Yoder Neal L. Borkholder DAIRYLAND LOCAL Silver Mervin G. Dailey Bronze D & J Dairy LLC Wilson Centennial Farm LLC Allen & Eileen Ramer Titus B. Zimmerman Ephraim & Esther Martin Anson K. Martin

DEFORD/CLIFFORDMAYVILLE LOCAL Silver Meadow Muth Farms LLC Bronze White Creek Dairy Inc. Keith & Jane Wood* Sunrise Dairy EVART LOCAL Gold Van Polen Farms End Road Farm Tacoma Dairy Inc. Wirth Farms LLC*** Silver Leon Hamming Bode Valley Farm Inc. Jerry Mitchell & Christina Carmichael Yonkman Dairy William A. Benson Jonathan Lee Taylor Dale A. Brinks* Ronald J. Brinks James A. Oudman David L. Dezeeuw Zuiderveen Farms 1 Zuiderveen Farms 2 North Acres Dairy Aris Dairy Farm LLC Schooley Farm LLC Nathan Webster Andrew Leon Stanley Sunny Side Dairy Bronze Mark F. Diemer Gaylord & Gerald Denslow William Stein Benthem Homestead Farms Inc. Michael L. Bosscher Dick Haven Farms LLC Kevin P. Ardis Rudvan Family Farms LLC Buning Dairy Farm LLC** Harold, Matthew, Michael & Robert Cnossen

Doddedale Farms Gilde Farms LLC **** Star City Farm Inc. Bontekoe Farms Daniel Diener FLINT LOCAL Silver Cole Riverview Farms Inc.* Bronze Weil Dairy Farm Wagner Dairy Farms LLC K & K Kern Farms LLC Apple Dairy Corp. FRANKENMUTH LOCAL Gold Haubenstricker Dairy Farm LLC** Silver Dennis W. Hetzner Richard R. Wardin Petzold Dairy Farms LLC Bronze Knoll Dairy Farm Inc. Wardin Brothers Dairy LLC Larry Niec Farms LLC Eric J. Frahm*** GRAND RAPIDS LOCAL Silver L & E Robinson Farms LLC* Bronze Fisk Farms Mark & Cheryl Richmond Marten & Sharlene Brower James Schaendorf Franklin S. Bowman Stoney Hill Farm Inc.* John Byma Jr. Klamer Farms Inc.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 28)

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

HILLMAN LOCAL Silver Risky Endeavor Dairy Skudlarek Dairy Farm Christensen Farms Joseph P. Zbytowski Butterwerth Dairy Farm LLC Todd Hemmingson* Chippewa Dairy LLC Bronze Sauer Dairy Farms Inc. Grams Farms Robert Hemmingson Fred, Corby & Cody Werth J & D Dairy Inc. Andrew E. Kauffman Nu-Dream Dairy Vernon D. Yoder Nathan & Jodie Mitchell HILLSDALE-LITCHFIELD LOCAL Gold Donald Lindsey

Silver Nugent's Farm Dairy William C. Mazure** Gusa Dairy Farms Bronze John C. Richmond & Sons Dairy Farms Paul G. Leipprandt & Son Inc. Delcath Farms Loren J Mazure Laeder Dairy LLC Starward Farm Hornbacher Farms S & M Dairy Inc. Zielland Farms* Gregory & Shelly Messing & Ashley Kennedy R L S Dairy Inc. Richard Schroeder Peyerk Brothers Dairy LLC Daniel Van Erp* David J. Leavine Dallas Family Farms Te Voortwis Dairy LLC Sunrise Dairy LLC

Silver Ferry Farms LLC

INGHAM COUNTY LOCAL

Bronze Drakeland Farms LLC Dale & Carol Baker* Christopher & Beth Brenner Easterday Dairy Farm* Margro Farms David, Cecelia, Carlton & Carol Evans Daniel L. Williams Herman's Holsteins LLC Poling Dairy Farm Richard & Patricia Hawkins

Gold Marten Family Dairy LLC

HURON LOCAL Gold Clunis Dairy Oak River Dairy LLC*

JACKSON COUNTY PLUS LOCAL Silver Grand Valley Farms Riske Farms Bronze Hillside Dairy Farms KALAMAZOO LOCAL Gold Webers Meadow LLC** Verhage Dairy Farm Silver Clearview Dairy Farm LLC Victor Puschel* Scales Prairie Farm** Rodney Pillars Demann Farms LLC Louis Fifelski Melvin T. Puschel*** Bronze K & W Dairy Andrew W. Johnson Bernard Baker Penney Farms Craig & Linda Jo Newland LANSING LOCAL

Silver Ri-Val-Re Farms Fogle Farms Chuck & Linda Grettenberger

Silver Wayne & Marvin Hochstetler*

Bronze Larry L. Steffey MSU Dairy - Dept of Animal Science Graf Acres LLC Clona Farms LLC Ron Launstein Kubiak Family Farms* Casey Moore Rapid Ridge Farms LLC

Langmaack Ritter Farms

Bronze Chris, Kristina, Hans & Patricia

LIVINGSTON CHARTER LOCAL Bronze Larry & Karen Adams Clarinda Farms LLC Donal Farm LLC** Charles & Janet White*

POWER of the Past. » VISION for the Future.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

MID-MICHIGAN LOCAL Gold Dennis & Pamela Baese Steven C. Roth Silver Gene L. Schneider Andrew & John Feldpausch* Sanborn & Sons LLC Nobis Dairy Farms Houska Farms Inc.* Berlyn Acres II LLC D & M Schrader Dairy LLC Bronze Terry & Rick Hawbaker Adkinson Farm Nugentdale Farms LLC Cook Dairy Farm* Carter Acres Dairy Hogan Dairy Farms LLC Acre Brothers Wadell Dairy Farm LLC Aron W. Whitaker Cornerstone II Dairy LLC Dutch Meadows Dairy LLC Wieber Dairy LLC Stony Creek Dairy LLC Steven H. Simon Jon & Tina Thelen Chris J. Simon Simon Dairy Farm LLC Brett & Jennifer Stump Green Meadow Farms Inc. 1 Stout Dairy** Slavik Farms Green Meadow Farms Inc. 2 James J. Pohl Riverview Dairy LLC T & H Dairy II Samuel I. Ramer Lisa M. Wilson* David J. Warnke Double A Dairy LLC Dennis & Pamela Baese

MID-SANILAC LOCAL Silver Sharrard Farms LLC Bradley R. Booms Welter Dairy Farms LLC* David M. Varosi Fischer Dairy Farm* MK Farms LLC Timothy Mater Steven & Lisa Alexander* Bronze David, Harland & Gale Schultz* Thomas C. Schultz Parr Dairy Farm LLC Muxlow Dairy Farm Edward Joe Lawler Roger Markey Frederick & Candice Inbody Goma Dairy Farms LLC Steven R. Boice MID-THUMB LOCAL Bronze Reid Dairy Farm LLC Richard Noake Gleason Dairy Farm Lester, Barbara & Susan Knust Alfred, Doris & Duane Stuever Blumerich Farms William & Virginia Ankley Tracy & Theresa Sohn Andrew A. Brown Donald Slesinski MUSKEGON LOCAL Gold Koppenol Dairy Farms Inc.*** Dewey Farm LLC Silver Sueann M. Higgins*** Thurow Farms LLC Larsen Farms David J. Marsh Carson Acres LLC Riverside Dairy LLC* Doug & Shelly Ekkel & Family*

Bronze Donald A. Beattie Sunglow Dairy LLC Stroven Dairy Farm Norris Dairy Farm Inc. Beuschel Fruit & Dairy LLC Howe Farms Inc. Stakenas Farms Inc. Richard Papes Powers Dairy Farm LLC Bruce A. Majeske* Dan Mauer Dairy LLC Tri-R Farms LLC Andrew, Casey & Glen Sparks Mark S. Newman Albert Lee Tiles Theodore M Wolschlager Rearview Dairy LLC

Silver Derek Brewer Clemens Dairy Farm Inc.

OWOSSO LOCAL

Silver D & B Dairy Farm Inc.

Silver Ritter Farms LLC Bronze David Sovis Reed Dairy Farm LLC* SALINE-ANN ARBOR Gold Breuninger Farms LLC Silver Stanley & Patricia Lambarth Huehl Acres Bronze Max C. Finkbeiner Brian D. Sweetland Marcus S. Bristle Horning Farms LLC** SUNRISE LOCAL Gold Cedar Lane Dairy Farms Circle K Farms Inc. Anschuetz Dairy Farm

Bronze Lemajru Dairy Farm LLC Reetz Dairy LLC Weber Dairy Farms LLC W-R-L Daniels Farm LLC *** Bennett Dairy Farm LLC Hagley Farms Joseph E. Kauffman Double B Dairy Brad & Nicole Wren U.P. WEST CENTRAL LOCAL Gold Jacob & Elaine Jahfetson & Family

Silver Pyle Dairy Farm Inc. Heritage Farms LLC Robert & Donna Pepper* Nienhuis Dairy Farm LLC Welchkin Acres Bronze Alflen Dairy Farms Inc. Arlyn J. Walt Dennis Raterink James H. Iciek Timothy Baker Mark Hilaski Daybreak Dairy LLC Haveman Farms LLC Robert & William Gruppen Mark & Elizabeth Ponstein

Bronze Dave Cappaert Gary Palosaari* Pleasant View Dairy Farm LLC Van De Walle Farms LLC Robert Paidl Milton A. Patz Kraniak Brothers UPSTATE LOCAL Silver Richard J. Fettig Marvin J. Rubingh** Stanek Farm Bronze Dean & Victoria Edgecomb Douglas K. Warner Boss Dairy Farms Inc. Clarence A Stachnik Jr. WEST MICHIGAN Gold John & Philip Kuyers Seth Ponstein

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

YOUR DAIRY PROMOTION D ELEMENT: ELEMENT:McDONALD’S_2015_DMI McDONALD’S_2015_DMIMEETING_BACK MEETING_BACKDROP DROPBANNER BANNER(BUTTER) (BUTTER)

BUTTER MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER Client: Client:McDonald’s McDonald’s Client ClientJob Job#:#:B1248-003266-00 B1248-003266-00 Studio Studio11Digital Digital#:#:103982 103982 Studio StudioArtist: Artist:EZ EZ Date DateModified: Modified:10/20/15_1:40pm 10/20/15_1:40pm

Dimensions Dimensions Trim: Trim:72.0" 72.0"x x96.0" 96.0"

Live: Live:N/A N/A Bleed: Bleed:74.0" 74.0"x x98.0" 98.0"

Constructed Constructedat: at:.25" .25"= =1"1" Output Outputat: at: Page: Page:1/1 1/1 Photo PhotoUsage: Usage:Awaiting Awaiting rights rights usage. usage.

File FileName: Name: 103982d_McD_DMI_Meeting_BDBnr_BUT_a03.ai 103982d_McD_DMI_Meeting_BDBnr_BUT_a03.ai

Inks InksUsed: Used:CMYK CMYK

S TSUTD UID ONEDIGITAL I ONEDIGITAL

FILE FILEIS ISBUILT BUILTAT AT1/4 1/4OF OFACTUAL ACTUALSIZE. SIZE.

98.0 " Bleed 98.0 " Bleed 96.0 " Trim 96.0 " Trim

Let us butter you up.

MCDMNU/15 MCDMNU/15 DMI Convention—back DMI Convention—back drop drop banner—1 banner—1 ©2015 ©2015 McDonald’s McDonald’s Printed Printed in theinUnited the United States States of America. of America.

72.0 72.0" "Trim Trim 74.0 74.0" "Bleed Bleed Scale: Scale:0.25 0.25" "==1.0 1.0" "

This year, McDonald’s announced a switch from margarine to butter in their 14,000+ stores. McDonald’s was able to make the change because our research and health professional partnerships created a friendlier atmosphere for dietary fat. Working in partnership with the national Go Bold with Butter campaign, we developed a Michigan-specific holiday promotion to drive consumers to www.goboldwithbutter.com for delicious recipes and information about butter. The campaign began in October and will run through December, using a mix of billboards, online ads and recipes, and radio spots.

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS AT PLAY UDIM partnered with State Agencies to hold the 6th Rally for School Health at Ford Field. Over 350 participants including; students, educators, and foodservice directors from across Michigan were able to come together and discover just how fun and delicious nutrient-rich dairy foods could be. Participants enjoyed yogurt parfaits, healthy new pizza combinations and lots of ice cold milk and heard from both health professionals and well-known NFL football players about the foods they tried and the role they play in achieving and maintaining good health. From table to table, kids beamed with excitement as they were given the opportunity to take ownership over their own health.

REACHING CONSUMERS ONLINE Since January, we have reached 22,849,504 consumers with positive dairy impressions through our Milk Means More social media channels and blogger project.

In addition, our Milk Means More website and blog has had 67,155 unique visitors wanting to learn more about dairy nutrition, on-farm practices and milk quality and safety.

N DOLLARS AT WORK DAIRY IS ON THE MENU Since January, we have developed more than 150+ dairy delicious recipes, helping to keep dairy products on shopping lists everywhere. The Milk Means More website hosts more than 500 mouthwatering recipes.

ts, s,

d d

e err

GROWING CHEESE SALES Domestic cheese has been the strength of overall dairy sales ever since we started working with category leaders to make wholesale change. In Michigan, through our partnership with Domino’s, nearly 70,000+ incremental pounds of cheese has been sold since January 2015.

To learn more about these and other programs, visit www.MilkMeansMore.org or call 1-800-241-MILK (6455)

2015 Highlights

MERCHANDISE

Calf Blankets and Winter Hats The outside temperature is a surprising 57 degrees Fahrenheit as I write this in midDecember; however, I am sure that cold weather and snow is a certainty in January. When the temperature drops and the snow starts flying it is important to keep those baby calves as warm as possible. CALF BLANKETS

Chemical, Sanitizer and Teat Dip Contact Information These are service personnel only. Order your Member Merchandise supplies through your hauler.

Calf blankets by Udder Tech will make this job much easier. These blankets are made of water resistant nylon and feature a single or double layer of Thinsulate insulation. The single layer has a CLO (clothing insulating value) of 1.67 while the double blankets feature a 3.8 CLO value. These unique blankets are designed to stay on the calf, are easy to put on and take off and can be machine washed and dried. They feature quick release buckles, no Velcro to get matted, an extra strap length for growth and a belly strap to keep the blanket snug when lying down. We have the single layer blankets in blue and the double in black. Pink blankets are available by special order. If you need a small size blanket for Jersey or twin calves they are also available by special order in either pink or red.

ECOLAB 24 -Hour Medical Emergency Hotline: 1-800-328-0026 For Service, call the Ecolab Service Message Center 1-800-392-3392

Stock Number

Description

Member price

5636

Calf blanket-Single Insulation

$33.84

or one of the following

5680

Calf blanket-Double Insulation

$37.21

service representatives: Stan Palmer

WINTER HATS

Now that the calves are warm and comfortable, it is time to think about keeping ourselves warm and comfortable. We currently have three hats designed to do just that. The current ball cap style, black with white earflaps, which we have carried for several years will be discontinued when the stock is sold out. This will be replaced with a newer version which features a fleece lining throughout with drop down earflaps. This is also a black ball cap style. Also available is our knit stocking hat. All hats are embroidered with the MMPA logo. Stock Number

Description

Member price

5092

New winter cap w/earflaps

$11.19

5099

Stocking cap

$9.33

5104

Old style winter hat w/earflaps

$18.43

2105 Fohl Street SW Canton, OH 44706 330-407-0220 Ben Johnson 4461 Cambridge Dr. Port Huron, MI 48060 810-824-0636 Pat Mitchell 7273 N. Rollin Hwy. Addison, MI 49220 517-403-0928

Three Ways to Order your MMPA Merchandise 1. Place order through your milk hauler 2. Call in your order: Duane Farmer, Supervisor......................................................989-317-8370 Toll Free..................................................................................... 877-367-6455 Orders (Novi)..................................................... 800-572-5824 then dial 2 3. Fax in your order: MMPA Merchandise fax........................................................... 989-317-8372

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

PREMIUMS MERCHANDISE

MMPA Quality Premium Program

MMPA Member Testing Fees

Somatic Cell Count premiums and deductions (in addition to Federal Order SCC Adjustments computed in the producer pay price) will be paid at the following levels:

Payment for testing will be made through an automatic milk check deduction. All costs are listed per individual sample.

50,000 or below............ +55¢/cwt.

201,000-225,000........... +20¢/cwt.

51,000-75,000................+50¢/cwt.

226,000-250,000............+15¢/cwt.

76,000-100,000.............+45¢/cwt.

251,000-300,000...........+00¢/cwt.

101,000-125,000.............+40¢/cwt.

301,000-400,000..........- 30¢/cwt.

126,000-150,000........... +35¢/cwt.

401,000-500,000........ -$1.00/cwt.

151,000-175,000.............+30¢/cwt.

501,000-600,000.........-$1.50/cwt.

176,000-200,000.......... +25¢/cwt.

601,000 and greater.. -$2.00/cwt.

Cow Tests: $1 Cow samples may be tested for: Culture for Streptococcus agalactiae, Strep non ag, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staph, gram negative and/or SCC. Additional testing can be coordinated through your MMPA member representative to include:

A payment of 5¢/cwt. will be added for each of the following, if the count is equal to or below: • 10,000 Raw Bacteria Count • 20,000 Pre-Incubated (PI) Count

Raw bacteria count and components.

There will be a deduction of 10¢/cwt. for: • Greater than 100,000 Raw Bacteria Count A high raw count deduction will be waived if the producer has received the quality premium the previous three months for raw bacteria count.

All costs are listed per individual sample.

To qualify for Raw and PI Bacteria Count premiums there must not be any of the following during the month: • Positive drug residue • Abnormal freeze points • High load count shipment or rejected load shipment • #3 or #4 sediment • Raw Bacteria count over 100,000 The count levels for raw and PI will be determined on one test run per month. To qualify for MMPA SCC premiums there must be: • No abnormal freeze points during the month To qualify for MMPA volume premiums there must be: • No abnormal freeze points during the month • An average somatic cell count of 750,000 or less

All herd tests must be scheduled with the laboratory through your MMPA member representative.

Additional Tests Available: • Mycoplasma Cultures...........................................................................$12 • Bacteriology Cultures...........................................................................$13 – Includes identification of bacteria and drug susceptibility.

• Bovine Viral Diarrhea - PCR.........................................................................................................$40 - ELISA........................................................................................................$6 • Johne’s Milk Test - PCR.........................................................................................................$40 - ELISA – cows.........................................................................................$6 - ELISA – tank......................................................................................... $10 • Bovine Leukosis Test - ELISA – cows.........................................................................................$6 - ELISA – tank......................................................................................... $10 • Milk Pregnancy ELISA.................................................................... $4.50 Lab test results by mail: $2/month All tests must be scheduled through your MMPA member representative or the laboratory for proper sample submission protocol.

ANTEL-BIO TESTING Loc/Hlr/Producer # _________________________________ Sample Date______________________________ Member name_______________________________________________________________________________ Sample ID__________________________________________________________________________________ BLV ELISA__________

Johne’s ELISA____________

Johne’s PCR____________ Pregnancy_____________

Refer to above for current pricing. The cost of testing is the responsibility of the producer. This card MUST be filled out completely when sending in samples to be tested by Antel-Bio to avoid potential service charges.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

FREELINERS To place your freeliner ad please call 1-800-572-5824, ext. 202, or fax 248-426-3412, or email your ad to: Muszynski@mimilk.com.

Bulls

Dairy Equipment

Registered Holstein Bulls: We now have a nice selection of service age bulls, sired by top AI sires. Green Meadow Farms, Elsie, MI. 989-862-4291 or see our website at www.greenmeadowfarms.com.

Zero Bulk Tank 1,500 gal. 586-557-4494.

Service age Holstein bulls. Call Steve Alexander, 810-622-8548 evenings or 810-404-8548. Registered Holstein breeding bulls, all AI sired from top bulls, b&w, red, red carrier and some polled, high production, low SCC herd. Bulls are priced to sell. Ver Hage Holsteins, 269-673-4886 or 269-217-6076, ask for Tim. www.verhageholsteins.com.

Equipment New Holland LX485 Skid-Steer Loader, 1,350 lifting capacity, fresh overhaul on engine, $9,000. 517-541-0533.

Surge 1250 gal. bulk tank with 2 compressors. 231-206-7720. 7.5 HP Tuthill Oilless vacuum pump Mod. #003-22R2 w/filter and vacuum regulator $1,500. Zero 600 gal. bulk tank w/5 HP Copeland compressor, washer and extra parts $1,000. Delaval Milking system - 7 Deltron 200 SC pulsators, large flow claws, receiver jar and pump, 240’ of 2” milk line, 240’ of 2.5” vacuum line, 22 dual stall cocks $3,500. Will sell as package or will separate. 810-304-0413.

Dairy Farm 367 acre farm in Cheboygan, Mich. set up for dairy, could be heifer raising facility, or beef, etc. Nice 7 bedroom brick home. Buildings are in good shape. Will split land. Asking $990,000, for all land and home farm. Can email packet of pictures and info. 231-625-2036 or 517-202-9421 or brownsue99@gmail.com.

Freeliner Policy The Freeliners column is open to current MMPA members who wish to advertise—at no charge—goods or services relating directly to their dairy farm operations. • An item submitted will be published for no more than two consecutive months (one month, unless otherwise requested). After that, it will be

Trioliet Verticle Mixer Solomix 1200. Twin screw, 430 cubic ft., good condition, $13,000. 574-202-0288.

Wanted Registered Holsteins. Call Brent at 989-551-0681.

• It will be published again for

2008 FP240 w/ processor and both heads, excellent condition. 231-206-7720.

Herd of milk cows or bred heifers to buy on a milk check assignment. 616-889-0769.

months only if the member

withdrawn.

no more than two consecutive resubmits the item by writing or calling the Novi office. • Reference to a name of a firm or other commercial enterprise with which a member is involved will be deleted, with permission of the member. • If the member does not wish such deletion, he/she may choose to have the item published as a Classified Ad at the regular per-line Classified Ad rate. • Freeliners must be received by the 10th of the month preceding the desired month of publication. Example: To be included in the February issue, the freeliner must be at the MMPA office by January 10.

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

Bacteria Counts 101 – Correction In the December issue of the Michigan Milk Messenger, we ran a piece explaining bacteria counts: Raw Bacteria Counts (RBC), Pre-Incubated Counts (PIC), and Lab Pasterized Counts (LPC). The section dedicated to PIC was misprinted. The correction section is below.

Pre-Incubated Count - PIC Overview: To perform this test, the milk sample is pre-incubated at 55 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 hours prior to testing it on the BactoScan. The 55 degrees Fahrenheit incubation is an optimal growth temperature for psychrotrophic (cold-loving) bacteria. An elevated result could indicate the presence of a spoilage organism. Testing frequency: Once per month minimum, tested more frequently by request. Premiums: Premium of 5 cents per cwt.

is added if PI result is equal to or below 20,000 cfu/mL. For more information on premiums, see page 33. PI is not a regulatory test. Ways to improve results on the farm:

Hot water used for Clean In Place (CIP) milking equipment should be 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit at the faucet, as milking equipment cleanliness is critical to achieving a good score on this test. Key places to check for cleanliness of milking equipment include: receiver, milking claws, inflations, swingline and bulk tank. The bulk tank should also be cooled to less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit within one hour of the end of milking. Elevated temperatures allow bacteria to multiply more quickly. Poor udder prep can elevate bacteria levels as well, be sure to check the filter sock after each milking shift, a clean sock with little debris will reflect adequate udder prep. Excellent

1,000-5,000 cfu/mL

Good

5,000-20,000 cfu/mL

Warning

20,000-100,000 cfu/mL

Action Needed

100,000 cfu/mL and above JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

CLASSIFIED ADS

Cost for classifieds is $20 per ad, up to six lines. All ads must be received by the 10th of the month before the month of desired publication. Send check or money order for $20 for up to 6 lines with your order. MMPA neither sponsors nor endorses products or services advertised in the Messenger. You may submit your ads by: MAIL:

Classified Ads | Michigan Milk Messenger P.O. BOX 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002

EMAIL:

Muszynski@mimilk.com FAX: 248-426-3412

OPPERMAN GROOVING: We can

A SURE WAY TO KEEP YOUR COWS

fix your scabbled floors. Diamond

UPRIGHT! Concrete grooving/texturing

sawed grooves, no hammering

provides high quality traction in new &

or cracking of concrete. No hoof

old concrete, fast service. Call for your

damage. Call Opperman Grooving

below pricing 989-635-1494. BLUE

Inc., Portland. 517-647-7381.

RIBBON HOOF TRIMMING, LLC.

DAVIDSON CEMENT GROOVING,

FOR SALE: 5000-4000-3000-2500-

INC: No water needed. Wider,

2000-1500 OH MUELLER LATE MODEL

rougher grooves for better traction.

BULK TANK MILK TANKS, complete,

We also offer texturing for your

will trade. 1-800-558-0112.

previously grooved floors. Three operators will travel Michigan and other states. No interest payment terms. Established since 1987. Call 1-800-365-3361.

Concrete Grooving and Texturing Call: Jeff Brisky - Owner Toll Free: 1-800-294-1202 Cell: 1-716-353-1137

WANTED TO BUY: USED BULK MILK TANKS, 200 gallons & larger, Sunset & Mueller, 1-800-558-0112. DRY HAY & STRAW (large & small

CONCRETE GROOVING BY TRI-

bales) and Barley for feed. 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414.

STATE SCABBLING, home of the 2” wide groove. Best traction, lowest prices. (800) 554-2288. www.tristatescabbling.com

REGISTERED HOLSTEIN BULLS OVER 100 SERVICE AGE BULLS FOR YOUR SELECTION! A special herd sire or a truck load of breeder bulls. Ready to go to work on your farm!

• Sired by the top sires from the U.S. and Canada • From our top production cows

GREEN MEADOW FARMS 6400 Hollister Road, Elsie, MI 48831 Phone: 989-862-4291

www.greenmeadowfarms.com

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

PTO and Automatic Start Generators 1-800-248-8070 M-40 South Hamilton, MI 49419 www.hamiltondist.com

POLICIES MERCHANDISE

MMPA Policy on Drug Residue in Milk MILK ON FARM – DRUG RESIDUE SUSPECTED

MILK SHIPPED — POSITIVE DRUGS CONFIRMED

If a member suspects milk in the farm bulk tank contains drug residue:

If a member ships milk from the farm and testing by approved laboratory methods show that the milk contained drug residue, the member will be assessed the penalties imposed by the state regulatory agency and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums.

1. Call a MMPA member representative to have the milk in the tank tested. A “hold” must be placed on the tank contents until the test results are known.

If a loss is incurred by MMPA due to the disposal and/or non-marketability of a load of milk or milk products containing OR drug residue, then the member responsible will be provided an 2. The member can test the milk on the farm. If dumped, the invoice for the entire value of the loss plus transportation and member must be sure to take the stick reading, record disposal costs as required by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. the number of pounds of milk and report the information to their This invoice may be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPA must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of member representative. issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount • If the tank tests negative (no drugs present), the milk may be of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless released and shipped. other settlement arrangements are made. • If the tank tests positive (drugs present), the member representative will authorize the member to dump the tank of milk. The member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.* • If for any reason MMPA personnel must pick up samples at the farm for testing three or more times within 12 consecutive months, the member involved will be charged $25 per trip.

Milk from that member’s farm tank must be tested and found clear of drugs before the next tank of milk can be picked up. A hauler whose entire load sample shows the presence of drugs will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all show negative.

ALL POSITIVE DRUG RESIDUE SHIPMENTS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

MMPA Milk Quality Policy QUALITY QUESTIONABLE When a member suspects that the milk in the farm bulk tank is of poor quality they should call a MMPA member representative who will authorize milk in the tank to be dumped. If the member dumps the milk on their own, they must be sure to take the stick reading and record the number of pounds of milk, and report the information to the member representative. If the milk is dumped, the member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.* In order to receive payment for an added water voluntary dump, the member must install a Swingline Safety Switch. The Swingline Safety Switch can be ordered from the Mt. Pleasant warehouse. The MMPA member representative will verify the switch has been installed. Reimbursement for the Swingline Safety Switch and the voluntary dump will then be made to the member. The member assumes all liability for losses incurred as a result of shipping poor quality or contaminated milk.

MILK SHIPPED – HIGH BACTERIA COUNT

If… 1. a load of milk is received (unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and, 2. a sample from the load has a bacteria count of 300,000 or more and, 3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members having a bacteria count of 300,000 or more, then the member or members involved will be charged the value of one-half of one day’s production** and will be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums. * The member will only be paid for two (2) voluntary dumps in a rolling 12 month period. ** For members using more than one bulk tank, the assessment will be based on the value of milk in the tank or tanks in violation of the MMPA quality policy.

REJECTED LOAD SHIPMENT

If… 1. a load of milk is rejected (not unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and, 2. the milk cannot be sold through normal Grade A channels for reasons of quality which results in the load being sold or disposed of at a loss to MMPA, and, 3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members that caused the contamination or rejection of the load, then, the member or members responsible will be charged the full value of the loss to MMPA plus transportation and disposal costs, and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums except for loads rejected for temperature. 4. MMPA will provide an invoice to the member for the amount of the loss, to be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPA must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless other settlement arrangements are made. If a member has three or more occurances within 12 consecutive months, that member must appear before the MMPA board of directors to review steps taken on the farm to correct the quality problem which will enable MMPA to continue to market the milk for this member.

HAULER A hauler whose entire load sample exceeds 300,000 cells per mL bacteria count will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all are less than 100,000. A hauler will be responsible for all costs incurred by MMPA for loads rejected for temperature. Charges and assessments made under this program will be withheld from milk checks of members or haulers involved.

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

MARKET REPORT

Statistical Summary | FOR MILK MARKETED IN NOVEMBER 2015 Market Statistics - Mideast Federal Order #33 (pounds)

% This Month Year Ago Change

National Trends* (million pounds) 2015

2014 % Change

Total Class 1 Sales

538,576,677

523,346,911

+2.91

Production

Total Class 2 Sales

176,018,516

271,057,232

-35.06

California

3,206

3,355

-4.4

Total Class 3 Sales

513,008,628

380,299,542

+34.90

Wisconsin

2,349

2,253

+4.3

Total Class 4 Sales

264,768,019

272,080,843

-2.69

Total Production

1,492,371,840

1,446,784,528

+3.15

New York

1,147

1,110

+3.3

Class 1 Utilization

36.1%

36.2%

Idaho

1,136

1,115

+1.9

Pennsylvania

856

+0.0

Michigan

836

786

+6.4

Texas

825

839

-1.7

Minnesota

759

741

+2.4

New Mexico

617

638

-3.3

Washington

524

526

-0.4

Ohio

435

433

+0.5

Indiana

331

318

+4.1

Total U.S.*

15,616

15,527

+0.6

Butterfat Price /lb............................................................................................. $3.1830

U.S Y-T-D*

178,990

176,915

+1.2

Other Solids Price /lb......................................................................................$0.0361

*For 23 States

Mideast Federal Order #33 Total Producers......................................................................................................5,498 Avg. Daily Production per farm......................................................................9,048 Avg. Protein Test.....................................................................................................3.18% Avg. Butterfat Test..............................................................................................3.80% Avg. Oth Solids Test............................................................................................5.73% Avg. SCC - MMPA............................................................................................ 153,000

Component Pricing Information Mideast Federal Order #33 Protein Price /lb................................................................................................. $1.3205

Class III Price @ 3.5%..........................................................................................$15.30 Prod. Price Diff /cwt. - Mich Mkt......................................................................$1.65 Uniform Price @ 3.5%.........................................................................................$16.95 SCC Adjustment /cwt /1000.................................................................. $0.00083

AMS Survey Prices Product

Monthly Avg

Cheese /lb...............................................................................................................1.6503 Butter /lb.................................................................................................................2.7999 Nonfat Dry Milk /lb.............................................................................................0.8372 Dry Whey /lb.........................................................................................................0.2341

MESSENGER | JANUARY 2016

MMPA STAFF MERCHANDISE

MMPA Field Staff*

Novi Headquarters

Northwest Area Supervisor Ben Chapin, Blanchard.................................................................... 989-289-0731

Main Office Local line.........................................................................................248-474-6672 Toll free............................................................................................800-572-5824

Energy Auditor Frank Brazeau, Oconto, WI......................................................... 906-250-0337

General Manager Joe Diglio.................................................................................................... ext. 200

Lyndsay Earl, Ludington................................................................... 231-519-2455

Chief Financial Officer Josep Barenys.......................................................................................... ext. 240

Sarah Michalek, Portland...............................................................248-305-0537 Deb Gingrich, Leroy.........................................................................248-520-3580 Dirk Okkema, Blanchard.............................................................. 248-756-2062

Member Relations/Public Affairs Sheila Burkhardt...................................................................................... ext. 208

Northeast Area

Manufactured Product Sales Jim Dodson.................................................................................................ext. 229

Supervisor & Mastitis Management Specialist Christy Dinsmoore, Fairgrove.......................................................248-513-7920

Quality Amandeep Dhillon.................................................................................. ext. 305

Ashley Herriman, Alpena.............................................................. 269-245-6632

Laboratory Supervisor Patti Huttula.................................................................................................ext. 219

Angie Kirsch, Harbor Beach...........................................................231-414-4539 Ben Butcher, Durand.........................................................................248-514-5273 Animal Care Coordinator, Energy Auditor Lindsay Green, East Lansing........................................................989-488-8159 Animal Care Coordinator Drew Rupprecht, Clio...................................................................... 269-986-6793

South Area Supervisor & Energy Auditor Ed Zuchnik, Three Rivers................................................................ 269-967-7351 Krista Beeker, Topeka, IN............................................................... 269-986-6792 Dave Brady, Grass Lake........................517-522-5965 or (c) 517-937-9061 Elyse Martin, Charlotte.....................................................................810-701-6460 Joe Packard, Kalamazoo................................................................ 248-520-3481 Emily Smith, Bronson...................................................................... 269-535-0822

Other Services Bulk Tank Calibration Gary Best, Lapeer...............................810-664-4984 or (c) 586-484-9279 Merchandise Coordinator, Energy Auditor Katie Pierson, Coleman..................................................................989-289-9686 Mastitis Management Specialist Steve Lehman, Ithaca.......................... 989-875-3441 or (c) 989-330-1638

Member Services Dean Letter.................................................................................... 989-289-9251 Sales Michael Morrissey...................................................................................... ext. 213 Milk Sales/Dispatch Carl Rasch....................................................................................................ext. 244 Credit/Insurance Cheryl Schmandt.......................................................................................ext. 210 Data Processing Gregory Schulkey..................................................................................... ext. 237 Member Communications Allison Stuby..............................................................................................ext. 296 Human Resources Cindy Tilden................................................................................................ext. 220

Manufacturing Plants Constantine Dave Davis, Plant Manager.................................................... 269-435-2835 Ovid Colt Johnson, Plant Manager..............................................989-834-2221

MMPA Labs Novi (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) In Michigan..................................................................................... 800-572-5824 Toll Free........................................................................................... 800-233-2405 Ovid (Daily, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.).....................................................989-834-2515 Constantine (Daily, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.)......................................800-391-7560

Merchandise - Mt. Pleasant Supervisor: Duane Farmer Main Line..................................................................................................989-317-8370 Toll Free .................................................................................................877-367-6455

*If you are unable to

reach your assigned member representative, please contact the representatives listed in your area.

Orders (Novi).............................................................800-572-5824, then dial 2 Fax............................................................................................................... 989-317-8372

JANUARY 2016 | MESSENGER

GTPI ® +2719 +2568 +2540 +2521 +2501 +2496 +2486 +2428 +2422 +2418 +2416 +2392 +2385

All bulls except PETRONE qualify for export to Canada. USDA-CDCB/HA Genomic Evaluation 12/15. ® GTPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA.

The results are in and Select Sires is home to more breed-leading, daughter-proven GTPI sires than any other stud! These sires have truly proven, through daughter performance, they are the industry’s best. Contact your Select Sires representative to purchase these elite sires.

Elite GTPI Sires 7HO11351 SUPERSIRE 7HO11419 HEADLINER 7HO11314 MOGUL 7HO11585 STERLING 7HO11383 MORGAN New 7HO11525 DONATELLO 7HO11477 MCCUTCHEN 7HO11169 PETRONE 7HO11524 DANTE 7HO11546 EMULATE New 7HO11523 SMOKIN JO New 7HO11749 COURAGEOUS New 7HO11741 MOCHA New