Michigan Milk Messenger: August 2017

Michigan 2015 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

VOL. 100 | ISSUE 2 | AUGUST 2017

BUILDING A FIRM FOUNDATION THROUGH

ANIMAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH Page 20

THE

MAN BEHIND THE MILK SALES Page 16

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AUGUST 2017 FEATURES

MMPA 4-H MILK MARKETING 14 | 2017 TOUR

On the Cover Tree-lined dirt roads wind

MMPA has welcomed 4-H and FFA members to the cooperative’s headquarters for the past 80 years to be immersed in the operations of the dairy cooperative and educated about milk marketing principles.

16 | THE MAN BEHIND THE MILK SALES

through the rural Midwest, connecting our farms to milk marketers and animal

Carl Rasch, MMPA’s director of milk sales since 1977, was recently selected as this year’s recipient of the Michigan Dairy Industry Service Award. Rasch was nominated by his coworkers for his dedication to the industry and strong leadership over the last four decades.

agriculture researchers.

A FIRM FOUNDATION 20 | BUILDING THROUGH RESEARCH

Markets, weather, genetics, labor issues, they are all integral parts of a successful dairy farm. Add one more building block and you have a solid foundation to keep the industry advancing: animal agriculture research.

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

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

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CONTENTS 6

MMPA MATTERS

“The pillars that we stand on in quality and service will help us thrive no matter what ventures we pursue.”

Guarantee of Payment: A Co-op Promise

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QUALITY WATCH Capitalizing on Dairy's Environmental Stewardship Story

— KRIS WARDIN, MMPA DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (PAGE 23)

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NEWS & VIEWS

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LEGISLATIVE WATCH

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PARTNERSHIP BEHIND DONATION OF 589,824 SERVINGS OF MILK TO AID RESIDENTS OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOR COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS

23 24

DEPARTMENTS 25

POLICIES

26 MERCHANDISE 27

QUALITY PREMIUMS

28 FREELINERS

SPOTLIGHT ON THE BOARD: KRIS WARDIN

29 CLASSIFIEDS 30

YOUR DAIRY PROMOTION AT WORK:

31 STAFF

Providing Chocolate Milk to High School Athletes

MMPA Core Values:

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Quality

»

Integrity

Managing Editor................................................ Sheila Burkhardt Editor..................................................................Allison Stuby Miller Advertising Manager......................................Nancy Muszynski Circulation......................................................................................2,707 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.

MARKET REPORT

»

Progress

»

Leadership

41310 Bridge Street P.O. Box 8002 Novi, MI 48376-8002

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Community

p: 248-474-6672 f: 248-474-0924 w: mimilk.com

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)

August 2017 | MESSENGER

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MMPA MATTERS

Guarantee of Payment, a Co-op Promise

BY KEN NOBIS, PRESIDENT

Every year at MMPA’s Annual Meeting, we honor our 35-year members and our 50-year members. Once the honorees have come to the stage and received their plaques for their achievement, they are given the opportunity to share anything they would like to say about their membership in MMPA. Statements we hear when they are handed the microphone are often along the lines of, “I haven’t had to worry about getting paid for my milk,” or “I was always able to sleep well knowing I would receive a check from MMPA twice a month for the milk my cows produced.”

One of the many benefits of belonging to MMPA is the guarantee that we will always pay our members for the milk they produce, and that we will do the best job possible of marketing it at the best possible price.

That promise of consistent, reliable payment to MMPA members has never changed (even though the amount of the check might cause some sleepless nights) but with the events of the last few months I’ve had members ask whether anything could happen that would interfere with the steady, reliable payment pattern that has been a hallmark of MMPA. The question isn’t directed at the solvency of MMPA but rather is related to what has happened during the past several months to producers who were not members of a co-op but instead shipped directly to a proprietary organization.

The most noteworthy situation occurred this spring when Grassland Dairy Products, located in Greenwood, Wisconsin, lost a major outlet in Canada for ultrafiltered milk when the Canadian government created another class of milk to make it financially advantageous for Canadian companies to buy local milk rather than imported milk.

Seventy-five dairy farmers in Wisconsin received letters telling them that Grassland would no longer be accepting their milk. The situation received a lot of publicity, because those receiving the notices had to scramble to find homes for their milk. Grassland, a private company, had no obligation to find another place for the milk. This is different from a coop made up of farmer-members that has a responsibility to pay its members for the milk that is received, even if a major outlet is lost.

More recently, in Ohio, a proprietary dairy processor notified 30 individual shippers that they will soon have to find another outlet for their milk. It was easy and expeditious for their buyer to deal with its oversupply of milk by simply cutting them loose.

Situations like these two are the genesis of the question, “Could that happen to me?” As I stated above, the promise set forth in the mission statement of MMPA to market our members milk is still in place. If we happen to lose a customer for some of our milk, we don’t drop producers. Instead, we find another customer. It’s one of the great strengths of joining together to market our milk. In the Canadian case with ultrafiltered milk, some coops in the northeast lost that market, too. Those co-ops did the same thing we would have done - they found new markets for their members’ milk, resulting in no skipped checks for its members.

One of the many benefits of belonging to MMPA is the guarantee that we will always pay our members for the milk they produce, and that we will do the best job possible of marketing it at the best possible price. In today’s dairy economy the “best possible” isn’t good enough, and we know that. We do, however, see signs of improvement on the horizon, knowing full well that it can’t come soon enough. In difficult times, it is more advantageous than ever to be a part of MMPA, a strong co-op that has a payment track record spanning more than 100 years.

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MESSENGER | August 2017

QUALITY WATCH

Capitalizing on Dairy’s Environmental Stewardship Story

BY DEAN LETTER, DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES

The U.S. dairy industry has a great story to tell on environmental stewardship. The University of Arkansas completed a greenhouse gas life cycle analysis (GHG LCA) of fluid milk in 2010. The conclusion illustrated just how sustainable the dairy industry has been for the last several decades.

Compared to 1944, the production of one gallon of milk takes 65 percent less water, 90 percent less land, and has a 63 percent smaller carbon footprint.

Through improved nutrition, cow comfort, and genetics, dairy farmers have significantly improved milk production of the U.S. dairy herd. Increased productivity is the single most impactful factor to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The FARM ES module asks about 50 questions that are designed to capture about 90 percent of the factors that contribute to greenhouse gas production and mitigation.

Additionally, a study by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization showed North American dairy farming has the lowest GHG emissions intensity of any region in the world.

Every day, dairy farmers consider new technologies and explore different strategies to help their operation become more efficient, showing dairy is continuing to reduce their carbon footprint and become even better stewards of their environment.

Over the past few years, National Milk Producers Federation has worked to expand the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) platform from only addressing animal care to addressing other dairy management issues such as drug residue avoidance and environmental stewardship.

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The first FARM environmental stewardship module surveys a statistically significant number of U.S. dairy farms regarding key factors that contribute to greenhouse gas production. U.S. dairy farmers are incredibly innovative which makes it very difficult to administer a survey that can look at all innovative practices a farm may use – there would be literally hundreds of questions to answer!

The FARM ES module asks about 50 questions that are designed to capture about 90 percent of the factors that contribute to greenhouse gas production and mitigation. In the end, the survey can be readily used and provide meaningful data without becoming overly burdensome. This module calculates a farm’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by looking at the following items for the past year: • Total milk production, average milk protein, and average butterfat • Average herd size • Number and average weight of animals culled for beef • Energy use (electricity, gas, propane, etc.)

• Rations and pasturing • Manure storage Once this information is entered into the module, a report will be generated identifying the farm’s GHG emission intensity along with comparing it to the average within the farm’s region and the national average. Farmers can use the report to identify areas of potential improvement on their operations if they so choose.

This program is designed to give dairy farmers the opportunity to tell their environmental stewardship story. At the same time, the program will provide farmers potential opportunities to improve upon what is already an excellent track record.

A select number of MMPA members can expect a member of MMPA’s FARM team to stop by their farm to go through the FARM ES module with them. NMPF and MMPA will use this information for reporting to customers and consumers. The program respects individual farm confidentiality.

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MESSENGER | August 2017

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1125970_Michigan Milk Messenger_July/August_Full Page Ad_8.5x11.indd 1

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5/30/17 11:04 AM

NEWS & VIEWS Producers Scoring 95 percent or higher on Grade A Surveys and Federal Check Ratings Hillside Dairy Farms Matthew Smith Gier Dairy N Randy / Eric Bleich Grand Valley Farms Brian Sweetland

June Prices Increase USDA reported June Class III price is $16.44 per cwt., up 87 cents from May and $3.22 above June 2016. The June Class IV milk price is $15.89, up $1.40 from May and $2.12 above 2016.

Upcoming Events August 17-18 Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator Conference, Novi September 27 Advisory Committee Meeting

Hauler Service Awards Congratulations to the following haulers who will receive service awards during the annual summer hauler banquets. These individuals have a combined total of 1,163 years of service to MMPA Members.

50 years Anderson, Dave Cooley, Robert Howard, Larry Lalone, Reg Mcarty, Mike C. Ruckerman, Pat 45 years Bloss, Alvin Halifax, Gary Ward, Lynn 40 years Grill, George 35 years Boyce, Michael Homes, David Robinson, Eric Wetters, Howard

25 years Carpenture, Bruce Haley, John Patterson, Wayne 20 years Anderson, Irene Gilmore, Rob Halifax, Randy 15 years Anderson, Kevin Crumine, Ed Donajkowski Hector, Brian Hunter, Marty Johnson, Andy Mann, Calvin Patterson, Lane Pettinger, George Price, Steve

(15 years cont.)

Schult, Robert Shurlow, Jim Upham, Robert Wadsworth, Charles Wadsworth, Jr. Yonker, John 10 years Kenny, Ed Javor, Kris Provost, Rodney Dolgos, Brett French, Scott Vincent, Chad Bollinger, Randell Ensz, Chris Kurncz, Andy Sprow, Lester Fox, Cliff Ferris, Brook Jr.

2017 OYDC Picnic The annual Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator (OYDC) reunion picnic was hosted by 2012 OYDC Kris and Karla Wardin in St. Johns, Michigan. Each year, the past OYDCs gather together for a picnic and the chance to visit with friends.

SEATED (L-R): BARB DILLAND, JENNIFER LEWIS, CARRIE PRESTON, JORDAN NOLL, LISA LARSEN, PATTI JANDERNOA, CARLA WARDIN, LOUISA WESTENDORP, SUSAN DICK, GLORIA CRANDALL, DIANE HORNING, VIVIAN LOTT AND TERESA CROOK. SECOND ROW (L-R) JOHN DILLAND, BRUCE LEWIS, BRIAN PRESTON, MIKE NOLL, BURKE LARSEN, TONY JANDERNOA, KRIS WARDIN, PETE BONTEKOE, DOUG WESTENDORP, GORDON DICK, LISA DIGLIO, LARRY CRANDALL, JOE DIGLIO, EARL HORNING, MARVIN LOTT, LIZ NOBIS, ERIC FRAHM, KEN NOBIS AND SUSAN TROYER.

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MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

The MOU creates new, sizeable opportunities for dairy farmers and processors, as well as the milk, cheese, infant formula and ingredients they produce. The United States shipped $384 million worth of dairy products to China in 2016, making it the industry’s No. 3 single-country export market, behind Mexico and Canada. With Chinese demand for imported milk and other dairy products increasing, the potential for job-creating U.S. exports has been high. But market access has been a challenge since China implemented Decree 145 in May 2014, which mandated that a nation must register and certify dairy facilities that want to ship to China and meet Chinese food safety standards.

THE #1 MISTAKE FARMERS WILL MAKE IN 2017... …is not calling SENECA for their Dairy Equipment needs.

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As part of ongoing efforts to demonstrate to consumers the safety of the U.S. milk supply, starting in July dairy regulators began testing bulk milk tank trucks for the tetracycline family of drugs as part of the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) Pilot Program. These new tests will be conducted alongside the existing beta-lactam drug screening program that is required by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).

“Over the last 20 years, the percentage of farm milk samples testing positive for the presence of beta lactam antibiotics – the type of antibiotics most commonly used to treat sick cows – has continued to decline from an exceedingly low level of positives to virtually non-existent,” said Beth Briczinski, NMPF vice president of dairy foods and nutrition MMPA milk received at the Ovid and Constantine plants has been tested for tetracycline for some time now.

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After more than two years of extensive effort by NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), the United States and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last month that will increase access to China for more than 200 U.S. dairy exporters in the short-term, and paves the way for additional U.S. entrants to the Chinese market in the future.

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AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

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LEGISLATIVE WATCH

The Siemens Travel to Washington, D.C.

BY BARBARA SIEMEN, 2016 OUTSTANDING YOUNG

I

DAIRY COOPERATOR

n mid-June, we brought the heat to Washington, D.C. to participate in NMPF’s Legislative Fly-in. It was a sweltering 95-degree week, but we made every hot step count!

Darrin and I are on the NMPF YC advisory council which met to begin planning the Young Cooperator portion of the annual meeting this October.

The meeting will be held at Disneyland, so many of the YC’s are planning on bringing their families along for the trip. We also began brainstorming fun outings, topics to discuss, and speakers that will further enhance the event. It was great seeing the couples again, that we met last year in Nashville.

Next, we had an issues briefing, in which we learned about the four most important topics to cover with legislators before heading over to Capitol Hill. These issues included: the Margin Protection Program tweaking as part of the Farm Bill, Immigration reform for dairy employees, the Dairy Pride Act and pressuring the FDA to enforce their own labeling law, and trade issues with Canada and Mexico.

We met with Michigan Representatives Paul Mitchell and John Moolenaar and the staff members of Michigan Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow. All the representatives and staff members were well versed on the four issues we discussed, and assured us dairy is a top priority especially in regard to MPP and Dairy Pride Act. A lot of conversation centered around getting dairy farmers to trust the MPP program again, if we

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DARRIN AND BARBARA SIEMEN, 2016 OYDC

can get a viable program written that will ensure a safety net for producers this time. Also, we stressed that the Dairy Pride Act does not take away any market from the soy, coconut, and almond industries; it simply requires the FDA enforce label changes from “milk” to “beverage.”

The next morning, we listened to Pennsylvania representative Glenn “GT” Thompson discuss the current coal developments in his state and the renewed hope for both sides of “the aisle” to work together under the leadership of the Trump administration.

We also were invited to attend the NMPF Board meeting, and heard board members from around the country discuss how the importance of specific changes to MPP can ensure farmers benefit from the program. They reminded us about the importance of reaching out to our Senators and Representatives after the Fly-In, and

encouraging our cooperative cohorts to do the same. Our legislators need to hear from us regularly, and know us not only by name but also by our cooperative. Effective contact includes calls to their home offices as well as their D.C. offices, and email too.

To find your Representative’s information go to www.house.gov and search by your zip code. For our Michigan Senators visit www.senate. gov/states/MI/intro.htm to find contact information for Senators Stabenow and Peters. If you need assistance on issues to discuss, you can contact us or MMPA staff for helpful handouts.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Washington, D.C. and even though we were kept very busy by NMPF staff members, we also could get away on our own to enjoy dinner out and a bus tour of our nation’s capital. We have decided we want to take our children there for a visit soon!

Dairy Awareness Day at the Capitol

BY MELISSA HART

It was a gold medal day at the annual Dairy Awareness Day at the Capitol on June 7th on the lawn of the state Capitol in Lansing, Michigan as eight-time U.S. Olympic medalist Allison Schmitt of Canton Township donned one of her four gold medals and promoted the goodness of dairy in the diet.

While Schmitt visited with attendees about her Olympic experience, Michigan’s dairy industry, MMPA, and several other dairy processors and cooperatives gave away free dairy treats including ice cream, cheese, sour cream dips, yogurt and all flavors of ice cold milk.

As an Olympic swimmer, Schmitt earned eight medals: four gold, two silver and two bronze, swimming in three Olympic Games. She credited chocolate milk as an important part of her workout routine, “Growing up I loved milk and I think it helped me with my bone growth and development. And now that I’m older, it helps with muscle recovery when I get done with each workout.”

MMPA STAFF, INTERN JULIA CHAMBERLAIN (LEFT) AND DAIRY INGREDIENT SALES COORDINATOR TAYLOR SMITH (RIGHT), WERE ON HAND TO GIVE AWAY BUTTER COOKIES, A COMPANION TO THE FREE MILK.

As a part of the USA Olympic team, Schmitt said she enjoyed getting to know athletes from other countries and the bond they shared over one common goal: to win for their country.

“Hearing that National Anthem as you stand on the podium gives you a lot of pride and now when I hear it, it has a whole new meaning to me.”

Thanking the dairy farmers for their hard work, Schmitt commented: “I had the chance to tour the Horning Farms last year and it gave me a real appreciation for what dairy farmers do every single day.”

Dairy farmers and State Senator Judy Emmons (R-33) and State Representative Julie Alexander (R-64) welcomed the crowd to the event and highlighted the fact that Michigan’s dairy industry is home to 1800 dairy farm families who milk 425,000 cows and pump $14.7 billion dollars into the economy.

The Michigan Dairy Foods Association (MDFA), a trade and membership service organization representing the nearly 90 dairy processing plants located across the state has sponsored and organized the annual event for more than 20 years.

MICHIGAN DAIRY AMBASSADORS GATHERED TO PROMOTE THE EVENT AND ENJOY GETTING TO KNOW ALLISON SCHMITT. FROM LEFT: STEVEN WILKINSON, LINDSAY LARSEN, ALLISON SCHMITT, LINDSEY SHARRARD, CONNOR NUGENT AND ADDY BATTEL.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

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80TH ANNUAL MMPA 4-H

MILK MARKETING TOUR

BY JULIA CHAMBERLAIN

I

n the span of two days, sixteen youth from eleven counties came together to learn about milk marketing and cooperatives at the MMPA 4-H Milk Marketing Tour. MMPA has welcomed 4-H and FFA members to the cooperative’s headquarters for the past 80 years to be immersed in the operations of the dairy cooperative and educated about milk marketing principles.

future career path. They have helped to cement my love of dairy and all things agriculture. Therefore, helping to keep my fire burning to help further agriculture and make it even better than it already is. Whether I become a vet, herdsman, owner of livestock, or an agronomist, I know that all the knowledge I gained as a youth will help me do better at my job,” said Miriam Cook of Clinton County.

“This tour, along with 4-H and FFA, have tremendously impacted my

Co-sponsored by MMPA and Michigan State University Extension, the Milk

Marketing Tour is the longest running 4-H tour in existence with over 4,000 participant alumni. Throughout the tour, participants learned about the role of milk marketing cooperatives through interactive activities involving the MMPA staff members.

This year’s participants got the chance to tour the brand-new lab with Patti Huttula, and perform their own snap tests with Dean Letter. Here they learned about how and why milk is tested and what components go

(TOP, L-R) JULIA CHAMBERLAIN, BETHANY MEYER, MARY SAYLES, JACOB ARMSTRONG, MIRIAH DERSHEM, BARB KELLER, GREG GODLEY, MARY ELLEN WILES, JOHN BROESAMLE, LESLIE PARRISH, SARAH VANDYK AND JEREMY BEEBE. (FIRST ROW, L-R) CATIE THEISEN, DREW NEYER, ELYSE ZIMMERLEE, ERIC BEEBE, CAROLYN DELONG, MIRIAM COOK, JORDAN PARRISH, JESSICA PARRISH, CHRISSY POLZIN, ABBY VANDYK, ADAM WILES, WILL SHARRARD, KYLE GODLEY, DYLAN KELLER, GRACE SAYLES AND JOHNATHAN SAYLES.

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into a milk check. They were also challenged to come up with their own cooperative and present at the end of the tour.

“It showed me that the dairy industry is so much more than just dairy farming,” said Eric Beebe of Iosco County.

On the second day, Dr. Joe Domecq, Coordinator of the Institute of Agricultural Technology Dairy Management Program, emphasized that the students should always be adapting and learning so they can be prepared for a world that is always changing. Jessica Kiesling, Advisor/ Academic Specialist, Department of Animal Science, MSU, also joined for the morning and presented on “Preparing for Jobs that Don’t Exist Yet- and other impossible things.”

The participants with the highest scores on a dairy industry and cooperative quiz administered at the end of the tour were invited to interview in East Lansing on Monday, July 17. The top five interviewees were announced during the State 4-H Dairy Banquet on Thursday, July 20 and awarded a sponsored trip to the National 4-H Dairy Conference in Madison, Wisconsin.

»

TOP 5:

MIRIAM COOK OF CLINTON COUNTY

GRACE SAYLES OF SHIAWASSEE COUNTY

DREW NEYER OF ISABELLA COUNTY

DYLAN KELLER OF HILLSDALE COUNTY

ELYSE ZIMMERLEE OF EATON COUNTY

FIRST ALTERNATE: CHRISSY POLZIN OF WASHTENAW COUNTY

SECOND ALTERNATE: JORDAN PARRISH OF KENT COUNTY.

Additionally, students visited Michigan dairy in Livonia to see how milk is processed and packaged once it leaves the farm.

“I learned a lot about the sale of milk from the 4-H Dairy Tour. Prior to, I didn’t have much of an understanding of where the milk goes once it leaves the farm besides that it ends up in the grocery store. Getting to see the Kroger plant was a really neat experience and I realized how much work goes into that final gallon you can pick up at the grocery store. On top of that, whirly ball was also a lot of fun” said Kyle Godley of Shiawassee County.

CHRISSY POLZIN, CAROLYN DELONG, DYLAN KELLER AND JONATHAN SAYLES CREATED A MOCK SOYBEAN COOPERATIVE FOR HANDSON LEARNING DURING THE 4-H TOUR.

GRACE SAYLES TAKES NOTES ON A PRESENTATION ABOUT MILK MARKETING.

Two of last year’s participants, Miriah Dershem and Jacob Armstrong, chaired the event.

This year’s attendees included: Drew Neyer, Catie Theisen, Grace Sayles, Jonathan Sayles, Eric Beebe, Adam Wiles, Jessica Parrish, Jordan Parrish, Miriam Cook, Abigail VanDyk, Kyle Godley, Chrissy Polzin, Dylan Keller, Will Sharrard, Carolyn Delong, and Elyse Zimmerlee.

JACOB ARMSTRONG, KYLE GODLEY, DYLAN KELLER, BARB KELLER, JULIA CHAMBERLAIN, BETHANY MYERS AND MIRIAH DERSHAM SUITED UP FOR A TOUR OF KROGER’S DAIRY PLANT IN LIVONIA, MICHIGAN.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

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The Man Behind the Milk Sales CARL RASCH, WITH 40 YEARS AS MMPA’S DIRECTOR OF MILK SALES, HONORED FOR SERVICE TO THE DAIRY INDUSTRY

BY ALLISON STUBY MILLER

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I

t’s not uncommon to catch Carl Rasch, hands resting on his hips, midway through a discussion on the current state of dairy markets.

He can just as easily say, with his unmistakable low and gravelly voice, the prices of each class of milk today as he can recall the ups and downs of the industry throughout his 40 years at the helm of MMPA’s milk sales department Rasch has worked with customers large and small. He’s seen the dairy industry evolve from a local concentration to a global scope. He’s present at member meetings as the expert on all things milk marketing. And he got his start on none other than an MMPA member dairy farm.

Rasch, MMPA’s director of milk sales since 1977, was recently selected as this year’s recipient of the Michigan Dairy Industry Service Award at the 69th Annual Michigan Dairy Industry

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Conference (MDIC). Rasch was nominated by his coworkers for his dedication to the industry and strong leadership over the last four decades.

Rasch began at MMPA under then General Manager Jack Barnes, who Rasch first met as a student at Michigan State University when Barnes was guest speaker in a cooperative marketing class. But before joining MMPA, Rasch began his professional career as field auditor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Barnes approached Rasch’s present employer before reaching out to talk about an opening at MMPA. Not long after, Rasch was named MMPA’s director of milk sales.

“I wasn’t a stranger to Michigan Milk.

I knew what Michigan Milk was about,” he recalled.

Indeed, he did. In his role at USDA, Rasch often visited the MMPA office, then located at Seven Mile and

Telegraph Road in Detroit. Yet even growing up, Rasch was fully involved in the dairy industry at the farm level.

He was raised on an MMPA member farm that at one time achieved the 35year member recognition.

“Having been born and raised on a dairy farm, I feel fortunate to have been able to continue to stay connected to agriculture and members who are family, neighbors and friends,” Rasch said after receiving the industry service award.

“It’s been a privilege to work for an organization like MMPA who is recognized as a leader in the industry.”

Throughout his tenure at MMPA, Rasch has been able to build relationships with customers in and outside of Michigan, capitalizing on opportunities to move milk to a variety of outlets. While working

on business development and strategic planning for MMPA, Rasch is responsible for negotiating contracts with processing plant customers and milk supplying members.

Touted as MMPA’s resident expert in the area of Federal Orders as well as the Super Pool, Rasch was credited with “writing the book on milk marketing”

by John Dilland, former general manager of MMPA. His influence has benefitted both MMPA and the national dairy industry, as Rasch has worked on taskforces with the National Milk Producers Federation concerning Federal Order reform.

“I don't know of anyone who more input and impact on our milk sales premiums or pool premiums than Carl,” wrote Dilland. “Carl could be blunt and direct and was bold enough to ask for what the market should be willing to pay. All of us owe him a huge

thank you for a job well done and for the huge contribution he has made to MMPA's bottom line and producer premiums.”

Rasch has remained a steadfast fixture for the last four decades of marketing MMPA member milk to the greatest advantage possible.

In the time Rasch has been involved in the dairy industry, many changes have

Rasch says over his tenure in the dairy industry, some of largest changes

“Having been born and raised on a dairy farm, I feel fortunate to have been able to continue to stay connected to agriculture and members who are family, neighbors and friends,” Rasch said after receiving the industry service award. “It’s been a privilege to work for an organization like MMPA who is recognized as a leader in the industry.”

—CARL RASCH shaped the way we do business today, especially concerning the international scale of the present dairy industry.

While the nature of his job has changed,

he has seen have been on the farms themselves. From increased technology to improvements in nutrition and (Continued on page 18) AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

17

THE MAN BEHIND THE MILK SALES (Continued from page 17)

CARL AND ROXANNE RASCH

breeding, he has observed farmers becoming more efficient in what they do, with the rate of change accelerating every year.

“The industry has become more and more progressive. The way we produce milk is a whole lot different than the way my father and grandfather used to,” commented Rasch. “One thing that hasn’t changed is farmers at least have always been passionate about what they do. The people I was dealing with when I came to work for Michigan Milk have a lot of the same traits that our members have today.”

In addition to his leadership at MMPA, Rasch has served on the board of directors for the United Dairy Industry of Michigan and as the secretary of the Great Lakes Southern Milk Marketing Agency. Rasch demonstrates investment in youth through involvement in scholarship programs and MMPA’s annual 4-H Milk Marketing Tour. Rasch serves on the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation Board, which provides scholarships to MSU students studying dairy-related programs.

“His willingness to educate, train and mentor many of us in the industry has been instrumental and beneficial to the past, current and future leaders of dairy,” said Joe Diglio, current MMPA general manager and long-time colleague of Rasch.

18

MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

CARL RASCH (FIRST ROW, RIGHT) BEGAN AT MMPA UNDER FORMER GENERAL MANGER JACK BARNES (FRONT ROW, LEFT) AND WOULD EVENTUALLY SERVE UNDER FIVE GENERAL MANAGERS, INCLUDING THEN DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, JOHN DILLAND (FRONT ROW, CENTER)

From industry involvement to leadership at MMPA, Rasch’s hard work through the years has been recognized by his peers in the industry through recent honors in addition to the Michigan Dairy Industry Service Award. At the MMPA’s annual meeting in March, the MMPA board of directors recognized Rasch as an honoree of the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation with a $1,000 contribution to the scholarship foundation in his name.

“Carl’s passion and commitment to the dairy industry is well known by

all of us,” Diglio stated. “I can’t think of a more deserving honoree of the Michigan Dairy Industry Service Award.”

Rasch resides in a restored farm house on acreage near rural Morrice, Michigan, with his wife, Roxanne.

They have five children: Jessica, Anthony, Michael, Carol Ann and Katie. He has plans to retire from MMPA in the near future but has no plans to relocate anywhere but Michigan.

PARTNERSHIP BEHIND DONATION OF 589,824 SERVINGS OF MILK TO AID RESIDENTS OF FLINT, MICHIGAN

Nationally Recognized for Community Sustainability Efforts MMPA, the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, The Kroger Co. of Michigan and Michigan State University (MSU) Extension were together honored by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy for their efforts supporting food insecure families with milk donations totaling over 36,000 gallons of milk in the wake of the Flint Water Crisis in 2016.

The community partners, armed with information on milk’s nutrient-dense profile, are helping aide residents of Flint, Michigan during an ongoing crisis in which they are susceptible to lead poisoning from contaminated water. A healthy diet that includes nutrient-rich foods can help protect children and families from the harmful effects of lead poisoning and have a positive effect on overall health.

“When a crisis occurs in a community near you, farmers know just how important it is to step in and offer support, especially during a time when milk can make a difference,” said Ken Nobis, MMPA president. “Milk has always been high on the list of requested items to support food insecure families, but often is in short supply,” said William Kerr, President of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. “The nutrientrich milk donated by the Michigan Milk Producers Association provided immediate health benefits to the residents of Flint during a time of crisis.”

For coming together to bring over 36,000 gallons of milk to a community in crisis, the organizations received an honorable mention for Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships by the Innovation Center during its sixth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards in a June 28 Chicago ceremony.

In addition to community sustainability, the Innovation Center’s award program recognized dairy farms, businesses and partnerships whose practices improve the well-being of people, animals and the planet. Award winners represent the U.S. dairy community’s voluntary efforts toward continuous improvement in sustainability.

“This year’s winners demonstrated impressive leadership and creativity in the application of technology and other practices that protect our land, air and water. And they’re proactive about building strong relationships with their communities and employees,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “Based on this year’s nominations, it’s clear that all sizes of dairy farms and companies use sustainable practices because it’s good for the environment, good for their community and good for business.”

Judges evaluated nominations based on their economic, environmental and community impact. The independent judging panel – including experts working with and throughout the dairy community – also considered learning, innovation, scalability and replicability.

PICTURED, LEFT TO RIGHT: JOE MOUNGER, FOOD BANK OF EASTERN MICHIGAN; KYLE POWELL, THE KROGER COMPANY; SHEILA BURKHARDT, MICHIGAN MILK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION; JEFF DWYER, MSU EXTENSION; KEN NOBIS, MICHIGAN MILK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION; WILLIAM KERR, FOOD BANK OF EASTERN MICHIGAN; CATHY BLANKENSHIP, FOOD BANK OF EASTERN MICHIGAN; AND MATT NUCKELS, EMCEE, EASTVIEW FARMS.

From farm to table, transparency and ingenuity drive dairy forward, as demonstrated in the newly released 2016 Sustainability Report, which describes the Innovation Center’s strategic plan focused on social responsibility. The plan was developed by dairy community leaders in recognition of the changing consumer and customer marketplace where health, environmental and ethical practices are of increasing interest.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

19

BUILDING A FIRM FOUNDATION THROUGH

ANIMAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH

BY MELISSA HART

20

MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

MARKETS, WEATHER, GENETICS, LABOR ISSUES, THEY ARE ALL INTEGRAL PARTS OF A SUCCESSFUL DAIRY FARM. ADD ONE MORE BUILDING BLOCK AND YOU HAVE A SOLID FOUNDATION TO KEEP THE INDUSTRY ADVANCING: ANIMAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH.

F

or years Michigan State University (MSU) has been crucial in assisting the dairy industry using research in disease control, management, marketing and genetic advancements.

Recognizing that important building block and the fact that funds have become limited in applied research, MMPA members annually approve the continuation of funding for the applied research fund in the amount equal to 2 cents per hundredweight of milk produced by MMPA members for the month of September. This year marks ten years that MMPA members have been contributing to research that will benefit not only their own herds, but their communities and beyond.

In response to the need for more animal agriculture research funding, MMPA joined forces with leaders from across the livestock industry forming the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture (M-AAA).

“The Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture has made significant strides since its formation in 2014,” said George W. Smith Associate Director, MSU AgBioResearch Associate Dean for Research, MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “In fact, this year M-AAA will more than double its investment in research and outreach funding on behalf of the state’s animal agriculture industry.

Smith said while the grant program started at $600,000 per year, the commitment has grown to nearly $1.5 million in 2017. This increase,

according to Smith, will equate to greater impact on the industry.

Program funding will allow MSU researchers to continue addressing major challenges like antimicrobial resistance, animal welfare and emerging infectious diseases.

“It’s a privilege to be involved in this relatively new initiative, which is unearthing innovative ways to secure funding for an often overlooked area of external grant funding,” Smith continued. “In fact, the animal agriculture industry receives less than 1 percent of all external federal grant funding. That’s pretty alarming, especially when you consider this industry provides the primary sources of protein consumed in America.”

MMPA is specifically directing funds toward two dairy research projects: Uncovering the true cost of infections with bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and a study that seeks to determine the relationship between amino acid and fat supplementation on the yield of milk and milk components, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, and metabolism of post-peak dairy cows.

In the 1970s, less than 10 percent of U.S. dairy cows were affected by BLV – a retrovirus that causes infection in dairy and beef cattle, and can lead to many other diseases. Today, MSU experts estimate that more than 40 percent are BLV-positive. The large escalation in occurrence is primarily because lack of attention paid to the virus. About five percent of BLV cases result in a cancerous tumor known as lymphoma.

Using M-AAA funding in 2016, MSU’s Paul Coussens showed that BLV infected cows displayed a reduced responsiveness to immunization for other diseases.

Additionally, MSU’s Phil Durst, Ronald Erskine, Daniel Grooms, Paul Bartlett and Bo Norby engaged in an extension project led by Durst aimed at controlling the spread of BLV in Michigan.

“The greater purpose of the project was to help dairy producers identify the disease and develop a plan,” Durst said.

“Our team visited each producer to discuss the steps that could be taken to reduce further transmission.”

Producers most commonly cited the need to change needles and sleeves for each animal as ways to mitigate the spread of BLV. The team will test the herds again in 2017 and 2018 to monitor the prevalence, which will inform researchers on the best ways to manage BLV moving forward.

(Continued on page 22)

Each year since 2015, funding for M-AAA has increased thanks to contributions from MMPA and the state of Michigan, allowing greater impact on the industry.

OPPOSITE PAGE: ADAM LOCK IS ONE OF THE MSU RESEARCHERS WORKING ON SPECIFIC DAIRY PROJECTS.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

21

ANIMAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH (Continued from page 19)

Fat supplements and their effect on milk yield, components and feed efficiency is another MMPA funded study where MSU’s Adam Lock, professor of dairy cattle nutrition, is working closely with MMPA member herds.

“In Michigan, the yield of milk fat and protein are the major contributors to the price that producers receive for milk. The addition of supplemental fat sources to diets is a common practice in dairy nutrition to support milk production,” Lock noted. “Although there is a wide range of commercially available supplemental fat sources for lactating cows, unfortunately there is a lack of data available for commercial nutritionists and dairy farmers to reference that directly compares different fat supplements to one another.”

According to Lock, researchers observed that a diet supplemented with

a palmitic acid enriched fat increased the yield of milk fat and protein and 3.5 percent fat-corrected milk, while a diet supplemented with a fat containing a mixture of palmitic and oleic acids increased body weight gain. Based on current Michigan milk prices, feeding a palmitic acid-supplemented diet would increase gross income by 81 cents/cow/ day. After accounting for price of the supplement, this would translate to an increase in income of over $75,000 per year on a 500-cow dairy.

can establish progress in practice.”

Lock stressed the importance and animal research, “Studies such as this help to facilitate discussions between scientists, industry professionals, and dairy producers to encourage both scientific discovery and adoption of new findings. It is essential that knowledge gained is accurately and appropriately conveyed to the producers in a way that

The pending state government budget bodes well in animal agriculture research with an increase in research dollars. If signed as expected by Governor Snyder, dairy producers will have the advantage of using progressive tools to keep their businesses healthy and thriving.

“Following the research at MSU’s research dairy there will be an on-farm demonstration project allowing us to utilize results from our experiments to determine the impact of adopting new feeding practices within the bounds of a dairies everyday experiences,” Lock continued. “We will partner with MMPA to identify local dairy farms interested in working with us on demonstration studies once the two experiments are complete.”

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22

MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

AGRIKING.COM

SPOTLIGHT ON THE BOARD

Meet Director-at-Large Kris Wardin the staff and management are always accessible. MMPA is more like a family than any other co-op where we could ship.

Why did you want to join the board of directors?

This is a challenging time for our industry. I wanted to work to move MMPA forward wherever I can. I’ve been very involved in MMPA since the day we returned to the farm, and I have a real passion for it.

DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE KRIS WARDIN

N

ow settling into his new leadership role at MMPA, Director-at-Large Kris Wardin takes a moment to share a little about himself with fellow dairy farmer member-owners.

Prior to election by MMPA delegates, Wardin was active in MMPA leadership positions on the advisory committee, as the Mid-Michigan Local Secretary/ Treasurer and District 6 chairman.

He and his wife, Carla, were named the 2012 MMPA Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperators and served on the National Milk Producers Federation’s Young Cooperators Council as the Chaircouple.

Wardin owns Evergreen Dairy, a 400cow farm in St. Johns, Michigan and is a member of MMPA’s Mid-Michigan local in District 6. In addition to leadership at MMPA, he served on the UDIM board of directors, Michigan Farm Bureau Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and a United Producers State Delegate. Wardin has a degree in biosystems engineering from Michigan State University. He and Carla have three boys, Ty, Cole, and Max.

What do you enjoy most about being a dairy farmer?

I most enjoy the freedom of being my own boss and the satisfaction of taking care of people and animals every day to produce a quality product.

What makes your farm unique?

Carla’s ancestors started a farm where it never rains, but we’re still going!

What is the biggest challenge facing dairy farmers?

I think it’s maintaining our social license with consumers. We are doing things better and more responsibly than ever before, yet many consumers don’t trust the industry as a whole.

I don’t think this trend will reverse because fewer people are raised with a farm experience. We just have to always promote what we do, and open up our farms to make those personal connections to earn their trust.

What do you like most about MMPA? The size of our co-op affords excellent opportunities for selling our milk, but

How do you want to best serve MMPA members?

I think a big part of being on the board is communication. I feel that I have the skills in this area to benefit members. I also think members sometimes feel more comfortable connecting with people their own age, or who share common interests.

I’ve made a lot of these connections through MMPA, Farm Bureau, etc. so I hope to be another voice that members feel comfortable speaking through.

What is your vision for the future of MMPA? I really feel that we are uniquely positioned to continue to grow our sales footprint in the commodity business but also pursue some boutique or niche markets as consumers get more fragmented.

The pillars that we stand on in quality and service will help us thrive no matter what ventures we pursue.

Wardin began serving his term on the MMPA board of directors in March, along with fellow new board member, Mark Iciek. They join 11 other dairy farmers on the MMPA board of directors, helping guide the direction of the cooperative and setting strategic goals.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

23

YOUR DAIRY PROMOTION AT WORK

Providing Chocolate Milk to High School Athletes

D

uring the 2016-2017 school year, Michigan’s dairy farm families awarded 248 Chocolate Milk: Nature’s Sports Drink grants to high school sports teams to help student athletes replenish after practices and games during the entire season.

We are now accepting applications for the 2017-2018 school year! Feel free to share the following documents with the schools in your area. If you are working with a school in your area to complete

Since the grants began in 2011, 755 grants have been awarded to teams across the state, covering nearly every sport.

the grant, please indicate that on the

Recently, nearly 100 grants were awarded for the fall 2017 season.

Flyer: The Nature’s Sports Drink Grant

High school sports teams in Michigan are rewarded with cash to purchase low-fat chocolate milk for their team to replenish throughout the entire season, a portion of that can be used to keep the milk cold. We also provide nutrition education materials to use for the promotion of Chocolate Milk: Nature’s Sports Drink, and professional posters featuring the teams’ chocolate milk mustache photo.

Chocolate milk is Nature’s Sports Drink and provides important nutrients needed for overall health. Milk is a naturally nutrient-rich drink that contains 9 essential nutrients: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin, and niacin. It’s also hydrating since it contains 90% water. Chocolate milk is an important component in the diet of athletes, especially young athletes.

application.

Flyer contains more information about the grant, including the commitments of the teams, application deadlines and the rewards of the grants. Download the flyer at: www.milkmeansmore.org/wp-content/ uploads/2017/03/2017-18-CMNSD-GrantFlyer.pdf Application & Deadlines: Find the grant application at www.MilkMeansMore.org.

Click on the Schools & Educators on the top of the page, once there click on “Grants” on the left side of the screen to download the application. Once

THESE SPORTS TEAMS ENJOYED CHOCOLATE MILK AFTER EACH PRACTICE AND GAME, CONFIDENT THEY WERE REPLENISHING THEIR BODIES WITH GOOD NUTRITION AFTER EACH STRENUOUS WORKOUT.

completed, mail back to United Dairy Industry of Michigan. Applications MUST be postmarked by: • October 6, 2017 for Winter sports • January 26, 2018 for Spring sports Selection Process: Grants will be selected based on completeness of application and how the team will be able to sustain the availability of chocolate milk for future practices and games. We want to ensure these athletes have access to chocolate milk after the grant is complete.

Questions? Please contact United Dairy Industry of Michigan at 1-800-241-MILK (6455) or visit www.MilkMeansMore.org.

“This chocolate milk grant has been nothing but spectacular for my cross country teams. I truly believe it has helped reduce injuries and shorten recovery time. Because of this, we exceeded our team and personal goals. This grant also helps generate positive team chemistry. We enjoyed posing for the picture, and our after-practice chocolate milk gatherings were priceless for team bonding. Selfishly, I wish I could apply annually for this amazing grant. If your school or sport program needs a fantastic nutritional boost, look no further than the UDIM chocolate milk grant.” ­— Ed Sanders, Cross Country Coach, Mason County Central

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MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

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.

OR 2. The member can test the milk on the farm. If dumped, the member must be sure to take the stick reading, record the number of pounds of milk and report the information to their member representative.

• If the tank tests negative (no drugs present), the milk may be released and shipped.

• 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.

If a loss is incurred by MMPA due to the disposal and/or non-marketability of a load of milk or milk products containing drug residue, then the member responsible will be provided an invoice for the entire value of the loss plus transportation and disposal costs as required by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.

This invoice may 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.

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

REJECTED LOAD SHIPMENT

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…

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.

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 occurrences 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.

AUGUST August 2017 | MESSENGER

25

MERCHANDISE

Additions to Our Milk Replacer Clarifly is an ingredient added to calf milk replacer to aid in the control of flies that develop in calf manure. Many members have asked about adding this to our lineup of milk replacers. Due to the proven effectiveness of this product, we have decided to add it to our Land O’ Lakes milk replacers. Clarifly provides increased calf comfort, helping to produce healthier more comfortable calves that are more productive. In addition to helping to decrease the spread of disease it helps to provide a better work environment. The active ingredient, Diflubenzuron, is considered by the EPA to pose a low risk to human health.

Also being added to our milk replacer is, Fulfill Feed Technology (Fulfill FT). This ingredient consists of prebiotic polysaccharides obtained from food grade yeast extract, providing glucans, mannans, quitines and galactans. These are functional nutrients that support immune-competence and gut integrity for overall animal performance.

We believe these additions will help our members to raise healthier calves and allow our milk replacers to be an important part of our member’s calf rearing programs.

New Catalog!

After a lot of patience and hard work, we are excited to announce our new MMPA Merchandise catalog is ready for distribution. A PDF “read only” version will also be available in the MMPA member’s only section of our website very soon.

The catalog contains all the products we currently stock at the merchandise warehouse. By using your merchandise program, you can not only take advantage of our quality products but also share in the patronage that results in any profits the program achieves.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THESE OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS, PLEASE CALL OUR MERCHANDISE WAREHOUSE.

Chemical, Sanitizer and Teat Dip Contact Information These are service personnel only.

Order your Member Merchandise supplies through your hauler.

ECOLAB 24 -Hour Medical Emergency Hotline: 1-800-328-0026 For Service, call the Ecolab Service Message Center 1-800-392-3392 or one of the following service representatives: Ben Johnson 4461 Cambridge Dr. Port Huron, MI 48060 810-824-0636 Pat Mitchell 7273 N. Rollin Hwy. Addison, MI 49220 517-403-0928 Jason Wolfe 1890 Canter Dr. Riner, VA 24149 540-553-5755

1. Place order through your milk hauler 2. Call in your order:

THREE WAYS TO ORDER YOUR MMPA MERCHANDISE

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MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

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

MERCHANDISE PREMIUMS

MMPA Quality Premium Program 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: 50,000 or below.............................................................................. +55¢/cwt.

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

Cow Tests: $1

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

Cow samples may be tested for:

76,000-100,000.............................................................................. +45¢/cwt.

Culture for Streptococcus agalactiae, Strep non ag, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staph, gram negative and/or SCC.

101,000-125,000....................................................................................+40¢/cwt.

126,000-150,000............................................................................. +35¢/cwt.

151,000-175,000.................................................................................... +30¢/cwt.

Additional testing can be coordinated through your MMPA member representative to include:

176,000-200,000............................................................................ +25¢/cwt.

Raw bacteria count and components.

201,000-225,000.................................................................................. +20¢/cwt.

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

226,000-250,000............................................................................ +15¢/cwt.

251,000-300,000.................................................................................+00¢/cwt.

301,000-400,000.......................................................................... - 30¢/cwt.

representative.

Additional Tests Available: All costs are listed per individual sample.

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

• Mycoplasma Cultures...........................................................................$13

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

• Bacteriology Cultures...........................................................................$15

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

– Includes identification of bacteria and drug susceptibility.

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

• Bovine Viral Diarrhea

There will be a deduction of 10¢/cwt. for: • Greater than 100,000 Raw Bacteria Count

• Johne’s Milk Test

A high raw count deduction will be waived if the producer has received the quality premium the previous three months for raw bacteria count.

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

- PCR.........................................................................................................$40 - ELISA........................................................................................................$6

- 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. Lab form provided below for your convenience.

NORTHSTAR MI LABORATORIES Loc/Hlr/Producer #_________________________________________ Sample Date_____________________ Member name______________________________________________ Sample ID_______________________ BLV ELISA _________

Johne’s ELISA _________

Johne’s PCR _________

Pregnancy _________

Refer to fee schedule above for current pricing. The cost of testing is the responsibility of the producer.

To avoid potential service charges, this card MUST be filled out completely when sending samples to be tested by NorthStar Labs.

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

27

FREELINERS

« Freeliners and Classifieds can now be submitted online. » Visit www.mimilk.com/michigan-milk-messenger/advertise/ freeliner-and-classified-ads

1993 John Deere 6910 self-propelled

Bulls

Cows

Registered Holstein Bulls:

1st and 2nd lactation available.

2709 cutter-head hours, in very good

We now have a nice selection of

Can send pics of currently available

condition. Ready to go. $49,000 or

service age bulls, sired by top

cows. Leave a message if no answer.

best. 517-490-4108

AI sires. Green Meadow Farms,

734-776-0285.

chopper. KP, 2wd, Cummins engine,

Elsie, MI. 989-862-4291 or visit www.greenmeadowfarms.com.

Service age Holstein bulls.

Misc.

Equipment

For Rent: 72 stall pipeline milking barn

H-1000 Haybuster Tub Grinder.

with all equipment, gutter cleaner,

It has two new screens, good

fenced pasture, 40 x 100’ freestall/

hammers and a new pan with

heifer barn, fenced pasture. 269-806-

Registered Holstein breeding bulls,

like new augers. Also, two new

0531.

all AI sired from top bulls, b&w, red,

53” x 7’ footbaths – never used.

red carrier and some polled, high

Call 989-315-1104.

Call Steve Alexander, 810-622-8548 evenings or 810-404-8548.

Freeliner Policy

production, low SCC herd. Bulls are priced to sell. Ver Hage Holsteins,

Hoof trim tilt table, no electricity

The Freeliners column is open to

269-673-4886 or 269-217-6076, ask

required $400. Call 269-838-1637

current MMPA members who wish to

for Tim. www.verhageholsteins.com.

or 269-838-1638, Hastings, MI.

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 withdrawn.

• It will be published again for no more than two consecutive months

LEGENDAIRY. No bull.

Co-Products Menu

Soybean meal, canola meal, hominy, oat hulls, wheat midds, citrus pulp, malt sprouts, beet pulp, soybean hulls, cereal feed, cottonseed, distillers, gluten feed, wet feeds and more!

only if the member 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

Non-GMO

products available

Contact merchandisers at ZFS, Inc: MI/IN/OH: 866.888.7082 WI: 800-523-6760 www.zfsinc.com/divisions/ingredients

Classified Ad at the regular per-line Classified Ad rate.

• Freeliners must be received by the 10th of the month preceding desired month of publication.

28

MESSENGER | AUGUST 2017

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 800 Novi, MI 48376-8002

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

OPPERMAN GROOVING: We can fix your scabbled floors. Diamond sawed grooves, no hammering or cracking of concrete. No hoof damage. Call Opperman Grooving Inc., Portland. 517-647-7381.

DAVIDSON CEMENT GROOVING, INC: NO water needed. Wider, rougher grooves for better traction. We also offer texturing for your previously grooved floors. Three operators will travel Michigan and other states. No interest payment terms. Est. since 1987. Call 1-800-365-3361.

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

DRY HAY & STRAW (large & small bales) & BARLEY FOR FEED. 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414.

A SURE WAY TO KEEP YOUR COWS UPRIGHT! Concrete grooving/texturing provides high quality traction in new & old concrete, fast service. Call for your below pricing 989-635-1494. BLUE RIBBON HOOF TRIMMING, LLC. FOR SALE: NEW & USED MILK TANKS. We stock all sizes, makes, models. Special prices to co-op members, corporate & private farms.

Contact us anytime day or night.

Spring special 2000 gal. Muellers for $13,900 & up. 2700 & 4000 gal.

Muellers call for quote. 800-558-0112.

ALPHALFA HAYLAGE (excellent & fair grades) & CORN SILAGE. Call 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414.

NEW KATOLIGHT PTO GENERATOR, 60 KW, keep everyone warm and producing if there is a power outage. Call Brent at 248-770-5122.

HOOF TRIMMING - 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. Also doing fly control and cement grooving. Gibson Hoof Care (Tom) 989-239-6843.

BARN WHITE WASHING: SCHOLTEN SPRAYING SERVICE. 616-895-6307.

Allendale.

BARN WHITE WASHING AND CLEANING WITH HIGH PRESSURE AIR: Serving all Michigan and Indiana. Miller Spray Service, Inc. 574-825-9776.

HIRING - REPAIR SHOP MANAGER, Burch Tank & Truck Inc. Mt. Pleasant, MI is looking for an experienced person to manage our bulk tank trailer repair center. Includes all day to day operations and responsibilities that encompass all aspects of estimating service work, scheduling, inside sales and management of the Repair Shop and its team. Strong computer, organization and time management skills are required. Specific Industry experience and knowledge is required.

Resume to sherrifroling@burchtank. com. Sherri Froling 517-474-7724.

FOR SALE: SPRINGING HEIFERS out of an AI bred herd, 2-3 per month.

500+ Tons Beet pulp with inoculant stored under oxygen barrier plastic. $19/ton. 3800 Bu. High moisture corn stored in a bag $3.10/bu. I also WANT TO BUY weaned heifer calves out of an AI bred herd, 3 per month. Aron Whitaker, Elsie, MI. 989-666-6565.

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

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

PTO and Automatic Start Generators

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

1-800-248-8070 M-40 South Hamilton, MI 49419

www.greenmeadowfarms.com

www.hamiltondist.com

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

29

MARKET REPORT

Statistical Summary AMS Survey Prices (monthly average, per pound)

Cheese $1.6293

| FOR MILK MARKETED IN JUNE 2017

Market Statistics - Mideast Federal Order #33

# This Month # Year Ago % Change Total Class 1 Sales

510,735,218

483,005,691

+5.74

Total Class 2 Sales

361,260,001

253,884,323

+42.29

Total Class 3 Sales

603,239,899

630,741,018

-4.36

Total Class 4 Sales

301,624,610

280,273,909

+7.62

1,776,859,728

1,647,904,941

+7.83

28.7%

29.3%

Total Production Class 1 Utilization

Mideast Federal Order #33 Total Producers...............................................................................4,984 Avg. Daily Production per farm....................................................11,884 Avg. Protein Test...........................................................................3.04% Avg. Butterfat Test.........................................................................3.65%

Butter $2.4065

Avg. Oth Solids Test......................................................................5.75% Avg. SCC - MMPA......................................................................212,000

Component Pricing Information Mideast Federal Order #33 Protein Price /lb.......................................................................... $1.7545

Milk Powders NonfatDry Milk $0.9137 Dry Whey $0.4917

Butterfat Price /lb....................................................................... $2.7066 Other Solids Price /lb................................................................. $0.3014 Class III Price @ 3.5%.................................................................... $16.44 Prod. Price Diff /cwt. - Mich Mkt..................................................... $0.07 Uniform Price @ 3.5%................................................................... $16.51 SCC Adjustment /cwt /1000..................................................... $0.00081

Production

National Trends* (production in millions of pounds)

*For 23 States 30

MESSENGER | APRIL 2017

2017

2016

California 3,290 3,359 Wisconsin 2,543 2,537 New York 1,254 1,249 Idaho 1,264 1,241 Texas 1,017 884 Michigan 948 922 Pennsylvania 906 906 Minnesota 822 811 New Mexico 696 634 Washington 546 553 Ohio 468 466 Indiana 346 337 *Total U.S. 16,930 16,654 *U.S Y-T-D 102,064 100,505

% Change

-2.1 +0.2 +0.4 +1.9 +15.0 +2.8 +0.0 +1.4 +9.8 -1.3 +0.4 +2.7 +1.7 +1.6

MMPA STAFF MERCHANDISE

MMPA Field Staff

Novi Headquarters

Manager of Field Services Ben Chapin, Blanchard......................................989-289-0731

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

Northwest Area Supervisor Sarah Michalek, Dewitt.....................................248-305-0537

General Manager Joe Diglio................................................................ ext. 202

Board of Directors

Animal Care Coordinator Deb Gingrich, Leroy...........................................248-520-3580

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

Frank Brazeau, Oconto, WI................................906-250-0337 Lyndsay Earl, Ludington.....................................231-519-2455 Elyse Martin, Charlotte......................................810-701-6460 Dirk Okkema, Blanchard.................................. 248-756-2062

Hedging and Business Development Aaron Beak............................................................. ext. 256

Officers

Member and Government Relations Sheila Burkhardt..................................................... ext. 208

Mark Halbert, Vice President

Management Information Systems Andrew Caldwell.....................................................ext. 304

Joe Diglio, GM / Secretary

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

Todd Hoppe, General Counsel

Sales James Feeney.......................................................... ext. 258

Directors-At-Large

Northeast Area Supervisor & Mastitis Management Specialist Christy Dinsmoore, Fairgrove.............................248-513-7920 Animal Care Coordinator Lindsay Green, East Lansing...............................989-488-8159 Ben Butcher, Durand.........................................248-514-5273 Ashley Herriman, Herron...................................269-245-6632 Bridget Moore, Snover......................................231-414-4539

Southwest Area Supervisor Dave Brady, Grass Lake..... 517-522-5965 or (c) 517-937-9061

Eric Frahm, Treasurer

Josep Barenys, Asst. Treasurer

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

Ken Nobis, St. Johns 989-224-6170 or 248-474-6672, ext. 202

Operations Ed Jaquay............................................................... ext. 248

Kris Wardin, St. Johns 989-640-9420

Energy Auditor Ed Zuchnik, Three Rivers....................................269-967-7351

Member Services Dean Letter................................................... 989-289-9251

Krista Schrock, Orland, IN..................................269-986-6792 Emily Smith, Bronson.........................................269-535-0822 Brittni Tucker, Wyoming....................................248-880-3785

Milk Sales Carl Rasch............................................................... ext. 244

Southeast Area

Credit/Insurance Cheryl Schmandt.................................................... ext. 210

Supervisor & Mastitis Management Specialist Steve Lehman, Ithaca....... 989-875-3441 or (c) 989-330-1638

Communications Allison Stuby Miller................................................. ext. 296

Rachel Botta......................................................248-533-2288 Joe Packard, Manchester...................................248-520-3481

Supply Chain Therese Tierney....................................................... ext. 217

Other Member Services

Member Relations Jessica Welch.......................................................... ext. 303

Bulk Tank Calibration John Lehman, Elsie............................................248-444-6775

Ken Nobis, President

Gertie van den Goor, Marlette 989-550-8453 Mark Halbert, Battle Creek 269-964-0511 Mark Iciek, Gladwin 989-387-4767 District Directors 1. Hank Choate Cement City 517-529-9032 2. Tim Hood Paw Paw 269-657-5771

Human Resources Bill Zoli.................................................................... ext. 301

3. David Pyle Zeeland 616-772-1512

MMPA Labs

Manufacturing Plants

Novi (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

In Michigan....................................................800-572-5824 Toll Free 800-233-2405

Constantine, Michigan Marc Hopkins, Interim Plant Manager........... 269-435-2835

4. Corby Werth Alpena 989-464-5436

Ovid (Daily, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.)..................... 989-834-2515

Ovid, Michigan Colt Johnson, Plant Manager........................ 989-834-2221

Sustainability Coordinator Kendra Kissane, Grand Rapids...........................248-880-4234

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 Orders (Novi)..................................800-572-5824, then dial 2 Fax................................................................... 989-317-8372 Merchandise Coordinator, Energy Auditor Katie Pierson.....................................................989-289-9686

Heritage Ridge Creamery, Middlebury, Indiana Dave Davis, Interim Plant Manager................ 574-825-9511

If you are unable to reach your assigned member representative, please contact the representatives listed in your area. Your assigned member representative is listed on your quality statements or can be found by visiting mimilk.com/contact/ field-staff and searching by your producer number.

5. Doug Chapin Remus 231-972-2106 6. Tony Jandernoa Fowler 989-593-2224 7. Eric Frahm Frankenmuth 989-652-3552 8. Scott Lamb Jeddo 810-327-6135

AUGUST 2017 | MESSENGER

31

As a member-owner of the Michigan Milk Producers Association, cheese made at our Heritage Ridge Creamery isn’t just good cheese—its your cheese.

Colby cheese

Thunder-Jack cheese

Sriracha cheese

Colby-Jack cheese

Amish Creamery cheese

American cheese

Cheddar cheese

Garden Vegetable cheese

Cheese with yogurt cultures

Pepper-Jack cheese

Salsa cheese

Order cheese delivered straight to you by calling 574-825-9511. Or visit the store in Middlebury, Indiana where you can watch the cheese making process.

11275 W. 250 N., Middlebury, IN 46540 » 574-825-9511 » heritageridgecreamery.com