ADDRESS OF THE NAJ PRESIDENT
Jersey is Key to the Economic Dairy Future Address of John Kokoski, NAJ President to the 63rd Annual Meeting of National All-Jersey Inc., June 26, 2021, Bettendorf, Iowa
20% lower carbon footprint when milk was used to make Cheddar cheese. Since then the Jersey breed has increased its Energy Corrected Milk production by 17%, while our primary competitor has increased their Energy Corrected Milk production by 12%. Because of those changes, your ood morning and welcome to the anboard and staff are pursuing having that nual meeting of National All-Jersey sustainability research updated to reflect Inc. (NAJ). I am glad we are able to meet current conditions. in person and discuss the business of our As dairy farmers, we are constantly organization in front of each other, which under attack by misinformed consumers after last year feels pretty good. It’s nice to who don’t understand the see so many familiar efforts of dairy farmers faces in person, and not that are second nature to on a screen or masked! us, that make us conserI look forward to a very vationists and socially reproductive meeting and sponsible land stewards. hearing everyone’s inIt will be our responsibiliput and expertise. ty to educate and promote I think we can all these increasingly imporagree, this past year tant traits to consumers has left us with some and politicians. It is up challenges, but some to us to market Jerseys opportunities as well. as the cow of the future One challenge that and that she will lead us we’re facing is limits to profitability under any on production that comarket condition and be ops have imposed and the sustainable choice for as a result there are any size dairy operation. fewer herds increasing their herd size and The National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ), Board of Directors from front left: NAJ General In closing, we need levels of production. Manager Erick Metzger; President John Kokoski; Vice President and chair of the Finance Jersey breeders, regardMovement of Jersey Committee James Huffard; and Executive Secretary Neal Smith. In back: Jonathan less of the size of their cattle will depend on Merriam, AJCA president; Veronica Steer; Garry Hansen; Walter Owens; Bradley Taylor; operation and from all regions of the country, our ability to convince Jason Cast; and John Marcoot. Not pictured is Roger Herrera and Sam Bok. to help us promote these the dairy industry that advantages and opportunities our Jerseys becoming more and more sought after and we have the solution to stabilizing markets inherit. She is the key that can improve the familiar to everyday consumers. And now and restoring prices to higher levels. economy of the dairy industry and sustain with the changes in leadership in Washing Another challenge we have been dealt is all our dairy operations for generations to ton, there is an emphasis on sustainability increasing feed costs. In the northeast, hay come. I encourage you to take what you and environmental issues—two areas we has been very tight for over a year and corn learn here over the course of our meetings Jersey breeders excel in. and soybean prices have been in an upward and bring back home and share with your Having the smallest carbon footprint of climb for the last six months. We already fellow breeders and industry leaders and the dairy breeds gives Jerseys sustainability know the Jersey advantages in terms of efget them involved too. I hope you enjoy into the future. Over a decade ago, NAJ ficiencies and their ability to convert feed the rest of our day here and wish you safe funded research with Dr. Jude Capper into milk production more efficiently than travels on your return. Thank you. and Dr. Roger Cady showed Jerseys had a other breeds. When access to feed is limited
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JULY 2021
and costs rise, this trait becomes more and more critical. This brings me to the opportunities for Jersey breeders. We already know the benefits of Multiple Component Pricing (MCP) in the Federal Order because milk checks have been reflecting that ever since MCP was started. When a producer is limited on production for whatever reason, increasing components is the answer. Another competitive advantage our Jerseys give us is their A2 milk—a trait
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