Alisha Cooper of Warner Robins, Georgia, had an unusual group of visitors show up outside her new home recently.

It was all caught on video — and the images and story behind it offer a lighter moment for anyone curious about what some sophisticated home security systems can pick up these days (or nights!) when people least expect it.

Holy cow

“I have the Ring chime indoors because my phone is constantly on silent,” said Cooper.

“And at about 3 a.m. one night recently, the chime started going off and woke me up.”

“I’m thinking somebody is trying to break into my house at 3 a.m.”

Cooper, a single mom, said that once she realized what was happening, “I checked my Ring notification and it said there was a person — or something! — at my front door. I wanted to know what I was dealing with.”

So she “opened the live feed in the mobile app to see what was going on,” she said. 

Once she did, she said she was “greeted by cows. I was shocked!”

A herd of dairy cows had not only shown up in front of her house, they actually wound up hanging around for a while — and ate bushes, trampled on new plants and, yes, left a few cowpies.  

“I’m thinking somebody is trying to break into my house at 3 a.m.” said Cooper about the alarm. But seeing the dairy cows outside “was shockingly awesome,” she said.

A Georgia homeowner was surprised to see some unexpected visitors on her front lawn one night at 3 a.m. (Ring/Alisha Cooper)

She had just “moved into the house three weeks before” the incident, she said. “I got the Ring doorbell from my parents for Christmas.”

After she had it installed, “this was the first thing the doorbell caught on camera.”

And “literally, the first thing I see [on the Ring app] is a cow licking my camera,” she said about her initial check that night.

The herd of cows “ate my plants,” she said. “I’m like, OK, that’s what I get for saying ‘I don’t like these plants,’” said Cooper, laughing.

It’s not every day that a herd of cows makes an appearance at your home, as one Georgia woman who recently moved into a new house discovered.  (Ring/Alisha Cooper)

One cow was caught trying to eat the Ring doorbell — but “it [the doorbell] held strong throughout the whole ordeal. The cow eventually gave up — and went off to enjoy a plant instead.”

‘Mooove’ over

The dairy cows that showed up in her new housing community were likely from a location about a mile or two away. 

“To get to my house,” said Cooper, “the cows had to trample through some new houses that are in the process of being built. I am in the most recent [group] of houses completed — and there are a few closer down the street that are unoccupied [and] being built. So these cows had a nice leisurely stroll.”

“Literally, the first thing I see [on the Ring app] is a cow licking my camera.”

Cooper said the cows ultimately “ended up wandering back home. And I kid you not, one cow mooed — then the other cows mooed.” 

She continued, “After that, they started walking back [to the farm] they came from. They destroyed some fresh landscaping and left some lovely things behind. But, you know, I’d like some grass,” said Cooper, laughing and taking it all in stride. 

“It was an experience. If you own a house, definitely invest in some type of camera system,” she said.

The fact that the Ring chime and doorbell system “woke me up to alert me of the commotion outside makes me feel safer.” 

She also said she’ll likely “invest in the Ring floodlight” as well. “The cows ended up destroying my side yard, too, and I’m sure the floodlight would have startled them enough to go home.”

Source: foxnews.com

Breeding for better cows “started as a part-time hobby,” said David King, co-owner of Midas-Touch Genetics/AOT. “It was for the kids, to breed better show calves.

“I wanted my kids to be able to have a chance to learn how to raise and work with really nice cattle,” he explained, adding he and wife LouAnne started with a couple cows – and their genetics business built from there.

The New York Holstein Association will honor the couple with its 2021 Master Breeder award in January.

The Kings have bred 15 Excellent and 79 Very Good cows with the Midas-Touch prefix and had animals in the champion circle at World Dairy Expo more than once. Notable animals include Midas-Touch Jedi Jangle, Miss Champion Mitzi-ET, Regancrest Chanel, Gen-I-Beq Snowman Akilaiane and Ellbank Cherry Coke.

In addition, Midas-Touch has 170 animals on the Holstein USA Locator List and is co-breeder of the #1 proven bull, AOT Silver Helix. Genomic families include Habitan, Supersire Has and Seagull-Bay S Jillian.

David and LouAnne met at Cornell University; he grew up on Kings-Ransom Farm and she, at Mapleview Dairy. David became a nutrition and ag consultant, while LouAnne worked for extension and Farm Credit. In 1995 they bought their own farm, but she also continues to work as co-owner of Mapleview, while he is with Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consultants.

In 1998 the Kings went into business as Midas-Touch Genetics, and about eight years ago David and AOT owner Tom Kugler started a partnership when they wanted to buy the same heifer, Cookie-Cutter Supersire Has. She is the dam of AOT Silver Helix. Midas-Touch/AOT now has an extensive IVF program with many partner herds.

King and Kugler purchase and consign at every state-sponsored sale and encourage other breeders to do the same, trying to give farms not in the Registered Holstein business a chance to get in on quality genetics through embryo transfer partnerships.

“We have a wicked passion for what we’re doing,” David noted. “We just love good cows and we want to make better cows, and we want others to share that passion.”

He credits his Uncle Bill for teaching him about bulls and his father, Edgar, whose work away from Kings-Ransom as state deputy commissioner of Agriculture & Markets gave his son freedom to breed cows and observe the results of his dairy genetics.

In addition to picking good cows, LouAnne said, “David has the most creative ads in all of New York,” referring to his 2015 scheduling of a tag sale the day after their daughter Sara’s marriage to dairy farmer Matthew Bull.

David dryly noted “Vows & Cows” was an effort to come up with a way to pay for the wedding, asserting, “Everybody loved it.”

The couple are also parents to Kristin, Laurie and Jennifer, and have three grandchildren with two more on the way. David serves as an Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority board member, while LouAnne is a Farm Credit East Board director; both are members of the St. Lawrence County Holstein Club.

“I’m kind of stunned,” he said of the award. “I feel a little weird because I don’t milk; but I probably breed more than others do.”

Farmer sentiment continues to fluctuate month-to-month as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometerrose 6 points to a reading of 125 in February, a mirror image of the previous month. The Index of Current Conditions was down 1 point to a reading of 132, while the Index of Future Expectations improved 10 points to a reading of 122.

The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s survey was conducted between 14-18 February 2022, days prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Farm Financial Performance Index remained unchanged in February at a reading of 83. However, the sharp drop in the index, down 27% from late 2021 to 2022, indicates producers expect financial performance in 2022 to be worse than in 2021. The financial index is generated based upon producers’ responses to whether they expect their farm’s current financial performance to be better than, worse than or about the same as the previous year.

“These survey responses suggest that concerns about the spike in production costs and supply chain issues continue to mostly outweigh the impact of the commodity price rally that’s been underway this winter,” said James Mintert, the barometer’s principal investigator and director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture.

Higher input costs have consistently been the number one concern identified by farmers over the past six months, according to results from the Ag Economy Barometer survey. To gain additional insight into the concerns of producers, this month respondents were provided with a more detailed set of possible responses when answering this question. While a majority still consider input costs as their number one concern (47%), it was followed by lower output prices (16%), environmental policy (13%), farm policy (9%), climate policy (8%), and COVID-19’s impact (7%).

Tight machinery inventories continue to be a problem. In February, over 40% of producers stated that low farm machinery inventories are holding back their investment plans. While plans for farm building and grain bin construction were more optimistic this month, 56% still said their plans for new construction are below the previous year.

Thirty-percent of corn and soybean producers say they’ve had difficulty purchasing crop inputs from their suppliers. In a follow-up question posed to corn and soybean producers who said they experienced difficulty procuring inputs, herbicides are the most problematic input to source followed by fertilizer and farm machinery parts. To learn more about how crop producers are responding to surging fertilizer prices, corn producers were again asked if they plan to change their nitrogen fertilizer application rate in 2022 compared to the rate used in 2021. One-third of corn producers in this month’s survey said they plan to use a lower nitrogen application rate this year than in 2021, compared to 37% of corn producers who said they planned to reduce their nitrogen application rate when surveyed in January.

Each winter, the barometer survey asks producers to project their farm’s annual growth rate over the next 5 years. In 2022, 53% stated they either had no plans to grow or plan to retire/exit in the next five years, 19% expect their farm’s annual growth rate to range from 5-10%, while 18% expect their farm’s annual growth rate to be less than 5%.

The need for better broadband coverage in rural areas has been highlighted in several legislative proposals at both the state and national level. The February barometer survey included a question asking respondents to characterize the quality of their farm’s internet access. Just three out of ten respondents said they had “high quality” internet access, 41% said “moderate quality,” 16% chose “poor quality” on the survey, while 12% stated that they did not have internet access at all. Responses to this question suggest that nearly three out of ten farms in this month’s survey are unable to take advantage of many applications and services which require reasonable quality internet access.

Source: thedairysite.com

Shortly after crisis escalated, prices for corn, soybeans, wheat were limit-higher

The unprecedented actions by Russia on Ukraine could have major implications for Ohio farmers and American agriculture as a whole in a number of different ways.

“Russia and Ukraine account for about 29% of global wheat production,” said Ian Sheldon, professor and Andersons chair of agricultural marketing, trade and policy at Ohio State’s Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics. “Beyond agricultural commodities, Russia is a major supplier of natural gas, which is an important input into fertilizer production. That means we could see things happening on the input side of agriculture, as well as the commodity export and international trade side of things.”

The input aspect could accentuate an already tight supply and demand picture for fertilizers and other 2022 inputs, but Sheldon said the crisis in Ukraine could act as a double-edged sword for farmers in Ohio, as corn and wheat are major commodities exported by Ukrainian farmers.

“Obviously you don’t want to benefit from other people’s pain, but if you want to see a good side of this for American exporters, if the world corn price goes up that is potentially beneficial to Ohio corn farmers and the same goes for wheat,” Sheldon said. “I think we will see prices firm up and remain firm, especially if the invasion leads to major destruction of farmland and obstacles for farmers to bring their corn to market. A lot also depends on how Russia treats any exports leaving Ukraine and the extent of sanctions against Russia as punishment for their actions.”

Without hesitation, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated to a full invasion by Russian forces, world markets reacted sharply. Due to the nature of today’s global economy, U.S. agriculture markets quickly followed suit. Shortly after the crisis escalated, prices for corn, soybeans and wheat were trading limit-higher overnight.

“Prior to the conflict escalating, everyone assumed that if an invasion did occur that the market would be bullish, figuring that there would be less supplies available on the world marketplace because of Ukraine’s importance in the global corn and wheat trade, specifically,” said Bailey Elchinger, risk management consultant and regional director with StoneX. “The speed at which this has happened over the past few days is a little bit shocking to the markets though. When you look back through history, an invasion of this nature is not a common thing.”

Just as grain prices quickly climbed, so did other agricultural products.

“Global fertilizer prices also reacted strongly,” Elchinger said. “Urea was trading $160 higher per ton on Thursday morning and that was a direct reaction to fears of Ukraine and/or Russia limiting fertilizer or natural gas out of those countries.”

Many farmers found it hard to sit on their hands as the markets offered an opportunity to sell old crop

corn above $7 a bushel, while other farmers wondered what the longer term scenarios might entail. Elchinger said there are important things to consider for new crop sales.

“First and foremost, know your cost of production and what price you have your inputs locked in for,” she said. “If you know those things, really start to study what your profit margin is today and know the amounts of which you are willing to sell ahead of harvest and probably take some risk off of the table.”

Elchinger said a good relationship with your commodity buyer is key and to continue to stay in contact with them when it comes to your marketing plan. They can keep you accountable and will be able to shed some light on what may happen in the days ahead.

“It is bound to be volatile,” Elchinger said. “You need to be sure that you are not open to too much risk in times like this.”

— Ohio Farm Bureau Federation

Consumers’ renewed focus on health, immune system support fuels growth for whey protein products

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally altered the global market for high-protein whey products, which have now entered the mainstream as a super food for health-conscious consumers. Global demand for high-protein whey has grown exponentially during the pandemic as consumers around the world sharpened their focus on health and nutrition.

As the global leader in high-protein whey production and exports, the U.S. stands to benefit from the increased demand. Despite record cheese production in the U.S., global supplies of whey products remain tight which has resulted in significant price premiums for high-protein whey products.

According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, whey prices are expected to persist at historically strong levels until new cheese and whey processing capacity comes online over the next five years. In the longer term, further-processed fractionated whey protein products are expected to become the bigger value-drivers of the whey stream.

“High-protein whey products come with risks of increasing price volatility that’s endemic of niche and diverse product mixes with limited market players,” said Tanner Ehmke, lead dairy economist with CoBank. “To meet the growing demand for diverse whey products while covering the risk of higher volatility, dairy processors will need to invest in processing technologies that allow flexibility in production.”

While high-protein whey will continue to grow in demand and offer higher returns, low-protein whey will still offer the appeal of stability and price hedging for processors, added Ehmke. The dairy industry of the future will need to meet growing demand for low-protein whey for both human consumption and animal feed and for high-protein whey for consumer products.

Total U.S. cheese and whey processing capacity in the U.S. is expected to increase by an estimated 10% in the next 5 years. Increasing whey production means an increasing commoditization of all whey products, including high protein concentrates and isolates.

Whey production will become increasingly stratified across products and prices, requiring processors to invest in processing technology to allow for flexibility in production for a variety of whey products spanning dry whey to fractionated whey. The high costs of membrane technology required for further processing of whey will limit growth opportunities to larger cheese and whey processors that have economies of scale.

Plant-based alternative sources of protein like soy protein and pea protein are not expected to disrupt the high protein whey market due to nutritional deficiencies compared to whey.Watch a video synopsis and read the report,COVID-19 Spiked Demand for High-Protein Whey, but is Growth Sustainable?

CoBank is a $170 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 76,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.

CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and maintains an international representative office in Singapore.

The Dairy Shrine is again looking for applications for its annual scholarship program. Applications are accepted from March 1 until the deadline of April 15. Official scholarship application award forms are available on the Dairy Shrine web site, www.dairyshrine.org/youth.

The National Dairy Shrine Student Recognition Program recognizes and rewards graduating seniors planning a career in the dairy industry. There will be a $2,000 cash award given to the top selection, a $1,500 award for second place, and three to seven $1000 cash awards depending on the number and quality of applicants.

National Dairy Shrine/Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI) Milk Marketing-Dairy Products Scholarships are available to encourage students to pursue careers in the marketing or development of dairy products. The highest selection receives a $1500 scholarship while the other selectees receive $1000 scholarships. Up to five scholarships are awarded annually.

National Dairy Shrine/Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI) Education & Communication Scholarships are available to encourage students to pursue careers in the education or communication of the value of dairy products and the dairy industry. The highest selection receives a $1500 scholarship while the other selectees receive $1000 scholarships. Up to five scholarships are awarded annually.

Kildee Scholarships are offered for Post Graduate study. Qualified applicants may include the top 25 All-American contestants in one of the past three National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contests plus members of the First and Second Place teams in the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge National contest. These students are eligible to apply for up to two $3000 graduate school scholarships.

NDS Merton Sowerby Junior Merit Scholarship recognizes and rewards current college juniors planning a career in the dairy industry. There will be a $1,500 cash award given to the top selection and two to five more $1000 cash awards depending on the number and quality of applicants.

NDS Mike Lancaster Sophomore Merit Scholarship recognizes and rewards current college sophomores planning a career in the dairy industry. There will be a $1,500 cash

award given to the top selection and two to five more $1000 cash awards depending on the number and quality of applicants.

Depending on number and quality of applicants there will be two to four Maurice Core Freshman Scholarships awarded in the amount of $1,000 to a freshman college student attending a four year agricultural college. This scholarship is sponsored from a fund created in honor of Maurice E. Core long-time industry leader and past Executive Director of National Dairy Shrine.

Up to Two NDS Marshall McCullough scholarships of $1000 are awarded annually to college freshmen attending a four-year college or university and majoring in: Dairy/Animal Science with a Communications emphasis or Agriculture Journalism with a Dairy/Animal Science emphasis. This scholarship fund was created by Dr Marshall McCullough of Athens, Georgia.

Up to two NDS Iager Dairy Scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $1,000 to second year college students enrolled in a two-year agricultural college. This scholarship is sponsored by a fund created by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Iager of Fulton, Maryland.

There are three Klussendorf scholarships given in the amount of $1,500 to students in their first, second, or third year at a two or four year college or university. Applicants need to major in Dairy or Animal Science with intentions to enter the dairy cattle industry. These scholarships are funded by the Klussendorf Association.

There are four McKown scholarships given in the amount of $1,500 to students in their first, second, or third year at a two or four year college or university. Applicants need to major in Dairy or Animal Science with intentions to enter the dairy cattle industry. These scholarships are funded by the Klussendorf/McKown Fund.

If you would like to apply for any of these scholarships, please visit the Dairy Shrine website at www.dairyshrine.org/youth to download the applications. If you have any questions, please contact the Dairy Shrine office at info@dairyshrine.org. Recipients of these awards will be announced this summer, with the presentation of scholarships to be made at the annual Dairy Shrine awards banquet in Madison, Wisconsin on Monday October 3, 2022.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives around the world, dairy scientists may have a surprising role to play. In a new report published in the Journal of Dairy Science®, scientists from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA) and Glanbia PLC Research and Development (Twin Falls, ID, USA) have collaborated to investigate the antiviral properties of cow milk protein against variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the illness.

The protein in question is lactoferrin, found in the milk of most mammals. Bovine lactoferrin, from cow milk, has bioactive characteristics against many microbes, viruses, and other pathogens and has been found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection under experimental conditions by blocking the ability of the virus to enter target cells, as well as by supporting cells’ antiviral defense mechanisms.

“Bovine lactoferrin has shown antiviral activity in human clinical trials,” says lead investigator Jonathan Sexton, PhD, of the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine. “For example, orally administered bovine lactoferrin has been shown to improve the severity of viral infections, including rotavirus and norovirus. Given the broad antiviral efficacy and safety, minimal side effects, and commercial availability of bovine lactoferrin, several review papers have suggested using it as a preventive or post-exposure treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

With the goal of improving clinical relevance and translatability, the team tested bovine lactoferrin against some of the most common SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern from around the world, including the WA1 variant representative of the United States outbreak in 2020, the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 variants, and the Delta variant. Sexton explains, “Each of these variants includes modifications to the SARS-Cov-2 spike protein that reduce the efficacy of newly produced vaccines. Furthermore, each of these strains shows reduced neutralization by vaccination sera.”

Caption: Infected cells shown in magenta (Credit: Jonathan Z. Sexton).

The team’s aims for this study were to expand upon the observation of the potent in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 efficacy that bovine lactoferrin has demonstrated with a more thorough examination, as well as to screen commercially available milk products for antiviral activities, which may be enhanced by the presence of other ingredients in addition to lactoferrin. Finally, they investigated whether dextrose and sorbitol, commonly used in the manufacture of tablets for oral medications, would interfere with the ability of bovine lactoferrin to inhibit SARS-CoV-2.

The researchers found that bovine lactoferrin was effective against all the strains that were tested in vitro, and they expect it would also have activity against additional emergent strains. The other components in commercial milk products did not appear to offer antiviral protection, confirming that that the efficacy of these products does appear to be entirely dependent on bovine lactoferrin. Moreover, the team found that dextrose and sorbitol did not reduce bovine lactoferrin’s effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 – suggesting the feasibility of developing an anti-COVID pill.

A key benefit of the broad antiviral efficacy of lactoferrin is its potential for the prevention or treatment of emerging diseases. Sexton emphasizes, “This is especially important when there are limited treatment options, or when the treatment options are too costly for widespread use. An orally available therapeutic that covers emerging strains would be ideal for treating SARS-CoV-2 in areas without widespread vaccination or if new strains escape the vaccine.”

Although future work is needed to fully understand the antiviral potential for bovine lactoferrin in a clinical setting, this in vitro study represents promise for another tactic in the fight against the global COVID-19 pandemic.

About the Journal of Dairy Science
The Journal of Dairy Science® (JDS), an official journal of the American Dairy Science Association®, is co-published by Elsevier and Fass Inc. for the American Dairy Science Association. It is the leading general dairy research journal in the world, and as of January 2022, it is an open access journal. JDS readers represent education, industry, and government agencies in more than 70 countries, with interests in biochemistry, breeding, economics, engineering, environment, food science, genetics, microbiology, nutrition, pathology, physiology, processing, public health, quality assurance, and sanitation. JDS has a 2020 Journal Impact Factor of 4.034 and five-year Journal Impact Factor of 4.354 according to Journal Citation Reports (Source: Clarivate 2021). www.journalofdairyscience.org

About the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA)
The ADSA is an international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry and keenly aware of the vital role the dairy sciences play in fulfilling the economic, nutritive, and health requirements of the world’s population. It provides leadership in scientific and technical support to sustain and grow the global dairy industry through generation, dissemination, and exchange of information and services. Together, ADSA members have discovered new methods and technologies that have revolutionized the dairy industry. www.adsa.org

About Fass Inc.
Since 1998, Fass has provided shared management services to not-for-profit scientific organizations. With combined membership rosters of more than 10,000 professionals in animal agriculture and other sciences, Fass offers clients services in accounting, membership management, convention and meeting planning, information technology, and scientific publication support. The Fass publications department provides journal management, peer-review support, copyediting, and composition for this journal; the staff includes five BELS-certified (www.bels.org) technical editors and experienced composition staff. www.fass.org

About Elsevier
As a global leader in information and analytics, Elsevier helps researchers and healthcare professionals advance science and improve health outcomes for the benefit of society. We do this by facilitating insights and critical decision-making for customers across the global research and health ecosystems.

In everything we publish, we uphold the highest standards of quality and integrity. We bring that same rigor to our information analytics solutions for researchers, health professionals, institutions and funders.

Elsevier employs 8,100 people worldwide. We have supported the work of our research and health partners for more than 140 years. Growing from our roots in publishing, we offer knowledge and valuable analytics that help our users make breakthroughs and drive societal progress. Digital solutions such as ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath support strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and health education. Researchers and healthcare professionals rely on our 2,500+ digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell; our 40,000 eBook titles; and our iconic reference works, such as Gray’s Anatomy. With the Elsevier Foundation and our external Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Board, we work in partnership with diverse stakeholders to advance inclusion and diversity in science, research and healthcare in developing countries and around the world.

A company that operates a dairy farm near Summerberry has been fined $80,000 in connection with the death of a worker in November of 2020.

Jimlee Farms Ltd. pleaded guilty in Fort Qu’Appelle Provincial Court on Feb. 17 to one charge under The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

It admitted to contravening a clause of the regulations for failing to provide “an effective safeguard where a worker may contact a dangerous moving part of a machine, resulting in the death of a worker.”

The charge arose from an incident on Nov. 19, 2020.

According to court documents, Jesus Heinar Zavala Guevara — a 34-year-old temporary foreign worker from Veracruz, Mexico — worked at the farm near the town about 120 kilometres east of Regina.

The farm milks approximately 230 dairy cows twice daily and maintains a herd of other dairy cattle for breeding purposes.

The court’s decision said Guevara was feeding the cattle and processing barley for feed by running or rolling grain through a grain mill powered by a tractor via a power take off.

“It appears that while Jesus was attempting to visually inspect the rolling process, his clothing became snagged by the unguarded PTO shaft running between the tractor and the mill,” the decision read.

“His clothing was wrapped around the PTO shaft several times. His hands and face had come into contact with the chain and the gears driven by the PTO shaft.”

The decision said the likely cause of death was asphyxiation secondary to chest compression.

Court heard there wasn’t guard in place to prevent contact with the power take off shaft, input gears and chains. There had been one in place when the equipment was manufactured, but it was removed in July of that year so repairs could be completed.

The company was fined $57,143 plus a surcharge of $22,857.

Source: CKOM

Fonterra has suspended shipments of dairy products to Russia, citing “the rapidly changing situation and sanctions being taken against the country”.

Dairy products had accounted for the bulk of New Zealand’s exports to Russia.

The OECD reported that in 2019, New Zealand’s total exports to Russia were worth $211m, of which $114m was accounted for by butter and $16m by milk powder.

Fonterra’s director of global stakeholder affairs, Simon Tucker, said food, including dairy products, were generally exempt from international sanctions.

But Fonterra had suspended shipments of product to Russia “while we continue to monitor developments”, he said.

He described Fonterra’s exports to Russia as small, saying they accounted for less than 1 per cent of Fonterra’s total exports.

The company has seven staff based in Moscow and another 35 at its Unifood joint venture in St Petersburg.

Tucker said both entities were continuing to operate.

“However, we are keeping an eye on the situation and will take actions as required. The businesses do not supply sanctioned individuals or entities, including Russian military or security forces,” he said.

The safety of its people in Russia was Fonterra’s top priority, he said.

Livestock farmers expect rising energy prices to continue to cut margins

The war in Ukraine, and heavy sanctions Western powers have taken against Russia, will have long-lasting and serious consequences for the French farming sector, the European Union’s biggest, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday.

“If you ask me to share one conviction with you this morning, it is that this crisis is here to stay, this war is here to stay,” Macron told the Paris farm show on Saturday.

Trade restrictions resulting from EU sanctions on Russia will weigh on French exports such as wine and grains, Macron said, while a further rise in energy prices will hit livestock farming.

“We are building a resilience plan,” Macron said, adding measures would be taken to protect farmers from cost pressures and compensate lost revenues.

A surge in commodity prices in the past year has benefited grain producers but squeezed livestock farmers for whom grain feed is a major cost. The government announced at the end of January a 270 million euro ($304 million) relief package for the pork sector, reported Reuters. 

The crisis in Ukraine is increasing volatility in agricultural markets, with Paris wheat futures hitting a record high on Thursday. Farmers are also worried the crisis could exacerbate supply tensions in fertilisers and disrupt the spring growing season for crops.

The annual Paris farm show, the Salon de l’Agriculture, is a major occasion in France and, coming less than two months before the first round of presidential elections, has drawn the major candidates.

French commentators long expected Macron could use his presence at the show to officially announce he will be running for a second term, a fact nobody in France doubts.

But international crises, above all Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, have thwarted the president’s calendar several times.

While Macron spent over 12 hours at the Salon’s last edition in 2020, trying to reassure farmers over the impact of Brexit and a reform of the EU’s farm policy, he only spoke on Saturday for about 15 minutes.

Source: Reuters

William Paul Yarosh, 77, of New London, died Friday, February 18, 2022 at The Laurels of New London.  Born on September 17, 1944 in Oberlin, he was the son of Marie (nee Remen) and the late Mike Yarosh.  William grew up in Penfield and was a 1962 graduate of Keystone High School.

William’s life revolved around dairy cows regardless of breed. He worked with dairy farmers from Canada to Mexico and everywhere in between. You could always find Wild Bill fitting cattle for shows and sales. He had an eye for cows, a memory for pedigrees and a story to go with everything.

He is survived by his children, Matt (Christine) Yarosh, of Nova, and Audrey (Kyle) Hutton, of Georgia; 4 grandchildren, Addison Hutton, Bailey Yarosh, Renee Hutton, and Jakob Yarosh; his mother, Marie Yarosh, and siblings, Ken Yarosh and Pat Gill.

The family is coordinating a story hour to commemorate Bill’s life at a later date.  Memories and condolences may be shared with the Yarosh family online at www.eastmanfuneralhome.com

The breed show schedule aligned with Expo’s new event schedule announced last fall was modified this winter following feedback from exhibitors and observations during the 2021 show. If you are planning to exhibit or are interested in watching the Dairy Cattle Show at WDE 2022, here are dates you should be aware of:

Dairy Cattle Show:
Monday, October 3 – Friday, October 7
Day Shows
Junior Holstein: Monday, October 3rd
Milking Shorthorn: Monday, October 3rd
Guernsey: Tuesday, October 4th

Day Shows
Jersey: Monday, October 3rd & Tuesday, October 4th
Brown Swiss: Tuesday, October 4th & Wednesday, October 5th
Red & White: Wednesday, October 5th & Thursday, October 6th
Ayrshire: Wednesday, October 5th & Thursday, October 6th
Holstein: Thursday, October 6th & Friday, October 7th

Complete schedule and start times
Three-breed rotation information

ANZ sees a positive future for the Australian dairy industry despite competition for land from the beef and sheep sectors.

Registration is now open for the Holstein Association USA 2022 Judges Conferences. Individuals interested in attending can pick from two conference options in 2022.

The first conference will be held in conjunction with the Northeast Spring National Holstein Show at the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg, New York. The judges conference will start at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 1, 2022.

A second conference will be held in conjunction with the Southern Spring National Holstein Show on Thursday, April 7, 2022. The conference will start at 1:30 p.m. and will held at the Payne County Expo Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Interested participants can register for the conference of their choice on the Holstein Association USA website with a credit card.  The pre-registration fee is $50 and late registrants and walk-ins will pay a $100 fee. Pre-registration will close two weeks before the conference, on March 18 for the New York conference and March 24 for the Oklahoma conference.

Individuals currently on the Holstein Association USA Judges List must attend and receive a satisfactory rating at a Holstein Association USA Judges Conference every five years. Those interested in applying for the list in the future must attend and receive a satisfactory rating at a Holstein Association USA Judges Conference before submitting an application.

Participants must be 22 years old by the day of the conference to attend. To register online, visit www.holsteinusa.com/shows/judges_preregister.html. For more information contact Jodi Hoynoski at 800.952.5200 ext. 4261 or by email.

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Holstein Association USA, Inc., provides programs, products and services to dairy producers to enhance genetics and improve profitability — including animal identification and ear tags, genomic testing, mating programs, dairy records processing, classification, communication, consulting services, and Holstein semen.

The Association, headquartered in Brattleboro, VT., represents approximately 25,000 members throughout the United States. To learn more about Registered Holsteins^® and the other exciting programs offered by the Holstein Association, visit www.holsteinusa.com, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

I reached out to some friends in the industry to gather perspectives about dairy’s sustainability journey — and more importantly, the lessons we have collectively learned. The hope is that others can look to dairy’s example and shorten their own sustainability journeys.

I am passionate about dairy — whether a glass of milk, cup of yogurt, or bowl of ice cream, I love it all. I’m also passionate about the people and families involved in getting those products to table, and working with them to ensure dairy is produced responsibly. In some circles lately, dairy’s been getting a bad rap. In reality, dairy contributes less than 2 percent to US GHG emissions, and it’s on a strong downward trajectory.

This isn’t an accident. What you may not realize is that dairy farmers — and all members of the dairy supply chain — have been quietly leading in the sustainability space for over a decade. I reached out to some friends in the industry to gather a range of perspectives about dairy’s sustainability journey — and more importantly, the lessons we have collectively learned — to share them with other industries and groups.

Dairy leadership in sustainability

Dairy farmers have always taken pride in providing a highly nutritious product while being responsible with resources. As part of this responsibility, dairy was the first agricultural commodity to perform a life cycle assessment — in 2008.

“Our farmers and industry understood that we needed to be able to chart our progress — both in our ability to move things forward — but also to make sure that we were pursuing practices and technologies that were financially feasible,” says Lisa Watson of the Dairy Innovation Center. “We were going to be able to go further faster if we pulled our whole chain together in those areas that were pre-competitive. … And that’s really the foundation upon which the Innovation Center for US Dairy was formed.”

Dairy has since pioneered a series of pre-competitive collaborations that encompass all elements of the value chain — from farmer coops and processors, to not-for-profit groups and retailers. Here are some key examples:

• The Dairy Sustainability Alliance: Founded in 2008, the Alliance recognized that “no one company or sector can address sustainability alone.” It now comprises 160+ members at the corporate level who strive to further the dairy community’s social responsibility goals.
• 2018 — US Dairy Stewardship Commitment: This commitment makes it possible for U.S Dairy to publicly measure and track its progress. 34 Companies representing 75 percent of US milk production have adopted this action-oriented pledge.
• 2020 — Set industry-wide Environmental Stewardship Goals, including to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050
• 2020 Net-Zero Initiative: US Dairy founded this initiative to accelerate voluntary action on farm to reduce environmental impacts, by making sustainable practices and technologies more accessible and affordable to US dairy farms of all sizes and geographies.

“The farmers, cooperative members and processors came to alignment and agreement over a common goal — one that is time-bound, quantitative and public,” says Emily Johannes, Sustainable Sourcing Manager at Nestlé. “I think that’s a real demonstration of leadership.”

The industry is already taking this leadership approach to other areas. In 2020, Dairy Farmers of America co-founded the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance (FPSA), along with Vanguard Renewables, Starbucks and Unilever. It is a collaboration to accelerate long-term commitments to avoid or eliminate food waste first, and repurpose what can’t be eliminated into renewable energy. Membership now includes Cabot Creamery, Stonyfield Organic, Smithfield Foodsand Kikkoman; another dairy company will be announced in 2022 that will make FPSA 50 percent dairy members, which is no surprise to me.

Lessons for others

The biggest lesson learned from dairy’s example is the importance of including all stakeholders along the supply chain, including competitors. As Watson emphasizes: “To build trust, you have to be willing to listen. You can’t be afraid to bring people together, to hear each other out and to better understand others’ priorities. When you focus a little more on listening versus talking, you’re likely to learn something that’s actually going to help you to move that ball forward.”

The second lesson is the importance of gathering data to measure and show what we’re doing now and to track our progress with integrity. Johannes agrees: “The key for dairy is that we now have an alliance that is backed up by action, by tools, and by verification systems. And I think that’s really what other industries can learn from. Quite frankly, I hope the advantage to other industries is to leverage the work that dairy has done and go even faster.”

All three of us agree that there’s no “silver bullet” solution.

Watson adds: “We focus on working with people to identify a range of options that are going to work best for different situations.”

“We want the best solutions we can get, but we also recognize that things may need to be adjusted and some things may fail,” Johannes says. “And we’re okay with the fact that this is a learning process.”

Final thoughts

The hope is that others can look to dairy’s example and shorten their own sustainability journeys. We can already see sustainability becoming inherent to the business strategy of many companies.

For Stonyfield Organic, sustainability has always been core to its business.

“’Healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet, healthy business.’ Other companies have used these words to describe their purpose, but few were founded on those values — and even fewer have stayed true to them for decades the way we have here at Stonyfield Organic,” says Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield’s co-founder and Chief Organic Optimist. “We’re honored to work collaboratively across the dairy industry to drive further environmental change and protect our resources for generations to come.”

As food sustainability moves from how we tell stories to how we sell products — and ultimately, how we finance changes in practices — the US dairy industry is prepared to be a leader in delivering sustainable nutrition to consumers around the world.

Source: sustainablebrands.com

If you’ve ever driven through Lowville, you’ve probably seen her: Lady Lewinda Milkzalot, the champion of Lewis County’s dairy industry.

“So, she is New York’s largest dairy cow,” Lowville Producers dairy store manager Lynn Cole said. “She is 10 feet high and 15 feet long. Her name, Lady Lewinda came from a naming contest. The ‘le’ stands for Lewis County, the ‘win’ stands for windmills and the ‘da’ stands for dairy.”

She watches over the co-op owned by local farmers and grabs the attention of passersby.

“She does make people stop and come into the store,” Cole said. “All year long they’re taking pictures with her. We dress her up to go along with the holidays, special occasions, stuff like that.”

Lowville’s superstar even has her own merchandise: t-shirts, postcards, stress balls, candies, pamphlets — even soda bottles and tote bags.

But her best sellers? More than 75 flavors of cheese. All Lewinda-approved.

“The ag industry and dairy is what we’re really big with up here,” Cole said, “and she’s part of what Lewis County is known for.”

More than just a pretty face, the colossal cow is watching over the ag industry, one accessory at a time.

Source: wwnytv.com

Fertiliser prices were climbing even before the conflict

Brazilian agricultural exports may lose their competitive edge due to a scarcity of fertiliser and soaring prices for the key material if Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggers Western sanctions on Russian fertiliser exports, according to analysts.

Brazil relies on imports for about 85% of its fertiliser needs. Russia is its biggest supplier of the NPK mixture of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, reported Reuters. 

Even before the Ukraine conflict, fertiliser prices were climbing due to global logistics issues, US sanctions on Belarus and China’s absence from the market since October.

The Ukraine crisis means Brazilian growers of soybeans and other agricultural commodities are potentially in for a rough time.

“It is the perfect storm,” said Jeferson Souza, an analyst with Agrinvest Commodities.

“Brazil has the most to lose among the world’s largest producers of soy,” he said, adding that competitors such as the United States and Argentina do not use as much potassium fertiliser as Brazil.

The situation raises doubts about whether Brazil can expand its area planted with soy for the 2022/2023 crop, as costs may become prohibitive, Souza said.

ANDA, an association representing fertiliser companies in Brazil, said in a statement it is early to assess the impact of international sanctions stemming from Russia’s attack on Ukraine, adding it is still evaluating the effects on the fertiliser market and on the food supply chain as a whole.

ANDA acknowledged risks regarding the lack of inputs to produce fertilisers as the conflict develops, and said it will work to create alternatives to ensure supplies.

Brazil bought about 40 million tonnes of fertiliser products in 2021, a record high, with Russia accounting for some 9 million tonnes of imports, according to data compiled by Agrinvest.

There is a real possibility of Brazil having an immediate “potassium supply crisis,” said Marcelo Mello, head of the fertiliser desk at StoneX, referring to the commodity that has farmers the most worried.

He said simultaneous sanctions on Russia and Belarus would leave farmers without enough of the fertiliser.

“The impact can be felt already, as the supply of fertilisers has been hampered by the low availability of maritime transport,” said agribusiness lawyer Frederico Favacho.

Favacho noted that other areas of trade will also be affected by an escalation of the Ukraine conflict, as Russia is a big buyer of Brazilian meats.

Potential financial sanctions against Russia would hamper that trade too, he said.

Source: Reuters

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this that inflation’s eating away at pocketbooks. The most recent Consumer Price Index is reporting the fastest retail price increases in costs in 40 years, with a hot economy and tight supply chains pushing up everything from cars to coffee.

And when consumers (and media outlets) focus their frustration, it tends to be on the prices that are most widely noticed. Gasoline’s the best example – what other product routinely posts its price on big signs next to highways? A gallon of milk is another one – when you’re in 94 percent of households, you can safely assume that a big part of the consuming public knows exactly what milk costs – and notices when it rises.

This is the most recent year-over-year Consumer Price Index covering overall inflation, food and beverage inflation, and dairy categories. A gallon of whole milk (the most popular variety in a jug) is going up, but it’s in line with other foods and beverages and lower than overall inflation. Subcategories fare even better. Cheese costs to consumers have barely budged. Ice cream remains an affordable (and relative to other categories, becoming even more so) treat. And yogurt, butter, et. al remain a compelling choice of affordable, high-quality nutrition for households.

So what’s going on with the inflation gap? A few things. Dairy supply chains tend to be more local and predominantly domestic, meaning some factors driving price gains in imported goods don’t apply. Dairy farmers have also done a great job of keeping markets adequately supplied, even in a year of record dairy export sales.

But whatever the reasons — if you’re frustrated with your grocery bill, dairy’s a place to find value. Dairy farmers are doing their part in keeping food prices under control. So much so, in fact, it might be worth slowing down a little bit the next time you’re pushing your cart past the dairy case. You might just want to take advantage of the opportunity dairy provides to nourish your family, without emptying your wallet. That’s not to be taken for granted these days.

–National Milk Producers Federation

Eerie footage showing a herd of escaped dairy cows descend on a neighborhood in Georgia has been captured on a Ring doorbell in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Dozens of cows can be seen walking down a residential street before congregating around a woman’s front door.

Warner Robins resident Alisha shared the footage from her Ring device, saying she was shocked when she saw what the camera had captured.

“The cows completely destroyed my new landscaping and ate my bushes,” she said in a statement emailed to Newsweek. “There are deep holes from the cows walking in the grass, along with some lovely cow pies, but overall fixable damage.”

Ring doorbells are fitted with a camera and microphone and work using motion sensors that trigger audio and video recording when movement is detected up to 30 feet away. The devices have grown in popularity recently and are designed to allow homeowners to monitor activity outside their properties.

Alisha said she had moved into the house just three weeks prior to capturing the footage and was given the Ring doorbell as a Christmas gift. She said it was “shockingly awesome” that this was the first thing the camera had recorded.

Alisha said the alarm rigged up to her phone via the doorbell woke her up around 3 a.m. local time to alert her to the activity. “There was one cow in particular that I caught on camera trying to eat the Ring Video Doorbell, but it held strong through the whole ordeal,” Alisha said. “The cow ended up giving up and enjoyed a plant instead.”

The footage of the cows is one of the latest examples of animal encounters captured by Ring doorbells. In January, footage showed a tense stand-off between an Amazon delivery driver and a bear in Upland, California.

There are over a million cows in Georgia according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Warner Robins is home to several dairy farms. It is thought the cows escaped from one about two miles from Alisha’s home.

Alisha said she believed the cows made their way onto the street across a nearby building site. How the cows managed to escape the dairy farm remains a mystery.

“This is the first time the cows have migrated over here in the neighborhood,” Alisha said. “The next morning when the sun was up, I reached out to the builder’s agent on site in the model home asking for the farmers’ information and sent them the video of the rogue cows. It was the first time anyone has had this happen.”

Source: newsweek.com

USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum, themed “New Paths to Sustainability and Productivity Growth,” will be held virtually Feb. 24-25, 2022.

Organic dairy farms must follow a variety of USDA regulations to obtain certification and maintain their organic status. For example, they have to use organic grains and feed supplements, and they mostly rely on pasture-based feeding, which makes them more vulnerable to weather shocks such as drought or sudden and intense storms.

These challenges mean productivity on organic dairy farms grows at a slower rate than on operations using conventional processes. Productivity is measured as total factor productivity (TFP), the ratio of the total amount of goods (in this case, milk) produced relative to all the inputs-such as labor, fertilizer, and other costs-used to produce those goods. USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) researchers studied the difference in TFP growth between organic and conventional farms using data from organic dairy farms between 2005-16 and from conventional dairy farms between 2000-16. TFP grew at an annual rate of 0.66 percent for organic dairy farms compared with 2.51 percent among conventional dairy operations.

Both organic and conventional farms saw productivity growth due to technological progress such as advanced equipment and improved genetics. While weather-related feed factors reduced productivity for organic farms, they contributed to a productivity growth for conventional dairy farms. Technical efficiency increased productivity slightly on organic farms, but reduced productivity on conventional farms, while scale-and-mix efficiency reduced productivity for both types of farms.

Source: wisconsinagconnection.com

Lactanet is proud to recognize excellence in dairy herd management by publishing the list of Canada’s 25 best managed dairy herds of 2021, according to the Lactanet Herd Performance Index (HPI). The official reveal took place on February 22, 2022 at a virtual event streaming profiles of top dairy herds in both English and French.

To calculate the HPI, Lactanet Canada analyzes data from six key indicators: milk value, udder health, age at first calving, herd efficiency, longevity and calving interval. Each year, Lactanet customers enrolled in milk recording receive their HPI and data from these six indicators.

This information tells a story about the sustainability and health of their dairy operation.

“I truly believe that the Lactanet Herd Performance Index can help us improve, identify solutions, and make the right decisions. Today, we are taking the time to celebrate our best Canadian herds and be proud to be part of this great industry,” says Barbara Paquet, Chair of Lactanet Canada’s Board of Directors.

“We want to acknowledge the incredible effort, commitment and work that goes into developing a high-performing herd and are excited to share and feature each herd over the internet for everyone to see,” explains Neil Petreny, CEO at Lactanet Canada.

A list of Lactanet’s top 25 best managed herds, as well as outstanding herd performance by province and other categories such as milking system and organic production is available here.

Watch for top 1% list of the best managed herds next week.

A video recording of the event can be accessed here:

Paying tribute to Florida’s hard-working dairy farmers and the animals in their care, Florida Dairy Farmers (FDF) have partnered to transform the T.G. Lee dairy, a farmer-owned processing plant of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA)in DeLand, Fla into a larger-than-life tribute to agriculture.

Located on a major highway and visible to tens of thousands of commuters each day, the T.G. Lee plant is a massive building and has been a landmark in the region for decades.

According to Meg Callahan, general manager for T.G. Lee Southeast Region, “For years we talked about doing something creative on this space. The acquisition of the facility by Dairy Farmers of America, coupled with the support of FDF, enabled us to finally transform our entire building into a marketing tool that helps us tell the story of the hard-working farmers that make our dairy products possible.”

At more than 5,500 square feet, the iconic mural is the largest in Central Florida. “It really is attribute to all of Florida’s dairy farmers and a reminder to residents that Florida’s true foundation lies in agriculture,” said Avery LeFils, senior manager of community relations for Florida Dairy Farmers. “We fully believe this will invoke a sense of pride in the community and build consumer appreciation for where our food comes from.

Dairy Farmers of America is a national, farmer-owned dairy marketing cooperative, which supports and serves more than 12,500 family farm-owners across the United States. DFA markets members’ raw milk and manufactures a variety of dairy products, including fluid milk, cheese, butter ice cream and dairy ingredients that connect our Cooperative’s family farms to family tables. Learn more atwww.dfamilk.com

T.G. Lee Dairy has been providing families with fresh, nutritious dairy products since 1925. Read their story at www.tgleedairy.com

Florida Dairy Farmers represents the hard-working dairy farm families in Florida that produce more than 300 million gallons of milk each year. Learn more at www.floridamilk.com

The video, which includes a backstory of the artists visiting a dairy farm for inspiration, also is available at YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OvQ1J19VqA

Serious buyers and curious crowds returned to Tulare for the 55^thedition of World Ag Expo®. The world’s largest annual outdoor agricultural exposition came to a close on Thursday, February 10 and boasted 1,272 exhibitors on 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space. The three-day show hosted 98,387 attendees representing 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 34 countries.

Exhibitors reported quality traffic and numerous leads at the highly anticipated return to a live event. Veteran exhibitor Dragon-Line LLC was in Pavilion B, the irrigation and water hall. 

“This is the best World Ag Expo ever for Dragon-Line,” reported Monty Teeter, company CEO. “A great exposition for domestic and international producers to participate and view so many facets of the Ag industry. World Ag Expo efforts helped host not only big companies, but also new innovative small companies that amazed all attendees!”

Farmers and ranchers returned in large numbers for the 2022 show after the event went digital in 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. World Ag Expo® is one of the first large Ag events of the year offering opportunities to network and learn about the newest Ag equipment, services, and technology. More than 100 educational seminars, demonstrations, and workshops were held over three days and covered a variety of topics ranging from irrigation to dairy, livestock to professional development.   

“This was a great way to return to a live event” said Jerry Sinift, CEO of the International Agri-Center®. “Buyers showed up, exhibitors are thrilled, and we were all able to come together to celebrate Ag. We knew we wouldn’t hit the attendee total from 2020, but this was better. Everyone saw highly engaged crowds who were happy to be here.”

Ag tech was the highlight of the event and showed the advances Ag has made in the last two years. Nine of the ten winners of the 2022 Top-10 New Productscontest were a tech-forward item. A number of exhibitors took larger spaces to offer demonstrations, equipment skill contests, and ride and drive opportunities for attendees.

Other popular attractions at the 2022 World Ag Expo® included the Big Idaho Potato, the Fresno State WET Center Innovation Pitch Event, and the WW Livestock Demonstration Pavilion. 

The 2023 World Ag Expo® will be held February 14-16. Space renewals are now being accepted from 2022 exhibitors. Potential exhibitors can begin requesting space on March 1, 2022 at www.worldagexpo.org. 

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In addition to producing World Ag Expo®, the International Agri-Center® is also home to the AgVentures!® Learning Center and Museum, the California Antique Equipment Show™, the IAC Livestock & Equestrian Center, and has a wide range of facility rentals available for any size event. Learn more at www.internationalagricenter.org.

Overall calf registrations were average

According to Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) senior analyst for red meat Rebecca Wright, births to dairy dams hit a 10-year high in 2021. Overall, though, calf registrations were average, according to BCMS data.

Although numbers may have been average, the make-up of the national herd has been changing, in part driven by changes in dairy calf management requirements. Ten years ago, just over half of all registrations were for calves born to suckler cows, this has now fallen closer to 45%, said Wright.

There has also been a notable rise in the number of beef registered calves born to dairy dams, she noted. In 2012, just over a third of calves born to dairy dams were registered as beef animals; by 2021 the share had risen to a half.

The change in breeding patterns means that the make-up of British beef is changing. As policies surrounding dairy calf rearing change, Wright expects a knock-on effect in the type of animals born, as well as an increase in the use of dairy-sexed semen, and an increase in the use of beef semen. This means more beef produced from the same number of breeding animals.

“The combined effects of these changes in farming practices mean that dairy registered animals that once used to make up 13% prime beef, are now closer to 8%,” wrote Wright in her analysis. “Equally, around 25% of beef registered calves were to dairy dams 10 years ago, but by 2019 this had reached 33% and in 2021 was 37%.”

“This again demonstrates the rising influence of dairy crossed beef calves on British beef production,” she concluded. “Total registrations of beef animals meanwhile have remained relatively flat, as registrations to beef dams have fallen.”

Source: thedairysite.com

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative said today the group looks forward to working with newly confirmed U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf to stop the mislabeling of imitation dairy foods.

The Senate today confirmed Califf to the position, which had been vacant since President Biden took office a year ago.

Dr. Califf is a cardiologist who served as the FDA commissioner in the last year of the Obama administration. During Califf’s nomination hearing in December, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., asked him if he would commit to finalizing guidance on the use of dairy terms for plant-based products while preserving the use of dairy terms for dairy products. Califf responded by committing to making dairy labeling a priority if he was confirmed. “(There) is almost nothing more fundamental about safety than people understanding exactly what they’re ingesting,” he said at the time. 

Edge President Brody Stapel said the cooperative shares that viewpoint.

“Dairy farmers completely agree with Dr. Califf that it is fundamental for people to know what they’re eating. The simple fact that the new commissioner has acknowledged that is a big step in the right direction,” Stapel said. “The FDA has strict standards of identity for dairy products, but the agency continues to refuse to enforce the rules. This should have been cleared up a long time ago.”

Mislabeling remains a top concern for his group’s members, said Stapel, whose co-op represents farmers throughout the Upper Midwest and is the third largest in the country based on milk volume. And, they want dairy customers to be treated fairly.

“There is room for a variety of products, and customers should have choices,” he said. “But the plant-based beverage industry is quick to dismiss the fact that misleading labels confuse customers. That’s unfair.”

A national survey co-commissioned by Edge documented the confusion when focusing on plant-based products packaged to resemble cheese. Some of the findings: 

• One-quarter of customers mistakenly thought the plant-based products contain milk.
   
• One-third of customers believed that the products contain protein, and 21 percent thought that it is of a higher quality than dairy even though the imitations have little to no protein. Real dairy cheese has 7 grams of protein.
   
• One-quarter of customers purchased imitation cheeses because they believed them to be low in calories and fat and without additives. In reality, these plant-based foods contain an equal or comparable amount of fat and calories and substantially more additives than dairy cheeses.

Customer survey: 

Study background and executive summary 

A graphic of key findings 

Video 

Dr. Robert Califf comment during nomination hearing in December 

About Edge:

Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative provides dairy farmers throughout the Midwest with a powerful voice — the voice of milk — in Congress, with customers and within our communities. Edge, based in Green Bay, Wis., is the third largest dairy cooperative in the country based on milk volume. Member farms are located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. More information: www.voiceofmilk.com. 

Agricultural producers are certain to face challenges as they plan for 2022, but there are reasons to be optimistic about the U.S. farm and ranch situation as a whole, said Rob Fox, director of Cobank’s Knowledge Exchange Division.

Fox discussed his outlook at Oklahoma State University Extension’s 2021 Rural Economic Outlook Conference in October, where he addressed the longer-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shrinking labor force, drought impacts on cattle supplies, packer concentration, poultry profitability, views on policy he has seen in evidence coming out of Washington D.C. and more.

“Commodity prices across the board are doing pretty well, particularly the grains and especially cotton,” Fox said. “Cattle prices could be a bit better, but they’re not terrible. The most obvious challenges are some key risks on the crop inputs side.”

Among the challenges listed by Fox:

• There are going to be shortages of chemicals and fertilizer because of plant shutdowns and logistical issues.
• Fertilizer prices are going to be higher into 2022.
• Supply chain issues will continue to plague producers for the foreseeable future.

“Tractor repair parts, blades for equipment, forage choppers, pesticides and herbicides; you name it, there are going to be delays and shortages,” Fox said. “As a former dairy farmer, I can attest a producer can be in big trouble if a piece of equipment goes out. To combat this, keep more spare parts on hand, if possible, and stick to a well-designed maintenance schedule.”

Trent Milacek, OSU Extension area agricultural economics specialist, agreed with Fox and recommends Oklahoma producers take all possible steps to ensure they have a plan in place for several months or more to lessen the negative effects of potential challenges.

“Get your fertilizer supplies purchased, even if you have to keep them in a shed,” Milacek said. “Take advantage of current good crop prices; forward contract, look at futures prices, lock in what you can. There isn’t a lot an individual producer can do about the specifics of ongoing trade negotiations, but producers need to pay attention and manage as best they can any fallout and related effects.”

Ongoing trade negotiations between the United States and China could be particularly important. The current Phase One deal expires at the end of this year. Most analysts agree American agriculture has fared well overall. Unfortunately, other segments of the U.S. economy have not.

“Producers and agribusiness leaders need to watch what happens with the upcoming negotiations as America attempts to get something better across the board,” Fox said. “There is going to be a lot of pressure from various industries put on negotiators.”

Protein production is expected to do well in 2022. The world is demanding access to more meat — beef, chicken, pork, Fox recently told the agricultural television program SUNUP.

“The United States is the world’s most efficient producer of meat,” he said. “As long as we have a level playing field, there should be strong international markets for American meat, although some types will be more popular than others in specific countries, as always.”

On the home front, most beef cattle will need supplemental feed in addition to hay this winter. The amount and type of supplement depends on the type and amount of hay available. Crop and feedstuffs prices are sharply higher this year, in part because of the export-driven corn market. Current corn prices in the southern Great Plains are 40-50% higher than the same time last year.

“Hay prices in Oklahoma are up 23.5% year over year and up 10.6% in Texas compared to the same time last year,” said Derrell Peel, OSU Extension livestock marketing specialist. “Increased feed costs have been negatively affecting feedlots for several months. The impacts will grow as cow-calf and stocker producers face additional feed and supplement needs this winter. Plan for those needs now.”

OSU Extension recommends producers begin the process by increasing their awareness of cattle nutritional requirements based on production stages. Testing and weighing hay will help determine the nutritional contribution of hay to meet cattle needs, and careful feeding of hay can help reduce waste and make supplies stretch farther.

Fact sheets detailing research-based information and recommendations for managing farm and ranch costs are available online and through OSU Extension county offices.

In terms of overall farm and ranch profit projections, commodity prices will be high, but most industry analysts — including Fox — don’t expect producers and related agribusiness operators to feel the full brunt of the cost increases this year. Rather, the increases will be felt most keenly on income generated from next year’s crops and livestock.

To see a video of the OSU outlook conference, click here

Roga Dairy Farm, near Port Elgin, N.B., faces a hefty $300,000 bill to repair their barn after extensive snow caused the roof to collapse while some of their cattle were still inside. A fundraiser is helping with the repair costs.

One of the last things a farmer hopes to see is their barn fall apart in front of their eyes, but that’s what happened to Con Rommens recently.

The owner of Roga Dairy Farm in Melrose, N.B., awoke in the middle of the night to find the roof had caved in after a mountainous gathering of snow on Feb 5.

“It was not very nice,” said Rommens, who was emotionally shaken by the sight. “We walked in the barn at 4:30 a.m. and you see 10 feet of snow on top of the roof.

“I went and got my wife out of bed and we went with a flashlight all the way around to see the cattle were all right.”

The damage did not kill any of the cattle in the barn, but an excavator was required to break two walls to rescue the few trapped cows.

Due to the generosity of a neighbouring farm, Rommens said he was able to have 90 cattle transferred there while repairs begin.

The roof caving in is a heavy blow for the family, who do not have insurance to cover the damage, the area of which accounts for 25 per cent of the farm’s infrastructure.

Rommens says he estimates the damage will cost the family upwards of $300,000, but he’s waiting on carpenters to come back to him with the final figure.

The farm has 66-year history in the community and Rommens’s sister, Melissa Rommens, started a fundraiser to try to cover the costs.

So far over $50,000 has been raised by almost 900 contributors. It’s a gesture that Rommens and the family appreciate deeply.

“We were shocked … We try to be friends with everybody and help them out whenever something happens and they’re paying me back … I didn’t know I was that good of a guy in the neighborhood, but I must be,” said Rommens with a laugh. 

Source: CBC

On Tuesday, February 22nd at 1:00pm EST, Lactanet Canada will be revealing ‘Canada’s Best Managed Dairy Herds,’ through their virtual event! Click here

The number of farms in the United States for 2021 is estimated at 2,012,050, down 6,950 farms from 2020.

The USDA reports that the number of farms increased in all sales classes except $1,000-$9,999, $100,000-$249,999, and $1,000,000 or more. In 2021, 51.0 percent of all farms had less than $10,000 in sales and 81.5 percent of all farms had less than $100,000 in sales. In 2021, 7.4 percent of all farms had sales of $500,000 or more.

Total land in farms, at 895,300,000 acres, decreased 1,300,000 acres from 2020. The biggest change for 2021 is that producers in Sales Class $1,000 – $9,999 operated 640,000 fewer acres than in 2020. In 2021, 30.1 percent of all farmland was operated by farms with less than $100,000 in sales, while 40.9 percent of all farmland was operated by farms with sales of $500,000 or more.

The average farm size for 2021 is 445 acres, up from 444 acres the previous year. Average farm size increased in the $1,000,000 or more sales class and decreased or remained unchanged in all other sales classes.

Source: UAGNET

The early registration deadline for the 2022 Jersey Canada AGM in Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan has been extended to Tuesday, February 22. A $20 late fee will be charged for each submission after the 22nd.

Now is the time to register for our first in-person AGM since 2019. Farm tours, mineral springs, a speaker series, and dancing! Don’t miss this opportunity to shake hands once again with your fellow Jersey breeders, talk cows, and celebrate.

More information and the registration form can be found on the Jersey Canada website!

Every farmer who breeds Holstein cows aims to have cows with high lifetime productions in the barn. The Burgstallers from lower Austria have been enthusiastic Holstein breeders for many years and are successful at regional and national cattle shows. Last week, one day before her 18^th birthday, Champion Monica EX-93 (pictured) become the new world record holder. Bred from the Matt Mistys, she broke the 20-tonne barrier for fat and protein production. The impressively vigorous and exceptional cow of Klaus Burgstaller from Austria has produced more than 232,386kg/512,323lb 4.98% 3.66% (20,073kg/44,253lb F&P). No Holstein has ever achieved a higher lifetime production for fat and protein. Monica could also threaten the long-standing record for milk production, currently held by Gillette Smurf. For that world record (247,711/546,109lb) she is short just 15,325kg/33,786lb.  

Records are not only achieved in the Burgstaller family’s stable because the overall performance in Lower Austria is also top. Also, the performance of the Holstein herdbook cows with full qualification has increased again. With 9,266 kilograms of milk, Austria is again the leader and has now reached the level of German dairy farms. But even when it comes to the ingredients and thus also to the fat and protein kilograms, Lower Austria is represented in the top field with 682 FEKG. Compared to other breeds in the association area of ​​NÖ Genetik, the average Holstein cow produces around 120 kilograms of fat and protein and 1,800 kilograms of milk more. At a milk price of 35 cents, this corresponds to around EUR 630 more per cow and year. These performances coupled with the good forage efficiency that this breed can show absolutely speaks for the fact that the Holsteins are economically really competitive compared to dual-purpose breeds. The lifetime production of the Holsteins also speaks for it, so this year we have 21 new 100,000 liter cows in Lower Austria. But these masterpieces are only possible with a good conformation and this is currently confirmed by 9 cows that are classified with the predicate EXCELLENT, i.e. with 90 points or more. This means that excellent breeding work is being done on the Holstein breeding farms in Lower Austria, for which one can only congratulate.

A farm in Albion has discovered harmful forever chemicals in some of their products.

Late last week, the owners of Misty Brook Farm found out some of their cow milk was contaminated with PFAS.

Now they’re waiting for test results from the state.

Until then, they can’t sell their milk.

Misty Brook Farm is an organic family farm where owners Brendan and Katia Holmes produce and sell everything from meat and eggs to grains and milk.

“It’s important for farms like us to be here in this state,” Katia Holmes said.

After seeing PFAS contamination cases across the state, they took it upon themselves to test their own farm.

They found high levels of forever chemicals in the milk.

They say it came from hay they bought from an outside farm.

“And that is what we believe contaminated our cows,” Brendan Holmes said.

They pulled all their products from the shelves of 35 local grocery stores.

“At first, it was kind of a bit of disbelief because we really thought we were producing the highest quality product we could,” Katia Holmes said.

“And you feel bad when somebody calls you, leaves a message wondering what to do because they’ve been feeding it to their two-year-old,” Brendan Holmes said.

On Tuesday, the state will do more testing on the farm.

Those results will take four to five weeks, and it will take about a year to get the chemicals out of their cattle.

In the meantime, they plan to buy clean cattle and hay, but the bills keep piling up.

A farm in Albion has discovered harmful forever chemicals in some of their products. (WGME)

“We need assistance now,” Brendan Holmes said. “We need money now.”

They say they could run out of money in a week and half.

“It’s not about the stress of not being able to pay our bills for us, it’s more trying to get the message out there,” Katia Holmes said.

In Augusta, lawmakers are working on a bill that would prohibit contaminating soil with these chemicals.

Representative Bill Pluecker issued a statement about the issue.

When we buy land and start a farm it is with the faith that the land is strong and healthy and that we can build our families and businesses in cooperation with the land. When we find out that the soil and water are contaminated by actions that happened decades before we started our businesses, that our families might have been hurt by the land, it is like getting the rug pulled out from under us.

As a State, we depend upon our clean land and water for our businesses and food. We must take all actions possible to prevent it’s contamination from PFAS and protect our farmers who have been affected.

1911 begins this work, and I am proud to do the hard work of preventing the further contamination of our agricultural lands.

“This is an issue that I know all too well,” Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said.

The problem is even getting the attention of the EPA.

“There is $8 million in the bi-partisan infrastructure law that focuses specifically on contaminants like PFAS,” Regan said.

“We are not the only farm,” Katia Holmes said. “We’re not going to be the only farm. This is a much bigger problem.”

Even before the state sent them a cease-and-desist letter, the farmers pulled their product from the shelves.

Source: WGME