Leatherbrook Holsteins, Americus
This Wednesday & Thursday: GA Dairy Managers Series to focus on Reproduction Technologies


Georgia dairy  farm families and managers are invited to attend our next GDMS series titled "D o's and Don'ts of   Reproductive Technologies".  The series will focus on new dairy reproduction technologies for cows for first AI, early non-pregnancy diagnosis and for resubmission of nonpregnant cows for second and greater AI.  Our speakers, Dr. Jillian Bohlen and Dr. Roberto Palomares, from the University of Georgia. will also provide do's and don'ts of reproductive technologies used in a reproductive management program. Meetings are open to dairymen, managers, and employees - free of charge and will be held from 10 a.m. until noon.  Please preregister for meal by calling our office at 706-310-0020.

The meetings will be held on:

October 27         10 a.m.      Burke Co. Extension Office, Waynesboro
(715 West 6th Street, Waynesboro, 30830)
 
November  1      10 a.m.       Reid Bros. Irrigation Company, Americus
( 908 Adderton St, Americus, GA 31719)
           
November 2       10 a.m.      Andy's BBQ Restaurant, Eatonton
(100 Friendship Rd SW, Eatonton, GA 31024)
UGA's President, Jere W. Moorehead and the Value of the Land Grant
Growing Georgia
UGA's President, Jere W. Moorehead, talks about the value the University of Georgia brings to the state and the value Agriculture adds to the state.   
House Judiciary Committee Takes Monumental Step Forward
From American Dairy Coalition
The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) Applauds the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), and the Judiciary Committee on moving the AG Act forward. America's farmers and ranchers are extremely pleased to see, after 20 years, a bill finally moving forward that allows them to remain productive and competitive.

The American Dairy Coalition (ADC) and our 30,000 producer members appreciate the perseverance and hard work Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) displayed in the passing of the Agricultural Guestworker Act (AG Act) out of the House Judiciary Committee at today's Committee Markup.  Next, the bill will move to a vote in the House of Representatives.

"Adequate labor is essential for our industry to care for our animals and ensure our crops are harvested in a timely manner to yield the highest-quality food products for consumption around the world.  Year after year, the domestic workforce continues to forego these labor intensive jobs in favor of more leisurely work, despite increased wages and employee benefit packages," said Laurie Fischer, Founder and CEO of the American Dairy Coalition.

The passing of the AG Act out of the Judiciary Committee represents a huge step forward to resolve the desperate labor shortages in the dairy and allied industries.  The AG Act provides an avenue for a reliable labor force that the dairy industry requires to provide affordable, nutritious, safe and abundant food to American consumers and throughout the world.    Read more

Georgia Milk Producers would like to thank the Georgia Agribusiness Council for including a stop at the dairy pavilion of the Sunbelt Ag Expo during their 2017 Legislative Tour last week.   

We appreciate their efforts each year under the "Gold Dome" and nationally in Washington D.C.  Our partnerships with GAC and other farmer organizations are vital to ensure that Agriculture's voice remains unified and strong among lawmakers.
Vilsack: "Canadian Supply Management Can't Be Sustained"

With round 4 of negotiations complete around a revised North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) it's a good time to take a breath and reassess where affected parties stand in the ongoing debate.

As negotiations have unfolded, the most contentious debate was around Canada's Class 7 pricing mechanism. The system has created a new price level for milk protein that has allowed Canada to price powder below global prices. Since the adoption of the system powder exports from Canada have risen significantly, putting the U.S. and other exporting countries at a significant disadvantage.

"Obviously our position is that Class 7 has to go, that it's manipulating a system in a way that is unfair and not consistent with the spirit of international agreements," Secretary Tom Vilsack, president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council told Mike Adams on AgriTalk this morning.  Read More 
By Mike Opperman, Dairy Herd Management

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) applauded the introduction of a bipartisan bill to help reverse the decline of milk consumption in schools. 

The School Milk Nutrition Act of 2017, introduced by Representatives G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and Joe Courtney (D-CT), would allow schools to offer low-fat and fat-free milk, including flavored milk with no more than 150 calories per 8-ounce serving, to participants in the federal school lunch and breakfast programs. The bill allows individual schools and school districts to determine which milkfat varieties to offer their students. 

Once enacted, the bill would make permanent the administrative changes in the school lunch program proposed earlier this year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, in one of his first official actions earlier this year, supported giving school districts the option to offer a variety of milk types as part of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.     Read More   

Eli Lilly is reviewing 'strategic alternatives' for Elanco. Cargill to purchase Diamond V. 

Lilly considering Elanco's future
In late September, Elanco announced it was seeking to sell its recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) product, Posilac, and the product's Georgia manufacturing facilities. ( Read:  Elanco seeking to sell Posilac, Georgia production facility.)  This week, Elanco's parent company, Eli Lilly and Company, said the entire company may be for sale.

Cargill, Diamond V to join forces
Cargill announced it will acquire  Diamond V, including staff, products and other assets in the dairy, animal agriculture and human health business. The investment will expand Cargill's portfolio of "natural" feed ingredients and nutritional services.

Diamond V, celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2018, utilizes proprietary anaerobic fermentation technology, creating products that work naturally with the biology of the animal to strengthen the immune system and promote a healthy digestive system, enhancing animal health, animal performance and food safety.
Read More
Dairy policy analyst seeks input on economic stress
By Ray Mueller, Wisconsin State Farmer

With strategizing for policies in the 2018 Farm Bill emerging on the horizon, University of Wisconsin - Madison and Extension Service director of dairy policy analysis Mark Stephenson wants to know if dairy farmers are facing a tough economic period this year.

Stephenson used his appearance at the semi-annual farm management update sponsored by Extension Service offices in east central Wisconsin counties to pose that question to agricultural lenders who account for a majority of the attendees at the event.

Responses cited ever-increasing costs of farm equipment and service fees, low prices for cull dairy cows and bull calves, a tight labor market which drives hourly pay or salaries higher, a drop in premiums on milk checks, high costs for cropland purchases and rentals, accumulation of accounts payable due to relatively low milk prices in the past three years, and selling prices of bred dairy heifers which are lower than the cost of raising them.   Read More
How to Increase Milk Revenue and Profit, Pt. 1
BY John Geuss, MilkPrice Blog

This subject will be covered in two parts.  The first will deal with FMMO pricing and market movements.  The second will deal with how a producer can improve his income.  Because both subjects are linked, and are also a little complicated, they will be separated in two consecutive posts.

The first part, which will be covered below will explain why high butter prices are not much of  a benefit to producers. The second part, to be posted next week will show how a producer can improve his income and profit with changes he can control.

There is a lot of publicity in the dairy news as to how the current high butterfat prices are making a big contribution to the milk check.  In fact, while high butter prices can help a little, the key word is little.
Read more
By Don Ford, CBS San Francisco

Officials in San Francisco are preparing to enforce a new ordinance that will require city  stores that sell raw meat and poultry to label and list any antibiotics used to raise the livestock.

But some describe the  new ordinance as a recipe for disaster.  San Francisco will be the first city in the nation to impose such a requirement on supermarkets.     Read more  
Sponsor Registration for the 2018 GA Dairy Conference is Open!
Sponsorship registration is now open for the 2018 GA Dairy Conference!  Join us Jan. 15-17 in Savannah, GA,  for the premier Southeastern dairy conference.  

Each year the Georgia Dairy Conference  provides companies with the option to network with dairy producers and industry leaders, while extending a company's brand with several sponsorship opportunities. Dairymen from Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia have attended this conference in the past.
 
Don't wait - register today!  Georgia Milk Producers offers 4 levels of support for companies interested in sponsoring our conference and/or participating in our trade show.

5th Annual SQMI  Meeting will be November 8-9 in TN

The 5th Annual Southeast Quality Milk Initiative (SQMI) Meeting will be hosted by the University of Tennessee and held at the Inn at Opryland, Nashville, on November 8-9, 2017. SQMI is a USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative funded grant designed to enable dairy farmers to move profitably toward production practices compatible with the concept of a sustainable dairy industry in the Southeast. This program is being developed by milk quality professionals from six Southeast Land-Grant Universities and targets challenged dairy farms and those operations producing superior quality milk as demonstration herds. To accomplish this, we have integrated outreach, education, and research initiatives to improve milk quality and contribute to lower costs and greater revenues on-farm.  
Registration is now open for the 2017 AG Labor Relations Forum

 
The latest updates for growers, shippers, processors and other agricultural professionals regarding labor relations matters. Hear advice from industry experts to help you comply with new labor laws.  Click here for more information
Mark Your Calendars:
November  1      GDMS Repro Meeting, Americus
November 2       GDMS Repro Meeting, Eatonton
GA Dairy Classifieds

For Sale:  Jersey cows, heifers and calves for sale.  Registered with AJCA, all ages! Contact Matt Holton at 770-718-8271, call or text.  Dawsonville, GA.

HELP WANTED:   Farm and Livestock Supervisor for the Georgia Corrections Industries Dairy
located at the Rogers Farm Operations, Reidsville, Ga. Overview of duties include but not
limited to managing a farm and livestock operation. Supervise staff and inmates. Perform
administrative duties and oversees land, equipment and vehicles. For a more complete detail
of the job and how to apply please go to gdcjobs.com., Georgia Corrections Industries.

FOR SALE:  
TRIOLIET  SOLOMIX 2 1600 ZKT
  • TANDEM AXLE
  • DIGI STAR 3600V SCALE
  • RIGHT-LEFT-REAR DOORS
  • NEW HARD FACING ON AUGERS
  • NEW KNIVES
For information contact Jim Reid at 
229-924-2474 
or email at jim@reidbros.com

FOR SALE:  
Coastal Hay for sale.  $50 for 4 x 5 round bales or $6 a square bale.  Contact Ryan Keith in Waynesboro at 803-627-0762.

WANTED:  Looking to purchase 300 to 500 lb Holstein heifers. Please call Ray Ward  at 

FOR HIRE:  Custom Silage Harvesting.  Late model JD chopper. Will travel. Let me put your quality forage up! Nic Haynes, Muddy H Farms, 678-617-3379.

FOR SALE: 
We have a continuous selection of fresh and springing heifers.
 
Call William at  (706) 768-2857 or visit our website at 
 

Bullcalves Wanted : Looking for Bullcalves to purchase - Barron Tench 864-844-2295 or  barron.tench@gmail.com     
GA Milk Producers|706.310.0020 |  gamilkproducers@gmail.com | 
www.gamilk.org