GA Milk Runs Ads in Local Newspapers for Dairy Month 

During June Dairy Month, Georgia Milk Producers is running advertisements in local papers across the state to highlight our industry's economic impact of more than $1 Billion in 2016 and tackling some common milk misconceptions. The ads will run in at least 15 papers, covering the major dairy counties of Georgia.  The newspapers are: Athens Banner Herald, Americus Times, Bainbridge Post Searchlight, Baxley News Banner, Citizen Georgian Montezuma, Morgan County Citizen, Gainesville Times, Lake Oconee News, Newnan Times Herald, Quitman Free Press, Rome News Tribune, The News and Farmer (Jefferson Co.), The News Reporter (Wilkes Co) and the True Citizen (Burke Co.). If a dairyman would like to run an ad in their local paper, please contact our office at 706-310-0020.  
It's time for milk processors to tap into the cap 

Milk is in 91% of all U.S. homes, yet half of the protein-craving consumers don't realize that milk is a good source of protein. Imagine the effect on dairy consumption if we reinforce milk's protein message to consumers over 55 times a month. The potential is huge. It's time for processors to tap into the power of the milk cap.   Read more
'I Need More Mexicans': A Kansas Farmer's Message to Trump

Undocumented immigrants make up about half the workforce in U.S. agriculture, according to various estimates. But that pool of labor is shrinking, which could spell trouble for farms, feedlots, dairies, and meatpacking plants-particularly in a state such as Kansas, where unemployment in many counties is barely half the already tight national rate. "Two weeks ago, my boss told me, 'I need more Mexicans like you,'" says a 25-year-old immigrant employed at a farm in the southwest part of the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he's trying to get his paperwork in order. "I said, 'Well, they're kind of hard to find.'"  Read more 
Middle Ga. dairy farm keeps cows comfortable during hot weather
By Matt Mackie, 

MONTEZUMA, Ga. -- As Middle Georgia enters the dog days of summer, dairy farmers work to keep their cows cool.

Pete Gelber with Barrington Dairy said that keeping cows from getting too stressed from heat helps them make more milk.

"A cow is like a person," Gelber said. "We all like to go on picnics, but we like to pick our days. When it's hot and steamy out, we don't like to sit outside. When it's real cold and rainy, we don't like to sit outside. So on a nice day a cow likes to be outside but, unfortunately, here in the southeast, there aren't that many nice days."   Read more 

More than 600 acres of agricultural research conducted by various UGA commodity teams, as well as industry, will be on display during the field day. The event is free and registration will begin at 7:15 a.m. Trams depart for the field tours at 8 a.m. and the event concludes at noon.


Do you find yourself saying that when someone shares information on Facebook about the latest "Never eat this!" ingredient or makes a comment from out of left field about how farmers douse their crops with pesticides?

Often, the immediate reaction is to pass judgment on what we think they know and fire back with information - lots of information. That should educate them, right? They just need the facts.
Read more 
All fresh Brazilian beef imports now banned from the US

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the suspension of all fresh beef imports from Brazil due to " recurring concerns about the safety of the products intended for the American market".

According to the USDA, this suspension will last until the Brazilian Ministry for Agriculture takes corrective action - which US authorities deem to be "satisfactory".

Outlining its reasoning for such action, the USDA revealed that its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been inspecting all Brazilian meat imports into the country since March.

Of this,  11% of Brazil's fresh beef products have been rejected - a considerably higher  figure than the 1% rejection rate of imports from other counties.  Read more
U.S. MILK PRODUCTION MOVING NORTH

A dairy expert says milk production has shifted more to the north since 2015.  Mark Stephenson is the University of Wisconsin Center For Dairy Profitability Director. 

He says with few exceptions, there's a lot less milk produced in the south than just a few years ago.  "In these northern-tier states, we only have three states... Montana, Massachusetts and Rhode Island... that have actually declined in milk production and those are relatively insignificant milk-producing states, anyway.  Everybody else has increased milk production.  You look south of that line, there are only three states... Arizona, Texas, and Georgia... that have increased milk production.  Everybody else has declined."  Read more  
By Dave Natzke, Progressive Dairyman

Whether the U.S. pursues a resolution to the current dairy trade dispute with Canada by seeking judgment through the World Trade Organization (WTO) or through renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the issue is likely to be contentious for years.
While the outcome of either or both paths is uncertain, a recent report from Rabobank explores three possible directions for NAFTA:

1) NAFTA remains unchanged.
2) NAFTA is renegotiated.
3) No agreement is reached and NAFTA is broken apart.

In the report, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness dairy analysts look primarily at how possible NAFTA disbandment or renegotiation could impact U.S. dairy producers. They conclude dissolution of NAFTA would be the worst-case scenario, while renegotiation is far more likely. President Donald Trump moved in that direction in May, informing Congress of its intent to renegotiate the 24-year-old agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.  Read more
Food Evolution Movie Challenges Public Fear Of GMOs

In a hypothetical world devoid of emotions, morality or loyalty, credible information would easily sway people from fact-scarce beliefs. In the real world,  the information deficit model , which dictates that people disagree with scientific consensus simply because they lack facts, doesn't hold up. It's no different when it comes to public distrust of genetic engineering (GE, better known as GMO)-people rely on their guts, emotions, and often inaccurate information from profiteers and ideologues to form their opinions.

The Food Evolution  documentary, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Scott Hamilton Kennedy and narrated by pop astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, navigates the thorny landscape of a debate that often casts GMOs as a scapegoat for myriad perceived ills of modern agriculture. With the gap between public opinion and consensus on the safety and benefit of GMOs wider than with any other scientific issue, the average consumer may have more questions than answers on these technologies.
Read more    
USDA Seeks Nominees to the National Dairy Board
From USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominations for the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Nominations must be submitted by July 10, 2017.

The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 12 dairy producers and one importer to serve 3-year terms beginning Nov. 1, 2017, and ending Oct. 31, 2020. The selected representatives will replace board members whose terms expire Oct. 31, 2017.

Nominations will be accepted from the following regions: Region 1 (Alaska, Oregon, and Washington), Region 3 (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming), Region 4 (Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), Region 5 (Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota), Region 6 (Wisconsin), Region 7 (Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska), Region 8 (Idaho), Region 9 (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia), Region 10 (Alabama, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia), and Region 12 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont).  The Secretary will appoint two members for Region 4 and Region 6, and one for each of the remaining regions and the dairy importer position.

USDA established the 37-member Board under the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983. Since 1966, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards that are industry-funded and empower agricultural industries with a framework to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.  

The Cornell Dairy Executive Program is now accepting applications for its latest class, to begin in December 2017.  This unique educational opportunity, organized by the PRO-DAIRY Program at Cornell University, is a professional educational program in leadership and management principles for progressive dairy executives and agriservice personnel, focused on increasing their ability to run a successful dairy business and enhancing their understanding of the fast-changing dairy industry.  By coming to this program, participants will continue to develop the necessary leadership and business management skills to lead their dairy business into the future. 
 
Timely topics in dairy business management are presented by a team of national experts from within and outside of the field of agriculture through three multi-day sessions over a 12-month period.  Participants attending the program can expect to develop 1- and 5-year strategic business plans through a comprehensive self-evaluation of their business, while building a network of dairy executives and business relationships.  All sessions take place at The Statler Hotel on the Cornell University campus, where a typical day includes presentations, individual study, small group discussions and roundtable discussions with faculty.
 
Detailed information, including an application, can be found online at http://prodairy.cals.cornell.edu/dairyexec/ or by contacting Heather Darrow, Conference Coordinator at (607) 255-4478 or hh96@cornell.edu.  Class size is limited to 30 participants - register TODAY! Registration deadline is October 15.   
Mark Your Calendars:
 
GA Dairy Classifieds

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 SALE: Kuhn 1014 Manure Spreader for $9,000 - Contact Randall Ruff, Elbert County, at 706-498-4344

FOR SALE: 
20 Calftel Calf Hutches for $200 each - Contact Randall Ruff, Elbert County, at 706-498-4344

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

For 2016, Georgia Milk Producers, Inc. has once AGAIN been named an All Star Award winner by 
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, the trusted marketing adviser to hundreds of thousands of small organizations worldwide. The annual award recognizes the most successful 10% of Constant Contact's customer base, based on their significant achievements leveraging online marketing tools to engage their customer base and drive results for their organization.