Eberly Family Farm, Waynesboro
There will not be a E-news next week on Friday, July 27
'It just breaks my heart' | Generations reflect on times spent at Braselton's Mayfield Dairy
From WXIA, 11Alive.com

BRASELTON, Ga. - For Maggie, the Jersey Cow, the end is near as the Mayfield Dairy Visitor's Center closes at the end of next month, followed by the entire plant shutting down by the end of the year.

Maggie, the giant, statue on wheels at the entrance of the plant, has stood watch over Braselton for decades as the symbol of Mayfield Dairy.

Generations of children with memories of seeing how milk and ice cream are made, children who are grown now, are sad that the tradition is ending before it can become part of their own children's lives.Those countless school children and their families will now cherish those memories of visiting the plant in Braselton and taking their pictures with Maggie.

But their memories are no match for the economic realities of the changing dairy marketplace.

Mayfield's parent company, Dean Foods based in Texas, is closing the dairy as the company consolidates operations with another plant, out of state. 108 people, many who have worked there since the plant opened in 1997, will be looking for work as layoffs begin in September.

By the end of November, everyone will be gone.  Read more
Technology To Bring More Efficient Milking For One East Georgia Dairy
By GA Farm Monitor

Excitement is in the air at Hillcrest Farm in Dearing, Georgia, this summer. Owners Mark and Andy Rodgers are preparing to become the first operation in the state with robotic milking stations.

Soy 'Milk' Makers May Need to Find Alternative Description
By CANDICE CHOI, AP Food Industry Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Soy and almond drinks that bill themselves as "milk" may need to consider alternative language after a top regulator suggested the agency may start cracking down on use of the term.

The Food and Drug Administration signaled plans to start enforcing a federal standard that defines "milk" as coming from the "milking of one or more healthy cows." That would be a change for the agency, which has not aggressively gone after the proliferation of plant-based drinks labeled as "milk."

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb talked about the plans this week, noting there are hundreds of federal "standards of identity" spelling out how foods with various names need to be manufactured.

"The question becomes, have we been enforcing our own standard of identity," Gottlieb said about "milk" at the Politico event Tuesday. "The answer is probably not." Read more
House introduces new bipartisan ag guestworker bill

House leadership announced that they are committed to bringing a combination Agricultural Guestworker (AG) Act and Legal Workforce Act to the House floor for a vote this month. On Wednesday, the bill was unveiled with bipartisan support in an effort to provide a fix to the burdensome H-2A agricultural guestworker program.

The AG Act and Legal Workforce Act replaces current H-2A agricultural guestworker program with a workable new program, known as the H-2C program, to ensure that America's farmers and ranchers have access to a reliable workforce.

The H-2C program is available to both seasonal and year-round agricultural employers. Legislators say it provides a "generous visa allocation to ensure labor needs are met, provides much-needed flexibility to minimize disruptions in farm operations, eliminates regulatory burdens and contains effective accountability and enforcement provisions." These provisions are supported by more than 200 agriculturalgroups, including the American Farm Bureau Federation.   Read more
GA Forages: Insect Update
INSECT UPDATE: Bermudagrass Stem Maggot and Fall Army Worms have been spotted at treatable levels in areas South of I - 20. Producers in and around this area need to stay vigilant!

Producers who are cutting hay in these areas should consider implementing the BSM suppression technique 7-10 days after cutting. Producers just above this area should be scouting for damage and implementing the suppression protocol accordingly. For more information on managing and mitigating bermudagrass stem maggots, click here  . For information on insecticide recommendations for BSM, click here  .
 
Producers also need to keep an eye out for Fall Army Worms. An infestation can seem to occur almost overnight so it is very important to scout and scout often! The use of pyrethroid insecticides to knock down populations might be the most economical option in a hayfield that is nearing harvest. For information insecticide recommendations for FAW, click here.
By Corey Geiger, Hoard's Dairyman

Citing market conditions that are in a "state of flux, aggravated by challenging national dairy product markets," National All-Jersey and its fellow proponents withdrew their proposal for a multiple component pricing hearing in Orders 5 and 7. Those Federal Milk Market Orders represent the Appalachian region and the Southeast.

In reading the letter addressed to Dana Coale, deputy administrator for USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, it's clear that National All-Jersey, 14 milk cooperatives, and three statewide producer organizations would like to revisit the issue, however.

"While none of these variabilities in marketing conditions lessens in any way the need for, or proponents' support for multiple component pricing (MCP) in the two Orders, resources needed to advance our case for MCP in the two Orders must be redeployed to handle pressing day-to-day marketing issues," wrote National All-Jersey's Erick Metzger on behalf of the fellow proponents.

The case for multiple component pricing
"The absence of multiple component pricing for the Southeast and Appalachian markets has caused marketing inefficiencies by creating inequitable procurement costs and understated revenue for producers," wrote Metzger in the May 10, 2018, Hoard's Dairyman article, " It's time to expand multiple component pricing."

At the close of that article, Metzger continued, ". . . it is worth noting that since the Great Basin Order first adopted MCP nearly 30 years ago, no federal order has reverted to skim-butterfat pricing after adopting multiple component pricing. Certainly, that track record of success shows that MCP works well for both producers and processors."

Move would erode milk checks
"MCP pricing would continue to erode production within the boundaries by moving dollars out (of the region)," wrote John Harrison in the July 2018 issue of Hoard's Dairyman in his article, " Move to multiple component pricing would erode milk checks."

"We just experience months of producers losing their market while at the same time all this other milk that is associated with these orders continues to flow here," the Tennessee dairyman continued when speaking of Orders 5 and 7. "Let's bring some common sense back to milk orders," he concluded. Read more
UGA Seeking Senior Farm Manager for ADS Beef and Dairy Farms in Athens/Eatonton 
The University of Georgia Animal and Dairy Science Department is seeking to hire a Senior Farm Manager to oversee management of all ADS Beef and Dairy Farms in Athens and Eatonton areas.  This position reports directly to the Head of the Animal and Dairy Science Department (ADS). Duties of the position include, but are not limited to, 1) providing budgetary management to ensure that all farm units are operated in a fiscally sound manner, 2) providing direct oversight of all the farming and livestock operations in ADS to ensure that each farm efficiently utilizes all available resources, each farm's infrastructure is properly maintained and each farm's practices are in compliance with current industry, governmental and university standards an regulations, 3) working with faculty and farm staff to ensure that the research, teaching and extension missions are accomplished. For additional information click here.
Attention Farmers: Just Stop It - You're Better Than That

I never grow tired of sharing the unparalleled success story of agriculture... from how far we have come in improvements in animal care and soil health and conservation, to how excited I am for the future of agriculture with so many young, bright, enthusiastic people entering food production. I am passionate about protecting the role of science, technology and innovation in agriculture. I take a lot of pride in promoting the exceptional job of the 1% and my respect and admiration for farmers extends a lifetime. But being world leaders in the efficiency of growing and raising food comes at a price. Food is a commodity, whether we like it or not. Every person no longer needs to grow their own food to feed themselves or their family, and now has the time to pursue other careers and interests instead of planting, weeding, harvesting and praying every day that Mother Nature cooperates to support a healthy crop. As consumers, we are both truly spoiled and blessed.

But I AM tired of people in agriculture attacking each other. I understand that in an economic crisis, it is our instinct as humans to lash out and want to hurt others when we are hurting. I hear farmers fueling the "big is bad" message and using words like "factory", "industrial", and "mega," which are all terms coined by anti-agriculture activists. I hear others using the words "small," "inefficient" and "old-fashioned" as synonyms carrying a negative connotation. I challenge all of you and say...we are better than that.    Read more
Meet the Milk Company Trying to Upend How You Get Your Calcium
By 
Grant and Taylor Nicole Roger, The UpStreet
 
Traditional milk? Who drinks that anymore?

From the 1980s to 2015, milk consumption in the U.S. plummeted 25% according to the American Farm Bureau as people sought out healthier lifestyles. At the same time, almond and coconut milk consumption soared 66% and 111%, respectively, amid their  perceived health benefits.    Read more 
By Progressive Dairyman Editor Dave Natzke
 
The USDA's July  World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report substantially reduced milk price outlooks for 2018 and 2019, while also cutting milk production estimates for both years. Although tempered by lower expected feed costs, lower milk prices will likely weaken producer margins, resulting in lower cow numbers and slower growth in milk per cow, according to the report.

The 2018 milk production estimate was cut 100 million pounds from last month's forecast to 217.9 billion pounds. If realized, it would be up just 1.1 percent from 2017. Over the past three months, USDA had cut the 2018 milk production forecast by 1.1 billion pounds.    Read more 

Before I get on my soapbox, I'll be honest with you: I wasn't always on the full-fat dairy train. When I was growing up, my family always bought low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese. After all, that's what was considered healthy in the '90s and early aughts.

But within the last few years, I've changed my tune, switching to whole milk, whole-milk yogurts, regular cheese, and butter instead of Smart Balance. That's largely in part to the growing body of scientific evidence that's saying the saturated fat in dairy may not actually be so bad. Not to mention,  whole milk tastes a hell of a lot better than watery skim-both in my coffee and mixed with chocolate syrup after a speed workout.  Read more  
Fuel Up to Play 60 summit promotes dairy, healthy living

The 2018 Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador Summit was held in Atlanta, Ga., this week to help encourage youth to lead healthier lives and to promote agriculture's role in society. Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and National Football League (NFL), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This year's summit brought together approximately 215 students and 92 educators from 46 states to exchange ideas and participate in workshops and activities. The event provided students and educators with leadership and communications training opportunities to enhance their program engagement in the upcoming school year. Additionally, customized activities deepened participants' knowledge of agriculture, specifically dairy farming and where their food comes from.    Read more   

GA Dairy Classifieds

For HIRE: Southeast DHIA 
has a position to fill in the 
West Central Georgia area for a 
FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIAN. 
 Responsibilities include data 
collection on area dairy farms 
during milking time. S
chedule is somewhat flexible 
but the hours are non-typical. S
ome travel and out-of-town 
work likely. 
Applicants should be comfortable 
with computers and software and
have good communication and 
organizational skills as well as 
reliable transportation. Pickup Truck required. I
f interested send a resume to 
 
For Sale:
  8 high quality Holstein heifers due Sept and Oct. AI bred and AI sired. $1400. Ray Ward 706-473-8789.

Private Herd Disperal: Small herd in Millen is dispersing their herd.  100 milk cows, 30 dry cows and additional heifers for sale.  Holstein/Jersey Cross. If interested please email gamilkproducers@gmail.com for more information.

For Sale: 
WW Livestock Systems Hydraulic Head shoot, never used, excellent condition, kept  under roof.  Listed for $23,041 asking $15,000 or reasonable offer.  Call M
aggie 352-507- 
2042 or email:  hartagriculture@outlook.com
 
For Sale: Custom manure application and Dryhill manure equipment sales. 
Contact Edwin @ 478-299-0717 with Agboys Custom Services LLC  - 
New 8"x52' lagoon pump with outriggers $24,000 (Pictured right)

For Sale 3000 gallon Surge/Westfalia milk tank and wash system. Three phase condensers. 2002 model. Excellent condition. John B Gay, 478-494-5107

WANTED: DeLaval Westfalia
 Neck Transponders:  TN Dairy seeking used Westfalia neck band transponders. 
Please contact Bill or Peggy Howell if interested at 423-972-9254 or 423-371-3032.

WANTED: Looking for used pasteurizing and bottling equipment in working condition; Linda and Darrell Rankins, Jr.; 334-745-2357 (best times: mid-day and after 8 p.m.)

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.

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     
Upcoming Events:

AGAware Workshops Scheduled for Summer   
AgGeorgia and AgSouth are pleased to announce the dates and locations locked down for another round of AGAware workshops. Van McCall will present an exciting and fun-filled, educational workshop on farm finance.  The classes are from  9 am until 4 pm with lunch provided and there is no charge to attend. The workshops are certified for FSA borrower credits as well.   Click here for more information . This is a hands-on workshop with actual projects conducted during the training. 
 
For more information about AGAware, contact Christy Smith at  CSmith@AgSouthFC.com or  912-764-9091 or Corey Cottle at  CCottle@AgGeorgia.com  or  478-987-8300 x253.
GA Milk Producers|706.310.0020 |  gamilkproducers@gmail.com | 
www.gamilk.org

Georgia Milk Producers has been named a 2017 All Star Award winner by Constant Contact , an  Endurance International Group  company and a leader in email marketing solutions. The annual award recognizes the most successful 10 percent of Constant Contact's customer base, based on their significant achievements using email marketing to engage their customer base and drive results for their organization during the prior year.  GA Milk utilizes the Constant Contact marketing service each Friday with their GA Milk Weekly Enews and has received this award for the last three years. Thank you to our many subscribers!!