Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews |
|
Williams Receives Honor at State Livestock Show
From Jenni Whitt, GA Farm Bureau
Congratulations to Morgan County/ Georgia Farm Bureau member Carol Williams for having the 2021 Georgia Junior National Livestock Show book dedicated to her! Carol, her husband, Everett Williams, & their children Justin, Daniel, Katie & Michelle, operate a 1,700-cow dairy farm in Morgan County.
Carol, center, accepted a plaque commemorating the book dedication & flowers from Morgan County Extension Coordinator Lucy Ray and Morgan County 4-H Youth Americorps Member Jay Moon during a presentation at the end of the GA Jr. National Commercial Dairy Heifer Show on Feb. 19.
|
|
Dairy Exhibitors Honor Memory of Longtime Producer, Dave Clark
By Kathryn Murray, Growing America
Almost twenty-five years ago, dairy producers and enthusiasts in Georgia stepped up to the plate to provide opportunities for more youth in the state to participate in the dairy industry. The Georgia Commercial Dairy Heifer Program was born in 1996, and to this day remains the only known program in the US to allow students to exhibit non-registered dairy heifers. The heifers are often loaned to students by dairy producers eliminating the need for a student to be from a dairy background in order to exhibit.
Dave Clark, Morgan County dairy farmer and owner/operator of Godfrey Dairy in Godfrey, Georgia, was one of the founding members of the Commercial Dairy Heifer Program and a key influencer in the youth program. “Dave was a big proponent of the youth and he did it very quietly,” says fellow Morgan County dairy farmer, Carol Williams. “He loaned calves out to kids to show and financially supported the Georgia Dairy Youth Foundation. It was all behind the scenes. If somebody needed something, sometimes it would just get done and no one knew he was doing it.”
Typically, exhibitors get calves in November, and then the first of two show seasons with the calf runs January through February. After February, the calves go back to the dairymen with a second show season commencing August through October.
|
|
USDA Report: U.S. Dairy Farm Numbers Continue to Decline
By Michael Nepveux, American Farm Bureau Federation Economist
This week, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released its monthly Milk Production report, showing yet another annual decline in the number of licensed dairy operations in the United States. After many years of depressed prices, some dairy farmers faced an extremely tough year as the industry struggled with a global pandemic, negative Producer Price Differentials and Federal Milk Marketing Order de-pooling while others enjoyed near record milk prices due to volatility in cheese prices (More Negative PPDs and De-Pooling Reignite Federal Milk Marketing Order Debate). This year-over-year decline in the number of dairy operations continues a long trend of farmers deciding to exit the dairy business. Since 2003, the U.S. has lost more than half of its licensed dairy operations, now just shy of 32,000 dairy operations. Read more here>>>
|
|
Adapting is the new norm
By Caitlin Rodgers, Georgia dairy farmer
Whoever said 2020 was the worst year ever or maybe even said it can’t get any worse, please refrain from speaking about the subject anymore. Honestly, I feel as if the weather of 2021 is having a fight with the pandemic that started in 2020 to see which one can outdo the other. So please, don’t say anything about how things can’t get worse . . . because obviously, they can. Many prayers go out to Texas right now. They are a lot like Georgians. We do not handle extreme winter weather very well. You throw a snowflake or two around here and all the schools and government complexes will shut down before the flakes hit the ground.
I have written many blogs with the word “adaption” inserted here and there. Well, at the time, I didn’t mean on this kind of level, but here we are. With the pandemic, historical weather, life altering situations, and so forth, I feel as if that is all we have done – adapt to the “new normal.” Read more here>>>
|
|
Annual Milk Production Report Shows U.S. Output Climbed 2.2 Percent
The annual production of milk for the United States during 2020 was 223 billion pounds, 2.2 percent above 2019.
According to the USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service, production per cow in the United States averaged 23,777 pounds for 2020, 382 pounds above 2019. The average annual rate of milk production per cow has increased 11.5 percent from 2011.
Meanwhile, the average number of milk cows on farms in the country was 9.39 million head, up 0.5 percent from 2019. The average number of milk cows was revised up 6,000 head for 2020. The average annual number of milk cows has increased 2.1 percent from 2011. Source: USDA
|
|
By Progressive Dairy Editor Dave Natzke
With producer milk checks inequitably influenced by current milk marketing and pricing practices, a grassroots dairy farmer effort is growing louder in its call to seek and implement reforms to the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system.
In its latest step, the effort includes asking dairy producers and dairy advocacy trade association representatives to sign on to a letter to the heads of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), seeking their leadership in addressing FMMO reforms. Read more here>>>
|
|
Quality Control: Good Habits Produce Better Milk
By Taylor Leach, Dairy Herd Management
Whether it’s paying attention to the tiniest detail or taking a step back to look at the big picture, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of what it takes to produce the best milk possible.
Equipment Tune-ups
While there are several factors that impact the quality of milk before it leaves the farm, it’s easy to dismiss the significance milking equipment plays. According to Brent Wilson, with Wilson Centennial Farm LLC, producing quality milk is the result of analyzing even the smallest details. Read more here>>>
|
|
2021 GDYF Annual Golf Tournament
Join us for the 2021 GA Dairy Youth Foundation Golf Tournament on March 26th at Lane Creek Golf Club in Bishop.
Your continued support is needed to grow our dairy FFA, 4-H and collegiate youth programs in Georgia!!
Lunch will start at 11 a.m. and tee time is at noon. Milk and Ice Cream will be served!!
|
|
Beyond Meat signs global partnerships with McDonald's and Yum Brands
By Alicia Kelso, Food Dive
The word "exclusive" doesn't appear in either McDonald's or Yum Brands' announcements, which perhaps means the door is open for other plant-based partnerships as these companies ramp up their offerings in the category.
A burning question here is how Beyond Meat will keep up with production given the scale of these companies, assuming the goal of these global agreements is to roll out across international markets. Yum Brands includes over 50,000 restaurants in more than 150 countries and territories. McDonald's has more than 36,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Beyond, however, now exists in approximately 122,000 retail and foodservice outlets in over 80 countries, so its footprint is keeping pace.
|
|
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>> |
|
TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com
UPDATED 1/15/2021
Seeking Beef and dairy crossed bullcalves/heifers bottled or weaned. Please contact Victoria Rowland at 404-922-0938 or 423-946-5869
Will Raise Heifers for GA Dairy Farms: Hello we are located in Southern Illinois and have an abundance of pasture and cheap feed available looking to contract with a dairy to grow heifers for them, out location offers mild climate and we are just 558 miles from Montezuma Ga. Please contact 817-528-6645 very reasonable daily rates.
For Sale- DeLaval 84 Vacuum Pump on Stand, Oil Reclaimer, 10 HP- 3 Phase Electric Motor. New Bearings, New Oil Seal, New Belts. $2000
For sale - Please contact Archie Felder for more information at 803-682-3426:
- Dairy Tech Bay Pasturizer - $4,000
- Tidenberg Hydraulic Hoof Table (like new) - $5,000
- Claas Silage Choppers - 960 1875 cutterhead hours, 4WD, 600 orbis, HD300 PU - $180,000
- Koomin John Deere Corn Header adapter for Claus Silage Chopper Used - $6,000
WANTED: Peter's Cattle Co. will buy any dairy, beef, and cross, bottle or weaned, bulls, heifers or free martins. Pick up weekly 7 days a week. Chris- 470-255-8515
Bull Calves WANTED: Competitive pricing with 6 day a week pickup. Brandon Mason Cattle Company 912-632-4490
|
|
Farmer to Farmer Support Program Available for SE dairy farmers
Farmers across the Southeast are experiencing uncertain times like never before. All aspects of agriculture have been hit by market losses due to COVID-19, but dairy has reached a level of uncertainty that many have never experienced.
As we navigate through these next few months, dairy producers across the Southeast have come together to introduce the "Farmer to Farmer Support Program." If you find that you need support or would like to talk to a fellow farmer or industry friend, they have several volunteers that are willing and able to help. Georgia Milk Producers has also put together a packet on the program that you can access by clicking here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
