Family and tradition keeps Hale's Dairy Farm running
By Katy Tiller, The Oconee Enterprise

For more than 100 years, the land at the corner of Hale and Colham Ferry roads has been passed down through generations of farmers.  Currently 400 acres, Hale's Dairy Farm was pieced together by past and current members of the Hale family.

In 1957 when dairy farmer Albert Hale was five years old, his family moved from his grandmother's property five miles down the road to that of his great uncle.
May milk production up slightly
From Feedstuffs

Milk production in the 23 major states during May totaled 17.9 billion lb., up 0.9% from May 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest "Milk Production" report. April's revised production, at 17.3 billion lb., was 0.5% higher than April 2017 and represented a decrease of 18 million lb., or 0.1%, from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major states averaged 2,052 lb. for May, 15 lb. above May 2017. This is the highest production per cow for the month of May since the 23-state series began in 2003, USDA reported.
The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major states was 8.74 million head, 10,000 head more than in May 2017 and 2,000 head more than in April 2018.

Milk production for the entire U.S. during May totaled 19.1 billion lb., up 0.8% from May 2017. Production per cow averaged 2,031 lb. for May, 15 lb. above May 2017. The number of U.S. milk cows totaled 9.40 million head, 3,000 head more than in May 2017 and 2,000 head more than in April 2018.
Dean Foods says no plans to end more contracts with local farmers
By 

Dewey Morgan, The Dairy Post-Athenian

Dean Foods will not end any more dairy contracts with local farmers for the time being, according to an official with the company.

Mayfield Dairy held a Farmer Appreciation Luncheon Wednesday during which it invited local farmers to come by and enjoy a free lunch and ice cream and hear from people affiliated with Mayfield and its parent company, Dean Foods.

One of those speakers was Brent Bunce, director of operations for Dairy Direct, and he said during the event that the company does not expect to end any more contracts with dairy farmers. Read more
Legislation Proposed to Spark Innovation in Dairy Processing
 

The Dairy Business Innovation Act was proposed by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) as a way to promote innovation in dairy processing while provide technical assistance and grants to dairy businesses.

The  legislation was announced on June 21 and establishes regional initiatives that have the goal of revolutionizing dairy processing. The hope of the bill is to create more value for dairy farmers' milk by addressing the current milk oversupply with innovations in processing.

"It's critical that farmers, cheesemakers and dairy processors have tools to innovate and develop new dairy products to build a brighter future for our dairy farms and drive our rural economy forward," says Baldwin. "I'm proud to introduce this legislation to create new initiatives and expand resources for our dairy businesses to foster innovation, improve their manufacturing practices and reach new markets."     Read more  
GOVERNOR DEAL SIGNS ALL AGRIBUSINESS LEGISLATION INTO LAW
From GA Agribusiness Council

With a long list of legislation impacting agribusiness, Governor Deal never hesitated in signing every one of them. We are grateful for the legislators and Governor Deal for their support of our state's ag and forestry interests. Here's the quick summary of new ag laws starting July 1, 2018:

GATE:  Much needed changes to the GATE program are included in    HB 886.  Here is a comparison of the current GATE program vs. what changes are in the new law.

AG WATER METERING:  SB 451  fu rther clarifies ag metering responsibilities without mandating burd ens on ag water permittees.   Georgia EPD will contract the reading of all irrigation meters and requires them to also contract out irrigation meter installation, maintenance, and repairs.

AG EDUCATION:  SB 330   provides for the Georgia Department of Education to establish an agricultural education pilot program for elementary schools to be initiated in the 2019-2020 school year.

FORESTRY:  HR 51  and  HB 85   provide for a constitutional amendment to update the current formula for determining the fair market value of forest land as part of the very important  Forest Land Protection Act (FLPA) .  Now that it is on the November 2018 ballot, it must receive over 50% of the vote to go into effect.   

FY 2019 STATE BUDGET:  The  FY 19 Big Budget  delivers  a long list of benefits to programs impacting agriculture.

RURAL PLANNING:  HB 951   establishes the  Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation  and will be located in Tifton at ABAC.

Peel Back the Label's poke at shows how some companies might be fudging the truth about your food.

In North Carolina, plant-based milk isn't milk, but only if other southern states agree
By John Breslin, Forbes.com

North Carolina's General Assembly passed its farm bill last week, but a late amendment means there will no enforcement of a ban on labeling plant-based products as "milk" until more than 10 other states pass similar legislation.

The amendment was inserted into the Senate version of the North Carolina Farm Bill on June 14 following pressure from retailers and others that argued the state cannot go it alone on labeling.

Eleven other states from the Southern Dairy Compact must "adopt similar policies to address mislabeling of plant-based products as 'milk' before the Department is directed to implement its enforcement plan," the amendment states.    Read more
By DairyBusiness Team


Recently I was asked to share insights and observations about the changing consumer landscape and the implications these changes hold for the dairy industry. As global lead of our food & beverage industry groups, I am always working with our teams to look beyond trends to mine for the insights that can shape innovative strategies and deliver business results.

There is absolutely no doubt that the consumer marketplace has been totally upended. Seismic change washed over our businesses when we entered into the Age of Social Media. Within the blink of an eye, power and control flipped from corporate America to 'the people.' Literally anyone with a device had become not just a publisher but also an influencer. Democratized information platforms have put brand and business destinies in the hands of 'the people.' To many in business this is a source of pain and, to some, utter frustration. We can no longer control information. What is fake and real news? Who and where are the real authorities. What happened to facts and science?

The New Norm
Welcome to the 'new norm.' We are never going back to the way it was. The genie is out of the bottle. Our challenge and opportunity today is to be equally aggressive in shifting our way of thinking; our perceptions; and, most importantly, shifting away from tried and true strategies. Our generation is literally writing the Marketing Playbook of Tomorrow TODAY. We cannot expect yesterday's thinking or tactics to work when nearly every variable in the equation has changed.      Read more
By  Tom Karst, The Packer


By a razor-thin 213-211 vote, the House of Representatives passed the farm bill June 21.
The  Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2) had no Democratic support in the vote. Democrats had universally opposed provisions changing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program work requirements. The House bill would require several million 'work capable' adults ages 18-59 to work at least 20 hours a week to get food stamps or spend equal time in job training.

"I'm proud of what this body has accomplished, and now look forward to working with the Senate and the president to deliver a farm bill on time to the American people," House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, said after the vote.

The Senate version of the farm bill has  passed out of the Senate Agriculture CommitteeJune 13 and may be taken up by the full Senate before the July Fourth recess.     Read more
New PETA Billboard Honors '10 Gentle Cows' 
KENNESAW, GA - PETA, the organization known for using controversial tactics to encourage people adopt a vegan lifestyle, has made good on its promise to pay tribute to the 10 cows that died last week in an accident on Interstate 75 in Kennesaw.

The organization has placed a billboard near site of the crash, which tied up the May 17 morning rush hour traffic for hours.

The billboard shows a cow's face next to the words, "I'm ME, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan." The sign is on the northbound side of I-75 about .2 miles south of Allgood Road NE. It will be in place through July 15, the company added.   Read more
Mayfield to hire 50 in Athens plant
From The Daily Post Athenian
 
Mayfield Dairy Farms in Athens plans to hire approximately 50 new employees beginning immediately as it anticipates an increase in production volume in the coming months.

The additional volume will be coming from Mayfield's facility in Braselton, Ga., which will close this year as part of an overall network optimization project for Mayfield's parent company, Dean Foods, according to Mayfield's Athens interim plant manager Conn Comerford.

"The volume we are gaining shows us that Dean Foods views our plant as a valuable part of our operations network," Comerford said. "This can be attributed to the talented people we have working here in Athens."
It's June Dairy Month! Let's Share How Great GA's Dairy Industry Is!


Georgia Milk Producers updated our Georgia Dairy Facts page just in time for 
June Dairy Month.   Click here to download and share online or during farm tours!!  Let's celebrate our dairy industry.

As the food court at a Sacramento mall buzzed with families on a recent summer day, Emily Wickelgren and her daughter Thea were enjoying lunch at Subway. The 7-year-old opted for water with her sandwich instead of soda or juice.
 
"I do have unusual kids in that neither one of them likes soda and they don't really like juice," said, Wickelgren, the mom of two daughters.
 
This is what many legislators hope will be the new norm for more California families. Under a  bill advancing in the Capitol, restaurants could offer only water or milk with meals marketed for children. Not soda. Not juice. Not chocolate milk. Read more  

The Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and food expo is right around the corner. IFT18: A Matter of Science + Food will take place in Chicago July 15 to 18, 2018. For more information, link HERE.


Like with any exposition, in the weeks leading up to the event, editors get inundated with press releases announcing new products and innovative applications, which is what IFT is all about. It goes without saying that plant-based foods will dominate the show floor. Color companies will be coloring them and flavoring companies will be...yep, you guessed it, flavoring them. Nutrient companies will be making them delivery vehicles for everything from caffeine to fiber to vitamins.

I encourage you to explore these innovations. And so do others in the dairy industry.

John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board, authored an excellent column for the June 8, 2018, issue of Cheese Market News. He wrote:

"There are many loyal dairy consumers getting caught up in experimentation, and we must be very careful how we address those who may be a little more adventurous. We find dairy and dairy alternatives in the same refrigerators and consumers don't seem to have anywhere near the problem with that as we do. They're already consuming both. Telling consumers they are wrong is not going to gain their loyalty, we must show them how we fit in."        Read more   
From American Dairy Coalition via Hoards.com

The House of Representatives just passed its version of the farm bill. The vote was 213 - 211, which includes farm and nutrition policy legislation. The Senate will vote on its version for the farm bill next week. 

One of two immigration bills, called the "Goodlatte bill", failed on the House floor this morning. This bill included the AG Act. 

The second immigration bill has been postponed for a vote on the House floor. This version does not include any policy language that would help dairy producers find necessary workers they need so desperately.

A New Immigration Bill on the Horizon: 

This is not time for the dairy industry to give up on finding a way to ensure our labor force. The failure of the Goodlatte bill allows us an opportunity to move forward the new stand-alone guest-worker bill with highly valuable new provisions and decreased government bureaucracy.  Read more  
From The Bullvine

China responded to the $34 billion tariffs President Trump placed on Chinese goods on Friday, with a promise to impose reciprocal levies on a range of American products, including agricultural products, cars and seafood. Among products listed are whole milk powder and skimmed milk powder, two products the U.S. has traditionally sent in large quantities to China. Lactose, infant formula, casein and caseinates are the only powder products not included on the list. Tariffs on $34 billion of goods will take effect from July 6, according to Reuters. Other tariffs will be announced at a later date. 

"China and the U.S. have conducted several rounds of negotiations in an attempt to resolve our differences and achieve win-win results," a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said on Friday. "We deeply regret that the United States has disregarded the consensus it has formed and flip-flopped, provoking a trade war."
Read more  
GA Dairy Classifieds

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: 40 high quality Holstein heifers bred to calf this summer and fall. Start calving in July, 40 yrs AI breeding 24,000 herd average. Ray Ward 706-473-8789.

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     
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. 

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!!