Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
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See you next week at the SUNBELT AG EXPO - October 15-17
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The
42nd
Sunbelt Ag Expo
is open Tuesday through Thursday,
October 15-17
, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 (T,W) and 4:00 (Th). Admission at the gate is $10 per person per day. Advanced and discount tickets can be purchased online beginning August 1. The Show site is four miles southeast of Moultrie, GA on Hwy 133. For more information, see the show website at
sunbeltexpo.com
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South Carolina dairymen get first glimpse of robotic milking system at Clemson
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Dairymen are a hardy lot known for tending their herds through the worst weather and toughest conditions.
But even the hardiest dairyman can be forgiven for breaking out his handkerchief and dabbing the sweat from his brow during the unveiling of the new robotic milking system Oct. 3 at Clemson University’s LaMaster Dairy Farm.
More than 130 people attended the robotic dairy opening. Attendees were given tours of the dairy.
The dairy farmers gathered with legislators, Clemson administrators, animal scientists and Clemson Cooperative Extension agents during the early fall heatwave that brought 97-degree temperatures to the Upstate.
The cows were in the comfort of their freestall barn where they were being fanned, spritzed, fed and gently milked in the only university robotic milking facility in the Southeast, and looked upon the proceedings as if to say, “What’s wrong with y’all?”
“We started [designing the dairy] about five years ago, and it was designed for total cow comfort,” said Steve Waggoner, Clemson University dairy farm manager. “It milks the cows individually and you can get individual information on each cow. The robotics run 24/7. It will milk a cow now, two hours from now or ten hours from now without having to use manual labor in shifts.”
Read more here>>>
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Friedly Named SE Federal Milk Marketing Order Administrator
From USDA
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Harold H. Friedly, Jr. was recently named the Market Administrator for the Southeast and Florida Milk Marketing Orders. Harold will continue to serve as the Appalachian Market Administrator.
Harold has served as the Appalachian Market Administrator since July 2003. With over 36 years of experience working with the USDA-AMS-Dairy Program, Harold has held a variety of positions in the Appalachian and predecessor Federal milk marketing orders resulting in a diverse background and vast experience base. Harold’s familiarity with the Southeastern United States and stakeholders in the region will ensure consistency in the administration of these two orders and enhance efficiencies in overall operations.
Since May 2018, Shawn Boockoff has served as the Acting Market Administrator for these two orders. In September, Shawn was named the Northeast Market Administrator.
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Dean Foods leaving IDFA over labeling issue
From The Fencepost
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In a sign of the growing conflict between animal-based and plant-based beverages, Dean Foods, a major dairy company, has left the International Dairy Foods Association over IDFA’s unwillingness to oppose the labeling of plant-based beverages as milk, the company said late Tuesday.
Dean Foods issued the following statement:
“Dean Foods has been a strong supporter of the International Dairy Foods Association for many years, however we have reached a point where one of our key priorities is no longer shared by the entire IDFA organization. More specifically, as one of the largest dairy processors in the country, we are proud of the role we play in providing one of the most nutritious products in the grocery store – milk – to consumers around the nation. With this in mind, we believe it is wrong that many plant-based products are currently marketed using milk’s good name yet are lacking several of the inherent nutrients of their dairy counterparts. Unfortunately, IDFA has been unable to reach consensus and take a stance on this important issue.
Read more here>>>
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Market holds promise for dairy sector
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Improved prices appear likely for the dairy sector in the coming year, according to Ben Laine, dairy analyst for Rabo AgriFinance.
Laine told Feedstuffs during the 2019 World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., that the strengthening of prices will largely be due to flat milk production.
“I think the fact that production is being held back is going to help strengthen prices going into next year. Things are looking pretty positive on that front,” Laine said.
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Da
iry Report: 2020 Will Be Dairy’s Next Peak In Prices
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The United States Department of Agriculture is forecasting a jump in all milk prices, putting it at $18.85 per cwt for 2020. That is up 50 cents from the 2019 forecast. Dairy analysts are predicting that this year will be beginning of dairy’s recovery.
Yet, dairies have been closing and consolidating across the country. One analyst says consolidation is still occurring.
“We certainly are,” said Mark Stephenson, an economist and dairy policy director at UW-Madison. “I’ll use Wisconsin as an example because it’s home and I know the numbers a little better. It’s ordinary for us to see 3.5% to 4% farm loss every year, year over year. That’s been going on since the 1930s when we had a peak in dairy farm numbers. At this point in time, we’re seeing something very close to a 10% attrition rate. That’s a much larger rate than what is normal for us.”
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Dairy Farmers Eligible for Weather Disaster Payments on Dumped Milk
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Several severe weather events in 2018 and 2019 forced dairy farmers to dump milk in many parts of the country. Fortunately, the recently updated 2018 and 2019 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity and Milk Loss (WHIP-ML) program provides payments for eligible dairy farmers impacted by weather disasters between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019.
Producers who produced milk that was dumped or removed without full compensation from the commercial market due to hurricanes, floods, tornados, typhoons, volcanic activity, snowstorms or wildfires are eligible to participate. Applications, currently available at local FSA offices, must be completed by February 1, 2020.
Read more here >>>
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USDA Opens 2020 Enrollment for Dairy Margin Coverage Program
From USDA
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Dairy producers can now enroll in the
Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC)
for calendar year 2020. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) opened signup today for the program that helps producers manage economic risk brought on by milk price and feed cost disparities.
“We know it’s tough out there for American farmers, including our dairy producers,” said Bill Northey, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “As Secretary Perdue said, farmers are pretty good at managing through tough times, and we know that more dairy farmers will be able to survive with this 2018 Farm Bill and its risk mitigation measures, like the Dairy Margin Coverage program.”
The DMC program offers reasonably priced protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. The deadline to enroll in DMC for 2020 is Dec. 13, 2019.
Read more here >>>
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We Owe It To Each Other To Support All Kinds of Dairies
From Anna-Lisa Laca, Dairy Herd Management
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Let’s have a heart to heart, you and me. The outside forces pitting farmers against farmers to drive an agenda are leading to the demise of the dairy industry.
I grew up on what is described, by all standards, as a small cow/calf ranch. My great grandfather bought the section of land when he came to America in 1903. On that land, our family has milked cows, raised hogs and eventually settled on raising commercial beef cows. It was a great childhood and work our family loved, but it didn’t generate enough income for either of my parents to farm full time.
Fast forward to today. My husband and I have what would be considered by most to be a large farm. We milk around 1,000 sheep and goats. Still, the economics of starting a dairy have meant for the past five years we’ve not taken a steady paycheck from the dairy.
Read more here >>>
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US Ag Secretary setting the record straight about “get big or get out” claim
By
Jody Heemstra
, DRG News
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US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is setting the record straight against a claim by a mainstream media outlet saying he believes dairy farmers need to “get big or get out.”
Speaking on Agri-Talk, Perdue says his comments were made during a press conference held after a town hall meeting with farmers at World Dairy Expo last week.
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Grocery wars: Beef, dairy fight for shelf space
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A food war is raging among cattle ranchers and dairy farmers who are demanding plant-based producers stop labeling their products as meat and milk as they compete with companies like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and milk alternatives at supermarkets.
Sales of plant-based alternatives to meat have increased 8 percent since August of this year, while chicken, pork and beef sales stayed stagnant, according to Nielsen data as reported by
The Wall Street Journal
. And lobbying groups for beef producers are calling out some plant-based producers’ marketing tactics.
Read more here >>>
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Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
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Dr. Don Niles, a dairy consultant, farmer and veterinarian, is another one of our Tuesday session speakers for the 2020 GA Dairy Conference! Learn from Dr. Niles as he covers some of his specialties - like the importance of developing and practicing improved protocols for animal care and well-being, maintaining teams of motivated individuals, or improving land use practices to reduce our environmental footprint. For more information visit us online at
www.gadairyconference.com
#2020GDC
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Animal Waste Operator and Planner Certification Training in November
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A waste planner/operator certification training will be offered in Athens at the UGA Livestock Arena classroom on November 13 & 14, 2019. All permitted livestock operations (other than dry poultry operations) must have a certified animal waste systems operator and an implemented nutrient management plan written by a certified planner. In previous years this has been held as separate trainings, one to certify farm owners/employees to properly manage animal waste systems and the other to certify people to write nutrient management plans.
This training has been combined into one training with break-out sessions on day 2 for topics specific to each group. Both certifications require completion of this course and passing of the exam. This is the final operator/planner certification course this year. The next training will be in March 2020.
Click here for registration form and information>>>
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TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com
UPDATED 10/4/19
The following are
FOR SALE
from Archie Felder. For more information call 1-803-682-3426 :
Dairy Tech Bag Pasturizer - $4,000
Tidenberg Hydraulic Hoof Table (like new) - $5,000
Hall stall sand leveler skid steer (never used) - $1,000
Mench Sand Trailer - $14,000
McLanahan 20 x 20 sand seperator - $25,000
Chiller Drake 24 hp, dual 12 hp scroll tank pumps, 3 phase - $10,000
Fans 3-phase w/brackets:
54" - $225/ea (18 available)
48" - $125/ea (20 available)
36" - $100/ea (20 available)
3000 Mueller Milk Tank - $5,000
20 springers 7 1/2 - 8 mos. pg - $1,450/ea (24,000 2x herd average)
Bull Calves WANTED:
Competitive pricing with 6 day a week pickup. Brandon Mason Cattle Company 912-632-4490
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 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.
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