2020 | August 7 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
As US milk sales rise amid pandemic, “Got milk?” ads return

The dairy industry has a familiar question for you: “Got milk?”

Six years after the popular tagline was retired, “Got milk?” ads are back. A dairy industry-funded group is reviving the campaign, hoping to prolong the boost milk has gotten during the pandemic.

U.S. milk sales have been in freefall for decades as choices grew and consumers turned to soda, juices and plant-based alternatives like soy milk. Dean Foods, the nation’s biggest milk producer, filed for bankruptcy protection in November. Borden Dairy, another major producer, followed with its own bankruptcy in January.

But then came the coronavirus pandemic, and milk sales saw a sharp rise. Kids who were no longer having meals at school were drinking milk at home. Adults — no longer commuting — had time for a leisurely bowl of cereal. Many people were buying milk to bake and cook at home.

Unlike the original “Got milk?” campaign, which debuted in 1994 and was known for its glossy photos of celebrities sporting milk mustaches, the new campaign reflects the age of social media. Read more here>>>
American Dairy Coalition: We Need Whole Milk Choice Back in Schools!
From Perishablenews.com

According to the proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) 2020-2025, whole milk will continue to be banned from schools across the nation. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are only updated and published every 5 years. The time is now to ensure whole milk can once again be offered as a choice in school nutrition programs. Other dairy groups are applauding the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) for simply keeping dairy in their recommendations and including some dairy in birth-24 months — but this isn’t enough. We are missing the mark on recognizing the need for whole milk in the guidelines. This is too large of a mistake to allow.

In 2017, Congress authorized $1 million of taxpayer money for a third-party review, conducted by the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM). It was the first-ever outside peer review of the DGA process. The report showed how only 20% of our government’s nutrition recommendations are based on “strong” science, according to the government’s own standards. The NASEM report made specific recommendations about how to improve the transparency, manage the major conflicts of interest on the advisory committee, and improve the scientific rigor to make the DGA policy reliable and trustworthy.

Yet this congressionally mandated report was vastly ignored in the recently proposed DGA, and we can no longer allow this flawed outcome to continue. Continuing the ban on whole milk based on out-of-date science and a clearly unbalanced, one-sided subcommittee on saturated fats is appalling. Read more here>>>

Georgia Milk Producers submitted comments to USDA last week asking them to bring whole and 2 percent milk back to our schools!! (Click here to read) Help us by submitting your comments by August 13th!! Here is the link to submit your comments: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/work-under-way/get-involved/submit-comment?fbclid=IwAR3Bt2jRqud8W7FmtuIvatLAA_4i9KZ_Sfj4NQrEvr7GCfhb5cXKer5wOlY
Hillcrest Farms: #NowMoreThanEver
From GA Grown TV
Take a trip into Georgia's first robotic dairy! Cows live a luxury life on Hillcrest Dairy Farm, getting milked whenever they like by high tech robotics. Watch to take a tour of this high-tech facility and then find yourself some delicious, fresh, Georgia Grown milk.

From Progressive Dairy Editor Dave Natzke
 
The June U.S. average milk price jumped while feed costs moved lower, resulting in the largest monthly Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program income margin since February. However, the weight of negative producer price differentials (PPDs) under the Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) system – not included in risk management program calculations – along with high levels of depooling, left the announced milk price and DMC margin somewhat deceptive. Read more here>>

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PPDs and how they are impacting our pay price, check out this paper from Perdue Agribusiness here>>>
Farmers Deserve a Seat at the Table in Milk Pricing Policy
From American Farm Bureau Federation
 
The American Farm Bureau Federation released its final report on priorities for milk pricing reform, calling for more democracy and a more equitable program for dairy farmers.

Among AFBF’s priorities is amending the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act to give dairy farmers an opportunity to directly vote on Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) issues. Currently, only dairy farmers who are independent and not members of cooperatives may cast individual ballots. Cooperatives may allow their members to vote independently, but then lose their ability to bloc vote on behalf of their non-participating members. AFBF supports allowing modified bloc-voting, which would allow co-op members to vote independently and confidentially, while allowing cooperatives to cast ballots for farmers who choose not to cast an individual ballot. Read more here>>> Read FMMO Final Report here>>>
ACCM 2020 Annual Report

GA Agricultural Commodity Commission for Milk mailed their Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report to farmers last week. If you did not receive a copy please let us know. The report highlights funding projects and promotional events from July 1, 2019 until June 30, 2020.

Please review the information and reach out to ACCM Chairman, Paul Johnson, with any questions or suggestions at by email at pjohnson@usa.com or phone at (229) 220-3170.
Risk mitigation goes beyond the milk check
By Katelyn Allen, Publications Editor, Hoard's Dairyman

The market volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many farms to take a closer look at their financial statements and, in some cases, wish they would have done things differently.
No one could have predicted the sunny outlook on 2020 would turn upside down. Having a consistent economic management strategy has made all the difference in this wild year for the two dairy producers that joined Hoard’s Dairyman DairyLivestream on August 5.

Of course, utilizing futures contracts and insurance programs can be a regular way to provide more stability to the milk check. Gordie Jones, partner and manager of Central Sands Dairy in Wisconsin, said, “We have always been locking in feed prices and locking in milk prices to assure ourselves at least a margin.” Jones worked for 22 years as a veterinarian and then as a dairy consultant before starting Central Sands.

He admitted that committing to those programs is not always easy, particularly at the end of 2019 when milk prices were projected to be much better than they had been. “I was probably voting not to lock in milk prices in January. We locked them in, and suddenly in February and March, we looked like geniuses,” said Jones.

Limiting risk encompasses many other strategies than just protecting milk price, though. “Dairy farms face a lot of different types of risk,” said Cornell University agricultural economist Chris Wolf. “Risk management is proactively recognizing the potential for adverse outcomes and taking steps to minimize the likelihood of those outcomes or minimize the effects if they do occur,” he defined. Forward contracting feed, like Jones does, is another example. Read more here>>>
Insecticide Options for Fall Armyworms
From UGA Extension Service

Confused about what insecticide to use for Fall Armyworm control & prevention? Here is a summary of approved chemicals from the Georgia Pest Management Handbook.

Learn more about FAW control here: https://facebook.com/watch/?v=3351854514873398…
Reporting Seed Packages to GA Dept. of AG

The Georgia Department of Agriculture as been notified that many Georgia residents have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China.  In response GDA has developed a new mechanism for reporting unsolicited seeds as well as providing information on safe methods of destruction Click here to learn more>>>
Silage, silage, and more silage
By Caitlin Rodgers, Georgia dairy farmer, Hoard's Dairyman

It’s that time of the year again: silage season. We just got through cutting all of the corn silage, and now we are getting equipment ready to harvest sorghum. We prepare all year round just for these few weeks of cutting, plus the week or so of cutting ryegrass in March. We all come together as a team to tackle the long hours ahead and get the job done.

I remember silage time as a child. I used to love riding around with my grandmother, going from field to field delivering drinks and food to everyone. On Fridays and Saturdays, we would pick up BBQ sandwiches for everyone, and I can remember all of us sitting on tailgates in the field eating lunch. Then papa would let me climb up in the cab of the tractor with him, and I’d lean back on my pillow and watch the corn being chopped down and slung back into the wagon. Those are memories I will always cherish.

Now that I have gotten into the business, I keep close around the barn and the robots to make sure everything is being tended to around here while all the others are doing their part with silage. At the end of the day, I’ll make my way up to the silage pits to trade out with someone so they might have an evening off. Read more here>>>
Producers have one more month to apply for CFAP Assistance

Dairy farmers have one more month to apply for the financial assistance offered by USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). As of July 20, approximately 21,000 dairy producers have signed up to receive $1.25 billion – about one-fifth of the total $6.2 billion in payouts. In addition to dairy, other commodity payments totaled $3.15 billion to livestock producers, $1.64 billion to producers of non-specialty crops and $186 million to producers of specialty crops. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 28, 2020 Click here: https://www.farmers.gov/cfap
Milk Price Support Likely to Continue Through Election
By Anna-Lisa Laca, Milkbusiness.com

The spring and summer 2020 milk markets have created volatility farmers won’t soon forget. COVID-19, government intervention, the upcoming election and surprisingly strong export markets have sent prices swinging from one extreme to the other. 

While it has created negative Producer Price Differentials (PPDs) which lower the farmgate milk price, the bigger risk is in the lesson farmers might learn from a historic level of government intervention, says Marin Bozic an economist at the University of Minnesota. 

Despite the potential for another wave of COVID-19 to knock the supply chain out of balance again, or the possibilities that world markets could make exports tank, Bozic told AgriTalk Host Chip Flory, his biggest fear isn’t what happens to the market but instead the potential for farmers get lazy in their risk management approach by expecting government intervention. 

“My biggest fear is what kind of lessons people learn from it,” he said. “It’s dangerous to learn the lesson that you don't have to hedge or worry about risk because Uncle Sam is going to come in and scoop up all the surplus cheese.”Read more here>>>
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
Upcoming Events >>>
GA Dairy Classifieds
TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com

UPDATED 6/19/20

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 more Information Call Tony Strickland , 229-254-6871; deepsouthai@gmail.com

For sale - Please contact John Felder for more information at 803-682-3425:
  • Dairy Tech Bay Pasturizer - $4,000
  • Tidenberg Hydraulic Hoof Table (like new) - $5,000
  • Mench Sand Trailor - $14,000
  • Hall Stall Sand Leveler (new) - $1,000
  • McLanalan Sand Seperator (like new) 20" x 20" - 25,000
  • Claas Silage Choppers - 900 1695 cutterhead hours, 4WD, 600 orbis, HD300 PU - $110,000
  • Claas Silage Choppers - 960 1875 cutterhead hours, 4WD, 600 orbis, HD300 PU - $190,000
  • Fans Cool Aire
  • 18 54" $225.00
  • 20 48" $125.00
  • 20 35" 100.00
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
 
For Sale: Corn Silage - For more information contact Carlin Giesbrecht at 478-494-4007
 
FOR Sale: Stretch-O-Matic Bale Wrapper and Mover. For more information contact Carlin Giesbrecht at 478-494-4007
 
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.
 
FOR SALE :  We have a continuous selection of fresh and springing heifers.   Call William at   (706) 768-2857  or visit our website at   crumpdairyreplacements.org  
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. 

For more information on the program, please reach out to Farrah Newberry at gamilkproducers@gmail.com