Indiana Dairy Producers E-Newsletter
|
|
IDP in Motion: Subdued But Strong, Sharing Dairy’s Story
As we move into September (and hopefully cooler temperatures), it is fair to say that the dairy industry is subdued at the moment. We all know that margins are low, and we are for sure living in a different year than the recent past. However, we in the dairy industry are known for pushing on and knowing the importance of the milk products we produce.
Times of challenge make it especially important to tell our story, and I’ve been involved with numerous interactions with elected officials as they have been home for summer recess. Thanks to the many who attended the various meetings and opened their farms so politicians can understand our issues and needs, especially with the Farm Bill being front and center after Labor Day.
As an organization we are staying focused on delivering our Strategic Plan and will continue to share information as we have it ready to go. We continue to collaborate with many stakeholders in our industry, and I draw your attention to the “In the Milk House with BOAH” article in this newsletter where this important agency shares insight into a significant new antibiotic regulation. We are also excited to announce our Indiana Dairy Farm & Industry Tour coming up in November. We hope you join your fellow dairy farmers on this bus trip as we head to Kentucky.
Harvest is just around the corner, and in this busy time please remember to stay safe and help those on your operation do likewise.
Steve
Steve Obert, Executive Director
317-779-6775
|
|
Our Vision: To Make Indiana the most desirable state in which to produce milk.
Mission Statement
To promote a profitable, positive, professional image of
dairy producers while providing educational opportunities
for the interchange of ideas and to speak as a proactive voice
for Indiana dairy producers.
|
|
Calendar of Events
- IDP Kentucky Bus Tour
- November 9th-11th
- Partners in Success Luncheon
- November 15th
- IDP Regional Meetings
- February 6th, 7th, 8th (2024)
|
|
In This Issue
Sponsor Spotlight
Industry Insights
IDP Member Moments
|
|
Our Industry in Action: Be Part of the Indiana Dairy Farm & Industry Tour – Nov 9 to 11, 2023
Part of our mission at IDP is to provide educational opportunities for the interchange of ideas. We are excited to announce a bus trip to Kentucky that will provide many opportunities for learning and ideas. From visiting dairies and a dairy research centers to touring a distiller, we will learn from each other and our colleagues in Kentucky.
Multiple pick-up locations are planned throughout the state to allow easy access to jump on board this outstanding trip that will be worth your time.
Take a moment to review the brochure and registration information here, and sign up today!
|
|
Sponsor Spotlight: Platinum Sponsor Hubbard Feeds Helps Optimize Dairy Cow Performance |
|
Hubbard Feeds, a division of Alltech, specializes in offering cutting-edge nutritional technologies tailored for dairy farmers, aimed at enhancing the well-being, reproductive capabilities, and overall profitability of their cows.
By incorporating Total Replacement Technology® into our product line, we've successfully elevated trace mineral reserves, making them more accessible and efficiently utilized by the animals, ultimately optimizing their performance. Additionally, we take pride in supporting the Indiana Dairy Producers as dedicated sponsors.
For further information, please visit our website.
Thank you, Marty Brady, and the team at Hubbard Feeds for your support!
|
|
Industry Insight: In the Milk House with BOAH
Subhead: The New FDA Antibiotic Regulation GFI #263: What it Means for Dairy Farmers
Did you hear about the most significant change to administering antibiotics to animals since the shift to the veterinary feed directive system in 2017?
In June, antibiotic animal drugs that are considered vital to human health became no longer available as over the counter (OTC) medications. Now, under this regulation (known as Guidance for Industry #263), medically important antibiotics (MIAs) are available only with a prescription from a veterinarian. This change reflects the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to protect the effectiveness of MIAs for treating people as cases of antibiotic-resistant infections become more common.
The good news for most dairy farmers is that the vast majority (96%) of the MIAs used in animal health are already issued by prescription or veterinary feed directive. The remaining 4% moved to prescription status on June 11, 2023.
How Do I Access the Medications My Animals Need?
If you have not done so, be sure to establish a relationship with a veterinarian. To write a prescription, the veterinarian must adhere to the veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR). A valid VCPR exists only when the veterinarian has recently seen or is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animals by virtue of an examination and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animals are kept.
In other words, 9 PM on a Saturday night during an emergency is not the right time to establish a VCPR.
Veterinarians are not required to respond to emergencies for owners who are not clients. They should not write prescriptions without a VCPR or if they have not seen the animal(s).
Call your veterinarian to verify if you have an existing VCPR. If not, ask what steps are needed. Be sure to ask what is expected of you, the animal owner, to maintain that relationship and be able to obtain a prescription in an emergency, especially after hours.
Ask important questions: Is an annual farm visit required? Will the veterinarian write a script with a phone call, or is a visit necessary—and under what circumstances?
Ultimately, the final decision about when a prescription can be issued remotely is at the discretion of the veterinarian.
Where Will I Get Prescriptions Filled?
You may have noticed the availability of some medications changed after the June implementation. Because additional standards must be met to dispense prescription drugs, some farm supply stores may no longer carry those drugs at retail. At least one major chain is opting to provide mail-order service. Of course, your veterinarian will likely be another source of medications or direct you to a partner pharmacy.
What Species Does GFI #263 Affect?
The new law applies to all animals, including cattle, pets and other food animals.
What Drugs Are Affected?
Only medically important over-the-counter antibiotics such as penicillin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, gentamicin, cephapirin, tylosin, lincomycin, sulfa drugs, and spectinomycin. Non-affected products include dewormers, probiotics, aspirin, electrolytes, and some coccidiostats.
Where Can I Learn More?
|
|
IDP Member Moments: Argos Holstein Farms/Bolle-Acres Shows Dairy Industry Passion – and Great Heifers |
|
Dairy promotion can even include being a calendar sponsor for the high school girls basketball team. Family members posed with the team and glasses of milk. |
|
It was a busy summer for the team at Argos Holstein Farms/Bolle-Acres of Argos, Indiana. Along with the daily demands of milking 700 cows three times a day and farming, the family is active in dairy shows at the county and state levels. Mike and Jan Heckaman are the second generation of dairy farmers on this Marshall County farm, with their daughter Carrie Jo and her husband, Max Bollenbacher, representing the third generation and their four children being the fourth generation.
This was the 33rd consecutive year of the family showing at the Indiana State Fair and represents a half-century of involvement with dairy shows. Notably, the Indiana State Fair is where Carrie Jo and Max met years ago - in the dairy barn of course. “We tied close to each other, and started talking,” Carrie Jo recalls. “He talked me into helping him at the Kentucky State Fair, and I was willing to go as he had a really good cow that year!”
Their youngest daughter Ellie, a 7th year 4-Her, kept the family success going as she won Supreme Heifer in the 4-H show at the Indiana State Fair. The farm’s cow, Tyra, won Supreme Champion Cow at the open show at both the Indiana and Kentucky State Fairs.
The family is passionate about the dairy industry and its people, being grateful for the setting Indiana provides for dairies. “We live in one of the greatest states to dairy,” Carrie Jo says. “Indiana has fertile farmland, a good water supply, a comfortable cow climate and dairy processing plants within a reasonable distance.” Her father, Mike, adds it is a great place to raise a family and instill the work ethic so important to taking care of the cattle and producing the milk that helps feed the world.
Their farming operation includes 1,000 acres of corn, 240 acres of hay and 60 acres of wheat to provide the forages for their Holstein and Jersey herd which started decades ago with 30 cows. Mike has been involved in leadership for NorthStar Cooperative and was active in the breeding side of the industry with Select Sires. Max is the “cow guy” in charge of herd health, breeding, and farm decisions while Carrie focuses on the Jerseys, with Jan handling the bookwork.
Carrie, who serves as Vice President for IDP, knows the immediate pressure of high feed prices and low milk prices is on the mind of every dairy operation, along with the challenge of finding labor. She points out there is also the need to continue educating the public. “The lack of public knowledge about dairying is significant, and we must keep telling our story about the care we take of our animals and the environment. For example, we reuse and recycle water here on farm and have been doing this long before ‘earth friendly’ was a popular term.”
She is committed to shining a positive light on the dairy industry and appreciates the role IDP plays in helping farmers stay connected with education and networking at regional meetings and webinars. “If we continue to learn, we can continue to improve,” she says.
The family is also focused on helping the next generation engage with industry. Max shares that their oldest son, Drew, works in the dairy industry and they have two children at Purdue – Lane and Sophie - who are active in the Dairy Club. “We worked with Purdue to get the Dairy Club members to our IDP Forum to help them be exposed to how the industry works and excited for its future.” He points out both dairy judging and Dairy Club are ways to light a passion for the industry in students like it did for their son. Both Max and Carrie Jo do some dairy judging of their own, too.
The family appreciates how IDP, especially Executive Director Steve Obert, is active in advocating for the dairy industry. “From discussing the FRIDGE act to shining a light on labor concerns, Steve is always working for us,” Carrie Jo points out. She had the opportunity to travel with Steve and others to DC to talk about the Workforce Modernization Act, seeing firsthand the importance of working with legislators who can impact the industry’s success.
The family at Argos Holstein Farms/Bolle-Acres is a wonderful example of passion for the dairy industry and helping it move forward. Carrie Jo concludes, “I’m grateful to Indiana’s dairy producers to be able to serve on the IDP board and encourage everyone to reach out discuss what is on your mind with the board, we are here to help and make connections.”
|
|
Industry Insight: Animal Ag Alliance and IDP Focused on Bridging Communication Gaps
The Animal Agriculture Alliance is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 1987 with a clear mission: to safeguard the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities.
At the heart of our mission lie three pillars: Connect, Engage, and Protect.
· Connect: We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. From farmers to processors and everyone in between, we build bridges and foster collaboration.
· Engage: We engage food chain influencers like media outlets, bloggers, dietitians, government officials, and restaurant, retail, and food service brands and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture.
· Protect: We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation. We provide our members with crisis management tips and security resources as we monitor strategies and tactics used by the animal rights movement against animal agriculture.
Indiana Dairy Producers (IDP) is a proud member of the Alliance, joining 400+ peers in supporting its mission and receiving timely updates and resources on emerging issues and trends impacting animal agriculture to help its producers stay informed and prepared. Membership provides IDP with access to more than 30 years of intel on animal rights organizations.
Farm security and crisis management resources are a centerpiece of the Alliance’s Member Resource Center which also includes alerts to suspicious activity on farms that can be passed along to Indiana dairy producers. Other membership benefits include access to the Alliance’s network of organizations and experts, and subscription to the weekly Animal Ag Activism Update and monthly Member Update.
In addition to the continuously updated resources and email updates, IDPs’ support enables the Alliance to engage media and online influencers to spread positive messages about animal agriculture. The Alliance monitors coverage and identifies trends, relays information to members, and develops strategies to address contentious issues.
The Alliance also provides development opportunities to farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, industry professionals, and college students. Animal Ag Allies empowers farmers, ranchers and practicing veterinarians to be outspoken advocates for agriculture online and within their communities. College Aggies Online (CAO) is the Alliance’s scholarship program open to undergraduate, graduate, and doctorate students studying in the U.S. who want to grow and improve their communication skills while advocating for agriculture. You can follow along with students’ efforts online by searching #CAO23.
The Alliance is honored to work on behalf of our members and appreciates IDP support. Know that 90 cents of every dollar donated goes directly towards coalition building, education, outreach programs, and member services. For more information, visit the Alliance website www.animalagalliance.org or contact Grace Platte, at 703-562-1410 or gplatte@animalagalliance.org. You can also follow the Alliance on social media and share posts with your own networks: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and our blog.
|
|
Industry Insight: New Short Stature Corn Hybrids – Could They Work for Corn Silage?
By Jackie Boerman, PhD, Associate Professor, Animal Sciences, Purdue University
Most farms across the state of Indiana are in corn silage season in some capacity. Maybe you are recovering from it, in the middle with long days, or just gearing up to start this busy time of year. With high corn and soybean prices, the importance of corn silage harvest for dairy farms can’t be overstated. While corn in the field has looked largely unchanged for years, Bayer has a new hybrid that may provide a visually different corn plant in the field and in the bunk. These short stature corn hybrids with heights of ≤ 7 ft. compared to tradition 9-12 ft. corn plants will change what corn looks like in the field.
First thoughts may be that shorter corn means less corn silage yield, if we are losing up to 5 ft. of plant, this could really reduce yield. Bayer is indicating that increased planting densities may be possible as well as late season application of fungicide and nutrients which may be beneficial for yields.
However, before making this decision in the years to come, trials that compare yield on corn silage are really needed to understand if there will be a yield drag or what the cost will be for additional seeds. Additionally, the plant has been created with a shorter stalk but a similar number of leaves and similar sized ears. Corn stalks are not as digestible as the ear or leaves, so having a higher ratio of more highly digestible nutrients may also change how we feed this corn silage.
It is early stages for these short stature corn silage hybrids, but they may fit into dairy cow diets and produce highly digestible corn silage in the years to come.
|
|
Breaking News: Purdue Receives $1 Million to Study Feeding Improvements for Dairy Cattle
IDP appreciates all the work done at Purdue University to advance the dairy industry. It was recently announced that a team of Purdue researchers has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to improve feed efficiency and consistency on dairy farms by using automated video analytics systems.
Link here to read all about it as reported in Hoosier Ag Today.
|
|
Individual membership in the Indiana Dairy Producers is $50. Encourage your dairy farming friends to join IDP! Also, any individual who is not a dairy producer but would still like to support IDP can join as an associate member. Download a membership/associate brochure here.
We appreciate our industry supporters. They make it possible for IDP to support the dairy industry in many ways. If your company is interested in finding ways to join IDP, download an information sheet here.
|
|
Diamond Sponsors
Click on any logo to reach the company's website
|
|
Platinum Sponsors
Click on any logo to reach the company's website
|
|
Gold Sponsors
Click on any logo to reach the company's website
|
|
Silver Sponsors
Click on any logo to reach the company's website
|
|
Board of Directors
Executive Director
Steve Obert
812-779-6775
Arie Jan de Jong, President
Carrie Jo Bollenbacher, Vice President
Jacob Achen, Secretary
Jackie Boerman, Executive Treasurer
Board Members
Alex Lueken
Amy Weaver
Henk Sevenhuysen
Krent Frauhiger
Roger Hibschman
Aaron Claycamp
Industry Advisers
Chris Moore
Sarah Wagler
Steve Howell
Todd Janzen, Attorney
Zach Allen
Tanya Westfall, Executive Assistant
.
|
|
Visit Our Bronze Sponsors |
(Click the bronze button) |
|
IDP Corporate Sponsors
There is a growing list of companies that recognize IDP's value to Indiana's dairy industry. Please visit our list of companies that have become Corporate Sponsors for only $100. If you know of a company that may have an interest in supporting IDP at some level, please download a brochure here.
|
|
 |
Contact Chris Moore
For free insurance consultation and quotes on your farm and agribusiness Insurance needs! IDP members receive an exclusive discount on SECURA Insurance.
Chris Moore
317-650-4519
|
|
|
|
Indiana Dairy Producers
7826 S 550 E
Fort Branch, IN 47648
812-779-6775
|
|
|
|
RESOURCE CENTER
-Click on each picture or logo to learn more-
|
|
Indiana Grazing &
Forage
NRCS Website
|
|
|
|
Check out the resources available to you on the
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
