Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews |
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Fall District Meetings Begin September 11th
Dairy producers across Georgia are invited to attend the annual Fall District meetings for Georgia Milk Producers and The Dairy Alliance next month. The meetings will be held in five locations across the state. Our organizations will hold elections; report on industry issues and promotional efforts; and announce upcoming events. Dinner or lunch will be served at each location depending on the time the meeting is set to begin.
Due to current Covid-19 restrictions for gatherings, no more than 50 people are allowed to attend each meeting. For the Waynesboro meeting, please limit those attending from your farm to 2 or 3 people. Masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing will be utilized for each meeting. The meetings will be held on:
- Sept. 11 Friday Hillcrest Farm, Dearing at NOON
- Sept. 14 Monday BriarPatch Farm, Eatonton at 7 PM
- Sept. 17 Thursday Burke Co. Extension Office, Waynesboro at 7 PM
- Sept. 21 Monday Oasis Coffee House, Montezuma at 7 PM
- Oct. 1 Thursday The Barnstormer’s Grill, Williamson at 7 PM
To preregister for the district meeting of your choice, please contact the Georgia Milk office at 706-310-0020. We look forward to seeing you soon and value the input you share at our meetings!!
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EPA Awards Nearly $5 Million for Research on Managing PFAS in Rural Areas
By Jim Dickrell, Milk Business
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that it was awarding $4.8 million in research funding to three universities to better understand and manage the potential impacts of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances.
The research will focus on impacts in rural communities and agricultural operations. Among its uses, PFAS substances were or are used in non-stick cooking pans, apparel and furniture coatings, and fire-retardant foam to smother flames. The chemicals make the foam resistant to grease, water, dirt and heat, which make it useful in extinguishing jet fuel fires.
While many PFAS uses have been phased out and are no longer used, they can persist and accumulate in the environment for years. And there is is evidence that exposure to PFAS can can lead to adverse human health effects.
The three research awards went to:
- Indiana University to develop a scalable platform for predicting PFAS occurrence in private wells to better understand exposure risks.
- Purdue University to investigate the occurrence of PFAS in private drinking wells and water resource recovery facilities in rural communities as well as the contribution of PFAS from land-application of wastewater and biosolids to rural water supplies.
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University of Georgia to develop improved, cost-effective treatment systems for the removal of PFAS from water, wastewater and biosolids.
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Study says pandemic was US dairy’s ‘perfect storm’
By Jim Cornall, Dairy Reporter
Early in the pandemic shutdown, news clips in the US showed empty supermarket shelves in the dairy aisles, and farmers dumping milk they could not sell. Read more here>>>
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6 Post-Pandemic Food Predictions
By Rhonda Brooks, Dairy Herd Management
Danielle Nierenberg spends her days thinking about food and how to help people who don’t have enough of it get access to more.
“I like to highlight stories of hope and success in the food system, both internationally and domestically,” says Nierenberg, co-founder of Food Tank, a research and advocacy organization based in Baltimore, Md.
Nierenberg recently made six food-related predictions she anticipates for the next 12 months:
1. Grocery delivery service will triple.
2. Food delivery will also triple.
3. Around 85% of independent restaurants will likely go out of business.
4. Food workers will unionize.
5. Sustainable food business will continue to disrupt food, as growth of direct-to-consumer models continues.
6. Community supported agriculture (CSAs) will experience growth tenfold.
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School Dairy Use ‘Fluid’ Situation
By Jim Dickrell, Milk Business
The opening of schools across the country is laced with uncertainty, creating an extremely ‘fluid’ outlook for dairy demand, say economists with INTL FCStone Financial.
They spoke this morning in an hour-long webinar. About 6% of U.S. milk solids are consumed annually by students ranging in age from kindergarten through college. Students’ biggest consumption comes in fluid milk (14% of fluid use) followed by cheese (just under 6%) and butter, about 1%.
According to recent estimates, about 60% fewer meals will be served by schools this fall, based on reports that more than half of classes will be in the form of distance learning and only 25% of classes will be taught in person and another 20% will be taught as a hybrid model (a combination of in-person and virtual learning). Read more here>>>
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The Good News: PPDs Will Be Less Negative This Fall
By Jim Dickrell, Milk Business
The good news is that the Producer Price Differentials (PPDs) in Federal Orders that base prices on components will be less negative moving into the fall months, says Wisconsin dairy economists Bob Cropp and Mark Stephenson.
The bad news is the reason: Class III prices are falling from well above $20/cwt to the $16 range.
“August should be the last month of the bigger negative PPDs,” says Stephenson. “We’re getting rid of negative PPDs because Class III prices are dropping like a brick.”
The August PPD will still be negative based on advanced Class III prices of $19.45 and Class IV prices of $13.40, says Cropp. But current cheese prices in the $1.70/lb range suggests a Class III price of $16 or less, he says.
The current futures markets are also trading at $16. “Right now, I think the futures might be right, and we could drop a little bit below $16 in September” he says.
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ICYMI: August 2020 GA Milk Review
This issue covers:
- AFBF Final Report for FMMO Reform
- Fall District Meetings
- Appointments Made for GA Commodity Commissions
- Geri Berdak named new CEO of The Dairy Alliance
- Dixie Dairy Report
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Entry Deadline for Inaugural Dairyland Classic Dairy Show is September 1st
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Here be the DRAGONS of future milk prices
By Mark Stephenson, Center for Dairy Profitability, UW-Madison, Hoard's Dairyman
In early human history, maps used to show the boundaries of the known world. Beyond those boundaries, there would often be the words “Here be dragons” to indicate potential dangers.
In trying to think about what milk prices may look like in 2021, I just want you to know that my map of the future should have a similar warning. Everything about the pandemic economy is without precedent, and there is no map charting our future navigation. However, there are still a few things that we know and which will likely shape the outcome for the year ahead.
The pandemic
We will solve our COVID-19 problem. There has been so much money and our best scientific minds thrown at the issue, that I have no doubt we won’t have to let the virus “run its course.”Our safety measures of working from home and social distancing, sanitizing our hands and work surfaces, and wearing masks have helped to slow the spread of the virus. That has given us time to find better pharmaceutical treatments and ultimately vaccines, which will let us get back to more normal routines.
There is talk that we will have a vaccine by the end of the year. It will probably take multiple months before enough vaccine can be made and administered for humanity to have effective immunity and really get on top of the pandemic. However, that vaccine is coming.
If I had to guess, it won’t be until next summer before we really feel as though we can work from our offices and go out to eat without wearing masks any time we feel like it. Personally, I’m looking forward to a Friday night fish fry again. Read more here>>>
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Macon church provides food necessities to communities in need
By Terell Bailey, Fox 24 WXGA
One Middle Georgia church is stepping in to ease the burden on Middle Georgia residents, worried about how they will eat.
Saint Paul AME Church in East Macon, partnered with Fresh Communities and Farmers to Families in order to pass out foods to those in need.
Every two weeks the church aims to distribute 550 boxes of food, which can feed a family of four, for seven days. Items in the boxes range from meats to vegetables.
Also, the church gives away 4,000 gallons of milk during their food giveaways.
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By Elaine Watson, Food Navigator, USA
A judge handling a high-profile lawsuit* over the use of dairy terminology on plant-based products has blocked attempts by the State of California to prevent Miyoko’s from using the terms ‘butter,’ ‘lactose-free’ and ‘cruelty-free’ on its vegan products. Read more here>>>
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Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>> |
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TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com
UPDATED 8/28/20
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 - Productive 360 Cow Holstein Herd For Sale, Parlor/Freestall/AI Sired/Lots of Young Cows/2X 70# 4%F SCC-160K More information at www.kreegerdairy.com or call Chad at 517-294-3484
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 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
- 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
Bull Calves WANTED: Competitive pricing with 6 day a week pickup. Brandon Mason Cattle Company 912-632-4490
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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.
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