Bob-White Systems, the Vermont farmstead cheese and micro dairy supply and equipment company, is expanding and announces the lease of a 2,000-square-foot facility in Royalton, Vermont. Bob-White Systems North is the new location for research, product development, engineering, and manufacturing of the Bob-White Systems Low Impact Pasteurization (LIP) System, which will bring gentle milk pasteurization direct to micro dairy farms. The new facility will also be the location for further product innovations for micro dairy farmers and farmstead cheese makers.

Leigh Walton, supervisory information technology specialist with the Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory (AIPL), will be retiring on Friday, May 13, after 40 years of dedicated Federal service. Leigh began his career at the Beltsville Dairy as an animal caretaker in July 1970 and worked there until joining AIPL as a computer assistant in April 1973. He has continued to diligently work at AIPL over the course of the last 38 years in a variety of positions and has been recognized many times for his superior work and leadership by both the Federal government and dairy industry.

A scholarship from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation is helping grow the next crop of veterinarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Melissa Haag is this year’s recipient of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Scholarship. A committee selects recipients for the scholarship based on their interest in practicing medicine with large, farm livestock, having a farm background, Farm Bureau affiliation, academics and financial need.

Progressive Dairyman Editor Karen Lee discusses the new standards of care for animals raised on dairy farms released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) with Amber Driscoll, PETA’s corporate liaison. Q. To whom is your new dairy initiative aimed? A. DRISCOLL: Our new standards are directly aimed at the dairy industry from farms to processors and companies like pizza, ice cream and coffee companies that source a lot of dairy products.

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been detected in a dairy in San Bernardino County. State and federal animal health officials are working closely with the dairy farmer and his veterinarian to implement control strategies to eradicate the disease. The diagnosis of TB was made after a suspicious mass in a cow identified during routine slaughter inspection was confirmed positive. CDFA veterinarians, in coordination with USDA, have completed tests on the other cows in the herd where the infected cow originated and determined that TB is present. The investigation into the source and possible spread of this slowly debilitating disease will continue.

While taking my occasional turn feeding our 4-month-old son at odd hours of the night, I catch up on reading articles and news on my smartphone. I’ve subscribed to several RSS news feeds, and with the aid of an app, I can read and share them with others from one application. (I’m a fan of the iPhone’s Reeder app – .99¢ on iTunes.)

Game 6 of the 1975 World Series is ranked by many as the greatest baseball game ever. The Big Red Machine of Cincinnati with Bench, Rose and Foster took on the Boston Red Sox with Fisk and Yastrzemski. The Reds led the series by 3 to 2. A win in Fenway Park would mean they would be the world champs. Both teams made incredible plays on offense and defense, stretching the game into the 12th inning. In the top of the 10th inning, as Pete Rose stepped to the plate, he said to Carlton Fisk, the Boston catcher, “This is some kind of game, isn’t it?” The game ended two innings later when Fisk hammered one out of the park. The film showing him jumping and waving on his way to first base represents one of the best pieces of sports film ever made.