The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in Amarillo now offers T4 testing by homogenous thyroxine immunoassay. Previously, when Amarillo clients submitted a sample for T4 testing, it was forwarded to College Station.

Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) has been recognized as a leader in sustainability efforts at Walmart’s first Sustainability Product Expo in Rogers, Arkansas. During the event, Rick Smith, DFA’s president and chief executive officer, participated in a panel discussing sustainable agriculture and building more efficient supply chains. Executives from Cargill and Monsanto joined Smith on the panel.

A new seed company has sprouted up and its future looks bright. Hood River Seed (HRS), founded this spring, will focus on the national forage/cover crop market.

Run for farmers by farmers, Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is the national policy organization representing Canada’s farmers. DFC strives to create stable conditions for the Canadian dairy industry, today and in the future. Over the last few years, our southern neighbours have had to deal with undercover videos on farms. Newer in Canada, this is nonetheless something farmers are noticing.

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about speaking up for agriculture, and it most likely won’t be my last. As we continue to see more and more people distancing themselves from farming and at the same time taking a keen interest in how their food is grown and raised, the need for people to speak up about modern-day agriculture continues to grow.

Summer annual forage grasses often are an important part of many hay, silage and pasture plans. Sudans and sorghums can produce much forage even under dry growing conditions. However, these forages tend to be more stemmy and less digestible than many cattle and cattle producers prefer.

How dairy farmers care for their cows and their commitment to high standards is the Dairy Farmers of Canada’s new national campaign. A primary goal at Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) is to promote the quality and the great nutritional value of Canadian dairy products. Through advertising, contests, partnerships, educational programs and media relations, DFC promotes Canadian milk products and encourages healthy eating habits.

A new daughter-in-law asked, “How long do you have to be married before you get to be family?” This powerful question is part of Jolene Brown’s book Sometimes You Need More Than a 2 x 4! How-to tips to successfully grow a family business. I had the privilege of working with a well-adjusted farm family who sought my facilitation skills as an outsider to help them get more clarity about the farm’s successor and everyone’s expectations for the future vision of the farm.