The House version of the 2018 Farm Bill (the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018) was narrowly approved by the full House, 213-211, largely along party lines, on June 21. Dairy provisions were untouched from an earlier version of the farm bill voted down in the House in April.

A freezer full of homegrown beef is the rancher’s bounty – and a lot of ranchers who finish an animal for themselves often do so for friends and neighbors as well.

My wonderful wife is the picture of perfect health, with only one known ailment: She suffers from what is known in the medical community as “white coat syndrome.”

He cracks the bedroom door open, just an inch or two, and hears her discussing with the 2-year-old the civil rights of the roan horse and the heeler dog, and why they have to sleep outside.

It’s funny how the world goes around. Francisco and I were checking cows, making a big circle early in the morning to beat the heat. It’s peaceful out there.

Great opportunities are few and far between, and how they are utilized can make all the difference in the world. When Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) began building a processing plant for powdered milk in Fallon, Nevada, in 2014, dairy farmers saw opportunities abound.

Education is the key to healthy and vibrant dairy communities. The dairy community is controlling its own destiny and addressing its ongoing needs through the Professional Dairy Producers Foundation (PDPF) competitive grant program. PDPF funds educational programs and initiatives that are consistent with its strategic vision of a professional, proactive and prepared dairy community.

College is out for summer and many students are embarking upon new internships. Whether this is the first internship or the second or third, there are many ways to maximize the experience.

At Michael and Peter McMahon’s E-Z Acres in Homer, New York, herd growth has always occurred alongside an intensive focus on environmental stewardship, cow comfort and community outreach. The brothers, who purchased the farm from their parents in the mid-1980s, have grown their family’s original eight cows and 150 acres into the 2,500-acre farm, milking 800 head of registered Holsteins in a closed herd.