Canadian Dairy XPO (CDX) show management plans to double the size of the show for 2014, after the success of the inaugural CDX this past February. With support from the mayor of Stratford and key city officials, the 2014 CDX will expand to the entire Stratford Rotary Complex, including both hockey rinks.

Four of Alltech’s crop science products have received approval from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Agro-Mos, Soil-Set, Crop-Set and Grain-Set are now registered as micronutrient fertilizers in the Canadian agronomic market.

I’ve always said farms are like snowflakes: There are no two alike. One of the best parts of my job is that I get to see a lot of farms. When I started in this field about a decade ago, I probably should have begun a tally of every farm I visited. I’m guessing by now it would be in the hundreds. Some of my most memorable visits are to farms in other parts of the country, or other countries, for that matter. Each region, climate, government, economy, etc. impacts how each dairy is set up and operated.

The Dairy Research Cluster program was launched in 2010 as part of the Canadian Agri-Science Clusters Initiative of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Research initiatives under the program aim to improve the economic performance of the sector and position milk and dairy products as competitive and sustainable nutrient-rich foods that are beneficial to the health of Canadians.

At the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) conference in February, delegates discussed the proAction Initiative – a new approach to the integrated delivery of on-farm programs. Building on the Canadian Quality Milk program infrastructure, this approach aims to improve how the industry meets a rising, multi-faceted wave of new expectations all tied to sustainability.

A young farmer sits nervously on the couch with his partner and tells me that he can’t take working with his dad any more. He describes the “Boss” walking quickly across the yard, arms waving, with his voice increasing in volume and swearing the “F-bomb” at the young son.

Robert passed away in 2004; his wife, Shirley, remains a partner in the enterprise. Philip’s wife, Debbie, is involved in the farm by keeping the financial records. His son Richard joined the farm last year.

When it comes to “game changers,” the dairy industry has seen its fair share. The science behind creating a gallon of milk continues to change rapidly, thanks to new technologies and with the push for efficient and profitable operations in the current marketplace, nutrigenomics is today’s game changer producers need to consider.