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Q. What most concerns you about the dairy industry in the next five years?
Nik Sutter Fertile-Ridge Dairy LLC Mount Horeb, Wisconsin
Volatility is the biggest concern in a lot of different ways – not just feed, not just milk, but growing operations not knowing what land values are going to do; not knowing what credit availability is going to be in the next five years.While many of us have plans, I know that there are others that don’t. It’s just scary to think if a lot of different risks occur at the same time, what might happen to some of us.
Age: 34
Location: Chilton, Wisconsin
My dairy’s history: My parents owned and operated a 70-cow dairy farm until 1994, when they transitioned to raising replacement heifers. They were one of the first replacement heifer farms in our area. Five years ago, I joined the farm operation and we formed an LLC.
I am very proud to be a third-generation farmer, but couldn’t do it without the help of my mom, Gertie, who does all the farm bookwork and my husband, Brent, and our three full-time employees, who help me keep the operation running day-to-day.
In 2005, Michelle Berdan participated in Dairy Challenge as a student. Four years later, she was offered a teaching position in the new dairy program at Northcentral Technical College, in addition to her full-time job on her family's 1,500-cow dairy.
gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, last week to complete Phase I of the three-part program. This class is the seventh since the program began in 1993.
Participants include 53 young adults in the dairy industry, from 23 states as well as Canada, Mexico and Italy. After they complete phases II and III of the program, participants will join the ranks of more than 400 alumni.
Jerry Slominski (at right) is the senior vice president for legislative affairs and economy policy of the International Dairy Foods Association. Read his responses to Progressive Dairyman's questions about IDFA's research studies on supply management.
Q. How would you introduce yourself and your work? SLOMINSKI: My job is to run our legislative policy and lobbying operation. I have seven people who work for me, a couple lobbyists who go to Capitol Hill and two economic specialists. Our primary priority is dairy policy.
Twenty-three years ago, one late afternoon in Abbeville, Alabama, seven-year-old Chance Armstrong ran out of options.
After a week of suffering, his newborn calf’s health had worsened. Anxious, worried and not knowing what to do, he picked up the phone and made an emergency call.
Q. What is the most difficult problem you deal with on your dairy? How do you handle it?
Mark Diederichs Lake Breeze Dairy, LLC Malone, Wisconsin To keep our employees motivated and finding something new and exciting in what we deal with every day. To do that, we try to give them the newest technologies and newest tools out there.
Age: 57
Location: Bentonville, Arkansas
My dairy’s history: (# of generations, family members, etc.) I’m a third-generation dairy producer. In April 1972, I assumed major dairy operations after my dad took on a full-time job and told me I could either “milk or sell.” Today, my wife, Susan; our two sons, Cody and Casey; and I milk 300 cows and also have an Angus beef operation.
Progressive Dairyman Editor Walt Cooley discusses with New York Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Julie Suarez the future of the dairy industry in the Empire State and national issues that are impacting its producers.
This article will appear in Issue 3 of Progressive Dairyman, due in mailboxes February 8.
Q. Early this year, news outlets reported legislation would be introduced in your state that would make non-therapeutic antimicrobial use a misdemeanor offense.Is New York the first state to see such a bill?
SUAREZ: It would not surprise me to hear that other states are also considering similar legislation, particularly in the West Coast, but I am unaware of any other state only bills at this point. New York’s tremendous representation in the Legislature of people from New York City is a particular challenge to us.
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