Brad Barham Reynoldsburg, Ohio Business Development Specialist American Jersey Cattle Association

Terry Lyons Eau Claire, Wisconsin Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Engineering J&D Manufacturing

Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tim Johnson (D-SD) have introduced a bipartisan bill that would place a hard cap on farm payments and close current loopholes to ensure payments flow to working farmers. The Rural America Preservation Act (RAPA) was previously introduced in June 2011. Key revisions have been made to ensure that the bill is relevant to likely farm bill changes in commodity programs, which may include an end to direct payments and enactment of new types of payments to take their place.

State Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch announced that BIOFerm Energy Systems and Allen Farms have been awarded a grant to help fund a feasibility study for the "plug and play" digester EUCOlino. This project, made possible by a partnership with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UW Oshkosh) and its Foundation, will be the first U.S. installation of this new technology. EUCOlino was developed to improve the on-site environmental and energy sustainability of small-herd family dairy farms. The system can be implemented at farms with a dairy herd size of 50 to 500; the average Wisconsin dairy farm has about 300 cows.

World Dairy Expo promises even more for dairy producers to experience in 2012. A new major sponsor has stepped up to the plate for naming of the newly expanded indoor exhibit space. The New Holland Trade Center will feature a mix of new and returning exhibitors from across the dairy industry. Dairy enthusiasts attending the event will have the opportunity to view the very latest cutting-edge equipment, research and services that might be incorporated into their operations.