Forty-five young dairy enthusiasts came together at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) Youth Leadership Derby held in Milton, Wisconsin, in early November.

Dairy cow population reduction • Economists estimated the industry would need to remove between five and six billion pounds of milk, the production of approximately 250,000 cows, to boost milk prices.

Steve Schumachersteves@vanbeeknaturalscience.com

A tour offered by the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) highlighted an array of heifer facilities in Northeastern Wisconsin on October 20. The busload of dairy producers traveled to four farms to learn about the structures and protocols implemented to raise healthy heifers.

Dairy Challenge is a unique event that gives students the opportunity to be a consultant for the day. And in the regional dairy challenge competitions, teams are made up of students from a variety of schools in that area. Students are asked to evaluate and collaborate with complete strangers to come up with viable, profitable recommendations for the dairy farm they visit. They present their findings to a panel of judges and are evaluated, with the top teams for each farm receiving the platinum award.

Chris Lehner Director of Commodities at Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Assoc. in Baraboo, Wisconsin

Idaho dairymen and producers from throughout the Northwest convened in Boise during November looking for positive news about their industry. Many found what they were looking for.

John de Jonge of Abbotsford, British Columbia, went to a trade show in China two years ago. He set up a booth for Artex Barn Solutions, displaying several Canadian flags. He says he didn’t really expect to sell anything. But when the Chinese saw the Canadian flags, they swarmed the booth.

Now entered in the history books, World Dairy Expo 2009 can truly be called “Legendary.”

Cargill Texturizing Solutions recently announced the development of Lygomme ACH Optimum, a non-dairy ingredient to be used in the production of analogue cheese, also known as imitation cheese. This news created a stir with U.S. dairy producers and caused some to doubt Cargill’s support of the nation’s dairy industry. Progressive Dairyman Web Editor Emily Caldwell discussed the new ingredient and its impact on U.S. dairy producers with Darrin Peterson of Cargill Texturizing Solutions and Mike Jerred of Cargill Animal Nutrition.