Recently, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) held its annual meeting in Reno, Nev. The key message from NMPF was the importance of unity amongst the industry as we go into the next Congress with hopes of making significant reforms to dairy policy. Its proposed reforms, known as the “Foundation for the Future” (www.futurefordairy.com) is a collection of proposals aimed at reforming several different government policies surrounding our industry. Many are well aware of the efforts of myself, MPC and other groups around the country in promoting the Costa-Sanders Bill (a.k.a. the “Dairy Price Stabilization Act,” or H.R. 5288/S. 3531). These bills are the results of several years of work in crafting an effective production management program that will allow our industry to continue growing to meet new demand, while at the same time sending real-time signals to dairy farmers to better manage future milk production growth.

The 2010 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge was held in Batavia, New York, October 28-30. More than 110 students from 14 colleges and universities participated in the three-day event. During the Regional Dairy Challenge events, students are broken up into comingled-university teams of four or five. These teams, named after the sponsors of Dairy Challenge, are assigned an anonymous farm. Students assess all aspects of the farm, including feeding programs, facilities and equipment, financials and milking protocols. They then prepare a 20-minute presentation to give to a panel of judges and the host farm families. View "114 attend Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge" for more photos and results of the event.

A bright future for the dairy industry has been forecasted after taking a sneak-peek at the future leaders of the dairy industry. Sixty-eight of Wisconsin’s brightest and motivated dairy students gathered to attend the 2010 PDPW Youth Leadership Derby, which was held on Nov. 6 and 7 at DeForest High School in DeForest, Wisconsin. The 24-hour lock-in gave students 15-18 years old a look at the multiple career choices in the dairy industry and what it takes to reach their goals.

The 2010 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge was held in Batavia, New York, October 28-30. More than 110 students from 14 colleges and universities participated in the three-day event.

On Wednesday, Nov. 3, Jeremy Peake of Waukon, Iowa, hosted the last pasture walk of the season for the Northeast Iowa Grazers. He has been milking since 2001 and transitioned to organic in 2006 with 36 Jerseys milking. The event focused on how this dairyman plans to out-winter his heifers.

The business of dairying includes more than feeding and milking the bovine animal. At a time when the government is regulating the environment and labor force, consumers want to be informed and prices – paid and received – are more volatile than ever, the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) took two days to get briefed on what is happening in the industry.

The Cal Poly Classic Sale was held on Friday, October 15, 2010 at the Cal Poly Dairy Farm in San Luis Obispo, California. The sale pavilion was packed with sale goers, Cal Poly alumni and friends. 42 live and choice Holstein lots averaged $3,024, and 65 Holstein embryos averaged $438.00. 12 live and choice Jersey lots averaged $2,732, and 30 Jersey embryos averaged $312.50.

The Southern Great Plains Dairy Consortium partnered up with New Mexico State University and Texas AgriLife Extension to host the Dairy Industry Short Course, held recently in Amarillo, Texas. The short course, which took place October 12-14, was designed for extension agents and allied industry representatives who wished to learn more about the large herd management and the major issues impacting the industry in the Southwest.

On October 8, about 350 people spent the day at Chaput Family Farms, an 830-cow dairy operation in North Troy, Vermont. Reg and Mike Chaput opened up their farm to show off the farm's new methane digester, installed in August. The digester enables the dairy to produce not only milk, but also electricy - up to 1.6-milliion kilowatt hours a year.