Joey Airoso has been appointed president of the Tulare County Farm Bureau.

Roger Erdman, chief engineer of dairy systems architecture, is retiring after 34 years with BouMatic. His last day was May 2. Erdman’s long career with the same company is one milestone of many from a business that’s been around since World War II. BouMatic is turning 75 this year and has chosen June Dairy Month to celebrate the event.

The University of Kentucky recently released a new fact sheet on fresh cow health management. The 15-page document includes photo tutorials, scoring systems and record sheets to aid in fresh cow handling from one to 21 days in milk.

Lameness in dairy cattle presents significant health, performance and welfare challenges and is often responsible for the decision to cull an animal from an operation. The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) recently developed guidelines to help veterinarians and their beef and dairy producer clients better manage lameness on their operations.

The USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is seeking applications from rural small businesses and agricultural producers for funding to make energy-efficiency improvements or to install renewable energy systems. For fiscal year 2014, the USDA plans to award up to $12.3 million in grants and $57.8 million in loan guarantees.

Land O’Lakes says it will close its Denmark, Wisconsin, cheese plant, causing nearly 100 people to be out of work. Its semi-soft Italian cheeses aren’t profitable enough for the plant to stay open, the company said in a prepared statement, noting it has plans to expand its Kiel plant that makes cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.

Rock River Laboratory Inc. (RRL) has opened the company’s newest feed analysis laboratory location in Wooster, Ohio. The latest addition to the enterprise provides consultants, nutritionists and industry partners greater convenience, local industry knowledge combined with accurate analysis, technical support, expertise and the dedicated customer service.

The 2014 Four-State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference will be held June 11-12 at the Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa. The conference will present the latest research on issues concerning the dairy industry including feed efficiency, calves and transition cows.

Minnesota’s “Buy the Farm” law is being tested with a court case between CapX2020 and Cedar Summit Farm near New Prague. As it currently stands, the law requires utilities building high-voltage power lines to buy farms in the way if the landowners demand it.

Applications for the Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) are now available. YDLI is a dairy-focused, three-phase leadership and communication skills development program, sponsored by the Holstein Foundation.