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Click here to view the virtual farm tour video, featured at the 2012 World Ag Expo.
An immigrant to the U.S. who thought in 1956 he’d settle down in Minnesota and bake for the rest of his career is now a successful dairyman in California’s Central Valley.
Four years after immigrating to the U.S. from the Netherlands, Tony DeGroot, Sr., developed an allergy to flour.
“Baker’s disease,” as Tony’s doctor’s called it, closed up Tony’s lungs when he worked around airborne flour particles. The disease was fatal, not to Tony’s life, but his career as a full-time baker.
Designed for people who want to improve their knowledge and decision-making abilities in dairy production and management, the 30th Western Canadian Dairy Seminar welcomes dairy producers, extension specialists, researchers, and dairy service and supply representatives.
Each year a wide variety of topics are presented ranging from nutrition and reproduction to dairy policy and challenges facing the dairy industry.
This year’s event will be held March 6-9 at the Sheraton Red Deer in Red Deer, Alberta. With the theme, “30 Years of Advancing Dairy Knowledge,” the seminar will take a special anniversary look back at the last 30 years and how far the industry has advanced.
Price volatility is an opportunity. Well-managed dairies are seeing long-term benefits from the current market volatility.
While price volatility may also be a threat requiring increased risk management focus, those that are able to manage the higher risk and cash flow challenges successfully are experiencing better margins overall.
Most farms look at large milk price swings between years as creating difficulties and promoting a stronger emphasis on financial management rather than production. Higher volatility, which we have seen in milk price, input costs and most other aspects of our economy, increases risk and is rewarded in the marketplace with increased profits.
2011 did a lot to rebuild the spirits and the balance sheets of dairy producers. It also featured a spirited debate about dairy price reform, margin protection and safety nets.
As of this writing, the Dairy Security Act seems destined for inclusion in the 2012 Farm Bill in some form.
No matter what happens with the public policy debate, the risk management approaches that are being talked about really are apple-and-orange comparisons. No comparative calculators will magically tell you which approach is best for you.
As we welcome in 2012, we remember the seasons of the year and how winter will become spring and then summer and so on.
In this well-understood annual cycle of seasons and the weather patterns and traditions that accompany each one, we know with some certainty that during winter we will probably need a coat, in the spring an umbrella, in the summer an air conditioner and in the fall a leaf rake.
In agriculture, we have traditionally had price cycles that could be compared to the cycle of seasons – but they tend to be less certain and predictable.
Several dairy producers in the Midwest recently saw an opportunity to improve their feed storage capacity and feed quality with a new pull-behind tractor implement.
The Impact Silage Packer follows a very simple concept – using weight to pack down feed.
The packer is basically an implement consisting of rollers that each weigh 650 pounds and are designed to increase feed compaction on forage piles and bunkers.
It is not unusual to receive phone calls from clients or prospective clients saying, “I need audited financial statements.”
I have learned over the years what this really means is, “I need some type of financial statements from a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).”
An audited financial statement may or may not really be required.
After Cody Heller graduated from college in 2007 with a degree in ag business management, he returned home to the family farm in Alma Center, Wisconsin, with hopes of managing the farm’s finances.
At his father’s request, he instead spent a year in the barn becoming reacquainted with the farm’s daily operations.
Heading into 2009, his role at the 1,000-cow dairy was amended to leading the herd health team, as well as easing into the finances of the dairy.
Dairy producers continue to face a risky financial environment. Expensive feed and stagnant-to-dipping milk prices mandate caution when deciding how money is to be spent.
It’s important to focus attention on getting the most return from every investment, including your reproductive program.
Reproduction is the driving force behind the profitability of any dairy.
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