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Progressive Dairyman Editor Karen Lee discusses the new standards of care for animals raised on dairy farms released by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) with Amber Driscoll, PETA’s corporate liaison.
Q. To whom is your new dairy initiative aimed? A. DRISCOLL: Our new standards are directly aimed at the dairy industry from farms to processors and companies like pizza, ice cream and coffee companies that source a lot of dairy products.
“It used to be just the four-legged predators; now it’s the ‘two-leggeds,’” said Idaho State Brand Inspection Chief Larry Hayhurst at a meeting between law enforcement officers and cattle owners in Ola, Idaho, in early April.
More than 120 cattle owners gathered to discuss the possibilities for curbing the rapid growth of cattle rustling.
Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has been detected in a dairy in San Bernardino County. State and federal animal health officials are working closely with the dairy farmer and his veterinarian to implement control strategies to eradicate the disease.
The diagnosis of TB was made after a suspicious mass in a cow identified during routine slaughter inspection was confirmed positive. CDFA veterinarians, in coordination with USDA, have completed tests on the other cows in the herd where the infected cow originated and determined that TB is present. The investigation into the source and possible spread of this slowly debilitating disease will continue.
While taking my occasional turn feeding our 4-month-old son at odd hours of the night, I catch up on reading articles and news on my smartphone. I’ve subscribed to several RSS news feeds, and with the aid of an app, I can read and share them with others from one application. (I’m a fan of the iPhone’s Reeder app – .99¢ on iTunes.)
Game 6 of the 1975 World Series is ranked by many as the greatest baseball game ever. The Big Red Machine of Cincinnati with Bench, Rose and Foster took on the Boston Red Sox with Fisk and Yastrzemski. The Reds led the series by 3 to 2. A win in Fenway Park would mean they would be the world champs.
Both teams made incredible plays on offense and defense, stretching the game into the 12th inning. In the top of the 10th inning, as Pete Rose stepped to the plate, he said to Carlton Fisk, the Boston catcher, “This is some kind of game, isn’t it?”
The game ended two innings later when Fisk hammered one out of the park. The film showing him jumping and waving on his way to first base represents one of the best pieces of sports film ever made.
If you are into numbers, the trends in demand and supply are a fascinating topic, especially when you apply the concept to the dairy industry. The theory is simple – an increase in demand allows prices to rise, encouraging supply growth.
As stocks and supply increase to the point of excess, prices fall, resulting in a contraction of supply and reset of the supply/demand balance. The reality is a long way from simple and that has certainly proved to be the case in our research on the U.S. dairy market.
Our communities cannot reach their full potential without the local presence of a bank – a bank that understands the financial and credit needs of its citizens, farmers, businesses and government.
I am concerned this model may be in jeopardy, given the massive weight of new rules and regulations that will result from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act). The vast majority of banks in this country have never made an exotic mortgage loan or taken on excessive risks.
Remember the famous sign on President Truman’s desk: “The Buck Stops Here.”? If you’re a leader, you probably already know that the buck stops with you.
As an employer or manager, you’re accountable to everyone who depends on the success and viability of your dairy ... your management team, your employees, your customers, your vendors, your lenders, your neighbors and last but certainly not least, yourself and your family.
In an instance of “déjà vu all over again,” the voters in California have elected Jerry Brown to serve as governor of the Golden State. Gov. Brown served two terms as California’s governor from 1975 to 1983 and presided over a period of tremendous labor turmoil in California agriculture.
In his first term, he signed a landmark law that, for the first time, codified collective bargaining rights in agriculture.
In a previous article, I discussed three different areas where you can work to save your dairy from possible failure. If you will recall, I had the experience of being asked what it takes to bring a dairy back to life. It’s no small job!
We discussed the need to know your production and reproduction numbers if you’re going to heal. Your feeding must be timely and orderly, because this is your largest expense. Also, don’t overlook the fact that your labor force must be able and willing to implement your protocols for you to survive.
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