Progressive Dairy

PDP calf facility tours to feature three Wisconsin dairy farms

Tours will provide interactive, inside looks at three approaches to raising healthy calves.

July 7, 2026

The 2026 Calf Facility Tours presented by Professional Dairy Producers (PDP) will provide the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes perspective of three progressive dairy operations and the management practices, equipment and technologies they use to care for the youngest members of their herd.

Essential elements of barn design

When designing a new barn, consider future expansion plans and how that may impact manure storage, holding areas and parlor efficiency.

July 7, 2026

Courtney Halbach

Whether a farm is in the initial planning stages of building a new dairy, wanting to remodel their existing facilities or looking to expand, it is important to consider the following elements of barn design.

Are your high-producing cows producing high enough?

Feed hygiene, feeding consistency, stress reduction and optimized rumen function are key to helping high-producing cows achieve peak performance and maximize genetic potential.

July 7, 2026

Ruby Wu

There’s nothing more frustrating than looking at production reports, realizing that your herd isn’t reaching its potential and wondering what can be done about it. Here’s a checklist to help identify areas that need attention or could be tweaked to help enhance performance.

Weekly Digest: U.S. declines USMCA renewal in current form

July 6, 2026

Karen Lee

In the news related to dairy farming the first week of July 2026: The U.S. declines USMCA renewal in current form; NASS report shows corn planted acreage down 3%, soybean acreage up 5%; nominations are open for NMC’s National Dairy Quality Awards program, and World Dairy Expo cattle show entries are open too.

Heat stress in dairy cows: How probiotics can help

Heat stress harms dairy cows by lowering intake, milk yield, fertility and gut health. Probiotics support gut integrity and reduce inflammation, improving resilience and productivity alongside nutrition and environmental management.

July 6, 2026

Evin Sharman

In recent years, researchers have discovered that heat stress affects the gut at a very basic level. This has led to a growing interest in nutritional strategies that support gut health, with probiotics emerging as a promising tool to help cows better cope with high temperatures.

What’s happening inside when rumination alerts occur?

Proactive management practices to support individual cows and help prevent rumination declines across groups and entire herds can improve overall performance.

July 3, 2026

Gustavo Mazon and Murilo Carvalho

Instead of ignoring low rumination alerts, understanding what may be causing them is key before taking action. Establishing management practices to support individual animals and prevent rumination drops on herd and group levels can make a big difference.

Milk from Family Dairies Act gains widespread industry support

July 2, 2026

Kimmi Devaney

The Milk from Family Dairies Act, which aims to stabilize the dairy market, was introduced in the Senate on June 29, led by Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and co-sponsored by Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). The bill would ensure market transparency and fair prices for dairy farmers, maintain consumer access to reliable and reasonably priced dairy products, and revitalize rural communities by establishing a Dairy Market Stabilization Program to ensure dairy farmers get a fair price for their milk based on their cost of production.

New legislation would expand access to H-2A beyond seasonal workers

July 2, 2026

Kimmi Devaney

The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act was introduced in the House on June 30, led by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pennsylvania). The legislation would modernize agricultural workforce policy by updating the H-2A visa program and expanding access beyond seasonal workers.

[Podcast] The hidden challenges behind dairy data and artificial intelligence

July 2, 2026

In this episode, Pablo Janowicz, global key account manager from Dairy Data Warehouse, explores how technology is helping transform the dairy industry through data and artificial intelligence.

Milk class prices shrink in June report

After months of an uphill climb, Class III and IV fall in June’s Federal Milk Marketing Order report.

July 1, 2026

Jenn Coyne

While the market for Class IV milk is still strong, the markets are signaling a retreat is near. The June USDA Announcement of Class and Component Prices report indicated the Class IV milk price falling more than $2 from the month prior, and while the Class III price also fell, the gap between the two is closing as the markets search for balance.