"Buy fresh, buy local," the familiar movement that has sparked a surge in farmers markets, community supported agriculture operations and farm-to-school programs across the country, now is making its way into the restaurant industry. And Shore Gourmet, a local nonprofit that supports a growing number of the Delmarva Peninsula's value-added producers, is taking full advantage of the trend.

A Cornell University crop and soil science professor says a warming climate could present a profitable opportunity for farmers in northern New York: soybeans. Professor William Cox says soybeans aren't labor intensive and they're commanding a high price. He recently released results of field trials to help growers decide which varieties to plant in 2012.

The Missouri House has endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment barring voters from enacting laws that affect the raising of livestock through initiative petitions. The proposal would add a "right to raise livestock" to the Missouri Constitution.

Mexico became the first billion-dollar U.S. dairy export market in 2011, the culmination of more than 15 years of broad-based market development efforts. Shipments topped $1.17 billion last year, up 41 percent from 2010 levels, according to trade data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Mexico is the largest overseas market for U.S. milk powder, cheese and ice cream, providing a vital outlet for more than 3 percent of the U.S. milk supply.

As a follow-up to his popular article, "Individual cow care to lower lameness in your herd," we asked author Jamie Sullivan the following question: Q. Have lameness incidents continued to decline or have they remained about the same? What's the next step in hoof health beyond a focus on individual cow care? In this herd and my other clients' herds that have adopted the “individual cow care and 150-day trim protocol," we have seen continued improvement in hoof health. Does that mean we don’t have some months where there is an increase in lameness? No.

In January of this year, DeLaval hosted current and prospective customers of DeLaval VMS (Voluntary Milking System) at events in Madison, Wisconsin. The VMS PRO (Professional Robot Operators) User Group Seminar and the DeLaval VMS Freedom to Choose Tour united for a day of exchanging information and sharing experiences.

U.S. dairy suppliers capitalized on strong global markets to achieve record export sales in 2011, boosting shipments in a year when milk supplies from competing regions increased dramatically. Processors and traders moved 3.24 billion lbs. of total milk solids into export channels last year, seven percent more than 2010 and 49 percent more than 2009. Overseas shipments were valued at $4.82 billion, up 30 percent from the year before, according to government trade data released last week.

Heat stress not only affects people; it’s hard on cattle too, said a dairy industry expert. The Dairy Heat Stress Road Show, a multi-institutional effort, will hit the road this spring to help producers cope with the problem. Dr. Todd Bilby, associate professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service dairy specialist at Stephenville, said heat stress on dairies not only affects cow comfort, but also lowers milk production and fertility, which costs the dairy industry millions of dollars annually.

Effective managers have a variety of ways of making good things happen through people. The specific style may vary by individual, but in general, there are a few important characteristics of successful dairy management. First, successful dairy management should be based on biologically and economically sound principles that will take advantage of proven strategies.