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Attracting a processing plant that would support southwest Kansas dairy farms is a top priority for Kansas governor Sam Brownback's administration, but dairy industry officials say the region needs to have more cows before the effort will succeed.
More than 70,000 cows are milked daily in western Kansas, where a few dozen large dairies have opened in the last 20 years. Brownback's administration would like to attract something like a cheese factory or a milk processing plant to help the region's economy.
Note: The following are opinion commentaries.
I am responding to your question of whether or not I favor Foundation for the Future (FFTF). I am a seventh-generation dairy farmer owning and operating a closed herd of 60 registered Holsteins in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Visit www.ebyfarm.com for more information.)
Many blame co-ops; others blame corporate dairies for the mess we are in. Yes, they are part of the problem, but more importantly they are the result of a much bigger problem.
This Thanksgiving season, people throughout the food system will be using social media to show their thanks for food and raise awareness of agriculture through the AgChat Foundation’s #foodthanks campaign. Last year more than 800 people participated in the campaign by blogging, adding the #foodthanks twibbon to their avatar photo, and sharing more than 2,000 Twitter posts.
The National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Board of Directors elected several new officers at the organization’s 2011 annual meeting in San Diego, California.
Randy Mooney, from Rogersville, Missouri, representing Dairy Farmers of America, was re-elected as the organization’s chairman, a position he has held since 2008. Ken Nobis, from St. John, Michigan, representing Michigan Milk Producers Association, was elected first vice chairman. Nobis had been serving as NMPF treasurer.
Representatives from Advanced Comfort Technology, Inc. (ACT, Inc.), were on site at the University of Kentucky, assisting with the installation of 54 of the company’s DCC Waterbeds (Dual Chamber Cow Waterbeds) in the College of Agriculture’s Coldstream Dairy Research Farm.
“We are excited to have DCC Waterbeds at the University of Kentucky,” said Dean Throndsen, president and CEO of ACT, Inc. “For almost 13 years we’ve seen and heard from our customers that waterbeds provide superior cow comfort with the added benefits of less maintenance, lower labor and bedding costs, and a long lifespan. Now, through our partnership with UK, we can gather data to help support the testimonials we’ve collected from waterbed users around the world.”
The installation at the University of Kentucky kicks off a two-year study overseen by Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, dairy systems management extension specialist in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Animal and Food Sciences, and led by Barbara Wadsworth, a graduate student in the Animal and Food Sciences program and the recipient of the ACT, Inc., Dairy Systems Management Fellowship.
The National Dairy Council and The Quaker Oats Company, a division of PepsiCo, announced a partnership that will leverage the strengths of both organizations to develop effective programs in schools and other channels to increase children’s access to breakfast, nutritious snacks and physical activity. The National Dairy Council, under the leadership of America’s dairy farmers, and Quaker have long been dedicated to creating healthier lifestyles for children and families.
Principal designer of DMSP drops its support of Dairy Security Act
In a letter to co-op members in October, Agri-Mark publicly announced its opposition to pending dairy reform legislation known as the Dairy Security Act of 2011, introduced into the house by Rep. Collin Peterson and co-sponsored by eight other House members.
The co-op renounced its previous support of NMPF’s Foundation for the Future, which was the basis for Peterson’s bill, because the current legislation does not require mandatory participation in supply management during low profit margins by all U.S. dairy farmers.
The Wisconsin Holstein Association will award 16 outstanding members up to $12,000 in scholarships at the annual Junior Holstein Convention in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Dec. 28-30. Scholarships are awarded to members studying in agriculture or related fields as well as recognizing the Distinguished Junior Members representing Wisconsin at the national contest.
About 300 activists representing the animal rights, environmental and public health movements converged in Arlington, Virginia, on Oct. 27-29 for the first-ever “Conference to End Factory Farming”. More than 25 speakers attempted to gain the attention of decision makers in Washington, D.C. with sessions titled “The Hidden Costs of Factory Farming,” “Inside the Industry,” and “Building Coalitions for Change.”
I’ve been an editor with Progressive Dairyman magazine for two years now. While most of my work has been online, managing the content on our website and in our Extra e-newsletter, I have contributed several articles to the print publication. This, however, is my first editorial piece. Ever.
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