There have been lots of conversations and behind-the-scenes activity related to the new federal dairy safety net program – the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program – but dairy farmers will have to wait a little longer to see the benefits.

Enrollment in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program isn’t scheduled to start for another couple of months, but dairy farmers participating in the program at the top margin coverage level ($9.50 per hundredweight [cwt]) on the first 5 million pounds of milk will see their premium costs covered quickly.

The more time we spend following the right fresh cow protocols, the better the young cows will perform throughout the lactation. This is well known on both conventional and robotic farms, but in robotic milking settings, the management practices that contribute to success within this group are both measured and performed differently.

Editor's note: The original article has been updated to include comments from Dairy Farmers of America. U.S. dairy exports continue to struggle in the face of strong competition and retaliatory tariffs in China and Mexico, and President Donald Trump’s threat to close the Mexican border will wreak further havoc on a struggling dairy economy in which seven dairy farms close per day, two U.S. dairy organization leaders warned.

Robotics have been around for a while, but are they a good investment? Iowa State University Extension Dairy Specialist Larry Tranel has a two-word answer for that question: It depends.

Digest Highlights

• EPA has aerial surveillance authority, within limits
• Proposal raises Chapter 12 liability cap
• Proposal again seeks tighter oversight of checkoff programs
• Pennsylvania over-order premium raised to $1 per cwt
• February cull cow prices higher
• Flooding impacting cottonseed shipments
• 2019 hay acreage forecast steady
• Corn and soybean stocks, acreage reported
• CWT adds to list of products eligible for export assistance
• Global Dairy Trade index up again

Quality bypass protein like SoyPlus is a cost-effective solution to providing important metabolizable protein in pre-fresh diets.

There is a growing appetite for Western-style food in the international diet, and the dairy checkoff is working to put U.S. dairy on menus far beyond our borders.

Many attendees at Western Dairy Management Conference experienced delayed flights or a bumpy ride into Reno, Nevada, for the 14th edition of the biennial event.

You’re busy – milking cows, managing employees and getting ready for spring. With that in mind, Progressive Dairyman looks at issues in the news impacting you and your dairy business.