A hoof trimmer from Illinois calls a client in Missouri, who calls a friend in Indiana, who calls the dairy farmers closest to exit 57 on Interstate 64 where a breakdown has occurred. No, this isn’t one of those “a fireman, a policeman and a doctor walk into a bar” type of jokes; this is a situation that occurred around 10 p.m. on a weekend following the North American Livestock Expo.

It is a fact; inclusive leaders make everyone feel welcome and appreciated, and when Barbara Wadsworth Jones is around, no one feels left out or out of place. Immediately upon meeting her, you feel like you are talking with a lifelong friend.

Even though it presents many challenges, including poor infrastructure, a harsh climate and low farm-gate prices, Mexico appears to be on the threshold of an agricultural revolution.

From milking by hand in 1915 to milking with robots today, Stensland Family Farms has embraced technology’s role in providing an opportunity for dairying, agritourism and on-farm processing.

Technology provides tools to gather data, enabling dairy farmers to make immediate decisions based on real-time herd information. A producer panel discussed their individual uses of “wearable” technologies during the Precision Dairy Farming Conference and Expo, held May 30-June 1, in Lexington, Kentucky. The event was organized by the University of Kentucky and the University of Minnesota.

At the recent Precision Dairy Conference, Jason Troyer of RJT Dairy Farm in Centerville, Pennsylvania, spoke about his experience transitioning from milking 150 cows in a double-four parlor to milking 215 cows in a robotic milking system.

Precision agriculture innovation continues to provide farmers with improved technologies that are becoming more affordable. Precision dairy management provides a way to gather data that enables farmers to make immediate decisions based on real-time herd statistics.

The theme of the first Indiana Dairy Forum was “Your Family, Your Farm, Our Commitment.” Brownfield’s Dave Russell served as emcee, and Dr. Tom Furhmann of Dairyworks provided leadership tools for management toolboxes both days of the forum with his “Who Controls our Future” and “Management Rules to Live By” presentations.

A prominent U.S. presidential campaign issue, President Donald Trump frequently identified the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as an economic drain on the U.S. economy. Trump administration officials have started the clock on renegotiating the trade agreement, beginning as early as mid-August.

The first annual Indiana Dairy Forum, held in historic French Lick on Feb. 1-2, kicked off with an interactive, hands-on presentation to improve parlor function and milk quality featuring a milking system simulation, “Understanding Your Parlor’s Function,” by Dr. Roger Thomson from Battle Creek, Michigan.