On January 14, from noon to 1 p.m. CST, Dr. Chad Dechow will present, "Potential and Pitfalls for Genomic Selection." Dechow is an associate professor of dairy cattle genetics in the Penn State University's Animal Sciences Department. He teaches principles of animal breeding, dairy problem solving and dairy cattle evaluation and selection, among other courses.

Don Spiers, professor of animal sciences at the University of Missouri, talks with PD Editor Dario Martinez about the Thermal Aid app, its development and plans to make the app available to producers later this year.

Hannah Miller, 21 Stephenville, Texas Student; Assistant Account Manager Throughout the several BSE investigations in the United States since the first case in late 2003, the safety of milk and dairy products has never been in question. To learn more about modern dairy farm practices, Click here.

The Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) is gearing up for its annual meeting, which will take place November 8-9 at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, California. Because successful reproductive management depends on many areas on the dairy, this year’s meeting will address topics that ultimately impact reproduction, including nutrition, herd management, animal welfare and technology.

In March, President Obama appointed Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy as director of the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Ramaswamy, an entomologist, grew up in India at a time when food was scarce. However, he also experienced firsthand how research – especially agricultural research – can transform a country for the better. Throughout his career, Ramaswamy served in administrative and educational and research capacities at multiple land-grant universities across the country. Prior to joining NIFA, Ramaswamy was dean at Oregon State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Progressive Dairyman Editor Dario Martinez followed up with Ramaswamy to discuss NIFA’s current research endeavors, including those connected to the dairy industry.