The other day I had a conversation with my son, Paul, who is trying to find a job. He was adopted from Bulgaria at age 11, so he is somewhat delayed in his understanding of social issues.

The recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan is heartwrenching. The enormous power of water is captured in multiple videos and photography. One telling video shows the power of water overcoming everything in its path on the very limited farmland, the disappearing hoop structures and barns and buildings, now gone.

What a pleasure I had attending the Western Canadian Dairy Seminars in Red Deer, Alberta, this spring. While there was still plenty of snow and freezing temperatures, the great company and brewing coffee kept a soul warm.

This issue contains an interesting interview with a dairy producer who is also actively involved in politics. He and others made a few headlines after passing new state legislation in May. Attention soon died away, but I think it will be back again.

Progressive Dairyman Editor Walt Cooley discusses with Utah dairyman and state legislator Bill Wright of Double Tree Dairy in Holden, Utah, the state’s new immigration enforcement and reform bills. The bill that Wright sponsored, which was recently signed into law, will petition the federal government to allow Utah to create a legalized state guest worker program for illegal immigrants who hold a current job, have health insurance, have not committed a felony and pay a one-time fine as well as current taxes.

Committee on Agriculture Chairman Frank D. Lucas delivered the following in an opening statement at a March 10 hearing to review the impact of EPA regulations on agriculture: “There is a reason the top issue for nearly every member of the Agriculture Committee is related to the regulatory agenda of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The reason is simple: Many members of this committee believe over the past two years the EPA has pursued an agenda seemingly absent of consideration for the consequences it would have on rural America and production agriculture.

In August of 2009 the Silver Creek District, of which I am a part, decided to honor the birthday of Scouting in a very special way. 100 years, 100 Eagles; wow, what a challenge!

There is much in the news today about unrest and revolution in the world. The “common man” rising up and asking: “Why do we live like this, when we have seen how others live?” The connectivity of our communication systems brings every corner of the world to our computer screens, our BlackBerrys, and our social media.

As is tradition with our annual State of the Dairy Industry issue, the cover of this issue was drawn by an industry stakeholder. In this case, she is an important one and represents the primary audience of this magazine – dairy producers.

Last year, the world dairy market came back strong. U.S. suppliers enjoyed record export volumes, continuing a long-term trend that’s added up to 14 percent compound annual growth since 2003. The importance of the export market to the health of the U.S. dairy industry is undeniable; one of every eight tankers of milk that rolls out of your driveway is turned into a dairy product that’s consumed overseas. When I travel around the world, customers from Guadalajara to Guangzhou tell me they want to buy from the United States. I travel around America’s farm country and most folks here “get it” too.