From left to right, they are: President J.D. Alexander from Pilger, Nebraska; President-Elect Scott George from Cody, Wyoming; and Vice President Bob McCan of Victoria, Texas.

We already heard from J.D. and now immediate past president Bill Donald, but below is the audio from J.D.’s executive committee report at the NCBA membership meeting Saturday morning. He makes a great analogy there between great cowboys who can spot a sick animal before it even knows it’s sick, and the great cowboys working for NCBA in Washington DC who are able to know “if there’s something brewing that may have an effect on our industry.”

Listen to J.D.’s report here: New NCBA president J.D. Alexander

President-elect Scott George is primarily a dairyman in a family partnership that also includes a small cow-calf operation and breeding business. “Cattle are our whole business,” he says, adding that he has never been more optimistic about the industry. “Demand is good, both domestically and internationally, so we’ve got some great opportunities, great prices and that should remain for several years.”

Scott says issues NCBA will be focused on in 2012 are the estate tax, transportation issues and a new farm bill.

Listen to my interview with Scott here: NCBA president-elect Scott George

Bob McCan oversees the cattle and recreational hunting and wildlife operations for his family’s company, McFaddin Enterprises in Texas. He was NCBA policy division chairman for 2011 and is proud of NCBA’s accomplishments in Washington last year.

Bob reports that membership for NCBA is just a tick above 24,000 now, starting to head back up after a drop when dues were raised last year to $100. “With the service that you get and the representation that you get, that’s not a whole lot,” he said, noting that members get lots of discount deals with companies like Roper, John Deere, New Holland and others. “There’s just not a whole lot of reason not to shell out $100, especially with the cattle market we’re looking at now.”

Listen to my interview with Bob here: NCBA vice president Bob McCan

2012 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Since 2008, more than 800 of world’s most progressive dairy and beef producers have convened for the Alltech Global 500 to network and discuss the most relevant and challenging topics in the industry.

This year, the Global 500 explores the future landscape for the dairy and beef industries and provides a rare opportunity for global colleagues and friends to engage in open discussion on critical topics such as sustainable strategies and practices that can be implemented now and in the future.

I talked with Alltech Beef Division Manager Ty Yeast about the event, which will be held December 6-8. “Originally it started as a dairy event and with the success after the first two years in the dairy event, we expanded to the beef side as well,” Ty said. “Last year was our first ever addition of the beef event and we had over 125 participants from all over the world.” This year, Ty says they already have more than doubled last year’s registration.

Ty says the conference is really about looking at new ways of approaching a business that’s been around for a long time. “It’s innovation, it’s looking at new ways of doing things, and really breaking old paradigms on how to move forward and get to that next level of efficiency.”

Interested producers can still register for the event by going to the Global 500 website. You can be sure it will be worth your while.

Listen to or download my interview with Ty here: Ty Yeast - Alltech Global 500

Fuel Up to Play 60 helps students make positive changes in their schools by improving opportunities to consume nutrient-rich foods and get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. The ultimate goal is to ensure changes made at school are sustainable and complements – not competes with – an academics-focused environment.

Eddie says they’re “trying to send a message across the nation really to help children and parents understand the things that need to go into their body to help them to stay healthy and to stay healthy for a long time.” Eddie has kids of his own so this program is very close to his heart. When it comes to milk he says that after a heavy duty workout a glass of chocolate milk helps him recover faster than any other drink out there.

Listen to my interview with Eddie here: Interview with Eddie Kennison

2011 NAFB Convention Photo Album

The mobile Select Detect application is optimized for iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad® and Android™-based phones. It allows for a quick remote review of cows on the high activity list, low activity list and heat expectancy list. Both daily and hourly activity charts can be viewed to determine if and when A.I. should be performed. This removes the need for dairy producers to be in the office to review the software and allows for a quick snapshot of activity that is updated every hour.

You can listen to my interview with King here: King Smith Interview

2011 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Our great photographer friend Harlan Persinger took this shot for us this morning. The sweet heifer who posed with us is a Guernsey who goes by the name of Safari, owned by Krista Richardson of Ohio. Thanks to Harlan, Krista and Safari!

Photos are being uploaded, the weather is great, and we are enjoying seeing the usual suspects here in the media room. Thanks to our coverage sponsors this year, listed below.

A big part of Richard’s presentation deals with the supply management system in Canada that is “based on planned domestic production, administered pricing and dairy product import controls.” There are licensed quotas and various other components to the system which you can read about in this pdf. A good source of information is the Canadian Dairy Information Centre. They national system was introduced in 1970. Listen to his presentation here: Richard Doyle Presentation

2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

The conversation with the dairy operators covered just about every topic you could imagine from genetics to marketing. I recorded part of a conversation with reporters in which I asked about their thoughts on the Canadian supply management system (more on that later). You can listen in on that Q&A here: Claynook Farms

I also recorded a video clip with part of the discussion too.

2011 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Where Them Cows At from Volt on Vimeo.

Here’s what the producer has to say about why he made the video:

So after watching a video a friend made about his “chicks” on his chicken farm(linked below). My friend Marcelo Alves and I decided we could not only make a similar video about my dairy farm but do it even bigger and better. So we decided to try and make a full on music video, and this video is the result.

Ok here is the video i was referring to at the beginning of this video: youtube.com/​watch?v=MFjE0qeUOq4

2011 AgChat Agvocacy 2.0 Conference Photo Album

Matt says they started the grazing system which got them involved with watershed management. Matt’s uncle was on the steering committee for the CTIC project so they’re conducting several tests and programs, including the use of different types of cover crops. He says that they hope to see some results that will benefit them while also be better stewards of the land.

You can listen to my interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Kilgus

CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

Mandi says the New Zealand dairy model is still working but needs to evolve further in light of disruptive changes in the industry. She says that their level of productivity hasn’t kept up with the price of their product which makes them vulnerable at the moment. The current pricing of dairy products is just not financially sustainable and it looks like that isn’t going to improve soon. Mandi is a family business strategist and advises dairy farmers to take a look at their business and make sure they’re using resources wisely. Sounds like common sense advice for any business. She wants people to enjoy what they are doing by finding a balance in their life and business. Having a good plan would help a family business tremendously. Perhaps you should give Mandi a call if you need help. Mandi McLeod Interview

2011 Alltech Symposium Photo Album

LuAnn is one of my Twitter (@DairyLu) friends that I have had the pleasure to meet here. She is hungry for the kind of information being presented here about telling the story of agriculture. She wants to be completely open and honest in her presentation of dairy farming. The program has been fantastic according to LuAnn. She especially liked Dr. Frank Mitloehner’s presentation. When she gets home after getting her “catch up” work done, she hopes to maintain and build on connections she has made her.

You can listen to my interview with LuAnn here: LuAnn Troxel Interview

Animal Ag Alliance Stakeholders Summit Photo Album

USDA made the announcement today. “After conducting a thorough and transparent examination of alfalfa through a multi-alternative environmental impact statement (EIS) and several public comment opportunities, APHIS has determined that Roundup Ready alfalfa is as safe as traditionally bred alfalfa,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said.

This means that, for the first time since 2007, U.S. farmers will have the choice to plant Genuity® Roundup Ready® alfalfa, which makes Monsanto very happy.

“This is great news for farmers who have been waiting for the green light to plant Roundup Ready alfalfa,” said Steve Welker, alfalfa commercial lead at Monsanto. “USDA’s action gives farmers the choice to enjoy the benefits of this product, including superior crop safety and high-quality yield opportunity.”

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is also pleased by the USDA decision. “This is the right decision,” said Wisconsin farmer Jim Zimmerman, vice chairman of NCGA’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team. “A clean, full deregulation is the best decision for producers and lets farmers plant the kind of alfalfa they choose this spring.”

The USDA announcement comes just one week after the U.S. House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the biotechnology product regulatory approval process where biotech alfalfa was in the spotlight and Secretary Vilsack testified.

Let the complaining by those opposed to genetically modified crops begin!

Jackie says that priorities for DFA include making sure new legislators are familiar with the needs of dairy farmers. She says the industry lost some long time supporters in the recent election. Looking ahead she says that dairy farmers need farm policy reform quickly and cites margins as the biggest challenge facing them.

You can listen to my interview with Jackie here: DFA Interview

NAFB Convention Photo Album

“It was really important for us to find a welcoming community,” said Novus CEO Thad Simons at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday. With him were Missouri Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler and newly elected State Representative Bart Korman of Montgomery County; as well as other company, state and local representatives.

Dr. Hagler was joined by his new wife State Rep. Linda Black of southeast Missouri. “Just to tell you how important Novus is to me, we stopped here on our way to the honeymoon,” Hagler said as he introduced his wife.

Listen to or download remarks from Rep. Korman, Jon Hagler and Thad Simons here: Novus Green Acres

See photos from the event in our Flickr photo album.

Here’s a little video tour of Green Acres Farm, led by Novus manager of product research Skip Hampton.

Carl has a great story which I recorded this morning. Basically, his family operation decided to take control of their own destiny and diversify into processing their own milk, making their own ice cream and creating an agri-tourism component of their farm. So over the last couple years they have been using a website and now Facebook and Twitter to promote their business and Carl says they have direct evidence of how it has helped. This use of social media has helped them stay in the dairy business after they were considering getting out.

Besides driving business Carl says they are also helping educate consumers about where their food comes from. Sounds like he could be on the board of the AgChat Foundation! The farm conducts tours with a growing number of area schools. You’ll hear the pride in his voice when he sees kids marvel over a new calf or seeing a milking parlor in action.

You can listen to my interview with Carl here: Interview with Carl Chaney

Alltech Global 500 Photo Album

I joined Alltech’s, Billy Frey, on stage to present what social media is and encourage and beef and dairy farmers to use these new channels of communications to help re-connect consumers with the farm and promote their own businesses. We used a series of slides and YouTube videos which I can’t show you but I did record our presentation. I said and will continue to say that dairy farmers seem to be some of the most engaged of any commodity group I know when it comes to social media.

Billy had some great quotes like the following:

Social media is the biggest revolution since the industrial revolution. It offers us new ways to stay informed and it can simplify information overload. It can fundamentally change agriculture if we use it.

We have a lot of great story tellers in our industry because we have the best story ever. Agriculture allowed civilization to develop. Before agriculture we were hunter gatherers. We have a great story to tell. We just have to tell it.

I can’t agree more. After our presentation a woman from France approached me to say that she “felt like I know you” since she is a regular visitor to World Dairy Diary. That kind of anecdotal evidence is great since it shows how truly connected we are globally thanks to social media.

You can listen to our presentation on social media here: Social Media Presentation

Follow Alltech on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and their blog, Innovations.

Alltech Global 500 Photo Album

I’m looking forward to seeing my Alltech friends and enjoying a frosty Kentucky Ale! Most of my coverage will be on World Dairy Diary starting Monday evening. But I’m sure I’ll find something to share with you here on AgWired as well. For example, on Thursday, I’ll share the stage with Alltech’s Billy Frey to discuss social media. I’m really looking forward to that. I’ll also be assisting David Butler who will be managing the Alltech blog, Alltech Innovations.

So follow along here or on Twitter with the hashtag #Global500.

Here’s some of the posts we did on World Dairy Diary – including audio, video and photos that you are welcome to download or link to.

Amazing Results in Boosting Milk Fat Levels – interview with Dr. Scott Bascom, a nutritionist with Cooperative Plus in Wisconsin.

How Lower Protein Rations Can Increase the Bottom Line – interviews with Dr. Larry Chase with Cornell University and Dr. Bob Stoltzfus with Lancaster Veterinary Associates.

Five Star Dairy Wins Environmental Award – first ever award by Wisconsin Dairy Business Association.

RFID at the Speed of Commerce – using ultra high radio frequency (UHF) to tag identify large groups of moving animals.

Interviews with Dairyman and Dairy Woman of the Year – Don Bennink of Florida and Liz Doornink of Wisconsin.

Precision Feeding of Dairy Replacement Heifers – interview with Pat Hoffman from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Award Winning Dairy Credit Scours Protection – Interview with Dave Hartford of Oakridge-Bahler Farm, Connecticut.

Using a Brix Refractometer to Measure Colostrum Quality – $50 investment can be a big help for producers.

Robotic Post-Milking Spray System – See a video of how it works.

New Robotic Feedpusher Video – kinda looks like R2D2!

Thanks to our sponsors this year:
and

I really like the name of their YouTube channel which is Yeotube.

Mark told Cindy that the agency business has made some dramatic changes in the past few years with the advent of social media and he is proud that Charleston|Orwig has been on the forefront of using these new tools to communicate.

Mark is also one of the founding members of the AgChat Foundation, which is dedicated to helping farmers and ranchers use social media platforms to connect with each other and advocate for agriculture.

So please enjoy this week’s program: ZimmCast 276 - Interview with Mark Gale

This week’s program ends with some fun music from Music Alley. It’s a song titled, “Chocolate Milk” by The Two Man Gentlemen Band. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, Novus International, and Leica Geosytems for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our a Subscribe page

I talked with Pam about her background, her career, covering the expo as a reporter and judging cattle as a kid, how the show has changed and how the dairy industry in Wisconsin is doing these days.

Enjoy my interview with the Fabulous Farm Babe here: Pam Jahnke Interview

Check out the 2010 World Dairy Expo Photo Album and the rest of our coverage of #wde10 on World Dairy Diary sponsored by Alpharma, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition, Charleston-Orwig, Novartis Animal Health and Novus International.

The World Dairy Expo exhibitor party sponsored by Hoard’s Dairyman is always a special event, but this year it was extra special because they are celebrating 125 years!

To mark the anniversary, the publication called in the University of Wisconsin marching band as surprise entertainment for the event. It just happened to be at the exact time that President Obama was speaking on the UW campus just a few miles away, so there was a little concern about whether the band would make it or not. But they made it right on time, giving up their opportunity to see the president visit their school to pay tribute to the dairy industry.

Watch the video of the band here:

Instead of getting presents, Hoard’s was giving presents to celebrate their milestone. They presented World Dairy Expo with artist Bonnie Mohr’s updated “Foster Mothers of the Human Race” featuring all seven dairy breeds. The original Foster Mothers print was created in 1957 followed by updates in 1963, 1991, and 1993 — all of which were painted by former Hoard’s Dairyman Art Director James Baird. Bonnie was commissioned by Hoard’s to paint the new version specifically for the 125th anniversary and it was unveiled officially in June. You can order prints online from Hoards.

2010 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Thanks to our World Dairy Expo sponsors:
and by

Michelle Beekman, a Co-Owner, said that she has been with the company for six years, but it was started by her mother in 1998. She was also kind enough to let me watch her make a batch of ice cream and I caught the final moments on film. This particular batch was peach ice cream.

I however, have an infinity for raspberry so my perfect choice was raspberry swirled with vanilla and it was worth each and every calorie!

The Farm Progress Show might be over for this year, but you can still try out Beeckman’s ice cream at other Iowa events. Visit them at www.beekmanshomemadeicecream.com.

Farm Progress Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2010 Farm Progress Show
is sponsored by: and

As Princess Kay, Miron, who represents Washington County, will serve as the official goodwill ambassador for Minnesota’s nearly 4,700 dairy farmers. Katie is the daughter of Fran and Mary Ann Miron of Hugo, and attends the University of Minnesota, studying agricultural education. This marks the second time two people from the same family have been named Princess Kay: Miron’s sister, Ann, was crowned Princess Kay in 2007.

Throughout her year-long reign as Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Miron will make public appearances helping consumers make a connection with Minnesota dairy farm families who are dedicated to producing wholesome milk while caring for their animals and natural resources.

“Our troops give the ultimate sacrifice by serving on the front lines for us each day,” says Mike Randolph, Cydectin brand manager. “One of the most fundamental offerings we give them is our respect and support … and to help them succeed when they return.”

The industry’s first collaborative effort with Wounded Warrior Project, Cydectin’s “Honor Our Troops” program, demonstrates support and gratitude for wounded veterans of today’s wars on behalf of beef and dairy producers.

“It is an honor to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, and we thank the company for doing its part to support wounded warriors,” said Wounded Warrior Project Executive Director Steve Nardizzi. “This assistance and public awareness will go a long way in helping this generation of veterans heal in mind, body and spirit.”

The WWP assists wounded veterans and their families by providing holistic programs and services to aid their physical rehabilitation and improve their mental health and well-being. The tools provided ultimately empower warriors to thrive and achieve personal professional success.

FEATURES
• Pairs wine, beer, and liquor with appropriate cheeses.
• Filters by beverage category (e.g., Red Wine) and beverage style (e.g., Merlot).
• Offers correct pronunciation of every cheese, beer, wine, and liquor.
• Cheese selector spotlights appropriate Wisconsin Cheese.
• Includes culinary information about selected Wisconsin Cheese.

I started my coverage of the conference with a preview interview with Sylvie Andrieu, European Ruminant Technical Manager, Alltech. So what better way than to wrap it up in the same way?

Sylvie says it was a wonderful symposium, especially the discussion opportunities and interaction between people from a large number of countries. She also notes how interesting it was that some of the researcher presenters questioned the SARA concept and think that it should perhaps be renamed. It was clear that what is called SARA is more diverse than was thought. I concur with Sylvie that the feedback I heard from attendees has been very positive. Hopefully this means the symposium goals were achieved.

For complete coverage of the symposium please visit World Dairy Diary.

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album

Today is the final day of the symposium. I’ll continue posting interviews on various topic over on World Dairy Diary so head over there if you want more specific information from the presenters and participants.

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album

The overall topic for the Symposium is rumen health in dairy cows. I spoke with Wouter just before we got started. He says that the good rumen health will result in lowered methane emissions and greater animal welfare and this conference will focus on innovations and research being done to accomplish this.

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album