Challenges For Dairy Farmers

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Chuck

Next up from the recent NAFB convention Trade Talk session is the Dairy Farmers of America. I spoke with Jackie Klippenstein, VP, Industry and Legislative Affairs.

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

Novus Celebrates Green Acres Farm

Posted on November 8, 2010 by Cindy

Novus International employees from around the world joined with the community of Montgomery County, Missouri and the agriculture industry statewide to celebrate the opening of their new research facility Green Acres Farm.

“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.

The Road To The Alltech Global Dairy 500

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Chuck

During most of Monday I’ll be on the agriblogging highway to Lexington, KY for the Alltech Global Dairy 500. The theme is “Sustainability in a Changing World.” The program has been so successful that this year they’ve added a “Global Beef 500″ as well!

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.

Did you Miss World Dairy Expo?

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Cindy

If you missed the 2010 World Dairy Expo, you missed a lot!

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

Charleston|Orwig Gets Social At World Dairy Expo

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Chuck

ZimmCast 276 Let’s meet the President of Charleston|Orwig, Mark Gale. In this week’s program you’ll hear a conversation that Cindy had with Mark at the recent World Dairy Expo. Charleston|Orwig, along with several of their clients were sponsors of our coverage of the annual dairy extravaganza once again.

Mark Gale 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

Fabulous Farm Babe at Dairy Expo

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Cindy

world dairy expo 2010 The weather has been fabulous so far this week for the 2010 World Dairy Expo and Wisconsin’s own Fabulous Farm Babe (Pam Jahnke) has been hard at work as usual. She was the first person I saw when I walked in the door yesterday morning, so I figured she would make a great first interview for the expo since she has been the local farm broadcaster in Madison for over 20 years.

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.

Hoards Dairyman Celebrating 125 Years

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Chuck

world dairy expo 2010 hoards birthday Cindy is on location at World Dairy Expo so I thought I’d share one of her posts from World Dairy Diary:

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:

world dairy expo 2010 hoards birthday 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

I Scream for Ice Cream

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Joanna

You scream, I scream we all screamed for ice cream during this year’s Farm Progress Show. The weather may have been damp and somewhat dreary, but it didn’t stop the crowds from enjoying some homemade ice cream from Beekmans Homemade Ice Cream. They made vanilla, chocolate, peach, and raspberry delights right on site. All the ingredients came from local farmers in Boone and they even used solar power to charge the batteries.

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

57th Princess Kay of the Milky Way

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Melissa

Katie Miron, a 19-year-old college student from Hugo, Minn., was crowned the 57th Princess Kay of the Milky Way in an evening ceremony at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds August 25.

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.

Cydectin Becomes Wounded Warrior Project Sponsor

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Joanna

Cydectin, a pour-on cattle dewormer manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, has become the first industry sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). The WWP is a nonprofit, founded in 2003, whose mission is to enlist Americans’ aid to help meet the needs of injured service members.

“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.

Wisconsin Cheese Cupid

Posted on July 5, 2010 by Chuck

Do you love cheese? Love wine? Want to know which ones go with which? There’s an app for that and it’s called Wisconsin Cheese Cupid. Get the app here.

What cheese goes with your wine? What beer goes with your cheese? These questions can finally be answered with Wisconsin Cheese Cupid. With this handy dandy iPhone and iPod Touch application, pairing a cheese with a like-minded beverage has never been easier or more fun. Bon appétit.

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.

Alltech Pleased With Dairy Symposium Success

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Chuck

Alltech Dairy Solutions Symposium The Dairy Solutions Symposium, sponsored by Alltech has come to an end. The theme of the conference was Rumen Health: A 360 Degree Analysis. I think we did look at the subject from just about every angle possible.

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.

Sylvie Andrieu Closing Interview

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album

Dairy Solutions Symposium Via Alltech Continues

Posted on July 2, 2010 by Chuck

Alltech Dairy Solutions Symposium The Dairy Solutions Symposium, sponsored by Alltech, is not only technical presentations on rumen health but an opportunity to network with fellow dairy industry professionals and have some fun. Our gala dinner last night took place at the DierenPark Amersfoort, a very nice zoo. We ate very near the elephant exhibit. I sat with participants from Brazil and Poland and we had a great time.

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

Healthy Rumen Is A Dairy Solution

Posted on July 1, 2010 by Chuck

Alltech Dairy Solutions Symposium The Dairy Solutions Symposium, sponsored by Alltech, was opened by Prof. Wouter Hendriks, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. There are 250 attendees at this year’s event being held at Utrecht University. It’s a good thing there aren’t more because that’s capacity seating in the auditorium where our presentations are taking place.

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.

Prof. Wouter Hendriks Interview

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album

Utrecht, Netherlands is Bike City

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Chuck

Hello from Utrecht, Netherlands where I’ll be attending the 2010 Dairy Solutions Symposium, sponsored by Alltech. Just got in this morning and after a short nap went for a walk. I’ve never seen so many bicycles. They’re everywhere and just about every kind you can think of. This is a biking town no doubt.

For lunch I had a really good brie sandwich. I’m attending a dairy conference after all. I figure I’ll be eating pretty well the next couple days so it was strategic thinking to start out on the light side. Hopefully I’ll get to sample more of the cheeses made here in this region. I’ve just started a photo album for this event and have some photos from my walk in it: Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010 Photo Album

This evening I’ll be attending a dinner for speakers and others involved with the Symposium and we’ll get started officially tomorrow morning. Most of my coverage will be appearing on World Dairy Diary.

Dairy Solutions Symposium 2010

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Chuck

This is where I’ll be this week. The Netherlands and the Dairy Solutions Symposium put on by Alltech and the Centre for Animal Nutrition. It will be held at Utrecht University on Thursday and Friday. Most of my posting will be on World Dairy Diary.

Rumen health is of critical importance for efficient transformation of dairy cows diets into nutrients. As such it is a major cause of economic losses in the dairy industry and important in maintaining the health and welfare of the animal.

This two day symposium, Rumen Health: A 360 degree Analysis, aims to bring together leading scientists in dairy nutrition to discuss a variety of topics including the impact of rumen pH on ruminal digestion, occurrence and prevention of sub-acute rumen acidosis, maintenance of an optimum rumen function and Ruminal adaptations during the transition period.

For you Twitter fans and I know there are a lot of you in the dairy business, follow the conference hashtag: #AlltechDSS

BASF Contest for Agvocacy Conference

Posted on June 20, 2010 by Melissa

BASF Plant Science is excited to celebrate National Dairy Month with the kickoff of its NutriDense® Silage Web Moo.0 contest, our own dairy version of the popular “Web 2.0″ designation for social media.

Enter the NutriDense Silage Web Moo.0 contest by Friday, July 9, and show us how you’re telling dairy’s story. With the help of the AgChat Foundation, BASF Plant Science will choose one grand prize winner to attend the first AgChat Foundation’s Agvocacy 2.0 Conference (including the $350 registration fee and travel and hotel expenses valued up to $1,000), held August 30-31. The exclusive conference, which only has 50 open spots, will focus on ways agriculturalists can take their social media efforts to the next level. In addition, second and third-place winners will receive Flip Cameras, valued up to $150 each.