New research shows how the management style of younger dairy producers and corn growers compares and contrasts with that of their older counterparts. The survey, commissioned by McCormick Company, considered management practices, ownership structures, decision-making processes, business and transition planning, and the role of information — including digital media — in running respondents’ operations. What the study found was that … Read More
Expiration of the 2008 Farm Bill
Several major agricultural organizations issued a joint statement today on the official expiration of the 2008 farm bill. The 2008 law governing many of our nation’s farm policies expired on Sunday, September 30th, and the 2012 Farm Bill needed to replace it is bottled up in Congress. While the Senate and the House Agriculture Committees were both able to pass … Read More
Webinar to Address Nutrition Issues Raised by Drought
This year’s severe drought in corn country, and the subsequent high prices and lowered availability of corn, has prompted a lot of questions from dairy producers about whether they can substitute fats for cereal grains. Virtus Nutrition will try to answer some of those questions during a webinar entitled “Fat vs. Corn: Time to Re-evaluate” hosted by Dr. Tom Jenkins … Read More
Iowa Begins Testing Milk for Aflatoxins
Concerns over drought-induced aflatoxin in milk has prompted the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to call for state screening and testing of milk starting today and running indefinitely. This Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship news release says the order requires milk processors to screen all Grade A and Grade B farm bulk milk pickup tankers and farm … Read More
Coalition Seeks Waiver of Ethanol Requirements
Dairy groups are among a coalition of livestock and poultry producers filing a petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeking a waiver from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in light of the current drought situation likely to cause feed shortages. In a petition delivered to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, the coalition asked for a waiver “in whole or in … Read More
Forage Forum on Kernel Processing in Northeast
Here is another in our series of Pioneer Hi-Bred Forage Forum podcasts about the importance of proper kernel processing in different areas of the country. This interview focuses on the New York and New England with Pioneer dairy specialist Kevin Putnam. Kevin talks about the major benefits to dairy producers of proper kernel processing, the recommended parameters for settings, testing … Read More
Forage Forum on Kernel Processing in Midwest
Pioneer Hi-Bred‘s Forage Forum has done a series of interviews about the importance of proper kernel processing in different areas of the country. Our first podcast focuses on the Midwest with Tim Hageman, Pioneer livestock specialist in northeast Iowa. Tim talks about the major benefits to dairy producers of proper kernel processing, the recommended parameters for settings, testing for quality. … Read More
Growing Corn and Raw Milk
No, these don’t go together except that they are the subjects of our last and new weekly polls. Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “With all of the discussion on projected corn acres this year, how many acres of corn do you expect to plant this year?” A full third of respondents said More than 2,000 acres. That was followed … Read More
BASF Introduces Production Poll
With the 2012 crop year now underway, we’re introducing the BASF Production Poll. This new poll will be conducted twice each month during the season with timely questions that we think both farmers and non-farmers alike will find interesting. We’d love to hear from you. So let’s get started with our first one. How do you think the 2012 growing … Read More
Rising Milk Production Boosts Corn Sales
Milk production is on the rise according to the latest report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Milk production in the 23 major States during November totaled 14.7 billion pounds, up 2.2 percent from November 2010. October revised production at 15.2 billion pounds, was up 2.5 percent from October 2010. The report indicates that production increases came from both a … Read More