Koepke Appointed to Wis. Board on Agriculture

News EditorCompany Announcement

JohnKoepke0809Congratulations to John Koepke, Oconomowoc, Wis. for being appointed by Governor Jim Doyle to serve on the Wisconsin State Board on Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The Board on Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is a nine-member board that serves as a policy-making body for the Agency. Koepke’s appointment is effective immediately and will continue through May 1, 2015. Koepke is a member of the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin.

In making the appointment, Governor Doyle stated, “I am pleased to appoint John Koepke to the Board on Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. His background as a successful dairy farmer and active member of Wisconsin’s agricultural community will be incredibly valuable to the board.”
PDPW’s executive director Shelly Mayer applauds Governor Doyle’s selection, noting, “It’s great to have an active dairy producer like John serving our state in this capacity—and I’m pleased that John is willing to serve and help to position Wisconsin as a world leader in agriculture, food safety and consumer protection. With dairy representing more than $20 billion of the state economy, it is absolutely critical that dairy has a voice on this rule-making board.

“John is a young, enthusiastic leader who is a critical thinker and understands dairying. He will make educated, well-thought-out decisions that consider what is best for dairy producers and Wisconsin. He’s a bright, thoughtful individual.”

Koepke and his wife, Kim, are active PDPW members. John, who has a degree from Cornell University, operates Koepke Farms Inc. in partnership with his dad Jim and uncles Alan and David. Koepke Farms milks 330 Holstein cows and has 970 acres dedicated to corn, soybeans and hay.

Former Jones Dairy Gives Students Chance to Get Milky and Muddy

Amanda NolzDairy Business, Education, Industry News

The Salt Lake Tribune recently posted an article about a closed down dairy that will soon be used for agriculture education. Read this excerpt for this positive agriculture story!

20090811__wvc_jonesdairy_0813~1_GALLERY You can read about farrowing a sow all day long. But the best way to learn how to deliver a litter of pigs is, well, to deliver a litter of pigs. So says Bill Carpenter, an agriculture teacher for Granite School District. The district plans to team up with Taylorsville to expand its hands-on livestock training program.

On Wednesday, the City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to allow the Granite Technical Institute to open a classroom at the former Jones Dairy Farm, now home to the Taylorsville-Bennion Heritage Center, 1488 W. 4800 South. Approval appeared likely.

“It enhances our mission to have a few, selected animals there,” said City Manager John Inch Morgan.

It also means that milk cows could return to the 70-year-old family dairy, which closed in 2000. Carpenter expects beef cattle, milk goats, sheep and hogs to fill the barn, which already houses some chickens and goats. Classes would take place in the old Jones Dairy Store, which is next to the two-story Victorian house that now serves as a Taylorsville history museum.

*Photo courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Neighbors Help Family Recover From Barn Fire in Dairy Operation

Amanda NolzAlfalfa, Industry News

Here is a story that is happy and sad at the same time. A new baby in the family. Lost barn and dead cattle. An addition to the family. A loss of hopes and dreams on the barn. Read this excerpt from the Daily Globe and check out the rest of the story… It’s amazing what good neighbors are willing to do to help others!

When he drove his wife to the hospital July 13, the last thing on James Maus’ mind was his cows. Yet while the young Osakis dairy farmer and his wife brought their son into the world, a community of neighbors worked to save his farm.

Maus’ barn burned to the ground that night, killing 74 dairy cows.

They knew the baby was coming, so James worked until 10 p.m. baling and putting 2,000 bales of hay in the haymow above his dairy barn. Within an hour, his wife, Jennifer, said it was time to go and they were off to the hospital, leaving their 5-year-old daughter, Lynnea home with her aunt Monica.

While Monica slept on the living room couch, a fire swept through the newly piled bales. Meanwhile, some young neighbors, on their way home from Alexandria, noticed a strange glow coming from the farm…

Hood New England Dairy Cook-Off

Amanda NolzHealth, Industry News, Nutrition

Calling all chefs and bakers! Get your favorite recipes shined up and ready to go for this upcoming contest. Check out the details, and let me know if you enter! I would love to share your recipes!

logo-hoodBeginning today, everyday home cooks from Maine to Rhode Island have extra incentive to get creative with Hood(R) dairy products with the launch of the “Hood New England Dairy Cook-Off” contest. The contest gives amateur cooks a chance to share their best recipe featuring Hood dairy products and demonstrate their skills at a live cook-off in front of hundreds of people — with a $10,000 grand prize on the line.

“For more than 160 years, Hood dairy products have been a staple in New England kitchens and an important ingredient in everything from comfort food to culinary masterpieces,” said Lynne Bohan, Hood spokesperson. “We’re inviting home cooks to share those great recipes that their family and friends have enjoyed and get a chance to win a $10,000 payday for their creativity.”

To enter, log onto HoodCookOff.com and submit your best Hood dairy recipe by October 2nd. Five semi-finalists from each of the six New England states will be selected to compete head-to-head at a televised cook-off being held at the Ocean Gateway terminal in Portland, Maine, on November 1st, 2009.

“The live cook-off is an exciting element to this contest where we’ll get to see the 30 semi-finalists create their dishes and compete for the $10,000 grand prize. We’re eager to see how the cream rises to the top — so to speak!” added Bohan.

There will be five semi-finalist categories: breakfast/brunch; soups/chowders; appetizers/side dishes; lunch/dinner (entree); and dessert. Each recipe submitted must include at least one of the following Hood products: Hood Milk, Hood Simply Smart(R) Milk, Hood Cream, Hood Country Creamer(R), Hood Sour Cream, Hood Cottage Cheese, Hood Buttermilk, Hood EggNog or Hood Calorie Countdown(TM). Judging will be based on taste, presentation/appearance, and creativity/originality.

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review

Cash cheese prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange moved higher the second week of August with the 40-pound blocks closing Friday at $1.3625 per pound, up 5 1/4-cents on the week and the highest they have been since mid December 2008, but still 39 3/4-cents below a year ago. The 500-pound barrels closed at $1.34, up a nickel on the week, but 36 cents below a year ago. Seven cars of block traded hands on the week and eight of barrel. The NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price hit $1.1810, up 4.9 cents. Barrels averaged $1.2067, up 4.7 cents.

Butter closed at $1.22, down a penny on the week, and 42 1/2-cents below a year ago. 34 cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.2227, down 0.2 cent.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk climbed to $1.00 per pound, then gave back a quarter to close at 99 3/4-cents per pound. Extra Grade closed Friday at 95 cents, up a nickel. NASS powder averaged 87.15 cents, up 3 cents. Dry whey averaged 28.89 cents, down 0.7 cent.

Price support purchases for the week amounted to 2.3 million pounds of nonfat dry milk. Dairy Export Incentive Program bid acceptances included 85,979 pounds of cheese, 6.7 million pounds of butter and 1.6 million of nonfat dry milk.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

US to Remove 87,000 Cows From Dairy Herd

Amanda NolzCompetition, Government

Stock and Land just issued a notice about the upcoming third herd retirement program that is in the works. Did you retire your cows in the first and second? Are you going to end up going through the third installment? Or, are you doing okay in this economy? These are certainly troubling times, and my thoughts and prayers are always with the American dairy farmer. Tell me your story; I would love to hear it.

The US dairy industry’s Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program announced last week that it had tentatively accepted 294 bids in the third herd retirement in nine months.

That will see 86,710 cows and a potential 815 million kilograms (1.8 billion pounds) of milk removed from the industry. When combined with the previous two herd CWT retirements it will mean a total cut of 2.2bn kg (4.8 bn lbs) of production capacity removed since December 2008.

This is the second-largest herd retirement since the farmer-funded self-help program started in 2003. In July CWT retirements removed a record 101,000 cows and 0.9bn kg (1.96bn lbs) of milk.

To read the entire article, link here.

Katie Adams Crowned 56th Iowa Dairy Princess

News EditorDairy Checkoff

Iowa_DP_winners_09Congratulations to Katie Adams, Waucoma, Iowa on being crowned the 56th State Iowa Dairy Princess! The title allows her to serve as the official goodwill ambassador for nearly 2,000 Iowa dairy farmers during the coming year. Adams is the daughter of Scott and Jeanie Adams. She plans to attend Iowa State University pursuing a degree in dairy science. Adams also received a scholarship from the Iowa Division of Midwest Dairy Association.

Stacy Fitzpatrick, representing Delaware County, was named Alternate Dairy Princess. Fitzpatrick will attend Iowa State University pursuing a degree in agricultural business and animal science with an emphasis in dairy science. Fitzpatrick also received a scholarship from the Iowa Division of Midwest Dairy Association. Her parents are Mark and Sheri Fitzpatrick of Greeley.

Eleven women competed for the 2009 Iowa Dairy Princess title and were judged on their knowledge of the dairy industry, communication skills, enthusiasm for promotion and personality. Kari Lien, 19, of Winneshiek County received the award for best dairy presentation. Her parents are Gary and Patty Lien.

Miss Congeniality was Teresa Decker, 19, of Bernard and the daughter of James and Marlene Decker. She is the Dubuque County Dairy Princess.

The Iowa Division of Midwest Dairy Association annually sponsors the Iowa Dairy Princess contest. The young woman chosen as the Iowa Dairy Princess acts as a spokesperson for the dairy industry and Midwest Dairy Association.

Adams will participate in public appearances, speaking engagements and other promotional activities across the state of Iowa over the next 12 months. Adams replaces Katie Steinlage of West Union, the 2008 – 2009 Iowa Dairy Princess. As Iowa Dairy Princess, Adams looks forward to reaching out to others about the benefits of “3-A-Day of Dairy.”

Local Dairy Farmers Look to Downsize in Economic Climate

Amanda NolzDairy Business, Milk

A Dallas Wellness Examiner just published a blog spot on dairy prices. It seems the consumer is finally taking notice that dairy farmers are taking a hit in these volatile times. Here is what she has to say about the dairy industry today…

The economy sinks and so do buyers for luxury cars, luxury hair cuts and high-priced boots, but have we hit such a bottom that even milk is going sour?

I read a report today that said the global recession has dairy producers fearing the future.

Local dairy farmer, Pete Schouten, who operates a 750-cow dair near Stephenville, southwest of Forth Worth told the paper, “(Producers) are holding on, hoping for a turnaround in prices.”

The drop in milk prices causes most farmers like Schouten to take concern.

Old MacDonald's Farm

Amanda NolzEducation

IMG_2659 Did you know that a dairy cow produces 200,000 cups of milk in her lifetime? This is just one of the tidbits I learned about the dairy industry when I stopped by Old MacDonald’s Farm at the Sioux Empire Fair. Old MacDonald’s boasts an abundance of farm animals including: cows, horses, sheep, pigs, miniature ponies, ducks, geese, puppies and kittens. There were also outstanding educational booths and animal husbandry, farm safety, milk production and more.

Old MacDonald’s farm has been open for more than 20 years, and yesterday I took in the 26th Annual Agriculture Appreciation Day at the 70th Sioux Empire Fair. It was a day of celebration and recognition for America’s food producers, and the petting zoo is a great place to teach our urban friends about farm life.

Have you talked to a consumer about dairy production today? Do your neighbors and coworkers understand where their milk comes from? Tell your story today!

Dairy Queen Blizzards for a Cause? Yes, Please.

Amanda NolzIce Cream

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard July-08I love DQ Blizzards. Thin Mint. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. M&M’s. Strawberry Cheesecake. Yes, please. There is nothing better than a DQ Blizzard on a hot day. And, today, I bet they are even “calorie-free,” as eating one goes towards a good cause. Today is Miracle Treat Day at Dairy Queen, where at least $1 of each Blizzard goes to the Children’s Miracle Network.

Since 1984, Dairy Queen has raised $77 million in support of the Children’s Miracle Network. The purpose of the CMN is to support local children’s hospitals. This network includes 170 U.S. hospitals. The donations of the CMN assist roughly 17 million children each year. You can view some of their touching stories here.

On August 13, 2009 participating DQs will be donating at least $1 of every Blizzard sold to the Children’s Miracle Network.

So, take your noon break and grab yourself a DQ Blizzard. It takes good and is for a good cause!