Monsanto Talks Dairy at Farm Progress Show

Andy VanceAudio, Dairy Business, Exhibitor

AgWired has been covering the Farm Progress Show all week, and intern/blogger Kelcy Shcroder posted an interview this morning that deals with the diary biz. Here are her comments:
Monsanto is not only working with corn and soybeans, but also working with dairy farmers.

Dairy farms keep growing in size and instead of always hearing about farmers trying to get the largest yield out of fields, the same happens for dairy farmers. Sometimes, trying to make cows produce large amounts of milk can be challenging and Monsanto is taking great efforts to accommodate those conditions. They have produced RoundUp Ready Alfalfa, which makes the alfalfa pure and weed free.

There have been substantial increases in milk production due to the types of alfalfa fed to the cows causing a high demand in RoundUp Ready Alfalfa. The outlook for next year is looking good; RoundUp Ready Alfalfa may be hard to get to if it is not purchased early!
Listen to Kelcy’s interview with Chris Peterson here: Interview with Chris Peterson (2 min. MP3)

AgWired’s Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto:

Western DairyBusiness Names New Managing Editor

Andy VanceMedia

According to the company:

Joel P. Hastings, president of DairyBusiness Communications and publisher of Western DairyBusiness magazine, announces Carolina M. Machado has joined the editorial staff as managing editor of the magazine.

“We are pleased to have Carolina as part of our Western editorial team,” said Hastings. “The addition of the managing editor position will allow the company to continue expanding our coverage and services to dairy producers and the industry at large in the 14 Western states.”

Machado, a 2005 graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, was the outstanding dairy science senior. She comes to the magazine from Agritech Analytics in Visalia, Calif., where she was responsible for all communications, marketing and advertising. At Western DairyBusiness, Machado will write and edit western stories. She will also coordinate editorial layouts working with the graphics production staff for the dairy magazine, as well as for the three World Ag Expo publications that DairyBusiness Communications produces.

Machado has a rich dairy heritage. She is a daughter of Tony and Lorraine Machado, who operate the Tony J. Machado Dairy in Merced, Calif. She grew up on the dairy with a first-hand look at the business. She showed dairy cattle in 4-H and FFA and was a member of the National Champion Dairy Products judging team while at Cal Poly.

Some of her dairy industry internship experience included working with: California Milk Advisory Board; California Department of Food and Agriculture; Haagen Daz Ice Cream; Three Sisters Farmstead Cheese; California Farm Bureau Federation; Western United Dairymen; Fleishman Hillard (Public Relations); Foster Farms Dairy; Dairy Council of California; and University of California, Davis Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center. She is a member of California Women for Agriculture and California Holstein Association.

Founded in 1922, Western DairyBusiness is a monthly magazine serving milk producers and industry personnel in the 14 Western states. DairyBusiness Communications publishes magazines… Midwest DairyBusiness, Northeast DairyBusiness and Holstein World, a weekly newsletter… Dairy Profit Weekly, and produces a syndicated daily radio show… DairyLine. It is affiliated with the nation’s leading independent agricultural database… Farm Market iD, as part of Multi Ag Media, LLC, with headquarters in East Syracuse, NY.

Hoard's to Expand Farm Facilities

Andy VanceDairy Business, Media

I’ve been a big fan of Hoard’s Dairyman since I started writing about the industry, quickly adding a three-year subscription to my list of must-read publications. I’ve also always thought it is perhaps the coolest farm publication in the business because it’s the only one I’m aware of that has its own working farm! The latest word from Hoard’s is that the farm itself is growing:

Our plans are to build a new milking center and free stall facility for 250 head beginning this fall. Later, more housing will be added so we can continue to grow as many of our readers grow. The new facilities will be near the existing ones, and we will fill them with Guernseys.

Planning for our new facilities started more than a year ago. Our objectives were clear to everyone involved right from the start. We want an attractive, practical, labor-efficient, environmentally friendly operation that provides
the best possible animal care and biosecurity.

It is very important for us to continue to be a good neighbor to Fort Atkinson and to the community. Finally, we wanted the operation to be large enough that our own dairying experiences relate to the majority of our
readers.

On the 100th anniversary of the farm in 1999, we stated that the farm is as important to this magazine as presses, paper, and ink. Its role remains simply to deepen our understanding of the problems, challenges, and decisions that our readers, face.

We are confident that having the farm makes Hoard’s Dairyman a better magazine. As the farm grows along with the industry, it will continue to help us keep our feet on the ground. By the way, our farm radio network broadcasts directly from my wife’s family farm homestead… I don’t have any dairy cows, but some of Grandpa Hill’s Belgians are still here, and they don’t expect to see me twice a day…

Drought Aid Announced

Chuck ZimmermanFeed, General, Government

Mike Johanns Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced $780 million in drought assistance for farmers and ranchers in 20 states.

This funding includes a new $50 million program for livestock producers impacted by drought, focusing nearly $30 million in unused conservation funds on drought, and accelerating the delivery of an estimated $700 million in counter-cyclical payments.

The new $50 million program for livestock producers, called the Livestock Assistance Grant Program, will provide $50 million in Section 32 to states in block grant form. States will distribute to livestock producers in counties that were designated as D3 or D4 on the Drought Monitor anytime between March 7 and August 31, 2006. The grants will help livestock producers restore their purchasing power.

Pro-Choice Dairying

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Business

Monsanto Posilac To help dairy farmers make decisions that are in their economic best interest, Monsanto is providing customers with a producer decision guide titled Dairying Equals Choices. The guide outlines important questions for dairy producers to ask if approached with requests to supply milk from cows not supplemented with POSILAC bovine somatotropin.

According to Kevin Holloway, president of Monsanto Dairy Business, “If dairy producers are asked by processors to produce milk without using Posilac, they should be paid a premium for giving up the valuable technology.” Holloway says there’s no difference between milk from cows treated with Posilac bovine somatotropin and those not treated, except that producers give up an average of 10 pounds of milk a day per cow by not using it.

Dairy producers who wish to receive a copy of “Dairying Equals Choices” can click on the link above to download one, contact a Monsanto Dairy Business representative – or call Monsanto’s Customer Care Center at 1-800-233-2999.

Skinny Cows Aren’t So Sexy

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, World Dairy Expo

MerialAs we get closer to World Dairy Expo I’m sure we’ll be seeing more announcements like this one in Merial’s most recent SHARE Newsletter.

Dairy producers are invited to learn why skinny cows aren’t so sexy. Dr. Chad Dechow, assistant professor at Penn State University, will explore how genetic selection for milk yield has been very successful, but reproductive efficiency and overall cow health have suffered. Read More

Cow In Flight

Chuck ZimmermanIndustry News, International

Photo of the cow being rescued - Comunidad de MadridThis picture is too good to pass up. It’s from Typically Spanish. You don’t often see a flying cow!

According to the story, the recent tightening of security in England didn’t stop this cow from flying first class from her vacation. After being stuck in a ditch in Madrid, the cow was rescued by a helicopter and flown back to her home. Jet lag didn’t seem to keep this girl down, she is reported to be in perfect condition and grazing normally.

British Dairies Go For The Gold

Chuck ZimmermanCompetition, Dairy Business, International

NMR/RABDF Gold CupThere’s a lot of competition for this year’s NMR/RABDF Gold Cup which will be presented September 20th at the Dairy Event in Stoneleigh.

More than 800 milk-recorded herds have met the criteria required to enter this year’s Gold Cup. This means that their milking herd has more than 50 animals with an average cell count for the year ending September 2005 of no more than 200,000/ml and a genetic merit above the level set for the breed.

According to a story in the Stackyard, “Eight British dairy herds have made it to the final stage in this year’s NMR/RABDF Gold Cup out of a qualifying 800 herds.”