100-Dollar-Ideas

Cuomo in Billion-Pound Manure Fight as New York Promotes Yogurt

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:41:31 GMT

The lawsuit protests the governor’s recent permit allowing more dairy cows in the wake of growing yogurt demand.

Freeman Klopott

All that stands between dairy farmer Kerry Adams and expanding her herd of cows to tap New York’s booming yogurt industry is 1 billion pounds of manure.

Adams was planning to take advantage of a change Governor Andrew Cuomo pushed through this year that allows farmers to increase their herds to 299 from 199 before permits are required, which can add more than $150,000 to expansion costs. Then environmental groups sued to block the move, saying expanding dairy production will add 1 billion pounds (454 million kilograms) of unregulated cow dung annually, damaging waterways.

“It’s frustrating,” said Adams, who is keeping her herd at 195 while she awaits the lawsuit’s outcome. “As farmers, we’re very conscious of being stewards of the land.”

Led by Greek-style yogurt and its biggest U.S. maker, New Berlin, New York-based Chobani Inc., producers of the fermented milk product have added more than 1,300 jobs upstate since 2007. Cuomo, 55, a first-term Democrat heading into an election year, says yogurt is a key to boosting the region’s struggling economy.

New York is a natural home for companies seeking to cash in on the Greek yogurt craze, said Andrew Novakovic, a Cornell University professor who studies the agricultural economy. It’s the third-largest milk-producing state, providing access to the 50 million people who live between Boston and Washington.

Local Windfall

As state yogurt production climbed to 695 million pounds in 2012 from 267 million in 2009, the New York dairy industry hasn’t grown as rapidly, according to Novakovic. Greek yogurt has three times more milk than the traditional product, Novakovic said. The companies can pipe milk in from other states, though that doesn’t help New York’s farmers, he said.

“All of our milk comes from the Northeast, and the majority is from New York,” said Russell Evans, marketing director for Johnstown, New York-based Fage USA Dairy Industry Inc., which is spending $100 million to double its yogurt-making capacity. “It was a natural extension for us to move upstate to where there is a ready supply of milk and a strong transportation network.”

As in some other states, milk prices in New York are set by federal regulators. Even with increased demand from yogurt producers, prices aren’t rising, according to Novakovic and the New York Farm Bureau. To increase profits, farmers need to produce more milk, which means adding cows.

Not Cheap

By increasing the herd limit to 299, the state expected that 285 farms would add 25,000 cows over the next decade, creating 875 agricultural jobs and reversing a trend over the last decade in which the number of New York milking cows dropped by 9 percent, according to the Environmental Conservation Department’s review of the change, which took effect in May.

A permit requires farmers to handle the increased manure load. They must pay a certified planner as much as $15,000, obtain engineering designs for new systems that can cost $50,000 and execute them for about $100,000, the review said. That’s in addition to the $382,000 needed for cows, land and holding pens.

Adams, 59, a fourth-generation farmer in Shortsville, raised the issue during the Yogurt Summit Cuomo convened in August 2012. The meeting brought together dairy farmers, yogurt executives and state officials to discuss boosting economic development upstate. One of the main topics was a call to change the permit limit to help smaller farms, said Steve Ammerman, a spokesman for the New York Farm Bureau.

Court Challenge

“The summit laid the groundwork to increase milk production, which takes a lot of planning for family farmers,” Ammerman said by phone. “Now, farmers looking to grow don’t want to cross the 199 threshold because of this pending lawsuit.”

The suit, filed last month in state Supreme Court in Albany by environmental groups, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Riverkeeper, said New York is putting rivers, lakes and drinking water in danger because farmers will add cows without manure-mitigation systems. Cow dung carries bacteria that can cause sickness and nutrients that can spur algae blooms, which kill fish and can harm humans, according to the lawsuit.

Kate Hudson, the watershed program director for Riverkeeper, said the state should have provided funds for farmers to implement manure-handling plans rather than changing the requirements.

‘Inappropriate Attempt’

“This is an inappropriate attempt to create an economic benefit by sacrificing environmental protection,” Hudson said by phone. “We’ve challenged the process as well as the outcome.”

In its review of the regulation change, the state said farmers would be encouraged to add manure-mitigation systems even if they don’t exceed the 299 limit. The Health Department has separate regulations to protect drinking water, the review said. Cuomo also is providing funding to help farmers build anaerobic digesters, which process cow feces -- along with the byproduct from Greek yogurt manufacturing -- and capture methane to produce electricity.

“At the Yogurt Summit, Governor Cuomo heard firsthand how these overly burdensome regulations prevented growth and created barriers that kept New York dairy farmers from providing milk to fuel this state’s booming Greek yogurt industry,” Rich Azzopardi, a Cuomo spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement. “Easing this regulation was the right thing to do and we’re confident the courts will agree.”

Adams and Travis Rea, whose family has owned a dairy farm north of Albany in Cambridge for 215 years, said they’re planning to mitigate their manure as they grow anyway. Both, though, are holding off on expanding until they know the outcome of the lawsuit.

“We don’t have much money day to day and we’re up against groups that do,” Rea said by phone. “The environmentalists, they kind of scare me.”

The case is Riverkeeper Inc. v. Martens, 4166/2013, New York State Supreme Court, Albany County.

Sustainability Equals Profitability

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:41:46 GMT

Panel discusses how environmental sustainability leads to profit.

Dairy Today has teamed up with Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy to pull together a panel on environmental sustainability and profitability at the 2013 Elite Producer Business Conference in Las Vegas Nov. 11 – 13.

Following is a Q and A with the panel speakers:

(Farm Journal)

Bryan Weech, World Wildlife Fund

What is the World Wildlife Fund’s interest in agriculture, i.e, how does agriculture impact wildlife habitat?

Weech: We currently use between 30-40% percent of the earth’s surface for food. Twenty-five percent isn’t useable (deserts, cities, roads) and 12% is set aside for National Parks. Each year we continue to expand food production into natural habitat. If we don’t do something to curb this expansion, there won’t be any natural habitat left.

With burgeoning human population growth expected to climb to 9 billion people by 2050, isn’t it inevitable that wildlife habitat will succumb to human food/fiber needs?

Weech: If we continue ‘business as usual’ it is inevitable. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can do more with less by changing the way we grow, produce, and deliver food. In fact, we can triple food production using the same amount of land by 2050. While not easy, this can be achieved by improving management practices, selecting crop strains for hardiness, implementing new technology, using land to full capacity, negotiating property rights, and eliminating waste and overconsumption.

2013 Elite Producer Business Conference

Dairy Today’s 2013 Elite Producer Business Conference (EPBC) will again be held at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nov. 11 – 13.

For the first time, the EPBC will start at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11 and wrap up 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. The revised start and end times allow attendees to participate for the entire conference and still make cross-country flight schedules.

Michael Swanson, chief economist for Wells Fargo, will keynote the meeting with his much-in-demand views on global dairy economics.

Along with a panel on how dairy sustainability feeds profits, we’re featuring producer panels on vertical integration, relocation and satellite dairies and our ever popular panel with Dairy Today Dollars and Sense panelists.

For more on the 2013 Elite Producer Business Conference, go to www.dairytoday.com.

How can intensive agriculture in North America preserve rain forest and habitat in So. America, Africa and Asia?

Weech: As the demand for beef is increasing around the world, more and more natural habitats are being converted into farmland, particularly as existing pastures become degraded and less productive. Intensive, smarter agricultural practices in North America can curb that trend in two ways. First of all, by maximizing the land we have and producing more locally, we can import less, directly removing the financial incentive for farmers in other parts of the world to clear important forests and natural habitats. Secondly, these techniques in North America can be perfected and refined to a point where we can export our processes to producers in other countries.

What are WWF and other conservation organizations asking/expecting of farmers?

Weech: We are asking farmers to employ techniques that are ultimately in their best interest--socially and economically. WWF wants to help farmers produce more product and, therefore, more profit, using less: less space, less water, less waste, less everything that is keeping their land from giving maximum returns. We also want farmers to take conservation into consideration in their everyday management decisions and strive toward continuous improvement.

How are WWF and the Innovation Center working together to meet these challenges?

Weech: In 2009, WWF and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy formed a transformative partnership based on a shared commitment to creating a more sustainable dairy industry. The partnership—which was renewed in 2011—has been beneficial to the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, which helps the U.S. dairy industry reduce environmental impact across the entire value chain.

What do environmental groups need to know about dairy’s impact on the environment?

Weech: WWF envisions a global marketplace in which all dairy is sustainable. We want to bring together stakeholders to discuss pertinent issues -- water conservation and land and water pollution, habitat conversion, soil degradation, air pollution, GHG emissions etc. -- and develop ways to solve these challenges. We also want to establish sustainable measurement and reporting guidelines for the industry.

(Farm Journal)

Bruce Knight, Conservation Consultant (Principal, Strategic Conservation Solutions; he is the former Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and former Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Services)

What is your role working with the Innovation Center’s Sustainability Council?

Knight: I serve as a consultant and advisor to the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, helping to merge the dairy, conservation and sustainability communities.

What has been done so far in dairy, and how does this compare to other agriculture sectors?

Knight: Dairy has emerged as a leader in practical, pragmatic efforts on sustainability. Bringing scientific analysis and metrics to what is often an emotional arena. The dairy sector has also been working to translate the common-sense finding the milk LCA (management matters) into programs that farmers can use to improve efficiency, make money and improve sustainability.

Have you been able to take these results to consumer groups, food companies and government agencies to describe what the dairy industry has been doing in the areas of energy, greenhouse gas emissions and water sustainability? Are you gaining any traction with these groups?

Knight: It has been amazing to watch the degree to which vastly differing groups have been willing to learn from the dairy sectors pioneering investment in this arena.

How can individual dairy farmers benefit from the work of the Sustainability Council?

Knight: About 20 farmers serve on the Council and more are needed. Individual farmers should be tapping into the programs offered on energy audits, energy efficiency and conservation from dairy and its partners to improve their farm’s sustainability.

How has the Innovation Center’s partnership with USDA benefited farmers? Are there cost share monies available to make further improvements? Is the grant application process difficult? What are the chances that a given farm will have its application accepted?

Knight: Dairy farmers nationwide access about $90-100 million in cost share annually to implement conservation and sustainability measures offered by USDA. Producers are encouraged to simply go into the NRCS office, discuss their needs and apply for the cost-share programs. The application is neither complicated nor difficult, and the USDA staff will fill out much of it with you.

(Farm Journal)

Andy Werkhoven, Dairy Farmer, (left, with Jim Werkhoven) Monroe, Wash.

What’s your take on sustainability? How do you define it for your farm business?

Werkhoven: I hate the word! But simply, it’s the ability to endure. To make something that will last generationally.

Is long-term profitability compatible with sustainability? Does one have to be sacrificed for the other, or can you have both?

Werkhoven: It has to be. It has to make money or it doesn’t happen. That is the crux of the struggle. We have to develop mechanisms that ensure we can be sustainable profitably. I can’t see my way through it in every case.

But here is a good example when it did work: When we started working with the local native American tribe to get development rights so that we could keep property in agriculture. That was a long process but it kept viable agricultural ground in agriculture, at a price where it made sense.

What have you done on your farm to improve energy and water efficiency, conservation and use?

Werkhoven: Right now we are working mostly in the areas of water efficiencies. We are trying to hold back all the water from the rainy season, store it, keep it clean and use it as irrigation during the dry summer season. We’ve put in new gutters. The trick is to guess the weather to try to quantify how many gallons of water are going to be needed. We have all new gutters, and seven different flow monitors to manage the nutrient flow, trying to get good calculations of what we need where.

We are trying to do more precise nutrient management – 10-acre by 10-acre lots. We do lots of soil sampling, apply using flow meters, and then sample what we are putting back on. We are also looking at a new computer software program that should help you get better at predicting nutrient uptake. We use a Davis weather system, but variability is the crux of the issue for us in Washington State.

Describe the partnerships you’ve entered into to improve sustainability, for your farm and your local area What obstacles have you encountered, and how have you worked them out?

Werkhoven: Ten years ago, we developed a collaborative partnership between the farm and neighboring dairy and beef producers of the Sno/Sky Ag Alliance; the Northwest Chinook Recovery (an organization working to restore salmon habitat); and the 3,500-member Native American Tulalip Tribes. We discovered we had more in common than we had differences, and we formed Qualco Energy, which is a nonprofit entity that manages a digester.

Initially people were scared, uptight about working with a Native American tribe. Everyone has these stereotypes, and it’s not always easy getting over those. Some of us did, and some others didn’t. The economy tanked before the partnership was set up, and it gave some people an easy excuse to drop out. But we hung in there and we are glad we did, not a single regret.

The same thing applies to my working with a local environmental group. I just had to trust and know that I was going to be working with good people.

How have you and other farmers been able to use the Innovation Center’s Sustainability Council to help your farm succeed?

Werkhoven: What the Innovation Center and DMI have done is to shine a light on what dairy producers are doing, showing the public so that people recognize the value of what we are doing. And they are creating connections that can happen at the national level. Doing it as individuals would just be too tough.

They are filling a void, addressing issues that individuals and other organizations have avoided. But these issues, like the sustainability projects, are really important, and now through the Innovation Center we are addressing them.

Biofuel Research Focuses on Manure | Coalition receives $7 million award to produce ethanol

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:34:28 GMT

The race to create a better, less controversial biofuel has spawned plenty of research into a variety of potential new sources - including switchgrass, cornstalks and algae.

One goal behind the next generation of ethanol fuel is to end the debate over whether crops that could be used for food or animal feed are being converted into fuel. It’s a debate that’s dogged traditional ethanol, made from corn.

A team of Wisconsin researchers say they may have found an abundant and eminently Dairyland ingredient for ethanol -- cow manure from the state’s dairyfarms. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a coalition of state firms have been awarded $7 million for bioenergy research that would use a manure byproduct to produce ethanol at a dairyfarm in Manitowoc County.The funding was awarded by the U.S. Energy and Agriculture departments through their joint biomass research-and-development initiative.

“We are going to change agriculture and the dairy industry in Wisconsin,” said Aicardo Roa Espinosa, founder of Soil Net LLC, a biological systems technology firm that has earned patents for its research and development.

The key is to break down manure into different fibers. One type would be used for bedding, another for fertilizer pellets, and yet another for biofuels.

“Our idea is to put a small refinery on a dairyfarm,” said Roa Espinosa.

“The key to all of this is the custom polymer formulas that Aicardo creates,” said John Norman, professor in the UW department of soil science. “He creates these formulas that allow this manure to be separated and sorts it into these different components, and these different components have value - lots of value.” Researchers hope the technology can be used on smaller dairyfarms to convert cow manure into products ranging from ethanol and mulch to fertilizer pellets, said John Markley, a UW biochemist.

“This will be a source of cash for the dairy,” he said.

The team is partnering with Maple Leaf Dairy, which has about 4, 000 cows at its farm in Manitowoc County.

Tom Cox, an agricultural economist at UW-Madison, says the Accelerated Renewable Energy project is rooted in novel ways of separation technologies that break down cow manure into usable ingredients for biofuels, fertilizer pellets and a peat moss replacement for cow bedding and mulch.

“It seems like the Wisconsin Idea at its finest,” said Cox.

The project aims to help produce renewable energy while also helping farmers deal with the phosphorus pollution challenge created by manure management.

The funding was announced on the same day that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved Wisconsin’s rules that seek to cut phosphorus levels in Wisconsin’s lakes, rivers and streams. The goal of the rules is cleaner water, fewer weeds and algae blooms, as well as better habitat for fish and other aquatic life.

For dairyfarms, manure has too often been a source of odor that irks neighbors and waste that pollutes and gets farmers into trouble with regulators.

“Our vision is changing the way the manure stream is managed off a dairy facility.

Nobody likes what has historically been done, and that’s why my company is part of this,” said R.C. Ludke of Braun Electric in St. Nazipolymer anz.

“We know. there are concerns associated with handling manure,” he said. “The way it always has been done is not going to be the way to deal with it in the future.” The four-year grant for the manure-separation and renewable-energy project will research how to improve the efficiency of the technology as well as conduct research that would allow it to be deployed at a smaller scale, on dairyfarms with smaller herds, said Markley, head of the National Magnetic Resonance Facility at UW-Madison.

For Roa Espinosa, the grant represents recognition for years of work developing patented polymer technology first used in dealing with soil erosion in cotton fields, and then for firms that market lawn-repair kits.

He came to the United States from Colombia to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, working his way through jobs as a dishwasher and busboy while he learned English. His UW doctorate is in biological systems engineering. Roa Espinosa said some people “thought I was from Mars” when he told them five years ago that manure might just be a go-to source for next-generation biofuel.

The key to the technology are the polymer formulas Roa Espinosa invented to enable the separation of the leftovers from the anaerobic digestion process into a variety of other useful fibers - some for fuel and others for fertilizer.

“I call him the Steve Jobs of manure,” said Cox.

“I call him (Aicardo Roa Espinosa) the Steve Jobs of manure.” Tom Cox, UW-Madison agricultural economist.

Copyright 2012, Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved. (Note: This notice does not apply to those news items already copyrighted and received through wire services or other media.)

California Cheese Maker Receives State’s Highest Environmental Honor

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:37:24 GMT

The award recognizes winners for their exceptional leadership in conserving California’s resources, protecting and enhancing the environment and building public-private partnerships.

SACRAMENTO – Joseph Gallo Farms, maker of Joseph Farms Cheese, this week was awarded the 2012 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award for its sustainable farming and cheese making.

Joseph Gallo Farms, located in Atwater, Calif., received the award in the Sustainable Practices or Facilities category in a ceremony in Sacramento.

The award, known as the GEELA, is California’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor. It recognizes individuals, organizations and businesses for their exceptional leadership in voluntary achievements that help conserve California’s resources, protect and enhance the environment and build public-private partnerships.

“We are honored and pleased that the Governor has recognized our commitment to sustainable practices,” said Mike Gallo, CEO of Joseph Gallo Farms. “Sustainability is something my family and I are very passionate about. This award is a testament to the amazing support we receive from our family of customers and employees, and it inspires us to continually improve.”

Joseph Gallo Farms began in 1946 as a small family farm and is today a model of sustainable agriculture, pioneering practices that have become industry standards for large-scale dairying and cheese making. The farm’s biogas digester turns methane into power to run the cheese-making operation, and it reclaims and reuses 100 percent of the effluent in a closed system.

The third-generation family farm has pioneered investments in renewable energy, which have played a crucial role in allowing the family to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, better preserve the natural environment and maximize economic health. Joseph Gallo Farms was able to create hundreds of new jobs during the recession, Gallo noted.

“We designed our operation to maximize efficiency and sustainability, and we are proud that our practices have a positive impact on our community and the natural environment,” he added.

The Governor’s Award joins a long list of awards for Joseph Gallo Farms’ environmentally sustainable practices, including three California EPA awards for waste reduction; a U.S. EPA award for outstanding leadership in protecting the environment; and awards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other environmental agencies for the development of ag conservation easements and wetlands preservation and restoration.

The Gallo family’s focus on quality and sustainability includes a methane-powered cheese plant and innovative environmental programs that earned them awards from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. The family dairy is Environmentally Certified by the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program, all cheeses are proudly labeled “No Artificial Hormones” and all cheeses are made with Grade A milk. Joseph Farms ships its award-winning cheeses internationally.

Joseph Gallo Farms’ cheeses are 100% natural, hormone free and award-winning, with a record 30 awards for its dairy products in 2012 alone, including 17 gold medals at state, national and international competitions. Among the gold medal winners are the newest Joseph Farms cheeses – Chipotle Cheddar, Jalapeño Muenster, Italian Garden Jack, Caraway Cheddar and Reduced Fat Monterey Jack.

For information, visit josephfarmscheese.com .

Generating Renewable Energy Down on the Farm

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:32:56 GMT

John Noble, a sixth generation dairyfarmer, got his first taste of the benefits of biogas about a decade ago, when he installed a small system on his Wyoming County farm.

Now, Noble and a host of investors, including a handful of local farm families, are getting into biogas in a big way.

Synergy Biogas, an entity owned by Florida-based renewable energy company CH4 Biogas, last week took the wraps off its new biogas power project, located on the 1,850-cow dairyfarm that Synergy owns in Wyoming County.

It is the biggest biogas project located on a farm in New York and can take in up to 425 tons of manure and food waste each day and can generate up to 10,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy in return -- enough to power 1,000 homes.

Noble, Synergy Dairy’s president and chief executive officer, said he expects the project will help reduce the farm’s operating costs, while also helping solve its waste management issues in a more environmentally friendly way. The electricity the 1.4-megawatt biogas plant generates is sold into the state’s wholesale power market.

Noble said he saw the potential of biogas years ago, after installing a 135-kilowatt biogas digester on his own family’s farm. “We got some experience with it and saw how it can be a win-win,” he said.

The biogas plant takes manure from the dairyfarm and mixes it with food waste from companies such as Kraft Foods and Wegmans, as well as local bakeries, said Lauren Toretta, CH4 Biogas’ vice president. The waste is mixed in a 120,000-gallon digester, producing gas that is used to power a biogas engine that can generate up to 1.4 megawatts of electricity.

“We’re proving one farmer’s trash in another person’s electricity,” said U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., during a grand opening ceremony last week.

Beyond being a new source of renewable electricity, the biogas plant cuts the amount of food waste going into landfills and reduces the 8,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the dairyfarm -- the greenhouse gas equivalent of 1,700 automobiles. It also yields an estimated 17,500 cubic yards of bedding material for the farm’s livestock.

“It’s a quantum leap forward in environmental sustainability for New York dairyfarms,” said Daniel Aubertine, the commissioner of the state Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Francis Murray, the president and chief executive officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said there’s plenty of potential for biogas plants to be built across the state. The state’s dairyfarms produce enough manure to fuel biogas plants with a capacity to power as many as 900,000 homes and could reduce the New York dairy industry’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent.

But biogas plants, like the Synergy facility, aren’t economically viable without millions in subsidies. The Synergy Biogas plant received more than $4.5 million in incentives -- including $2.8 million in federal investment tax credits, $1 million in aid from NYSERDA and $750,000 from National Grid to build a new substation at the site.

“We’re talking about the future here, and that requires government support,” Murray said.

While farm-based biogas projects are well-established in Europe, they’re much less common in the United States. The Synergy Biogas project will provide the opportunity to showcase the potential of biogas facilities and also monitor their efficiency and effectiveness, said Curt Gooch, a Cornell University researcher.

“It’s the early days with these technologies, but it’s partnerships like this that will stimulate future growth,” said Ken Daly, National Grid’s New York president.

Researchers, over the next 18 months, will monitor the plant’s effectiveness in converting manure and food waste into biogas, and how good a job it does at turning that gas into electricity. They also will track the impact the plant has on the farm’s carbon footprint, he said.

Noble estimates that the biogas project will reduce the dairyfarm’s operating costs by $80,000 to $100,000 a year.

“This is a real, live project,” Noble said. “It is the next step in trying to be good stewards of the land.”

email: drobinson@buffnews.com

New Website Helps Tell Dairy’s Story

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:35:09 GMT

The site reinforces the U.S. dairy industry’s important role in a safe, affordable and abundant food supply.

Source: Dairy Management, Inc.

The dairy checkoff has launched a new website –www.DairyGood.org – to help tell dairy’s story among consumers and thought leaders.

The site reinforces the U.S. dairy industry’s important role in a safe, affordable and abundant food supply by focusing on:

• Healthy People – America’s dairy producers believe in ensuring a better future for the next generation through the consumption of healthy, nutritious and great-tasting dairy products.

• Healthy Communities – The U.S. dairy industry is a vital part of the nation’s food system and contributes thousands of jobs, income and vitality to communities across the country.

• Healthy Planet – Dairy farm families, along with others in the industry, are committed to environmental stewardship and reducing the industry’s environmental impact.

DairyGood.org also features personal accounts of dairy producers and their challenges and solutions in dealing with the worst U.S. drought in the last 50 years.

The site represents the interests of more than 51,000 U.S. producers, along with dairy food companies that represent more than 130,000 employees nationwide and hundreds of thousands of dairy industry professionals who support a $100 billion U.S. industry that provides jobs to local communities.

For more information, visit www.dairygood.org .

California Ag Secretary Forms Dairy Future Task Force

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:35:13 GMT

Goal is to seek long-term solutions for state’s struggling dairy industry, with recommendations developed by year’s end.

Seeking long-term solutions for the state’s dairy industry, California ag secretary Karen Ross has invited 32 dairy farmers, cooperatives and processors to serve on a new California Dairy Future Task Force.

“I am determined to work with the dairy community to make the changes necessary to position farmers to take advantage of . . . opportunities and maintain California’s status as a world leader in dairy production well into the future,” Ross writes in today’s “Planting Seeds ,” a blog from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

“It is imperative that task force members begin work as soon as possible and strive to develop recommendations by the end of the year,” she adds.

The nationwide drought has driven up feed prices and caused significant new problems for California’s dairies, many still struggling to recover from the steep financial losses suffered in the economic collapse in 2008 and 2009. The industry’s level of volatility is the new reality for dairy farmers, says Ross.

“If we have learned one thing from this crisis, it is that the current regulatory and pricing system needs to change, and all sectors of the industry need to collaborate and develop reforms that can bring new markets and new stability to the marketplace,” she notes.

Ross has asked all task force members and dairy stakeholders to familiarize themselves with a report by global management consultant McKinsey and Company, which was commissioned by the California Milk Advisory Board in 2006. The McKinsey report provided concepts for long-term sustainability and industry growth over a 20-year period.

Ross’s “Planting Seeds” comments come just four days after a dairy industry lawsuit was filed against CDFA. Plaintiffs -- Milk Producers Council, Dairy Farmers of America, Security Milk Producers Association and California Dairy Campaign -- allege that CDFA failed to follow the law in refusing to bring California’s Class 4b price into better alignment with the prices being paid by cheese manufacturers around the country.

New York Dairy Wins 2013 Agricultural Environmental Management Award

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:41:10 GMT

Family has farmed the land for 100 years, and today its thriving dairy farm uses cutting-edge technology to increase profits and protect the environment.

Source: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets news release

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced that Sheland Farms of Ellisburg, N.Y., is the recipient of the 2013 New York State Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) Award.

The Shelmidine family, which operates the farm, along with the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District, were honored by the State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Empire State Potato Growers and American Agriculturist Magazine during the Agricultural Leadership Luncheon at Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls.

“I congratulate the Shelmidine family on this tremendous achievement,” said Commissioner Aubertine. “For 100 years, the Shelmidine’s have been farming this land in Jefferson County. From generation to generation, their family has grown and their farm has persevered. Today, it is a thriving dairy farm using cutting edge technology to increase profits and protect the environment.”

Sheland Farms milks approximately 700 cows and utilizes 2,100 acres of land to grow all the crops needed to feed the dairy cows and young stock on the farm. They use reduced soil plowing practices and cover crops to enhance the health of the soil and increase the amount of organic carbon that can be sequestered and utilized by growing crops. These proven conservation systems also reduce the loss of nutrients and topsoil to the nearby waters of Sandy Creek, an important tributary to Lake Ontario.

Sheland Farms made the necessary investments in the farm to not only improve efficiencies and minimize impacts to the local watershed but taken an extra step by covering their manure storage, successfully capturing and filtering methane emissions. Sheland Farms are also digesting cow manure to produce a clean, renewable source of electricity for the operation of the farm and utility grid. These advanced conservation systems put into practice on the farm protect the watershed and reduce climate changing emissions, in effect improving the global environment.

With the help of state and federal funding from sources like NYS’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF), Sheland Farms has invested in conservation practice systems to protect water quality by eliminating runoff from barnyard, feed storage, and milkhouse areas. Diverting and collecting rainwater or melting snow away from these areas minimizes pollution concerns from manure and allows for nutrient recycling when manure is properly applied to fields as natural fertilizers to crops. Conservation practices like these are a win-win scenario for both the farm’s economic bottom line and the environment.

The Shelmidine family is very active in its community, serving on the local Cornell Cooperative Extension Board, Jefferson County Agricultural Development Board, Jefferson County Farmland Protection Board, and in town government. In addition, the Shelmidine family participates in the NYS and Jefferson County Farm Bureaus, 4-H, Future Farmers of America, and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association. The Shelmidines also volunteer in both school and church organizations and have opened their farm for a number of community and educational tours. Finally, to further support their commitment to the environment beyond Jefferson County, Doug Shelmidine has served on the nationwide USDA Agricultural Air Quality Taskforce for 10 years.

The Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District typifies outstanding service to the farming community of the county and beyond. The District offers a wide variety of programs to farmers, including comprehensive nutrient management planning assistance, technical assistance and conservation equipment rental. Members of the District provide technical assistance to all farmers regardless of whether they are involved with a state or federal grant program. Christine Watkins, Executive Director and Certified Nutrient Management Planner, also provides training and education assistance to other Districts at numerous training events across the state helping to ensure that all Districts have the capacity to serve the agricultural community statewide.

Since 1993, the EPF (originally known as the Environmental Trust Fund) has been funding programs that help farmers to apply conservation on their lands, thereby protecting drinking water supplies and water resources across the state. Since the EPF was signed into law 20 years ago on Aug. 4, 1993, over $120 million has been invested in the State’s Agricultural Environmental Management Initiative helping farms like the Shelmidines preserve and protect New York’s vital natural resources. When the value of clean water for tourism, boating and fishing is factored in with avoided water treatment costs, collectively conservation projects supported through the EPF provide a huge economic benefit as well as a cleaner environment.

New York’s AEM program is a model for the entire nation. Its incentive-based approach protects natural resources and meets economic needs in the field of agriculture.

Tom's Tillage Triumph

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:53:45 GMT

A conservation tillage pioneer defies skeptics to reap tangible benefits for his farm, his dairy and the environment.

California’s Tom Barcellos has proven the doubters wrong.

Fifteen years after becoming the first Central Valley dairy producer to adopt conservation tillage, Barcellos is reaping benefits few expected when he was a solitary pioneer trying something new in his corn fields.

Through a successful combination of no-till and strip-till methods, Barcellos has become the first-rate environmental steward he set out to be. At the same time, he has improved his business margin by 20% by cutting costs for labor, equipment maintenance, chemical use, fuel and water.

Barcellos’ conservation tillage system has boosted soil quality and reduced stress on plants, decreasing pesticide use by 25% decrease. It’s not only upgraded his water quality but allowed him to reduce water use by 5% and soil-water evaporation loss by 15%. His efforts have improved air quality by decreasing particulate matter up to 90%. They’ve also cut 962 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, equal to removing 184 cars from the road.

“To be able to put it all together and have it work so well is humbling,” Barcellos says.

His conservation tillage system involves leaving the previous year’s crop residue on the field and planting the next crop directly into the residue. That reduces soil erosion by 60% to 90% and increases the soil’s organic matter. The minimal soil disturbance reduces field compaction, boosting both soil quality and water-use efficiency. That leads to better root systems and healthier, less-stressed crops.

(Farm Journal)

Tom Barcellos has improved his business margin by 20% by cutting costs for labor, equipment maintenance, chemical use, fuel and water.

“It’s really paying dividends during this drought,” says Barcellos, who just ended a three-year term as president of Western United Dairymen, a California-based trade group. “Even though we don’t have all the water we need to farm, I have flexibility. By not disturbing the soil, we lose less moisture. That’s the strip-till advantage.”

Barcellos laser-levels his fields to ensure uniform water use. He not only captures any water left in his fields but reuses it five to six times. This year, Barcellos only had to set aside 20% of his fields due to drought-induced water shortages, compared to the average 35%-50% on conventionally tilled acreage.

One of his biggest savings comes from eliminating five to six tractor passes on his fields. That saves Barcellos 8,400 gal. of fuel a year, sparing him a $56,000 annual expense, including labor and equipment wear and tear.

Grandson of Portuguese immigrants, Barcellos oversees T-Bar Dairy and White Gold Dairy near Tulare. The dairies, which milk a combined 1,400 Holsteins, also breed and raise their own replacements. In addition, Barcellos farms 1,200 acres of corn, wheat, alfalfa and sorghum, and custom-harvest 1,000 more acres. He also runs an excavation company that cleans manure lagoons for 50 local dairies and a trucking business that hauls equipment, manure and commodities.

The multi-faceted Barcellos enterprise operates in the San Joaquin Valley--the nation’s No. 1 milkshed as well as one of the worst-air basins in the U.S. It’s a region of chronic drought, water shortages and increasingly tough environmental regulations.

Those challenges helped drive Barcellos to become a better steward of the land, air and water when he began his conservation tillage quest. It wasn’t easy. In his transition from conventional to conservation tillage, Barcellos had no model to follow and few resources to rely on. He experimented with small acreage trials and kept careful records. He altered existing equipment and invested in new machinery.

“Many lessons were learned through trial and error,” he recalls.

Barcellos faced significant pushback from the agricultural community. “There was a lot of resistance to something that hadn’t been done before,” he remembers. “People were in their comfort zones.”

After three years of experimenting, Barcellos incorporated all his fields into conservation-tillage rotations. Today, he strip-tills all his corn and sorghum and no-tills his wheat and alfalfa.

“Tom is incredibly tenacious and innovative,” says Jeff Mitchell, a cropping specialist with the University of California at Davis who has worked extensively on conservation tillage. “He went way beyond anybody else in California. His belief and dedication allowed him to achieve his successes.”

Barcellos’ persistence has not only paid off for his operation but for others.

“Since Tom’s successful introduction of conservation tillage in the area, more than 750,000 acres have followed his lead and are also under similar tillage systems,” Mitchell says.

In May, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy recognized Barcellos for Outstanding Achievement in Resource Stewardship. The national award honors commitment to stewardship and sustainability while delivering exceptional results that are good for business, the environment and the community.

“Tom Barcellos was a pioneer of conservation tillage in the Central Valley, and his determination allowed many others to follow in his footsteps,” says Arizona dairy producer Paul Rovey, who chairs Dairy Management Inc™ and was a member of the judging panel. “We are pleased to recognize his successful model of resource stewardship that is paying dividends, particularly during this time of drought.”

Antibiotic Treatment of Hoof Lesions Can Trigger Milk Residues

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:02:15 GMT

New research from the University of Minnesota (UMN) and the University of Guelph in Canada suggests antibiotic treatments of hoof lesions can trigger milk residues.

As the Food and Drug Administration ramps up antibiotic testing for drugs other than beta lactams in the coming year, those residues could show up in screening tests.

Researchers sampled 50 cows in two herds that were in five hoof
lesion treatment groups. Tetracycline was applied as either a wrap or paste, and then milk was sampled at various times after treatment.

In all, 442 milk samples were tested. Of that number, 105 samples of detectable tetracycline were found, with 35 having quantifiable results, says Gerard Cramer, a UMN veterinarian involved with the study. Five of the samples had residues above 100 parts per billion (ppb), testing in the range of 120 to 244 ppb.

In the U.S., the maximum residue limit for tetracycline is 300 ppb; in the European Union (EU), the maximum limit is 100 ppb. So while the milk samples with the higher residues would still be
legal in the U.S., they would likely not be eligible for export to the EU.

It’s unknown whether the tretracycline was being absorbed by the lesions and then transported to the udder, or whether teats were simply being contaminated when cows laid down and teats came in contact with the hoof.

In any case, the research shows tetracycline residues are possible. It’s important hoof trimmers and veterinarians applying the tetracycline pay very close attention to dosages, Cramer says. “Two to 3 grams per lesion is adequate,” he says. “That’s important to keep in mind
because treatment is not risk free.”

Utility, Dairy Farm Partner on Wind Turbine

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:52:30 GMT

Green Mountain Power has partnered with a family farm to set up its third wind turbine to save money on electricity.

The 250-cow Nea-Tocht farm in Ferrisburg, Vt. is owned by the VanderWey family.

The family says the turbine will save them $2,200 a year on electricity. Raymond VanderWey says Nea-Tocht is Dutch for “never thought.” He says the family never thought they’d be milking their cows with renewable energy.

The turbine can produce about 155,000 kilowatts a year, equal to the amount of electricity used by 25 homes.

The utility’s first community-scale turbine was installed at the Northlands Job Corps in Vergennes in 2011. The second was at the Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport in 2013, also the first Vermont farm to put power from cow manure on the grid.

2015 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards Announced

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:53:18 GMT

Dairy farms and businesses are changing the equation for sustainable business practices.

Source: Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®

Rosemont, Ill. — The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®, established under the leadership of dairy farmers, announced the winners of the fourth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards on May 7, 2015, at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The program recognizes outstanding dairy farms, businesses and partnerships for practices large and small that not only focus on the environment, but add up to promote the health and well-being of consumers, communities, cows, employees, the planet and business.

“This year’s award winners truly are changing the equation for what the industry and consumers think about sustainability,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center. “Each winner has a unique commitment to sustainability that has strengthened their connections with their communities, ensured the stability of the waterways and wildlife surrounding their properties, and blazed new trails for other dairy farms and businesses to follow.”

(Farm Journal)

Nobis Dairy Farms of St. Johns, Mich. also has been honored for Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability.

Sustainable practices recognized this year range from water conservation and recovery of food waste to a community-based program that increases access to fresh milk for families in need.

The winners were selected based on results as measured by economic, environmental and community impact, also known as triple-bottom-line success. An independent panel of judges — which included experts working with and through the dairy industry — also assessed the potential for adoption by others, demonstrated learning, innovation, improvement and scalability.

“To continue to pass their farms and companies down to the next generation, this year’s award winners have done an excellent job improving upon best practices and serving their communities,” said Paul Rovey, an Arizona dairy farmer, member of the judging panel and chair of Dairy Management Inc™. “I am excited to share their successes so they can easily be adopted by others in the industry.”

(Farm Journal)

Oregon Dairy Farm of Lititz, Pa., is another winner in the category of Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability.

The 2015 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards winners are:

Outstanding Achievement in Resource Stewardship

Freund’s Farm, East Canaan, Conn. — Freund’s Farm has created a successful side business selling CowPots®, biodegradable gardening containers made of composted manure from their herd of 275 dairy cows. Through CowPots, they are reducing phosphorus buildup in their soil, employing 11 full-time and 15 seasonal personnel, and investing $2 million back into the local community. Their commitment does not end there. The farm’s solar panel system produces 100 percent of its electricity needs.

Honorable Mention: T-Bar Dairy and White Gold Dairy, Porterville, Calif. — Tom Barcellos was the first dairy farmer in drought-ridden Central Valley, California, to successfully implement conservation tillage. A combination of no-till and strip-till methods have helped Barcellos manage for water scarcity while allowing him to reduce chemical use, fuel use and the amount of dust particles in the air.

Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability

(Farm Journal)

Dorrich Dairy of Glenwood, Minn., also won the award for Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability.

Dorrich Dairy, Glenwood, Minn. — The Vold family dramatically reduced chemical insecticides to control flies — and reduced fly control costs by 85 percent — when they introduced wasp larvae. This is one part of an integrated pest management system and overall commitment to cow health that contributes to making their operation financially strong and environmentally sound, now and for future generations.

Nobis Dairy Farms, St. Johns, Mich. — The Nobis brothers take pride in their practical approach to sustainable practices on their farm. For example, when they transitioned to sand bedding for cow comfort and health in 1974, they had to figure out how to clean and separate the sand from manure. Today, the system they have in place, thanks to research from Michigan State University and McLanahan Corporation, not only solves the problem of sand-laden manure, but it also maximizes nutrient management and eliminates excessive use of fresh water.

Oregon Dairy Farm, Lititz, Pa. — In a sustainability meets farm-to-fork experience, the Hurst family composts food waste along with cow manure to produce a rich source of nutrients sold to gardeners; runs solar panels on their grocery store roof to provide 10 percent of the store’s electricity needs; and operates an anaerobic digester that helps capture methane gas from manure to make electricity and heat for hot water.

Honorable Mention: Alliance Dairies, Trenton, Fla. — Situated in the highly sensitive Suwannee River Basin and Manatee Springs region, Alliance Dairies has a comprehensive water management plan that led the dairy to install a first-of-its kind methane digester specifically designed for a freestall barn flush system. As a result, Alliance Dairies is not only protecting the community’s water quality, but it is generating electricity for the community’s use, too.

Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability

(Farm Journal)

California’s Hilmar Cheese Co. won the award for Outstanding Dairy Processing and Manufacturing Sustainability.

Hilmar Cheese Company, Hilmar, Calif. — Though Hilmar Cheese Company makes about 2 million pounds of cheese each day, the company is able to recover almost 100 percent of water from incoming milk. Then, the water is treated at the plant and used up to three times for processes such as crop irrigation and landscaping. Water reclamation is just one part of a comprehensive sustainability effort. Hilmar Cheese Company’s new headquarters and innovation center was the first dairy building in the nation to receive LEED® Platinum certification.

Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships

HP Hood LLC and CleanWorld, Sacramento, Calif. — HP Hood LLC and CleanWorld found a way to collect and combine HP Hood’s 35 tons per week of waste with food waste from dozens of local restaurants and retailers in a nearby biodigester. The biodigester converts the waste into valuable products for their urban and agricultural neighbors. These products include renewable fuel to power public and private fleets of trucks, rich liquid fertilizer for nearby farms, and power for the digester and local waste management facilities.

Honorable Mention: Northern Illinois Food Bank and Prairie Farms Dairy, Geneva, Ill. — This food bank and dairy partnered to create the Milk 2 My Plate program, which ensures a fresh supply of milk is available to the families who rely on the food pantry to make ends meet. The community-based program serves as a model for food banks across the country. So far, it has distributed more than 194,000 gallons of milk — 3.1 million servings — to 34 food pantries in the network.

(Farm Journal)

HP Hood LLC and CleanWorld of Sacramento, Calif., won for Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships.

About the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment and Awards program

The U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment and the Sustainability Awards program are supported by gold- and silver-level sponsors. This year’s gold-level sponsors are: the Center for Advanced Energy Studies, DeLaval, DVO, Inc.,

Elanco Animal Health, InSinkErator, Tetra Pak, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, World Wildlife Fund and Zoetis. Silver-level sponsors are: the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, ChemTreat, DSM Nutritional Products, HDR, Inc., McDonald’s Corporation and Syngenta.

The awards program is part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, an industrywide effort to measure and improve the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. To learn more about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, the winners and the best practices in place at their operations, visit DairyGood.org.

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key farmer organizations, dairy cooperatives, companies, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc™. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

It’s About Putting a Face to Agriculture and Having a Dialogue

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:43:29 GMT

“It’s about having a dialogue, not just telling a story,” said Cameron Bruett, chief sustainability officer and head of corporate affairs for JBS USA, Inc. at the 2015 Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit. “We have this huge modern disconnect with agriculture; most of the consumers’ interaction with agriculture is the grocery store.”

A disconnect with consumers was a common talking point for all of the first-day Summit speakers noting that the agriculture industry has a great story to tell, but there is a lack of engagement with the audience that couldn’t survive without the farmers and producers. When there is no dialogue and engagement, consumers’ perceptions about our food supply will hinder the move towards a more sustainable and efficient future for everyone.

Another overarching topic was defining what sustainability actually means. “Sustainability means something different for whoever is talking about it,” Bruett said.

“Simply defined, sustainability is responsibility meeting the needs of the present while improving the ability of future generations to responsibly meet their own needs,” Bruett said. He added that it’s more about finding a balance between three things: social responsibility, economically viable and environmentally sound.

John Graettinger, director of food chain affairs at Merck Animal Health discussed the topic of consumer trust on a panel alongside Mandy Hagan, vice president of state of affairs at Grocery Manufactures Association.

“We need to show our face because people like people,” Graettinger said. “If you put that face on our production facilities, we are going to go far.”

Hagan followed by introducing the notion that the agricultural industry needs to make the conversation about the consumers and show how agriculture benefits them, not just the companies, especially when talking about technology in agriculture. Hagan gave the example of GM crops and how adding vitamin A to a developing world’s staple food could save lives.

“Our side of the story is much more complicated,” Hagan said. “If it’s a benefit for the consumer then the dialogue will change. I don’t think it’s too late.”

To close out the first day, two bloggers from the Alliance’s blogger tour took the stage and shared their personal experiences as well as how their new role in the industry can have a positive impact for farmers and consumers.

Ilina Ewen, writer for the blog Dirt & Noise, said that the experience for her was very “eye-opening” and said the agriculture is really about family, people and culture. “Food in this country is something we take for granted and [the tour] made me value our food system,” Ewen said. “The passion that is demonstrated in ag is unparalleled to any other industry.”

Lisa Frame, writer for the blog A Daily Pinch, shared that she came from a farming family and that agriculture is really about “becoming part of a family” and that her experience made her and Ewen a part of the family. “We are vested in your fishbowl now,” Frame said.

Source: Animal Agriculture Alliance

Gas to Gas: Dairy Manure Powers California Ethanol Plant

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:51:50 GMT

In a first for the Golden State, a dairy, a digester and an ethanol plant partner to create renewable energy.

California’s first biogas project connecting a dairy to an ethanol plant officially crossed the finish line last week with a public inauguration at its San Joaquin Valley site.

Nearly six years in the making, the $9.5 million renewable energy project relies on manure piped from a dairy a mile away to an anaerobic digester at the Calgren Renewable Fuels ethanol production facility in Pixley, Calif.

Calgren’s digester captures manure-generated methane gas and burns it as clean biogas to power the ethanol plant. In turn, the plant yields nearly 60 million gallons of ethanol a year that, blended with gasoline, creates a low-carbon fuel for many of California’s 27 million cars.

Officials said the Pixley biogas project is the first California digester to use agricultural waste to create renewable natural gas to power another renewable energy facility. It’s also the first digester in the Golden State to be 100% American made and constructed. The plant now becomes California’s lowest-carbon commercial ethanol producer.

“This project is a model for biorefineries in California and throughout the U.S.,” Jim Mckinney, program manager for the California Energy Commission , said at the digester’s Feb. 10 grand opening. The state agency contributed $4.6 million in grant funds to the project.

The project produces several benefits, officials said.

(Farm Journal)

The dried manure solids that are discharged at the back end of the digester cycle are trucked back to Four-J Dairy every day to be used as bedding for the herd.

“We turn waste into fuel,” said Calgren Renewable Fuels president Lyle Schyler, adding that ethanol comprises 10% of fuel at California’s gasoline pumps. Moreover, the project’s carbon output “is quite low,” because of the digester and other emission-controlling equipment at the plant. “This project is exceptionally green,” Schlyer said.

“Electricity and hydrogen are getting a lot of media attention these days as the fuels of the future,” said Mckinney. “But it is the workhorse plants like this Calgren facility that reduce the carbon content of our fuel supply. At 58 million gallons per year, that’s enough low-carbon fuel for 145,000 cars every year.”

The new biogas system will reduce the amount of natural gas used to fire Calgren’s boilers by 6% and reduce the carbon footprint of the plant’s fuel product by 67 grams of carbon per megajoule, added Mckinney. “That’s one third less carbon than gasoline and one third less carbon than most of the corn ethanol from the Midwest that we import,” he said.

The project’s benefits don’t stop with Calgren and the California environment. Frank Junio and his family also have profited from the project. It’s their Four-J Dairy that’s supplying the manure to Calgren’s plant .

For their role in providing the manure, the Junios got a new manure management infrastructure for their 1,800-cow dairy operation. That includes a double-lined lagoon.

(Farm Journal)

Frank Junio’s dairy supplies the manure to the ethanol plant, seen in the distance.

The dairy also gets the dried manure solids that are discharged at the back end of the digester cycle. Those manure solids are trucked daily from the Calgren plant to Four-J Dairy, where they’re used as bedding for the Junios’ dairy herd. The digester’s remaining effluent is piped back to the dairy each day to be applied to field crops.

The Pixley biogas digester is a two-stage, plug-flow complete mix system. It has a 1-million gallon capacity, said Steve Dvorak, whose Wisconsin-based DVO company engineered the digester. (Calgren’s Daryl Maas conceived and guided the project; Regenis built the digester.) While 90% of the waste going into the digester comes from the dairy, the digester has received permitting to use all feed stocks, including municipal waste and food processing waste.

Located 12 miles south of Tulare and adjacent to Freeway 99, the Calgren facility was built in 2008. It’s one of only four commercial ethanol production plants in California. Corn feed stock for Calgren’s plant arrives by train from the Midwest at the neighboring JD Heiskell facility . It’s then transferred via elevators and conveyors to Calgren’s plant for processing. In addition to ethanol, the Calgren plant produces wet distillers grains and corn oil.

Nebraska Grocery Chain Joining Dairy in Compost Venture

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:52:10 GMT

Officials for a Lincoln, Neb.-based grocery chain are hoping to turn tons of produce, bakery goods, meat scraps, floral arrangements and cardboard into a salable compost product after it’s mixed with manure from a dairy.

B & R Stores wants to begin selling bags of its Prairie Gold this spring, the Lincoln Journal Star reports .

“It completes the cycle,” said Larry Elias, B & R’s director of sales and merchandise, referring to transforming organic waste into a usable product for farmers, gardeners and greenhouses. Compost is made from decayed organic material, looks like soil and is used as fertilizer.

The company did a trial run last year with Prairieland Dairy near Firth and one Russ’s Market store and learned that 80 percent of what was going to the local landfill was compostable. This year waste from six of B & R’s Russ’s Market stores will be added to manure from Prairieland. The mix will sit in windrows for eight weeks and then will be piled up to cure for a year.

The cured product will be combined with organic waste from various sources before being bagged into Prairie Gold.

Experts say composting helps extend the life of landfills and reduces the amount of a greenhouse gas, methane, released into the atmosphere.

“Landfill space is limited, and it’s the right thing to do,” Elias said. “It’ll hopefully, over the long term, reduce our landfill costs.”

It’s too early, however, to tell how much money B & R will save by working with the dairy, he said.

Mighty Earth Attacks Crop Farmers to Advance Anti-Meat Agenda

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:48:49 GMT

A report last week from Mighty Earth , a campaign of the Center for International Policy , took a break from criticizing farmers and ranchers that raise livestock for meat, and instead turned their attention to the meat companies and feed suppliers (ie. crop farmers), asking them to provide “pollution-free” feed.

In “ Mystery Meat II: The Industry Behind the Quiet Destruction of the American Heartland, ” Mighty Earth says “Demand for feed crops is driving widespread water contamination across the country, destroying America’s last native prairies, and releasing potent greenhouse gases.” The report claims excess fertilizer and manure washes off fields, contaminating local drinking water and creating algae blooms that cause Dead Zones in the Gulf of Mexico.

While the agricultural industry does have an impact on these issues (see here and here ), the report does little to quantify agriculture’s contribution to the problem versus other industries.

The article calls out Tyson Foods, charging “America’s largest meat company” is in the “regions suffering the worst environmental impacts from industrial meat and feed production—from grassland clearing in Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas, to manure and fertilizer pollution pouring into waterways from the Heartland down to the Gulf states.”

In a written statement to Farm Journal Media, Tyson responded “We share this group’s concern about the environment but disagree with its misleading characterization of our company. Tyson Foods is not in the business of raising the crops and we own very few livestock farms. Instead, we depend on thousands of independent farmers to raise our chickens or sell us their cattle or hogs. We work closely with our partners from farm-to-fork to identify and deploy new technologies designed to better protect the environment, our workforce, and the communities we serve.”

In an article by the Des Moines Register, Mark Peterson, a farmer near Stanton who has reviewed the report, said it may be impossible to produce “pollution-free feed.” … But farmers can adopt conservation practices — such as no-till or conservation tillage, cover crops, buffers and grass waterways — that reduce nutrient losses.

The negative characterizations of the agriculture industry in the report is a long list. However, it failed to include the fact that crop and livestock production is regulated and monitored by USDA’s Food and Drug Administration or the Environmental Protection Agency. Nor did it mention that many farmers and ranchers participate in quality assurance programs to document animal health and environmentally friendly practices. Tyson discloses its environmental efforts on its website.

Livestock feed is just one use of grain products grown in the U.S. In this chart from USDA, shows the growing market for biofuels, as well as consumer food and industrial uses. Source: USDA

To Haul or Not to Haul

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:30:32 GMT

Which is cheaper: to fix equipment on the farm or transport it to the dealership for repairs?

Cell phones and remote diagnostics are changing the equipment maintenance process. When a piece of machinery is in need of repair, is it more economical to haul it to the nearest shop or have a mechanic come to the farm?

The answer depends on the machine, the type of repair and several other variables. The biggest and most costly factor is time.

“If it’s a tractor that just needs a water pump, that’s a single repair that can be accomplished with predictable parts in one trip,” says Chad Stoline, corporate service manager for the Van Wall Group, a John Deere dealership in central Iowa. “A service call is the perfect solution in that situation.

“If you’re looking at off-season inspection and maintenance for a combine with 3,000 or 4,000 hours,” Stoline explains, “it’s a no-brainer to get that machine to the dealership shop because it’s going to take three or four days, which would mean multiple trips for the mechanic. The time a mechanic spends traveling to and from a machine is part of what makes service calls more expensive.”

Dealerships are offering incentives, including discounted haul rates in the off-season, for farmers to prioritize preventive maintenance.

Cost effective? In general, customers pay a dealership’s standard hourly shop rate from the time the mechanic leaves the dealership until he or she returns, along with a fee to cover fuel and vehicle expense. Anything that adds to the length or complexity of the service call, such as a return to the dealership for additional parts or tools, rapidly adds to the total cost of the repairs.

Because in-shop repairs tend to be more cost effective, many farmers find there is value in paying to have their tractors hauled to a repair shop. Lang Diesel, an AGCO and Challenger dealership in Hays, Kan., charges $5 per loaded mile to haul tractors to their shop.

“We really emphasize preventive maintenance,” says Gabe Flaska, Lang service manager. “To
encourage that, if they send the tractor for off-season preventive maintenance and repair, we’ll haul it for half price. Not having to pay for the mechanic’s fuel and driving time for a couple trips back and forth to the farm usually saves more than the cost of trucking.”

Large combines and tractors with dual or triple wheels that are awkward to haul to the dealership often lead to hybrid repair strategies.

“We have two fully-equipped trucks with cranes,” explains Scott McDaniel, service manager at Vetter Equipment, a central Iowa Case IH dealer.

“There’s a trend to pull the broken engine or transmission out of the machine on the farm and bring it to the shop. That lets us rebuild the engine or transmission in controlled conditions and saves the customer from having to bring the machine to the shop,” McDaniel says.

A quicker response. Some circumstances eliminate the option of transporting all or part of the broken machine to a shop and mandate fast on-farm repairs.

“Places such as dairies don’t have days off or an off-season,” Stoline says. “So any repair to their machinery is pretty much all mobile service.”

The same theory applies to mowers or balers that go down in the middle of a hay field with rain in the forecast or a planter that quits just as thunder clouds loom on the horizon. In that case, the customer has to work with the dealership to determine what’s wrong with the machine, what parts the technician will need to bring and the best way to get it fixed as quickly as possible.

Expert inspection. Sometimes it takes a mechanic’s eye and experience to fully evaluate the situation.

“If we can’t determine over the phone what’s wrong and whether it’s better to fix it on the farm or in the shop, we’ll send a tech to inspect it,” says Matt Guerrero, service manager at Stotz Equipment, a John Deere dealer in Casa Grande, Ariz. “The service tech then makes the call on whether it’s too big of a job to do in the field or if it needs to be done in the dealership shop.

“If they know they can fix it correctly in the field, they will,” Guerrero says. “But if there’s a risk of compromising a $15,000 or $20,000 engine or transmission job because the machine is out in the middle of a dusty field, or because they won’t know exactly what parts they’ll need until they get it torn apart, they’re going to want it in the shop so they can do the best work possible in the least amount of time.”

You can e-mail Dan Anderson at danderson@farmjournal.com .

In the Shop Blog

As a farm machinery mechanic by day and a writer by night, Dan Anderson brings a hands-on approach that only a pro can muster. Always providing practical information, he is a master at tackling technical topics and making them easy for farmers to understand. Read his advice and tips straight from the shop at www.FarmJournal.com/In_the_Shop .

How to Overcome Heifer-Rearing Bottlenecks (Part II)

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:10 GMT

Opportunities for dairy producers and heifer raisers to enhance heifer-rearing programs.

By Dr. Gene Boomer, Manager, Field Technical Services, Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition

Note: This is the second in a series of articles that addresses eight bottlenecks or phases of heifer development that offer opportunities for dairy producers and heifer raisers to enhance heifer-rearing programs.

Last month, we discussed four key heifer-rearing bottlenecks that hamper animals and operations from reaching their full potential. Following are four additional areas that often offer management challenges to dairies and negatively impact animal performance and farm profitability—and recommendations to overcome these issues.

1. Transfer to grower ration. By about 15 to 16 weeks of age, heifers should be receiving a quality grower grain mix that’s been carefully formulated to deliver correct amounts of a coccidiostat, energy, protein and a vitamin\trace mineral mix to supplement varying amounts and quality of forages. The percentage of dietary forages may be increased now, too. Also capture body weight data at five months of age. This information helps to make better ration decisions and make early culling decisions. Under current marketing conditions, this is a good opportunity to allow your underperforming heifers to make a future career change.

2. Move to breeding pens based on size. Base movement on accurate hip height and body weight measurements. Use age as a secondary parameter. Holsteins should be 51 – 52 inches at the hip when entering the breeding pen. A well-managed Holstein heifer development program will have more than 90% of the animals at an adequate size to breed between 10 – 14 months of age. Record movement to the breeding pen so that 21-day pregnancy rates and insemination risks are calculated correctly. Don’t wait too long to initiate breeding, as that results in wasted days on feed and often, over-conditioned heifers.

3. Move to close-up pens on time. The most common mistake is not putting springing heifers on the close-up diet for more than 21 days before calving. Move heifers to the close-up pen before they reach 250 days carried calf.• The key numbers to monitor are days in close up pen and dry matter intake.
• Monitor variation as well as averages.
• Days in close-up pen should be greater than 21 and the average dry matter intake for Holstein heifers more than 24 pounds.

The second most common mistake is not feeding the rumen microbes to provide ~1200 grams metabolizable protein.

4. Practice proper animal husbandry. Animal comfort and welfare, or animal husbandry, must begin on the day a calf is born and continue throughout her lifetime. In today’s society, consumers want the ideal. If you say you are doing it, you had better be able to prove it. Leadership is about taking your operation to where it needs to be. Therefore, protocols must be in place for housing, feeding, breeding, moving and handling and treating all ages of livestock on the farm. Protocols must be in writing and training programs must be documented. Include written consequences for individuals who do not follow protocols.

As we’ve noted before, more intensive management systems that correct these bottlenecks are worth the effort and extra cost of inputs and labor through a reduction in veterinary and medicine bills and lower death losses. Click here to learn more about these heifer development bottlenecks and how to manage them on your operation.

‘New Forage’ Challenges

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:10 GMT

Non-traditional forages will be finding their way into summer and fall feeding programs. Here’s help in managing them.

By Jim Linn

Forage inventories on many dairy farms in the Midwest are about depleted, especially hay crop forages. A high-yielding first cutting of quality alfalfa is needed for feeding this summer.

However, many producers were hit hard with winter kill in their alfalfa. They have had to scramble to figure out what to replant and then find seed for planting.

For many producers in this situation, non-traditional forages will be finding their way into the summer and fall feeding program. For those whose alfalfa did survive the winter, the cool wet spring has slowed plant growth and delayed 1st cutting.

Whichever the situation, feeding newly harvested forages or feeding a new forage species, the forage and fiber needs of the cow remain the same. Quantity, quality and effective fiber are the three things to keep in mind as forages are harvested this summer.

Forage quality is certainly important, but quantity supersedes quality this year. High quality legumes and grasses yield less per acre than good quality. As quality increases, cows eat more forage and it takes more forage in the diet to meet fiber requirements.

A 140 to 150 relative feed value (RFV) alfalfa haylage (40% Neutral Detergent Fiber--NDF) will yield more and be better at meeting the forage and fiber requirements of the cow than 170 and higher RFV alfalfa. From cutting to feeding, RFV will drop about 20 units so harvesting at about 26" in the very late bud or early flower stage should result in good yield and quality of alfalfa.

Some producers will be harvesting the newer grass varieties for forage this year. The goal for harvest in a pure grass stand is 55 to 60% NDF or a late boot stage. However, don’t be fooled into thinking cows will eat less of this high NDF forage.

Research studies on the newer grass varieties have shown DM intakes don’t decrease with higher NDF. Grass will not replace straw in diets unless the grass is very mature. For producers who have interseeded grass into a poor alfalfa stand, target the mixed alfalfa-grass crop for harvest at about 50% NDF for quality and quantity.

Small grain silages will likely be a major forage source in many dairy diets this summer. Oatlage-alfalfa as the first cut of new seeded alfalfa is likely to be forage in lactation diets and not just heifer diets by midsummer.

The traditional problem with this and most small grain silage is harvesting and ensiling them at the correct moisture. Target should be 60% moisture (40% dry matter--DM) in small grain silage for best ensiling and feedability.

High or all corn silage diets will likely be the norm this fall and winter. With lots of winter kill acres available with good nitrogen credits, expect to see more replanting into corn or possibly BMR sorghum-sudangrass if dry conditions and/or above average temperatures are expected.

Harvesting corn silage should be as normal. But kernel processing and the option of shredlage for good fiber digestion and physically effective fiber will be essential for healthy cows and good milk production.

Feed Out Rules

When feeding the newly ensiled crop, a good inoculant should be added to the forage at ensiling. The forage mass should remain undisturbed for at least two weeks before feeding. When ensiled at the right moisture and packed well, forage fermentation will be complete within 7 to 10 days.

Fermentation will be a little longer in legume silage than cereal grain or corn silage. That’s because the high protein and calcium content of legume plants buffer fermentation more than cereal grain or corn silage.

Waiting a month or longer to feed is best, but when having to feed ensiled forage sooner the number one problem will be aerobic instability and heating. As feed is removed from storage, the mass is disrupted and oxygen is allowed back in for bacteria and yeast growth.

Mature, dry and long particle size forages are more prone to heating on feedout than good quality correctly ensiled forages. A rapid feedout with excellent face management of the ensiled forage will be the best retardant to aerobic instability.

Hot silage also shortens feed bunk life of the TMR. Adding a propionic acid or other mold inhibitor designed for the TMR will help reduce bunk life problems. Treating the last several feet of the silage that will be fed first and the top foot of the pile or bunker with propionic will also help minimize heating of the silage during the early feeding period.

Jim Linn is a dairy nutrition consultant and retired Extension nutrition specialist at the University of Minnesota–St. Paul. Contact him at linnx002@umn.edu .

Time for a Closer Look at Rumen-Protected Choline for Transition Cows

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:10 GMT

Cows fed this additive show fewer metabolic problems -- plus a 5 lb. increase in milk.

By Rick Lundquist, Ph.D.

I have finally started grazing at the rumen-protected choline section of the feed additive buffet. I have been reluctant to include rumen-protected choline in my clients’ transition diets, mainly because anything that costs 30 cents per head per day requires a relatively certain return on the investment. I don’t like wasting my clients’ money.

The science behind the role of choline in fat metabolism, and hence its potential benefits to the transition cow, has never been in question. Improvements in rumen protection as well as a recent meta-analysis of several rumen-protected choline studies have shown a very consistent response, not only in reduced metabolic problems but also with more milk.

Once we get out of the starting blocks (the transition period), the cow is pretty much off to the races, so anything we can do to consistently keep the cow out of the metabolic ditch is usually money well spent. If rumen-protected choline is fed 21 days prefresh through 30 days postfresh, the total cost would be about $15.00. I think that most dairy producers would invest $15.00 if they were reasonably sure it helped a cow get through the transition period in good health.

Click here for a a Balchem-sponsored video to better understand the choline-liver fat link.

Choline is a required nutrient for monogastric animals, but the National Research Council (NRC) has not yet established a recommended dietary level for dairy cattle. Dietary choline has to be protected from rumen degradation to be effective for dairy cattle.

Immediately after calving, body fat is rapidly mobilized, overwhelming the liver’s ability to metabolize it. This can result in a fatty liver, which can lead to ketosis, an impaired immune system and all the associated maladies. Choline is a part of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), which transports fat out of the liver.

In addition to a reduction in metabolic problems associated with a fatty liver, the meta-analysis showed about a 5 lb. increase in milk during the period when cows were fed rumen-protected choline. I would assume that the milk response is a result of improved health during the transition period. This should pay for the choline and then some. It makes the decision to feed rumen-protected choline a little easier.

Rick Lundquist is an independent nutrition and management consultant based in Duluth, Minn. He provides livestock production advice.

High Tech, Low Cost

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 21:30:32 GMT

Two Illinois farm entities pool their resources to stay on the cutting edge

Rooted in the millennial old concept of bartering is a new formula for success—trading custom work. You do this for me, and I’ll do this for you. This strategy has mobilized four northern Illinois farmers, allowing them to adopt the latest technology and keep debt levels low, all while adding sizeable increases to their land base.

“You could call what we’ve done a small co-op,” says Aron Carlson, who grows corn, soybeans and wheat with his partner, Brendan Dolan.

Carlson and Dolan’s entity is known as CAD. They barter with Dolan and Klinger (DAK), which is comprised of Robb Klinger and Ben Dolan (Brendan’s brother).

The four partners believe that being early adopters of technology, keeping debt low and maintaining growth gives them a competitive advantage. Carlson says the key to accomplishing this triad of goals is dividing up ownership, sharing labor and equipment and maximizing machinery use. They put three to four times more hours per year on equipment than the average farmer.

“That keeps our per-acre costs low,” Carlson says. “The downside is our equipment has more wear and tear.”

The two entities farm nearly 12,000 acres in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin with 6,300 acres leased, a small percentage owned and the rest custom worked for other farmers.

“We adopted variable-rate planting as soon as it was introduced about 10 years ago and variable-rate fertilizer when it hit the market,” says Carlson, who serves as an Illinois Corn Growers Association board member. “That lowered our costs.”

Keeping costs down involves more than just sharing and using equipment efficiently. The two entities also pool their purchase of inputs.

“Each year, we bid out our fertilizer, chemical and other input needs,” Carlson explains. “Because we represent high volume, we get lower unit prices. It’s cheaper for a supplier to deal with us.”

Busy Boys. Even though the four producers are near or at age 40, they are still referred to as
“the boys” by farmers at the local Winnebago coffee shop. “They ask, ‘What are the boys up to?’” Carlson says, smiling.

Their partnership began in 2007. At that time, DAK had already been operating for 10 years. Since then, the two entities have built their land base to nearly 12,000 acres spanning northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. Of that, 6,300 acres are leased by DAK, a small percentage is owned and they custom work the remaining acres for other farmers.

The concept for this arrangement didn’t spring out of a textbook or come from a consultant. In 2007, CAD owned about 300 acres and was equipped with a four-wheel drive tractor, a second tractor, a planter, a drill, a vertical piece of equipment and a liquid applicator. DAK had about 5,000 acres, but when a chunk of land came up for rent, it wasn’t in the budget for DAK to take it on.

“It just struck us that working together was right,” says DAK’s Ben Dolan. Initially, CAD was in a better position to provide labor, with DAK owning most of the equipment.

Dolan found comfort in knowing that the CAD crew had skilled operators who would treat each piece of equipment as their own.

At that point, CAD’s Carlson and Dolan upped their equipment investment. “It took a lot of faith from all of us,” Carlson says.

Efficiency at Work. This year, the arrangement has been especially beneficial. With three 24-row planters, they could plant as much as 1,000 acres per day. Despite all their custom work and a wet spring, they were done planting in a relatively timely manner. On average, they can harvest 300 acres per day.

“Our efficiency is huge,” Dolan says. “That gives us a little extra.” They’ve reinvested these “extras” to boost efficiency. For example, they have a truck equipped with an air compressor, fuel and all the necessary tools that can be dispatched to any field to service equipment.

Between the two entities, they typically don’t own equipment more than four years old. They have found that the best purchases are often one-year-old pieces of equipment with low hours.

Dolan says this gives them a leg up on productivity, per-bushel costs and yields. To further their competitive edge, CAD is installing a new grain-handling system with excess capacity.

“There are other opportunities for growth, but at the end of the day, it has to show black ink,” Dolan says.

So how do both entities make sure they’re compensated for their time and contributions? Both Carlson and Dolan admit that sometimes it’s not always black and white.

Because both entities do custom work for the other, the lines sometimes blur, they explain. To make it work, at the end of each year, the two units carefully document use and hours for all equipment.

They base their rates off of custom published rates, which are agreed upon prior to each growing season. For example, the custom rate for a tractor with auto steer and a guidance system is generally $1 per hour per 10 hp. This means that the charge for CAD’s 400-hp tractor is $40 per hour.

Things don’t always work out perfectly. The boys agree that it sometimes gets complicated and that they still have some finessing to do. Sometimes, two different custom charges are calculated for a specific task, such as when the tractor one entity owns pulls a planter owned by the other entity.

Lessons Learned. Taking on thousands of acres and working across entities doesn’t come without its share of lessons.

Dolan and Carlson agree that they learn something new every day, but both point to communication as an essential ingredient in making their partnership work.

“It’s inevitable; there will be disagreements,” Dolan says, noting that they each have very different personalities. “Everyone’s point of view is sought after and important. We have to talk with each other all the time to make it work.”

Part of communication is just passing along new information, whether it’s marketing or technology. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re 5 or 65; you have to keep learning,” Dolan says. “Farming is an expensive, high-capital business. It requires millions of dollars of investment, and while there’s a lot of opportunity out there, there’s even more risk today.”

While margins have been good as of late, it wasn’t that way when Dolan and Carlson started. “Corn prices were $1.80 to $2 per bushel,” Dolan recalls. “By teaming up and pooling our resources, we were able to negotiate better deals, take advantage of opportunities and spread the risk.”

The boys’ bartering skills proved to be good for business.

Double-Check Ground Corn to Boost Milk Production Potential

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:01 GMT

What if you could stretch your corn supplies a bit further?

Source: Purina Animal Nutrition

What if you could stretch your corn supplies a bit further or increase milk production just by re-evaluating how fine your corn is ground? Dr. Dave LaCount, dairy nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition, says that if corn is not ground properly, your herd could be losing milk performance potential.

“It is imperative that corn is adequately ground in order to ensure adequate energy availabilities and full utilization of corn,” says LaCount.

Research shows that, when evaluating cracked versus ground corn, there is up to a 6.1 pound milk production advantage to feeding finely ground corn over cracked corn.[1] The response on the farm will be dependent on how coarse the current corn being fed is. On farm responses to grinding corn more finely are commonly 3 to 5 pounds of milk.

Whether you’re purchasing corn from a vendor or storing it on farm, make sure it is ground fine enough prior to feeding.

When evaluating corn, the goal is to shoot for an optimum average particle size of 750 to 850 microns. “Microns or particle size of the corn can easily be measured on the farm,” says LaCount.

To evaluate whether corn is ground fine enough, purchase a hand-crank flour sifter. Weigh-out 10 ounces of ground corn and sift the sample until it appears that all particles and fines that can get through the screen have done so. Weigh out the remaining particles on the screen. Compare the weight of the material that remains on the screen with the following information and evaluate your grinding process accordingly:

• 1 ounce = 750 microns = excellent
• 2 ounces = 800 microns = excellent
• 3 ounces = 900 microns = good
• 4 ounces = 1,000 microns = fair
• 5 ounces = 1,200 microns = very poor
• >5 ounces = >1,200 microns = disaster

“Any corn below 22 percent moisture should be 600 to 700 microns,” notes LaCount. Samples of ground corn can also be submitted to a laboratory for more precise evaluation.

For more information, contact Dr. Dave LaCount at (920) 716-1700 or email: dwlacount@landolakes.com . For additional information, sign-up to receive the monthly HerdSmart E-Newsletter ; a free online tool to improve operational efficiency.

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers across the U.S. Driven by an uncompromising commitment to animal excellence, Purina Animal Nutrition is an industry innovator, offering America’s leading brands of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Headquartered in Shoreview, Minn., Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

[1] Cooperative Research Farm, Technical Bulletin; Research update: Effects of corn and grain processing on production and intake; 1997

Nutrition: Fall Forage Checklist

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:23 GMT

By Mike Hutjens

The spring and summer forage growing season has challenged dairy managers across the United States:

• Drought conditions continue in the west and southwest.
• Excessive spring rains in the Midwest delayed planting corn silage and delayed harvesting first crop alfalfa.
• Nearly two million acres of alfalfa winter-killed in the Midwest.

These factors occurred after the huge drought stress of 2012, reducing forage inventories on dairy farms leading to high priced hay, corn, and protein supplement. Use the following checklist now when adjustment and strategies are still possible.

Checklist item #1. Current forage inventories are critical as fall forages (corn silage, last cutting of legume-forage, corn stalks, and fall cereal grains) can fill out forage needs. Your monthly inventory is needed to determine if you have adequate amounts to get to spring forages (winter cereal grain or first cutting or 2014 corn silage).

As a guide, 5 1/2 tons of forage dry matter (30 lb./day) is needed for large breed cows including dry and lactation phases (add 1.5 tons if heifers are going to fed forage from your inventory). These values include a 10% shrinkage loss.

Checklist item #2. If your inventory from checklist 1 is too low, decide on your strategy now, not in March when forage prices may be high and supplies limited.

• By-product feeds could be one alternative if implemented early.
• Cull low producing cow or cows with health challenges.
• Reduce heifers numbers and/or have heifers raised by someone else. But consider costs and heifer growth history on the commercial heifer raiser.

Checklist item #3. Monitor forage quality as large variation can be expected.

• First cutting may be low in quality (RFQ or relative forage quality index). Higher producing cows should be fed legume/grass forages over 150 RFQ. One alternative is using 2nd and later cuttings for the lactating cows and feed 1st crop to heifers or low-lactation cows.
• Corn silage will also vary as some corn was planted in July, which will not have starch. Pollination in Illinois was variable due to heat stress and low soil moisture levels in July. High-quality corn silage will be over 30% starch.
• Some corn silage will have to wait for a killing frost as immature corn can be over 80% moisture leading to poor fermentation and excessive leaching. Depending on storage system, dry matter needs to be over 30% (drier for conventional upright silos).

Checklist item #4. Be sure to preserve all forages grown on the farm or purchases. A research-based silage inoculant can reduce dry matter losses due to improper fermentation by 3% or more (that’s like getting three more acres of forage when harvesting 100 acres). Covering silage piles or bunkers with oxygen barrier plastic can reduce losses in the top 3’ leading to 3 to 5% conserved dry matter in the entire silage mass.

Baled hay should be stored inside or covered with a plastic tarp or bonnet to shed moisture (rain and/or snow). Bales must not be left on the ground as moisture will migrate into the bales. All bags should be inspected for holes due to rodents, birds, or other reasons and taped immediately.
Baleage should be wrapped in plastic the same day of baling at optimal dry matter 40 to 60% to achieve optimal fermentation and avoid molding.

Checklist item #5. If you are going to feed less alfalfa/legume forage and more corn silage, you will need to consider the following points.

• Long particles may be short leading to a need for more effective fiber (cud chewing and control rate of feed passage). Straw could fulfill this need. Using the Penn State Particle Separator (PSPS), have over 8 to 10% on the top box and over 40% in the second.
• Be sure kernel plant processors are adjusted correctly with 10 to 15% in the top PSPS box and over 50% in the second PSPS box with all kernels ground (no large pieces). Shredlage overcomes both of these risks.
• Legumes have higher natural buffering capacity related to its mineral profile. Buffers may be needed to control rumen pH over 5.9, especially in rations with corn silage providing over 50% of the forage dry matter and if the ration is wetter due to immature corn silage.
• Protein levels and forms (level of rumen degraded protein and soluble protein) will change. Monitor closely. Be sure your nutritionist adjusts protein fractions including metabolizable protein level and amino acid flow.
• Nutrient requirements do not change with less legume or more immature corn silage or cereal grain forage (triticale or wheat for example).

Evaluate Fat Sources Carefully

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:59:19 GMT

Your cows need it. But what type of fat – and how much – should your herd’s rations include?

By Dr. Essi Evans, Essi Evans Technical Advisory Services, Inc.

Fat is a key source of storage for energy since tissues use stored fat when cows are in negative energy balance. Cows have the ability to synthesize fat for tissue storage and milk fat, but it is more efficient to use fat obtained from the diet for these purposes.

The big questions to answer when formulating diets are: What type of fat and how much of these fat sources should rations include?

How Much Fat?

A rule of thumb is to formulate rations with adequate levels of fat in the diet to roughly equal the amount of fat cows produce in milk.

Therefore, if a group of cows produces 100 pounds of milk with a 3.5% fat test, daily intake should not be more than 3.5 pounds of dietary fat in the ration.

What Kind of Fat?

The question of what kind of fat to include in rations is a bit more difficult to answer.

Fat is made up of fatty acids, much in the same way proteins are made up of amino acids. Fatty acids can be:
• Saturated (usually limited to tallow in dairy diets)
• Monounsaturated
• Polyunsaturated

How Do Fats Work?

Saturated fats do not have a significant impact on rumen fermentation, and pass through the rumen into the small intestine for digestion. However, saturated fats are not digested as well as unsaturated fats.

In general, rumen microbes try to saturate the mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. High dietary levels of unsaturated fatty acids can disrupt rumen fermentation leading to a reduction in the amount of valuable microbial protein that is produced.

In addition, high dietary levels of unsaturated fatty acids will reduce the amount of fiber that is digested in the rumen. Furthermore, partial saturation of the polyunsaturated fatty acids can interfere with milk fat synthesis. For example, polyunsaturated fatty acids are a key contributor to milk fat depression.

But polyunsaturated fatty acids are not entirely bad. Lactating dairy cows actually require two polyunsaturated fatty acids: linoleic acid and linolenic acid. Saturation (or hydrogenation) of all fatty acids is not the answer.

It is important that enough of these fatty acids escape the rumen biohydrogenation process to support cows’ needs.

Fat Sources

Fats are derived from a variety of dietary ingredients, as well as supplemental sources. Fats can be considered to be rumen active or rumen inert.
• Rumen active fats contribute a significant amount of fatty acids into the rumen. Examples include forages, byproducts like distillers grains and ground oilseeds.
• Inert fats include whole oilseeds, calcium salts of fatty acids and hydrogenated fats.

Lately, a number of new products have entered the supplemental fat market containing almost exclusively one fatty acid: palmitic acid (C 16:0). Many producers want to know if this rumen inert product is superior to others on the market. To help answer this question, following is a look at published research results.

Research Results

A few short-term studies have been conducted with these products. Most of the studies compared added palmitic acid to no added fat. The inclusion of any fat supplement tends to increase energy density and therefore improve feed efficiency.

In short-term research studies, fat yields have decreased, increased or stayed the same.

For example, a University of California study showed that milk fat percentage, but not yield, was reduced when palmitic acid was added. In contrast, a study at Michigan State University reported in 2011 showed that milk fat yield increased when palmitic acid was provided during a 25-day feeding period compared to no supplemental fat addition.

Only two reports were found that compared differences between palmitic acid and other fat sources.
• Two short-term trials were conducted at Penn State University.

In the first study, short term differences between MEGALAC® Rumen Bypass Fat and palmitic acid on a percentage basis were recorded, but not on a yield basis.
In the second study fat yield was higher with the palmitic acid supplement. However, the feeding periods were only 14 days in length.

Only one long-term study has been conducted to date. Results show that palmitic acid appeared to be less promising after four weeks into the feeding period.
• In a University of Delaware 12-week study where production persistency could be evaluated, results showed that milk production and milk component production were higher with MEGALAC when compared with the palmitic acid supplement.

What Does This Mean?

In conclusion, rumen inert fatty acid supplements provide a concentrated source of energy to cows. Cows respond to added fatty acid supplements, but time is needed to see the real response.

When evaluating diets on-farm, it is important to remember that pounds of milk fat, and not just changes in milk fat percentage, are the defining standard of ration success.

Contact Dr. Evans at essievans@sympatico.ca .

Controlled Drainage Practices Boost Yields, Stem Nutrient Runoff

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:04:42 GMT

Mother Nature always likes to have her own way but farmers can now have more say over how much water stays in or out of their fields, thanks to the use of controlled drainage technology.

The basic concept with controlled drainage is that a water-control structure attached to traditional tile can be used like a dam in farmers’ fields, says Crop-Tech agronomist Isaac Ferrie.

When gated with stacked baffles, the structures allow you to release water when you don’t want it in the field, like during planting or harvest, or to hold it back for a crop’s use when rainfall is scarce.

Crop-Tech’s ongoing research on two, 80-acre research fields in central Illinois, near Heyworth, for the past 17 years, has evaluated the effect tile spacing and depth have on yield as well as the number of days the field is fit and, therefore, available for planting, in-season nutrient applications and harvest. The study was expanded in 2013 to include controlled drainage. The two fields are managed and tiled identically, but one has water-control structures in it while the other does not.

Ferrie says that Crop-Tech found that using controlled drainage practices in the two fields contributed to corn yield increases.

University of Missouri Extension studies at the Greenly Research Center near Novelty, Mo., determined that a combination of controlled drainage and subirrigation boosts corn yields by 45% and soybean yields by 20% in claypan soils, reports Kelly Nelson, Extension agronomist, in a university-issued press release.

Addressing nutrient runoff. Beyond yield increases, one of the most significant benefits from water-control structures is they can help farmers stem the tide of nutrient runoff. Whenever water flows freely from fields, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) naturally tend to go with it. Water-control structures help hold water back in the field, thereby keeping more nutrients in the field where they belong instead of contributing to pollution.

University of Missouri Extension found that the drainage water management system at its Novelty research center reduced nitrate losses by 70% and phosphorus losses by 80%.

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funded demonstrations in several states last year showed that controlled drainage decreased nitrate losses by approximately 45% and the amount of water drained from fields by about 40%.

Ferrie says Crop-Tech also measured runoff reductions in 2016.

“From our 2016 data in the gated field, with tile spaced 120’ wide we saw close to a 40% reduction in the amount of N lost through a single large rain event,” Ferrie says.

The gate essentially held the water and nutrients in the field where corn plants could use them later in the season.

When heavy rains fall quickly on a field, Crop-Tech test results have shown that approximately 70% of the nutrient loss happened within the first 48 hours. “Even though the gates allow water to flow over top in times of high flow to avoid saturating active root zones, the gates still significantly reduced the amount of water that left the field,” Ferrie says.

Keeping moisture available. During hot, parched periods of the growing season, large cracks can form in the ground. These large cracks can create paths of preferential flow, allowing rain water to move quickly through the soil and into ungated tile, providing less benefit to the growing plants. Gates can hold water back longer, giving it time to adequately soak into the soil profile.

“The idea with tile gates is to keep the water table root accessible, without saturating the root zone, retarding root growth and potentially causing nitrogen volatilization,” Ferrie notes.

“Keeping the water table too high early in the season will retard root growth as roots will not grow into saturated zones,” he adds. “This can be problematic later in the season if the water table lowers dramatically and the plant roots are confined to a shallow zone.”

There are a couple of ways to keep an eye on your water levels. One is you can buy soil moisture sensors that will tell you where the water level is and where root uptake is taking place.

Another, more low-tech option, is to estimate rooting depth based on crop height. Ferrie says corn roots can grow below the soil at a rate of 2” to 3” in depth, per leaf stage. As you estimate where the roots are located, you can then keep the water level just below them. As root growth progresses, gates can be pulled to match rooting depth throughout the season.

Where to start. Ferrie says one of the most common questions farmers ask him is where and how to install the gate structures. “How is not a difficult undertaking; you just dig down to the tile and install the structure,” he notes.

The bigger challenge is determining whether your tile system can or should be gated, and where to install the gates. “For every 1’ to 2’ change in elevation you’ll need a water level control structure,” Ferrie says. “If you have a bunch of parallel runs that are all doing a 4’ drop, you may need a drainage control structure in each and every run and that could be cost prohibitive.”

On new tile installs, Ferrie recommends getting a professional involved to help design a plan that is tile-gate compatible, making it more practical to install gates later if warranted.

Prices can vary significantly for the gated structures and installation, as little as $500 and upwards to several thousand dollars.

As you evaluate making the investment, Ferrie says to consider that you may have services available that will help you cost-share the installation because of the environmental benefits they offer. He also encourages farmers to weigh the value of moisture availability to enhance crop growth during the summer.

“If you could hold back water that fell on your field in the winter, keep it through spring and early summer, and then use it in late June or July, that could result in a yield benefit as well as a reduction in lost nutrients. That could help cover the cost of the purchase and installment,” Ferrie says.

Mexico Avocado Exporters Ask Perdue for Help

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:04:42 GMT

With support from U.S. importers and non-specialty crop ag groups, Mexican avocado exporters sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue asking for swift action on a May 2016 final rule that approved avocado imports from all of Mexico.

The USDA currently allows only Mexican avocados grown in the state of Michoacán state to enter the U.S.

The letter said the final rule was based upon a detailed pest-risk analysis that showed expanding the program would not jeopardize the phytosanitary security of U.S. growers.

Although the issue is not specifically related to the ongoing negotiations on NAFTA, the letter alluded to the “strong unity” shown by the American Farm Bureau and similar organizations in NAFTA countries Mexico and Canada in another letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and his counterparts in those countries. In that letter, the farm groups expressed an eagerness to work with them and expand on gains achieved through NAFTA.

Besides produce marketers and associations, pork, grain, egg and other ag groups signed the letter requesting prompt action on Mexican avocado access.

The letter said that the final rule requires the implementation of an operational work plan which specifies in detail the phytosanitary measures that will comply with USDA’s regulations governing the import of avocados from Mexico. That operational plan, the letter said, has already been developed and was mutually negotiated and agreed upon by both countries.

“However, over one year has passed since the publication of the final rule and the work plan still needs to be signed,” according to the letter. “Without an official work plan, Mexican avocado access to the U.S., except for the State of Michoacán, remains nonexistent.”

Ron Campbell, government relations representative of APEAM, the Avocado Producers of Mexico, said the letter was sent Sept. 26 but the USDA has not responded other than to say the agency has received the letter. He said there are no issues that should further delay avocado access from Jalisco and other states.

“The final that was published said there was no additional phytosanitary risk associated with expanding the program to other parts of Mexico,” he said. Campbell said all that remains is for the USDA to sign the work plan agreed to by both countries.

With f.o.b. prices approaching near $90 per carton for Mexican avocado imports in September, Campbell said that U.S. demand has outpaced supply for avocados this year and supply from Jalisco could have helped meet demand. Jalisco is the state in Mexico most ready to export to the U.S.

The USDA said in 2014 that Jalisco produced about 90 million pounds of avocados. If all the fruit exported to the U.S., the USDA said Jalisco would account for 8% of total U.S. imports. That would not have a large impact on the U.S. avocado market or California producers, the USDA said,

Will Wepsala, legislative and public affairs representative for the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said in an e-mail that the two countries must finalize and bilaterally sign an operational work plan. He said the USDA does not have a timeline for the process.

Press reports in the past have linked expanded Mexican avocado access to the quest for full market access for U.S. potatoes in Mexico, an issue that has been tied up in the Mexican courts.

In August, SAGARPA, the department of agriculture for Mexico, was ordered to continue to ban fresh U.S. potatoes from most of the country.

U.S. potato growers have been shipping to the 26-kilometer zone since 2003, and access was supposed to expand in 2013 to include all of Mexico, but opposition and court challenges from potato growers in Mexico has delayed that opening.

China Has Its Own Apple Launch That's Nothing to Do With IPhones

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 06:04:42 GMT

(Bloomberg) -- They won’t be lining up round the block to get their hands on them, but there’ll no doubt be some buyers keen to snap up China’s new apple futures contracts.

The Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange will list Fuji apple futures on Friday, adding to contracts it already offers including wheat and white sugar, meaning investors could pretty much hedge all the key ingredients of an apple pie. They’ll start trading at 7,800 yuan ($1,184) a metric ton.

The apple contracts will be for delivery in May, July, October, November and December and trading will run from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. local time. Fruit will be 80 millimeters (3.1 inches) or more in diameter, with a 2,000 yuan per ton discount for apples between 75 millimeters and 79 millimeters. China has fresh apple storage capacity of 10 million tons, or about 25 percent of production, according to the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange.

Apples are the most popular fruit in China and the country is the world’s biggest producer, accounting for more than half of global output. Chinese exchanges this year started options for soybean meal and white sugar and authorities have said they’re studying futures including ginger, hogs and potatoes. Until one of them launches milk futures though, you won’t be able to hedge your custard.

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