CHECK OUT THE
2020 Dairy Star year in review starting on Page 18 of this section!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 22
Milk price outlook uncertain for 2021 By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
Without a doubt, 2020 was a challenging year for dairy farmers, and many are wondering what surprises 2021 might bring. BoviNews hosted a webinar Dec. 30, 2020, featuring three top dairy economic experts. Dr. Scott Brown, director of strategic partnerships at the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, began the program looking at the drivers of supply and demand, analyzing the role they play in dairy markets. “The strong cheese and uid demand in 2020 has certainly been important, but whether that lasts into 2021 is a question we have to continue to pay attention to,” Brown said. “Trade is important. We know the Chinese hog herd has been rebuilding, how much whey does that continue to take off the market? On the supply side, dairy cow numbers are moving higher. Too much milk supply can create a much tougher milk price environment.” Brown also talked about how non-market revenue, such as the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and Dairy Margin Coverage Program, played in farm nances. “Those programs made a difference in the bottom lines of dairy producers,” Brown said. “We had roughly $41 billion in cash receipts in 2019. I think as we entered the worst of it at the beginning of COVID-19, many of us would have thought that would be down. But with nearly $3 billion of CFAP …, we actually increased total revenues to about $43.5 billion. My concern for 2021 is that if we do not see the same level of CFAP payments, or other stimulus, that could make things worse as we look at the bottom line.” Brown said an increase in Turn to MILK | Page 5
January 16, 2021
An education destination
Wichman Farms a site for industry learning By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
APPLETON, Wis. – When the Wichman family built a new barn in 2013, they did so with education in mind. It would be a showplace for robotics and a facility that could be used for teaching purposes. Their plan worked out perfectly as each year the farm welcomes a revolving door of visitors from all over the United States and the world. The Wichmans live to educate – whether it be gradeschool children, hoof trimmers or students from the local technical college. People come to Turn to WICHMANS | Page 10
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Wichman family – (from leŌ) Bruce, Mark and Brad – milk around 250 cows and farm 680 acres near Appleton, Wisconsin. The Wichmans are standing in their new calf barn which was built last year.
Fire claims Spindlers’ parlor
Family thankful for help of community in aftermath By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Fire burns the parlor at the Spindler family’s dairy Dec. 22 near Straƞord, Wisconsin. The cows had to be relocate to an empty dairy site nearby.
STRATFORD, Wis. – A barn re can be a great fear for many dairy farmers. The morning of Dec. 22, 2020, Kobey and Trine Spindler endured that fear and learned about the strength of the community around them in nearby Stratford. The Spindlers milk 110 cows and have another 50 to calve in during the next four months. They built a sand-bedded freestall barn, allowing them to retrot the tiestall barn into a at double-6 swing parlor, which they completed May 1, 2020. The re claimed the tiestall barn that housed their new parlor. The only damage to the freestall barn was some curled plastic, which the Spindlers said will be replaced. The siding and roof of their house was damaged from the heat as well. The Spindlers lost one springing heifer and two calves in the re. They consider themselves fortunate that youngstock and dry cows, which had access to the free stalls in an addition on the tiestall barn, remained safe in the pasture. They also lost a tractor and manure spreader and two skidloaders. The silo of corn silage continues to burn, and the hayloft of the barn was full of hay and straw. “We lost the family barn, which had been in the Spindler Turn to SPINDLERS | Page 6
Page 2 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
ISSN 020355 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647 Published by Dairy Star LLC General Manager/Editor Mark Klaphake - mark.k@dairystar.com 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) 320-352-0062 (home) Ad Composition Nancy Powell 320-352-6303 nancy.p@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 Editorial Staff Krista Kuzma - Editor/Wisconsin (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Andrea Borgerding - Associate Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Jennifer Coyne - Assistant Editor (320) 352-6303 • jenn@dairystar.com Danielle Nauman (608) 487-1101 danielle.n@dairystar.com Stacey Smart - Staff Writer (262) 442-6666 • stacey.s@dairystar.com Maria Bichler - Copy Editor 320-352-6303 Advertising Sales Main Ofce: 320-352-6303 Fax: 320-352-5647 Deadline is 5 p.m. of the Friday the week before publication Sales Manager - Joyce Frericks 320-352-6303 • joyce@dairystar.com Bob Leukam (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-1248 (cell) bob.l@star-pub.com Mark Klaphake (Western MN) 320-352-6303 (ofce) 320-248-3196 (cell) Laura Seljan (National Advertising, SE MN) 507-250-2217 fax: 507-634-4413 laura.s@dairystar.com Jerry Nelson (SW MN, NW Iowa, South Dakota) 605-690-6260 jerry.n@dairystar.com Mike Schafer (Central, South Central MN) 320-894-7825 mike.s@dairystar.com Amanda Hoeer (Eastern Iowa) 320-250-2884 • amanda.h@dairystar.com Julie Barnes (SE WI and Northern IL) julie.b@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Kati Kindschuh (Northeast WI and Upper MI) 920-979-5284 • kati.k@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before publication. Subscriptions One year subscription $35.00, outside the U.S. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378. Advertising Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute nal acceptance of the advertiser's order. Letters Letters and articles of opinion are welcomed. Letters must be signed and include address and phone number. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. The views and opinions expressed by Dairy Star columnists and writers are not necessarily those of the Dairy Star LLC.
The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN and additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246.
A glance at the other side
Remembering 2020 With 2020 safely in our rearview mirror, Dairy Star has gathered the most popular stories of the last year. PreCOVID-19 headlines like Australia’s bushres, USMCA and FARM 4.0, and the dawn of the year-dening coronavirus pandemic in March started out the year with lots of news. Other headlines include CFAP payouts, drive-thru dairy promotions, cancelled trade shows and Iowa’s Derecho, impacting how the year continued. With a hearty attitude, dairy farmers have come out the other side of a tumultuous year, and the stories highlight how relying on each other and planning ahead became more important than ever. Dairy Star likes to provide local stories, which is why we have two versions of the paper. Below are a few highlights from stories you will not nd in this paper, but you can nd online in zone 1. Find full editions on our website, www.dairystar.com, and click on the e-edition tab under the Dairy Star header. Springers lose barn, goats in Christmas Eve blaze Stephen and Brittany Springer spent their Christmas Eve managing a horric re that consumed their barn, parlor and 800 goats. The devastation left the family without their livelihood, and as they look into the new year, they are challenged to rebuild their lives. She said yes! Kelsey Buss and Derek Kucera will remember Nov. 14, 2020 forever. That is the day Kucera popped the question to Buss during morning milking on her family’s 60-cow dairy near Hutchison, Minn. The couple is planning their wedding for fall of this year. Sweet corn prots to good cause Cousins Carter, Bennett, Ryan, Bronson and Rowan Shea sell sweet corn each summer grown on their family’s farm near Viola, Minn. The boys, ages 17-6, learned a local restaurant was the victim of theft Jan. 2, and decided to donate their earnings to the business out of an act of kindness. Schrimpfs honored with Farm Family award The Schrimpfs were named Goodhue County’s Farm Family of the Year in 2020. Kristin and Ken farm with their sons, Ross and Brett on their 500-cow dairy near Goodhue. Focusing on communication and family life has simplied management, and an emphasis on herd health, especially with calves, is the key to success on their farm.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 3
It’s all inside... Columnists
Sherry restarts family dairy after 17 years First Section: Page 28
Country Cooking
Richland
Jo Daviess
Rock
son
en eph
St
Carroll
First Section: Pages 16 - 17
Walworth go
eba
n Win
Dairy Prole: Josh Salentine First Section: Page 39
Ogle
Whiteside
Racine Kenosha
McHenry
DeKalb
Zone 2
Luxemburg
Jefferson Waukesha
Madison
DATCP cancels selection of new Alice in Dairyland
Do or
Green Lake Fond Du Lac
Dane
Iowa
Grant
Ke w
e nn Wi
Columbia Dodge
Sauk
Lafayette Green
Page 26 Second Section
go ba Calumet
Waushara
ton S he bo Milwaukee Ozauk M yg ee an anito wo c
Pages 8 - 9 Second Section
Ou
Wa sh
Viroqua
d
Vernon
e mi Brown
ing
Juneau
te
a tag
Adams
Monroe
et
Shawano
Wood
Jackson
in
Oconto
Portage Waupaca
La Crosse
First Section: Pages 37 - 38
The “Mielke” Market Weekly
Zone 1
hb
Krentz elected president of Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation
Menominee
Marathon
Clark
Eau Claire
ar
Menominee
Langlade
for
Page 35 First Section
Chippewa
Buffalo
Berlin
Taylor
aw
From the Zweber Farm
Pepin
Lincoln
ce
M
Forest
ett e
Pierce
Come Full Circle
Dunn
ren
Oneida
Rusk
Barron
St. Croix
Price
Delta
Dickinson
Vilas
qu
Third Section: Pages 8 - 9
Polk
First Section: Pages 1, 10 - 11
Iron
Flo
Sawyer
Wichman Farms a site for industry learning
aun ee
n ur
Kids Corner: The Kolodzienski family
Page 31 First Section
Page 32 First Section
Burnett
Beldenville
Cr
Veterinary Wisdom
Ashland
Trempealeau
Page 30 First Section
First Section: Pages 1, 6 - 7
Wa s
Tales of Christmases past
First Section: Pages 12 - 13
Appleton
Spindlers rejoice in community help following parlor re
Bayeld
Douglas
Page 27 First Section
Stratford
Top 10 visited stories of 2020 on Dairy Star website
First Section: Page 36
Working as a family team
Stratford
ne
Women in Jeans: Brianna Crotteau
Bo o
Cameron
Pages 8-9 First Section
Ma r
Ag Insider
Appleton
Staying true to her roots sees Springstroh through lifetime of farming
Kane
Lee
Second Section: Pages 3 - 5
Rock Island Mercer Hen ders on
For additional stories from our other zone, log on to www.dairystar.com
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Page 4 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
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ConƟnued from MILK | Page 1 Brown said an increase in uid milk demand would positively impact dairy prices in the future, pointing out how the surge in uid milk sales at the beginning of the pandemic helped inuence the rebound in milk prices last summer. Another area of concern for Brown is that dairy cow numbers are once again on the rise, after nearly a year of decline from 2018-19. When looking to 2021 pricing, Brown said he is uncertain what demand trends will look like coming out of 2020. He forecasts the U.S. all-milk price for 2021 to average around $18 per hundredweight. Nate Donnay, director of dairy market insight for StoneX, shared Brown’s sentiments. “Overall, farmgate margins were pretty good in 2020,” Donnay said. “I would expect those margins to tighten up closer to break-even levels in 2021.” According to Donnay, the single greatest predictor for dairy consumption globally is typically gross domestic product growth, but as with many other things, 2020 was atypical. “The surge in global dairy demand despite the worst economic conditions we have seen in a decade was surprising,” Donnay said. “Demand in 2021 is the big question, because we did not see the decrease in demand with the decrease in GDP in 2020. So, I don’t know if we will see another surge with increased GDP growth in 2021.” Figuring out what to do to protect farm revenue was the focus of the webinar by Mike North, a principal at ever. ag, who stressed the importance of dairy farmers maintaining optionality and being exible within the markets. “The opportunity before us is a very special one, looking at 2021 as we look at class III and class IV markets and compare the current environment to the last ve years,” North said. According to North, the class IV opportunity is at $14.85 cwt, which he said may not be the best, but it is in the top end of what we have seen in the past ve years. Even better is the class III opportunity at $17.30 cwt. “The class III opportunity is singularly the very best opportunity that we have witnessed in class III milk, going back to 2014,” North said. North added that the $17 cwt price range falls into the 75th percentile of price outcomes historically and $17 cwt has some signicance in what actions farmers
might take to manage their prices. According to North, there are four arenas of risk management: futures, options and over-the-counter products; Dairy Margin Coverage; insurance products such as Dairy Revenue Protection and Livestock Gross Margin; as well as buyer-sponsored forward programs. While the window of opportunity to enroll in DMC for 2021 closed in midDecember, North hopes all dairy farmers signed up for the program at $9.50 cwt for at least the rst 5 million pounds of milk produced. “At that level, the program pays out quite a bit, and we advise everyone to take part,” North said. “If you are under that 5 million mark for production, it covers your entire farm.” More traditional options for protecting dairy farm revenue include using puts and calls. North explained that a put provides price coverage in down-trending markets but allows producers to receive the rewards of higher prices. Puts are best used on milk that is uncommitted to a buyer. Calls, he explained, re-open opportunity after a sale of milk in up-trending markets and best applied to milk that is already committed. “In a rising market, the put value decreases and the call value increases, while the opposite is true in a declining market,” North said. “If I am a dairy farmer coming through a rising market and decide to protect myself from falling prices, I would buy a put option to defend the market at a certain level, or strike price. I would pay a premium, similar to insurance, and if the market falls through that level, up to the expiration point, it will yield a return to offset lost opportunity.” Another option is the DRP which is available quarterly through licensed crop agents. North calls DRP a great tool and said one-third of the milk produced in the U.S. is protected with the program. “Like with any insurance policy, you are indemnied if net revenue is less than the revenue guarantee you created at the onset,” North said. “The pounds of milk you want to cover is not standardized; you get to choose.” North said the most important thing for each dairy farmer to do is to develop a game plan for their individual operation, taking feed costs and how they plan to manage their margin into account. “There is no universal approach,” North said. “You need to ask questions to determine your best strategy. It is a very opportune time to address pricing options available.”
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Page 6 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
ConƟnued from SPINDLERS | Page 1
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The Spindler family – Trine and Kobey and their children (from leŌ) Johnathan, 5, Andreas, 8, and Annelise, 6 – milks 110 cows near Straƞord, Wisconsin. name since 1917,” Trine said. “We lost years of hard work. We had put in a new hayloft oor, and we had redone the inside as we had money to get it back into working order before we started milking cows in 2012. My husband has built our farm with his own two hands. If it was in there, he had built it or xed it.” The Spindlers built a small freestall addition onto the tiestall barn in 2014, and converted that to add another 70 stalls to add more cows, allowing Trine to work full time on the farm. In the fall of 2019 in preparation for their expansion, Kobey rebuilt the milkhouse and added a bigger bulk tank and a feed room. “Things were nally starting to fall into place,” Trine said. “It was a long
year of building and then winterizing the barn. We had a great Christmas planned with a break for the kids and for us.” Then everything changed in a blink of the eye. “I had nished milking about 1:45 a.m., and then went to the house and wrapped Christmas presents until about 4:15 a.m.,” Trine said, recalling the morning of the re. “I heard the wash nish. I could see the barn from the kitchen window as I was working. I went to sleep on the couch and was woken up by a neighbor at 5:15 a.m. I woke my husband. I was still half in my barn clothes yet, so I was out the door fast, but the entire hay loft was already Turn to SPINDLERS | Page 7
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ConƟnued from SPINDLERS | Page 6 in ames.” The neighbor who alerted the Spindlers to the re was already on the phone with the re department, and within minutes Trine said the rst police ofcer arrived. Kobey went to work trying to move what machinery he could away from the heat of the re. Kobey’s parents live across the road, and his mother came and took their three children to her home. While the experience was horrifying, the Spindlers take comfort in the support they received from their community and neighboring dairy farmers. “It was chaos,” Trine said. “There were ve re departments here. The re was so big it could be seen from Mosinee, so everyone knew very fast. It didn’t take long for family, friends and neighbors to be here, but all you could really do in the early hours was watch.” As the sun rose, though, the Spindler’s community took action. “One of the rst calls was from Mike Sabel, our former Mid-State ag teacher,” Trine said. “By 8 a.m., Kobey and I were being driven around by our good friend Jeff Weis, looking for a place to milk our cows.” By 8:30 a.m., the Spindlers located a farm where the cows had been sold earlier in the fall. “Mike and Diana Berdan gave us their blessing to use their barn,” Trine said, with tears of gratitude glistening in her eyes. “By 10 a.m., we were moving cows to their freestall and step-up parlor. By noon, we were bringing the high group in to milk, and by 2 p.m., we were nished milking.” While the milking cows were relocated, the youngstock and dry cows remain at the Spindlers’ farm in the freestall barn. Cattle are moved weekly between farms to accommodate springing animals and those drying off. “The cows are comfortable at the
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Spindlers’ old Ɵestall barn that had been turned into a parlor in May was a complete loss aŌer a re Dec. 22. Berdan farm, and the ow is very similar to what ours was at home,” Trine said. “The facilities are very well taken care of. We feel so blessed they trusted us and took us in.” The Berdan farm is a 15-minute drive from the Spindlers’ home, which although close, brings special challenges with young children. “It is very hard,” Trine said. “We used to put the kids to bed and then go out and work, but now one of us has to be home. The rst week after the re our kids stayed with their grandparents, and most weekends they are there now. We miss them most.” Despite the hardships they have faced, Kobey and Trine said they have
been overwhelmed with gratitude for what their community has done for them. “So many people have helped us: family, friends, neighbors, strangers,” Trine said. “It has been extremely overwhelming and heartwarming. Over 200 people have helped, and that is not counting the amazing re departments. People have babysat, provided dinners and donated much-needed everyday farm supplies and money. People have helped with moving cattle and with choring. They have helped clean up after the re, and they have prayed and sent sympathy. They watch over us, making sure no one gets hurt or is struggling on their own.”
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That community support and spirit has also helped the Spindlers as they move forward with plans to rebuild, working to determine nances before making decisions. “Kobey and I want to thank all the wonderful people who have given so much to us, helping us move forward and lift our spirits,” Trine said. “We are overcome with gratitude. Some days, we farmers can feel pretty isolated, but we learned there are so many kind people who care. We are proud to call so many friends and to be part of a community that comes together like this. We hope we have the chance to shake everyone’s hand, look them in the eye and personally say thank you.”
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Agriculture recovery expected in 2021 Page 8 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
CoBank’s 2021 outlook sees a year of recovery com- food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and bevering. CoBank Knowledge Exchange Division Manager ages while staying within calorie limits. Those core food Tanner Emke said that is good news for agriculture. groups include: grains, half of which are whole grain; “Especially for those impacted in the food service sector, low-fat dairy products; proteins, such as lean meats, because of so many restaurants and schools being closed. poultry, eggs, beans, peas and lentils; fruits and vegetables; and oils. Now that we have some good vaccines Ag Insider along the way, the sector is expected to have Dietary guidelines reafrm the impora strong rebound in 2021. That’s good news tance of dairy products for animal protein, dairy and crop sectors.” The National Milk Producers FederaEmke also sees commodity prices holding tion said the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines rm. reects the positive contribution of dairy products on the American diet. Highlights Another Farmers to Family Food Box include a recommendation of three servings Program begins soon of dairy and recognition that Americans USDA is launching its fth Farmers to aren’t consuming enough dairy products Families Food Box program. The agency to meet their daily nutritional needs. “Durwill purchase $1.5 billion worth of food. ing a time of food insecurity and concerns With this round, additional types of cheese, about proper nutrition among Americans, like Parmesan, Gouda and Romano are eliBy Don Wick dairy is a readily accessible solution,” said gible. Funds for this food box program were Columnist Jim Mulhern, president and CEO, National allocated in the latest COVID relief bill. DeMilk Producers Federation. liveries will begin at the end of January. More Paycheck Protection Program benets The latest COVID-19 relief package provides $284.5 billion to reopen and strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program for rst time and second time borrowers. PPP loans are reserved for businesses with fewer than 300 employees that sustained a 25 percent loss in revenue. Maximum loan amounts will be limited to $2 million. There’s also a specic farmer and ranchers calculation included in the PPP. New dietary guidelines put nutrient-dense foods/ drinks as a priority The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans has been released. Covering a ve-year time frame, the guidelines, provide science-based advice that promotes health, reduces the risk of chronic disease and meets nutrient needs. “We have taken the very important step to provide nutrition guidance that can help all Americans lead healthier lives by making every bite count,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar added, “The science tells us that good nutrition leads to better health outcomes.” One of the four main recommendations focuses on meeting
Edge Dairy Co-op calls for more dairy options in schools Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative President Brody Stapel welcomes the continued recognition of dairy products in the new dietary guidelines. However, Brody said the guidelines failed to address the nutritional benets of fuller-fat dairy products. “The lack of recognition of the nutritional benets from fuller-fat dairy in the new guidelines will continue to hinder the availability of these food options in our schools,” Stapel said. U.S. dairy farms produce more in November According to the USDA, November milk production in the 24 major dairy states was 17.2 billion pounds. That’s 3% more than last year. Wisconsin milk output was also up 3%. How the dairy checkoff adapted to COVID challenges COVID forced the dairy industry to redirect its efforts this past year. As of September, Dairy Management Incorporated CEO Tom Gallagher said domestic dairy demand and dairy exports combined had an increase of 1.2%. That’s 2.7 million pounds. “I think if anyone would
have placed a bet on that in March, people weren’t going to guess we’d be at that level. I think we’ll nish the year in positive territory domestically if cheese keeps going the way it’s going.” The dairy checkoff credits stronger domestic demand with pizza promotions, new products, the local work done to save school feeding programs and product donations to food banks. The U.S. Dairy Export Council data through the rst 10 months of the year suggests the industry is on track to ship more than two million tons of milk solids for the rst time in a single year.
Prop 12 appeal rejected The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has rejected a North American Meat Institute legal challenge. The trade group was appealing California’s Proposition 12 for the second time. This ballot initiative created new standards for animal housing, providing more space for veal calves, pigs and chickens. Animal rights activist punks Fox Business Network The head of an anti-meat activist group posed as the CEO of Smitheld Foods in an interview with Fox Business Network. The television host, Maria Bartiromo, thought she was talking with Smitheld CEO Dennis Organ, but it was actually an animal rights activist, Matt Johnson of Direct Action Everywhere. The six-minute interview began by focusing on the steps taken in the meatpacking industry to control the spread of coronavirus. However, the activist eventually blamed animal agriculture for new infectious diseases and environmental problems. Biden lls EPA post President-elect Joe Biden has selected Michael Regan as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. Regan now leads the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Previously, Regan spent ten years at EPA and worked for the Environmental Defense Fund. Obama-era EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will oversee domestic climate policy for the new BidenHarris White House. McCarthy has been chosen to lead the new White House Ofce of Domestic Climate Policy. McCarthy currently leads the Natural Resources Defense Council. Turn to AG INSIDER | Page 9
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 9
ConƟnued from AG INSIDER | Page 8
Rominger passes Former Deputy Agriculture Secretary Richard Rominger has died. Rominger, 93, was in that role at USDA during the entire Clinton presidency. Previously, Rominger was California’s Secretary of Food and Agriculture. DBA elects new president Thorp dairy farmer Amy Penterman is the new president of the Dairy Business Association. Penterman has been a member of the DBA board since 2017. Lee Kinnard of Casco is the new presidentelect.
Orion Samuelson retires The man that set the standard for the farm broadcasting business retired at the end of December. Orion Samuelson has been on the air for 60 years with the majority of that time at WGN in Chicago. Samuelson also created television programs, U.S. Farm Report and This Week in Agribusiness. In addition, Samuelson’s booming voice could be heard at farm events and annual meetings throughout the country. Samuelson was born in the LaCrosse area.
’21 Alice in Dairyland competition cancelled The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has cancelled the 2021 Alice in Dairyland competition. Julie Nunes of Chippewa Falls will continue to serve in her current role as Alice in Dairyland until mid-July of 2022. The 75th annual competition will take place as scheduled in 2022. Trivia challenge Inauguration Day is Wednesday, January 20. That answers our last trivia question. For this week, what is the name of the hard, yellow Swiss-made cheese that is known as a good melting cheese. We’ll have the answer in the next edition of Dairy Star. Don Wick is owner/broadcaster for the Red River Farm Network, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wick has been recognized as the National Farm Broadcaster of the Year and served as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Don and his wife, Kolleen, have two adult sons, Tony and Sam, and ve grandchildren, Aiden, Piper, Adrienne, Aurora, and Sterling.
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Page 10 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
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Wichman Farms for hands-on training, school trips, tours, parties and more. In 2015, the Wichmans hosted Breakfast on the Farm and set an attendance record for the county when more than 8,000 people showed up. Seeing the farm’s robotic milkers in action is a big draw. “When we built our new facility, we wanted to incorporate an area that could be used for education,” Bruce Wichman said. “So we built a special conference area upstairs overlooking the robots.” Handmade stools with udders line the viewing windows where visitors can sit and watch the cows from above. Tables and chairs, a large screen and a kitchen complete the meeting space. Wichman Farms became a Century Farm in 2018 and is run by brothers Bruce and Mark Wichman and Mark’s son, Brad. The Wichmans milk between 240 and 250 cows with four robots and farm about 680 acres near Appleton. “We put robots in so that we could stay a family operation,” Bruce said. “We have no hired help. It’s all family working here.” Bruce manages cows, Mark takes care of crops, and Brad runs the robot barn. Bruce’s wife, Faye, does bookwork and cleaning on the farm, and Mark’s wife,
Debbie, is Brad’s backup for the robots. Bruce and Mark’s sister, Judith Koleske, takes care of calves. Several of Bruce’s grandsons – brothers Mike, Kyle and Luke Banker – also work on the farm, making it a multi-generational operation. “We began milking with robots on Nov. 19, 2013, and by Christmas, we were going pretty good,” Bruce said. The family replaced two of their Lely A-4 robots with new A-5 models the rst week in January. “The A-5 is quieter, faster and more efcient while also requiring less maintenance,” Brad said. Fox Valley Technical College partners with Wichman Farms, giving students direct access to a dairy farm which also happens to be equipped with a conference center. This is the farm’s second year hosting the vet technician program for the college that Bruce, Mark and Brad attended. The school also holds nutrition and other agricultural courses at Wichman Farms. “Hosting these classes benets us too,” Bruce said. “It’s knowledge that we gain, and we’re also nancially compensated for the use of our farm.” The school installed scales to weigh fresh cows and newborn calves, and calves are weighed periTurn to WICHMANS | Page 11
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 11
ConƟnued from WICHMANS | Page 10 odically to track average daily gain. The college also tests the farm’s feed, giving the Wichmans a leg up on nutrition. Hoof trimmer, Aaron LaVoy, holds clinics at Wichman Farms, attracting trimmers from all over the world, including Russia, South Africa and England. LaVoy also conducts one-on-one training with trimmers at Wichmans’ facility. The Wichmans have been giving tours for the Outagamie County Adventures in Dairyland program since it began over 35 years ago, which Faye taught for many years for area fourth graders. Kindergarten classes also visit the farm. “Kids are so removed from farm life nowadays,” Bruce said. “That’s why we built this education room. These programs are educational for
students and parents and fun for us. As dairy farmers, that’s what we have to do. We have to educate.” Mark and Brad agreed. “We have to combat the negative things people see on social media,” Brad said. Folks from Germany, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Sri Lanka and many other locales have traveled to Wichman Farms. A world map on the barn wall denotes where every guest calls home. Visitors can stick a pin in their state or country to signify where they come from. From calves to cows, animals at Wichman Farms reside in state-of-the-art facilities. The naturally ventilated robot barn replaced a freestall barn and double-6 parlor built in 1974, which was the year Bruce and Mark started a partnership with
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Wichmans replaced two of their four Lely A-4 robots with these A-5 models the rst week in January. The family started milking with robots in 2013 and chose this technology in order to remain a family-run operaƟon.
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
When Wichman Farms built a new barn, it added this conference room to use for educaƟonal purposes. The Wichmans host visitors from all over the U.S. and world who come for training, tours and more. Fox Valley Technical College also holds on-farm courses here. their father, Roy. In 1980, they formed a corporation, and Brad joined in 2012. “The parlor was old, the barn was starting to wear out, and the stalls were smaller than what we have now,” Bruce said. Last year, the Wichmans built a new calf barn. Featuring automatic feeding, calves are housed in two groups with 20 calves per pen. Calves are bottle-fed for the rst 3-4 days in individual pens featuring in-oor heat before moving to group housing. Waste milk from the robots is sent underground to a pasteurizer.
Pasteurized milk is then transferred into a tank known as a Milk Jug to cool before being sent to the Calf Expert feeder, which warms milk to 104 degrees for distribution to calves via one of two automatic feeders. “Calves get whole milk now and are healthier and bigger than before,” Brad said. The Wichmans’ Calf Expert feeder by Holm & Laue is programmed to talk to the Milk Jug. Using a program by Calf Star, all the pieces of the calf feeding system communicate with each other. Installed in early January, the communica-
tion feature is brand new to the farm. “We’re the rst farm in the U.S. using the Calf Star Communication System,” Brad said. When the Wichmans modernized their operation, it was transformed into a business that would sustain the family farm well into the future. Offering a place for instruction and entertainment, the Wichmans built a barn not only for themselves, but for the community as well. Doing their part to promote the dairy industry, the family loves sharing their farm with the world.
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Page 12 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Top 10 visited stories of 2020 on Dairy Star website These were the top stories viewed on the Dairy Star Web site in 2020.
1.
Stuebers enjoy farming again, by Danielle Nauman, Stratford, Wisconsin; Jan. 11 2,893 issue views Jake, John and Jason Stueber of Stratford installed six Lely A5 robots on their farm in January 2019 to alleviate labor and efciency issues on their 360-cow dairy. Prior to the upgrade, the Stueber family was milking 420 cows in their double-5 Surge autoow parlor from 1997.
2.
Junk family perseveres through accidents, by Sherry Newell, Epworth, Iowa; Jan. 1,867 11 issue views The Junk family farm had a tough 2019. Jeremy Junk and Kendra Johnson, an essential farm employee, were both in accidents in spring, keeping them out of commission for a good portion of summer and fall. Jeremy’s wife, Melanie, stepped up and took care of the 85-cow dairy, 155-acre farm and early acquired IBA route, on top of raising the couple’s four children.
3.
The ice cream guy, by Jerry Nelson, Balaton, Minnesota; May 23 issue 1,821 Josh Lingen, dairyviews man from Balaton, was doing his part in promoting the dairy industry by selling soft serve ice cream. With a portable sales counter, Lingen can connect with consumers all over, from
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Jake, John and Jason Stueber of Stueber Farms installed six Lely A5 robots on their farm last January as an answer to labor and efficiency struggles. With the installa�on of the robots, the Stuebers have been able to reduce their workforce, elimina�ng the need to manage employees. small town festivals to Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
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Falling in love at the fair, by Stacey Smart, Brandon, Wisconsin; July 11 issue 1,516 Avid showmen, twin views brothers Darren and Derrek Kamphuis, went home with more than
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Trying to ll the void of Dad, by Mark Klaphake, Grey Ea1,352 gle, Minnesota; Dec. 12 issue Dean Ahrens died sudviews
denly of a heart attack while riding motorcycle in August, leaving his 64-cow dairy without an operator. His widow, Sue, and four grown sons, Chris, Mitch, Tyler and Douglas, quickly stepped in and have been working together to fulll the vocation their dad left unnished. Turn to WEB TOP 10 | Page 13
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 13
ConƟnued from WEB TOP 10 | Page 12
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The Froelichs – (from leŌ) Tracie holding Jordyn, 2, and JusƟn holding Emery, 4 – milk 100 cows in Morrison County near Lastrup, Minnesota.
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Building for the future, by Stacey Smart, Bear Creek, Wisconsin; Aug. 8 issue Farms completed an expansion the summer of 2019 that 1,256 includedClinton a rotary parlor, freestall barn, holding area, conference center, views ofces and manure pit, while keeping the future in mind. Spanning three generations, the farm is excited for the new facility’s efciency and growth.
7.
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8.
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9.
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Heinz advocates for mental health after losing partner to suicide, by Jennifer Coyne, Brooten, Minnesota; Oct. 24 issue Becky Heinz lost her partner, Casey Tangen, to suicide in Septem1,185 ber. Turning lemons into lemonade, Heinz has taken the pain of her loss views and turned it into advocating for others suffering from depression. Farm’s foundation breathes new life, by Jennifer Coyne, Lastrup, Minnesota; Feb. 22 issue Justin and Tracie Froelich converted an existing poultry barn into 1,143 a 92-stall tiestall facility as they pursue a dairy career. The couple had views been milking cows on a different farm site and were ready to be done commuting to work, and raise their two daughters on the farm. Customized calf care, by Krista Kuzma, Kellogg, Minnesota; Aug. 22 issue The Evers sisters – Shaylah Schouweiler, Jessica and Allie Evers 1,139 – run the family’s calf care program on their farm near Kellogg. A customviews built barn erected in Feburary 2019 is able to house 430 calves.
10.
Public service, dairy farming a way of life, by Danielle Nauman, Glen Haven, Wisconsin; Feb. 8 issue The Kirschbaums installed two robots in 2016 on their 112-cow 963 dairy near Glen Haven, allowing them more exibility to be involved views in the community. Patriarch Lynn, with son and daughter-in-law, Tyler and Kayla, volunteer with the local re department, rst responders and dispatch in Grant County. Kayla and Tyler are also able to hold off-farm jobs.
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Sisters – (from leŌ) Shaylah Schouweiler, Jessica Evers and Allie Evers – stand in the calf barn on their family’s dairy near Kellogg, Minnesota. The family moved calves into the new facility February 2019.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 15
What are you looking forward to most in 2021?
Paul Willger Rice Lake, Wisconsin Barron County 60 cows What are you looking forward to most in 2021? Higher grain prices, a more consistent milk price and good weather. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? Personally, my wife, Catherine, and I never got it, but one of my daughters and son-in-law and my daughter-in-law had it. My daughter-inlaw was sick for a week, and my daughter and son-in-law lost their taste and smell for a week. I have three sisters and two brothers and nieces and nephews who had it, and my sister-in-law passed away from it. She had other health conditions. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? The ďƒ&#x;uctuation of milk price. We had $13 earlier in the year, and in the fall, we had $25 milk for a month. Personally, it’s a challenge to keep everything in line. You have a lot of tough decisions to make like what to ďƒžx and what not to ďƒžx, what to buy and what not to buy; things like that because of the prices. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? The only goal is to produce as much quality milk as possible. Keeping our somatic cell count under 150,000 and getting a premium from the creamery means a lot to us. It means we are producing better milk and better cheese. I try to keep the cows clean, the equipment maintained and try to do the best job possible milking. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? We went to sanitary individual wipes for cows. You are not spreading anything from one cow to another. You wipe the cow and throw the wipe away. What concerns do you have for the next year? What are you optimistic about? The milk price. It would be nice if it could stay around that $18-$20 range. I am optimistic the winter stays warm and we don’t have any breakdowns, especially with the silo unloaders. Tell us about your farm. Catherine and I run the farm together. We have three daughters, a son and six grandchildren. She also cooks for the Catholic school. We farm 340 tillable acres. We plant corn, alfalfa and soybean. We milk our cows in a tiestall barn. We raise our heifer calves and sell our bull calves. We raise our replacements. We have been farming together since March 1981.
Jason Decker Westgate, Iowa Fayette County 675 cows What are you looking forward to most in 2021? Another year of proďƒžtable dairy farming, as prices are looking good for futures. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? I did not have any direct problems with the virus; we did not have any outbreaks on the farm. The government stimulus helped rebound from low prices in March and April. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? The late summer drought that affected yields considerably and the derecho that devastated central Iowa. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? Hopefully maintain high production by harvesting high-quality corn silage and alfalfa again, and break through the 34,000-pound herd average mark. This will only be achieved through having good conception rates, low problems during calving, and again, very high feed quality by harvesting at the right time. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? We planted more low lignin haylage which increased our relative feed quality in our haylage about 20 points, on average. We added tunnel ventilation in both freestall barns which couldn’t have been installed at a better time with the excess heat and humidity this past year. What concerns do you have for the next year? What are you optimistic about? My concerns are probably more centered around prices than anything else. 2020 ended up being a good year – better than expected. I am optimistic about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program being extended, giving commodities the shot in the arm again that they needed. Tell us about your farm. Top-Deck Farms is owned and operated by Jason and Sharon Decker, Derek and Lori Decker, and Justin and Amber Decker. Our current mission is to maintain our herd size while becoming as efďƒžcient as possible with maximum milk output. We are fairly content with those for now. We are the ďƒžfth-generation, farming roughly 1,000 acres of corn, 500 acres of beans and 500 acres of hay. We usually also have about 250 acres of winter rye. We have cattle on two owned facilities and one rented. We focus mainly on our heifers and cows, fattening out some heifers that don’t quite have the genetic potential as the others.
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Eric Vogel Athens, Wisconsin Marathon County 75 cows What are you looking forward to most in 2021? A new year always presents new opportunities on the farm. I look forward to the challenge of raising this year’s calves and the possibility of growing and harvesting another great crop. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? We weren’t as affected by the pandemic as others because we work alone on the farm. But we did more online purchasing and limited our trips to town for supplies in an effort to reduce our exposure. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? We will always remember what a ďƒžnancial challenge 2020 was at the beginning of the year and how, thanks to the pandemic and Uncle Sam, we were able to survive another year of farming. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? Our goal for this year, like every other year, is to improve our bottom line by watching expenses while continuing to pay down debt to improve future cash ďƒ&#x;ows so we can reinvest proďƒžts into cattle or creature comforts that ultimately make our life on the farm easier and more enjoyable. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? We tried to cut some crop input costs this past year by buying cheaper seed, reducing our fertilizer rates and doing more no till. What concerns do you have for the next year? What are you optimistic about? We are concerned about a potential drought this year as it has been dry here, and we are long overdue for a drought. Market volatility is always on our mind. We are excited about getting more debt paid off and improving cash ďƒ&#x;ow. Tell us about your farm. We are into our ninth year of milking with a Lely robot in our retroďƒžtted tiestall barn. We raise our replacements, crop about 550 acres and have about 35 head of beef cows.
Page 16 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
ConƟnued from OUR SIDE | Page 15 Mark Sandor Mason, Wisconsin Bayeld County 75 cows What are you looking forward to most in 2021? Good weather, good crops and stable milk prices, but I doubt if that will happen. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? I had some nieces and nephews get sick and an uncle who passed away from it. But he had underlying conditions. Nobody in our immediate family had it. It didn’t affect the farm at all. We don’t go out that much and kept our distance, and we don’t have any employees. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? We had optimal weather spring through fall to get things done. The crops did well. We had one of our best years for high moisture corn, and the fall was excellent because we could get the crop off in a timely manner. The corn averaged round 150 bushels. Typically, it averages closer to 125. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? I would like to build a hay shed if it’s nancially feasible. I have some equipment outside that could be put away. I would like to renance my long-term debt to acquire the extra nancing. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? I quite raising bull calves and started selling them as bull calves. The feeder prices have been down so I sell the calves right away. It allowed me to put a better job toward replacement heifers. It saved on labor, and we had less crowding. What concerns do you have for the next year? What are you optimistic about? The main concern is the uncertainty with our country and how people get along and treat each other. I look forward to the new year, and hopefully COVID-19 will subside in the later half of the year so we can be with friends, family and neighbors. Tell us about your farm. I farm with my wife, Amanda, and we milk 75 cows and have a 70-cow freestall barn that we built in 2016 and a double-4 parlor. We own 600 acres and rent 450, and 800 of those acres are tillable. We plant 75 acres of corn for high moisture and silage, 120 of alfalfa and the rest is a mixture of pasture and grass mixture elds.
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Carl and Cherryl Leis Curtiss, Wisconsin Clark County 82 cows What are you looking forward to the most in 2021? I hope to have my own farm with registered cattle. It has been an ongoing goal for 29 years. I want to build a dairy for my daughters and grandkids to run debt free and sufcient. I’m the herdsman for Christensen Farm 18, one of the seven tiestall farms they own. If I continue at Christensen Farms, I will keep breeding the cows to be productive and the best they can be until I get my own place or a farm to rent with a house. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? I lost my mother-in-law from COVID-19. My family couldn’t say goodbye. We also lost other family members, friends and mentors. It has affected my income because I only get 12% of the milk check. It has made it a tough year for us nancially. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? My grandson was born. We received the progressive breeder registry award. The rest of the year has been my worst year, because I lost 18 cows scored Very Good or Excellent to cancer and several cows to Johne’s disease. Springers lled the stalls. I dealt with high levels of mold in the feed that caused serious breeding problems and hurt production. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? At Christensen Farm 18, I will continue to breed the cows with the best show type bulls available. I use bulls that are 3 in type and 3 in udder. I will keep raising my heifers the same way I have been. I have had ve cows make 40,000-pound records, and the future heifers will keep it proceeding to be better. If I get my own herd, I will do the same thing and continue with using the same methods. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? It’s still the same process I have been doing for the last 20 years. I intend to use the same practices because it helps with my success of the herd. I try to improve on them. What concerns do you have for the next year? The negative producer price differential. It will keep running farmers out of the money they deserve. I have concerns about the meaning of a family farm and dairies that hire multiple people to do the work on mega dairies. Another concern is the banks and the Farm Service Agency program. I am worried for the future of our industry. Banks have turned greedy for the support of the larger dairies because of the interest they make compared to a small beginning farm. Another concern is our government ofcials need to get out from behind their desk in their ofce and talk to the famers and discuss what they are doing on their farm. The government needs to x the problems with the prices and supplies of the dairy industry. I worry dairies are working away from mating cows. I hear more and more dairy breeding 85% of their herd to beef or just milking them off and buying replacements from a dairy sale. All the breeders I have mentored sold out because the marketing of their cattle was unpredictable because of the milk prices. Who is going to keep improving quality of cattle in the registered cattle industry? I am proud to be recognized as a breeder by the Holstein Association. There are many people who helped me get to where I am today. Tell us about your farm. The farm is a 70-stall tiestall barn with four pens, 14 calf pens and three youngstock pens. A lean on the barn is divided into two sides; one side has young heifers and the other side is older heifers to dry cows. Both sides have headlocks so I can breed easily. I have six silos with feed and wrap, and for my dry hay. The farm has about 200 acres plus the owner has more land close by. I am milking 32 rst-calf heifers and 38 cows that are 3 years old and older.
Sam Miller 4th Generation Homestead LLC Lodi, Wisconsin Columbia County 240 cows What are you looking forward to most in 2021? I’m sure like a lot of people, I am looking forward to opening back up our local economies and businesses in 2021. But for me personally, 2020 wasn’t all bad. We welcomed a baby boy in November. For me, 2021 will be an adventure of learning how to dairy farm as a new mom. How did COVID-19 affect you personally and on your farm? COVID-19 has made us more aware of public health safety and to implement biosecurity practices not just on the farm. We were fortunate our milk buyer never got to the point of requiring us to dump milk on our farm, so we were spared having to deal with that. Besides COVID-19, what will you remember most about 2020? Losing one of the greatest neighbors a person could ask for in a farming accident will be something we will remember long after this pandemic fades. Him and his wife would buy all of our bull calves to raise and nish. He was always there when we needed an extra hand or just a good laugh. The neighbor prank wars between him and my dad are laughs that none of us will forget. What goals do you have for your dairy in 2021, and how do you plan to achieve them? One of our farm’s 2021 goals is to get a better handle on our replacement heifer inventory. We’ve already incorporated using beef semen on our animals that are not efcient with AMS. Any cows that have poor udders with close rear teats, short teats or reverse tilt udders will get bred to Angus. I’m hoping we can eventually incorporate genomic testing in the future to take this another step further. Another ongoing goal is making updates to our 25-year-old freestall barn. Currently, we are focusing on air ow and cooling cows with new fans throughout the barn. What management practice did you incorporate or change on your dairy in 2020? COVID-19 caused our milk buyer to manage their incoming milk supply more closely. In doing so, they asked their producers to decrease the number of cows that were being milked, whether through early dry off or changing culling parameters. At that time, we had anywhere from 230 to 240 cows going through the robots. We changed our milk production cut off for culling and brought our milking cow numbers down to 215-220. What we found was our cows went up in milk, more specically our early lactation animals. With more available bunk space and box time, fresh cows were peaking higher and earlier. What concerns do you have for the next year? What are you optimistic about? Our milk buyer is implementing supply management throughout the coop as of Jan. 1. Our concern is if it will actually x their oversupply problems, and in doing so, will they eliminate the market adjustment deduction from our milk checks? We are hoping that this next year, people can come back to what was once normal. Whether it’s the kids getting back to school, going to our county fairs or meeting up with neighbors at a smelt feed. Tell us about your farm. Our dairy is equally owned by my dad, John, my brother, Tyler, and I. We have one full-time employee, Colton, who has been with us for ve years. My uncle, Herman, who retired from the farm, still comes around for eld work and every other Sunday to help with morning chores. All of our cows are milked in four DeLaval robots since September 2015. Our herd is mostly Holsteins with a handful of Jerseys sprinkled in. Our cows average 84 pounds of milk, 4.3% fat and 3.2% protein with 2.8 milkings per day. We raise our replacements at the farm with the exception of a small group of pregnant heifers housed at a neighbor’s. We run 800 acres of corn, wheat, rye, alfalfa and soybean.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 17
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Page 18 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
2020 Dairy Star year in review
Dairy Star compiled the dairy stories and news highlights from the past year that dene what we will remember from 2020. Jan. 25 Australia bushres Wild bushres ravaged rural Australia in late 2019 through February 2020. After a six-month drought and rising temperatures, dairy farmers of the southeast Australian countryside faced daily threats of fried pasture land and destroyed homesteads. Feb. 8 President Trump signs USMCA A trade agreement to create a fair playing eld for dairy was signed into effect Jan. 29 by President Donald Trump. The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement adjusted components of the former North American Free Trade Agreement to ensure secure trade relations with the United States, Canada and Mexico. Gov. Evers proposes investment in rural communities During his annual State of the State speech, Gov. Tony Evers unveiled a three-prong program to help address issues faced by farmers and rural communities in an effort to ease the burden of hard economic times. The speech, given Jan. 22, called for $8.5 million in funding to bring relief and solutions to the problems facing rural Wisconsin.
March 28 On-farm COVID prevention As COVID-19 began to seep into daily lives, dairy farmers took precautions on the farm. Dairies
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FARM 4.0 New standards of the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program were released Jan. 1, it was their fourth version, FARM 4.0. This version focuses on animal welfare practices and record keeping, particularly in pre-weaned calves. The principles were implemented by dairy farmers across the country.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 19
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Page 20 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
ConĆ&#x;nued from YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 18
both ďƒžnancially and mentally scarring for producers. Milk given to those in need In one of several reoccurrences throughout the year, farmers helped ease the ache of the pandemic in their communities through dairy donations. With schools and restaurants closing their doors, cooperatives needed to creatively and quickly re-route much of their product. Plainview Milk Products Cooperative found a need at the Channel One Food Bank in Rochester, Minnesota. PK goes to virtual contest Due to the impending uncertainty of COVID-19 and Minnesota’s ongoing state-wide shutdown, Midwest Dairy’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way program went virtual for the ďƒžrst year since its inception in 1954. The organization used Zoom software to complete the annual leadership event and judging, and ďƒžnalists were announced on the Princess Kay Facebook page May 17. April 25 Federal aid coming for farmers The United States Department of Agriculture announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, a $19 billion program to provide immediate relief to farmers and to keep the supply chain moving. Dairy producers fell under that umbrella and received a onetime direct payment from $2.9 billion of the funds. May 9 Farmers donate to those in need Dairy producers across the state did amazing things during the pandemic to ensure milk is not wasted and the hungry are fed. Sassy Cow Creamery in Columbus, Wisconsin, a dairy farm that bottles its own milk and makes ice cream, made sure its customers who have fallen on hard times never went without milk. The creamery placed a refrigerator outside its retail store ďƒžlled with fresh, cold milk that was free for the taking. Rosy-Lane Holsteins wins U.S. dairy sustainability award Daphne and Lloyd Holterman of Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wisconsin, won a national sustainability award for their dedication to cows, people,
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Daphne and Lloyd Holterman, part-owners of Rosy-Lane Holsteins, won the U.S. Dairy Sustainability award April 22, 2020. The Holtermans milk 955 cows and farm 1,800 acres near Watertown, Wisconsin. environment and community. The award, Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability, was from the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Dairy Recovery Program Continuing to move milk in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic was the main goal of the state’s Dairy Recovery Program – a $1 million investment in the dairy industry spearheaded by the state’s leading anti-hunger organization, Hunger Task Force, partnering with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The donated money helped dairy producers and processors stay in business. June 13 WDE canceled for 2020 For the ďƒžrst time since it began in 1967, World
Dairy Expo was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. In-person gatherings were limited in Dane County to 250 people at the time of the event, and relocation was not a possibility. While the cancellation of World Dairy Expo left many in the industry heavy-hearted, the resilient community will gather in 2021. Dairy people create alternative shows Wisconsin dairy showmen came together to organize shows despite the cancellation of many county fairs and open shows. Several dairy enthusiasts worked with state breed organizations to plan an allbreeds dairy show. Foremost Farms closes Chilton cheese plant Foremost Farms, a small cheese plant in Chilton, Turn to YEAR IN REVIEW| Page 22
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JD 8320R 2020, 307 hrs., $ #172934
217,900
229,000
289,500
JD 8245R 2017, 938 hrs., $ #176600
179,500
Financing subject to pre-approval through JD Financial. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details.
JD 8320R 2020, 300 hrs., $ #176086
298,500
JD 7210R 2018, 2018 hrs., $ #172425
168,900
Over 1000 items with pictures updated daily • Go to www.mmcjd.com 14 7 4 4 2 5 17 14 2 15 10 2 4 1
FIELD CULTIVATORS Case IH 200, 2014, 60’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #176029 .........$47,500 Case IH 200, 2012, 55’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #178072 .........$47,900 JD 980, 1996, 44’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #169542 ...................$13,900 JD 2210, 2005, 54’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #167743 ...........$30,900 JD 2210, 2012, 32 ft, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #173629................. 35900 JD 2210, 2009, 55.5 ft’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #175257 .........$45,000 JD 2210, 2011, 60’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #168037.................$49,400 JD 2210, 2012, 60, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #176030 .................$49,500 JD 2230, 2018, 50.5, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #176637..............$94,900 Case IH 4300, 45.5, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #176927 ..............$10,400 Sunflower 5035, 2016, 24’, 3-Section Folding, C-Shank, #177191$28,900 JD 2210LL, 2014, 45.5’, 3-Section, C-Shank, #173708 ......................... 39000 JD 2230FH, 2019, 44’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #177180 ............. 97900 Wil-Rich QX-2, 2008, 47’, 5-Section Folding, C-Shank, #173990 .....$32,900
4 4 9 7 6 17 3 10 2 8 5 14 16 5 17 15 3
PLANTERS JD 1750, 1997, 6R30”, 1.6 Bu. Hopper, #176829.................................$13,900 JD 1750, 2000, 6Ro30”, 3.0 Bu. Hopper, #176783 ..............................$16,900 JD 1770, 2002, 16R30”, 3.0 Bu. Hopper, #174750 ..............................$25,500 JD 1780, 2007, 15R15”, 3.0 Bu. Hopper, #169548 ..............................$24,500 White 6106, 1992, 6R30”, 1.6 Bu. Hopper, #174852 ..........................$8,400 JD 7200, 1988, 12R30”, 1.6 Bu. Hopper, #176943 ...............................$9,500 JD 1770NT CCS, 2012, 24R30”, Wing Fold, #167881 ......................$108,500 JD 1775NT, 2016, 16R30”, Flex Fold, #177616 ................................$124,900 JD 1775NT, 2019, 16R30”, Flex Fold, #174754 ................................$149,500 JD 1775NT, 2015, 24R30”, Flex Fold, #170394 ................................$189,500 JD DB44, 2020, 24R22”, Flex Fold, #175323.....................................$289,500 JD DB66, 2012, 36R22”, Flex Fold, #166296....................................$189,500 JD DB66, 2017, 36R22”, Wing Fold, #175194 ..................................$349,500 Wil-Rich PT2200, 2005, 24R22”, #177551 ......................................$39,900 JD 1710, 1997, 12R30”, Wing Fold, #176726 .....................................$14,900 JD 1710, 24R22”, Wing Fold, #168140................................................$19,900 JD 7300, 1992, 12R30”, Wing Fold, #175563 ......................................$11,900
8 JD 1720 CCS, 2012, 16R30”, Wing Fold, #176499 .............................$65,900 ROW CROP TRACTORS 5 Allis-Chalmers 200, 1974, Cab, 2WD, Syncro, 7000 hrs., #169651 ..$9,500 7 IH 806, 1964, 2WD, Syncro, Singles, 8600 miles, #178028 ..................$9,500 5 IH 1066, Cab, 2WD, Syncro, Duals, 7911 hrs., #176992 ......................$13,500 1 JD 4430, 1977, Cab, 2WD, Syncro, Singles, Loader, 10335 hrs., #177917 ..............................................................................$15,900 10 JD 4450, 1983, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 15500 hrs., #177261.............$35,900 3 JD 4640, 1978, Cab, 2WD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 9784 hrs., #176646 .$22,500 11 JD 4840, 1979, Cab, 2WD, PS, 1000 pto, Duals, 8000 hrs., #177919 .$26,400 6 JD 7810, 1997, Cab, 2WD, PS, Duals, 6748 hrs., #175559 ..................$56,900 14 JD 8300, 1995, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 10129 hrs., #158662.............$49,500 9 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, PS, Singles, 287 hrs., #153237.........$137,900 2 JD 6145R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, PS, Singles, 286 hrs., #153236.........$139,500 4 JD 6155M/ 640R Loader, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Singles, 254 hrs., #153304 ................................................................................$134,900 15 JD 6155R, 2018, Cab, MFWD, PS, Singles, 382 hrs., #147651.........$129,500 17 JD 6155R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Singles, 123 hrs., #159734..............$134,900 4 JD 6175M, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Singles, Loader, 260 hrs., #160856 .$142,900 11 JD 6195R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, Duals, 2024 hrs., #178027 ...............$129,900 6 JD 6210R, 2012, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 493 hrs., #178040 ..........$142,900 8 JD 7210R, 2018, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, Duals, 2018 hrs., #172425 ..............................................................................$168,900 4 JD 7210R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, Duals, Loader, 412 hrs., #177177.....$195,000 1 JD 7210R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 300 hrs., #176074 ..........$199,500 5 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 938 hrs., #176600 ...........$179,500 6 JD 8245R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 1263 hrs., #176592 ........$201,400 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, Duals, 1362 hrs., #169246 ..............................................................................$218,500 16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, Duals, 1343 hrs., #169248 ..............................................................................$218,550 1 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 300 hrs., #176075 ...........$224,900 1 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 300 hrs., #176076 ...........$224,900
Visit one of our 17 locations in Central Minnesota! (1) = GLENCOE 4561 Hwy. 212
(4) = ST. CLOUD 1035 35th Ave. NE
(2) = HOWARD LAKE (5) = GLENWOOD 5845 Keats Ave. SW
1710 N. Franklin
(3) = STEWART
(6) = SAUK CENTRE
78412 Co. Rd. 20
1140 Centre St.
(7) = ALEXANDRIA (9) = PRINCETON 320-763-4220 5005 Co. Rd. 82 SE
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16 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 879 hrs., #169247..........$230,150 17 JD 8245R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 588 hrs., #171965 ..........$239,500 1 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 300 hrs., #176079 ................................................................................$252,900 3 JD 8245R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 hrs., Duals, 300 hrs., #176080 ................................................................................$252,900 8 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 475 hrs., #175590 ...........$229,000 1 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 300 hrs., #176082 ...........$237,900 4 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 700 hrs., #175591 ...........$239,000 1 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, PS, Duals, 300 hrs., #176083 ...........$258,900 1 JD 8270R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 315 hrs., #176084 ..........$267,900 2 JD 8295R, 2015, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 1463 hrs., #172975 ........$209,500 6 JD 8295R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 630 hrs., #172428 ..........$265,400 16 JD 8320R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals,2098 hrs., #172227 .........$217,900 4 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals,650 hrs., #175589 ...........$285,900 4 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, 1000 pto, 500 hrs., #175588 .....$289,500 15 JD 8320R, 2019, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Singles, 607 hrs., #171964........$289,500 3 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals,303 hrs., #172932 ...........$289,500 1 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD w/Suspension, IVT, 1000 pto, Duals, 300 hrs.,#176086 ......................................................................$298,500 1 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 298 hrs., #176088 ..........$298,500 1 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 300 hrs., #176091 ..........$298,500 1 JD 8320R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 300 hrs., #176085 ..........$301,900 1 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 334 hrs., #176095 ..........$314,000 1 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 296 hrs., #176092 ..........$314,900 1 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab; MFWD, IVT, Duals, 299 hrs., #176096 ..........$314,900 3 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 297 hrs., #176093 ..........$314,900 1 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 413 hrs., #176098 ..........$318,900 1 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 308 hrs., #176101 ..........$318,900 15 JD 8345R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 200 hrs., #164193 ..........$325,000 3 JD 8360R, 2012, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 4450 hrs., #177867 ........$152,000 16 JD 8370R, 2017, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 1450 hrs., #175314 ........$264,900 1 JD 8370R, 2020, Cab, MFWD, IVT, Duals, 281 hrs., #172943 ..........$319,500
CALL TODAY! (320)365-1653 (12) = AITKIN 1120 2nd St. NW
(10) = LITTLE FALLS (13) = BAXTER (11) = WADENA 62505 US Hwy. 10
7045 Foley Rd.
(14) = ELBOW LAKE
(16) = BENSON
(15) = MORRIS
(17) = MADISON
110 2nd St. NE
23604 State Hwy. 9
380 Atlantic Ave. 516 1st St. E
SEE OUR COMPLETE INVENTORY WITH PICTURES AND DESCRIPTIONS AT: www.mmcjd.com
Page 22 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 Cleaning Drain Tiles, Manure Systems, Sewers and Frozen Lines
MATHER’S
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(Formerly Noah VanBeck)
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ConƟnued from YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 20
The Dairy Star is sent only to DAIRY FARMERS! If you would like to advertise in the DAIRY STAR, call 320-352-6303 for more information.
BUYING? SELLLING? CHECK THE CLASSIFIEDS!
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Marla and Steve Viland hold an ad for their dairy dispersal aucƟon that was scheduled April 22, 2020 on their farm near Ihlen, Minnesota. The Vilands decided to delay their aucƟon unƟl the end of May due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Wisconsin, closed its doors in July. The plant was dedicated to making Italian cheeses like provolone and was built in the 1940s. With the lack of demand in foodservice plummeted due to COVID-19 shutdowns, board chairman Dave Scheevel knew it was time to retire the business. New ways to celebrate June Dairy Month Like many other COVID-19 shakeups, dairy promotion throughout June Dairy Month looked different in 2020. Fond du Lac County replaced their typical Breakfast on the Farm event with a drive-thru AgVenture hosted by Vir-Clar Farms.
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MN State Fair canceled The Great Minnesota Get-Together took a break in 2020, like many, in the precaution over the coronavirus pandemic. Dairy producers, showmen and enthusiasts shared sorrow over the cancellation. Next year, as the Minnesota State Fair has promoted, the 2021 fair will be the Great Minnesota Get Back Together.
Be a part of this growing movement in robotic milking with VMS V300. ACT NOW!
SCAN ME
June 27 USDA issues rst CFAP payments By June 27, the USDA Farm Service Agency approved more than $545 million in payments to producers who applied for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. The agency received over 86,000 applications for the relief program since opening for enrollment May 26.
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Contact one of the following dealers to learn more: IOWA Prairie Land Ag Supply Inc. Rock Valley, IA 712-476-9290 United Dairy Systems, Inc. West Union, IA 563-422-5355 WISCONSIN Advanced Dairy/Bob’s Dairy Supply Spring Valley, WI 715-772-3201 Ederer Dairy Supply Plain, WI 608-546-3713
Joe’s Refrigeration Inc. Withee, WI 715-229-2321 Mlsna Dairy Supply Inc. Cashton, WI 608-654-5106 Professional Dairy Services Arlington, WI 608-635-0267 Redeker Dairy Equipment Brandon, WI 920-346-5579 The Scharine Group Inc. Whitewater, WI 800 472-2880 Mt Horeb, WI 800-872-3470
Honer helps at protests Past Princess Kay nalist, Donna Honer, handed out supplies during an event advocating racial equality in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd and subsequent uprising in the city. Honer was a 2019 Princess Kay nalist and employed at a neighboring dairy farm near Rockville, Minnesota.
MINNESOTA & SOUTH DAKOTA D&D Ag Supply Pennock, MN 320-599-4466 East Central Dairy Supply Mora, MN 320-679-1029 Farm Systems Melrose, MN 320-256-3276 Watertown, SD 605-886-7401 Sioux Falls, SD 800-284-0015 S&S Dairy System LLC St. Charles, MN 507-932-4288 Professional Dairy Systems Wadena, MN 218-632-5416
is a registered trademark of Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A. and “DeLaval” is a registered trade/servicemark of DeLaval Holding AB © 2021 DeLaval Inc. DeLaval, 11100 North Congress Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1296. Data collected at test and pilot farms. Results will vary from dairy to dairy. Nothing in this document shall constitute a warranty or guaranty of performance. www.delaval.com
Turn to YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 23
SUPPORTING THE FARMERS OF TOMORROW. The future of farming depends on dreams like this. And at American Family Insurance, we’re proud to support the National FFA Organization and the dreams they help.
Gary Scott, Agent Gary Scott Agency Inc Milaca, MN 56353 Bus: (320) 983-6880 gscott@amfam.com
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. & Its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 ©2019 016630 – 04/19 – 11594345
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 23
Con�nued from YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 22 Nunes chosen as 73rd Alice in Dairyland Julia Nunes of Chippewa Falls was selected as Wisconsin’s 73rd Alice in Dairyland. Nunes grew up on her family’s dairy farm, Scientic Holsteins, and was involved in 4-H and the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association which encouraged her love of the dairy industry and Wisconsin agriculture. Nunes serves the state for one year as communications professional for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Dairy breakfast turns into drive-thru dining June’s promotional June Dairy Month events were directly affected by COVID-19, and dairy enthusiasts were quick to adapt. After canceling their breakfast at the Weiss Family Farms, the Pepin County Dairy Promotion Council decided to host a drive-thru-style dairy breakfast June 20 at two locations – Eau Galle Cheese and Komro Sales – which are 8.5 miles apart and on opposite sides of the Chippewa River near Durand. July 11 St. Croix County ooding Late June released a downpouring of rain on western Wisconsin’s St. Croix area dropping 8 to 12 inches of rain, causing substantial ooding. Many farmers in the area had not seen ooding to that magnitude in their entire careers. Field and property damage, as well as washed out roads and bridges, were all a casualty of Mother Nature’s douse.
Vice President Mike Pence stands with Barb and John Schaller July 17, 2020 at their 450-cow Morning Star Dairy near Onalaska, Wisconsin. The Schallers hosted a roundtable discussion about the USMCA trade agreement that recently went into effect.
National Dairy Shrine honors the late Randy Gieger for Pioneer Award Lifelong dairyman Randy Geiger of Reedsville, Wisconsin, was honored with the National Dairy Shrine’s Pioneer Award among three others, for his signicant contributions to the dairy industry. Geiger passed away in 2019 but was highly regarded as a dairy leader among industry professionals.
dairy producers about the United States-MexicoCanada Trade Agreement, among other issues. Pence toured the 500-cow dairy with owners Barb and John Schaller, and participated in a round-table discussion with other area farmers to discuss CFAP, relief funding and the importance agriculture has to the current administration.
July 25 Pence visits Morning Star Dairy Vice President Mike Pence made a visit to Morning Star Dairy in Onalaska, Wisconsin, to speak with
PPD values plunge to historic low With the effects of the pandemic swinging the markets back and forth, 2020 was a year of historic negative values for producer price differential. PPD
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
is a calculation used to determine the milk price in Federal Milk Marketing Orders that pay on milk components. The value is typically positive or a relatively small negative number, ranging from -$0.30 to $1 per hundredweight. In June, the Upper Midwest Marketing Area reported a PPD of -$3.81 per cwt. Virtual state FFA convention Wisconsin FFA members gathered virtually to commemorate the annual state convention in July in lieu of a typical convention. Due to the coronavirus pandemic that closed schools and shut down large Turn to YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 25
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Page 24 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 25
Con�nued from YEAR IN REVIEW | Page 24 gatherings for most of 2020, FFA followed suit and doled out awards and speeches to high schoolers through their computer screens. Aug. 8 Industry plans to be carbon neutral or better by 2050 In the next three decades, dairy farmers will be asked to join their industry partners – cooperatives, processors and milk haulers – to reduce carbon emissions to net zero or better, as well as improve water and manure management as part of the Net Zero Initiative by 2050. The effort is backed by the National Milk Producers Federation, United States Dairy Export Council, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Newtrient. Aug. 22 Iowa Derecho A derecho, a long-lived straight-lined wind storm that is often referred to as an inland hurricane, devastated Iowa in its path through the Midwest Aug. 10. The storm caused $14 million destruction in Iowa crops that headlined news surrounding the unusual storm. Dairy farm buildings and animals were also caught in the path of winds estimated to be as high as 130 mph. Sept. 26 Cows head back to UW-Madison campus after ve-month leave Cows returned to the University of WisconsinMadison campus Sept. 1 after a ve-month stay at the Emmons Blaine Dairy Cattle Research Center in Arlington, Wisconsin. The cows left campus March 27 because of the COVID-19 pandemic but returned as the students gathered to begin a new school year. Students, staff and cows alike were excited to be reunited in Madison. Oct. 24 Dairy consumption grows during pandemic A silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic was dramatic growth in dairy product consumption. Consumers’ eating habits changed as a result of shut-
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
Silo damage is among the challenges faced by Schanbacher Acres of Atkins, Iowa, a�er the derecho storm Aug. 10, 2020 in Iowa. Feedstuffs in the silos could no longer be used and bags holding haylage were damaged by debris. downs, so people cooked more and ate the majority of their meals at home. Thus, more dairy found its way into shoppers’ carts, leading to a spike in butter, cheese, milk and other dairy products. Heinz advocates for mental health after losing partner to suicide Becky Heinz lost her partner, Casey Tangen, in September to suicide. While still grieving the fresh loss, Heinz advocated for mental health and shared her story, and Tangen’s. The couple milked 43 cows on their dairy in Stearns County near Brooten, Minnesota.
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Nov. 14 New act to address supply chain issues The Dairy Pricing and Policy Commission Act of 2020, to likely be included in the next farm bill, will allow a commission to weigh in on pricing transparency, address supply chain issues, nd more opportunities for dairy exports and increase the competitiveness of dairy products in the marketplace. This act gives dairy farmers a seat at the table tasked with diving into matters near and dear to the dairy producer’s heart. This historic opportunity will allow producers to communicate directly with the highest levels of leadership to input on dairy policy.
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Page 26 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Aid for producers affected by natural disasters The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced that signup for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program will begin Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Funded by the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020, this new program provides assistance to producers who suffered eligible crop quality losses due to natural disasters occurring in 2018 and 2019. The deadline to apply for QLA is Friday, March 5, 2021. “Farmers and livestock producers nationwide experienced crop quality losses due to natural disasters in 2018 and 2019,â€? said. Bill Northey, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “We have worked diligently over the past couple of years to roll out meaningful disaster assistance programs to help alleviate the substantial ďƒžnancial loss experienced by so many agricultural producers and are pleased to offer quality loss assistance as added
relief. Many of the eligible producers have already received compensation for quantity losses.�
Eligible crops Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage is available, except for grazed crops and value loss crops, such as honey, maple sap, aquaculture, ďƒ&#x;oriculture, mushrooms, ginseng root, ornamental nursery, Christmas trees, and turfgrass sod. Additionally, crops that were sold or fed to livestock or that are in storage may be eligible; however, crops that were destroyed before harvest are not eligible. Crop quality losses occurring after harvest, due to deterioration in storage, or that could have been mitigated, are also not eligible. Assistance is based on a producer’s harvested
SELECT SIRES
NM$
% Rel
7HO15069 TOP DOG
+837
75
+890 +2975
7HO15085 PARFECT
+777
75
+885 +3007
7HO15099 RELIANT
+807
75
+771 +2950
7HO15139 FANECA
+797
75
+732 +2962
7HO15167 GAMEDAY New
+916
75
+1,175 +3081
7HO15173 DOBBINS
+807
75
+766 +2977
7HO15242 ESPIONAGE
+858
75
+1,084 +2938
7HO15337 SUPERCHARGE
+846
76
+965 +2987
7HO15344 MOWGLI
+813
75
+991 +2928
ACCELERATED GENETICS
NM$
% Rel
14HO15181 TRIBUTE
+838
75
+1,007 +3003
14HO15223 CONWAY
+816
74
+1,023 +2992
14HO15250 HELIOGEN
+807
75
+1,006 +2987
14HO15265 TUA New
+834
75
+1,057 +2926
14HO15317 JANGLE
+853
75
+1,121 +2919
14HO15445 MASSEY New
+824
74
+1,132 +2934
GENERVATIONS
ROME x OUTSIDERS x Delta
RENEGADE x Delta-Lambda x Denver HUEY x Achiever x SUPERSIRE LUCIA x HELIX x Rubicon
BIG AL x Blowtorch x YODER LEGACY x HELIX x Rubicon
LEGACY x Apprentice*RC x YODER LEGACY x Rubicon x MORGAN
LEGACY x FLAGSHIP x MOGUL
LEGACY x RESOLVE x Josuper RENEGADE x Granite x Draco LEGACY x REASON x Rubicon LEGACY x KITE x EXPRESSO LEGACY x MODESTY x Delta LEGACY x Guarantee x Delta
DWP$
ÂŽ
DWP$
ÂŽ
GTPI
NM$
% Rel
250HO15087 ROZLINE
+799
74
+767 +2962
250HO15152 AHEAD
+809
74
+968 +2960
RENEGADE x FRAZZLED x Rubicon RENEGADE x MYLES x YODER
DWP$
GTPI
GTPI
Contact your Select Sires representative to learn how to join the NxGEN program and begin capturing breed-leading genetic trends today!
Minnesota/Select Sires Co-op, Inc. 1IPOF
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12/20 CDCB/HA/Zoetis Genomic Evaluations. ÂŽTPI is a registered trademark of Holstein Association USA. DWP$ is a registered trademark of Zoetis Inc., its afďŹ liates and/or its licensors. NxGEN and Your Success Our Passion. are registered trademarks of Select Sires Inc. All bulls qualify for semen export to Canada. GAMEDAY photo by Thomas. SS935-1220-JT Product of the USA.
affected production of an eligible crop, which must have had at least a 5% quality loss reďƒ&#x;ected through a quality discount; or for forage crops, a nutrient loss, such as total digestible nutrients. Qualifying disaster events Losses must have been a result of a qualifying disaster event (hurricane, excessive moisture, ďƒ&#x;ood, qualifying drought, tornado, typhoon, volcanic activity, snowstorm, or wildďƒžre) or related condition that occurred in calendar years 2018 and/or 2019. Assistance is available for eligible producers in counties that received a qualifying Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster Designation because of one or more of the qualifying disaster events or related conditions. Lists of counties with Presidential Emergency Disaster Declarations and Secretarial Disaster Designations for all qualifying disaster events for 2018 and 2019 are available here. For drought, producers are eligible for QLA if the loss occurred in an area within a county rated by the U.S. Drought Monitor as having a D3 (extreme drought) or higher intensity level during 2018 or 2019. Producers in counties that did not receive a qualifying declaration or designation may still apply but must also provide supporting documentation to establish that the crop was directly affected by a qualifying disaster event. To determine QLA eligibility and payments, FSA considers the total quality loss caused by all qualifying natural disasters in cases where a crop was impacted by multiple events. Applying for QLA When applying, producers are asked to provide veriďƒžable documentation to support claims of quality loss or nutrient loss in the case of forage crops. For crops that have been sold, grading must have been completed within 30 days of harvest, and for forage crops, a laboratory analysis must have been completed within 30 days of harvest. Some acceptable forms of documentation include sales receipts from buyers, settlement sheets, truck or warehouse scale tickets, written sales contracts, similar records that represent actual and speciďƒžc quality loss information, and forage tests for nutritional values. Payments calculations, limitations QLA payments are based on formulas for the type of crop (forage or non-forage) and loss documentation submitted. Based on this documentation FSA is calculating payments based on the producer’s own individual loss or based on the county average loss. More information on payments can be found on farmers.gov/quality-loss. FSA will issue payments once the application period ends. If the total amount of calculated QLA payments exceeds available program funding, payments will be prorated. For each crop year, 2018, 2019 and 2020, the maximum amount that a person or legal entity may receive, directly or indirectly, is $125,000. Payments made to a joint operation (including a general partnership or joint venture) will not exceed $125,000, multiplied by the number of persons and legal entities that comprise the ownership of the joint operation. A person or legal entity is ineligible for QLA payment if the person’s or legal entity’s average Adjusted Gross Income exceeds $900,000, unless at least 75% is derived from farming, ranching or forestry-related activities. Future insurance coverage requirements All producers receiving QLA Program payments are required to purchase crop insurance or NAP coverage for the next two available crop years at the 60% coverage level or higher. If eligible, QLA participants may meet the insurance purchase requirement by purchasing Whole-Farm Revenue Protection coverage offered through USDA’s Risk Management Agency. For more information, visit farmers.gov/qualityloss, or contact your local USDA Service Center. Producers can also obtain one-on-one support with applications by calling 877-508-8364.
Working as a family team
I am llooking ki fforward d to tackling 2021 as a family team, moving through this year with better communication with meetings and planning. week. Oh, and clean the cat litter box. I want to start off my week knowing what is planned so I can be prepared. I make lists to be able to talk to Anna and Duane about my thoughts for the next week. I have added another role to my daily program, because Duane has been recovering from hip surgery. Mixing feed for the cows, dry cows, pre-fresh and heifers is now front and center daily. Anna and I work together with barn chores of checking the cows for health issues and feeding calves. We both look over all our animals to be sure the bedding is taken care of, and we watch for coughs and general care. Sunday afternoon is my day to go over the list of productivity of our cows. I review and see which cows need to be dry treated and who needs to be brought into the pre-fresh pen along with who is not doing so well. Every once in a while, I nd a cow that has simply been missed. She has somehow slipped through the program and needs to get bred or vet checked. With our new robot milking system, there are a lot of ways to identify cows that need to be looked
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at. Daily, I go over which cows have come up on the health attention list, look at the udder health list and check who is in heat and who is due to calve. Taking temperatures, giving treatments and documenting what I have done is part of the communication to keep everyone informed on what is happening with these cows. Lists are made on Sunday for herd health check and ov-synch cows for Monday. Mondays tend to be our most stressful days, so taking time on Sunday to get ready for a good week is important. Vet checks are usually in the afternoon, and the cows need to be marked to be ready for the pregnancy check. That is also true for ov-synch. Cows need to be marked and given shots. Anna is on top of marking and giving shots. Working together is part of our teamwork that eases the stresses when dealing with cows. We work well with each other. Mondays are also our preferred day to haul cows
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to the stockyard. If we have cows that will need to head to the market with bull calves, getting our trailer on to the truck or contacting our driver to make that arrangement takes place on Sunday too. Sorting cows, taking off collars and planning which calves need to be fed early is another task Anna is on top of. I am looking forward to tackling 2021 as a family team, moving through this year with better communication with meetings and planning. The work to put down the details will help to improve our farm and our lives which will eventually make our days brighter and more manageable. Tina Hinchley, and her husband, Duane, daughter Anna, milk 240 registered Holsteins with robots. They also farm 2300 acres of crops near Cambridge, Wisconsin. The Hinchley’s have been hosting farm tour for over 25 years.
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As I close my 2020 calendar for the year, I am looking forward to a brighter, more manageable 2021. I have gone back and evaluated what I could have done to make my life easier, more efcient and consistent. I want to head into the new year on a positive and easier path. With these insights, I have a few changes to help improve my own productivity as well as our farm. Identifying the days that often seemed overwhelming and stressful, and planning ahead for the week, month and year, will hopefully By Tina Hinchley Farmer & Columnist help everyone on our farm. Knowing the plans and direction of our farm is important. This year, all of us – my husband Duane, our daughter Anna and I – are planning on having a weekly meeting of what is expected in the upcoming week. It was overwhelming when we all started texting each other what we thought needed to be done, when and why. It simply isn’t efcient and too often tends to be stressful. On Sundays, we have a high school helper who works in the morning in the barn. It is usually my clean-up day, and Anna has off to take care of personal things with her new husband. I think of this little down time as my recovery time to self-reect and strategize for the days ahead. In the morning, I tend to do a little more in the house, like laundry and going through any bills that have come in through the
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 27
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Page 28 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Sherry restarts family dairy after 17 years
Fullling a life-long dream
By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
VIROQUA, Wis. – On Dec. 3, 2003, when Ben Sherry was 3 years old, his father, Scott, sold the dairy herd for health reasons. Seventeen years later on Dec. 6, 2020, 21-year-old Ben turned the milk pump on again at Sherryhill Farms in Viroqua. “When I was in high school, I milked cows and helped with chores for some local farmers,” Sherry said. “Growing up, I always wanted to be a dairy farmer. The biggest challenge was guring out how to do it nancially.” Once he graduated from high school, Sherry began to investigate the possibility of starting the family dairy farm back up. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course, the third generation of his family to do so. Sherry continued building his skills
working with local dairy farmers, creating a network. The farm is owned by Scott, who Sherry said is pretty happy to have cows in the barn. He said that he was pleasantly surprised at how well the barn had aged, standing empty for such a long period of time. Sherry said having the facility in such good shape allowed him to only borrow money to purchase cows. “In the barn, the stalls, stanchions and the barn cleaner were all in really pretty good shape,” Sherry said. “There are some cracks in the concrete but nothing too bad. In the milkhouse, we tore out the oor and poured new concrete and put new panel up on the walls. The pipeline and vacuum line, along with the receiver jar and control panel, were all in good shape.” Sherry was able to source a good used bulk tank, compressor and vacuum pump. “I thought that working with used equipment would be a challenge, but so far everything has gone pretty well,” he said. The rst milking included 16 cows. Just over a month later, Sherry is milking 31 Hol-
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Ben Sherry has a stanchion barn on his family’s farm near Viroqua, Wisconsin. The barn sat empty for 17 years aŌer his father sold the cows.
DANIELLE NAUMAN/DAIRY STAR
Ben Sherry stands with his herd of 31 cows on his family’s farm near Viroqua, Wisconsin. Sherry began milking Dec. 6, 2020. steins and Jerseys, along with one Brown Swiss. Sherry estimates that by the end of the month, he will be approaching 40 cows. Sherry sourced his herd of cows from a couple of local dairy farmers. Weather challenges altered Sherry’s plans to use the tiestall barn as a at parlor and house the cows in a hoop-barn with sand-bedded free stalls. “A bunch of friends helped me put a new cover on the hoop barn, but evidently we didn’t get it on just right,” Sherry said. “When we had those 50 to 60 mph winds last month, it took part of the cover off. Luckily for the most part, it has been nice enough the cows are still able to stay outside in the part of the barn that is still covered. If it turns cold, they’ll have to start staying in.” One of Sherry’s goals is to continue bringing the cows back up in production. The group was averaging nearly 60 pounds per day when he pur-
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job with a pension and good benets,” he said. “I am very lucky right now to have plenty of help for both morning and evening chores.” Sherry said that while he is working full time, 40 cows is his maximum herd size. He plans to wait before determining what direction he will take, whether he will continue with a smaller herd while working off the farm, or expanding the herd to be on the farm full time. One thing Sherry said he knows for certain is that he has the support of his local dairying community. “One of the most amazing things is how many farmers have been really interested in helping me, wanting to see me succeed,” he said. “And the eld rep for my milk cooperative has been great, helping me make sure I had everything ready to pass inspection. The whole thing has been a really good experience so far.”
chased them. With the transitions in feed, tiestall milking and housing, milk production dropped to 45-50 pounds. “They are really good, clean, healthy cows,” Sherry said. “My goal is to work to keep them that way.” The cropland has been rented by a local farmer for several years, and Sherry purchases corn silage back. He plans to continue the arrangement, saving him the expense of having to purchase equipment. Sherry also purchases dry hay from another nearby farmer. “They are getting a pretty corn silage-heavy diet right now, but it seems to be working for them,” Sherry said. “I don’t have a TMR, so they get dry hay and grain in the barn, and silage in the bunk outside.” For the time being, Sherry is working his full-time job in LaCrosse, nearly an hour’s commute each way. “It is a pretty good union
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Milk price, somatic cell count for WCROC dairy farm
This winter weather has been a challenge for many producers. It snowed in October, then melted and warmed, got cold again, and in January 2021 as I write this article, there is snow on the ground but warm sunshine. At the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center dairy herd in Morris, we had the cows out on pasture until late October and nally put cows in their outwintering lots in late December. We have been tracking our monthly milk price and somatic cell count for our two dairy herds since 2013. They provide some By Brad Heins interesting views of the dairy inUniversity of MN dustry within the last seven years and how our herd is managed and affected by weather. One issue that is consistent across the years is somatic cell count and how to improve milk quality. Therefore, let us discuss the milk price and some milk quality information from the past seven years at the WCROC, and tell you what we have done to lower the somatic cell counts for both the organic herd and the conventional herd. In the milk price gure are the nal mailbox price, with premiums, that we have received for milk for our two herds. Across the years, we average about 4.25% butterfat and 3.4% protein. Our cow numbers and milk production for both herds uctuate during the year, because half of cows calve in the spring and half calve in the fall. For the organic herd, there has been a downward trend in milk price since early 2016. That $40 per hundredweight milk price was really nice that year, and we were around $30 cwt at the end of 2020. The conventional herd also had the same downward trend from the highs of 2014, and we were about $26 cwt at the end of 2020. The milk price is volatile during different months of the year, and I am sure we will continue to see the ups and downs into the future. In the other gure are the bulk tank somatic cell counts for both herds from 2013 to 2020. For the organic herd, the somatic cell count has been on a roller coaster ride. Typically, during the spring, the somatic cell count can be high because of cows getting turned out to pasture while facing spring rains and the dreaded mud. We have always culled some cows because of high somatic cell count (that is our No. 2 reason for culling cows). We have always done extensive culturing of bulk tank samples for both herds. Typically, our biggest issues are non-ag strep and staph species. These are environmental mastitis caused by the environment of the cow (i.e., bedding, poor milking prep, weather). We also use the Minnesota Easy® Culture Triplate system for on-farm culturing. This helps us diagnose what is happening with our cows to determine either what we can change with management or how to treat our conventional cows with antibiotics. This has helped us get our somatic cell count and mastitis under control. The lower somatic cell count in the conventional herd comes at greater expense because of the use of antibiotics to treat mastitis. Many dairy producers are skeptical of organic production because of the restrictions imposed on the use of antibiotics. Organic dairies treat mastitis in a variety of ways, including frequent stripping of quarters to utilization of a variety of organic products such as garlic, aloe or essential oils. There are some key points for all dairy producers to consider to improve milk quality in their herd. First, identify subclinical infections and culture cows to determine if the cause of the mastitis is either environmental or contagious. Second, milking hygiene is important. Make sure to use a pre- and post-dip, and wear latex or rubber gloves while milking. Lastly, develop culling guidelines and either cull chronically infected cows or milk them last.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 29
Animal resolutions Page 30 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Well, friends, Christmas has come and gone on the farm. The cows were merry about their extra hay, the sheep were jolly upon discovering their salt lick, and the chickens just plain giddy with excitement over their giant suet cakes. The New Year, however, brought some disgruntled murmurs. I asked the creatures of the farm to think hard about what their resolutions would be for 2021. They have a few; some are not in my favor, I’m afraid, and some are just downright ridiculous. Yet, they will likely keep theirs long after I pretend I’m not going to eat as much sugar. (She says, as she ďƒžnishes off a delectable piece of cinnamon chip bread.) The wooly women – Tasha, Armella, Margaret, and Magdalene – promised to concentrate on growing their babies (ďƒžngers crossed) healthy and strong. This is provided that I supply them with the good hay from timeto-time; turns out they have a Sunday deal going with JosĂŠ. They won’t bleat their heads off like guard sheep every time someone moves near the house as long as he gives them the rich alfalfa hay one day a week instead of the
perfectly suitable grass bales. Tasha (referred to as ‘The Greedy Bugger’ by Cora) mentioned that they will really try to not be such greedy creatures regarding the grain, but if I would be so kind as to give them a bit daily, I would be rewarded with even more lovely wool. I gently reminded Tasha that she will gain a bit too much weight that we can’t pass off as simply wool. Margaret is quite adamant that Harold leave; he has overstayed his welcome. Harold (their boyfriend that came for a month-long sleepover) lifted his massive four-horned head and eyed me up, and decided that he was too cool for resolutions. He has declared his work here done. Pearl, Fern, Opal, Fuzzy and the rest of the laying ladies vow to keep performing as best as they can with the limited daylight hours and clucked a happy thank you for the heated waterer. They mentioned a desire for more treats. Leftover bread chunks, suet cakes, and all the scraps, please. They promise to continue to take good care of Chuck the Chicken-Duck (long story) and continue to let her have her pick of the nest boxes for bedtime. Ralph
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A Holistic Approach to Dairy Conservation
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Andrew Swanson
Lucas Sjostrom & Daryn McBeth
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Engaging Employees: We can do it!
Dairy Category Analysis
Financial Knowledge your Banker Wants You to Know
Why The Nature Conservancy Loves Farmers
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Megan Sheets
Gary Sipiorski
Leif Fixen
Making the Most out of your Farm Advisory Team
Oddball Organisms
Dairy 2021 Outlook
Deep Dive on Dairy Data from Discovery Farms
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Marin Bozic
Tim Radatz
Bend But Don’t Break: Exploring Resiliency
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Environment versus Execution
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Mario Solis Flores
Michael Swanson
Amos Smith
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February 4/5
February 11/12
The 2021 Landscape in Washington, DC
The Value of Collaboration for Sustainable Agriculture
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Joleen Hadrich
Paul Bleiberg
Ryan Whisnant
Mental Resiliency
Changing the Game with Dairy Analytics
Farm Bureau Priorities for Dairy Industry Reform
Net Zero Initiative
Dennis Hoiberg
Jeffrey Bewley
John Newton
Jim Wallace & Karen Scanlon
Sleep: The Fuel of Your Resilience
Is My Dairy Business Competitive? Actions that Drive ProďŹ t
Building a Vaccine Protocol
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Melissa Wilson
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and Elvis, the men of the coop, nodded in agreement when we discussed how one treats the womenfolk. They concur, it would do them no good to be aggressive to me. And as far as their coop-mates are concerned, they will Ramblings from the Ridge be gentlemen as much as nature allows. We etched out a deal that if they fail on this resolution, they get plucked and potted. I asked the ducks if they had any resolutions. They just up and ďƒ&#x;ew off to the back of the shed. I guess that meant they weren’t changing their routines at all. One would By Jacqui Davison think they would ďƒžgure out Columnist that speed of moving off the road would be a good idea. Especially after Dad squished one of their friends last Saturday morning. The barn cats and I have a love-hate relationship. I love it when they catch rodents; I hate them underfoot while I milk. They made a resolution to try harder on that rodent catching bit, even expanding their territory to the house, if I would not “forgetâ€? to give them milk every night. That’s a workable bargain; particular creatures they are, anyhow. The oodles of springing heifers and I chatted while I took inventory last week. They made a couple resolutions. First being that Nugent will lead the crew in the recitation of the mantra, ‘Keep Calm and Kick Less’ during their morning calisthenics as they get moved while their pen is scraped. They offered to try to hold babies in for an extra day if they hear the overworked human whining from the calving pen, but no promises there. Babies have a mind of their own, I was informed. I asked if they can do anything about their edema issues. Corn Flakes and Oatmeal curtly responded they can’t do much about it, and please keep the mint rub handy. The more seasoned mothers of the herd were listening to our banter and offered to step in when needed to lick a calf if the ďƒžrst timers weren’t up to the task. This started a bit of a tiff about who were better mothers (old or young), but Lizette squashed the battle but announcing that they would always give the heifers the beneďƒžt of the doubt. They resolved to give us as much colostrum as they could muster up, knowing how appreciative we are of it. Peter and I made a ‘Senior Living Center’ for 48 of our oldest fresh cows this past weekend. I asked the ladies if they had any resolutions. In all their years of wisdom, they said they do their best work regardless of resolutions. The younger girls in the usual post-fresh pen are thrilled with the space we provided them, and had nothing beyond ďƒžrm resolve to stay as healthy as possible so as not to come back to see me until their ďƒžrst dry period. I didn’t take insult to it; I don’t want to see them either, it turns out. Well, then there’s Peanut, our new puppy. He isn’t quite sure about this resolution business. He is only ďƒžve months old, after all. He promises to try not to chase chickens and ducks, no matter how enticing they seem to be at that moment. He admitted to loving to run off ahead and disappear from my sight, and bartered more treats for better behavior. He also resolved to become a good protector; I think this is more of an attainable goal for him by far. Here’s to 2021, a year full of brand-new goals! Jacqui and her family milk 800 cows and run 1,200 acres of crops in the northeastern corner of Vernon County, Wis. Her children, Ira (12), Dane (10), Henry (5) and Cora (3), help her on the farm while her husband, Keith, works on a grain farm. If she’s not in the barn, she’s probably in the kitchen, trailing after little ones, or sharing her passion of reading with someone. Her life is best described as organized chaos – and if it wasn’t, she’d be bored.
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Eating the elephant
the time we were at the tipping point, she gave that enough to attach the fetal extractor. We then carefully leg a good kick, sending Stan ying. He landed on his and slowly extracted a live heifer calf. This was an butt in the sand. Pretty much everyone thought that unexpected, happy outcome. was quite funny, as a roar of laughter erupted. On the I had a lot of cleaning up to do. Once in the next try, we got her ipped. I examined her rectally to milkhouse, I removed my tbibs and top and hosed see if the torsion was corrected. Nope. We did it again, them off. Remarkably, I was reasonably clean and dry and upon my exam, I determined that we had partially underneath. Just as I nished cleaning, Stan walked untwisted the uterus. We tried again. As she nished in and said, “She just got up.” This was even more rolling she hit a portable feeding pan on the side of the remarkable. I walked back to the pen to see her licking pen, making it y. All of a sudden, a cat jumped into off her calf, neither looking worse for the wear. Stan the fray, nearly landing on the cow. We could hear and I stood there for a bit, admiring the sight. I am soft mewing. Marvin looked near the pen divider and pretty sure he was thinking the same thing as I; that reached down to rescue two we all had beat the odds kittens, who had apparently today. A big, black, down been living under the feeder. Wi cow, a calf living inside a With h uterine i torsions, i often f Mom seemed to be relieved uterus completely closed as she carried them away. delivery of the calf is difficult even by a refractory cervix, and This time we had corrected two old guys rolling around after the torsion is corrected. the torsion. in the sand; we all came out We still had a long way unscathed. The elephant had to go however. We had only been eaten. It was a great taken one or two bites of the elephant. With uterine day to be on the farm. torsions, often delivery of the calf is difcult even Bennett is one of four dairy veterinarians at after the torsion is corrected. In this case, the head Northern Valley Dairy Production Medicine Center in was twisted and folded back toward the front of the Plainview, Minn. He also consults on dairy farms in cow. Sometimes one has to use a head snare or an other states. He and his wife, Pam, have four children. obstetrical chain to get the head pointed in the right Jim can be reached at bennettnvac@gmail.com with direction. This can be difcult. It is especially difcult comments or questions. when the cow is down because there is more pressure on the uterus from the abdominal organs. Plus, trying to reach to the end of one’s ngertips to slide a cable or chain over the calf’s head is particularly hard when YOUR ALKOTA DEALERS! lying on your side in a pool of fetal uids, even on a warm day. Try as I might, I could not get that cable MIDWEST ALKOTA MIDWEST ALKOTA over the poll. I switched to a chain, and after some 18297 LINCOLN RD. • FAYETTE, IA 103 5TH ST. • GRUNDY CENTER, IA 563-425-3219 time, thought I had it. Sitting up in the muck, I put a 319-215-2138 Doug Kiel Taylor Appel handle on the chain and pulled hard to a make sure SERVING NE IOWA CENTRAL IOWA the chain was properly attached. But then the chain & SW WI slipped off, and I rolled backward, completely over Now selling Chlor-clean detergent, onto my knees. The crew apparently thought seeing one step cleaner and disinfectant, reduce the risk of infection Old Doc do a backip was hilarious, too, because CALL TODAY there was another roar of laughter. Unfazed, I returned to the depths of the beast and replaced the chain. This We service all brands time it held, and I was able to get the head straightened Pr
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I was mowing the lawn on a beautiful, sunny and warm Saturday afternoon when my phone vibrated in my pocket. I shut off the tractor and heard Stan, herdsman on a local Veterinary Wisdom adairy, say he had a cow that needed to be seen. She was down. She had a uterine torsion that was so tight Stan could not get his hand through the cervix. She was outside, and Stan wasn’t sure how long she had been down. He had given her a bottle of calcium, and she did not respond. She did not look good. This By Jim Bennett was enough information Columnist to give me a bad feeling. Stan had worked with cows for his entire life, and his skills regarding everything cow were amazing. In fact, I often told him I believed he was at least one-half cow. So, when Stan said he didn’t think the outcome of this situation looked promising, I believed him. Nevertheless, I replied, “I will be right out. Can you move her inside, out of the sun?” He told me they would get the pay loader and get the cow in the intensive care pen. Stan was right. The cervix was completely closed. The torsion was likely a complete ip, or 360 degrees. She was a big, black cow, 1,700 or 1,800 pounds, and she was not very responsive. Someone wiser than me once said that the answer to the question, “How do you eat an elephant?” was “One bite at a time.” So, we started. We needed to roll her to untwist the torsion. Stan got on the radio and soon had rounded up an army of four or ve strong, younger co-workers. I explained how we needed to roll her. Subsequently, there was a lot of grunting and heavy breathing as we made our rst attempt. This made her wake up. She immediately put one of her front legs out to the side to create a strong triangle that much as we tried, sabotaged our efforts. We pushed the leg back and regrouped. Stan had one of the rear legs. Just about
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 31
Page 32 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
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Filling up at the farmhouse table
Like many farm families, our kitchen table is the gathering spot for people, piles of mail, food to enjoy and good conversation. It is worth some reection of how that has changed or maybe not changed over the past years, especially in 2020. Because of COVID-19, the farmhouse table, which in our case is a long island style with taller stools, has had a bigger crowd these past few months. Our three college kids were home in March with the University of Minnesota canceling in-person classes. They proceeded to fulll the requirements of spring semester from home on their laptops. The table was lled with food and people for three meals a day. My duties as food manager were taxed as I tried to keep up with groceries, preparation and clean up. This part of farm life has never been my favorite, but I am learning. Thank goodness the rest of the family helped with the chores outside so I had more time for these tasks. They helped with cooking too. The result: typical meals to enjoy with more time together and some exchanging of ideas pertaining to farm decisions and college learning than we realized we’d be having. That was a really bright spot. I loved a recent conversation about the merits of various reproductive programs including which bull sorts to use and hearing everyone participate in the pros and cons. During the past summer, the table was still full for most meals, although food sometimes needed to be easily accessed as people dined more on their own schedules, with jobs, eld work and other reasons. In June, the end of the kitchen island was occupied with several slabs of beef ribs being salted as preparation for an outdoor pit barbecue roast which lasted for several hours. The beef was roasted by a friend from Brazil who wanted to show our sons how it was done by his family on their ranch. Later in the fall, their friend from India prepared an Indian meal for us with special cheese and spices. Both meals were delicious. In late summer, the table was not as full as our daughter Emily accepted a new job and went to Vermont for training for several weeks. In September, the college guys moved back to their fraternity house on campus but came home several times to help with harvest and chores. Sometimes only Rolf and I sat around the island, but often there were many more people with the kids returning and their friends who had come to the farm for visits. What a great way to get to know their friends and signicant others. This continued through the fall. It led me to think about the times when I had rst come to our farm to visit Rolf when we were dating. I sat in the same kitchen around the typical large wooden farmhouse table with his family and
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joined in the conversation. Rolf’s dad, Carl, sat at one end and Lois mostly bustled around serving food and never really sitting until maybe Come Full Dairy Circle the very end of the meal. Carl would ask me the best questions about farms where I had interviewed people for my writing By Jean Annexstad jobs. I didn’t Columnist always have answers. Conversation would usually end up on the tasks planned for the day or the local news. Then after marriage and starting our family, the table included our children in high chairs and booster seats. The Peterson boy cousins, their parents and Aunt Kirsten often visited the farm, and the table got really full and overowed to the dining room. We remember Emily proclaiming at about age 2, “Michael is dooty!” when she noticed manure on his arms from the morning milking. It’s encouraged to try to wash up before dining, but we don’t get real concerned. There were many milk spills, bread crumbs and other messes. No one minded. Food was always appreciated even if not perfect. Many times my husband stated, “I like it that way,” (referring to the food I had made that was burnt, over-cooked, not warm enough, etc.). The weirdest thing about these recent times has been the change in how to handle holidays and birthdays around our farmhouse table. We usually include other family members or we go to their homes and sit around their tables. Together we enjoy the delicious traditional holiday treats and meals. This year because of the COVID-19 concerns, Thanksgiving, winter birthdays and Christmas meals were with our family or outside around a re. These new experiences will surely make us appreciate our family gatherings around the table even more in the future. Around our farmhouse table there was always much talking and laughing. It is where people got caught up, asked questions, tried to make sense of events happening and planned their work for the day. It still is and hopefully always will be. Jean dairy farms with her husband, Rolf, and brother-in-law, Mike, and children Emily, Matthias and Leif. They farm near St. Peter, Minnesota, in Norseland, where she is still trying to t in with the Norwegians and Swedes. They milk 200 cows and farm 650 acres. She can be reached at jeanannexstad@gmail.com.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 33
Nunes reigns back-to-back years
DATCP cancels selection of new Alice in Dairyland By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Traditions, such as Wisconsin’s storied Alice in Dairyland program, is not immune to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced the cancellation of the 74th annual Alice in Dairyland nals
which were to take place in May in Walworth County. Instead of selecting a new Alice to take the reins, the 73rd Alice, Julia Nunes of Chippewa Falls, will continue in the position, serving in the 74th year of the program. “I am so blessed to have the opportunity to continue on in this role for another year,” Nunes said. “Hopefully I will be able to do some of the things I was unable to take part in this year, while continuing to build on the virtual aspect of sharing the story of Wisconsin agriculture.” While her opportunities for face-toface promotion of Wisconsin agriculture have been limited, Nunes has let no grass grow under feet during the pandemic, instead working to create virtual ways to connect with non-farm con-
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Julia Nunes milks a goat with Kim Dooley at O’Dools Dairy Goats farm in Orfordville, Wisconsin. Nunes visited many farms this past year as the 73rd Alice in Dairyland and shared her experience with a virtual audience.
sumers, bringing the story of how their food is produced to them. “I have really tried to ramp up the social media aspect and reach out to people who do not have a dairy background,” Nunes said. Nunes developed a series of cooking videos to share the vast array of Wisconsin products. Even more important to Nunes, though, she has been working to share the story of individual farmers through social media and virtual PHOTO SUBMITTED tours. “ P e o p l e Julia Nunes is serving as the 73rd Alice in Dairyland. The love seeing who Wisconsin DATCP made the decision to cancel the selecƟon grows their food, of a 74th Alice in Dairyland and Nunes will conƟnue to serve who cares for the in the promoƟonal role for another year. animals,” Nunes said. “I am looking forward to meet- said. “She has been a rock star, engaging more farmers and working to fea- ing a demographic audience that we ture their farms on social media and my have not previously reached.” blog.” According to Knigge, the departKrista Knigge, administrator for ment will use the year to reevaluate the DATCP’s Division of Agricultural De- Alice program, working to make it even velopment, shares Nunes’ excitement more impactful at reaching target audiover the new ways Alice has been able ences in the future. to connect with consumers. “Julia has done an amazing job at bolstering virtual content,” Knigge Turn to NUNES | Page 34
Page 34 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
ConƟnued from NUNES | Page 33
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Julia Nunes shares dairy recipes to make at home during a virtual appearance for her role as Alice in Dairyland. One created opportunity this year Alice in Dairyland. that both Nunes and Knigge are excited “With this year of experience under to see develop is a partnership with the my belt, I am looking forward to really Badgerland Council of the Girl Scouts knocking the year as the 74th Alice out of Wisconsin. They have created programming for a dairy patch, which can be earned by Scouts who participate in Zoom classes taught by Nunes. Nunes has taught JULIA NUNES, ALICE IN DAIRYLAND classes relating to science and entrepreneurship, holding classes for kindergarten-aged of the park,” Nunes said. The 75th Alice in Dairyland nals students, as well as middle school and will take place in Dane County May high school students. As much as she has enjoyed her 19-21, 2022. Nunes will continue in the virtual teaching opportunities, Nunes role of Alice in Dairyland until July 15, admits she hopes to have more in-per- 2022, when the newly selected 75th Alson engagement in her year as the 74th ice will take over the position.
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A little about me, our farm
Hello, readers of Dairy Star. When I was asked if I would be interested in writing an article, after taking up three times the amount of Mark Klaphake’s day he expected when he called me to get details for a Minnesota DHIA ad, I was surprised. Clearly he had not spoken to the professor who taught my rhetoric and technical communications class at the University of Minnesota; the only class I remember doing much writing in where run-on sentences consisting mostly of dairy industry jargon were not accepted. If he had, he may have been warned that my grasp of farming-related acronyms is great, but my skills with a pen are From the Zweber Farm lacking. That said, I will do my best to make this column as entertaining as it is poorly written because I imagine just like cows, dairy farmers who write have to be at least slightly more useful than annoying to stick around. In today’s world, the rst thing a lot of people do is jump on the internet when they want to nd out who someone is and how many friends they have in common. I will save you the trouble and possibly me the embarrassment of long forgotten college era photos. My wife, Emily, and I farm along with my By Tim Zweber parents, Jon and Lisa Zweber, and our three children, Famer Columnist Erik, Jonnie and Hannah, just north of New Market, Minnesota. Our town is only 30 minutes south of the Twin Cities and, as such, has turned into a suburb in the last couple decades. My three siblings have left the farm to pursue other careers but come back regularly to hang about and enjoy farm life for a bit, especially around the holidays. Our whole family loves the outdoors, and when we are not busy with eld work or other seasonal jobs that take more hours than there are in a day, we take advantage of all the outdoor recreation Minnesota offers. Rock climbing and boating in the summer, hunting and hiking in the fall, skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Spring is mostly devoted to mud, all the kinds of mud, and, of course, getting ready for the cropping and grazing season when that mud suddenly dries up and it is time to plant and get the cows out to pasture. Our farm has gone through many changes in its 117 years being run by our family. Starting out as a diversied farm with horses for eld work, dairy cows, pigs and chickens, it slowly became specialized to dairy cows only. My parents further specialized into managed intensive grazing and the rst steps toward being organic in the 1990s. When I returned to the farm from a stint as an auto mechanic then at the University of Minnesota studying dairy science, we certied the farm organic and joined Organic Valley Cooperative. Around the time they started grazing the cows, my parents also started to raise our bull calves for ourselves and family and then for friends and neighbors; thus our freezer meat business was born. Soon we added pasture-raised chickens back to the farm because beef is great but you have to eat more than just steaks and burgers. We butchered them ourselves one time and decided that in order to have friends and family answer their phones when called we best leave that job to the professionals at the butcher shop. When a neighbor somehow acquired a pig which they fed in their backyard for a short time before walking it up to our farm on a leash for us to raise, we became pig farmers again. Eventually we even built a chicken coop and got some layers to satisfy all the folks stopping out to pick up their meat or place an order, thinking if we had meat chickens we must have egg layers. It’s fun to look back at aerial pictures of our farm lined up by decade in the entryway of our house and see all the old buildings for the different species disappear then one by one reappear though in a modern form. Speaking of transitions, next week will be Emily and I’s 15th wedding anniversary, and I have nearly learned through her gentle reminders when I keep us too long at a friend’s house Minnesota “goodbyeing.” Sometimes I need to stop talking and let people get on with their business. Until next time friends, keep on living the dream.
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 35
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Page 36 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Women In Dairy Brianna Crotteau Cameron, Wisconsin Barron County 120 cows Family: I work for Gehl Acres Farm, which is a fth-generation family dairy farm owned by Richard and Kristen Huth. The farm is operated with most of the labor coming from four family members, with some part-time help. About the farm: We milk 120 registered Holstein cows in a tiestall barn. All replacement heifers are raised, with a focus on high-quality genetics and type. We strive to produce quality milk with high components. What is the busiest time of day for you? The busiest time is before milking when we are taking care of calves, milking fresh cows, feeding dry cows and preparing for milking time. When you get a spare moment, what do you do? When I have spare time, I enjoy being outdoors, snowmobiling, shing, hunting, playing with my two Labradors (Lambeau and Oakley) and tapping maple trees in the spring. Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. My most memorable experience was the very rst day I started working at Gehl Acres Farm. I walked in at 5:30 a.m., and I had no clue what I was supposed to do. I thought to myself, “Well, all I can do is offer my help, do my best to work hard, listen to what everyone tells me and hope I don’t lose this job within the rst week.” I was a bit nervous, because it was my very rst job working for someone other than my parents. What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? The thing that I have enjoyed most about the dairy industry is the people within it. Everyone has their own roles and careers, but at the end of the day, they all work hard, they are respectful, they help each other out, and they are very passionate in what they do. The people within the dairy industry motivate me to do better, work harder, learn more and do what you love.
How do you stay connected with others in the industry? I stay connected as a member of the Collegiate Farm Bureau at the University of WisconsinRiver Falls, and I have joined Facebook groups such as Cow Talk, Dairy Farmers of Facebook, Raising Bottle Calves, Women in Agriculture and The Milk House. Who is someone in the industry who has inspired you? Everyone at Gehl Acres Farm has inspired me. Working alongside each of them, I have learned many things about what it takes to run a successful dairy farm. However, the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that working hard, being a team player and treating each other like family are the most important components in a working environment. If you could give a tour of your farm to a prominent woman in today’s society, who would it be? Giving a tour to Kelly Clarkson would be a great way to show what we do at Gehl Acres. The Kelly Clarkson Show is broadcast nationally so she could do a segment on her TV show that deals with supporting dairy farmers, and it would help people understand how a dairy operation works. What is the best vacation you have ever taken? The best vacation I have ever taken was to Watertown, South Dakota. My family and I used to go out there every year in October for a week of pheasant hunting. We always had fun being out in the elds and watching the dogs ush birds, but spending time together was the highlight of the trip. Aside from hunting and family time, I love watching the combines and tractors working during the fall harvest. Looking out across the elds and seeing the dust roll behind a row of combines was always so cool to me.
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Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 37
Krentz elected president of Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation Waushara County producer brings 20 years experience to position By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
BERLIN, Wis. – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s new president runs his dairy farm with a progressive mindset, setting goals for the future and establishing direction for the business, which is how he plans to lead the WFBF. Kevin Krentz and his wife, Holly, own and operate Krentz Dairy near Berlin with their business partner, Cory Biely, milking 600 cows and farming 1,300 acres. Krentz was elected president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Rural Mutual Insurance Company Dec. 7, 2020. Krentz has been a part of the WFBF for more than 20 years, joining the organization in 1999 at the encouragement of his father. “The professionalism of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the respect they receive in Madison and Washington, D.C. impressed me from day one,� Krentz said. “That led me to become more involved.� Krentz joined the WFBF’s
Young Farmer and Agriculturist program and was also asked to be a part of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Leadership Institute and was a graduate of their ďƒžrst class. He served as president of the Waushara County Farm Bureau for four years and was elected to the WFBF board of directors in 2012 to represent District 5, which includes Adams, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Juneau, Marquette, Waushara and Winnebago counties. “As president, I plan to focus on the people – on our members – and really listen to them,â€? said Krentz, whose passion for dairy and agriculture runs deep. With his heart set on being a dairy farmer, Krentz attended the University of WisconsinMadison’s Farm and Industry Short Course after high school and purchased his father’s 60cow herd in 1994. “What impressed me most about my dad was his progressiveness up until the day he died,â€? Krentz said. “My parents encouraged me to grow the farm and adapt it to my needs. I wanted a farm large enough to
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Kevin Krentz was elected president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau FederaĆ&#x;on Dec. 7, 2020. Krentz and his wife, Holly, and business partner, Cory Biely, milk 600 cows and farm 1,300 acres near Berlin, Wisconsin. allow everyone scheduled time off but small enough I could still manage all the intricacies involved. Like any small business owner, the farm is always
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on my mind, but at least I can physically get away, which is partly why I wanted to grow in the ďƒžrst place. Time away from the farm is important for
everyone.â€? In 1999, Krentz built a new facility across the road from where he grew up, putting up the farm’s ďƒžrst freestall Turn to KRENTZ | Page 38
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8800, 2016, 1607 Hrs, RWA ............................ $304,900 8600, 2016, 785 Hrs, RWA .............................. $359,000 8600, 2017, 792 Hrs, RWA .............................. $325,900 8600, 2016, 1055 Hrs, RWA ............................ $294,400 8600, 2015, 1197 Hrs, RWA ............................ $262,500 8600, 2015, 1531 Hrs, RWA ............................ $236,400 8500, 2016, 665 Hrs, RWA .............................. $329,000 8500, 2016, 588 Hrs, RWA ............................. $315,000 8300, 2017, 350 Hrs, RWA .............................. $336,400 8100, 2016, 519 Hrs, RWA .............................. $241,900 7980, 2013, 1921 Hrs, RWA ............................ $185,900 7780, 2014, 1270 Hrs, RWA ............................ $212,400 6850, 1998, 2324 Hrs, RWA .............................. $69,500 6710, 1993, 4050 Hrs, RWA .............................. $49,400 5400, 3360 Hrs, RWA ........................................ $16,900 All hours listed are “cutter hours�.
Call today for details on our Easy-Lease financing!
Other machines available for lease also. Subject to credit approval. Call for details.
Page 38 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
ConƟnued from KRENTZ | Page 37 Available at Madison Location
Menomonee Falls
W136 N4901 Campbell Dr. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
Madison
Milwaukee
11715 W. Silver Spring Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53225
7001 Manufacturers Dr. Madison, WI 53704
Hyundai HL955 Wheel Loader
HYUNDAI DEMO SALE
Demo Unit Only
$126,900
le Sca ard nd Sta
Cash Price
3.7YD Hyundai Wheel Loader
Features: Ride Control System Std., Joystick Loader Control with F/R Transmission Control Std., Sears Air Suspension Seat, 200 HP Cummins, Rear View Camera Std., Reversing Fan, Load Weigh System Scale Standard within 1% Accurate, 3.7yd Bucket w/ BO Cutting Edge Std., Z-Bar Linkage, and Lifetime Center Pivot Warranty. *Note: Pricing is for unit #N018517
WE HAVE PARTS INVENTORY FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE NEEDS
Call Us @ 888-310-3902
www.YESEquipment.com STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Kevin Krentz looks over reports at his farm, Krentz Dairy. Krentz manages the overall business, taking care of bookwork and nances, and also lls in on the farm wherever needed.
You've got it!
SOMBODY WANTS IT! sell it in the
FIBERGLASS FENCING • GATES • FREESTALLS • FEED RAIL • FEED LOTS PATENT PENDING
New additive in our paint now prevents & protects against the growth of mold & mildew.
Fiberglass freestalls offer a heightened level of comfort which can lead to an increase in milk production!
NEW PRODUCTS:
• All Solid Rail Fencing has a 20 year UV coating to prevent slivers, Colors available • Show Fencing & Pasture fencing • Cattle Panels & Continuous Fencing • 1’’ & 1-1/4 Electric Fence Post UV Protected •13% Chrome Post for Head Locks & Feed Rail • Guard Rail and Fiberglass posts. • Lifetime warranty on our fiberglass products from rusting and rotting
“The fence from TJ’s Fencing is the most equine friendly, safest, most durable fence on the market. It is a great looking fence that will add eye appeal to any farm.” Jess Bergantzel Show Horses, Mechanicsville, IA
Ventilation for Calves
“We decided to install freestalls from TJ’s Fencing after a friend recommended them. They were easy to install and the cows really like them. We only have about half of the stalls converted right now, but are eager to get the rest of our stalls converted to freestalls from TJ’s Fencing.“ - Bernard County Dairy, Richard Decker Installed in February 2020
barn and double-12 parallel parlor where cows are milked three times a day. In 2007, another freestall barn was built, and later, an addition was made to the original freestall facility. In 2014, Krentz Dairy built a heifer barn and brought its youngstock back home rather than continuing to rent facilities for raising heifers. In 2017, they built a shop and ofce where Krentz spends much of his time tending to the business. “What makes this farm successful is the people,” Krentz said. “We have a really good crew here. This also includes our team of consultants to help manage the farm. We sit around the table with our banker, nutritionist, vet, breeder and agronomist to discuss issues and ways to solve them as nances are available.” Krentz manages the overall business, taking care of bookwork and nances at Krentz Dairy, along with lling in wherever needed on a daily basis. Holly handles the human resources side while Biely manages the herd and dayto-day operations. Krentz and Holly have four children. Marcus graduated from UWMadison Short Course and is moving into managing the agronomy side of the dairy as well as the farm’s shop. Allison works for the environmental health department of Waushara and Green Lake counties. Trevor attends Concordia University majoring in computer science, and the youngest son, Isaac, is in seventh grade. Supporting the community he lives and farms in is important to Krentz – a philosophy passed down by his parents. “A number of years ago, I went through every payment the farm made
that year,” Krentz said. “I found that 62% of the expenses were made within a 15-mile radius of my farm. That demonstrates huge support for my community and shows that a farm needs a community, and a community needs the farms.” Representing fellow farmers of all kinds, Krentz hopes to be a voice for all members as leader of the WFBF. He said 2021 will be a year of moving past COVID-19 and planning for the future. “There’s a lot of conversation around food security/insecurity, and we want to keep those conversations going with customers and farmers,” Krentz said. “In addition, consumers want to know where their food comes from, and we want to keep that connection between consumer, farmer and processor alive.” Krentz said unreliable internet access also continues to be an issue and one he personally deals with where he lives. “Policy wise, there are many issues to tackle, including water, broadband, dairy pricing and meat processing,” Krentz said. “We need to continue to address water moving forward, and for dairy, we need to gure out price mechanisms that work. Period.” Committed to the industry, Krentz looks forward to helping create a vision that will take WFBF members successfully into the future. “It’s all about the people and members we represent as well as the diversity of our members,” Krentz said. “The bureau serves a lot of different commodities in the state. I sit in this seat, but I represent all of them. Listening to and understanding farm bureau member challenges – that’s our job.”
“The fencing looks great, is easy to maintain, it lasts forever and the people are great to work with!” - Stempfle Holsteins, Maynard, IA
Hwy. 76 • Harpers Ferry, IA
563-586-2023
www.tjsfencingcompany.com Email: tjfence@acegroup.cc
FAMILY OWNED FOR OVER 30 YEARS!
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Heifers eat hay Dec. 29 at Kevin Krentz’s farm near Berlin, Wisconsin. This heifer facility was built in 2014 to bring heifer raising back inhouse.
Dairy prole
Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021 • Page 39
sponsored by
Josh Salentine Salentine Homestead Dairy LLC Luxemburg, Wisconsin Kewaunee County 300 cows
What advice would you give other dairy farmers? Don’t be afraid to listen to others, but remember, only you know your operation best. Others want to help you succeed. And always remember your why. Remember why you started dairy farming and why you continue to do it.
How did you get into farming? I got into dairy farming by being raised surrounded by it. I am the fourth generation and proud to follow in the footsteps of my parents and grandparents.
What has been the best purchase you have ever made on your farm? The best purchase we have made on our farm has been the Dairy Comp 305 computer system. It allows us to track, in conjunction with SCR, each animal in our herd with their breeding, treatment and freshening.
What are your thoughts and concerns about the dairy industry for the next year? Most of the concerns I have for the dairy industry in the next year surround the topic of COVID-19. I feel great pressure will be put on the markets until some of the states begin to allow restaurants to open at full capacity. What is the latest technology you implemented on your farm and the purpose for it? The latest technology we have implemented on our dairy has been the SCR cow monitoring collars. These allow us to individually track rumination, rest time and detect heats on each animal in our herd. What is a management practice you changed in the past year that has beneted you? In the last year, we have really focused on our alfalfa fertility to maximize tonnage. What cost-saving steps have you implemented during the low milk price? During the low milk price, we have gone through our cow rations
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The SalenƟne family – (from leŌ) Jenny, Caleb, Molly, Megan and Josh – celebrated 100 years of family farming in 2020 on their dairy near Luxemburg, Wisconsin.
with a ne-tooth comb. We looked closely to be as efcient with feeding as we can be. How do you retain a good working relationship with your employees? We strive our very best to keep an open communication relationship with our employees. We use whiteboards around the barns to keep everybody updated. Tell us about a skill you possess that makes dairy farming easier for you.
Dairy farming becomes very easy when you aren’t afraid to listen to your team members and take critiques and help from them all. The people on my team really want our business to succeed, and they are all skilled in their profession. What do you enjoy most about dairy farming? I enjoy the diversity of dairy farming. Every year is different, and every season is unique in its own way.
What has been your biggest accomplishment while dairy farming? The biggest accomplishment while dairy farming has been seeing our herd get better through the use of genetics. Also, we celebrated 100 years of family farming in 2020. What are your plans for your dairy in the next year and ve years? In the next ve years, I would like to see an increase in total solids sold per cow each year. How do you or your family like to spend time when you are not doing chores? My family and I like to spend our free time at our kids’ sporting events and taking small trips to see cool landmarks in our own area. Some of our favorites have been Cave Point and Fonferek’s Glen.
Benefits of Floury Leafy Corn Silage Hybrids • Large, Soft, Slow Drying Kernels • Longer Rumen Retention • Floury Kernels Fracture More Easily Into Smaller Particles During Chopping • Smaller Starch Particles Offer More Surface Area To Rumen Bugs To Boost Digestibility • Floury Leafy Corn Silage Hybrids Have An Increased Potential To Produce Milk With High Fat Content • No Need To Add Extra Fiber To Rations
Mt. Hope, WI
608-988-4568
www.kussmaulseeds.com
MATURITY FROM 85 TO 112 DAY, GIVE US A TRY!!!
Early Order Discounts in effect now.
(Kernel Processor Rolls not included in discounts)
Call us for your nearest dealer. 717.354.5040 | New Holland, PA
Kernel Processing Rolls
Forage Kernel Processor Units
Row Row-Independent Independent Corn Heads
High-Output Shredder Mills
Compact Roller Mills
Page 40 • Dairy Star • Saturday, January 16, 2021
Take-off arms: Drop-down or non-drop-down
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8GTUCVKNG FGUKIP VQ Ć‚V [QWT HCTO GEA has taken rotary parlor innovation to a new level with the heavy-duty DairyRotor T8000 series. The new low-proďŹ le cabinet design — engineered for fast, smooth cow ow on and o the platform — can be paired with two dierent undercarriage options. Let our team help turn your rotary parlor vision into reality with the DairyRotor T8000.
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5KQWZ &CKT[ 'SWKROGPV +PE Preston Dairy Rock Valley, IAEquipment Sparta, WI • (608) 712-476-5608 • 269-3830 800-962-4346 Colton, SD Stanley Schmitz, Inc. Service Chilton,800-944-1217 WI • 920-849-4209 Edgerton, MN Tri-CountySales Dairy507-920-8626 Supply Chemical Janesville, WI • (608) 757-2697