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Secretary of agriculture visits World Dairy Expo
October 12, 2024
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 26, No. 16
Celebrating June Dairy Month in September Rain delays Trempealeau County breakfast by 3 months
Vilsack discusses opportunities, challenges in industry
By Dan Wacker
dan.w@dairystar.com
OSSEO, Wis. — Graham Giese and Erica Lundberg welcomed visitors to BertMar Farms Sept. 21 for the Trempealeau County Dairy Breakfast. On top of the traditional breakfast, visitors could explore the farm, from watching the 100 cows being milked in a tiestall barn to self-guided farm tours to entertainment for children, including inatables and a
By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
Editor’s Note: This article is part one of a two-part series covering the Global Dairy Summit that took place at this year’s World Dairy Expo. MADISON, Wis. — Dairy enthusiasts from across the world gathered for the industry’s largest show of the year Oct. 1-4 in Madison. World Dairy Expo attracted political gures as well, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. Vilsack visited Expo grounds Oct. 4 to provide closing remarks at the Global Dairy Summit — an event hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Tom Vilsack Secretary of Consumer ProtecAgriculture tion. The purpose of the summit was to offer insight into the dairy economy, provide an industry outlook and highlight potential marketing opportunities. “I know two things about farmers,” Vilsack said. “You love what you do, and you want the opportunity to pass your operation onto the next generation. At (the U.S. Department of Agriculture), we’re committed to making that happen. I appreciate everything dairy farmers do for this country.” Vilsack expressed optimism about the all-milk price, which stands at $23.05 and is forecasted to reach $23.45 by 2025. “That will make it the third highest milk price ever,” he said. Furthermore, the milk-to-feed price ratio is 1.67, which Vilsack said is the best in over a decade. Turn to DAIRY SUMMIT | Page 8
DAN WACKER/DAIRY STAR
Graham Giese and Erica Lundberg stand outside their barn Sept. 23 near Osseo, Wisconsin. Bert-Mar Farms hosted the Trempealeau County Dairy Breakfast two days earlier.
Turn to LUNDBERGS | Page 2
Swept away Farmers reect on devastation in hurricane aftermath By Meghan Kropp and Mark Klaphake Staff Writers
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — When Hurricane Helene stormed its way through North Carolina and Tennessee, it caused casualties, extensive damage and washed away people’s livelihoods. Brothers Dan and Steve Ross own and operate Triple R Dairy Inc. of Waynesville, roughly 30 miles west of Asheville. Dan’s children, John and Miranda, and Steve’s sons, Phillip and Mark, also work on the farm. PHOTO SUBMITTED
Turn to HURRICANE CaƩle at Triple R Dairy Inc. struggle through water, moments before they are swept away | Page 6 by a current at their farm near Waynesville, North Carolina. Hurricane Helene brought torrenƟal rains to parts of North Carolina and Tennessee at the end of September.