Back to the basics
Minnesota Milk restructures dairy conference and expo By Missy Mussman missy@dairystar.com
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – This year’s Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo is going back to the basics. “We wanted to stick to the roots and keep things simple this year,” said Eir GarciaSilva, associate director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association. Minnesota Milk Producers Association and the planning committee have made modications to the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo, which will be held Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud, Minn. One of the biggest changes made to simplify the conference was eliminating the breakout sessions and switching to all general, keynote sessions. “We wanted to keep the group together, to keep everything compact and to keep the morale going through the whole conference,” GarciaSilva said. “They’ll hear the same information, be able to talk about it with each other and learn from one another.” The change will be seen on Nov. 29 with only one pre-conference keynote
session kicking off the expo called “Tough Questions; Easy Answers” presented by Midwest Dairy Association and facilitated by their staff and Donna Moenning of Look East. Moenning is a former Midwest Dairy communicator. “There are a lot of tough issues and questions swirling around the dairy industry, and this will be a great opportunity for farmers to get good answers to those questions and share on their social media, with their friends or at the grocery store,” GarciaSilva said. “It’s going to be a really good training.” On top of the quality training, producers can expect more benets for being one of the 100 farmers to pre-register for the workshop. “Since we are teaming up with Midwest Dairy Association, we are paying for hotel room expenses, registration fees and onsite childcare from noon to 8 p.m., that day when they register in advance,” GarciaSilva said. “We’re really excited to offer this to our farmers.” Another new feature for the rst night will be the structure of the welcome reception. This year, farmers will travel to three locations – Beaver Island Brewery in St.
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
The Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo tradeshow offers �me to visit with business exhibitors. The dairy conference and expo will be Nov. 29-Dec. 1 at the River’s Edge Conven�on Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Cloud, Urban Moose Brewery in Sauk Rapids and the Green Mill at the Best Western Plus Kelly Inn in St. Cloud. “They’ll be able to network
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with different people and taste different things,” Garcia Silva said. “It’s going to be a fun, social atmosphere.” The rst full day of the
conference will kickoff with a town hall style breakfast meeting focusing on the Turn to EXPO | Page 2
Page 2 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
DAIRY ST R www.dairystar.com
522 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 Phone: (320) 352-6303 Fax: (320) 352-5647
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 Amanda Thooft amanda.t@dairystar.com Consultant Jerry Jennissen 320-346-2292 President Dave Simpkins 320-352-6577 davesimpkins@saukherald.com Editorial Staff Andrea Borgerding - Managing Editor (320) 352-6303 • andrea.b@dairystar.com Krista Kuzma - Assistant Editor (507) 259-8159 • krista.k@dairystar.com Missy Mussman (320) 429-1084 missy@dairystar.com Ron Johnson (608) 874-4243 ron.j@dairystar.com Ruth Klossner (507) 240-0048 cowlady@centurylink.net Jennifer Coyne (320) 352-6303 jenn@dairystar.com Cassie Olson (715) 245-6848 cassie.o@dairystar.com Brittany Olson (320) 352-6303 brittany.o@dairystar.com
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Sales Manager - Jeff Weyer (Northern MN, East Central MN) 320-260-8505 (cell) jeff.w@dairystar.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 Lori Menke (Eastern Iowa, Southern WI) 563-608-6477 • lori.m@dairystar.com Megan Stuessel (Western Wisconsin) 608-387-1202 • megan.s@dairystar.com Deadlines The deadline for news and advertising in the Dairy Star is 5 p.m. Friday the week before The Dairy Star is published semi-monthly by Dairy Star, publication. LLC, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. Subscriptions Periodicals Postage Paid at Sauk Centre, MN. POSTMASTER: One outside Sendyear addresssubscription changes to Dairy $35.00, Star, 522 Sinclair Lewisthe Ave.,U.S. Sauk Centre, MN 56378-1246. $110.00. Send check along with mailing address to Dairy Star, 522 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378.
Con�nued from EXPO | Page 1
Margin Protection Program (MPP) with Marin Bozic and the Minnesota Milk staff. “We want to have a candid discussion about what farmers think works and doesn’t work with the program, especially with the prices being what they are now,” GarciaSilva said. “We also want to look ahead and see what dairy farmers need and how Minnesota Milk can provide that to them. We want to highlight what we do for the industry in terms of legislation, education and networking opportunities, and why it’s important we work together.” Following breakfast, the general sessions will commence for the next two days with topics ranging from the economic state of the dairy industry, production practices and proactive communication about industry issues. “All the keynotes are top notch. We have a good mix,” GarciaSilva said. “We’re hitting a lot of hot button issues, providing producers with tools to take home and apply on their own farms to make improvements, and giving dairy farmers the resources to be informed and proactively engage with changing consumers and a changing industry.” The schedule allowed for Minnesota Milk to add an additional keynote session at 4 p.m., on Nov. 30. During this keynote, a social hour will be held in the trade show at the Minnesota Milk booth. “We’re starting it earlier this year,” GarciaSilva said. “This will allow farmers to intermix and network while still being able to visit with the vendors.” Childcare will also be provided throughout the expo with hours still to be determined for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. This is a new aspect to the conference this year. “Producers can come and drop off their children at $5 per hour per kid subject to availability,” GarciaSilva said. “Pre-registration is the key to guaranteeing a spot and a reduced price.” The registration cost will be $20 per day per family or $50 for all three days with pre-registration. Even with modifying the structure of the conference, producers can expect events from past conferences including the scholarship auction, awards banquet and entertainment with Slap Happy Comedy on Nov. 30.
Items are auc�oned off during the 2015 Scholarship Auc�on. “Knowing how the year we’re in has been for the dairy farmers, this will allow them to relax with some good clean comedy and laugh with one another,” GarciaSilva said about the evening entertainment. The ag prayer breakfast and the dairy specic trade show will also be happening this year. “Our sponsors for this show are
DAIRY STAR FILE PHOTO
key,” GarciaSilva said. “This event wouldn’t be possible without them.” After making the adjustments, GarciaSilva and the Minnesota Milk staff are looking forward to providing producers with a quality conference. “I think the program will appeal to everyone,” GarciaSilva said. “We’re really excited about everything we’re offering to them this year.”
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Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 3
Improving dairy’s carbon footprint Bennett to describe National FARM program voluntary environmental module By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Environmental stewardship is an expectation for all dairy farmers, but how does one know exactly what their impact is on the environment? To answer this, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program has developed FARM Environmental Stewardship, an environmental module used to measure improvements in the area of sustainability that will be available to producers in 2017. Ryan Bennett, NMPF’s Senior Director of Industry and Environmental Affairs, will detail the program during the Minnesota Milk Dairy ConferRyan Bennett ence and Expo during an afterNMPF Senior Director of Industry noon session on Wednesday, and Environmental November 30. “No one knows how to Affairs produce milk better than those who are producing it,” Bennett said. “We are getting more efcient at making milk, which is something for us to brag about and to share what it is that we are doing.” Originally developed under the name Farm Smart by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, the FARM Environmental Stewardship program will be an updated module with a partnership between NMPF and the Innovation Center. Bennett said Farm Smart was created following an assessment conducted by the Innovation Center from 2009-2012. The assessment received survey data from over 500 farms, which helped the Innovation Center create a program that gave an understanding of U.S. dairy’s greenhouse gas footprint on a per gallon basis. After four years, the program was being used in a limited capacity. Bennett said cooperatives involved in animal care wanted to start using FARM Smart, but wanted to see some growth. “These groups started asking, ‘What if we did a FARM Smart assessment that also incorporated animal care?’” Bennett said. “As we started moving forward with the idea, it made sense.” As a result, the FARM Environmental Stewardship program will be available for participation beginning in January 2017. During his session, Bennett will outline the information farmer’s can learn about their farm by participating in the program and how having that information can better their farm in the long run. “It is completely voluntary for people to use,” Bennett said. “We do not showcase individual farm data. The data is used on an aggregate basis to promote dairy, talk about dairy’s continuous improvement and showcase why the United States has the best model for producing dairy products in the world from an environmental standpoint.” The program will allow farms to compare their data to other data within their region. This information will provide farmers with information to help make decisions regarding environmental improvements on their farm, but Bennett said those decisions are to be made by the farmers themselves. “This is not a program that will tell you how to run your farm; it does, however, help companies marketing milk sell more milk to their customers,” Bennett said. Bennett said the goal with the program is that milk marketers will be able to sell more milk by sharing the aggregate results the program will provide.
“Over the past ve to ten years, [dairies] have averaged an over 1 percent increase in milk per cow in production. While some inputs would increase, it was not nearly as much as our production increased,” Bennett said. “On a per unit basis, our footprint has continued to go down over time; [The United States’] model of farming is efcient and also good for the environment. That is something to celebrate and share with customers.” While the program is completely voluntary, Bennett said he hopes farmers consider getting involved with the program to better market their product in the future. “First and foremost, farmers are the best stewards of the land, taking care of their animals and
managing their farm,” Bennett said. “Currently, we are not capturing that information to the best of our abilities and FARM Environmental Stewardship is a great way to improve that.” Bennett has a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural communication and is currently nishing his Masters of Agribusiness degree at Kansas State University. Before becoming the senior director of industry and environmental affairs, he worked as the director of public policy at the National Grain and Feed Association before serving as the director of government relations for NMPF. In his current position, Bennett works on environmental policy and outreach to government ofcials in addition to running the NMPF FARM program.
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Page 4 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
Steven Landwehr: Why do you attend Expo? Steven Landwehr Watkins, Minn. Stearns County 6,000 cows How many times have you attended the conference? I’ve attended 10 times. What is the main reason you attend? I really enjoy attending the breakout sessions and going to the annual Minnesota Milk Producers Association meeting. What is one management strategy or product you learned about while attending the conference that you incorporated to your farm? I implemented the use of shredlage rolls in our SPFH to improve the kernel processing of our corn silage and improve the physical effective fiber in our TMR. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry? I am always looking for ways to improve our margins, whether that is feed related or management practices. I look for ways to improve our staff with more training resources or educational opportunities to help with leadership and animal welfare.
What has been the best presentation or seminar you have been to at the conference? I really enjoy attending the seminars that Marin Bozic puts on. It helps me understand what has happened with the dairy economy in the past and present, which helps me make better or more precise decisions in the future.
What is one thing you are looking forward to at the conference this year? Peter Krawczel’s session on stocking density and bunk management. Tell us about your farm. Our farm consists of four dairy operations. We have a dry cow and calving facility, a heifer facility and a custom
harvesting, cropping and manure pumping business. We do all of our calving on one central facility that helps us have a more focused staff within their trained positions. We grow about 40 to 50 percent of all our forages and purchase the remaining forages from neighboring farms.
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Dairy Conference and Expoo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 5
Setting the record straight Leach to share experience using social media to call out, criticize Chipotle
had on their cups. “My husband and I had a 90-minute conversation with Josh Brau, the director of Chipotle’s Food Integrity Program,” Leach said. “During our conversation, he told us he had been in contact with Dairy Management Inc., and had a farm visit lined up in Indiana.” After Chipotle’s visit to a dairy farm, and again, the pressure from social media, they removed the cup with the misleading marketing from circulation. “We got a response because we hit a nerve somewhere along the line,” Leach said. Originally, Leach was not planning on posting anything to her social media, but the conversation with her daughter changed her mind. “She told me she wanted to go to the nearest Chipotle and give them a piece of her mind, but I knew that wasn’t going to do any good,” Leach said. “So, she pushed me to write something on Facebook about it. I did it as a teaching moment for her.” Leach knew she had to be careful while composing her response. “We needed to deal with it in a constructive way without attacking Chipotle,” Leach said. “The general public just doesn’t know a lot about agriculture and what happens on farms, so we need to explain things in a positive and factual way. We need to lay it out there so people understand.” After seeing how her constructive
By Missy Mussman missy@dairystar.com
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – When Lisa Leach’s 12-year-old daughter texted her a photo of a cup from fast food restaurant, Chipotle Mexican Grill, with misleading words about dairy farmers, she knew something had to be said. “My daughter told me we couldn’t let Chipotle tell lies,” Leach said. “She was right.” This past summer, Leach used 209 words and a photo on Facebook to respond to Chipotle’s marketing that all cows should always have access to pasture to see a double rainbow and not be treated with anitbiotics. Leach will share more about her experience and why farmers need to speak up against negative comments and the naysayers during her presentation, “I Called Out Chipotle; They Answered,” on Nov. 30 in Haw C during the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in St. Cloud, Minn. Leach milks 40 cows with her family near Linwood, Kan. Leach’s commentary on Facebook received over 7,800 shares in one week by her friends, friends of friends and strangers. “It went viral,” Leach said. “I had people stopping me at the grocery store telling me they saw my post. I couldn’t believe how quick that was.” Those reactions were just the start. As a result of the pressure Chipotle received on social media, Leach received an email from the fast food restaurant asking what was wrong with what they
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Lisa Leach, pictured with her husband, Rob, is sharing her experience of using social media to respond to misleading markeƟng on a cup at Chipotle, and having Chipotle respond, on Nov. 30 during the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in St. Cloud, Minn. Leach milks 40 cows on her family dairy near Linwood, Kan. comments made a difference, Leach realizes the power one person can have when he or she stand up for his or her beliefs. “If even just one person can take it to heart after I addressed something, that is one less person against us,” Leach said. “That’s why we need to speak up.”
And that is what Leach wants the farmers who attend her session to understand and hopefully take action themselves. “Farmers have a voice, and social media is a great way to share information and our message with a lot of people is a very quick manner,” Leach said. “We need to set the record straight.”
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Dairy Conference and Expoo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 7
Janel & Roger Walter: Why do you attend Expo? Janel and Roger Walter Plummer, Minn. Red Lake County 390 cows How many times have you attended the conference? We’ve attended for 11 years. What is the main reason you attend? We like to meet with vendors at the trade show and other dairy farmers. What is one management strategy or product you learned about while attending the conference that you incorporated to your farm? We learned about the value of pasteurizing milk for calves. We implemented that practice on our farm. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry? How to handle employees, keeping up with the regulations of running a dairy farm and the effects of the outside pressures on Minnesota dairy. What has been the best presentation or seminar you have been to at the conference? Jolene Brown’s top 10 stupid things families do to break up their business. What is one thing you are looking forward to at the conference this year? Meeting other dairy farmers, visiting and relaxing. Tell us about your farm. I have been in operation with the dairy farm throughout my life. My brother, Ray, and I purchased the farm from my father in 1977. Last year my son, Marc, and his family bought Ray’s share of the farm. We are currently milking 390 cows, farm 900 acres and raise all of our youngstock.
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Page 8 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
AGENDA River’s Edge Convention Center • St. Cloud, MN
Tuesday, November 29
On-Site Child Care: 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. TOUGH QUESTIONS; GOOD ANSWERS A workshop to help Dairy Champions be confident yet transparent about farming, food and facts. Join Midwest Dairy staff and Donna Moenning, Look East communications trainer, for this session, designed for dairy farmers and other industry stakeholders to effectively address challenging questions and myths related to dairy products and dairy production. You’ll find the session active and engaging, with plenty of practice to help you find new ways to confidently communicate with family, friends, your community and others who are asking the questions we sometimes find challenging to answer.
5:00 - 10:00 p.m. Welcome Reception All pre-registered participants of the conference are invited to the welcome reception at three locations in downtown St. Cloud. Shuttle transportation will be provided starting at the Green Mill Restaurant & Bar. • Location 1: Beaver Island Brewing Company • Location 2: Urban Moose Brewery • Location 3: Green Mill Restaurant & Bar
Wednesday, November 30
On-Site Child Care: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Discovery Alley Trade Show: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
7:30 - 9:00 a.m. BREAKFAST TOWN HALL Margin Protection Program at Half-Time: Do We Need an Overhaul? Dr. Marin Bozic, University of Minnesota
There is widespread discontent with the performance of MPP-Dairy to date. Do we call for regionalization or ask that it accommodate higher feed costs? What policy reforms are meaningful? What should you do in 2017? Join Dr. Marin Bozic for a straight-talk town hall meeting over breakfast.
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Minnesota Milk Annual Meeting
10:00 - 10:30 a.m. Refreshments in Discovery Alley
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Interaction of Stocking Density, Productivity and Cow Comfort: What to consider on your farm Peter Krawczel, University of Tennessee
Hear about the impacts of stocking density on behavior of lactating and dry dairy cows with emphasis on new data on how stocking density and feed bunk management interact, response to overstocking different resources and how stocking density might affect sleep.
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Your 5 Wildcards for 2017
Mary Keough Ledman, Daily Dairy Report
It’s time to think about what hand 2017 may deal dairy farmers. There’s always something new on the horizon, and Ledman’s worldwide experience will help connect the dots between the international market and your milk check.
Noon - 1:30 p.m. Lunch in Discovery Alley
2:00 - 2:45 p.m. I Called Out Chipotle; They Answered Lisa Leach, Kansas dairy farmer
Lisa used Facebook to call out Chipotle for misleading wording about dairy farms on its cups. Then, she got a call from an executive at Chipotle. Lisa will share what happened, why she did it and why you might consider similar action.
2:45 - 3:30 p.m. National F.A.R.M. Program 3.0: Updates and the addition of the voluntary environmental module Ryan Bennett, National Milk Producers Federation
The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (F.A.R.M.) program has been voluntarily adopted by most U.S. cooperatives and processors receiving direct-ship milk. In addition to the cow-side components, come learn about what’s new in 2017 including the incorporation of Farm Environmental Stewardship.
Wednesday, November 30: Agenda continued on next page
Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 9
AGENDA River’s Edge Convention Center • St. Cloud, MN Wednesday, November 30 (Continued)
3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Refreshments in Discovery Alley
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Little Giants: Strategies for small farm survival Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, University of Kentucky
The average “larger” farm can cut per hundredweight and per cow costs through the efficiency of scale. But not all farms are large, or plan to become larger. Bewley will show why some won’t have to -- through strategies that beat the odds through innovation regardless of size.
5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Scholarship Auction
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Awards Banquet
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. Slap Happy Comedy High energy, hilarious and interactive improv for the whole family.
Thursday, December 1
On-Site Child Care: 7:00 a.m. - Noon Discovery Alley Trade Show: 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
7:15 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. Breakfast
7:45 - 8:30 a.m.
Inspirational Morning Message
Mike Max, Host of Life to the Max, anchor/reporter on WCCO Radio and WCCO-TV
Mike Max is the catalyst behind “Life to the Max,” featuring a specialization in positive human interest stories. Come hear his uplifting message based on triumphs and comebacks of the figures he interviews and in his personal life.
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Using New Precision Technology to Improve Your Farm Dr. Jeffrey Bewley, University of Kentucky
Whether it’s robotic milkers or activity monitors, daily milk weights or birthing alert systems, precision technology is everdeveloping. Staff at the University of Kentucky manage and monitor a herd in a dozen ways, learning how they can be utilized with financial payback on farms of all sizes.
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Consumers are Changing the Way We Farm Steve Peterson
As a former General Mills sustainability executive, Peterson has seen firsthand how activists and consumers influence brands, their products, the supply chain and ultimately the farm. Hear how Peterson, a farmer himself, thinks dairy farmers should engage with their customers.
11:00 - 11:30 a.m. Refreshments in Discovery Alley
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Achieving Excellence: Simple things you can do to achieve 95 pounds plus Dr. Gordie Jones, Central Sands Dairy
What does it take to make 95 pounds of milk? Gordie Jones, D.V.M., partner in Central Sands Dairy in Wis., consults on dairies around the world to eliminate bottlenecks. He will identify problems holding back your herd and show solutions that work on dairies of any size in any location.
Noon - 1:30 p.m. Lunch in Discovery Alley
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION 1-Day Registration: $40 MMPA Member I $50 Non-Member 2-Day Registration: $60 MMPA Member I $80 Non-Member • Wednesday, November 30: Breakfast, Lunch and Banquet • Thursday, December 1: Breakfast and Lunch NOTE: No registration is required for the FREE Trade Show.
ON-SITE CHILD CARE
$20 per day or $50 for all 3 days per family Or $5 per
(pre-registration required by November 15) child per hour drop-in rate (subject to space availability)
Tuesday Hours: 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wednesday Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Thursday Hours: 7:00 a.m. - Noon
Visit us online at MnMilk.org/expo for complete details or call 1-877-577-0741!
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Page 10 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
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Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 11
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Page 12 • Midwest Dairy Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
2016 EXHIBITORS River’s Edge Convention Center • St. Cloud, MN PARTICIPANTS AS OF 11/1/16 Ag Solutions ..................................................507 Ag Tech Drainage ..........................................702 Ag Tech Security ............................................404 Agricultural Utilization Research Institute ...........904 Agri-King, Inc. ...............................................411 Agri-Trac U.S. ................................................409 AgroChem Inc. ..............................................514 AgStar Financial Services..................... 602 & 703 Alforex Seeds ................................................416 Alltech Inc. ....................................................523 American Agco Trading Company ...................706 Amino Plus / Ag Processing, Inc. .....................610 AMPI ............................................................604 AMS Galaxy USA ..........................................723 Anez Consulting Inc. ......................................106 Arnold’s of Kimball .............................. 620 & 622 Arnzen Construction, Inc. & St. Rosa Lumber, Inc. ................. 107, 108 & 109 Artex Manufacturing......................302, 304, 306, ................................................. 403, 405 & 407 Big Bear Genetics ..........................................612 Big Gain Feed, Inc. ........................................310 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. ...............519 Bongards’ Creameries ....................................218 Boss Supply Inc. .............................................515 Byron Seeds ..................................................204 CBM Lighting...................................... 221 & 223 Centra Sota Cooperative ..................... 302 & 303 Champion Milking Systems .................. 713 & 715 Dairy Farmers of America ...............................521 Dairy Star .....................................................908 Dairyland Equipment of Menahga, Inc. ............709 Dairymaster USA Inc. .....................................711 DODA ..........................................................813 Elanco Animal Health .......................... 802 & 903 Eurofins Scientific, Inc. ....................................808 Famo Feeds ...................................................707 FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative ............................704
Wednesday, November 30 from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, December 31 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. For information on exhibitors, visit MnMilk.org/Expo or contact Erica Nelson at 763-497-1778 or expo@mnmilk.org.
Farm-Rite Equipment of St. Cloud Inc. ...............203 Feedworks USA .............................................906 First District Association ..................................922 Form-A-Feed ..................................................516 Freeport State Bank ........................................614 Genex Farm Systems, Inc. .... 820, 822, 921 & 923 Global Water Energy, LLC ...............................305 Gold Country Seed ........................................914 Hanson Silo Company ....................................422 HarvXtra Alfalfa .............................................920 Hawkins Inc. .................................................104 Hubbard Feeds Inc. ............................. 804 & 806 IDEXX ...........................................................909 Innovative Gypsum Products, LLC .....................101 Investors Community Bank ...............................111 JBS United, Inc ...............................................606 KASM-1150 AM KDDG 105.5 BOB FM ...........112 Kuhn North America ......................................705 Land O’Lakes, Inc. .............................. 402 & 503 Leedstone .....502, 504, 506, 508, 510, 512, 603, ................................. 605, 607, 609, 611 & 613 MEDA / Chem-STAR............................ 712 & 714 Merck Animal Health ......................................105 Merial, Ltd.....................................................617 Midwest Dairy Association .............318, 320, 322, ................................................. 419, 421 & 423 Midwest Machinery Co. ......... 716-722 & 817-823 Minnesota Beef Council ..................................513 Minnesota Board of Animal Health...................206 Minnesota Dairy Initiatives ..............................207
Exit
Minnesota Department of Agriculture ................205 Minnesota DHIA ............................................618 Minnesota Farmers Union ...............................217 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency .................102 Minnesota Select Sires Co-op, Inc. ...................803 MN Ag Water Resource Center .......................110 MN Farm Bureau ...........................................213 MN Milk ............ 318, 320, 322, 419, 421 & 423 Mycogen Seeds .............................................708 Nextire Inc. ...................................................916 Northland Farm Systems .................................815 Osakis Silo Repair..........................................201 Phibro Animal Health......................................710 Pluto Legal, PLLC ............................................509 Recycling Association of MN ...........................215 Stearns Bank EFD (Equipment Finance Division) .307 Stearns DHIA Laboratories ..............................103 Steelwerx LLC ................................................805 Stray Voltage Consulting .................................616 Summit Glove ................................................517 Supervisor Systems .........................................308 Tiry Engineering, Inc.......................................406 Udder Tech, Inc. ................................. 900 & 902 Unity Bank ....................................................811 University of Minnesota...................................511 Vita Plus ............................................. 905 & 907 Wieser Concrete ............................................608 Woller Equipment...........................................615 Ziegler CAT ........................ 220, 222, 321 & 323 Zoetis ...........................................................910
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HIGHLIGHTS & LOGISTICS
ON-SITE CHILD CARE On-site child care will be available:
Tuesday, November 29 from 11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 30 from 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 1 from 7:00 a.m. - Noon. Wristband check-in/check-out will be utilized for safety and programming is provided for various age groups.
DAIRY GIRL NETWORK LUNCHEON
Join us for lunch and laughter on Wednesday at noon! We’ll have fabulous food and lots of fun for just $10 per person. This come-and-go luncheon is for all women involved with any part of dairy. Register at www.dairygirlnetwork.com.
Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 13
Free space in freestalls Krawczel to highlight impacts of stocking density on cow comfort, production By Cassie Olson
cassie.o@dairystar.com
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – When it comes to space at the feed bunk and resting time in freestalls, farmers know less certainly does not mean more. Yet, overstocking has become a common practice on many dairy farms nationwide. Through his research as an assistant professor in animal science at the University of Tennessee, Dr. Peter Krawczel has found a high stocking density has potential to lead to less dollars in the farmer’s pocket. Krawczel will highlight the impacts of stocking density on the By Peter Krawczel behavior of lactating and dry dairy cows during an University of educational session on Tennessee Nov. 30 at the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in St. Cloud, Minn. While overstocking is common, Krawczel said there are a lot of challenges it can pose for a dairy’s success. “[Looking at] USDA survey data, overstocking is a common management practice,” Krawczel said. “But there are some risks involved.” Krawczel’s presentation, titled “Interaction of Stocking Density, Productivity and Cow Comfort: What to consider on your farm,” will detail these risks. He plans to look into stocking density’s correlation to productivity, feed consumption, sleeping patterns and overall cow comfort. According to Krawczel, there are misconceptions regarding stocking density that differ from what current research suggests. “[During my presentation], we will review what we think about stocking density and how it relates to productivity. Most recently, we’ve been conducting research with
“I want farmers to leave with the idea that, if they are overcrowded, they can help cows cope with overcrowding stress.” - Peter Krawczel
sleep and looking at its connection to overcrowding,” Krawczel said. “We will share what we have learned while thinking about the combined effects of stocking density with other management stressors.” Krawczel acknowledged that overcrowding is not always the leading cause for stress in a cow’s environment. His presentation will cover other causes for stress, that when combined with overcrowding, limit a cow’s ability to perform. “In some cows, stocking density might not be efcient to cause problems. During my session, we will look at how cumulative stressors can cause issues for the cow,” Krawczel said. Knowing and reducing these cumulative stressors can allow farmers to manage a higher stocking density without disrupting the cow’s well-being. “Ideally, I want farmers to leave with the
idea that, if they are overcrowded, they can help cows cope with overcrowding stress,” Krawczel said. Finally, Krawczel plans to discuss current recommendations regarding dry cow stocking density and touch on group housing in calves. He hopes farmers attending his session will leave with a greater understanding of stocking density’s impact at each stage of production. “Ultimately, I want to get farmers thinking of stocking density at the important life stages on the farm by providing a comprehensive overview of what we currently know,” Krawczel said. Krawczel said he hopes those attending his session at the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo leave with a better knowledge of limiting factors for their dairy herd and ways to avoid them. “I want farmers to leave understanding the overall
importance in facilitating a cow’s natural behavior and what she is trying to accomplish as an active member of the herd. I hope they are better able to recognize how we could be limiting her and help them nd ways to navigate around those limitations,” Krawczel said. Krawczel has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of Maryland-College Park, a Masters Degree in Animal Science from Texas A&M University and a PhD in Animal, Nutrition and Food Sciences from the University of Vermont. In his position at the University of Tennessee, Krawczel works with University of Tennessee Extension and conducts research on a wide range of topics focused in housing management and animal care.
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Page 14 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
Marlys & Dale Hinckley: Why do you attend Expo? Marlys and Dale Hinckley Chatfield, Minn. Olmsted County 400 cows
straightforwardness and humor of Jolene Brown. She gets her point across while making you smile.
How many times have you attended the conference? Not sure of the number of times, but it has been many.
What is one thing you are looking forward to at the conference this year? We are looking forward to connecting with old friends and seeing what’s new in the industry.
What is the main reason you attend? Many reasons, some of which are: meeting up with old friends, gathering new ideas of what is happening in the industry, informative meetings, a trade show that is specific to our industry and listening to keynote speakers who always have so much to offer. What is one management strategy or product you learned about while attending the conference that you incorporated to your farm? Several years ago, we were intending to add a calf barn and bring our babies home to be raised for the first six to eight months. The automatic calf feeders were fairly new at that point,
and besides seeing one at our daughter’s facility, we didn’t know enough about it. After speaking to a representative, we had answers to our questions. We installed the automatic feeder and haven’t looked back. We couldn’t be happier. What topics are you most interested in learning about
in the dairy industry? I believe the most pertinent topic today is not just surviving low milk prices, but keeping the industry viable for the next generation. What has been the best presentation or seminar you have been to at the conference? We have always enjoyed the
Tell us about your farm. Our farming operation consists of my wife and I and our two sons, Matt and Adam, and a few employees. We are located on a busy highway, so we like to keep a respectable appearance as we feel that is the only impression many consumers will have of what a farm looks like. We milk 400 cows three times a day and have our youngstock here for the first six to eight months. Then, they go to a heifer raiser until they are a few months from calving. We raise all our own forages for feed, which gives us better control of the quality. We also have a cash crop operation, which includes soybeans and corn.
Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 15
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“I didn’t even think we had stray voltage!” Roger Lange milks 100 head on his family dairy at Crofton, Nebraska. Until recently he was often forced to sell his fresh heifers because they wouldn t let down their milk. “We called Stray Voltage Consulting, and Jerry found the problem within half an hour.” Roger said. “I was very impressed with Jerry. He’s a former REA guy, so he understands both the farmer and the electric company. Being able to work with both sides is a key component to his success.” “I haven’t had a single problem with our fresh heifers since Jerry corrected our stray voltage problem. I would highly recommend Stray Voltage Consulting to anyone who thinks they might have stray voltage!”
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Page 16 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
Building a relationship
Peterson to educate producers on customer interaction By Missy Mussman missy@dairystar.com
Minn eso Vis ta M i ilk D t u s a Boo iry Co at th # nfe 706 ren c
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ST. CLOUD, Minn. – When it comes to being successful and sustainable in the dairy industry, it takes more than just improving management practices, obtaining high milk production, being stewards of the land and having healthy cows. “We also need farmers and food companies to understand each other and develop a working relationship,” said Steven Peterson, a retired General Mills sustainability executive and the owner of Peterson Farms near Paynesville, Minn. “Consumers inuence how we farm and what products we sell, so we need to work together.” Peterson will dig deeper on how and why farmers should engage with their customers during his keynote session, “Consumers are Changing the Way We Farm” at 10 a.m., on Dec. 1 in Haws C during the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in St. Cloud, Minn. “That’s key in keeping farmers and food companies successful and sustainable 10 years down the road,” Peterson said. Peterson will present why agriculture sustainability is important to all food companies and the approach companies are taking to address issues and their commitment to sustainability. Peterson will also speak on why the relationship between farmers and food companies is a catalyst for sustainability. After nearly 30 years working for General Mills and 60 years actively working on his family’s turkey, beef
“Animal care, conservation and environmental stewardship are big areas consumers are interested in.” - Steven Peterson
and crop farm, Peterson has witnessed changes among consumers. “A larger part of our consumer population is millennials, and they want to know where their food comes from and how it’s cared for along the way before they make a purchasing decision,” Peterson said. “They want a form of intimacy with their food.” According to Peterson, this means it is even more pertinent for farmers to communicate with their customers about what they do on their operations. “Animal care, conservation and environmental stewardship are big areas consumers are interested in,” Peterson said. “We can’t just say
we’re taking care of our animals and land because we’re fourth generation farmers. That’s not adequate anymore. They want proof. There’s a whole new set of criteria for consumers when they make a food purchase.” By taking steps to show consumers that producers are improving conservation and sustainability practices in all facets of the farm is a positive for the farmers’ bottom line. “There is a strong link between sustainability and prot,” Peterson said. Providing customers with that information goes far beyond what they decide to purchase at the grocery store. It also helps them understand why Steven Peterson farmers use certain management Peterson Farms practices. “We live in an increasingly regulated environment,” Peterson said. “The policy makers who make legislative decisions affecting us are reecting the urban society’s beliefs. The farmer brand is still strong but it’s eroding.” This is where a strong relationship with food companies comes into play according to Peterson. “Food companies have just as big of a responsibility as the farmers do in providing consumers the intimacy they want with their food,” Peterson said. But that can be a challenge with the employee background dynamics at various food companies. Peterson saw this rst hand while working with General Mills. “I was surprised by the lack of connection,” Peterson said. “But, growing up on a farm used to be very common among employees. Now, it’s rare to have any agriculture experience with less than 2 percent of the population being involved in production agriculture.” Seeing the disconnection from the farm, Peterson was in charge of putting a program together to strengthen the connection the employees at the food company had with the farm. “There is a real need for this relationship besides just communicating with consumers,” Peterson said. Despite the disconnection, he saw an interest in establishing this relationship among several of General Mills employees. “The new millennial employees were really wanting this,” Peterson said. “It’s a cool thing to see happen.” When producers leave this session, Peterson hopes they realize the opportunities there are by establishing a relationship with their food companies. “It’s in the best interest for both parties to understand each other to better communicate with and meet the demands of the consumers,” Peterson said. “We’re all winners in the end that way. We’ll have a better chance of all being in business 10 to 20 years from now.”
Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 17
Page 18 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
Is MPP getting a facelift? levels per hundredweight of milk. However, because losses in crop prices have coincided with depressed milk prices, many dairymen – particularly those who grow their feed – feel that MPP has been nothing short of a bust. Marin Bozic, assistant professor in dairy foods marketing economics at the University of Minnesota, is hosting a town hall forum at the 2016 Minnesota Milk Producers Association Dairy Conference and Expo. “We’ll be discussing what could happen in 2017, such as risk factors along with coverage levels and what producers might nd feasible for their operation,” said Bozic, who has conducted extensive research in dairy policy analysis, risk management and consumer demand analysis. Bozic alluded to the consensus that MPP hasn’t worked, understanding that farmers are frustrated by receiving little to no compensation for any losses in-
Bozic discusses risk factors, coverage levels for 2017 By Brittany Olson
brittany.o@dairystar.com
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Across the landscape of the dairy industry in the United States, from Maine to Oregon and all points in between, there seems to be a widely held sentiment among American farmers that the USDA Margin Protection Program, or MPP, is not working. MPP, widely touted by the USDA as the replacement program for Milk Income Loss Compensation (MILC) as a result of the 2014 Farm Bill, seeks to compensate dairy farmers for nancial losses based on a set formula with current milk prices and feed costs as weighted factors. Farmers are able to decide on purchasing coverage
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curred after milk prices dropped in 2015. “Other than small payments issued in May and June of 2016, MPP hasn’t paid anything,” Bozic said. The big question that remains, according to Bozic, is this: what do we do going forward, particularly with the 2018 Farm Bill looming on the horizon? “The answer may lie in either MPP reform or replacing it with a different program in the new Farm Bill,” Bozic said. Bozic said MPP was designed to be a simple and straightforward program that would reimburse Marin Bozic farmers for income losses in exUniversity of tremely troubling and catastrophic Minnesota years, such as the dairy price crash of 2009. “If we look at MPP design, it’s designed to be affordable in troubling circumstances like 2009, and also easy to understand,” Bozic said. The downside to such simplicity is that MPP ends up not being subsidized if the year ahead is forecasted to see reasonable milk prices. “The tradeoff is that in order to make MPP a great program in years like this, you have to make it more complex,” Bozic said. In his presentation, Bozic will discuss the different proposals being brought forth in order to change MPP. One idea is to make the margin formulas regional. “The reason lower margins persist in western states like California and Idaho is because of the industry structure. You see lower overhead costs but larger dairies that purchase the majority of their feed,” Bozic said. Regions of the United States face challenges unique to their geographic location, so making the MPP formula take into account differences would mean some areas of the nation would receive payments while others would not. “If you regionalize MPP, some regions may receive payments even before losses occur,” Bozic said. Another proposal is to adjust the MPP formula to make feed costs higher. “Yes, if feed costs were higher, more payments would be made. This wouldn’t be a game changer though,” Bozic said. Bozic’s presentation, “Margin Protection Program at Half-Time: Do We Need an Overhaul?” begins at 8 a.m. on Nov. 30 over breakfast. Because his presentation is a town hall forum as opposed to a lecture, Bozic encourages farmers to come with any questions or concerns they have about MPP. “What I’m trying to do is give some insight into what may happen with MPP and help give a deeper perspective,” Bozic said. “Because this year’s MPP signup deadline has been moved back, this will give farmers a little bit of time to think about what they want to do next.”
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Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016 • Page 19
Roger Peters: Why do you attend Expo? Roger Peters Tyler, Minn. Lincoln County 300 cows
What is one thing you are looking forward to at the conference this year? I always go with the intention of trying to find something that will make our farm more efficient. We are looking at upgrading our heifer facilities, so that will something I want to talk with other dairy farmers about. I also will look for something that will work for our farm.
How many times have you attended the conference? I have attended for the last six years and a couple of other years before that. What is the main reason you attend? I attend because I am a board member. I went the other times because I had been a mentor, and they gave those people free passes. When I got there, I attended the education sessions and was impressed. What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry? A couple of years ago, I was really interested in putting in an auto feeder for calves. I looked at all the
companies and then we purchased one. What has been the best presentation or seminar you have been to at the conference? When I go, I usually have the sessions that I want to attend picked out. I like ones that focus on cow management. Whether it be feeding, breeding,
general cow care – anything that helps us take better care of our cows and get more milk. I always like to listen to Marin Bozic. He is an entertaining speaker. He is an economist you can listen to. Listening to him explain the current MPP program, it helped me make my decision on how to participate in the program.
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Page 20 • Dairy Conference and Expo Special Edition • Saturday, November 12, 2016
THANKS
TO OUR
2016 SPONSORS
River’s Edge Convention Center • St. Cloud, MN PARTICIPANTS AS OF 11/1/16
DIAMOND
PLATINUM Elanco Animal Health
Bongards’ Creameries
GOLD Alltech Inc. AMPI
Arnold’s of Kimball First District Association HarvXtra Alfalfa
Midwest Machinery Co. Minnesota Select Sires Co-op, Inc.
SILVER Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. KASM-1150 AM KDDG 105.5 BOB FM DODA Minnesota Dairy Initiatives IDEXX Phibro Animal Health
Vita Plus Ziegler CAT
BRONZE Ag Solutions Ag Tech Drainage Ag Tech Security Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Agri-King, Inc. Agri-Trac U.S AgroChem Inc. Alforex Seeds American Agco Trading Company Amino Plus / Ag Processing, Inc. AMS Galaxy USA Anez Consulting Inc. Arnzen Construction, Inc. & St. Rosa Lumber, Inc. Artex Manufacturing Big Bear Genetics Big Gain Feed, Inc. Boss Supply Inc. Byron Seeds CBM Lighting Centra Sota Cooperative Champion Milking Systems Dairy Farmers of America Dairyland Equipment of Menahga, Inc. Dairymaster USA Inc. Eurofins Scientific, Inc. Famo Feeds Farm First Dairy Cooperative Farm Rite Equipment of St. Cloud Inc. Feedworks USA Form-A-Feed Freeport State Bank Genex Farm Systems Inc. Global Water Energy, LLC Gold Country Seed Hanson Silo Company Hawkins Inc.
Hubbard Feeds Inc. Innovative Gypsum Products, LLC Investors Community Bank JBS United, Inc. Kuhn North America MEDA / Chem-Star Merck Animal Health Merial, Ltd. Minnesota Beef Council Minnesota Board of Animal Health Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota DHIA Minnesota Farmers Union Minnesota Pollution Control Agency MN Ag Water Resource Center MN Farm Bureau Mycogen Seeds Nextire Inc. Northland Farm Systems Osakis Silo Repair Pluto Legal, PLLC Recycling Association of MN Stearns Bank EFD (Equipment Finance Division) Stearns DHIA Laboratories Steelwerx LLC Stray Voltage Consulting Summit Glove Supervisor Systems Tiry Engineering, Inc. Udder Tech, Inc. Unity Bank University of Minnesota Wieser Concrete Woller Equipment Zoetis
Special thanks to Minnesota Milk’s Education Committee for coordinating the 2016 Dairy Conference & Expo