NIFA releases study on value of capacity programs
On March 27th, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released a new report that measured the effectiveness of NIFA's investments in capacity programs. The report entitled, " National Evaluation of Capacity Programs ," was prepared by TEConomy Partners. 

The report found that capacity funding remains a relevant program that offers multiple benefits. Investments respond to the specific needs of local, regional, and state agricultural producers. Capacity funds offer an essential funding stream for research and extension programs of relevance to producers that are unlikely to receive national-scale attention. Each dollar of capacity funding leverages $1.85 in additional investments from state, local, and private sector sources. 

NIFA commissioned the study to determine whether funding based on 100-year-old legislation is still a suitable model to support 21st century university needs.  The results of the study will be helpful in defending the federal investment in capacity programs such as Hatch and Smith Lever as budget constraints lead to discussions about potential cuts to the USDA budget.
 
Shamrock Farms expanding Virginia facility
Shamrock Farms, one of the largest family-owned and -operated dairies in the U.S., announced that it is investing more than $40 million into the expansion of its Augusta County, Va., milk manufacturing facility.

The expansion comes only two years after the facility opened its doors and will more than double its production capacity, signaling the rapid growth of the Shamrock Farms brand. The expansion is expected to be completed by late 2018.

The expansion will create more than 70 new jobs in Augusta County, and once completed, Shamrock Farms will employ more than 120 people at the location. The expansion will significantly increase filling capacity and expand product varieties, sizes and formats, the company said.

Among the technology additions is the ability to produce shelf-stable products using convenient, single-serve plastic bottles, which will make Shamrock Farms one of only a handful of dairy brands in the country with that capability.
USDA announces $1.9m for alfalfa, forage research
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) announced March 30 the availability of $1.9 million in funding for research and development to improve the agricultural productivity, profitability and conservation of the U.S. alfalfa forage industry.

Funding is made through NIFA's Alfalfa & Forage Research Program (AFRP).

"Alfalfa and other forage crops have great potential as high-value, sustainable crops," NIFA director Sonny Ramaswamy said. "These NIFA investments will help expand this potential into profit for agricultural producers."
Danone agrees to divest Stonyfield brand in Whitewave acquisition
Danone said March 31 it took a major step towards closing the WhiteWave acquisition as it has reached an agreement in principle with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

As part of the agreement in principle, in order to facilitate the prompt closing of the WhiteWave acquisition, Danone will sell one of its U.S. dairy subsidiaries, Stonyfield, in the months following the closing of the acquisition of WhiteWave. The move is expected to permit closing to occur shortly and will allow the company to proceed at the soonest with the integration and reap the full benefits of the announced synergies.

While Stonyfield has been a valued part of Danone's portfolio and remains a highly attractive asset, its divestiture does not impact the strategic rationale or financial benefits of the WhiteWave acquisition. Stonyfield generated turnover of approximately $370 million in 2016.
Land O'Lakes acquiring Vermont Creamery
Vermont Creamery co-founders Bob Reese and Allison Hooper and Land O'Lakes Inc. president and chief executive officer Chris Policinski announced March 29 that their businesses have joined forces.

Vermont Creamery will become an independently operated subsidiary of Minnesota-based Land O'Lakes. It will continue to produce its award-winning fresh and aged goat cheese, cultured butter and fresh dairy at the creamery in Websterville, Vt.

"We have always taken seriously our commitment to our farmers, employees and Vermont's working landscape; these values are at the core of our decision to sell the business," Hooper said. "As we experience unprecedented growth, we need a partner who can bring the resources and expertise necessary to help us realize our vision and the potential of our business."
ADSA News and Happenings

2017 ADSA Annual Meeting News
The ADSA Annual Meeting will be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from June 25 to 28. We have created a world-class dairy science program for you, in a vibrant, bustling city. The scientific program will feature 1,100 oral and poster presentations from around the globe. Be sure to check out the current list of symposia and workshops, including speakers and their presentation topics, here: https://www.adsa.org/2017/program.asp.
The Teaching Workshop: Helping Students Learn will take place the afternoon of Sunday, June 25, and space is limited. This will be followed by a teaching symposium on Monday, June 26. The workshop will include a lecture presentation followed by breakout sessions, during which participants at each of 7 tables will be asked to discuss 1 of the 7 chapters of the book How Learning Works-Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching (Ambrose et al., 2010). Participants are encouraged to purchase the book before the event.
Facilitators for the workshop breakout sessions include Michel Wattiaux (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Antonio Faciola (University of Nevada), Cathleen Williams (Louisiana State University), Marina Danes (University of Lavras, Brazil), Laura Hernandez (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Martin Maquivar (Washington State University), Peter Erickson (University of New Hampshire), and Amin Ahmadzadeh (University of Idaho).
The Teaching/Undergraduate and Graduate Education Symposium, Mentoring in Dairy Science , will take place on the morning of Monday, June 26.
Mentoring is a crucial issue in academia, and it is important to address issues related to mentoring in dairy science. This symposium is aimed at addressing issues related to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdocs and young faculty; this symposium will also address issues related to mentoring minorities and women in dairy science. Click here for the  complete symposia and workshop program.
Online registration for the  2017 ADSA Annual Meeting is open at
https://www.adsa.org/2017/reg.asp. Nonmembers are invited to join ADSA now and attend the meeting at the member rate of only $495. The saving on meeting registration will almost cover you annual membership fee and you will enjoy the great benefits of ADSA membership through December 31, 2017! The sooner you join, the longer you will enjoy the benefits of membership. Remember, in addition to your savings on registration for the ADSA annual meeting your membership includes discounts on your S-PAC subscription, savings on registration for Discover Conferences and all the other member benefits. As a bonus to all registered Annual Meeting attendees, the ADSA Foundation has approved a FREE 90-day trial subscription to S-PAC® (www.spac.adsa.org). Existing individual S-PAC subscribers who attend the meeting will have their current subscription extended by 90 days.
IMPORTANT ADSA 2017 ANNUAL MEETING DEADLINES
Housing:  May 19, 2017
Early Registration:  May 31, 2017
We look forward to seeing you in Pittsburgh.
 



Registration deadline for the upcoming Dairy Replacement Heifer Conference is May 1. However, based on recent history, Discover Conferences tend to fill before the deadline. To ensure you spot, we encourage you to  register today!
32nd ADSA DISCOVER Conference on Food Animal Agriculture:
Dairy Replacement Heifers: Transitioning from Weaning through First Lactation
May 30-June 1, 2017
Eaglewood Resort & Spa in Itasca, IL
(near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport)
Hosted by the American Dairy Science Association®

This abbreviated 2-day conference will serve as a follow-up to the very successful 2008 and 2013 calf conferences to examine new information available on issues pertaining to development and management of the dairy heifer. It will consist of focused discussions on the major stages of the heifer as she enters the milking herd.
Conference topics include
  • Growth: Biology, Production Potential, Nutrition, Stress
  • Health Impact of Disease on Future Production
  • Management Tools and Strategies: Genomics, Welfare, Custom Heifer Rearing
  • Profitability and Herd Level Dynamics
Members of the research and academic community, leading consultants, extension educators, industry leaders related to services and products for growing calves, producers, and members of governmental and regulatory agencies are encouraged to participate in this interactive program. Graduate students and early career professionals are especially encouraged to attend.
Early Registration Deadline: May 1, 2017
Note: registration is limited to the first 150 registrants.
Registration fees increase by $90 after May 1.
To view complete conference information or to register:
https://www.adsa.org/Meetings/DiscoverConferences/32ndDiscoverConference.aspx
For additional program details:
Molly Kelley, ADSA Discover Conferences,  mollyk@adsa.org
Larry R. Miller, ADSA Discover Conferences, larryrmiller@atlanticbb.net
Kristy Daniels, Virginia Tech, danielsk@vt.edu
Keith Poulsen, University of Wisconsin, Keith.Poulsen@WVDL.wisc.edu
ARPAS has assigned 13 ARPAS CEU's for ARPAS members
participating in the 32nd Discover Conference.
Click  here to view the Conference Program.
 

2017 Western Dairy Management Conference  Proceedings in S-PAC
We are pleased to announce the addition of proceedings from the 2017 Western Dairy Management Conference to S-PAC. Subscribers now have 24/7 access to 605 proceedings from 61 of the top dairy and animal related conferences in the world. Visit https://spac.adsa.org/ for more information about S-PAC and to view a full list of conferences.  If you are not already a subscriber, click on the "Subscribe to S-PAC" button and add it to your information tool box.  ADSA members receive a 50% discount on their S-PAC subscription price, one of the many ADSA benefits.
 
 
Would you like to help the animal and dairy science community and attend the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting for free?
Referrals are the most tried-and-true way businesses grow, and the same is true for FASS. Do you know a colleague working with an animal science group that is in need of high-quality, cost-effective support services? Help them out by referring them to Jeremy Holzner, FASS Executive Director at jeremyh@assochq.org .
Help them benefit from the shared resource concept and the 264 years of collective experience the FASS staff have in working with non-profit animal science organizations. If your referral becomes a FASS customer prior to June 1, 2017, ADSA will comp your registration to the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting that will be held June 25 to 28, 2017 in Pittsburgh, PA.  It's win-win-win. For more information about services offered by FASS, click here.
 

Large Dairy Herd Management Conference Recordings available
Synchronized PowerPoint® presentations from the Large Dairy Herd Management conference, hosted by the ADSA Foundation at the Hilton Oakbrook Hills Resort and Conference Center, Oak Brook, IL May 1-4, 2016, are available for sale to all interested individuals.  They provide an opportunity to get a preview of the upcoming e- book and are a great resource for use in the classroom or industry meetings. Ninety four presentations, each representing one chapter in the Large Dairy Herd Management, 3rd Edition, are grouped into the fifteen sections planned for the e-book.  The e-book is scheduled for release in early 2017.  The sections are:
  • Large Herd Systems - Steven P. Washburn, North Carolina State University
  • Building Sustainability and Capacity - Dave Beede, Michigan State University
  • Facilities and Environment - Joseph M. Zulovich, University of Missouri & Joseph P. Harner, Kansas State University
  • Milk Markets and Marketing - Normand R. St-Pierre, The Ohio State University
  • Genetic Selection Programs and Breeding Strategies - Kent A. Weigel, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Calves and Replacements - Robert E. James, Virginia Tech
  • Reproduction and Reproductive Management - William W. Thatcher, University of Florida
  • Nutrition and Nutritional Management - Richard J. Grant & Heather M. Dann, William H. Miner Agricultural Research - Institute
  • Lactation and Milking Systems - Rupert M. Bruckmaier, - University of Bern
  • Mastitis and Milk Quality - Joseph S. Hogan, The Ohio State - University/OARDC
  • Animal and Herd Welfare - Trevor DeVries, University of - Guelph
  • Herd Health - Carlos A. Risco, University of Florida
  • Business, Economic Analysis, Decision-Making - Albert De Vries, University of Florida
  • Effectively Managing Farm Employees - Stanley J. Moore & Phillip T. Durst, Michigan State University
  • Precision Management Technologies - Jeffrey M. Bewley, University of Kentucky
The presentations provide an overview of the content planned for each chapter.  The entire set, or one or more sections, can be viewed without limitation for one year, from date of subscription.
To get the latest information on Large Dairy Herd Management, 3rd Edition, subscribe now at http://www.adsa.org/Meetings/LargeDairyHerdManagement.aspx
 
 
ADSA® on Linked In continues to Grow - Are you included?
Our ADSA Linked In group continues to grow. We now include 1,604 members from around the world, are you one of them? It's a great place to get information about ADSA and industry activities as well as to network with other dairy professionals from around the world.  Check it out here.






Integrating Dairy Science Globally

Make your plans now to attend the most comprehensive dairy science meeting in the world, the 2017 ADSA Annual Meeting. 

Included are invited symposia and special pre- and post-conference events. 

Visit the meeting website http://www.adsa.org/2017/ regularly for the latest information on the meeting.

See you in Pittsburg - The place where the dairy world meets in 2017.
 

Thanks to our Corporate Sustaining Members
                                 We appreciate your ongoing support of ADSA and the  Journal of Dairy Science ®.
Ag Processing Inc.
Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition
Dairy Nutrition Plus
Darling International Research
Diamond V
DuPont Pioneer
Elanco Animal Health
Grande Cheese Company
Lallemand Animal Nutrition
Nutriad, Inc.
Papillon Agricultural Company
Quali Tech, Inc.
Renaissance Nutrition Inc.
Zinpro
Zoetis
Zook Nutrition & Management Inc.
Calendar of Events
Apr 10-12, 2017   Congress on Gastrointestinal Function*, Gleacher Center, Chicago. For more information and registration, click here.

Apr 11-13, 2017  High Temperature Short time (HTST) Pasteurizer Workshop, Cornell University.  For more information, contact Louise M Felker, 607-255-7098, lmf226@cornell.edu
Apr 11-13, 2017   DCHA Annual Conference - Sky's the Limit, Madison Marriott West, Middleton, WI. For registration and more information visit http://calfandheifer.org/conference
Apr 12, 2017  Herd Health and Nutrition Conference. Holiday Inn, Liverpool/Syracuse, NY. For more information, click here.
Apr 17 - 19, 2017    Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, IN, For more information and registration click here
April 20, 2017  53rd FL Dairy Production Conference. For more information, click here.

Apr 23 - 25, 2017   ADPI/ABI Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, For more information visit www.adpi.org
Apr 23-27, 2017  The World of Cheese from Pasture to Plate Short Course, Babcock Hall, Room 205. University of Wisconsin-Madison. For more information, click here.

Apr 26-28, 2017  Dairy Ingredients 360 Short Course - Introduction to the Basics of Production, Marketing and Use of Dairy Ingredients. The James Hotel, Chicago, IL. For information visit: http://www.adpi.org/events/dairyingredients360
May 2, 2017   Wisconsin Cleaning & Sanitation Workshop, CDR-UW Madison Babcock Hall, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

May 3, 2017  Dairy HACCP Workshop, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

May 4-July 19, 2017  Certification in Dairy Processing online course, CDR-UW Madison, WI. For more information, visit: https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/shortcourses/certificate_dp_5_17
May 9-10, 2017   Applied Dairy Chemistry Workshop, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here. 

May 10-11, 2017   California Animal Nutrition Conference (CANC)*,  For more information click here
May 14-18, 2017  Membrane & Other Separation Technologies short course - "Applications in food, dairy, beverages and bioprocessing", TIPS building, Texas A&M University Campus, College Station, TX. For more information, click here.

May 22-23, 2017   Pennsylvania Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians 78th annual meeting, Pen Stater and Conference Center, State College, PA. For more information and registration, click here.

May 30-June 1, 2017   32nd ADSA Discover Conference - Dairy Replacement Heifers' Transitioning from Weaning through First Lactation, Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Itasca, IL. For more information, click here.

May 30-June 1, 2017  Precision Dairy, Hyatt Regency Lexington, KY. For more information and registration, click here.

May 31-June 1, 2017  The Science of Yogurt (Basic Level), Oregon State University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph: 607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu  
June 1-3, 2017  2nd Annual Dairy Cattle Welfare Symposium: Intersection of Best Practices and Sustainability, Milwaukee, WI. For more information and registration, click here.

June 6-7, 2017  Science of Yogurt & Fermented Dairy Products-Basic Level, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph:607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu   
June 6-8, 2017  Cheese Grading Short Course, CDR-UW Madison, Babcock Hall, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

June 13-15, 2017  Science of Yogurt & Fermented Dairy Products-Advanced Level, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph:607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu  
June 25-28, 2017  ADSA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Pittsburgh, PA.  For more information click here
June 28-29, 2017  CDR Buttermakers Short Course, Babcock Hall, UW-Madison, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

July 8-15, 2017   2017 ADGA National Show. Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI. For more details, visit http://adga.org
July 16-21, 2017   36th International Society for Animal Genetics Conference 2017, University College Dublin, Ireland. For more information and registration, click here.

July 25-27, 2017  High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Pasteurizer Workshop, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph:607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu 
Aug 1-2, 2017  Milk Pasteurization Short Course. UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205. Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Aug 08-09, 2017   Dairy Science and Sanitation, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph: 607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu  

Aug 21-22, 2017  HACCP/Food Safety Plans, Cornell University, For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph: 607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu

Aug 23-24, 2017  Implementing SQF Systems, Cornell University   , For more information contact Louise M. Felker, Ph: 607.255.7098  lmf226@cornell.edu  

Aug 29- Sept 1, 2017  68th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP), Tallinn, Estonia. For more information visit https://eaap2017.org
Aug 30-Nov 14, 2017  Certificate in Dairy Processing online course, CDR-UW Madison, WI. For more information, visit https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/shortcourses/certificate_dp_9_17
Sept 6-7, 2017   Cultured Dairy Products Short Course, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here .
Sept 14-16, 2017  50th Annual Conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, Omaha, Neb. Nebraska CenturyLink Center. For more information visit, http://www.aadp.org
Sept 17 - 20, 2017 International Whey Conference, Chicago, IL, For more information visit www.internationalwheyconference.org

 Sept 19-22, 2017  33rd ADSA Discover Conference* Integrated Solutions to Fiber Challenges, Chicago Area. For more information, click here.

Sept 20-21, 2017   78th Minnesota Nutrition Conference, City Center Hotel, Mankato, MN. For more information, visit http://www.mnnutritionconf.umn.edu/
Sept 26-28, 2017  14th International Milk Genomics and Human Health Symposium, Quebec City, Canada. For details, visit http://milkgenomics.org/14th-international-symposium-milk-genomics-human-health/
Oct 3-7, 2017  World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Oct 9-13, 2017  Cheese Tech Short Course, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here. 

Oct 12-18, 2017  121st USAHA/AAVLD Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. For more information, click here.

Oct 17-18, 2017  The Dairy Ingredient Applications Short Course, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Oct 24 - 26, 2017   Global Cheese Technology Forum, Peppermill Resort, Reno, NV, for more information visit www.globalcheesetechnologyforum.org
Oct 24-29, 2017   2017 ADGA Annual Meeting & Convention, Hilton Airport Convention Center, Atlanta, GA. For more details, visit http://adga.org
Nov 2-5, 2017   International Conference on Communications in Veterinary Medicine 2017 Innovating Clinical Communications, Hockley Valley Resort - Orangeville, Ont., Canada. For more information, click here.

Nov 8-10, 2017  The Wisconsin Cheese Grading Short Course UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

Nov. 13-16, 2017  The Science and Art of CheeseMaking Short Course, Rodney A. Erickson Food Science Building, Penn State University. For more information, click here.

Nov 13-16, 2017   Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals, St. Louis, MO. For more information, click here.

Nov 15-16, 2017  Pennsylvania Dairy Cattle Nutrition Workshop. For more information, click here.

Nov 29-Dec 1, 2017  The Ice Cream Makers Short Course, UW-Madison, Babcock Hall, Room 205, Madison, WI. For more information, click here.

June 24-27, 2018   ADSA Annual Conference and Tradeshow, Knoxville, TN. For more information, click here.

Sept 20-21, 2017  78th Minnesota Nutrition Conference, City Center Hotel, Mankato, MN. For mopre information, visit http://www.mnnutritionconf.umn.edu
Sept. 3-6, 2019   ISRP 2019 - International Symposium on Ruminant Physiology, Kongresshalle am Zoo Leipzig, Germany. For more information, click here.

*An S-PAC Partner Conference
If your organization's conference isn't among the ever growing list that contribute proceedings and presentations to S-PAC®, ask your conference organizer to contact Ken Olson for more information about the benefits of participation.
If you would like to have an event included in the "Dates to Note," please contact Ken Olson.

ADSA Membership Benefits                                  
                                            
Did you know that your ADSA Professional Membership provides you with:

*        Electronic access to the Journal of Dairy Science®

*        Joint Annual Meeting at member rates

*        Discover Conferences at member rates

*        S-PAC: Free access to JAM and ADSA divisional abstracts

*        S-PAC subscription at member rates

*        Access to recorded symposia library                                                                       

*        ADSA News (association newsletter)

*        ADSA Dair e-news (ADSA industry newsletter)

*        Access to member directory

*        Peer recognition through ADSA and Foundation Award Program

*        Discounted page charges in Journal of Dairy Science®

*        A strong voice of advocacy for the animal sciences, animal agriculture and agriculture research

*        Broad author recognition through ADSA/Elsevier press release program

*        Linked In and You Tube sites for ADSA

*        Quality networking with academic and industry professionals

*        Travel awards for all graduate students attending Discover Conferences

*        Opportunity to serve peers via committee and officer positions

 
For more information on your benefits please visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp
To join now and gain these member benefits, visit: http://www.adsa.org/join.asp

American Dairy Science Association
1800 South Oak St., Suite 100, Champaign, IL 61820
Email: ADSA@assochg.org