2019 | Dec 6 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
Ray Presented with the Dairy Education Award at GACAA 
Written by Jay Moon, Morgan Co. Extension Office
Lucy Ray, Morgan County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent and County Extension Coordinator was recently awarded the Dairy Education Award during the Georgia Association of County Agricultural Agents (GACAA) annual conference. Ms. Ray received the Dairy Education award because of her educational programming for Morgan and surrounding counties. Ms. Ray plays an integral role in one of the state’s last local dairy associations for producers. The Morgan County Dairy Association is a producer funded and producer operated association aimed at bringing dairy producers together and is able to tailor monthly meetings to the current issues at hand. Ms. Ray along with the help of the Association’s President and any other member invite speakers, businesses, and UGA Extension Specialists to present programs that are beneficial to local dairy producers. Ms. Ray’s willingness to be a part of the Morgan County Dairy Association and help to keep the association moving forward is much appreciated by local producer members. Ms. Ray was also awarded with this award in 2014 by GACAA.

The Georgia Association of County Agricultural Agents annual conference was held in Dublin, Georgia on November 4 th – 6 th . Many awards are presented to agricultural extension agents who excel in different programming areas. This year the GACAA Dairy Education Award was sponsored by Southeast Milk, Inc. Ms. Ray was presented with an engraved ceramic milk bottle for her accomplishment. Congratulations to Ms. Lucy Ray, Morgan County’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent!
Georgia Agencies Partner to Host Feral Swine Workshops
From Southeast AgNet
Feral swine have become increasingly detrimental in Georgia, causing significant damage to agricultural crops and natural resources around the state. The economic impact of damage caused by feral swine in Georgia last year is estimated at $150 million.
So a group of agricultural and natural resource organizations, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s  Natural Resources Conservation Service  and the  Georgia Association of Conservation Districts , have partnered to host some of Georgia’s top experts on feral swine in a series of educational workshops for farmers and landowners. There will be eight workshops and trapping demonstrations throughout the state, four in Southeast Georgia and four in Northeast Georgia.

The first workshop will be held Jan. 30 at University of Georgia Extension in Lakeland, Georgia.

Topics will include disease issues, swine biology, water quality issues, effective control techniques, transport issues, public health and regulations to be followed by a question-and-answer panel of experts.
There is no cost to attend the workshops, but space is limited and preregistration is required. More details and registration information is available at  GACD.us/events .
Cooperatives Working Together Settlement Lifts Legal Cloud
From National Milk Producers Federation
The National Milk Producers Federation today announced it has reached a settlement agreement to end a class-action lawsuit concerning a herd retirement program that ended in 2010 and was administered through NMPF’s Cooperatives Working Together initiative. The settlement will safeguard ongoing efforts to aid U.S. dairy producers, lift a years-long legal cloud and allow NMPF member cooperatives and the current CWT program to move forward with greater legal and fiscal certainty.

The plaintiffs (generally larger retailers and companies who directly purchased butter and cheese from CWT member cooperatives) in First Impressions Salon, Inc. v. National Milk Producers Federation et al, (pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois), and defendant NMPF have agreed to a settlement of $220 million in exchange for a release from all claims. Based on antitrust rules that mandate a tripling of any damages, that amount is less than 6 percent of the damages sought by plaintiffs. The settlement amount will be paid through existing CWT mechanisms, ensuring no disruption to other business operations.

Neither NMPF nor any of its member cooperatives admit any wrongdoing as a result of this settlement. NMPF is the sole defendant to be a party to the settlement, but the settlement extinguishes claims against all the defendants. Read more here>>>
Why Schools That Banned Chocolate Milk Are Bringing It Back
By Arianna Prothero, Education Week
Like many foods—real butter, anyone?—chocolate milk's fortunes have risen and fallen over time. 

Citing concerns over childhood obesity, some school districts—from  the District of Columbia  in 2010 to  Tempe, Ariz. just this school year —have taken the often controversial step to ban chocolate and other flavored milk from their schools.
But some districts are reintroducing chocolate milk back into their cafeterias.
The New Haven school board in Connecticut voted at the end of November to reverse the district's 2011 ban on chocolate milk. At the beginning of this school year, the  Mount Vernon School District in Washington state put chocolate milk  back on the menu five days a week after 12 years of only offering it on Fridays. The Los Angeles Unified School district opted to pull back its prohibition in 2016. 
 
One big concern is that when kids pass on milk, they're also passing on an important source of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin D and calcium.  
Dairy Margin Coverage Program Enrollment Deadline Nearing
From Southeast AgNet
Here is a reminder for dairy producers that enrollment in the  Dairy Margin Coverage  (DMC) for calendar year 2020 ends Dec. 13. The DMC program offers reasonably priced protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all-milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer.

Producers who want 2020 coverage, even those who took advantage of the 25 percent premium discount by locking in the coverage level for five years of margin protection coverage, are required to visit their local U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) during the signup period to pay the annual administrative fee.

For additional questions and assistance, contact your local USDA service center. Read more here >>>
December 2019 Dixie Dairy Report
From Calvin Covington



This edition covers: Dairy Product Sales, Milk Production, Blend Prices, Export Fluid Milk Sales and 2020 Price Projections.
Dairy Foods 2020: The Fads, the Trends and What Really Matters—Insights for Innovating and Marketing Dairy Foods in the 2020s
By Donna Berry, Berry on Dairy Blog
It’s that time of year when we frequently hear the question: Do you believe in Santa? I pose the question: Do you believe in the magic of dairy? I do. And here’s why.

When I started writing for the dairy trade in 1993, Dean Foods—as owned by the Dean family—developed the Milk Chug, making fluid milk a convenient, portable beverage that fit into a car’s cup holder. That’s what you call believing--and understanding--the needs of the future. The Dean Foods team collected market intelligence with foresight to the rapidly expanding and diversifying on-the-go beverage category. The company recognized the opportunity for milk to compete in the single-serve market. The Milk Chug was born.

Sadly, through mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and really, let’s face it, mismanaged priorities, Dean Foods is now bankrupt. There was such potential for the Milk Chug. I’m not even sure it’s in retail distribution anymore. Read more here>>>
Dairy prices reach highest levels in five years
By Krissa Welshans , Feedstuffs

The recent upsurge in dairy prices is forcefully showing up in data, with many of the most recently announced and reported key milk and dairy prices achieving their highest levels in nearly five years, according to the December “Dairy Market Report” from Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and the National Milk Producer Federation (NMPF).

The report relayed that the September U.S. average all-milk price, at $19.30/cwt., was the highest since December 2014, as was the October Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) survey price of nonfat dry milk and the advance-announced federal order Class I mover for December. The AMS survey price of cheddar cheese and the federal order Class III price were also both the highest announced since November 2014. Read more here>>>
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
Become a sponsor at the 2020 GA Dairy Conference! We promise you will find value in joining us this January! Visit http:// gadairyconference.com/sponsorregistr ation for more information #2020GDC
Univ. of Georgia Seeking
Asst. Dairy Manager in Tifton

The Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Georgia is seeking an Assistant Dairy Manager (Animal Facilities Supervisor) for the UGA Tifton Research Dairy in Tifton.

For more information please visit
Upcoming Events >>>
GA Dairy Classifieds
TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com

UPDATED 11/20/19

Position Available:
Assistant Dairy Manager (Animal Facilities Supervisor) UGA Tifton Research Dairy for more information please visit

The following are FOR SALE from Archie Felder. For more information call 1-803-682-3426 :
Dairy Tech Bag Pasturizer - $4,000
Tidenberg Hydraulic Hoof Table (like new) - $5,000
Hall stall sand leveler skid steer (never used) - $1,000
Mench Sand Trailer - $14,000
McLanahan 20 x 20 sand seperator - $25,000
Chiller Drake 24 hp, dual 12 hp scroll tank pumps, 3 phase - $10,000
Fans 3-phase w/brackets:
54" - $225/ea (18 available)
48" - $125/ea (20 available)
36" - $100/ea (20 available)
3000 Mueller Milk Tank - $5,000
20 springers 7 1/2 - 8 mos. pg - $1,450/ea (24,000 2x herd average)

Bull Calves WANTED:  Competitive pricing with 6 day a week pickup. Brandon Mason Cattle Company 912-632-4490

For Sale: Custom manure application and Dryhill manure equipment sales.  Contact Edwin @ 478-299-0717 with Agboys Custom Services LLC -  New 8"x52' lagoon pump with outriggers $24,000 (Pictured right)

FOR HIRE : Custom Silage Harvesting. Late model JD chopper. Will travel. Let me put your quality forage up! Nic Haynes, Muddy H Farms, 678-617-3379.

FOR SALE :  We have a continuous selection of fresh and springing heifers.   Call William at   (706) 768-2857  or visit our website at   crumpdairyreplacements.org