2019 | Sept 13 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
GMP Fall District Meetings in Buckhead
and Dalton Next Week
Dairy producers across Georgia are invited to take part in the annual Fall District meetings for Georgia Milk Producers and The Dairy Alliance. 
 
  • These organizations will hold elections; report on industry issues and promotional efforts; and announce upcoming events. Dinner or lunch will be served at each location depending on the time the meeting is held:
 
  • Sept. 16, Monday Bonner's Restaurant at 7 PM, 1500 Bonner Ln, Buckhead
 
  • Sept. 17, Tuesday Western Sizzlin' at NOON, 501 Legion Dr., Dalton

To preregister for the district meeting of your choice, please contact The Dairy Alliance at   1-800-343-4693. Meetings are open to dairy producers, family members, farm managers and industry partners. We look forward to seeing you soon and value the input you share at our meetings!!

Georgia Milk Producers will present a Grand Prize of $500 at the conclusion of all meetings to one lucky Georgia dairy farm family attending their district meeting. Additional door prizes and promotional items will be provided by The Dairy Alliance at each district meeting. Producers will elect Georgia ADA directors in odd numbered districts.
2019 Florida Dairy Production Conference Next Week
From Southeast AGNet
Producers are invited to attend the 2019 Florida Dairy Production Conference, Wednesday September 18, 2019 at the Straughn IFAS Extension Center (UF Campus), Gainesville, Florida. The program starts at 9 AM and some of the topics discussed include dairy calf and heifer management, selecting replacement heifers critical aspects for improving reproductive success, nutritional manipulations to improve health and fertility, along with addressing animal welfare concerns in dairy farming and engaging and educating the public about dairy practices. They also will have a session talking about dairy farming and social media. For registration and further details,  click here .
CVM BREAKS GROUND ON NEW FARM ANIMAL VETERINARY MEDICAL CENTER ON THE TIFTON CAMPUS
By University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine
The UGA College of Veterinary Medicine broke ground on a new facility on their campus in Tifton, Georgia recently. The UGA Tifton Farm Animal Veterinary Medical Center will improve the CVM’s ability to serve Georgia’s animal agricultural industries and will strengthen the South Georgia region overall.

The 9,000-square-foot facility will feature space for the clinicians in Tifton to perform both routine and specialized food animal medical procedures in a controlled and safe environment thanks to the availability of a large hydraulic tilt chute and enclosed treatment room. In addition, this facility will help bring access to advanced reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization procedures to smaller producers who may not have had access to these technologies in the past. The College expects that they will be able to offer additional services once the facility is completed in early 2020. These services will likely include lameness treatments using the new tilt chute to address feet and leg problems in cattle, especially for bulls. Read more here>>>
Chocolate Milk Outperforms Sports Drink
From Mike Opperman, Dairy Herd Management
In the first-ever field-based study of high school athletes recovering post-workout, chocolate milk outperformed a commercial sports drink by a net strength difference of 6.7%. The study was initiated by Dairy MAX in partnership with the University of Texas at Austin.

The research, conducted in 2018 and published in the 2019 Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, showed high school athletes drinking chocolate milk lifted 3.5% more than before while the adolescents drinking a commercial sports drink lifted 3.2% less than before.

Furthermore, drinking chocolate milk within 30 minutes after a workout rehydrates, repairs and replenishes the body. The naturally occurring electrolytes and 90% water content rehydrate, while the 8 grams of protein helps repair muscles.  Read more here>>>
Dairy Margin Coverage Signup Deadline Rapidly Approaching
By Michael Nepveux, American Farm Bureau Federation
With a looming enrollment deadline of Friday, Sept. 20, fewer producers than anticipated have opted to enroll in  Dairy Margin Coverage , the 2018 farm bill’s improved replacement for the Margin Protection Program. USDA is working diligently to  communicate  the deadline and potential benefits of participating in the program to the approximately 50% of the nation’s dairy producers who have yet to sign up. Additionally, USDA has developed a  decision aid tool  to help producers understand the program and determine the best coverage options.

An improvement on MPP, DMC is a voluntary insurance-style program that makes payments when the national average income-over-feed-cost margin falls below a farmer-selected coverage level. Coverage is available from $4 per hundredweight to as high as $9.50 per hundredweight in Tier I, and up to $8 per hundredweight in Tier II. Dairy producers pay premiums for coverage, with premium rates rising in step with the level of protection. Read more here>>>
By Progressive Dairy Editor Dave Natzke
Compared to a month ago, the USDA’s September World Ag Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report expects dairy cow numbers to continue to shrink into 2020, but stronger milk output per cow will buffer overall milk production declines. Price projections moved modestly higher for both years.

The 2019 milk production forecast was raised by 100 million pounds compared to last month’s projections, to 218 billion pounds. If realized, 2019 production would be up less than 0.2% from 2018.

The 2019 all-milk price was forecast at $18.35 per hundredweight (cwt), up 5 cents from last month and up $2.09 per cwt from 2018; it would be the highest annual average since the record high of $23.97 per cwt set in 2014. The projected Class III price was raised 15 cents to $16.45 per cwt, offsetting a 15-cent decline in the Class IV price, to $16.15 per cwt. For 2019, annual average cheese, nonfat dry milk and whey price forecasts were raised slightly, but butter was reduced.

Looking to 2020, the USDA outlook reduced the milk production forecast by another 200 million pounds compared to last month, to 221.2 billion pounds. In part due to an extra day to leap year, the agency forecasts 2020 milk production will rise 1.5% from 2019.
Based on stronger Class III milk prices, the projected average 2020 all-milk milk price was raised a nickel from last month to $18.85 per cwt. Price forecasts for 2020 are: Class III – $17.05 per cwt, up 50 cents from the August forecast; Class IV – $16.15 per cwt, down 30 cents from the previous forecast. Read more here>>>
Lawmakers Hear Testimony Over P-FAS Contamination
By RFD-TV News Staff
Lawmakers hear testimony this week about what manufacturers of P-FAS chemicals knew about the dangers of their products.

Complaints have popped up in cases where P-FAS compounds are used as a flame retardant. They say the chemicals have contaminated groundwater, exposing rural communities to carcinogens. One witness told lawmakers he's concerned for the U.S. food supply. He notified the FDA in recent years that a 2001 study by a P-FAS manufacturer confirmed elevated levels of the chemical in Alabama apples, ground beef from Florida, and Georgia milk, to name a few.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) followed up on these comments, saying this study should be a red flag to American consumers that the food supply may contain dangerous levels of these chemicals. Read more here >>>
Dean Foods drops consideration of sale
By Sam Danley , Food Business News
Dean Foods Co. will remain a standalone business. The company has been considering strategic alternatives including a merger, joint venture or sale since February.

Eric Beringause, who was named chief executive officer in July, will continue to lead the company’s turnaround efforts.

“The board conducted a wide-ranging review of alternatives for our business and determined that the continued transformation of Dean Foods under Eric’s leadership provides the best means for creating value for the company, our shareholders and other stakeholders,” said Jim L. Turner, non-executive chairman of the board. “Eric is an industry veteran with more than three decades of transformational leadership and operational experience in the food, beverage and consumer products industries, and we are confident that his oversight of and adjustments to our operating plan will build on the current momentum and drive improved performance in the business.”

Dean Foods has continued to sustain losses as it struggles to overcome negative trends in the dairy category. The company reported a second-quarter loss of $64.5 million last month, compared with a loss of $40.1 million in the same period last year. Read more here >>>
USDA resources available for farmers hurt by recent disasters
From AgDaily
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that agricultural producers affected by natural disasters in 2018 and 2019, including Hurricane Dorian, can apply for assistance through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+). Signup for this U.S. Department of Agriculture program will begin Sept. 11, 2019.

“U.S. agriculture has been dealt a hefty blow by extreme weather over the last several years, and 2019 is no exception,” Perdue said. “The scope of this year’s prevented planting alone is devastating, and although these disaster program benefits will not make producers whole, we hope the assistance will ease some of the financial strain farmers, ranchers and their families are experiencing. President Trump has the backs of our farmers, and we are working to support America’s great patriot farmers.”

More than $3 billion is available through the disaster relief package passed by Congress and signed by President Trump in early June. WHIP+ builds on the successes of its predecessor program the 2017 Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) that was authorized by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. In addition, the relief package included new programs to cover losses for milk dumped or removed from the commercial market and losses of eligible farm stored commodities due to eligible disaster events in 2018 and 2019. Also, prevented planting supplemental disaster payments will provide support to producers who were prevented from planting eligible crops for the 2019 crop year. Read more here >>>
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
Animal Waste Operator and Planner Certification Training in November
A waste planner/operator certification training will be offered in Athens at the UGA Livestock Arena classroom on November 13 & 14, 2019. All permitted livestock operations (other than dry poultry operations) must have a certified animal waste systems operator and an implemented nutrient management plan written by a certified planner. In previous years this has been held as separate trainings, one to certify farm owners/employees to properly manage animal waste systems and the other to certify people to write nutrient management plans.

This training has been combined into one training with break-out sessions on day 2 for topics specific to each group. Both certifications require completion of this course and passing of the exam. This is the final operator/planner certification course this year. The next training will be in March 2020. Click here for registration form and information>>>
Upcoming Events >>>
GA Dairy Classifieds
TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com

Registered Brown Swiss dairy cows(6) and heifers(3) for sale. 7 X 24 2004 Featherlight trailer with tack area and 2 cuts $12,000.00 and an Artic 22 semen tank (has a few straws of beef semen inside) $450. Please contact Beth Gearhart, Waynesboro, GA, 352-603-2629 text or call

For Sale: 2016 Tatoma Vertical Twin Screw Mixer. Equipped with Front Discharge and Side Discharge Extension - $35,000.00. Please contact Jim or Stephanie Waite 334-222-7957 for more information. 

Young Stock Supervisor wanted -  Hart Agriculture Waynesboro GA
Grazing 500-1000 animals,   Must be familiar with rotational grazing and breeding. Please contact Maggie 352-507-2042 or   maggie@hartagriculture.com
 
Dairy Manager wanted -  Hart Agriculture Waynesboro GA
300-700 milking cows,   60 bale rotary, New Zealand style grazing system. Please contact Maggie 352-507-2042 or   maggie@hartagriculture.com

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 Sale:   Jersey cows, heifers and calves for sale. Registered with AJCA, all ages! Contact Matt Holton at 770-718-8271, call or text. Dawsonville, GA.

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