2019 | June 14 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
UGA/UF Corn Silage and Forage Field Day
This THURSDAY
The 2019  UGA and UF Corn Silage and Forage Field Day  will be held in Tifton, Georgia on Thursday, June 20. The program starts at 8 AM and concludes with field demonstrations after lunch. The event includes a test plot tour along with educational stops that cover topics like pest control, grazing management and forage quality. A discussion concerning best management practices for making corn silage will also be held. The event will be held at the UGA Tifton Conference Center in Tifton . To register click here - there is no charge to attend, registration is needed for refreshments and lunch . View Brochure and Agenda Here>>>
Bermudagrass Stem Maggot in GA Hayfields
From Drs. Will Hudson, Lisa Baxter and Dennis Hancock, University of Georgia
We’ve had a number of calls from growers and agents in the last week or so concerned that they should be spraying for BSM. Even in south GA, the flies are just now starting to show up. You may be able to find some damaged stems, but most of the widespread browning of the grass is probably due to the extreme heat and dry weather following an unusually cool and wet spring. BSM damage kills just the last 2 leaves, and does not turn the tips of the leaves brown. They generally do not affect leaves lower on the tiller than the top 2. Even in our well-watered research plots in Tifton, we are only seeing 10-20% damage in the most susceptible varieties. The current drought situation has many producers delaying their hay harvest. This means we have more mature bermudagrass than usual (and so there appears to be more damage). There is likely no need to spray yet, but growers should be alert and be ready to spray after the next cutting if there is a noticeable amount of damage.
New Dairy Margin Coverage Signup Begins June 17
From The Bullvine
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announces that signup begins June 17 for the new  Dairy Margin Coverage  (DMC) program, the cornerstone program of the dairy safety net that helps dairy producers manage the volatility of milk and feed prices, operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

The 2018 Farm Bill allowed USDA to construct the new DMC, which replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy). This new program offers 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. Read more here>>>
Late changes in Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program calculations make the program even more attractive for dairy farmers. DMC sign-up begins June 17 at local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices.
In a press release on June 13, U.S. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue announced a change in feed cost calculations used to determine monthly margins.

Under the previous Margin Protection Program for Dairy (MPP-Dairy) and as initially announced under DMC, the USDA used monthly average corn, soybean meal and alfalfa hay prices to calculate a national average feed cost.

Under the revised DMC program formula announced June 13, the feed cost will again use monthly average corn and soybean meal prices but will incorporate a 50% blend price for Premium and Supreme “dairy-quality” alfalfa hay more commonly used in dairy cow rations. Full Story Here>>>
Land O’Lakes CEO: Farmers Are in Crisis—and America Isn’t Paying Attention
By Beth Ford, Fortune.com
Imagine, if you can, a computer virus that cut the productivity of  Apple Google , and  Facebook  in half. Or try to imagine Wall Street’s investment bankers seeing a season’s worth of deals washed away. Such calamities would dominate our nation’s news and drive swift political action. Yet that is precisely what America’s farmers face right now. And, as a country, we aren’t paying nearly enough attention.

Farmers are generally too proud and humble to speak out, but the truth is we are living through an extremely difficult period of market turmoil and natural disasters. Due largely to sustained low commodity prices, average farm income in 2017 was  $43,000 , while the median farm income for 2018 was  negative $1,500 . In 2018, Chapter 12 bankruptcies in the farm states across the Midwest that are responsible for nearly half of all sales of U.S farm products  rose  to the highest level in a decade. Full Story Here>>>
By John Geuss, MilkPrice Blog
After nearly five years of low producer milk prices, there is optimism of higher prices in the future. During the last five years there have been increases in milk production that have outstripped the need for milk. There have been decreases in domestic consumption of fluid milk as "alternate" plant-based "milk" products have taken market share. Other products like yogurt have also seen declines in consumption.

The excess milk produced has gone primarily to cheese because it can be held in cold storage for a longer time than fresh milk products like drinking milk. In 2019, cheese production has remained at 2018 levels and has not increased. However, there are still excessive milk supplies that are being used for cheese and cheese inventories have continued to build. A fundamental law of supply and demand is that as a commodity builds excess inventories, prices will decrease.

This post will review some of the fundamentals that move the price of producer milk. This will include a review of the formulas used to calculate producer milk prices and will specifically review the relationship between cheese inventory levels and the price of producer milk. Read more here >>>
How should we measure ’milk‘ production?
By Nate Donnay , Dairy Foods
The USDA releases an estimate of milk production for the United States every month, at least during months when the government is operating. Whatever number the USDA releases gets picked up in headlines and plugged into econometric models. Market participants then debate the impact on dairy prices. But does this headline number accurately reflect the production of milk?

What really matters is the production of milk components: protein, fat and other solids. Milk at the farm level in the United States is roughly 87% water, 4% fat, 3.2% protein and 5.8% other solids (mostly lactose). The components, or the solid parts of milk, are what go into various dairy products such as cheese, butter and powders.

Therefore, it is really the production of milk solids that drives the supply of dairy products, but the milk production report doesn’t measure the amount of solids in the milk. The milk-production number that is widely quoted each month is the total pounds of water, fat, protein and other solids that came out of the cows for that month. Read more here >>>
GA Milk to Run Ads Online for June Dairy Month!
During June Dairy Month, Georgia Milk Producers will run advertisements on our social media sites to highlight our industry's economic impact and to celebrate our dairy farm families.

Please follow @gamilkproducers on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter and share our ads to spread the message!!
Designing Dairy Products to Help Consumers Feel Good
By Donna Berry, Berry on Dairy Blog
A takeaway from IFT19, the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting and expo, was a growing interest in designing foods to help consumers feel good. This is consistent with research from Innova identifying “feeling good” as one of the top-10 trends for 2019.

Achieving “feeling good,” as it relates to food, has many meanings. In some instances, it’s the role that nutrition plays in physical health. Other times it may be comfort food impacting emotional well-being. Sometimes food calms, other times it may energize. Of course, satisfying and deliciousness almost always come into play.

One thing is for sure. A growing number of consumers recognize that feeling good comes from the inside out and digestive health influences both body and mind.

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2019 Food and Health Survey shows that about one-fourth (23%) of all shoppers seek out foods for a health benefit. Of that segment, more than half are looking for digestive health benefits.  Full Story Here>>>
Second undercover video shows workers hitting cows at Indiana dairy farm
By Nelson Oliveira, New York Daily News
An animal rights group released Wednesday a second undercover video reportedly showing workers at Indiana’s biggest dairy producer physically abusing cows during the milking process.

Animal Recovery Mission said one of its investigators recorded the footage while working as a milker at a Fair Oaks Farms property between February and April.

The  video  shows employees hitting, punching and pushing milking cows into a rotary system while some of the animals are seen falling out of the machine.
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
UGA Advanced Grazing School
The 2019 Advanced Grazing School will be held on July 16 th  and 17 th  at the Livestock Instructional Arena in Athens, GA. This will be an intense two day hands on event that will overlap with the Deep South Stocker Conference on the second day. Registration will include coffee and snacks throughout the day, lunch for both days, a large notebook with handouts and supplemental information, and PLENTY of interactive presentations and hands on learning activities.
 
Tentative topics for the 2019 Advanced Grazing School will include:
 
Forage Systems for Stocker Cattle: Cool Season and Warm Season Systems
Economics of Forage Systems
Putting an Entire Forage System Together
Regenerative Grazing: Facts or Fiction?
Grassfed Livestock Production
Data Reviews
Supplementation Strategies
Producer Panel
Fencing and Water Systems Workshop - Click here for registration information>>>  
Upcoming Events >>>
GA Dairy Classifieds
TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at [email protected]

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. 

Calves wanted:  Competitive pricing with a 6 day a week pick up. Will buy bulls and heifers of all ages. Peter's Cattle Co. 470-255-8515

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   [email protected]
 
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   [email protected]

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

For HIRE: Southeast DHIA  has a position to fill in the  West Central Georgia area for a  FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIAN.   Responsibilities include data  collection on area dairy farms  during milking time. S chedule is somewhat flexible  but the hours are non-typical. S ome travel and out-of-town work likely.  Applicants should be comfortable  with computers and software and have good communication and  organizational skills as well as  reliable transportation. Pickup Truck required. I f interested send a resume to   [email protected]

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: 3000 gallon Surge/Westfalia milk tank and wash system. Three phase condensers. 2002 model. Excellent condition. John B Gay, 478-494-5107

WANTED : DeLaval Westfalia  Neck Transponders: TN Dairy seeking used Westfalia neck band transponders.  Please contact Bill or Peggy Howell if interested at 423-972-9254 or 423-371-3032.

WANTED:  Looking for used pasteurizing and bottling equipment in working condition; Linda and Darrell Rankins, Jr.;  334-745-2357  (best times: mid-day and after 8 p.m.)

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   

Bullcalves Wanted :  Looking for Bullcalves to purchase - Barron Tench 864-844-2295 or  [email protected]    

TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at [email protected]