2019 | Nov 22 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
Happy Thanksgiving to Your Dairy Farm Family
No GMP E-news next week, will return Friday, Dec. 6th
As my family sits down with each other this holiday season, we will not forget the hardworking individuals who work year-round to ensure we have enough to eat. During the holidays, Georgia's farm families juggle meal schedules and other activities to milk and feed cows. I am very thankful to work for such hardworking individuals every day. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!

Sincerely,
Farrah Newberry
Warren County students learn about the impact of GA's agriculture community
By  Alexa Lightle , WRDW
WARREN COUNTY, GA (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia’s Farm Bureau is hosting its Farm to City Week, and students are getting a closer look at agriculture.
Maggie the cow and Nicole Duvall are visiting Warren County students this week.

“We learned about cows and dairy,” Duvall said.
The students get to see first-hand how milk is made and learn about dairy cows as well as other products that come from milk.

It’s also a chance to get student thinking about a bigger picture.
“If they have a farm that's in their county, they can understand the importance of that farm and also the economical impact it does for their county, too,” Duvall said.
4-H news: Gordon County 4-H represents state of Georgia at National Dairy Judging Contest
From UGA Extension, Gordon County
Recently the Gordon County 4-H State Champion Dairy Judging Team was able to compete at the National Dairy Judging Contest in Madison, Wisconsin, representing the state of Georgia in the 4-H division of the contest.

The team, comprised of Annelies Carr, Hannah McElrath, Gabrielle Ralston, and Bryson Smith, left on Sept. 27 to embark on the once in a lifetime trip. While in Madison, the team was able to visit and tour many different farms and museums along the way. The first stop was Cozy Nook Farms, a Brown Swiss cattle farm, where they learned about their operation and the owners of the farm displayed two practice classes of Brown Swiss. Read more here>>>
America's milk industry is struggling. Don't blame oat milk
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Business
In 2010, 55 billion pounds of milk were sold in the United States. By 2018, that figure dropped to 47.7 billion, a decline of about 13%.

Last week, that shift finally  overwhelmed Dean Foods , the country's biggest dairy processor. In a statement announcing the company's bankruptcy filing, CEO Eric Beringause pointed to "continuing declines in consumer milk consumption."

Meanwhile, a new, competing sector is on the rise: plant-based milks, where US sales have  grown 14%  in the past two years, according to a July report from the Plant Based Foods Association, a trade group, and the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit that supports plant-based businesses. Read more here>>>
USDA To Begin Issuing Round Two of 2019 MFP Next Week
By Anna Lisa-Laca, Dairy Herd Management
USDA Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Friday announced that the second tranche of 2019 Market Facilitation Program payments will begin being issued next week. 
Producers of MFP-eligible commodities will now be eligible to receive 25% of the total payment expected, in addition to the 50% they have already received from the 2019 MFP, USDA said in a release.

“This second tranche of 2019 MFP payments, along with already provided disaster assistance, will give farmers, who have had a tough year due to unfair trade retaliation and natural disasters, much needed funds in time for Thanksgiving,” Perdue said.

“President Trump has shown time and again that he is fighting for America’s farmers and ranchers. While we continue to have confidence in the President’s negotiations with China, this money shows President Trump following through on his promise to help and support farmers as he continues to fight for fair market access.” Read more here>>>
Supreme Court May Let Trump Cancel DACA
From Wimberley Law Firm and Assoc.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on November 11, 2019, as to whether President Trump could rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program, commonly known as DACA. Based on questions and comments made by the justices, many commentators suggest that we may be looking forward to another 5-4 decision, with five of the justices allowing the President to cancel the program. One of the justices, Chief Justice Roberts, suggested that he saw DACA as illegal from the start, while another justice, Justice Brent Kavanaugh, suggested that he was satisfied with the explanation for the cancellation. The other justices like Justice Sotomayor said the President had told DACA-eligible people "that they were safe under him and that he would find a way to keep them here."

Following the hearing, the President suggested that a ruling in his favor would force Democrats to negotiate a way to keep the DACA recipients in this country. President Trump tweeted: "A deal would be made with Dems for them to stay!"

Currently more than 660,000 people have active DACA status. A vast majority of these DACA recipients are currently employed in the U.S. 
From Progressive Dairy Editor Dave Natzke
October 2019 U.S. milk production increased by about 1.3% compared to the same month a year earlier, keeping pace with stronger growth in monthly year-over-year production that started in September.

October’s growth can again be attributed to stronger milk output per cow and a continuation of higher cow numbers among a few major dairy states, according to the USDA’s monthly Milk Production report, released Nov. 19. Read more here>>>
Dairy Industry Moving Toward 'Designer Cow'
By Carol Ryan Dumas, Capital Press
Technologies such as sexed semen and genetic testing were once an expensive niche for elite cattle, but they are quickly becoming a necessary tool for success, according to a new report by Rabobank.

Rapid advances in breeding technologies and genetics are changing the way dairy producers run their businesses and design their herds, Ben Laine, dairy analyst and author of the report, said.

Sexed semen has become common place in the dairy industry, but dairy producers are also using genetics to design their dairy herds, he said.

Genomic testing in dairy began in 2009 on elite animals, costing about $200 per test. But the cost has fallen to a range of $30 to $50. Blood or hair follicle samples are taken shortly after birth, and lab results are available in a matter of days. Read more here >>>
ICYMI: November 2019 GA Milk Review
From GA Milk Producers



This edition covers: MFP Payments, Dean Foods Files Bankruptcy, Damian Mason Added as Keynote for 2020 GDC, USDA Backs Off RFID Mandate for Livestock, Reservation information for the 2020 GDC and Dixie Dairy Report.
Burger King sued, accused of contaminating meatless burgers on grills used for meat
By Justine Coleman, The Hill
Burger King is being sued by a vegan customer based on allegations that its meatless Impossible Whoppers were contaminated on grills used for meat.

Phillip Williams filed a class-action lawsuit in Miami federal court against the restaurant chain after purchasing the Impossible Whopper, a plant-based alternative to the meat patty, in Georgia. The plaintiff claims he would not have paid a premium price for the burger if he knew it was cooked on the same grill as meat patties.

The lawsuit alleges Burger King participated in “deceptive representations” of the burger by not disclosing it is cooked with meat byproducts. Burger King advertises the Impossible Whopper as “100 Whopper, 0 percent beef.” Read more here>>>
Yogurt sales sour as US breakfast culture changes
By Dee-Ann Durbin, Associated Press
What’s eating yogurt?

Despite shelves full of  new varieties  — from Icelandic to Australian to coconut-based — U.S. yogurt sales are in a multiyear slump. Yogurt companies are confident that more new products can boost sales. But some analysts are skeptical, saying larger trends — like growing sales of protein bars — will be hard to turn around.

“Consumers are just not eating as much yogurt as they once did,” said Caleb Bryant, associate director of food and drink reports for Mintel, a market research company.

U.S. sales of yogurt and yogurt drinks peaked at nearly $9 billion in 2015. In 2019, they’re expected to hit $8.2 billion, down 3.6% from 2018, Mintel says. They’re expected to fall another 10% to $7.4 billion by 2024. Read more here>>>
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
We are excited to announce that Damian Mason will serve as our Monday Keynote Speaker for the 2020 GA Dairy Conference! From growing up on a dairy farm in Indiana to now speaking to over 1,600 audiences in 50 states and 8 foreign countries, Damian Mason is a professional speaker with a message for the people of agriculture! Make plans to join us and register online at  http://www.gadairyconference.com/ #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 [email protected]

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