2019 | July 26 GMP E Newsletter
Georgia Milk Producers Weekly Enews
Insect Alert:
From Dennis Hancock, UGA Extension Agronomist for Forage Crops

We're getting reports of generally low levels of fall armyworms in South Georgia and treatable levels of bermudagrass stem maggot throughout the Coastal Plain and in select locations in the lower Piedmont. Be on the look out!
With the dairy industry in a sour state, Borden CEO plots comeback for one-time milk giant
From Food Dive, Christopher Doering
When Tony Sarsam took the helm of Borden Dairy in March 2018, the maker of milk, sour cream and cottage cheese was far removed from its heyday as the nation's largest dairy producer.

Borden didn't have marketing or research and development teams. Its prior owner spent the better part of a decade making little effort to invest in its plants or people, Sarsam observed, taking cash generated from Borden and investing it in its other business ventures. Sales had plunged 82% from a peak of $7 billion in 1991, and Borden, which once had a presence in all 50 states, saw its footprint shrink dramatically to only a quarter of its previous size.

"The brand, it was asleep," Sarsam said. "There was not external communication or marketing, not even really a lot of work to keep labels or point of sales fresh."
Sarsam, who has more than three decades of experience in the food industry working for companies including PepsiCo and Nestlé, wasted little time in trying to rejuvenate the 150-year old brand.
 
Within weeks of taking over, he added a head of marketing and hired a research and development team. He's since implemented a host of other changes such as refreshing its Elsie the Cow mascot — a one-time pop culture icon that has made appearances at the  Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade cameos in Hollywood and on Broadway    — and adopted a new marketing campaign with the tagline “Glass Half-Full Since 1857" to highlight its products.  Read more here>>>
Atlanta Community Food Bank’s New Partnership Helps Close Hunger Gap
From The Dairy Alliance
The Dairy Alliance has officially launched the Milk2MyPlate initiative with the Atlanta Food Bank. Due to milk being a top requested item at food banks yet continuously in short supply, the initiative strives to provide more milk to food insecure families. Through this initiative, the Atlanta Community Food Bank will receive 60 gallons of fresh milk a week over the course of the year to distribute across its service area. Read Press Release Here>>>
Southeast Dairy Stewardship Module 4:Transition Cows in Quitman, August 13th
Please join us for an educational program addressing transition cow nutrition and housing strategies to improve welfare and vaccination strategies to assure a healthy transition period. Experts (Dr. John Bernard, Dr. Izabella Toledo, and Dr. Vic Cortese) and dairy farmers will provide insights on nutritional strategies, environmental conditions, and vaccination protocols critical to assure transition cow welfare, health, and performance. Completion of this program will count towards annual animal care employee training required within NMPF's National Dairy FARM Program.

By Dave Natzke, Progressive Dairy
The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) updated Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program participation on July 22, noting year-to-date indemnity payments to dairy operations enrolling in the program for 2019 had reached $145 million.

DMC program participation is  updated weekly,  providing information on the number of operations enrolled, milk production history covered and year-to-date indemnity payments.

As of July 22, 13,240 dairy operations had signed up for the new program, about 49% of 26,832 dairy operations with established milk production history and about 35% of all dairy operations commercially licensed to sell milk. Read more here>>>
USDA Announces Details Behind the New Trade Aid Package
From American Farm Bureau Federation
Trade aid round two, or MFP2, is finally here. Regardless of what you call it, much-needed relief is on its way to farmers. On Thursday, USDA released the latest  details  on its actions to offer farmers reprieve from ongoing trade disputes.

First  announced  in May, this new program will be structured similarly to  last year’s  program and will include:
  • The Market Facilitation Program, a system authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation and administered by the Farm Service Agency. This program is a series of direct payments to farmers who have been impacted by trade retaliation. The payments will total $14.5 billion.
  • The Food Purchase and Distribution Program, a program administered by the Agricultural Marketing Service will purchase surplus commodities that have accrued due to lower export demand. It will be funded with $1.4 billion. 
  • The Agricultural Trade Promotion Program, a program administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service to assist in developing new export markets on behalf of producers. This program will be funded with $100 million. Read more here>>>
ICYMI: July 2019 GA Milk Review
This month's issue covers:

  • Hurricane Michael Disaster Aid
  • New Leadership Select for GMP and GA ACCM
  • Corn Silage Harvest Decisions and Forage Quality
  • USDA Now Making Payments for New DMC
  • Dixie Dairy Report
It’s corn silage time in Georgia
By Mark Rodgers, Hoard's Dairyman, GA Dairy Farmer
We are in full swing corn silage harvesting mode here at Hillcrest Farms. Last week temperatures rose to 100°F and higher and the humidity was right there with it. We didn’t have a lot of rain in the beginning of the season but have had adequate rainfall toward the end.

We took dry matter samples before we started cutting, figuring they would be a little wet and we would start harvesting in a week or so. Nope! The samples were right on target so we began the next day. Read more here >>>
Kroger to stop buying milk from Natural Prairie Dairy Farms after animal abuse allegations
By ABC 7 Chicago
The supermarket chain’s decision comes after an animal rights group  released shocking video  this week from an undercover investigation at Natural Prairie Dairy Farms.

The Texas farm houses approximately 14,000 cows. But the company is planning to open a second organic dairy in Newton County, Indiana, just about 70 miles south of Chicago.

Animal Recovery Mission, the group responsible for the video, has been exposing what they call the systematic abuse of cows inside the dairy industry over the last several months. Full Story Here>>>
A majority of US consumers have some level of distrust in dairy and meat companies even if they don’t purchase meat and dairy, according to new research from the Hartman Group, and non-dairy alternatives continue to grow among young shoppers.  
First there was cow’s milk. Then soy milk, nut milk, pea milk, and oat milk—and the dairy industry’s war over alternatives even  using the term “milk”  to begin with. Depending on your worldview, all of these might have some ethical, environmental, dietary, or pricing drawbacks. So in 2012, a lactose-intolerant investment banker with a nut allergy began tinkering with a new ingredient altogether.

The result is plant-based, ethically sourced, allergen-free, organic, and relatively affordable beverage called “Bananamilk.” It retails for between $4.99 and $5.99 for 48 ounces or a little more than one-third of a gallon. Last year,  Mooala , whose line of banana milk includes original, strawberry, and chocolate flavors, posted nearly 900% year-over-year sales growth, the fastest among newcomers to the alt-milk category. It’s now sold in 2,000 stores including Whole Foods, Safeway, Kroger, Wegmans, and Costco, and expected to increase its footprint to 3,000 by the end of the year. Read more here >>>
Register Today for the Florida Dairy Production Conference
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 .
Other Stories to Check Out This Week >>>
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. 

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   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 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   brian.winters@dhicoop.com

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

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  barron.tench@gmail.com    

TO ADVERTISE: EMAIL AD AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO FARRAH NEWBERRY at gamilkproducers@gmail.com