January 29, 2026

 Issue 184

IDP in Motion: From the Stanchion to the Statehouse – Setting Dairy Priorities 

January in Indiana means our legislature is in action at the Statehouse. All of our ag groups are active, making our priorities known to those who represent us. I always want to be sure the dairy industry is at the table when there are bills on the table that impact our farms. Your insight into our priorities is important and your feedback is always welcome.

I know I’ll be able to get your insight as we gather at our Regional Meetings in February. Please mark your calendar and register for these sessions that bring us together to learn, exchange ideas and network with each other. From discussing national news like the impact of Whole Milk for Kids Act to local legislation, we will have a lot talk about.

The dairy industry can benefit from current trends like GLP-1 diets stressing protein and the new food pyramid that reinforces the nutritional benefit of dairy products. The work you do on your farm every day makes a difference in the lives and diets of so many people.

I know the winter weather has been a challenge for us all in caring for our animals, and I wish everyone the best as we hunker down and keep doing what we do best – produce milk.

Steve



Steve Obert, Executive Director

Steveobert@indianadairy.org

817-779-6775 

Calendar of Events

• Feb 10th: Regional Meeting (Monroe)
• Feb 11th: Regional Meeting (Plymouth)
• Feb 12th: Regional Meeting (Middlebury)
• March 9th: IDP Annual Meeting

In This Issue

Our Mission in Action

IDP Member Moments



Industry Insight



Our Mission in Action: Register Today: IDP Regional Meetings Coming Soon in February

Indiana Dairy Producers (IDP) is once again working to bring you up-to-date information for the Indiana dairy industry. We are planning some great topics for you this year that apply to everyone. Join us to share the following:



• Back to the Basics: Understanding The Importance of Water Quality
• Reducing Machinery Cost Using Alternative Ownership Arrangements
• 2026 Ag Economic Outlook
• Dairy Innovation and How GLP-1 will Impact Dairy Demand

Our goal is to deliver a program that will educate, inform, and deliver confidence for you to go back home and get better. Come join us for a day of opportunity!

Link here for the full program.



Register here: 2026 IDP Regional Meetings | IDP.

Sponsor Spotlight: NutraDrip Helps Dairy Farmers Turn Waste Into Value 

Since 2012 NutraDrip has been helping farmers revolutionize their operations through smarter irrigation, resulting in increased yields and building legacies for generations to come. And it all started from a farming concept learned in childhood.

As a teenager, Kurt Grimm often explored the greenhouse on his family’s farm and marveled at how efficiently the hydroponic system operated. Years later, after Kurt and his brothers had started farming on their own, a terrible drought hit northeast Kansas, forcing them to get creative. Using a particularly odd-shaped field that a traditional pivot system wouldn’t have been able to cover, they decided to try a subsurface drip irrigation system – this an underground system for irrigation a field with drip tape connected by pipes to a water source.

The subsurface drip irrigation system took Kurt back to his roots and provided him the level of control he’d seen growing up. Not only could the Grimm brothers now manage the amount of water being applied, they could also add fertilizer directly to the root system exactly when the plants needed it most. While this irrigation + fertigation concept had been in use for several years in the vegetable and greenhouse industries, it was rare to find a subsurface drip irrigation system (SDI) for corn or soybean fields.



The Grimms decided to apply what they’d learned installing their own system for other farmers, and NutraDrip was born. Over the years, NutraDrip has helped farmers get predictable yields and improve their bottom line through subsurface drip irrigation. More recently, NutraDrip has started working with growers to help them run manure through their SDI systems. We have worked alongside hog and cattle growers and dairies to help them turn manure and waste into a valuable product. Each farm and farmer needs a slightly different approach or equipment. We love the challenge of finding the best approach for each situation. A few benefits of using separation equipment plus SDI include: turning waste into value by applying nutrients directly to the crop, reducing water loss, increasing yield, cutting hauling and pumping costs by using existing infrastructure, and improving sustainability by reusing nutrients and conserving resources.

Our Mission in Action: Winter Manure Application Considerations

From our partners at the Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance



Old Man Winter is making his presence known in Indiana here in January, so it is prime time to consider the timing and potential restrictions on manure application during winter months. Particularly, Indiana has specific restrictions on the application of manure to frozen or snow-covered ground. The application is permitted in certain circumstances, but following the right procedures can save you from receiving a $250 (first incident) fine from the Office of the Indiana State Chemist.

Indiana Code does not allow for a CFO to apply manure to frozen or snow-covered ground without “special permission from IDEM,” and IDEM does not grant special permissions. Non-CFO entities may apply to frozen or snow-covered ground, but A) No application in floodways or within 200 feet of surface water, B) only 50% of the agronomic uptake of the next season’s crop may be applied, and C) highly erodible ground applications have to have a cover crop or no-till residue cover. Keep in mind that which nutrient targeted for agronomic application is not specified, but tracing the rate applied back to the plan for nutrient management you keep in the farm office is key. 



IDP Member Moments: Saluting Carrie Bollenbacher and Alex Lueken For IDP Board Service

Volunteer leaders are essential to the success of our organization, and serving on the board is an act of service that makes a huge difference. We would like to thank Carrie Jo Bollenbacher and Alex Lueken who have each served six years on the IDP Board.

Carrie has served as President and Alex as Secretary, providing direction and leadership to our work on behalf of the industry. While their terms are up, we know they will continue to advocate for dairy and be active leaders in our industry.



Thank you Carrie and Alex! 

Industry Insight: In the Milk House with BOAH: Updates to the BOAH Dairy Inspection Staff

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health’s Dairy Division inspection staff has had some changes in the last year. As an update, below is the current map for inspection staff, as well as their contact information.

The numbers listed for each county reflect the number of dairy farms inspected by BOAH. The total number of farms statewide has leveled off recently, after a few years of declining numbers. However, in some areas, farm size seems to be increasing as the number of processors expands in Indiana.

 Northwest: Kaytlin Peterson: 317-439-1581; kpeterson@boah.in.gov

 Northeast: Dean Adams: 260-450-2153; deadams@boah.in.gov

 Southwest: Autum Foster: 812-699-7540; aufoster1@boah.in.gov

 North Central: Holly Sibray: 317-503-2055; hsibray@boah.in.gov

 East: Gary Craun: 260-251-2511; gcraun@boah.in.gov

 Central: Sara Horning: 317-607-6843; sahorning@boah.in.gov

 West: Kassie Gunn: 317-695-1417; kagunn@boah.in.gov

 Southeast: Matt Siedling: 317-495-4946; msiedling1@boah.in.gov

Amy Pettijohn continues to serve as the Farm Section Chief: apettijohn@boah.in.gov or by phone: 812-821-1213.



Tina Zaring continues to be available to assist in the BOAH Central Office: tzaring@boah.in.gov or by phone: 317-544-2392.

Industry Insight: “Whole Milk For Kids” Act Signed into Law



Signed into law on January 14, 2026, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-69) amends the National School Lunch Act to allow schools to serve whole, reduced fat (2%), and flavored milk. This legislation reverses 2012 restrictions requiring low-fat/fat-free options, aiming to reduce waste and boost dairy consumption. 

This is a great boost for our industry in getting whole milk back into the school cafeteria.

Link here for more information and background on this legislation. 

Our Mission in Action: 2026 Dairy Ambassadors Announced by ADAI

It is important the dairy industry shares its story and the American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI) is happy to announce the 2026 Dairy Ambassadors, a select group of five college students who will advocate for the dairy industry, participate in community events with the American Dairy Association Indiana, Inc., and receive scholarships throughout the year. 

This year, all five ambassadors are students at Purdue University:



• Cord Akey (Waterloo, IN | freshman studying agriculture engineering)
• Mylie Rexing (Fort Branch, IN | junior studying agribusiness)
• Aleah Rexing (Fort Branch, IN | freshman studying agriculture sales and marketing)
• Macey Lambrecht (Bedford, IN | freshman studying agribusiness)
• Madilyn Elliott (Greencastle, IN | sophomore studying animal sciences)

Following an intensive and competitive application process, these students were selected based on their abilities to communicate with the general public about dairy farming, dairy nutrition and modern agricultural practices. Students who are accepted into the program, now in its ninth year, are expected to serve for one year as a dairy ambassador, completing monthly assignments to fulfill their scholarship requirements. Each ambassador will be awarded a $2,500 scholarship in installments over the course of their year of service. 

The Dairy Ambassador Scholarship program replaced the Dairy Princess program in 2017, allowing more students and men to be a part of advocating for the dairy community.