November 21, 2024

 Issue 176

IDP in Motion:  Grateful and Gathering

In this season of Thanksgiving, there is much to be grateful for. My list of blessings is long starting with family, friends, the farm and the opportunity to serve the dairy industry. It has been a busy fall and I am looking forward to gathering with IDP members at our Forum in January. 

The 2025 IDP Forum in French Link is our chance to come together to learn what is new in our industry while sharing perspective and enjoying the company of our fellow producers. While there is not a crystal ball to predict the future, experts will share insight into what might be coming down the road. Keynote speaker Mike North, President of Ever.Ag with an extensive dairy industry background, will present “What's Next for Dairy, Grains and the Economy?” Other speakers will focus on "Shaping the Future of Dairy with Artificial Intelligence" as well as provide perspective on the impact of the Milk Marketing Modernization Act on dairy checks.

I especially enjoy celebrating the winners of our IDP awards and encourage you to nominate outstanding industry members. (There is information in this newsletter about the nomination process, note that nominations are due December 13, 2024).

I wish everyone a safe and festive holiday season, and I look forward to seeing you in French Link in January.

Best regards,

Steve

Steve Obert, Executive Director

Steveobert@indianadairy.org

817-779-6775 

Calendar of Events

• January 28th & 29th 2025: IDP Forum - French Lick, IN

In This Issue

Our Mission In Action

Sponsor Spotlight

Industry Spotlight

Our Industry in Action

IDP Member Moments

Partners In Success 2024

ZFS Feed Update



Our Mission in Action: Register for IDP Dairy Forum, Get Early Bird Pricing!

As we head into Thanksgiving and the holidays, our “to do” lists get long. Take care of one item today by registering for the 2025 IDP Dairy Forum. You will even save some money as the early bird pricing goes until December 31^st. Here are those prices: The first Registration Farm/Business: $200 Additional Registrations: $125 Student including college: $50.

Link here for the forum brochure with all the details. We will see you in French Link in January! 

Sponsor Spotlight: EWT Becomes Diamond Level IDP Sponsor 

IDP welcomes EWT as a sponsor and supporter of Indiana’s dairy industry. Read on to learn more about who EWT is and their role in the industry.

EWT operates at the heart of the global transition towards decarbonization by providing more sustainable forms of power generation and helping individuals, businesses and communities of all sizes to become distributed energy champions.

Our award-winning 1MW wind turbines have been unlocking new Distributed Energy Resources “DER’s”, as well as repowering existing sites for customers on five continents for twenty years. Distributed energy solutions and project development make the energy transition as simple as possible for all our customers – from energy consumers to producers and investors, helping them take the business of generating their own power and reaping the benefits, into their own hands. We continue to invest in and grow our distributed energy business, delivering our wind industry knowledge and services to customers as well as driving new solutions such as integrating multiple generation technologies, energy storage, and grid management into our solution set.



Since 2004, EWT has supplied the most reliable direct drive wind turbines for localized energy generation and over the years, we have continually challenged ourselves to improve our products to lower the cost of energy of our turbines. Today, with over 700 turbines installed across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and soon Antarctica, EWT is continuing to prove our certified and high-performing wind turbines are at the forefront of the power sector transformation.  

Sponsor Spotlight: Platinum Sponsor Hubbard Feeds helps optimize calf health and dairy herd success

Hubbard Feeds, a division of Alltech, offers advanced nutritional technologies designed to help dairy farmers build strong foundations for herd health and productivity, starting with their calves.

Our cutting-edge solutions, such the Blueprint® calf and heifer program, focus on improving immune function, digestive health, and growth rates during the critical early stages of development. By utilizing Total Replacement Technology® in our products, which refers to replacing inorganic trace minerals with 100% organic trace minerals, we've successfully elevated trace mineral reserves, making them more bioavailable, supporting optimal calf health and long-term herd performance.

As proud sponsors of the Indiana Dairy Producers, we’re committed to working together with and supporting dairy producers.



For further information, please visit our website. 

Sponsor Spotlight: Janzen Schroeder Ag Law “Speaks Dairy” 

Janzen Schroeder Ag Law is a law firm focused on serving those involved with agriculture. The firm’s attorneys are leaders in their fields, bringing years of experience helping farmers and agricultural companies solve their legal problems. They believe your dairy operation deserves a lawyer who understands what you do every day. An IDP Platinum Sponsor, the team at Janzen Schroeder Ag Law is well versed in the dairy industry and proud to support it. 

“We support IDP because it gives us access to Indiana’s dairy farms, who are family run businesses and the types of clients we love to serve,” says Todd Janzen, founding partner of Janzen Schroeder Ag Law.



For more information about Janzen Schroeder Ag Law, link here to visit their website.

Our Industry in Action: Obert Speaks Out about Labor Concerns

Labor is a top concern in the dairy industry, and with election outcomes known, the fate of immigrant farm workers is an important topic for all of agriculture. IDP Executive Director Steve Obert is a respected voice for the dairy industry and served as a source for Successful Farming magazine as they cover the labor topic. The article highlighted Obert’s hopes that the new administration will push for comprehensive immigration and workforce reform instead of trying to deport what is estimated to be at least 14 million immigrants, including approximately 1 million in the agricultural sector.



Link here to read the article. 

Industry Insight: In the Milk House with BOAH: Marsh Retires; Shipman Named Interim Indiana State Veterinarian

Kyle Shipman, DVM, has been named interim Indiana State Veterinarian beginning Nov. 2, 2024. The designation was made to fulfill the duties of the office until members of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) can appoint a permanent state veterinarian.

Dr. Bret D. Marsh finished his 30-year tenure as Indiana State Veterinarian on Nov. 1, 2024, to become Dean of the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine. He began his career with the state in 1984 as a supervisor and training officer for the state meat and poultry inspection program, which was part of the Indiana State Department of Health. He joined BOAH in 1986 as Swine Division Director before becoming State Veterinarian. During his tenure, Dr. Marsh oversaw the establishment of the Indiana Center for Animal Policy, which co-located the Indiana Board of Veterinary Medicine with BOAH. 



A nationwide search is underway to fill the agency head position permanently. In January, members of the Board plan to conduct interviews of qualified candidates for the position. 

About Dr. Shipman

Dr. Shipman currently serves as director of BOAH’s Animal Programs Division. He is a graduate of Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Agriculture (Animal Sciences). Shortly after joining BOAH, Dr. Shipman played a significant role in the agency’s response to the highly pathogenic avian influenza event in Dubois County in 2016. He has also helped lead the extended response to bovine tuberculosis in cattle in Southeastern Indiana.



Dr. Shipman continues to expand his knowledge about responding to diseases of high consequence. In early 2020, he traveled to Uganda to participate in an international, hands-on training course to learn first-hand how to diagnose and respond to cases of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). He is a USDA-certified and trained Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician. In 2020 he completed Indiana Agri Institute’s two-year Agricultural Leadership Program as part of Class 18. 

IDP Member Moments: Clay Acres Dairy Supports IDP Activities

Aaron Claycamp of Clay Acres Dairy in Seymour, Indiana, is the first to admit that being active in the industry was not top of mind for him. Yet the fourth generation dairy producer realized it would be good to step outside of his comfort zone to consider being on the Indiana Dairy Producers (IDP) board when a friend approached him about it.



Now that he serves on the board, Aaron notes “It is good to go to the meetings and be a step ahead. IDP helps me better understand the regulations and policies as well as have input on what is going on that impacts my farm.”

Aaron and his wife Molly, who recently celebrated their 29^th wedding anniversary, milk 60 cows and raise all their own young stock. They farm as well, with Molly also having a job in town. Aaron enjoys the dairy lifestyle and appreciates the benefits of being his own boss. The Claycamps have two adult children, Kyle and Lyra, who help out with milking and farm work as needed, enabling Aaron to attend IDP events like the Dairy Forum. 

“The Dairy Forum is a good outing and I enjoyed talking to other producers and the vendors,” Aaron says. He recalls the last forum as being informative, and “It was worth my time to go and learn more.” With the 2025 Dairy Forum coming up in January, Aaron encourages fellow producers to attend.

Settings like the Dairy Forum give producers and other industry members the opportunity to discuss both the challenges and the opportunities for the industry. “While labor issues and having a place for milk to go can be difficult here in Indiana, there are opportunities,” Aaron points out. An example he cites is how both small and large dairies can explore marketing their own products like milk and cheese to fill market niches.

In this season of Thanksgiving, Aaron is thankful for the dairy lifestyle, and IDP is thankful for him stepping out of his comfort zone to serve on the board. 

Industry Insight: Avian Influenza Update

By Jackie Boerman, PhD, Associate Professor, Animal Sciences, Purdue University

Nine months ago, we as members of the dairy industry did not pay much attention to avian influenza. Now it seems like there are constant updates and information about avian influenza that may impact dairy farms. Across the U.S., avian influenza has infected nearly 400 dairy herds in 14 states and at least 36 people, according to data from the USDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rapid spread of the virus has prompted changes in industry protocols, especially in terms of testing and surveillance.

Currently, there is required testing of lactating dairy cows if they cross state borders, but in November, bulk tank testing of milk will begin in the U.S. Initially, states where avian influenza has been identified will be the focus of this testing. This is being done because in Colorado, where bulk tank milk testing was performed, there have been no new cases since mid-August. The success of this approach in Colorado is encouraging, and USDA plans to expand this testing model to other affected states to better track the virus in dairy herds. In California, almost 200 dairy herds have tested positive since August, indicating that it is spreading in specific areas of the country. This localized spread underscores the importance of heightened vigilance and testing in states with ongoing outbreaks. The virus continues to pose significant risks to poultry operations, with over 17 million birds being killed after flocks tested positive for the bovine variant of avian influenza.



Currently, there are fewer than 100 farms enrolled in voluntary testing, representing less than 0.4% of the herds. This low participation highlights the need for increased awareness and engagement with testing programs, especially as the virus continues to spread. As of the last week in October, there is one confirmed case of avian influenza that has been identified in a pig. This highlights the potential for cross-species transmission and further emphasizes the need for robust biosecurity practices on farms. 

Our Mission in Action: Time to Nominate for IDP Awards, Apply for Scholarship

Our organization is proud to, each year, honor outstanding producers and students through our awards program. We hope you will take a few minutes to think about deserving recipients for the Indiana Dairy Producer of the Year and the Indiana Young Dairy Producer of the Year Awards. These awards are to recognize outstanding accomplishment, professionalism, and leadership among Indiana’s dairy producers. Award recipients will be announced at the 2025 IDP Forum in French Lick.

Encouraging the next generation is also important, and we encourage those pursuing higher education to apply for the $1,000 scholarship, also to be awarded at the 2024 Dairy Regional Meeting.

Eligibility for this scholarship is as follows:

·   Student must plan to attend a trade school, technical school, community college, or university starting in the fall of 2024.

·   Student must currently be in their final year of High School, or already graduated and will be attending a post-secondary institution in first, second, or third year for the 2023-2024 school year.

·   Student must be a current dues-paying member of Indiana Dairy Producers or;

·   Student must have a spouse, parent, grandparent, or legal guardian who is a current dues-paying member of Indiana Dairy Producers or;

·   Be a current employee of a current dues-paying member of Indiana Dairy Producers.

Link here to download the nomination form for the producer award.

Link here to download the scholarship application form.

Thanks for helping us identify our 2025 award winners! 

Partners in Success Luncheon a Success!  

Thanks to all who came to the 2024 Partners in Success luncheon on November 20 at Fair Oaks Farms. We appreciate all our sponsors, including Indiana Corn and Soybean (representative Maggie Hancock pictured here) and AMI (representative Blake Ford pictured here) who covered the lunch.  We appreciate our IDP President, Carrie Jo Bollenbacher, pictured in white sweater, for emceeing the event. 

ZFS Feed Ingredients Update

What a year for crop production and great weather for most areas as harvest is in the books. With this being said, there is good quality feed ingredients at most food processors available now too.

With corn low on toxins, DDGS will be a good addition to rations on the protein side and gluten feed plants are coming off maintenance times, so production is ramping back up with availability on wet and dry pellets.

Soybean meal is in good supply with basis relatively low cost giving good options for ration usage. Soyhulls are staying steady as fiber is more plentiful in the region from better weather for crops.

Hominy is a good buy out there for using with your own ground corn, is quick in the rumen. Contracts are available through next year to book in your needs.

Cottonseed is in full ginning swing right now, given all the weather issues in the south this summer. First too dry then too wet, and a shorter crop overall likely. Prices are steady, compared to other proteins, but a great over all source for rations.

Canola meal feed is in very good supply right now, as rail care movement has been good moving east. Basis levels are very good compared to other proteins, give your merchandiser a call to inquire. Pellets are nice, lowering shrink. Contracts are available for a year.

Good timing to lock in your ingredients for rations as the CME futures are also much lower than recent years. Let us know how we can help on offers and logistics.

Have a great Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful for.