michigan milk messenger: march 2012

Michigan Milk Messenger 1

March 2012Volume 94 Issue 9

2 March 2012


Contents

Managing Editor ..................... Sheila BurkhardtEditor ........................................... Laura MoserAdvertising Manager ....................Karla MacelliCirculation .............................................. 4,200

An Equal Opportunity Employer – F/M/V/D

Michigan Milk Messenger (USPS 345-320) is the official publication of Michigan Milk Producers Association, published monthly since June 1919. Subscriptions: MMPA members, 50¢ per year; non-members, $5 per year.

41310 Bridge St. P.O. Box 8002

Novi, MI 48376-8002 Telephone: 248-474-6672 FAX: 248-474-0924

Periodical postage paid at Novi, MI and at additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Milk Messenger, PO Box 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002.

(ISSN 0026-2315)

MMPA Matters ............................................... 5Quality Watch ................................................. 6News & Views ................................................. 8Legislative Watch ........................................... 10Merchandise Memo ....................................... 28Freeliners ....................................................... 30Classifieds...................................................... 32Policies .......................................................... 33Market Report ............................................... 34MMPA Lab Lines .......................................... 35MMPA Staff .................................................. 35

On the Cover

Volume 94 Issue 9www.mimilk.com

Departments

FeaturesMarch 2012

MMPA board member Jim Reid is the 2012 MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year.

9 2012 MMPA Young Cooperator Conference

10 Congress Urged to Address Farm Bill Legislation

11 2012 Funding for Rural Energy for America Program

12 Michigan & Indiana Dairy Producers Recognized by NorthStar Cooperative

13 Agriculture Degrees Are More In Demand Than Ever

14 MMPA Director-at-Large Nominees

16 Proposed MMPA Bylaw Changes to be Considered at State Annual Meeting

17 2012 MMPA Milker Training Schools

18 Jim Reid – MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year

20 Gary Trimner Retires

22 Dairy Producers Get Up-To-Date Information From Top- Notch Speakers At Dairy Conference in Mount Pleasant

24 2012 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program Winners

25 MMPA Scholarship Winners

22

18

20


March 2012Volume 94 Issue 9

4 March 2012

Officers President: Ken NobisVice President: Bob KranTreasurer: Mark Halbert General Manager/Secretary: Clay Galarneau Ass’t. Treasurer: Joe DiglioGeneral Counsel: David VanderHaagen

Directors-At-LargeKen Nobis, St. Johns ........................989-224-6170 or 248-474-6672, ext. 201Rodney Daniels, Whittemore ............989-756-4935Mark Halbert, Battle Creek ...............269-964-0511

Michigan Milk Producers Association, established in 1916, is a member owned and operated dairy cooperative serving approximately 2,200 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.

Mission Statement“To market our members’ milk to the

greatest advantage possible.”

District SixJohn Hufnagel, Westphalia 989-640-1394Anthony Jandernoa, 989-593-2224 St. Johns Aaron Gasper, Lowell 616-897-2747 David Reed, Owosso 989-723-8635

District SevenBill Blumerich, Berlin 810-395-2926Pat Bolday, Emmett 810-395-7139 Scott Lamb, Jeddo 810-327-6135Keith Wood, Kingston 989-683-2070

District EightMike Bender, Croswell 810-679-4782Tim Kubacki, Sebewaing 989-883-3249Dale Phillips, Marlette 989-635-7917Steve Schulte, Harbor Beach 989-479-9339

District TenJohn Bennett, Prescott 989-345-4264Rod Fowler, Chesaning 989-845-6131Scott Kleinhardt, Clare 989-386-8037Ken Daniels, Sterling 989-654-2546

District ElevenJim Good, Caledonia 616-891-1414Frank Konkel, Hesperia 231-854-8041 David Pyle, Zeeland 616-772-1512Bill Stakenas, Free Soil 231-757-9340

District TwelveRobert Barron, Gladstone 906-786-7027Ron Lucas, Posen 989-379-4694Corby Werth, Alpena 989-379-3772Jeremy Werth, Alpena 989-464-4022

District OneHank Choate, Cement City 517-529-9032Perry Cisco, Hudson 517-547-3231Carlton Evans, Litchfield 517-398-0629Glenn Preston, Quincy 517-639-4182

District TwoDonald Bever, Delton 269-671-5050Francis Burr, Mendon 269-778-3552Richard Thomas, 574-825-5198 Middlebury, IN Susan Troyer, Goshen, IN 574-533-4506

District FourDavid Bivens, Bellevue 269-758-3980Jeff Butler, Nashville 517-852-1859 Mark Crandall, 269-660-2229 Battle CreekDavid Lott, Mason 517-676-4593

District FiveTom Jeppesen, Stanton 989-762-5399Bill Jernstadt, Big Rapids 231-796-4650 Robert Lee, Marion 231-743-6794 Mike Rasmussen, Edmore 989-762-5380

Michigan Milk Producers Association

Advisory Committee

Board of Directors

District Directors 1. Earl Horning, Manchester ............734-428-7641 2. Tim Hood, Paw Paw ...................269-657-5771 4. Dan Javor, Hastings .....................269-948-8345 5. Brent Wilson, Carson City ...........989-584-3481 6. Brad Ritter, Byron .......................810-266-4091 7. James Reid, Jeddo .......................810-327-6830 8. Leonard Brown, Sandusky ...........810-648-450510. Eric Frahm, Frankenmuth ...........989-652-355211. Bob Kran, Free Soil .....................231-464-588912. John Kronemeyer, Pickford .........906-647-7638


MMPA MattersBy Ken Nobis

President

NCFC Annual Meeting Provides Relevant Information

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) is a

federation of co-ops whose mission is to “advance the business and policy interests of America’s cooperatives and other farmer-owned enterprises.” I recently attended the NCFC annual meeting, as did MMPA’s General Manager and Director of Finance who shared ideas and experiences with their counterparts from other co-ops. Two members of MMPA’s Board of Directors, selected on a rotating basis, also attend. Co-op governance is a focus of NCFC, and our board members listen very keenly so that they can share what they learn with the rest of the board to build the best possible governance structure for our own co-op.

This year’s topics also addressed other challenges in our industry. The Capper-Volstead Act is important and needs to be retained, because it allows farmers and their co-ops to join together to bargain for higher prices. The Act is facing legal challenges, one against Co-operatives Working Together (CWT), a voluntary producer-funded dairy program that currently focuses on promoting exports but in the past played an important role in removing milk production through the herd retirement program. NCFC is involved where possible to protect the concept of Capper-Volstead.

Another area of intense scrutiny is regulatory challenges. For example, NCFC was heavily involved when the Dodd-Frank Bill worked its way through the legislative process in Washington. NCFC wanted to ensure that this legislation when finally passed into law by President Obama did not negatively impact the utilization of price protection

through futures markets by farmers and their co-operatives. This is just one example of the kind of legislation that is monitored by NCFC on an ongoing basis.

Charlie Stenholm, former chair of the House Ag Committee, noted when he spoke to the group that politics have a large effect on a farmer’s success because of the rules and regulations that are promulgated by legislators. He believes that PACs are useful in bridging the knowledge gap that results from legislators not having an understanding of agriculture. Only seven of the 46 members of the House Agriculture Committee have any background linking them to agriculture.

Julie Borlaug, director of External Relations for the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, agreed that we have a knowledge gap when she noted that the greatest threat to agriculture today is the lack of education among the public about our food system. A student can go through 17 years of formal education in our country and receive absolutely no information about our food systems. This is true even though efforts have been made throughout the years to highlight agriculture.

Ms. Borlaug believes that feeding the world’s growing population requires utilizing today’s technology, and this will be a challenge for agriculture if we do not have an informed population.

Feeding a growing world population was also addressed by Leonard Gianessi, representing the CropLife Foundation, who emphasized the impact that crop protection chemicals have and will

continue to have. Their increased use has allowed more and more people to leave the hand-labor jobs of agriculture to improve their lives by moving on to much better jobs. For example, if only hand labor was applied to Japan’s rice crop today, two million people would be required just to weed the crop. Using chemical applications that reduce the need for intensive labor is helping China and India cope with a short labor force on farms today that is caused by the need for workers in the manufacturing industry.

Despite the progress in food production around the globe, there are still areas of relatively unrealized potential. For example, the land mass of China, United States, and Europe combined would fit inside the borders of the continent of Africa. The fact that only 10% of the arable land in Africa is used for crop production leaves a tremendous opportunity for increased food production. However, there are multiple problems to be solved beginning with political stability and infrastructure development.

Even this early in a U.S. election year where I am already tired of robo-calls and negative campaigning, I remain thankful that we have a stable government and a population willing to make the system work as we continue to live in affluence compared to many areas of the world.

These examples are from just a few of the presentations at the conference. Attending the NCFC Conference brings us face to face with the kind of people who are trying to make our world a better place through advancements in agriculture.

6 March 2012

How Secure is Your Farm?

By Dean LetterMMPA Manager of Producer Testing

and Herd Health Programs

Quality WatchBy Dean Letter

Director of Member Services

This past January there was an alarming story in the national

news about animal rights activists burning several tractors and trailers at a cattle ranch in California.The group said the attack was aimed at “the horrors and injustices of factory farming.” Groups such as this consider certain sectors of animal agriculture as the “enemy” and plan such “attacks” to draw attention to modern farming practices. Although this incident occurred half a country away, we have had situations here in Michigan that serve as a reminder that no farm should be considered immune from foul play or other security risks.

While there is no practical way to eliminate all security risks, there are some basic things farmers can do to manage risk. Inside the blue milkhouse notebooks, MMPA members can review a number of measures they can implement to mitigate their security risk. I will highlight a few measures that can significantly enhance farm security:

Limit access to sensitive areas of the farming operations to those who have legitimate reasons for being there. Employees need to feel empowered to question unknown persons and report these people to farm management when the situation does not “seem right.” Unknown visitors should be required to provide picture identification and state the reason for their visit. Visitors that have been outside the United States within the previous three weeks should not be allowed access to the dairy facility.

Limit farm access points. Gates should be installed and kept closed on all farm driveways that are not intended to be used by anyone other than farm employees.

Motion sensors can be installed in milkhouses and other sensitive areas to alert others that someone is in that area of the facility. Having the motion sensors activate lights in these areas will not only alert people to someone’s presence, but can also reduce energy use by having the lights on only when someone is in the area.

Sensitive areas can be locked when not in use or during off-business hours. This may be particularly applicable to fertilizer and medication storage. If the milkhouse is locked, members need to be sure that their member representative and MDARD inspector have ready access for inspection purposes.

Monitor key areas of the farming operation. Members may also invest in video technology. By placing cameras in strategic locations, members can monitor facility access points, the milk bulk tank and milking area. It is important to be able to store video footage for reference should an issue arise at a later time. Additionally, some members are maintaining a video record of animal care for the protection of their farming operation and their employees. Should a complaint arise regarding certain animal care practices, the member can refer back to video footage to verify or refute the complaint.

Perform a background check on employees. Dairy farming is no different than any other business regarding the hiring of qualified employees. Be sure to hire qualified individuals with proper education or experience. Conducting background checks and using references is important too.

Report any suspected security breech. MMPA and its member owners are committed to providing a safe, wholesome milk supply to their customers and the dairy consuming public. Members should report ANY suspected breach in security to the appropriate authority. Suspected milk adulteration should be immediately reported to your member representative for further investigation. Under no circumstances should adulterated milk be offered for sale.

Members need to be alert to any unusual animal disease symptoms or odd animal behavior. Such observations should be reported to your veterinarian and member representative immediately. Should an unusual disease outbreak occur, it should be treated as if it could be contagious. Steps should be taken to prevent any possible spread of the disease.

Some people do not understand or agree with modern agriculture practices and are willing to take steps to disrupt the day-to-day course of business. As an industry, we need to maintain a heightened awareness of this possibility and take reasonable steps to reduce the opportunity for criminal acts to take place.


Our strength...

is in our Members!

The annual delegate meeting of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 22, at the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing, Michigan. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Business will be conducted only by accredited delegates, but all members are welcome to attend. The agenda will include consideration of policy statements, resolutions and the election of one director-at-large position on the MMPA board of directors.

If the Lansing Center parking area is full, the North Grand ramp located next to the Radisson Hotel has a walkway to the Lansing Center.

2012 MMPA STATE ANNUAL DELEGATE

MEETINGNew Date

and Location

8 March 2012

News & ViewsThe latest dairy news

January Class III Down $1.72

The Class III price for January is $17.05, down $1.72 from December and the lowest since June. The January Class IV price is $16.56 down 31 cents from December.

USDA’s Milk Production report showed December milk production up 3.4% from a year earlier, at 16.9 billion pounds, based on 2.5% more milk per cow, and 0.8% more cows in the U.S. herd. These 9,236,000 cows were the most since May 2009.

Upcoming Events

March14 Ag Day at the Capitol

21 MMPA Resolutions Meeting—Lansing

22 MMPA Annual Meeting —Lansing

30 MMPA YC Meeting —Mt. Pleasant

April23 MMPA Dairy Communicators Meeting—Lansing

24 MMPA Advisory Committtee Meeting—Novi

Members of the Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development, elected officers for the 2012-2013 year.

Commissioner and MMPA member Velmar Green of Elsie was elected chair replacing Don Coe of Traverse City; Commissioner Bob Kennedy of Auburn was elected vice chair; and Commissioner Diane Hanson of Cornell was elected secretary. Coe will remain a member of the five member advisory body along with Commissioner Trever Meachum.

“I appreciate these individuals accepting new positions on the Commission as they have provided outstanding leadership in the food and agriculture industry,” said Keith Creagh, director, Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). “Their experience and understanding of the industry will enhance our ability to meet the needs and challenges as Michigan agriculture continues to grow in the global marketplace.”

The Director and Commission also recognized Don Coe for his vision and leadership as chairman of the Commission over the past year.

The Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development is a bipartisan body appointed by the Governor to provide oversight and policy direction for MDARD’s programs and approve the rules and regulations the department promulgates.

Green Elected Chair of the Commission on Agriculture and Rural Development

Producers scoring 95 percent or more on Grade A Surveys and Federal Check Ratings

Organic Valley North

January 2012

David Mast

Lavern Yoder

Toby Yoder

Perry Lehman

Marlin Miller *

*scored 100 percent


Are you or is someone on your farm between the ages of 21-40? Are you

interested in learning more about your cooperative, how to improve feed efficiency or tour a local MMPA farm? If so, you should plan to attend the 18th annual Young Cooperator Dairy Leadership Conference on Friday, March 30 at the Comfort Inn Suites and Conference Center in Mt. Pleasant.

The conference is tailored to address the issues and concerns facing today’s young dairy farmers. The one-day conference will feature topics ranging from family dairy farm management, cooperative leadership and dairy industry insights. Those attendees who can’t devote the entire day for the conference are encouraged to come for the presentations that interest them most. Everyone who attends has the chance to win dairy-related door prizes that will be given away throughout the day.

MMPA President Ken Nobis and General Manager Clay Galarneau will start out the day with an update on the dairy industry and what’s going on at MMPA. They will be followed by UDIM’s Sharon Toth, who will talk about the exciting dairy promotion efforts taking place nationally and in Michigan. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions at the close of the morning session.

The afternoon session begins with Mark Adam, Director, Integrated Services for NorthStar Cooperative, Inc., discussing how farmers can successfully integrate management and herd health programs using today’s technology tools. Following Mark’s presentation a producer panel, moderated by MSUE educator Phil Durst, will discuss ways to gain profitability on your farm.

This year’s farm tour will take place at MMPA member farm Hill Haven Dairy, owned by Chris and Mike Rasmussen. Participants will tour the 800-head dairy and see how they are changing the way they handle manure, turning it into a bedding for the cows.

The conference will conclude with dinner and an entertaining presentation by Leigh Rubin, creator of Rubes Cartoons. Through humor, Leigh will emphasize the rewards of persistence and the fun of problem solving while celebrating the joy of creativity.

There is no charge for MMPA members to attend this conference. To register for the 2012 Young Cooperators Dairy Leadership Conference, contact the MMPA Member Relations Department at 800-572-5824 or email [email protected].

Save the Date!2012

MMPA Young Cooperator Conference

March 30, 2012Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

• Hear from MMPA leaders• Producer Panel• Farm Tour• Meet Leigh Rubin, award winning cartoonist

To register: send an email to: [email protected]

2012 MMPA Young Cooperator Dairy Leadership Conference

Leigh Rubin

Mark Adam

10 March 2012

Legislative WatchIssues important to today’s dairy farmers

NMPF joined with more than 80 different farm, conservation and

rural organizations in sending a letter to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, urging their leaders to pass a farm bill this year. NMPF believes that it is imperative Congress act as soon as possible on the next farm bill, given that many important programs expire after September 2012, and up to 37 such programs in the current farm bill do not have funding to continue without reauthorization.

In response, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Ag Committee said, “This budget reinforces the need for Congress to pass a strong, fiscally responsible Farm Bill immediately this year, to provide farmers with the certainty they need to continue being successful. By focusing on streamlining and consolidating programs, I’m working to develop a strong bill that tightens programs to make sure we’re getting the most out of every dollar but not undercutting critical programs that sustain our national food system. The Farm Bill is a jobs bill, and we must make its immediate passage a top priority.”

The MILC program is set to expire on September 30, 2012, along with the rest of the farm bill, but prior to expiration, the payment rate will be reduced for the month of September

from 45% to 34%. NMPF is asking congressional leaders to include in the new farm bill the Dairy Security Act (HR 3062), sponsored by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, and nine other cosponsors.

Congress Urged to Address Farm Bill Legislation


The United States Department of Agriculture is providing funding

of $12.5 million in grants and up to $48.5 million in guaranteed loans nationally through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Funding has been authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). Funds are available to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses develop renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and conduct studies to determine the feasibility of renewable energy systems.

Program funding for FY2012 has been substantially decreased by two thirds, when compared to past years for this highly competitive program, making it more difficult to achieve the Obama Administration energy goals. Competition will be even greater this year. It is imperative that submitted applications be of the highest quality with scoring levels toward the higher tier of last year’s awarded projects, in order to have a chance of being selected for funding.

Michigan USDA Rural Development will have approximately $146,000 for grant requests greater than $20,000; approximately $140,000 available for grants less than $20,000; and $1.3 million available for REAP guaranteed loans. Once the state allocation has been exhausted, unfunded applications will then compete nationally.

Eligible projects in the 12 technology areas include:

• anaerobic digesters,

• biomass / biofuels,

• flex-fuel pumps

• geothermal (including electric generation and direct use),

• hydrogen

• solar (small and large)

• small hydropower projects (30 megawatts or less),

• wind (small and large), and

• energy efficiency improvements.

Examples of energy efficiency projects include, but are not limited to: the installation of more energy efficient motors, pumps, fans, blowers, compressors, grain dryers, irrigation projects, refrigeration units, ventilation systems, windows, insulation, heating systems, lighting systems, and plumbing fixtures. Please note, costs associated with increases in capacity will be reduced from total eligible project costs.

Grants can cover up to 25 percent of total eligible costs. The minimum energy efficiency grant is $1,500 and maximum is $250,000. The minimum renewable energy grant is $2,500 and maximum is $500,000. For feasibility study grants, the maximum award is $50,000 or 25 percent of eligible study costs, whichever is less. Guaranteed loans can cover up to 75 percent of total eligible cost. Loan limits are a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $25 million.

Applications will be evaluated and selected based on the highest scoring projects and will be funded until all funds have been awarded. To be considered for any 2012 funding, all energy audits and renewable energy development assistance

applications were due February 21, 2012. Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant applications along with combination grant and guaranteed loan applications, and feasibility study applications, must be completed and received to the USDA Rural Development State Office or Area Offices, no later than March 30, 2012. Renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement guaranteed loan only applications will be accepted on a continuous basis up to June 29, 2012. Neither complete nor incomplete applications received after these date will be considered for fiscal year 2012 funding.

For further program information contact the USDA Rural Development Business Programs Division in the East Lansing State Office at (517) 324-5157.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $155 billion in loans and loan guarantees. Visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov for additional information about the agency’s programs or to locate the USDA Rural Development office nearest you.

USDA Rural Development Announces 2012 Funding For Rural Energy For America Program (REAP)

12 March 2012

Over 1,300 dairy operations and 420,000 cows were evaluated

in ranking herds and cows for Milk Production, Dollar Value, and Somatic Cell Count (SCC) in the NorthStar Cooperative Dairy Herd Information (DHI) Services Annual Performance Summary. Dairy producers throughout Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin topped lists in this comprehensive report which summarizes records for the 2011 testing year. In this report, NorthStar recognizes one herd that has shown the greatest dollar value increase over the past five years, and that operation wins the Progressive Dairy Producer Award.

Rosebrugh Dairy of West Branch, Michigan earned the 2011 NorthStar Cooperative DHI Services Progressive Dairy Producer of the Year Award. Presented to the herd with the greatest increase in dollar value over the last five years, the 486-cow dairy of Tony and Rebeka Rosebrugh increased dollar value by $1,084 and milk production by nearly 6,000 pounds of milk, while lowering SCC by 40,000 points. The Rosebrugh team credits teamwork, communication and paying attention to what the cows want, as reasons for their production increases.

The herd with the Lowest SCC Herd Average in the Annual Performance Summary was Dellar Dairy of Harrisville, Michigan. The 218-cow herd topped the list with an SCC average of 44,000, while producing a rolling herd average (RHA) of 26,856 pounds of milk, 938 pounds of fat, and 810 pounds of protein with a dollar value of $4,639.

Country Dairy, Inc., of New Era, Michigan, was the leading farm on the High Dollar Value Holstein Herd report. The 114-cow herd recorded an RHA of 30,769 pounds of milk, 1,338 pounds of fat, and 925 pounds of protein with a dollar value of $5,891.

Four producers topped breed specific lists for High Dollar Value Herd Average reports. Dave and Jo Selman of Goshen, Indiana topped the High Dollar Value Jersey Herd Average report with an RHA of 21,639 pounds of milk, 1,013 pounds of fat, 721 pounds of protein and a dollar value of $4,497. Also from Goshen, Indiana, Verl Weaver’s 45-cow herd topped the High Dollar Value Guernsey Herd Average with an RHA of 19,212 pounds of milk, 867 pounds of fat, 652 pounds of protein and a dollar value of $3,953. Gary and Cory Nielsen of Coral, Michigan grabbed the leading spot for High Dollar Value Brown Swiss Herd Average with an RHA of 20,783 pounds of milk, 888 pounds of fat, 698 pounds of protein and a dollar value of $4,145. The High Dollar Value Red and White Holstein Herd Average list was led by the 74-cow herd of Allen Miller and Kevin Hurd of Ithaca, Michigan with an RHA of 27,970 pounds of milk, 978 pounds of fat, 868 pounds of protein and a dollar value of $4,900.

Individual animals are also ranked in the Annual Performance Summary, with a 7HO3994 Wa-Del RC Matt daughter owned by Hidden Hills Dairy, McBain, Michigan topping the Highest Lifetime Cow for Milk Production report. In 11

lactations, this cow has produced 380,623 pounds of milk.

NorthStar Cooperative, Inc. is a stock based cooperative, owned by dairy and beef producers in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. Originally formed in 1944 as an artificial insemination cooperative, NorthStar is now comprised of sales and service for Select Sires, Ag Products and Technologies, DHI Services and AntelBio Systems, an animal disease testing center.

Based in Lansing, Michigan, NorthStar provides service to producers, veterinarians and industry members across the United States. To obtain a copy of the 2011 NorthStar Cooperative DHI Services Annual Performance Summary call 1.800.631.3510. For more information, visit www.northstarcooperative.com.

Michigan & Indiana Dairy Producers Recognized By Northstar Cooperative’s DHI Services Annual Performance Summary

The Dellar Family


One of Michigan agriculture’s great challenges today, and

in the months and years ahead is filling a talent and workforce vacuum. Michigan agriculture continues to grow every year, and agricultural employers are hiring. Unfortunately, agricultural businesses across Michigan are desperate to find qualified people to fill those vacancies.

As Michigan agriculture races to produce enough food to feed an exploding world population, this demand will only increase.

In recent years, this has been an increasing problem in Michigan and around the country. Michigan agriculture is quick to recruit college students in relevant agriculture-related fields. After starting these promising agricultural leaders of the future as interns, many employers snap them up the minute they graduate, hiring them as full-time employees with good wages – some starting at as much as $50,000 a year – with benefits.

For a fresh college graduate inundated with mostly bleak news about the tight overall job market, agriculture provides a refreshing counter-trend: An abundance of job openings, challenging assignments, opportunities for growth, an industry that combines local work with global impact. Many graduates with agriculture degrees also don’t go back to the farm. Many join the industry with grain companies, agronomy companies, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, food processors and more.

Already one of Michigan’s and our nation’s most important industries, responsible for providing our nation’s supply of safe, affordable and nutritious food, agriculture is only poised for even more growth and more job openings.

That’s why the recent Yahoo news article citing three agriculture-related degrees as among the 10-most-useless college majors is grossly misleading and does a disservice to both college students and agriculture.

Here in Michigan, we see first-hand how graduates with agriculture degrees get hired quickly. Michigan’s dairy sector, the state’s top commodity, is expanding fast and positioning itself for greater international trade. Michigan’s pork sector, one of the most dynamic in the nation, is working hard to increase exports and production capacity. Michigan’s turkey and egg industries are recognized as national leaders in quality, standards and volume. Agri-businesses see rising demand for everything from feed to fertilizer to seed. Specialty crops, including Michigan potatoes, are starting to dominate the markets east of the Mississippi. And increases in grain production mean more bushels to harvest, handle, process and market. The stories of growth in Michigan agriculture go on and on.

To keep pace with the massive demand we face nationally and around the world, Michigan agriculture needs to hire more people, plain and simple. And college graduates with agriculture degrees are hot commodities in the job market right now.

In fact, we should take an additional step and start long before students graduate from college. Michigan high schools should encourage students to look at job prospects in agriculture, which today is a far cry from agriculture even a generation ago. Today, agriculture is about using the latest science, cutting edge technology, logistics, communications methods and more.

Instead of pitchforks, the Michigan agricultural specialist today is more likely to hold smartphones and GPS technology to make sure every acre of land gets the optimum amount of nutrients, saving cost while protecting the environment.

Community colleges are another avenue for steering young people toward agriculture, again by helping spotlight opportunities in a wide range of skills.

The facts are clear about the future of college graduates with agricultural degrees: Within 6 months of graduation, 90% of graduates with agricultural-related degrees are hired in their field. For other degrees, the average is 50%. This data comes from agricultural deans at The Ohio State University, Purdue and Iowa State.

Graduates with agriculture degrees are in demand because agriculture itself is getting more sophisticated, requiring complex science, skills, logistical and technical know-how and more. They’re in demand because we are about to see a generational shift in agriculture’s current workforce, with many managers poised to retire soon, meaning more job openings in the future.

Idaho may not be a good measure for whether graduates with agriculture degrees are getting jobs, as the Yahoo article states. Here in Michigan, we’re hiring and we need even more workers.

For college grads with agriculture-related majors, the future is promising – and Michigan jobs are waiting.

Byrum is president of the Michigan Agri-Business Association and member of the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan

Agriculture Degrees Are More In Demand Than EverBy Jim Byrum

14 March 2012

Robert BarronRobert (Bob) Barron farms in partnership with Tom Barron in Michigan’s upper peninsula. They milk 250 cows and farm 1,500 acres on their Galdstone, Mich. farm.

Bob serves as president of the MMPA Menominee-Vacationland Local and has been a district delegate for over 20 years. He also serves on the Nominating, Advisory

and Resolutions Committees.

In his community Bob has served as a trustee of the Bay de Noc Community College, and on local boards including Equity UP Livestock, Farm Credit Services and the FmHA board.

Delegates Will Elect One Director-At-Large Position at 96th MMPA State Annual Meeting

Delegates at the 96th MMPA State Annual Delegate Meeting on March 22, 2012 will elect one at-large member to the MMPA board of directors. Mark Halbert, Battle Creek, Mich. is the current director seeking re-election. The

MMPA Nominating Committee submitted the following names for the director-at-large position: Mark Halbert, Battle Creek, Mich. and Robert Barron, Gladstone, Mich.

Mark Halbert Mark Halbert was first elected to the MMPA board of directors in 2007 and is seeking a third term. Mark currently serves as board treasurer. Prior to his election to the MMPA board, Mark served on the MMPA State Advisory Committee and was the District 4 Secretary. He has also served on the United Dairy Industry of Michigan’s board of directors.

Mark farms in an LLC with his brother at Halbert Dairy, a 1,500 cow, 3,000 acre dairy farm in Battle Creek, Mich. Mark and his wife, Christy, have three children: Jennifer, Allison and Sarah.


Example:

My Sign:

Send Sign To: _____________________________________________________________________ (Name)

______________________________________________________________________ (Address, including house number and road name)

______________________________________________________________________ (City, State and Zip Code)

Method of Payment ($40 per sign): Enclosed is my check or money order for _______as payment for ____ MMPA member sign(s).

Please deduct the cost of the farm sign from my milk check. Permit Number ___________ Location ________________ Hauler _______________

Signature_________________________________________________________

MMPA Member Farm Sign

This 24” x 36” reinforced fiberglass sign comes personalized with your name or farm name on both sides. Resists moisture and other forms of weathering. The cost is $40 per sign.

You can receive a $25 rebate toward the member merchandise program by taking a picture of your sign in-stalled on your farm.

Mail order form and picture for the rebate to: MMPA Member Sign, Michigan Milk Producers Associa-tion, PO Box 8002, Novi, MI 48376.

Please allow 4-5 weeks for delivery.

Order Yours Today!My name (or farm name) should appear as follows: Print clearly in capital letters. One square for each letter, number, punctuation mark or space between words. (Try not to use more than 22 squares.)

A L I N C O L N & S O N S

Your Name

16 March 2012

At this year’s State Annual Meeting, delegates will consider various proposed changes to the

MMPA bylaws. The bylaw changes are a result of recommendations developed by the MMPA Structure Review Committee over the last year. The Structure Committee, consisting of 24 members, developed recommendations for the MMPA Board of Directors to consider after reviewing various dairy industry and MMPA trends as well the governance structures of other cooperatives. The proposed bylaw changes incorporate the following Structure Committee recommendations approved by the Board of Directors for consideration by delegates at the State Annual Meeting on March 22, 2012:

Recommendation #1 – Cap vote counts to 4 per membership agreement.

Currently, limited liability companies and corporations are capped at four votes per membership agreement. This recommendation would treat a partnership the same as an LLC or corporation in limiting the number of votes to four per membership agreement.

Voting process - The entity (LLC, corporation or partnership) itself is the producer and designates who will vote on behalf of the entity, up to 4 votes per entity. A new voter designation form will include names of partners of a partnership, members of a LLC or shareholders of a corporation, plus other individuals certified by the entity as participating regularly and materially in the business of milk production for the entity. For such entities, only those individuals who are partners in a partnership, members of an LLC or shareholders in a corporation are eligible to hold an MMPA elective office.

Recommendation #2 - Utilize Production/Membership Formula for determining Delegates

Currently, the delegate count is based on one delegate for every 10 members of the Local. Under the proposed bylaw change, half the delegate count will be based on the Local’s milk production and the other half will be based on the number of farms in the Local.

MICHIGAN MILK PRODUCERS ASSOCIATIONSummary of Proposed Bylaw Amendments

Article 1(a). These changes: (a) cap at 4 the number of votes that can be cast at a local meeting on behalf of a member that is a partnership, a limited liability company or a corporation, (b) prohibit voting by proxy, and (c) provide a framework for establishing who may cast votes on behalf of members that are partnerships, limited liability companies or corporations.

Article 5(f ). These changes provide a formula to establish annually the total number of delegates; and then allocate annually the number of delegates among all of the locals according to a formula based half on the relative number of member producers in each local and half on the relative amounts of member milk produced in each local.

Article 5(g), Article 9(f ) and Article 11(a). These amendments provide consistent eligibility requirements for delegates, alternates, advisory committee members, and members of the Association’s board of directors.

Article 6(b). This proposal increases the size of the district nominating committee to two representatives from each local in the districts.

Article 5 (e). This amendment identifies a quorum for local meetings.

Article 8(a). This amendment eliminates the state districting committee, because representation is automatically reapportioned annually by virtue of the amendments to Article 5(f ).

Article 14(c). This amendment increases the amount of annual patronage distributions of net earnings that may be paid entirely in cash.

Miscellaneous. Obsolete provisions in Article 2(b), Article 6(b), Article 9(h), Article 10 (a)(f ) & (g), and Article 11(g) are updated or eliminated.

Proposed MMPA Bylaw Changes to be Considered at State Annual Meeting


2012 Milker Training School Locations and Dates

Registration: 9:30 a.m. Program: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch is provided

February 1 Topeka, IN Cletus and Marilyn Yoder February 15 Litchfield Ferry Farms

March 1 Greenville Greenville Community Center March 2 (Spanish) Greenville Greenville Community Center March 6 Fremont Fremont United Methodist Church March 13 Caro Brentwood April 5 Clare Church of Nazarene

Milker Training Registration

Name

Address

Telephone

Producer Permit Number

Date and location of session you will attend:

Number of people attending:

English

Hispanic

Send this form to: MMPA Milker Training School P.O. Box 8002 Novi, MI 48376-8002

Don’t Miss a Great Opportunity to Help Lower SCC Rising to the challenge of lower SCC requirements is no easy task but additional SCC quality premiums and increased milk production per cow are only a few of the rewards waiting to be claimed. The importance of proper udder prep and milking procedure for mastitis control and milk quality is indisputable. MMPA Milker Training Schools provide an opportunity for members and their employees to improve their udder prep and milking procedure through a combination of classroom instruction and hands on training conducted by Tom Herremans, Christy Dinsmoore, Katie Pierson, Lyndsay Stakenas and Kendra Stieg.

MMPA Milker Training School is a daylong session offered free of charge to MMPA members and their employees. Farm managers are encouraged to attend with their employees so they are able to reinforce new techniques that may be implemented on their farm. A schedule and registration form is listed below. Each school is limited to 30 people, however, a second session may be held to meet demand. Early registration is a must to determine if a second day is needed at some locations. Contact your MMPA Member Representative or Member Services Department in the Novi office with any questions or registration information.

Hispanic Milker Training Schools Some Michigan dairy farms employ Hispanic milkers. They are often enthusiastic, cooperative employees; however, the language barrier often makes communication between milker and owner difficult. For this reason, MMPA offers Hispanic Milker Training Schools. The presentation is taught in Spanish and allows time for discussion on specific milking routine questions. A concurrent but separate session is offered in English for employers and milking supervisors of the Hispanic employees so they will have an overview of the techniques the employees are taught.

Schools at Additional Locations The locations for the 2012 Milker Training Schools were selected based on MMPA producer responses to the Milker Training School survey sent to members in the October milk check. Schools were located in any area where 25 or more members requested a school.

If members would like a school offered in an area other than the locations already selected, and know that 20-30 people would attend from that area, we can still schedule a school for that area. To request a school at a location not listed below, contact Christy Dinsmoore at (989) 528-9102 or [email protected] or the Member Services Department at the Novi office.

2012 MMPA Milker Training Schools

18 March 2012

Most dairy farms that have been in operation for several years, can mark

a point in their history where they faced a fork in the road and were forced to choose a new direction. For this year’s Dairy Farmer of the Year, Jim Reid, that point came in 2005 when chronic high somatic cell counts forced the Jeddo dairy farmer to make some tough decisions.

“We were battling a tough somatic cell count problem and it was obvious that correcting the problem was going to take some drastic measures,” says Jim Reid. “So we decided to cull the 70-cow herd under the CWT program and start over with the heifers we had coming into the herd.”

Taking such drastic steps allowed Jim to reevaluate many aspects of the farm and make changes where

needed. A strong focus on cow comfort including a new 250-cow freestall barn in 2008 and using sand bedding was at the forefront of the changes.

“We never stopped milking cows,” Jim says. “We used the CWT to remove the current herd and then replace them with the young stock we had coming up. We had been making small changes along the way but they weren’t as effective as basically starting over.”

Since 2005, Jim’s herd has flourished and exceeded his own expectations. Today they milk 200 cows with a DHI rolling herd average of 27,718 pounds of milk on three times a day milking. They are continuing to work on quality milk production using services provided by MMPA. All their employees are trained using the MMPA milker training school techniques. Their jump in production earned them the NorthStar Cooperative Progressive Dairy Producer of the Year award in 2009.

Along with changes in the herd, the Reids also became MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) verified for livestock, cropping and farmstead systems in 2009. Since establishing their current farm in 1978, they have implemented conservation measures including sod

waterways, sediment retention basins and tile all owned land and 100 acres of rented land.

In 2010, they installed a 19,680 watt array of solar panels on the roof of the freestall barn. This produces about 2000 KWH of electricity per month or 30% of the electricity needs for the farm.

The changes implemented on the farm also paved the way for Jim’s son, Jeff to join in the farming operation. Jeff joined the operation in 2011 after completing the MSU Dairy Ag Tech Program.

“When Jeff first showed interest in working here I told him to go work somewhere else first, to have other experiences than working for his dad,” Jim says. “After working in a factory and with a beer distributor, Jeff was confident that he wanted to be on the farm.”

Surprise Start in Dairying

Jim’s start in the dairy industry came at a young age on his parent’s dairy where they milked 20 cows. The dairy was a supplement to his dad’s full-time position as a teacher. Together they milked cows before and after school and worked the fields in the evenings and on weekends. Jim started down the same path as his father, earning a BA in education from Michigan State University in 1975. Jim continued to work on the farm while he taught elementary school in Yale. As time went on the dairy grew and their cropping expanded. Jim kept a close eye on the London Dairy Farm that was located next to their home. This new operation had all the latest technology and Jim could see they were not “keeping up with the neighbors.”

In 1978 Jim drove across the township to a farm auction in search

Jim Reid – MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year


of a new grain dryer. The auction was held at a dairy farm that was no longer in operation but the owners were having trouble selling it. By the end of the weekend, Jim had in fact purchased the grain dryer and the farm that went with it!

“We knew we had to become more mechanized and larger if we want to stay in the industry but there wasn’t room on my parent’s farm to do the things we needed to do. I hadn’t planned to buy a farm that day I went to the auction, but it has worked out well for us,” Jim says.

Jim continued to teach for one more year and then in 1979 became a full-time dairy farmer milking 50 cows and eventually growing to 90. From that point on Jim worked to grow the herd, add cropping acres and making improvements as necessary.

Leadership in the Industry

In the early 1980s Jim and his wife, Pam, participated in the MMPA Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperator (Couple) program. Their participation in the program was a springboard for Jim’s involvement in many organizations. He has held

leadership roles in his township, the county soil conservation district, and Farm Service Agency and the St. Clair County Farm Bureau.

In 1996 Jim was elected to the Michigan Milk Producers Association board of directors, a position he still holds today. Jim is also a member of the United Dairy Industry of Michigan board of directors and the MSU Extension Advisory Team.

“We were in the OYDC program two years,” Jim says. “We took a lot away from the exercises we did and the information we received. That program was really a turning point for me to getting involved in other organizations.”

Jim attributes many of the changes and improvements on his farm to the experiences he has had being on the MMPA board.

“Being on the MMPA board I get to meet a lot of people from other regions of the country. It has been eye-opening to see how dairy farming is done in different parts of the country. I take what I learn from others and apply what I can to my own farm,” he says.

Pam has maintained an off-farm job for the past 23 years, working in the billing department for the Port Huron Hospital. She is also the farm’s bookkeeper and helps with calf care.

Jim and Pam have three children and four grandchildren. Their son, Jason, 38, lives in Sterling, Mich. where he owns a heating and cooling business; their daughter, Jamie, 33, is vice-principal of a local charter school, and their son, Jeff, is now in charge of the nutrition and breeding programs for the farm.

Jim received the 2012 Dairy Farmer of the Year recognition at the 2012 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference. A citation and photo of Jim will hang in Anthony Hall on the MSU campus.

Jim’s son, Jeff recently joined the family farm operation.

Janice Swanson, (left) chair of the MSU Animal Science Department, presented the MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year Award to Jim and his wife, Pam (right).

20 March 2012

Like many employees at MMPA, Gary Trimner grew up with a

passion for dairy farming, but never had the opportunity to own a farm. So, he chose the next best thing to him – working for dairy farmers. Gary dedicated his 35-year career to helping dairy farmers and fellow employees achieve their goals.

Gary, who grew up in Hersey, Michigan, developed a passion for cows and farming while working on his family’s farm. He attended college at Ferris State University and took a job in Illinois following graduation. After a few years in Illinois he looked for opportunities to come back and work in Michigan.

In 1976, Lowell Allen hired Gary to be a member representative in the Muskegon area. In 1978 he was promoted to the Director of Quality Control. In 1988 he was promoted to Director of Member Services and Quality Control when Lowell Allen retired.

In his role as Director of Member Services, Gary played a dual role of mentoring employees and representing MMPA members on various industry committees. Gary was instrumental in the development and implementation of the MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program) in Michigan. He has been involved in the drafting of several legislative issues including the current Bodies of Dead Animals Law and the current milk law.

It was the mentoring of employees, however, that gave Gary the most satisfaction.

“The thing I will miss the most, the thing I enjoyed the most, was watching people develop and succeed in their careers,” Gary said. “I have watched so many individuals go on to do great things. Some have stayed here at MMPA and excelled in their area of expertise, like Tom Herremans and his work with

mastitis management. And others, like Terry Philibeck, took their experience at MMPA and used it to advance in other states. In both cases I am equally as proud of the individuals.”

Terry Philibeck began his career as an MMPA member representative and continued his career in Indiana where he is the Director of the Dairy Division for the State of Indiana.

“Looking back we have seen the dairy industry constantly evolving with fewer but larger farms and greater increases in milk production,” Philibeck says. “Gary Trimner has been a major influence on this industry with his involvement in the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments, National Mastitis Council, the Michigan Dairy Industry Conference and dairy meetings in Indiana which covered issues involving MMPA members.

Gary’s commitment to the people in the dairy industry – both fellow employees and MMPA members will be greatly missed by those who worked with him.

“As I look back over my years in Michigan, I cannot think of any person that has shown any greater dedication to the dairy industry than Gary Trimner,” says John

Gary Trimner Leaves a Legacy of Good Employees

Mentoring and encouraging his employees gave Gary the most satisfaction in his 35 years with MMPA. Pictured above is the MMPA Member Representative Team in April 2011.


Partridge, associate professor, Food Science and Human Nutrition at Michigan State University. “Gary has provided excellent leadership to MMPA’s efforts to provide a high quality milk supply. The milk produced in Michigan and the products of MMPA have an excellent reputation, and Gary has played a major role in this accomplishment.”

During his tenure at MMPA, Gary became a leader in the dairy industry, specializing in improving on-farm milk quality and helping develop modern dairy farm inspections. Under his leadership, MMPA members have become leaders in the nation for quality milk production.

“Gary is recognized at both the state and national level as a leader in the area of milk safety and quality. I appreciate the cooperative relationship we at the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have had with Gary and MMPA over many years as we address our mission of assuring safe, wholesome dairy products for consumers,” says Sue Esser, Deputy Director of the Food and Dairy Division for the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Gary led a team of member representatives who provide on-farm services to MMPA dairy farm members. Under his guidance the team has developed nationally recognized training and inspection programs.

“Gary devoted his entire career to helping our members be the best farmers they could be,” says MMPA General Manager Clay Galarneau. “Gary never lost his passion for dairy farmers or his commitment to MMPA. He has been a vital member of our management team. His experience and insight will be missed.”

Gary has received several recognitions and awards during his career, including the Distinguished Service Award and Special Citation for Service from the Michigan Dairy Industry Conference.

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22 March 2012

The Soaring Eagle Casino, Resort and Conference Center hosted

more than 350 dairy producers and industry representatives who attended the 10th annual Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference (GLRDC) Feb. 9–11 in Mount Pleasant.

Attendees learned the latest on a variety of topics ranging from affecting attitudes and influencing behaviors of consumers to capitalizing on growing global dairy demand from new trends in facilities to improving (pregnancy) service rates in dairy cows.

The conference’s first-day opening session featured Jennifer Garrett, president of JG Consulting Service LLC. Garrett blends her experience of having been raised on a livestock operation with what she’s learned during her professional

career. She’s worked as an assistant professor of dairy and animal sciences at the University of Missouri, spent 11 years with the Monsanto Company and served as the U.S. director of nutrition for the Kellogg Company. Garrett advocates using sound science as the basis for what we do and say in agriculture and food production. She shared tips on finding common ground with consumers, which, she says, is a critical first step for food producers interested in communicating effectively with consumers and rebuilding trust in the U.S. food supply.

Next, attendees heard about Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) from United Dairy Industry of Michigan

(UDIM) dietitian Amy Viselli, Manchester dairy producer Lynda Horning and her son Mason, former Detroit Lions defensive tackle and Pro Bowler Luther Elliss, and the school food service director from Alma Public Schools. The National Football League (NFL) and the National Dairy Council (NDC) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed FUTP 60, a student-driven in-school wellness program that empowers students to make healthy nutrition choices and achieve 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Following the presentation, Elliss signed autographs and met with conference goers.

Matt McKnight, senior vice president for market access, regulatory and industry affairs, U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC),

started off the afternoon session by sharing the latest efforts to assist suppliers in building the volume and value of U.S. dairy exports to help meet growing global dairy demand.

A large portion of the afternoon schedule on the first day focused on facilities. Paul Anderson, the chief credit officer for GreenStone Farm Credit Services, started the topic sequence with his tips for achieving the biggest bang for your buck when it comes time to sit down with a lender. Next, Curt Gooch, senior Extension associate with the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University, covered the 10 things one should ask a contractor before signing on the dotted line. He also reviewed new trends in calf barn facilities. Then, three producers – Matt Oesch from Swisslane Farms in Alto, Nathan Elzinga from Daybreak Dairy Farm in Zeeland and Tom Vogel from Palm Boys LLC in Palms – answered questions and shared what they had learned from modifying facilities at their operations.

The Friday morning program opened up with a focus on getting cows pregnant. Albert DeVries, associate professor of animal science at the University of Florida, talked about the value of a cow’s pregnancy. Ray Nebel, senior reproduction and dairy herd management specialist for Select Sires Inc., followed DeVries’ talk with tips on improving service rates. In turn, his talk served as the backdrop for a producer panel featuring Geert van den Goor from Goma Dairy in Marlette, Gary Blair from Double Eagle Dairy in Middleton and Mario VanderHulst from Sturgis Dairy in Sturgis. These three offered insight into how they

Dairy Producers Get Up-To-Date Information From Top-Notch Speakers At Dairy Conference In Mount Pleasant

Retired Detroit Lions Defensive Tackle Luther Elliss talks about his role in the Fuel up to Play 60 program.


achieve higher service rates in their herds by using tail chalk, the AfiAct heat detection system and the Select Detect activity monitoring system, respectively.

The final morning session featured Mary Kraft, owner, chief financial officer and human resources director for Quail Ridge/Badger Creek Dairy Farm, and Noa Roman-Muniz, assistant professor of animal science at Colorado State University. The tag-team duo conducted an interactive labor-training discussion focused on developing effective mentoring and training programs for Hispanic workers.

Other conference presenters included Craig Anderson, Agriculture

Labor and Safety Services Division manager for the Michigan Farm Bureau; Greg Bethard, assistant director for dairy technology, Dairy Records Management System (DRMS); Jane Hillstrom, president of Hillstrom Communications Inc.; and Hall of Fame speaker David Okerlund.

Jim Reid, Jeddo, received the 2012 MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year award at the seventh annual Michigan Dairy Industry Recognition Night banquet held Feb. 10. Other award winners honored that evening included Arnold Reister, Hillsdale, named the 2012 Michigan Holstein Association Master Breeder, and Mark and Katrina Bontekoe

(Touchdown Holsteins), Marion, named the 2012 Distinguished Young Breeder by the Michigan Holstein Association. Britney Zondlak, an MSU freshman pursuing double degrees – a certificate through the Institute of

Agricultural Technology dairy management program and a Bachelor of Science degree in agribusiness – from Byron Center, and Kailey Sweers, Dansville High School senior from Williamston, were named the 2012 senior and junior Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program recipients, respectively.

For the third year, the conference featured the hospitality of Young, Savvy and Into Dairy, a young producer society for those age 35 or younger. The society coordinated hospitality with ABS Global Inc. and United Producers Inc., who managed the seventh annual Great Lakes Commercial Heifer Extravaganza Sale earlier that evening. Purebred dairy cattle association meetings took place on the final day of the conference as did the Holstein Association USA regional member meeting.

The 11th annual GLRDC will take place Feb. 7–9, 2013, at the Bavarian Inn Lodge and Conference Center in Frankenmuth. For more information, contact MSU events coordinator Megghan Honke at [email protected] or 517-353-3175, ext. 229, or visit www.glrdc.msu.edu.

Pictured: Top left: Dr. Ray Nebel, Select Sires, Inc,; Bottom left: Geert van den Goor participates in a producer panel and botttom right: Dr. Curt Gooch, Cornell University.

24 March 2012

Britney Zondlak, Byron Center, and Kailey Sweers, Williamston,

have been chosen as the 2012 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program award winners. Zondlak, as a college student, was the winner in the senior category and received a $1,500 scholarship; Sweers, as a high school student, was the winner in the junior division and received a $1,000 scholarship that can be applied toward a college education or the purchase of a dairy animal.

The winners were announced Feb. 10 during the Michigan Dairy Industry Recognition Night banquet at the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference (GLRDC) in Mount Pleasant. The ambassador winners were selected based on the results of daylong interviews held at the conference.

Zondlak is the daughter of Matt and Deb Zondlak, Byron Center. She is currently pursuing a certificate in dairy management from the Institute of Agricultural Technology and a Bachelor of Science degree in agribusiness at Michigan State University (MSU). Previously in 2011, Zondlak earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grand Valley State University in communication studies with minors in advertising/public relations and Spanish. She completed a one-month Intensive Spanish Language 8-credit study abroad program in May 2011 at the Universidad de Belgrano in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

At MSU, Zondlak is a member of the MSU National Agri-Marketing Association and the MSU Dairy Club. She participated in the 2011 MSU Dairy Challenge, placing first in the novice division. In May, she will participate in the Dairy

Husbandry and Environmental Stewardship study abroad course through MSU. From there she heads to the Netherlands to complete a two-month professional internship as part of the dairy management program. Zondlak has been employed as a farm manager at Star-Summit Farms in Byron Center since August 2005.

Dansville High School senior Kailey Sweers, daughter of Mike and Jan Sweers, was named the junior Michigan Dairy Ambassador. Active in 4-H, she participates in numerous school-based extracurricular activities. Sweers was the high individual in dairy judging at 4-H Dairy Days in 2010 and placed first in oral reasons in 2010. In 2011, she was a member of the first-place winning team for dairy judging at 4-H Dairy Days and received the 2011 4-H Good Citizen Award.

The first runner-up in the senior division was Carmen Zwemmer, the daughter of Jake and Saskia Zwemmer, Elkton. Currently a freshman at MSU studying animal science, Zwemmer is an active 4-H member and involved with the MSU Dairy Club and MSU Block and Bridle Club.

Natalie Horning, a junior at Manchester High School in Manchester and the daughter of Jeff

and Lynda Horning, was the first runner-up in the junior division. Active with 4-H in Washtenaw County, she has represented Michigan 4-H on the dairy judging team that competed at the 2011 All-American Dairy Cattle Show in Harrisburg, Penn.

The GLRDC established the Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program in 2006. The program provides future young dairy leaders with an opportunity to develop promotions and public service projects as well as represent the dairy industry at various functions throughout the year.

To learn more about the Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program, visit www.glrdc.msu.edu, or contact Sara Long at [email protected].

2012 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship and Leadership Program Winners

Britney Zondlak (left) and Kailey Sweers are the 2012 Dairy Ambassadors.


Ashley Blight, daughter of Matt and Sandy Blight of Bancroft, is employed by MMPA member Jeff Cole’s dairy farm where they milk 780 cows. Ashley is active in FFA and is a member of the MSU Dairy Club. When she graduates, Ashley would like to work on a dairy farm where she hopes to specialize in calves and heifers.

Jeff Reid, son of MMPA members Jim and Pam Reid of Jeddo, is involved with his family’s 200 cow dairy operation. In college, he is a member of the MSU Dairy Club. He plans to return to his family’s farm after graduation.

For almost 40 years, Michigan Milk Producers Association has sponsored scholarships for MMPA

members, their children and employees enrolled in the Agricultural Technology Dairy Management program at Michigan State University. The scholarship program was initiated to encourage students to become involved in dairy production and management careers. The

scholarships are based on academics, involvement in the dairy industry and letters of recommendation. Several MMPA scholarships were awarded to students enrolled in the Dairy Production Program of the Institute of Agricultural Technology at Michigan State University for the 2011-2012 school year. Those students are listed below.

MMPA Scholarship Winners

Ned Lindsey, son of MMPA members Donald and Roberta Lindsey of Tekonsha, is active in his family’s 100 cow dairy operation. He is active in FFA and the MSU Dairy Club. After graduation, he plans to return to his family’s farm.

Brent Bebow is from Alma where he is active in his family’s 1,100 cow dairy operation. During high school, Jeff was an active member of the FFA for four years. At MSU he is a member of the Farmhouse Fraternity. Following graduation, Brent would like to take over the family’s dairy and cash crop farms.

Taran Hooks, from Breckenridge, is active in his family’s 1,200 cow dairy operation. In high school he was active in FFA and the National Honor Society and played on the Breckenridge basketball and football teams. In college he is a member of the MSU Dairy Club and Farmhouse Fraternity. After graduation, he plans to return to his family’s farm.

Malissa Reed is involved with her family’s 330 cow and 700 acre dairy farm in Owosso. During high school Malissa served as captain of the varsity volleyball and soccer team. In college, Malissa is a member of the MSU Dairy Club and was on the Dean’s List for 2 years at Lansing Community

College. After graduation, she plans to return home to her family’s dairy farm where she would like to start a registered herd focusing on genetics.

Brittney Zondlak, is employed by MMPA members Tim and Henry Baker in Byron Center where they milk 80 cows. Brittney was class Valedictorian and is a current member of the MSU Dairy Club and the National Agri-Marketing Association. She hopes to transfer into the Animal Science program following graduation

from the Ag Tech Dairy program.

Deidre Bowen, from Cass City, is employed by MMPA member Brent Robinson’s dairy where they milk 1,100 cows. At MSU, Deidre is a member of the Ag Tech Dairy Judging Team. When she graduates, Deidre would like to find a herdsman position on a dairy. Deidre completed an internship at the Hank Van Exel Dairy in California.

Pat Endsley, Sec./Treas. (269) 945-5531

16 The Michigan Cattleman Spring 2005

®

®

Pat Endsley, Sec./Treas. (269) 945-5531

16 The Michigan Cattleman Spring 2005

®

®

“My beef checkoff canhelp discover ways to ensure beef safety.”

John VanderBoonJBS Packerland

John VanderBoon

“The checkoff program invests in beef safety research to find solutions for the problems that the industry is facing as a whole,” says John VanderBoon from JBS Packerland and a director of the Michigan Beef Industry Commission. “The research interventions are then shared with the entire industry. Great examples are the hot water and organic acid rinse cabinets that are used in the plant. It would be very hard for a company to discover those interventions on their own. But through the beef checkoff-supported research, the industry continues to provide consumers around the world with safe beef products.

“This research also serves as a foundation for responding to food safety issues. Our beef checkoff works to dispel myths and get the facts about beef out to consumers, chefs, retailers and dietitians. As a company, we’ve found the beef checkoff can respond quickly with credible, meaningful messages for consumers.”

My beef checkoff…a producer-funded program for building beef demand

Get to know your checkoff. Visit www.MIBeef.org or (517)347-0911Funded by the Beef Checkoff.

28 March 2012

Merchandise MemoTo order call: 1-800-572-5824 then dial 2

Order Your MMPA Merchandise through your milk

hauler or call:Supervisor:

Duane Farmer 989-681-2334

Fax: 989-681-3988

Toll Free: 877-367-6455Orders (Novi) 800-572-5824

then dial 2

MMPA has a great selection of quality milk replacers to help you meet your calf growth and health goals. All of MMPA milk replacers will soon receive an enhancement that was researched at Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products Co. The research suggests an improvement in calf weight gains at weaning (6+ lbs. avg.), enhanced calf starter intake, reduction in scour days and scour score. Lastly it improved feed:gain ratio, making your investment in milk replacer more beneficial.

The enhancement’s trade name is Digestarom®. You will notice a slightly different aroma in the milk replacers with digestarom. There will also be a sticker on the bag (see right) for the next few months to highlight our improved milk replacers.

What is digestarom? It is a plant based feed additive proven to optimize protein digestion using a mix of essential oils, herbs, spices, extracts and natural flavors. It is listed on the tag ingredient listing as “natural & artificial flavors.”

If you haven’t tried MMPA milk replacers…now is the time. Call MMPA merchandising or your milk hauler to order your supply today.

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Valero Meal

16% maximum fiber6% minimum protein

2.1% maximum calcium2% minimum fat

Citrus PulpLow Fat Hominy7% minimum protein7% maximum fiber4% minimum fat

Improve bottom-line $$. Lower feed costs. Maximize production.Ingredients from your trusted source.

Soybean meal, soybean hulls, cereal feed, cottonseed, distillers, gluten, canola meal, beet pulp, wet feeds, and more!

Traditional ZFS® Menu

Zeeland Farm Services, Inc.® MI: 866.888.7082 Fax: 616.772.7067 www.zfsinc.com


These are service personnel only. Order your Member Merchandise

supplies through your hauler.

ECOLAB24 -Hour Medical Emergency

Hotline: 1-800-328-0026

For Service, call the Ecolab Service Message Center

1-800-392-3392 or

Stan Palmer5303 E. Swan Drive #3Port Clinton, OH 43452

419-797-2101

Ben Johnson4461 Cambridge Dr.

Port Huron, MI 48060810-824-0636

Jason Koerth7509 Aborcrest Dr.Portage, MI 49024

269-207-3773

Pat Mitchell7273 N. Rollin Hwy.Addison, MI 49220

517-403-0928

A & L Laboratories24 -Hour Medical Emergency

Hotline: 1-800-424-9300

Kurt Fiene8356 C.R. 115

Kenton, OH 43326612-889-1063

Jeff TimmNW 8665 C.R. M

Shawano, WI 54166612-840-0555

P ayment for testing will be made through an automatic milk

check deduction. All costs are listed per individual sample.

• Scheduled Herd Tests $1

Scheduled Herd Test samples are tested for: Culture for Streptococcus agalactiae, Strep non ag, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staph, coliform and SCC.

Additional testing can be coordinated through your MMPA Member Representative to include: Raw bacteria count and components.

All herd tests must be scheduled with the laboratory through your MMPA Member Representative.

Members who choose to receive their lab test results via U.S. postal service: $2/month

Additional Tests Available: All costs are listed per individual sample.

• Mycoplasma Cultures $ 8

• Bacteriology Cultures $12 – Includes identification of bacteria

and drug susceptibility.

• Bovine Viral Diarrhea - PCR $40 - ELISA $ 6

• Johne’s Milk Test - PCR $40 - ELISA – cows $ 6 - ELISA – tank $10

• Bovine Leukosis Test - ELISA – cows $ 6 - ELISA – tank $10

All tests must be scheduled through your MMPA Member Representative or the laboratory for proper sample submission protocol.

Somatic Cell Count premiums and deductions (in addition to

Federal Order SCC Adjustments computed in the producer pay price) will be paid at the following levels:• 50,000 or below +55¢/cwt.• 51,000 - 75,000 +50¢/cwt.• 76,000 - 100,000 +45¢/cwt.• 101,000 - 125,000 +40¢/cwt.• 126,000 - 150,000 +35¢/cwt.• 151,000 - 175,000 +30¢/cwt.• 176,000 - 200,000 +25¢/cwt.• 201,000 - 225,000 +20¢/cwt.• 226,000 - 250,000 +15¢/cwt.• 251,000 - 400,000 00¢/cwt.• 401,000 - 500,000 -15¢/cwt.• 501,000 - 600,000 -30¢/cwt.• 601,000 - 750,000 -$1.00/cwt.• Over 750,000 -$1.50/cwt.

A payment of 5¢/cwt. will be added for each of the following, if the count is equal to or below:• 10,000 Raw Bacteria Count• 20,000 Pre-Incubated (PI) Count

There will be a deduction of 10¢/cwt. for:• Greater than 100,000 Raw Bacteria Count

A high raw count deduction will be waived if the producer has received the quality premium the previous three months for raw bacteria count.

To qualify for Raw and PI Bacteria Count premiums there must not be any of the following during the month:• Positive drug residue • Abnormal freeze points• High load count shipment or rejected load shipment• #3 or #4 sediment• Raw Bacteria count over 100,000The count levels for raw and PI will be determined on one test run per month.

To qualify for MMPA SCC premiums there must be:• No abnormal freeze points during the month

To qualify for MMPA volume premiums there must be:• No abnormal freeze points during the month• An average somatic cell count of 750,000 or less.

MMPA Quality Premium Program

MMPA Member Testing Fees

Chemical, Sanitizer & Teat Dip Contact

Information

30 March 2012

Freeliner PolicyThe Freeliners column is open to current MMPA members who wish to advertise—at no charge—goods or services relating directly to their dairy farm operations.

• An item submitted will be published for no more than two consecutive months (one month, unless otherwise requested).

• After that, it will be withdrawn.

• It will be published again for no more than two consecutive months only if the member resubmits the item by contacting their MMPA Member Representative or by writing or calling the Novi office.

• Reference to a name of a firm or other commercial enterprise with which a member is involved will be deleted, with permission of the member.

• If the member does not wish such deletion, he may choose to have the item published as a Classified Ad at the regular per-line Classified Ad rate.

• Freeliners must be received by the 10th of the month preceding the desired month of publication. Example: to be included in the January issue, the freeliner must be at the MMPA office by December 10.

BullsRegistered Holstein Bulls: We now have a nice selection of service age bulls, sired by top AI sires. Green Meadow Farms, Elsie, MI. 989-862-4291 or see our website at www.greenmeadowfarms.com.

Service age Holstein bulls: Call Steve Alexander, 810-622-8548 evenings or 810-404-8548.

Registered Holstein breeding bulls, all A.I. sired from top bulls, B&W, red, red carrier and some polled, high production, low SCC herd. Bulls are priced to sell. Ver Hage Holsteins, 269-673-4886 or 269-217-6076, ask for Tim. www.verhageholsteins.com.

Service Age Reg. Holstein bulls, deep pedigrees, some red carriers. Jenesis Genetics, 231-924-6163 or 231-225-8615.

Registered Jersey breeder bull for sale, 517-231-7790.

Cows and Heifers65 RW/BW Holstein cows, nice closed herd, prefer one buyer, price negotiable, 810-648-5067.

Jersey/Holstein cross heifers, due in late March or early April, $800 ea. 231-873-2435, Hart, MI.

EquipmentN.H. 316 baler, $7,000, 269-624-6781.

2001 Knight 8018 spreader, 540 pto, new hammer and chains 1 yr. ago, $11,000 obo, 419-438-0637.

24 new white plastic neck straps, size 48 in. w/ buckles. Also, 16 yellow neck straps (collars), size 48 in., will sell for $1.50 a collar plus whatever shipping costs. These collars came from the “Nasco” catalog and cost $3.95 ea. Call 231-625-2036, Cheboygan, Mich. 49721.

J.D. 4020, 8,900 hrs, looks and runs nice, completely repainted w/ canopy, $11,500. J.D. 336 square baler w/ thrower, stored inside, $5,000. 989-312-0020 or leave a message 989-345-1501.

Conveyor chain for Harvestore unloader, bought new, used very little, 989-640-3607.

Four cement stave silos, Smith silos, 2 – 16 x 75 ft., 1 – 18 x 75 ft., 1 – 20 x 85 ft., 616-877-0118.

H&F 4 basket tetter used on approx. 400 acres, hydraulic folds, model #RT5200H, excellent, asking $4,200. Brillion compaction commander, 5 shank, inline ripper, 3 pt. w/ colters and gage wheels, spring reset, good cond., asking $4,250. 989-330-3270 or 989-330-2885.

20 ft. Badger silo unloader, pack drive, 231-946-6109.

Two 6200 Liston bean combines, $3,500 ea. obo. Krause 28 ft. disk, 1 year use on front blades, $10,000 obo. J.D. 4 row wide corn head, $1,000 obo. IHC 7500 grain truck, tri-axle, 20 ft. bed, hoist - would make a good silage truck, $3,500 obo. 616-754-9404.

Freestall mats, 3 runners – 5 ft. by approx. 30 ft. and 20 individuals. Also, chiller barrel, 105 gal., cools Freon and pre-heats water, 574-642-4537 v.m.

Dairy EquipmentBoumatic DairyKool vacuum pump, 2 hp, 240v, 616-681-9668.

Feed1st and 2nd cutting grass. Also, 1st and 2nd cutting alfalfa. Round bales, net wrapped, 616-218-9350 or 616-218-7125.

Corn silage and haylage for sale. Also, netwrapped 4x5 round bales of 1st cutting hay for heifers and dry cows. Delivery avail., 231-250-8592.

3x4 large square bales of straw, roto cut, 989-640-3607.

WantedFreestalls, heifer headlocks and cattle waterers, 616-634-2958.

PTO or belt driven corn sheller, 231-946-6109.

7.5 or 10 h.p., 1 ph, 1,750 rpm motor, 574-642-4537.

Used CS60 Fredenthal comfort stalls or very similar stalls, 989-736-6508.

FreelinersCall 1-800-572-5824 ext. 224 to place your ad

REGISTERED HOLSTEIN BULLS

A SPECIAL HERD SIRE OR A TRUCK LOAD OF BREEDER BULLS. READY TO GO TO WORK ON YOUR FARM!

GREEN MEADOW FARMS

• SIRED BY THE TOP SIRES FROM THE U.S. AND CANADA

• FROM OUR TOP PRODUCTION COWS.

WWW.GREENMEADOWFARMS.COM

6400 HOLLISTER RD.

ELSIE, MI 48831

PH: 989-862-4291

OVER 100 SERVICE AGE BULLS FOR YOUR SELECTION!


KLNZ362-ARTEC AD 11/9/11 1:14 PM Page 1

Composite

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

Ecolab Inc.370 Wabasha St. N.St. Paul, MN 55102©2011 EcolabAll rights reserved

Artec Sanitizing/Conditioning Teat Dip:A new and better way to protect your herd when the weather gets harsh.Artec creates a powerful layer of protection between your cow’s teats andthe elements. The patent-pending formula features a unique antimicrobialthat dramatically reduces the occurrence of mastitis-causing organisms.The 78% emollient tri-blend provides excellent teat conditioning that

reduces the need for teat salves or creams. This highly effective combinationof ingredients helps reduce mastitis and protect against the elements.

Artec Sanitizing/Conditioning Teat Dip:• Convenient• Faster and less messy than salves and creams• Soothes and protects• One of the highest levels of glycerin

in the industry

Jack Frost does morethan nip at your nose.

#30898/0300/1000

call 1-800-392-3392

32 March 2012

Call 1-800-572-5824 ext. 224

Mail ads, preferably typewritten, to: Classified Ads, Michigan Milk Messenger, PO BOX 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002. Ads must be received by the 10th of the month before the month of desired publication. Send check or money order for $20 for up to 6 lines with your order. MMPA neither sponsors nor endorses products or services advertised in the Messenger.

Classified Ads ($5.65 per line)

OPPERMAN GROOVING: Diamond sawed grooves, no hammering or cracking of concrete. No hoof damage. Call Opperman Grooving Inc., Portland. 517-647-7381.______________________________________DAVIDSON CEMENT GROOVING, INC:NO water needed. Wider, rougher grooves for better traction. We also offer texturing for your previously grooved floors. 3 operators will travel Michigan and other states. No interest payment terms. Est. since 1987. Call 1-800-365-3361.______________________________________CONCRETE GROOVING BY TRI-STATE SCABBLING, home of the 2” wide groove. Best traction, lowest prices. (800) 554-2288. www.tristatescabbling.com______________________________________CONCRETE GROOVING/FLOOR TEXTURING: Bring existing grooves back to 100% efficiency/new construction. Blue Ribbon Hoof Trimming, LLC. 989-635-1494. ______________________________________

FOR SALE: 5000-4000-3000-2500-2000-1500 OH MUELLER LATE MODEL BULK TANK MILK TANKS, complete, will trade. 1-800-558-0112.______________________________________WANTED TO BUY: USED BULK MILK TANKS, 200 gallons & larger, Sunset & Mueller, 1-800-558-0112._______________________________________LARGE SQUARE BALES CLEAN, bright straw. Will deliver. 989-723-1886._____________________________________WANTED TO BUY: corn silage. 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414._____________________________________MEDIUM RED JUNE CLOVER SEED, spring barley, seed oats, RR soys (BG2707RN, BG 2405NRR, BG7230, BG7180RR2Y, BG7290RR2Y), MCIA 2323 soys, MCIA 2409LL and MCIA 2610LL soys. Will deliver. 989-723-1886._____________________________________

ClassifiedsCall 1-800-572-5824 ext. 224

1-800-248-8070

M-40 South

Hamilton, MI 49419

PTO and Automatic

Start Generators

SHORT BRED HOLSTEIN HEIFERS, bred to high genomic sexed semen for calving ease, $1,450 ea. Dale Hackney, Durand, Mich., 810-962-0284._____________________________________

First Day Formula®

First Day Formula®First Day Formula®


First Day Formula®



First Day Formula®



First Day Formula®

First Day Formula®First Day Formula®800-451-9275 | [email protected] | www.accelgen.com

A colostrum supplement And replAcement product for dAiry And beef cAlves, this product contains dried, natural bovine colostrum safe for newborns. first day formula® is fortified with essential vitamins and chelated trace minerals; its unique and healthy combination of proteins, vitamins and minerals make it an ideal supplement for poor quality colostrum or as a replacement when fresh colostrum is not available.

Jump-start your calves withFirst Day Formula.®


MILK ON FARM – DRUG RESIDUE SUSPECTED

If a member suspects milk in the farm bulk tank contains drug residue:

1. Call a MMPA Member Representative to have the milk in the tank tested. A “hold” must be placed on the tank contents until the test results are known. - OR -

2. The member can test the milk on the farm. If dumped, the member must be sure to take the stick reading, record the number of pounds of milk, and report the information to their membership representative.

• If the tank tests negative (no drugs present), the milk may be released and shipped.

• If the tank tests positive (drugs present), the membership representative will authorize the member to dump the tank of milk. The member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.*

• If for any reason MMPA personnel must pick up samples at the farm for testing three or more times within 12 consecutive months, the member involved will be charged $25 per trip.

MILK SHIPPED — POSITIVE DRUGS CONFIRMED

If a member ships milk from the farm and testing by approved laboratory methods show that the milk contained drug residue, the member will be assessed the penalties imposed by the state regulatory agency and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums.

If a loss is incurred by MMPA due to the disposal and/or non-marketability of a load of milk or milk products containing drug residue, then the member responsible will be provided an invoice for the entire value of the loss plus transportation and disposal costs as required by the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance. This invoice may be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPA must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless other settlement arrangements are made.

Milk from that member’s farm tank must be tested and found clear of drugs before the next tank of milk can be picked up.

A hauler whose entire load sample shows the presence of drugs will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all show negative.

ALL POSITIVE DRUG RESIDUE SHIPMENTS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

MMPA Policy on Drug Residue in Milk:

MMPA Policy on Milk QualityQUALITY QUESTIONABLE

When a member suspects that the milk in the farm bulk tank is of poor quality they should call a MMPA Member Representative who will authorize milk in the tank to be dumped. If the member dumps the milk on their own, they must be sure to take the stick reading and record the number of pounds of milk, and report the information to the Member Representative.

If the milk is dumped, the member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.

In order to receive payment for an added water voluntary dump, the member must install a Swingline Safety Switch. The Swingline Safety Switch can be ordered from the St. Louis warehouse. The MMPA Member Representative will verify the switch has been installed. Reimbursement for the Swingline Safety Switch and the voluntary dump will then be made to the member.

The member assumes all liability for losses incurred as a result of shipping poor quality or contaminated milk.

MILK SHIPPED – HIGH BACTERIA COUNT

If:

1. A load of milk is received (unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and,

2. a sample from the load has a bacteria count of 300,000 or more and,

3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members having a bacteria count of 300,000 or more, then the member or members involved will be charged the value of one-half of one day’s production** and will be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums.

**For members using more than one bulk tank, the assessment will be based on the value of milk in the tank or tanks in violation of the MMPA quality policy.

* The member will only be paid for two (2) voluntary dumps in a 12 month period.

REJECTED LOAD SHIPMENT

If:

1. A load of milk is rejected (not unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and,

2. the milk cannot be sold through normal Grade A channels for reasons of quality which results in the load being sold or disposed of at a loss to MMPA, and,

3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members that caused the contamination or rejection of the load, then, the member or members responsible will be charged the full value of the loss to MMPA plus transportation and disposal costs, and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums except for loads rejected for temperature.

4. MMPA will provide an invoice to the member for the amount of the loss, to be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPA must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless other settlement arrangements are made.

If a member has a third occurrence or more within 12 consecutive months, that member must appear before the MMPA board of directors to review steps taken on the farm to correct the quality problem which will enable MMPA to continue to market the milk for this member.

HAULER

A hauler whose entire load sample exceeds 300,000 per mL bacteria count will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all are less than 100,000. A hauler will be responsible for all costs incurred by MMPA for loads rejected for temperature. Charges and assessments made under this program will be withheld from milk checks of members or haulers involved.

Policies

34 March 2012

MARKET STATISTICSMideast Federal Order #33

(pounds)

Mideast Federal Order #33

COMPONENT PRICING INFORMATIONMideast Federal Order #33

NATIONAL TRENDS(million pounds)

This Month Year Ago % Change

Total Class 1 Sales 551,640,331 555,863,978 -0.76

Total Class 2 Sales 281,515,163 151,610,977 +85.68



Total Production 1,522,222,451 1,245,526,529 +22.22

Class 1 Utilization 36.2% 44.6%

Current Month

Total Producers 6,515

Average Daily Production per Farm 7,537

Average Protein Test 3.15%

Average Butterfat Test 3.78%

Average Other Solids Test 5.73%

Average SCC Count (MMPA) 168,000

Protein Price/lb. $2.7326

Butterfat Price/lb. $1.7178

Other Solids Price/lb. $0.5032

Class III Price @ 3.5% $ 17.05

Prod. Price Diff/cwt. (Mich. Mkt.) $0.99

Uniform Price @ 3.5% $ 18.04

SCC Adjustment/cwt./1000 $0.00080

2012 2011 % Change Production California 3,615 3,390 +6.6

Wisconsin 2,277 2,195 +3.7

Idaho 1,116 1,066 +4.7

New York 1,086 1,083 +0.3

Pennsylvania 896 891 +0.6

Texas 827 797 +3.8

Minnesota 770 766 +0.5

Michigan 731 711 +2.8

New Mexico 685 680 +0.7

Washington 525 498 +5.4

Ohio 443 437 +1.4

Indiana 311 294 +5.8

* Total U.S. 15,782 15,219 +3.7

* U.S. Y-T-D 15,782 15,219 +3.7

* For 23 states

Market ReportFor Milk Marketed in January 2012

NASS Survey Prices

Monthly Avg.Cheese/lb. 1.6097

Butter/lb. 1.5900

Nonfat Dry Milk/lb. 1.3942

Dry Whey/lb. 0.6876


MMPA FIELD STAFF

NOVI (Headquarters)248-474-6672

800-572-5824General Manager

Clay Galarneau, ext. 200

Member Services Milk Sales/Dispatch Finance/Controller Dean Letter, ext. 213 Carl Rasch, ext. 244 Joseph M. Diglio, ext. 240Laboratory Supervisor Manufactured Sales Credit/Insurance Patti Huttula, ext. 219 Jim Dodson, ext. 229 Cheryl Schmandt, ext. 210Human Resources Member Relations/Public Affairs Data Processing Cindy Tilden, ext. 220 Sheila Burkhardt, ext. 208 Gregory Schulkey, ext. 237 Member Communications Laura Moser, ext. 211

MANUFACTURING PLANTS Constantine Ovid 269-435-2835 989-834-2221 Plant Manager Plant Manager/Plant Operations Dave Davis David Wittkop

Novi: 800-572-5824 (in MI) 800-233-2405 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon-Fri

Ovid: 989-834-2515 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. Daily

Constantine: 800-391-7560 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Daily

MMPA LABS

If you are unable to reach your assigned member representative, contact any one of the representatives listed in your area.

NORTH AREA

Supervisor: Gerry Volz St. Louis Office ..............989-289-9219

Frank Brazeau ..................920-834-4059 Oconto, Wis. mobile 906-250-0337Ben Chapin ............................................. Big Rapids mobile 989-289-0731

Preston Cole .....................231-584-2587 Mancelona mobile 989-289-9301

Steven Lehman ................989-875-3441 Ithaca mobile 989-330-1638

Katie Pierson .......................................... Coleman mobile 989-289-9686

Kendra Stieg ........................................... Kentwood mobile 269-245-6632

Gerry Volz.........................989-848-5996 Fairview mobile 989-289-9219

MMPA Staff

EAST AREA

Supervisor: Michael Marvin Marlette Office ...............989-635-3650

Gary Best..........................810-664-4984 Lapeer mobile 586-484-9279 Bulk Tank Calibration

Christy Dinsmoore .................................. Fairgrove mobile 989-528-9102

Michael Marvin ....................................... Marlette mobile 989-670-4864

Kristin Rawlings ...................................... Deckerville mobile 231-414-4539 Andrew Rupprecht .................................. Clio mobile 269-986-6793

SOUTH AREA

Supervisor: Lyndsay Stakenas Coldwater Office .............. 231-519-2455

Krista Beeker .......................................... Howe, IN mobile 269-986-6792

David Brady ......................517-522-5965 Grass Lake mobile 517-937-9061

Lyndsay Stakenas .................................. Coldwater mobile 231-519-2455

Elyse Wilcox ........................................... mobile 810-701-6460Ed Zuchnik.............................................. Three Rivers mobile 269-967-7351

MERCHANDISE—ST. LOUISSupervisor: Duane Farmer 989-681-2334 Fax.................................989-681-3988 Toll Free ........................877-367-6455 Orders (Novi) 800-572-5824 then dial 2

MASTITIS MANAGEMENT

Tom Herremans................231-853-8008 Ravenna mobile 269-967-0890

Steven Lehman ................989-875-3441 Ithaca mobile 989-330-1638

Christy Dinsmoore .................................. Fairgrove mobile 989-528-9102 Environmental SpecialistDale Ledebuhr.......................269-965-2474 Battle Creek mobile 269-986-6791

36 March 2012

michigan milk messenger: march 2012

Documents