California Ag Network

Category: Dairy Industry

  • California Hosts 17th National Dairy Challenge

    College dairy students – 235 in total – from 28 different states and Canadian provinces recently traveled to sunny California for the 17th annual Dairy Challenge.® This was the first time many of the students had visited a Western dairy, which provided extra intrigue and challenge in their task as a consultant team for a local dairy.

    Visalia, Calif., was home base for the 2018 North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge® (NAIDC) held April 12th to 14th, with six area dairies participating in the educational event. Dairy students from 38 colleges worked to improve their dairy management and communication skills, networked with other students, and explored industry careers.

    “It is really incredible to see the California dairy community come together to make this premier event possible for these college students – from host dairies, to agribusiness sponsors and dairy product donors, to the more than 120 volunteers that helped plan and coordinate the Dairy Challenge,” explained Chad Wright, DVM, of Bidart Dairy and NAIDC Board Chairperson.

    Dairy Challenge is a unique, real-world experience where dairy students work as a team and apply their college coursework to evaluate and provide solutions for an operating dairy farm. In Visalia, two programs ran concurrently – the 17th annual Dairy Challenge contest and the sixth annual Dairy Challenge Academy. The events were coordinated by the NAIDC Board of Directors and the Western planning committee.

    This year’s contest included 38 universities, whose four-person teams competed for awards based on their quality of teams’ farm analysis and appropriate solutions. Their farm presentations were evaluated by a panel of five judges, including dairy producers, veterinarians, finance specialists and seasoned agribusiness personnel.

    The Academy provided interactive training for more than 90 students from four-year universities or two-year dairy programs. Academy participants were divided into smaller groups including students from various schools, and dairy industry volunteers worked as Advisors to coach these less-experienced Academy participants as they assessed the dairy and developed recommendations.

    Dairy Challenge Applies Learning to a Real-world Dairy

    Over its 17-year history, Dairy Challenge has helped more than 6,400 students prepare for careers in the dairy industry, dairy production and veterinary medicine.

    The three-day event began with learning stations at Maddox Dairy, Riverdale, CA, where the Maddox team and their consultants helped students better understand California dairy conditions and shared details about reproduction, nutrition, cow comfort, milking protocols and other key areas. Back at the Visalia Convention Center, students enjoyed ice cream sundaes as they poured over the in-depth dairy records for their assigned dairy.

    Day two began with the on-farm analysis, with all students having just two hours to visit their assigned dairy and witness the dairy’s operations. After a question & answer session with the farm owners and advisors, the student teams developed recommendations for nutrition, reproduction, milking procedures, animal health, cow comfort, and labor and financial management.

    On Day Three, students presented their recommendations to the judging panel, visited with sponsors at the Career and Innovation Fair, and learned through presentations from top-level NAIDC sponsors. These talks were presented by:

    • Ryan Camara, Vice President-Credit and Linda Sousa, Assistant Vice President-Credit, Farm Credit West – “How to Prepare for Your Lender”
    • Brad Barham, Sales Support Manager, All West/Select Sires – “Utilizing Data to Maximize Genetic Improvement”
    • Heather Lee, Dairy Regional Account Manager and Kurtis Monteiro, Dairy Account Manager, Genex Cooperative, Inc. – “Bringing Value to the Dairy Industry as a Recent Graduate”
    • Josh Hushon, US Dairy Marketing Communications Lead, Cargill – “Farm Decision Making: Unlocking the Power of Data and Analytics”
    • Christie Underwood, Ph.D., Nutritionist & Technical Consultant, Land O’ Lakes – “Getting Your Career Started: Launching a Successful Path”
    • Jack Hippen, North American and EU Sales Director, ST Genetics – “The History of Sexed Semen”
    1st Place Team – California Polytechnic State University: L to R: Coach Vagnoni, Anthony Echeverria, Amber LaSalle, Matthew Ruby, Tony Lopes

    Eight College Teams Earn Top Awards

    At Saturday evening’s banquet, the following contest teams and students were announced as First Place winners, with each student receiving a $200 scholarship.

    • Michigan State University: Alycia Burch, Nicole Chase, Ethan Haywood, and Ellen Launstein coached by Roger Thompson
    • University of Wisconsin-Madison: Charles Hamilton, Anthony Schmitz, Logan Voigts and Connor Willems Coached by Theodore Halbach and Dave Combs
    • Iowa State University: Kassidy Buse, Brady Goetz, Cassie Krebill and Sabrina Portner. Coached by Hugo Ramirez
    • California Polytechnic State University: Anthony Echeverria, Amber LaSalle, Tony Lopes and Matthew Ruby. Coached by David Vagnoni

    Teams and students earning Second Place and $100 student scholarships include:

    • University of Vermont/Vermont Technical College:  Michelle Poulin, Julee Tellkamp, Sharron Palmer, Quentin Nelson. Coached by Wanda Emerich
    • Cornell University: Cooper Galton, Britney Hill, Jake Palladino, Keith Koerner. Coached by Mike Van Amburgh
    • University of Guelph: Andrew VanderSpek, Jeroen Slits, Matthew Wells, Michael Reijnen, Coached by Trevor DeVries, Robyn Walsh, Matt Groen
    • The Ohio State University: Jaclyn Krymowski, Hannah Meller, Alexandra Houck, Marina Sweet. Coached by Maurice Eastridge

    All Dairy Challenge contest participants received a lifetime membership to Dairy Shrine, compliments of Allflex USA and Lely North America.

    Total Industry Effort

    Five dairy farms opened up their farms for analysis and in exchange, received a wealth of ideas from students and judges. Host farms for the 2018 Dairy Challenge were:

    • Van Beek Brothers, Tipton, CA
    • Double J Dairy, Visalia, CA
    • Rancho Sierra Vista, Visalia, CA
    • Delta View Farms, Visalia, CA
    • Double Oak Dairy, Tulare, CA

    “On behalf of all the students and organizers, we sincerely thank the hundreds of individuals and organizations that made this event possible,” said Cathy Myers, Co-Chair of the event. “We look forward to interacting with these students as they continue onto careers as dairy owners, managers, consultants and the many other support roles that make dairy possible.”

    About Dairy Challenge

    NAIDC is an innovative event for students in dairy programs at North American post-secondary institutions. Its mission is to develop tomorrow’s dairy leaders and enhance progress of the dairy industry, by providing education, communication and networking among students, producers, and agribusiness and university personnel. Over its 17-year national history, Dairy Challenge has helped prepare more than 6,400 students for careers as farm owners and managers, consultants, researchers, veterinarians or other dairy professionals. The next national event will be hosted in Tifton, Georgia, March 28-30, 2019. Four regional events are held in late fall and winter; details are at www.dairychallenge.org.

  • California Dairy Digital Magazine: April 2018 Issue

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    The December issue of California Dairy Magazine is now available to read online! Read the latest California Dairy & Feed industry news and technology.  Here’s a peek of what’s inside:

    • Hanford Junior Dairy Show Grows
    • Achieving High Reproductive Performance
    • Discovery in Isolating Embryonic Stem Cells in Cows
    • USDA Reopens Enrollment For Improved Dairy Safety Net Tool
    • Milk Prices: Hope on the Horizon

    Click Here to view it on Californiadarymagazine.com

  • FCFB to Welcome Agricultural Comedian “Tim the Dairyman” on May 3!

    Fresno, Calif., (April 9, 2018) – Fresno County Farm Bureau (FCFB) is over the “moooooon” to welcome Florida dairy farmer and agricultural comedian “Tim the Dairyman” at its inaugural “Bounty of Fresno County” event on Thursday, May 3, at Wolf Lakes Park in Sanger.

    The social will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 6:15 p.m. Seating is extremely limited due to venue size. This event will SELL OUT, and we don’t want you to miss this opportunity to celebrate with us!

    To purchase tickets or become a table sponsor, click here, or for more information, contact FCFB at 559-237-0263 or info@fcfb.org.

  • USDA Releases Final CA FMMO Decision

    Modesto, Calif., (April 4, 2018) – USDA released the long awaited final decision for a California Federal Milk Marketing Order today. The potential differences between the final decision and USDA’s draft recommended decision from February 2017 had been a source of speculation in the industry for many months. Exactly how different was the final decision from the previous version? The answer is: it was exactly the same! Ta-da! Those who attended WUD’s convention got to hear about the basics of USDA’s draft recommendation, which also apply to the final decision. Now that we know this is what we will be looking at for a vote, more analysis will be conducted to determine the potential impact for producers around the state. Specifically, WUD will host three informational sessions on April 16 (Petaluma), April 17 (Modesto) and April 18 (Tulare; details below). The analysis presented will be performed by two independent experts who do not come with any agenda about persuading attendees one way or another. The emphasis will be on education and answering questions. USDA will also host a session in Clovis on April 10 to highlight the mechanics of the program.

    USDA will conduct a referendum among dairy producers to determine whether they support the proposed FMMO; this referendum will be held from April 2, 2018 through May 5, 2018. The FMMO will become effective if approved by two-thirds of the voting producers, or by producers of two-thirds of the milk represented in the voting process.

    Dates and locations for WUD’s meetings to discuss the economic impact of the CA FMMO:

    • Monday April 16th 10am Sonoma County Farm Bureau (3589 Westwind Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403)
    • Tuesday April 17th 9am Stanislaus County Harvest Hall (3800 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA 95358, Training Room Center DE)
    • Wednesday April 18th 10am Tulare Agri-Center, (4500 South Laspina Street, Tulare, CA 93274, Social Hall)

    Refreshments will be served each meeting. RSVP’s are greatly appreciated: molly@westernuniteddairymen.com, or (209)527-6453

  • CDFA Announces Grant Funding Available For The 2018 Alternative Manure Management Program

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 30, 2018) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting applications for the 2018 Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP).

    The AMMP is one of two programs designed by CDFA to reduce dairy and livestock greenhouse gas emissions. The program will provide $19-33 million in grants to California dairy and livestock operators to implement non-digester manure management practices that reduce methane emissions.

    Applicants must access the 2018 Request for Grant Applications at www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ammp/  for detailed program requirements and application instructions.

    CDFA has partnered with the State Water Resources Control Board to utilize its online application site, the Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST).  All prospective applicants must register for a FAAST account at https://faast.waterboards.ca.gov to apply. Applications and all supporting information must be submitted electronically using FAAST by Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. PDT.

    CDFA will present three workshops and two webinars on the 2018 AMMP competitive solicitation process. Workshops and webinars will feature an overview of the program and requirements, a review of the application questions, a live demonstration of the online application system and more.  There is no cost to attend the workshops; however, space is limited and CDFA request that attendees register in advance. To register, email grants@cdfa.ca.gov with your name and contact information, the workshop you would like to attend, and the number of seats required.

    Workshops and webinars will be held at these locations on the following dates:

    • Eureka – Monday, April 9, 2018 – 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Humboldt County Agricultural Building, 5630 South Broadway Street, Eureka, CA 95501
    • Santa Rosa – Tuesday, April 10, 2018 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner – 133 Aviation Boulevard, Suite 110, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
    • Modesto – Monday, April 16, 2018 – 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Stanislaus County Agricultural Building – 3800 Cornucopia Way, Suite B, Modesto, CA 95358
    • This meeting will also be available as a webinar for remote attendees.
      Webinar – Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

    To register for the two webinars, please visit the program webpage at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ammp/.

    All prospective applicants should access the AMMP webpage (https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/ammp/ ) for information regarding additional, free-of-charge technical assistance conducted by non-profit organizations, Resource Conservation Districts and California academic institutions to assist in the submission of AMMP applications.

    Prospective applicants may contact CDFA’s Grants Office at grants@cdfa.ca.gov with general program questions.

    The Alternative Manure Management Program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap and Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.  The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.  California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more.  At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.  For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at:  www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

  • Western United Dairyman Thanks the Board Members who Served their Full Terms, Retiring at Convention Next Week

    Turlock, Calif., (March 27, 2018) – Mike Zylstra: Mike spent more time at the office than most board members because of his role as treasurer. His dedication to accurate numbers and getting to the bottom of things was exceptional and has greatly served WUD’s members for many years. What he learned throughout his time on the board that surprised him the most is that regardless of geography, size or production practices, dairy families share a common set of values: dedication to family and integrity are paramount. Mike’s dairy, a Holstein herd in the Modesto area, has been in operation for over 35 years. If you ask him how many cows he milks, he will probably answer “too many”. He and his wife of 11 years, Amy, have three sons (9,7, and 5 years old) that he hopes one day may get involved in the family business. Spending time with family and playing outdoor sports (particularly snow skiing) are things he enjoys when he is not busy with cows. His hopes for the California dairy industry? That future generations would be hindered less by government policy.

    Larry Pietrowski: Larry’s family business may have started in Chino in the 50’s but he and his wife of 37 years, Mary, are now located in Madera where they milk 6,000 Holstein. They have four children and are soon to be grandparents for the first time this fall. In his spare time, Larry likes to play hockey. Larry certainly brought an unparalled passion to the board and was never afraid of sharing an opinion. During his time on the board, two things were particularly surprising to him: 1) despite all the talks between groups, the industry is splintered into many factions: producers, processors, and co-ops. But also various groups within those. Regarding the producers, he added that last time he checked “we are all CALIFORNIA producers. It would be nice if those producers remaining would speak with one united voice to achieve what’s best for the producers”. The second thing that surprised him the most was the lack of knowledge our elected representatives (he did note there are a few exceptions) have about our industry: “They do not know the who, what, when and most importantly why we do what we do.” For the sake of family owned dairies and their employee’s families, he hopes the industry can survive the onslaught of regulations, low milk price and return to a profitability. He further hopes the State realizes the value dairy farms bring to the State, community and all our hard working employees. He concluded his term with this statement: “It has been a honor for me to serve as a board member of Western. All the board members, past and present, have displayed great commitment to our organization. They have always put the interest of the California producer first. I believe our staff is the best in the industry”.

    John Goyenetche: John was born on the family dairy in Chino and is still involved on the dairy after it moved to Bakersfield 18 years ago. He has served on the board dutifully for almost all his 30’s. John’s capacity to listen to other people’s opinion with respect and his unwavering positive attitude will certainly be missed. What he learned throughout his time on the board that surprised him the most is the constant challenges facing the industry. He doesn’t think most dairyman realize the issues the board handles on a monthly basis at board meetings. To him, this was motivation as it felt good to be at the forefront of these issues, being aware of what is happening and feeling like you are trying to make a positive impact for your fellow dairymen. Looking back at history and how the industry has evolved the last hundred years, he wonders what the next hundred will look like with ever-increasing regulations and scrutiny. Though it may be hard to stay positive at times, his hopes for the California dairy industry is that legislators and the public alike realize the importance of a sustainable California dairy industry and a safe, local food supply. With that support, he is confident the industry can flourish for years to come. When John is not around cows, he likes to travel and spend time with friends and family over a good meal and drinks. At the end of the day, he says, that’s what life is all about!

    John Oostdam: John’s dedication to the board and fellow dairymen was evident; never complaining about the long trips from his dairy in Southern California to Modesto each month, he was always eager to explore ideas that could benefit the industry. Not a stranger to being involved, he is also a LOL delegate a long term board member of DHIA. Through his involvement he met a lot of good people over the years and realized there are a lot of dairymen out there that want to get involved and do what is best for the industry. Still, one thing he learned throughout his time on the board that surprised him is that there is a lot to this industry. Things have changed from his fathers’ generation and as he reminisced of simpler times where new rules and regulations didn’t bring new impacts to the dairy, he wished all dairymen could get involved so they could understand all the issues that affect them. When he is not thinking about cows, John loves to water ski and go on family trips. Options abound as he has four girls and four grandkids, with one on the way. One daughter is involved on the dairy with her husband. His hopes for the California dairy industry? That the regular average family dairy can survive. He hopes the FMMO can help decreasing the loss of dairies so that consolidation can slow down and smaller producers can also survive.

    Thank you John, John, Larry and Mike for your me and efforts toward the betterment of the California dairy industry!

  • The Road to the California FMMO Reopens – Come Hear Details At WUD’s Convention!

    Modesto, Calif., (March 20, 2018) – Big news this week: the judicial officer who was tasked with reviewing the entire California Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) hearing record ratified it. This officially clears the way for USDA to release the final decision for a California FMMO. USDA did not mention how long it would take to release the final decision once the record has been ratified, but in theory, it could be any day now. After a disappointing delay, we are looking forward to the final decision. Making a choice to change or not to change a pricing system that has been in place for 50 years is not a decision many take lightly. To shed light on the implications, WUD will extensively discuss details of USDA’s decision at its annual Convention on March 28. More specifically, I will provide pricing and pooling scenarios and answer questions you may have. This is of course pending USDA’s decision. If for some reason it is further delayed, I will still provide information on the draft recommended decision. It is important to get information out, because once the final decision is released, the referendum process will start. That referendum period will only last between 30 and 45 days. This is a very short time frame to reach out to the producer community and explain all the details of this complex system.

    As a reminder: the work of the judicial officer was required after a Supreme Court case called into question the appointments of administrative law judges (ALJ) in federal agencies. USDA announced last month the FMMO process for California could be significantly delayed until the court cases causing the delay were heard. This likely would have been around June. Hearing producers’ disappointment, USDA found a workaround and announced a solution during an industry conference call just weeks after the original delay announcement (appointing a judicial officer to review the FMMO hearing record). This officer is not subject to the appointment clause that applied to the ALJ that presided over the California FMMO hearing. Therefore, his review would prevent potential legal challenges down the road should the Supreme Court decide administrative law judges’ appointment was not constitutional.

    By Annie AcMoody, director of economic analysis

  • CDFA Accepting Proposals For Small Dairy Research

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 12, 2018) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is now accepting proposals to address small dairy climate change research.

    Supported by a $250,000 allocation from the Budget Act of 2017, these grants will fund research proposals that evaluate how small dairies differ from large dairies in adapting and mitigating to climate change. The proposals will also help identify cost effective strategies to reduce methane from smaller dairies.

    Eligible applicants include California academic institutions, nonprofits and out-of-state groups collaborating with California-based scientists and organizations.

    Applicants are invited to submit grant proposals requesting up to $250,000 electronically to cdfa.oefi@cdfa.ca.gov no later than Friday, April 16, 2018 at 5 p.m. PDT.

    The 2018 Small Dairy Climate Change Research Request for Proposals contains detailed instructions, including: eligibility requirements, timelines, scoring criteria and research priorities. Interested parties can access this information at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/research/.

    Contact: Steve Lyle, Director of Public Affairs, California Department of Food and Agriculture – 916-654-0462

  • CDFA Now Accepting Applications For Alternative Manure Management Program Technical Assistance Grants

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 8, 2018) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture is now accepting grant applications from non-profits, universities, and California Resource Conservation Districts that will offer technical assistance to farmers and ranchers interested in applying to the state’s Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP).

    “These grants dollars will help fund workshops and other assistance in the application process, making it easier for our dairy and livestock operators to successfully apply to
    AMMP and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions on their operations,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross.

    Applicants may apply for funding up to $10,000 and must meet several requirements, including: one-on-one application assistance, technical assistance, and internet access for application submission.

    Detailed information on funding, eligibility and program requirements can be found at: www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/AMMP/.

    Applications must be submitted by email no later than March 14, 2018, 5:00 p.m. PDT. Grants will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.

    The AMMP is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap and Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities.  The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution.  California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more.  At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California.  For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at:  www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

  • Bakersfield Dairy Farmers Embrace Climate Smart Technology

    Left – Ross Buckenham, CEO, CalBio and right – Felix Echeverria, Carlos Echeverria & Sons Dairy

    Bakersfield, Calif., (March 5, 2018) – For second generation dairy farmer Felix Echeverria, dairy farming is a family affair. His father, an immigrant from Spain’s Basque country, began milking cows in Southern California in the early 1950’s. Since then, Mr. Echeverria and his brother Johnny, have spent most of their mornings on dairy farms, waking early to milk the cows, put out the feed and check the water.

    Yet for the next generation of Echeverria dairy farmers, there will be a new addition to the sights and sounds of an early morning on the farm – the humming of a dairy digester producing electricity.

    Located outside Bakersfield, California, the Carlos Echeverria and Sons (CE&S) Dairy Biogas project will use anaerobic digester technology to produce energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, comply with environmental regulations and increase nutrient availability to crops. The project is funded through CDFA’s Dairy Digester Research and Development Program (DDRDP) and the California Energy Commission.

    The CE&S digester will work by using a high-density synthetic cover to capture methane from the dairy’s manure lagoon. The captured methane will be stored and then combusted in a high-efficiency generator, producing renewable electricity. By using this system, the CE&S Dairy Biogas is expected to cut its methane emissions by approximately 75 percent and reduce energy costs by 15-20 percent.

    Although initially cautious of digesters, Mr. Echeverria says he was ultimately convinced by his trust in neighboring farmers already embracing digesters and the partnership developed with California Bioenergy (Cal Bio), who will own, operate and maintain the digester system.

    “At first, we were very skeptical because this is something we knew very little about,” said Mr. Echeverria. “But having trust in my neighbors and seeing the changes that digesters bring led us to building our own.”

    Alongside reducing emissions, the CE&S Dairy Biogas project also advances California’s efforts to connect energy providers and fuel created by state supported incentive programs. In this case, the CE&S digester will deliver approximately 7.6 million kWh of renewable electricity annually to PG&E, enough energy to fully power 705 homes.

    The CE&S project is also part of the Kern County Dairy Biogas cluster, a group of sixteen dairies with approximately 100,000 cows, that would collectively produce 2.5- 3 million cubic feet of biogas per day and 1.5- 2.5 million diesel gallon equivalents per year. The renewable energy created through the cluster would support the state’s sustainable transportation efforts and generate enough fuel to power 100,000 cars across the country every year.

    Mr. Echeverria applauds the state’s desire to work collaboratively with industry in developing digester projects. To date, the DDRDP has helped fund 24 projects across California, capturing an estimated 5.7 million metrics tons of CO2e over ten years.

    “I am truly delighted about the partnership between industry and government.” said Mr. Echeverria. “It’s a huge step in the right direction.”

    Click here to learn more about the DDRDP.