Tracy, Calif., (October 16, 2017) – While one truck arrived at the Treasure Coast Food Bank in Fort Pierce, Florida, the second of two food relief trucks departed from Irwindale, California Tuesday headed for Houston, completing a commitment from the California dairy community to support families in need who were affected by recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida.
The donation of 42,000 pounds of cheese delivered today to the Houston Food Bank is part of a commitment of more than 70,000 pounds of protein-rich dairy foods like cheese, yogurt, crema and protein drinks coordinated by the state’s dairy farm families through the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) in cooperation with dairy processors.
“We’re farmers. Nourishing people is what we do. We couldn’t stand by when so many people are in need,” said dairy farmer Dante Migliazzo, Chairman of the CMAB. “Wanting to join in the relief effort, we reached out to the dairy processor community, the folks who turn our milk into nutritious dairy foods, in the hopes of doing something. The response was tremendous, and within days two trucks filled with over 70,000 pounds of product were ready to go.”
The Treasure Coast Food Bank in Fort Pierce, Florida received 861 cases (18,532 packages) of cheese, 590 cases (7,080 packages) of crema, 2,736 bottles of protein drink, 5,040 servings of cup yogurt and 1,440 servings of drinkable yogurt from Cacique, FitPro, Pacific Cheese Company, Rizo Lopez and Super Store Industries. Today, the Houston Food Bank received 37,884 packages of Cacique cheese for distribution to its network of more than 600 hunger relief charities.
Shipping and logistical support was provided by CMAB partner HarbyrCo Global Products Solution.
“We’re so grateful to our processor partners for their support of the people and communities affected by Harvey and Irma and for the assistance of Feeding America and HarbyrCo in getting these products into the hands of the people who need them most,” said Migliazzo.
Tomales, Calif., (October 13, 2017) – Loren Poncia grew up as the fourth generation on his family’s ranch in Tomales and always knew he wanted to come back and be a full-time rancher.
Lisa and Loren Poncia (pictured with their two daughters Avery and Julianna) started the Stemple Creek Ranch brand 10 years ago. Photos by Paige Green Photography, courtesy of the Poncia family.
Poncia’s family immigrated to Northern California from Italy in 1897 has been continuously involved in various forms of agriculture since then. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 1998, he was passionate about coming back and running the family ranch but realized there was no room for him to financially fit into the business. Poncia spent nearly twenty years in corporate sales in the biotech industry.
Twelve years ago, Poncia and his wife Lisa decided they wanted to try to establish an agricultural business of their own. They set out to raise high quality beef. They first transitioned their cattle to be “all natural.” They sent a load of cattle to a feedlot, but when 30% of the cattle got sick, they realized they wanted to do something different.
At the time, Poncia had been reading Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and it sparked his thought process. The book caused him to question the feedlot model and why they were finishing their cattle on corn and other grains. The Poncias also began to consider selling their meat directly to consumers, recognizing the benefits of being an agricultural community just a stone’s throw from the San Francisco Bay Area where the local food movement was beginning to take hold.
In 2007, while Loren continued to work at his full-time corporate job, the Poncias started Stemple Creek Ranch. The intent was to finish all of their beef and lamb on grass on the ranch instead of sending it to a feedlot and to sell the finished product locally. They slowly built their herd and sold directly to consumers, local restaurants and butcher shops. In 2009, the Poncias sold all their beef and lamb within a 100 mile radius of their home ranch.
Already committed to 100% grass-fed and grass-finished product, the Poncias became certified Organic and sold product to Whole Foods for several years. Over time, they expanded their retail sales, selling at the two largest farmers’ markets in Bay Area (the San Francisco ferry plaza on Saturdays and the Marin County Civic Center on Sundays) and to other grocery stores including Good Earth Natural Foods in Marin County, Berkeley Bowl in Alameda County, Woodlands Market in San Francisco and other mom and pop butcher shops throughout California. They also sell to a select few of the finest restaurants in the greater Bay Area.
Most recently, the Poncias began selling Stemple Creek Ranch beef to the four Oliver’s Markets locations in Sonoma County. Poncia said this is particularly exciting because it is something they’ve been working on for many years. He said the family is thrilled to have somewhere local where their meat is easily accessible to Sonoma County consumers.
Today, the Poncias run their cattle in Sonoma, Marin, and Humboldt counties on both owned and leased pasture. They rent the family ranch from Loren’s parents and several years ago Loren and Lisa also purchased the ranch “next door” from the Burbank family who had kept it in the family since the 1860’s.
The beef cattle are the primary focus of the ranch, but the family also tends to 300 ewes. Their latest venture has been pork that is raised on the home ranch in Tomales. Five years ago, the Poncias lost a large group of lambs to coyotes. They got three guardian dogs to live with the sheep, and since enlisting Zeus, Pepper, and Salty, they haven’t lost a single lamb.
While all of the pastures are certified organic, only some of the cattle are certified organic. Organic beef comprises approximately 30% of the Stemple Creek Ranch sales. Poncia said he’s seen the organic market growing quicker than the conventional market.
Stemple Creek Beef is known for their fatty grass-fed beef despite not finishing on grain. Poncia said this makes year-round production particularly challenging and they have to supplement the cattle with organic hay in the drier months.
Poncia said it’s become important to figure out how to balance dry times, describing every summer as a seasonal drought for their business. He said it’s become important to their farming practices to take care of mother nature so she can in turn take care of them.
“Ten years ago, I considered myself a grass farmer,” said Poncia, “now I consider myself a soil farmer.”
Their close proximity to the coast provides more moderate temperatures benefitting their operation by allowing their perennial grasses to stay green longer. Poncia says that their production close to the coast with the cool ocean air influences the flavor of the beef.
Stemple Creek Ranch is part of the Marin Carbon Project, having a plan to take care of their land that can help draw carbon from the atmosphere and fix it in the soil. The more carbon that is in the soil, the more water the soil retains, and the more grass that can be grown. The ranch is one of three ranches used as a demonstration site by the Marin Carbon Project to illustrate the importance farming practices can have on their environment.
Poncia stresses that cornerstones of the Stemple Creek Ranch brand are honesty, integrity and quality. Every decision that Loren and Lisa make on the ranch and in the business are made with those pillars in mind. They love having people visit the ranch and being able to share what they do and educate people about local, sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
For the family, the internet and social media has been a huge driver of their success and ability to develop a successful brand. They have “met” many of their retail and wholesale customers online and have grown these online relationships into successful business partnerships.
“I couldn’t imagine trying to build our brand over the last 10 years on a shoestring budget without social media,” said Poncia.
In addition to social media, Poncia gives a lot of credit to his wife, Lisa. Lisa came into the business without an ag background, but Poncia described her as someone open to new opportunities and ideas. He said she offers him a huge amount of support, but she’s also just a “really good business woman and partner.” The couple has two young children, Avery and Julianna.
The family is always looking to expand their business, but they are limited by their access to pasture. Poncia said in a perfect world they would love to expand their brand by partnering with other farmers who share their values.
“We’re very thankful for the support of the community and customers who will pay for a quality product. We’re over the moon to be able to sell a high quality product locally. We didn’t know exactly where this business would bring us, but consumers vote with their dollars, and so far they are voting that they like the product.”
Modesto, Calif., (October 10, 2017) – In addition to informational sessions conducted by California Dairies Inc. (CDI), Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and Land O’Lakes (LOL), a series of joint dairy producer meetings will be held throughout the state in the next few weeks. The presentations will be brief to allow ample time for questions you may have. This is a producer-only process and 51% of ballots must be returned for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to even consider referendum results. Therefore, producer organizations in the state want you to be aware of the importance of your vote.
October 16, Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, 1201 L Street, Modesto, 10am
November 6, Chino, Chino Fairgrounds, 5410 Edison Avenue, Chino, 10:30am
November 7, Tulare, Heritage Complex, 4450 S. Laspina Ave, Tulare, Conference Dining Room, 10am
Agenda:
Statewide QIP Referendum: Description of the QIP and main features
Questions & Answers
Note: The Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) was delivered to the post office for mailing on October 6. The ballot (which is on blue paper) is in a 9X13 white envelope with BALLOT ENCLOSED noted on the envelope. Included in the envelope is a cover letter with instructions, the QIP language, and a postage paid envelope to return the ballot. The close of the referendum is December 4, 2017.
We believe that supporting the QIP is the only path forward to allow fair consideration for a FMMO in CA and are urging you to make an informed decision by attending one of the meetings referenced above prior to casting your vote.
Contact information:
California Dairy Campaign, Lynne McBride: lmcb44@comcast.net, 925-385-0217
Milk Producers Council, Kevin Abernathy: kevin@milkproducers.org, 209-678-0666
Western United Dairymen, Anja Raudabaugh: araudabaugh@westernuniteddairymen.com, 916-532-9974 California Dairies, Inc., Rob Vandenheuvel: RVandenheuvel@californiadairies.com, 559-679-5651
Dairy Farmers of America, Francis Pacheco: fpacheco@dfamilk.com, 951-493-4942
Land O’Lakes, Pete Garbani: PRGarbani@landolakes.com, 559-285-6357
Davis, Calif., (October 6, 2017) – Belching beef and dairy cows emit a significant amount of methane, sending a potent greenhouse gas into the atmosphere where it can contribute to climate
A steer at UC Davis that is part of the Mootral trial, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.
In European studies, supplementation with just 15 grams of a formulation called Mootral, derived from garlic and citrus extracts, killed bacteria in the cow’s gut that produce the gas emitting from the animals’ mouths and nostrils. Methane emission was cut 30 to 50 percent. Kebreab and his staff are feeding the supplement to nine California cows at the UC Davis farm and comparing their emissions with nine cows on identical rations minus Mootral.
UC ANR researcher Ermais Kebreab is leading a trail at UC Davis comparing cattle that received the Mootral supplement with those that did not.
“This research is highly relevant in California,” Kebreab said. “The state is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2030. We need to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production.”
San Luis Obispo, Calif., (October 3, 2017) – The Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team won first place in oral reasons and fourth place overall in the All-American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Fourteen teams representing the top dairy and animal science college programs throughout the nation, including universities in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia and Indiana, competed in the All-American Dairy Show Youth Judging Contest on Sept. 18.
Four of the Cal Poly team’s 16 members competed: dairy science juniors Elise Regusci and Elisabeth Regusci, both of Modesto, California; animal science major Hannah Neer of Bishop, California; and dairy science major Alexandra Gambonini of Petaluma, California. Those same students will compete in the largest national competition of its kind at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin on Oct. 2.
Contestants judged 10 classes of cattle then gave oral reasons on four or five of the classes depending on their division. The top five individuals and teams were recognized in each division for specific breed performance, oral reasons and overall results.
The team’s individual placings included: Gambonini, first in Guernseys and fourth in Ayrshires, third in reasons and third overall; Elisabeth Regusci, fourth in reasons; Elise Regusci, fourth in Jerseys. The team placed first in Jerseys and second in Guernseys.
Cal Poly’s dairy cattle judging team is coached by dairy science Lecturer Rich Silacci and assisted by retired Professor Stan Henderson.
“The team’s accomplishments at this competitive event are a testament to the students’ extremely strong work ethic, dedication and collaboration,” Silacci said. “I am very proud of what they have achieved and look forward to their performance at the World Dairy Expo.”
About the All-American Dairy Show
The 54th All-American Dairy Show was held Sept. 17-21 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It featured 23 shows in six days, the nation’s only all-dairy antiques show, nearly 2,000 animals and more than 1,000 exhibitors from across the nation. For more information, visit www.allamerican.pa.gov.
Modesto, Calif., (September 27, 2017) – Western United Dairymen (Western) is a grassroots advocacy organization –that only works when you lend your voice and raise your hand. We’re embarking on a new era of advocacy that starts with you –the member, and we’d love to have you join our strong team of volunteers and lend your voice to the largest issues affecting the dairy industry to date. Western needs all the input it can get on how to LEAD. Our Delegate body empowers the Board of Directors to make decisions on issues affecting price, policy and politics.
As the largest dairy trade association, Western employs the very BEST and BRIGHTEST and TALENTED staff. But staff is just a tool in the box that needs critical direction. So that’s where you –the member, come in! There are 3 ways you can get your voice and message across:
District Director: We have 6 director slots open for election in 2018, District 5 (Stanislaus County), District 6 (Merced County), District 8 (Tulare County), District 7 (Madera County), District 11 (Kern County), and District 12 ( San Bernardino/South to the Border). The role of Director is an exhaustive one – and comes with serious commitment to decision making on the Board of Western United Dairymen. The
Board meets monthly, the 3rd Friday of every month. Although some sacrifice of your time is required, your role in securing the future of dairymen is invaluable. This role is a 3 year term.
Delegate Body: Recently, the role of the Delegate in our organization has been elevated to the forefront of our policy decisions. This role is designed to strengthen the voice of the membership in each District but moreover –to direct the staff and Board at Western to act on critical issues affecting the membership. The Delegates typically meet 2 times per year, and then gather at Western’s annual meeting in March to cast votes on statewide issues brought forth by Delegates around the State, called resolutions. The Delegate role is voted in by the District, as is the Delegate Chair, who replaces the District Board members on the Board when necessary. This ensures continuity of representation for the State every time the Board meets. This role is a 2 year term and we have many openings available.
Alternate Delegate: The role of Alternate is the same as the delegates, but they need only participate on an as needed basis to the Delegate districts. The role of Alternate is a 1 year term at present.
2018 Election Schedule
9/22/17 Friday Update Announces the Elections Process and Timetable
9/22/17 All Nomination Forms will be mailed out to the Districts
10/25/17 Nominations Due Back to the Office
11/3/17 Ballots Mailed Out to Districts and added to member portal 12/15/17 Ballots Due Back to the Office
1/5/18 Tally Committee Meets
1/12/18 Results Announced in Friday Update 3/27/18 Convention/Delegate Meeting
Any member of good standing can be nominated for any position. WUD will be sending out incumbent information next week. If you or anyone you know is interested in serving in any of these roles, please contact Katelyn Lewis, South State Field Rep. klewis@westernuniteddairymen.com or call the Western United Dairymen office (209) 527-6453
Modesto Calif., (September 19, 2017) – That’s it, folks – the Producer Review Board (PRB) finally completed their recent mission to develop a recommendation outlining the criteria for a stand-alone producer funded quota program. The fourth and last meeting occurred on September 12, where the group of 15 dedicated producers reviewed the draft language alongside a myriad of written comments submitted by industry. While the PRB may have given the approval to move along its recommended Quota Implementation Plan (QIP) to the Secretary, the PRB is still in existence and may be assigned another mission in the future.
So, what does the QIP look like? For one, it is very similar to the revised draft the PRB submitted to CDFA after the August 2, 2017 meeting. Most importantly, it is very similar to the current quota program. Producer costs and payments remain virtually the same (along with regional quota adjusters). The main difference is that with the QIP, producers will see the quota program funding directly come out of their milk check. This means that all California Grade A milk producers will see a deduction on their milk check that should range between $0.37/cwt to $0.40/cwt. The amount is not different from what is currently happening with the quota program; the difference comes from the fact that right now the program’s funding comes out of the pool, which means that unless you work at CDFA, you don’t see that amount each month.
That said, despite the fundamental similarities there are a few details that are different between the current and the proposed program. On one hand, some of those details were deemed impossible to fix by the PRB according to CDFA due to a lack of legislative authority. On the other hand, other details could have been changed but the PRB made the decision not to. The mandated producer survey at least every five years is an example that comes to mind. This survey is not something that currently exists, but despite some voiced disagreement on the concept (notably by WUD in its comment letter) CDFA suggested it was added and the PRB did not remove it from the language. While this is not the same as a mandatory referendum, it does bring the quota program under the microscope more frequently than it currently is. When producers buy quota, they do so because they feel it is a safe asset – not something up for review every five years. That being said, the PRB ultimately has shown dedication to protecting quota, which should help with what they decide to do with the results of such a survey.
Now that the PRB is done with their mission, we wait for the Secretary to review the proposed QIP. If all goes well, you should receive a ballot in your mailbox sometime in October (see timeline below). Keep an eye out for a large 9X12 envelope with an indication on the front that a ballot is enclosed. Inside will be the Plan language, a ballot (in a different color), a cover letter and a postage paid return envelope.
The September 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:
Faria Family Diversifies & Invests to Stay in the Business
Racing to Complete Corn Harvest after Wind Storm
Going to the World Dairy Expo?
Hot Industry Topics Addressed in Expo Seminars
Keeping Cows Cool with Less Water and Energy
New Cooling Technologies Tested at UC Davis Dairy Facility
Managing Common Purslane in Alfalfa Fields
Don’t Let Your Hay Catch on Fire
California Milk Prices Hit Record High for 2017
Stand-Alone Quota Program Nears Completion For Industry Vote
Washington, D. C., (September 14, 2017) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that starting Sept. 1, 2017, dairy producers can enroll for 2018 coverage in the Margin Protection Program (MPP-Dairy). Secretary Sonny Perdue has utilized additional flexibility this year by providing dairy producers the option of opting out of the program for 2018.
To opt out, a producer should not sign up during the annual registration period. By opting out, a producer would not receive any MPP-Dairy benefits if payments are triggered for 2018. Full details will be included in a subsequent Federal Register Notice. The decision would be for 2018 only and is not retroactive.
Producers can mail the appropriate form to the producer’s administrative county FSA office, along with applicable fees, without necessitating a trip to the local FSA office. USDA has a web tool to help producers determine the level of coverage under the MPP-Dairy that will provide them with the strongest safety net under a variety of conditions. The online resource, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool.
For more information, visit FSA online at www.fsa.usda.gov/dairy or stop by a local FSA office to learn more about the MPP-Dairy. To find a local FSA office in your area, visit http:// offices.usda.gov.
Davis, Calif., (September 13, 2017) – Among other changes, your next FARM evaluation requires documentation of annual stockmanship training for employees. Certainly low-stress cattle handling has been around for decades, with pioneers like Bud Williams and Temple Grandin describing basic behaviors like flight zones and point-of-balance. With employee training time at a premium however, producers may justifiably wonder “Does stockmanship training pay for itself?” Some newer, more sophisticated research provides some important clues into the potential damaging effects of rough handling on production.
Some studies indicate that milk yield can be reduced by as much as 10% when rough handling is used during cow movement. Excessive noise (shouting and slamming of metal gates) not only increases heart rate and anxiety in cattle, but can be comparable to the use of an electric prod. An intriguing study of cow recognition demonstrated that cows not only remember rough-handling employees, but exhibited a 70% increase in residual milk when milked in their presence.
An Australian study observed that forceful handing accounted for about 16% of the differences in annual milk yield between participating farms. This recent accumulated research suggests that low-stress animal handling training for new employees and annual refresher training for all employees could be valuable.
Dairy employee attitudes and practices are critical for providing proper animal care and cow productivity. It’s for this reason that CDQAP partnered with the California Beef Council on August 23rd to offer a pilot train-the-trainer workshop in stockmanship training plan development on the Durrer family dairy in Modesto. The workshop’s goal was to introduce producers and herdsmen to resources and techniques they can use to tailor stockmanship training to their own farm.
Dr. Ron Gill from Texas A&M University used slides and videos to highlight important concepts that producers may wish to include in their own training programs. A review of training videos and documents available on-line as well as on-farm drill demonstrations of moving cows and heifers with low-stress techniques were also provided.
The day finished with a discussion of the pilot workshop held over lunch served alongside the cows. The course slides and handouts are being collected for CDQAP’s animal care & economics webpage to be available soon and additional workshops may be offered in the future.
By Dr. Michael Payne, UC Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine and Director, CDQAP
