Derek and Lara Herrema Photo courtesy of Andy Hughes, Exchange Publications

Indiana Dairy Producers is very pleased to announce that the 2013 Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year is Derek Herrema, owner of Herrema Dairy, of Fair Oaks, Indiana. Derek's nomination was selected by IDP advisers after nominations from industry were solicited.  Derek, and his wife Lara, were presented with this award at the IDP Annual Meeting on February 11. 

Derek has been an outstanding role model of excellence in dairy production. His own employees say, "Derek treats his employees like family." In fact, seven key employees have continued working for Herrema Dairy for the entire 10 year period since moving to Indiana. Derek is also an active member in his church and school community.

After moving the family dairy farm from California and then to Texas, Derek Herrema settled in Indiana in 2002 and started a unique dairy focused on recycling, the first of its kind. They digest manure and generate all their own electricity and also use the digested solids for bedding. Herrema Dairy has 3400 dairy cows and they self-raise all heifers in Indiana and Colorado.  

Derek's philosophy on dairying is, "Take care of the cows and they will take care of you, but first it starts with people." He believes in putting people first and making them part of one's extended family. Then spend time teaching them, and it is possible for them to achieve things they never dreamed possible.

At the February 11 Annual Meeting of the Indiana Dairy Producers, Brian Houin of Plymouth, Indiana, was named the 2013 Outstanding Young Dairy Producer of the Year. Each year, IDP solicits nominations for this award to highlight successful dairy producers who are under 35 years of age. His nomination was selected by Purdue extension specialists and industry advisers of the organization for his outstanding work in achieving excellence in dairy farming in Indiana.

Brian's dad and uncle purchased their dairy farm in 1979 from their father, Brian's grandfather. At that time, they were milking 110 cows. In 2000, they expanded to 1000 cows. After purchasing additional dairy farms, Homestead Dairy is currently up to 3300 cows in 4 facilities.

When Brian graduated from Purdue in 2003 with a degree in Meteorology and a minor in Spanish, he began work full time at the dairy. There was a time in his life that he had no intention of ever being a farmer. But that obviously changed!

In 2005, Houin's purchased an AfiMilk heat detection system. This probably started Brian's data collecting days, as Brian is a self-proclaimed data junkie. Currently, Brian has been actively working on the farm's nutrition challenges using Amino Cow ration formulation and is also making many of the herd's genetic decisions. They have begun using only high genomic tested young sires, and the quality of the heifers they raise continues to improve each year.

a. No application occurs within 200 feet of surface waters;
b. No application occurs in a floodway;
c. The application rate is one-half the normal agronomic rate;
d. The application occurs on land with less than 2% slope; and
e.  The land has at least 40% crop residue or a vegetative cover crop.

Janny, Greg, Dave and Herb Kleine

Spring is on its way, and already thoughts have turned to the next growing season. Much of Indiana was hit with severe drought last season, and like many dairy producers in the Hoosier State, the three generations of the Kleine family farming in Northern Indiana were thankful for the scattered showers -- including the 7/10ths of an inch in the rain gauge the morning of my visit to Kleine Dairy Farm in rural Cedar Lake last summer.

In addition to being thankful for the freedom and responsibilities of working together on the 100-cow dairy farm, the Kleines are also quick to share their positive message of agriculture and open the doors of their farm to the non-farming public.

In fact, on April 16 and 17, you are likely to find David and Nancy Kleine and son Greg and daughter Janny participating - as they have for years -- in Lake County Farm Bureau's Ag Awareness Day program at Lake County Fairgrounds.

The annual event hosts 1500 third and fourth graders over the course of a day and a half. The learning takes place in multiple mini-sessions to give the children bite-sized morsels on a variety of topics to ruminate about agriculture -- particularly animal agriculture.

"The cost of health insurance is a major concern for farmers and ranchers," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. "Health insurance costs already have gone up more than 100 percent since 2000 and the HIT will impose even more devastating costs on America's farmers, ranchers and small businesses."

A recent Congressional Budget Office report confirms that the HIT Tax "would be largely passed through to consumers in the form of higher premiums for private coverage." The new tax would raise insurance costs even more, making it harder for farmers and ranchers to purchase coverage for themselves, their families and their employees.

"Most farmers and ranchers do not have large enough pools of employees to be self-insured," continued Stallman. "Instead, they purchase health insurance in the fully insured market, from which it is solely determined how much HIT an insurance company must pay. Because of this, the cost of this erroneous tax will be passed through to small businesses that purchase those plans."

The HIT was passed as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). According to AFBF, it has nothing to do with reforming the health care insurance system but was included in PPACA as a way to raise revenue to offset the cost of the legislation. During 2014, the first year that the HIT takes effect, $8 billion dollars will be collected.

This June, we will be celebrating dairy farming with "30 Farms in 30 Days"-a media campaign that will spotlight dairy farm families around the state.

Let us know how you are celebrating June Dairy Month and we'll help promote your event! Need ideas? If you can do farm tours during June-that counts! Want to do something special? What about sponsoring a chocolate milk refuel after Little League practice or hosting an ice cream social or outdoor movie night on the farm?

Tell us about your open-to-the-public event and we'll showcase your event and your farm in "30 Farms in 30 Days" so dairy farmers and consumers can celebrate June Dairy Month together. We also can provide posters, handouts, other promotional materials, and information about applying for a grant to provide dairy snacks.

Report your event, order materials, ask questions or find out how to get involved--contact Jackie by phone at 317-842-7133 or send an email to  Jackie Barber.

Call 866-888-7082

Canola - Poor crush margins and lack of seed movement has created a tighter supply in the canola market. However, canola still works well in the ration vs. soybean meal when you consider the component values of milk. Ask a merchandiser for comparisons and contracts.

Citrus pellets - a high energy fiber/sugar source is available to you in a pellet now thru November as processing has just cranked up in Florida. This can help replace some corn or corn silage in ration and is a consistent analysis.

Cottonseed - The ginning of this year's good cotton crop has finished, leaving good supply in storage through summer. Trading is expected to be light as ginners hold their hands and wait to see if there is a little rebound in price offerings. Cottonseed in the ration works quite well vs. other protein and fiber supplies, if you're open to the markets. Sooner rather than later may be your best option in contracting some needs in for cottonseed.

New crop offers are out, with projected 25% less acreage October 2013, this said pricing shall be firmer than this year was.

DDGS - The supply tightened last few weeks with some ethanol plants shutting down, or at the least, slowing production. With margins improved in last 10 days, plants are increasing production, creating more supply to the DDGs chain. They're a good buy of protein and energy in the diet.

Gluten feed - Gluten feed remains steady in both supply and demand. Wet gluten has become popular for the ration with drier silage this year. Wet gluten Deals are on now, contact a ZFS to speak for some tonnage. Bagging is a good option too. Pellets show more upside risk thru March as dryers slow down.

Hominy  - Market has been steady to lower, product has some availability for those looking to replace ground corn or high moisture corn in the ration. Contracts are open through June.

Soy hulls  - Soy processors are showing some shortness in bean supply and crushes have decreased, creating a tightness in hulls market, with prices reflecting the diminishing supply. With high demand in the Midwest region covering fiber needs, and as smaller animals come to the market to cover shortness of hay supply costs, we look for steady pricing through spring.

Because the milk from cows with subclinical mastitis appears normal, visual cues alone are not enough to recognize an infection. It takes an individual cow somatic cell count (SCC) test to determine whether or not a cow has crossed into the subclinical threshold of 200,000 cells per milliliter or greater.

According to Rhoda, when cows cross that line, reproductive performance suffers. One study he mentioned looked at the effect of a case of subclinical mastitis at time of breeding.