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Indiana Dairy Producers
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Doug Leman
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Joe Hibshman
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Julie Bommer
Brian Huber
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Nathan Kuehnert
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Check out the resources available to you on the Purdue University Dairy Extension site: Topics on nutrition, business management, animal health and many more topics related to our dairy industry and animal care. |
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Individual membership in the Indiana Dairy Producers is $50. Encourage your dairy farming friends to join IDP! Also, any individual who is not a dairy producer but would still like to support IDP can join as an associate member. Download a membership/associate brochure here.
We appreciate our industry supporters. They make it possible for IDP to support the dairy industry in many ways. If your company is interested in finding ways to join IDP, download an information sheet here. |
 Indiana Dairy Picture GalleryOver the years we have organized many tours and events, and we have tried to take pictures at all of them. We frequently invite you to watch a picture slideshow, but if you want to see our albums on our flickr page, click here.
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It was a very exciting day for the dairy industry at the Indiana Livestock Forage and Grain Forum as Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann announced the New Dairy Strategy for Indiana. We see great opportunity to bring in more processing to add value to our product and help to lift up the dairy economy as well as the economy of our state. We have been working alongside the ISDA staff and will continue as opportunities arise, helping IDP fulfill our vision "To make Indiana the most desirable state in which to produce milk!" We thank the Lt. Gov., Director Ted McKinney and staff for all your time and effort in bringing this excitement to our industry.
Congratulations to Henk and Linda Sevenhuysen on receiving the IDP Dairy Producer of the year award and Luke and Kim Minich on receiving the IDP Young Producer Award, both families very deserving of this honor! During our annual meeting we were able to thank Dave Forgey for his years of service on our board and to IDP as he was part of the original board as the organization was formed back in 1999. Julie Bommer was re-elected to a second term and we welcome Nathan Kuehnert as a new board member - thanks for your willingness to serve!
I will be attending the National Dairy Leaders Coalition meeting in Madison and then welcoming a bus load of producers and some sponsors as they join me in Madison to attend the PDPW Business Conference and then a couple of dairy farm visits before heading home. I will be leaving the group before the farm visits as I just recently received an invitation to participate in a US Agribusiness Visiting Delegation to Auckland, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Matamata, New Zealand. Once again, quite an opportunity for IDP and myself as I look forward to this great opportunity to learn about the Ag and dairy industry and build relationships in New Zealand. With the extreme difference of time, the best way to reach me will be by email at dougleman@indianadairy.org if needed. Take care and God bless!
Doug Leman
IDP Executive Director
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Lieutenant Governor Ellspermann announces Indiana Dairy Strategy
Hoosier Ag Today
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| LG Ellspermann and IDP Executive Director Leman
Photo Credit Farmer's Exchange
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Indiana ranks 14th in the nation in milk production, but Indiana Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann said over 4 million pounds of raw milk is being shipped out of the state each day. Thus, the new state strategic plan calls for increasing the amount of in-state dairy processing, "Like cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and even powered milk plants. Our goal is to add value to that product before it leaves our borders by increasing our dairy processing capacity in our existing 23 plants as well as by attracting new facilities. As the strategy notes, Indiana's geographic location and transportation infrastructure provides a competitive advantage for Indiana-based plants shipping dairy products to East Coast markets." She said, by increasing the number of dairy processors, local communities will benefit from more jobs and dairy farmers will benefit by greater demand for their product. "I will just say that ISDA and our IEDC (Indiana Economic Development Corp.) are already out there looking, we see this as a great opportunity, we have the full support of the Indiana dairy industry looking to grow this. We are letting the word be out on the street that Indiana is open to doing business." Ellspermann made these comments at the Livestock Forage and Grain Forum in Indianapolis on March 16. Read the Hoosier Ag Today report here. To download the full dairy strategy report, click here.
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Henk and Linda Sevenhuysen Named 2015 Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year
 Indiana Dairy Producers is very pleased to announce that the 2015 Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year is Henk and Linda Sevenhuysen, Seven Hills Dairy in Goodland, Indiana. Henk and his wife of 22 years, Linda, milk 2500 cows on site in Benton County, and they also have 2100 heifers that are raised at a farm in Illinois. They have two children, Pete and Sharon. Why is Henk a dairy farmer? "It's a disease that I have," jokes Henk. From the time that he was 2 years old, he wanted to milk cows, and it is all he has ever wanted to do. His folks tried to discourage him, but there was never a doubt in Henk's mind that he would be around cows. Henk is a 4th generation dairy farmer, but he is a first generation dairy farmer in the US. Henk emigrated from Holland. After first settling in Ontario, Canada in 1996, he moved to his current location in Indiana and started milking there in 2003. He is currently marketing his milk through Chula Vista Cheese. Henk spent 6 years on the Indiana Dairy Producers board of directors, serving several of those years as vice president. Henk and Linda have also hosted many farm tours. Henk shares a valuable perspective with his experience in dairy farming in three countries. Read more. |
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Luke and Kim Minich, IDP Outstanding Young Producers of the Year for 2015
Luke and Kim Minich of Triple M Dairy LLC in LaPorte, Indiana, are the 2015 Outstanding Young Dairy Producers of the Year.
Luke is a 4th generation dairy farmer milking in two locations in LaPorte County. They have a dry cow/fresh cow facility at one farm and then a milk cow and breeding facility at another farm. Triple M Dairy also crops 1800 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and seed corn. Luke, 35, has been married to Kim for 10 years and they have 5 children: Anna, Kate, Mary, Wil and Calvin. Kim is a nurse practitioner. In addition, she teaches Sunday School and is the secretary of the LaPorte County 4-H Dairy Committee. Luke is the current president of the LaPorte County Extension board. He is active in PCARET and is on the Farm Credit advisory board. Luke did not actually plan to return to farm. His father had sold his dairy cows before Luke graduated from high school. Then, after graduating from Purdue University, Luke worked as a grain merchandiser and futures broker in Indianapolis for 4 years. When a customer asked him if he would consider running his farm, Luke started thinking about coming back to the family farm instead. So, in 2009, Luke moved his family back to LaPorte, intent on being a row crop farmer. When the opportunity to buy a dairy farm presented itself, Luke grabbed it, and he's been milking ever since.
Read more
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IDP's Leman to Visit New Zealand
 Doug Leman has learned to be flexible in his position as Executive Director of Indiana Dairy Producers. So when the opportunity arose to take a 9 day trip to New Zealand and visit their version of our Farm Progress Show, meet many involved in the New Zealand Dairy Industry and build additional relationships, Leman jumped at the last-minute opportunity, after he was given the full support of the IDP board. It is very exciting to see IDP having the resources and systems in place to be able to take advantage of these incredible opportunities. Stay tuned. More info will be shared in the next e-update. |
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Dave Forgey honored for IDP service, "Tremendous Change" seen in IDP
 Dave Forgey of Logansport has finished another term of dedicated service on the IDP board of directors, and he was honored for it at the IDP Annual Meeting on March 16 by President Steve Obert. Dave is a servant dairyman, and he has devoted time to an incredible list of organizations. Dave was a founding board member of IDP during the initial formation of what was then called the Indiana Professional Dairy Producers. A partial list of other organizations on which he has served are: Cass County Farm Bureau, Inc (President) Indiana Dairy Development Board American Dairy Association Indiana (when it was MPSI) American Grassland Council Indiana Forage Council Beacon Credit Union Indiana Beef Cattlemen's Association Foremost Farms USA To watch a video of Dave accepting his IDP Appreciation of Service award, click here.Thank you, Dave Forgey, for the countless volunteer hours you have dedicated to IDP, the Indiana dairy industry, the USA and beyond. |
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Kuehnert, Bommer Elected to Serve on IDP Board
At the IDP Annual Meeting, Nathan Kuehnert was elected to a 3 year term serving an at-large position. Nathan is a 5th generation dairy farmer who works with his father, uncle and brother on their Allen County dairy farm near Fort Wayne that has been producing milk under a robotic system since September, 2014. In addition to 350 mature dairy cows, the Kuehnerts also crop 1100 acres of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and winter rye and they grow all their own forages for the dairy. Nathan is the primary caretaker of the cows, dealing with the genetic decisions and general herd health. "If it deals with the cows, I'm involved," Nathan noted with a smile. Nathan is married to Sarah, a registered dietician. They have two children, Allie and Bryar. Nathan is currently serving as president of the Indiana Holstein Association. We are delighted to welcome Nathan to the IDP board of directors and look forward to having his valuable input! Julie Bommer was also elected to her second 3-year term, serving the Central District in Indiana. We are grateful to have Julie's continued board service.
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Producers get 50% discount at Indiana Milk Quality Conference April 7-8
The 2016 Indiana Milk Quality Conference is jammed with good information. There's something for everyone in the dairy industry at this conference.
The conference will take place at Don Hall's Guesthouse in Fort Wayne beginning at 8 AM on Tuesday, April 7. Come on Monday evening and tour Kuehnert's Dairy. Farm tours begin at 4:30 and a picnic starts at 5:30, weather permitting.
Featured in this year's conference is a farmer panel including Indiana dairy producers Tejo Willemsen and Orville Haney, as well as Doug Westendorp of Mooville Creamery in Michigan.
There will be an update from ISDA director Ted McKinney and Indiana State Veterinarian, Bret Marsh. See the full agenda and conference details here. Any producer can register for $50, instead of the regular $100 fee. Add $10 for the evening banquet, if attending. Contact Robin Fuhrman with any questions at 260-483-6436 ext. 3327.
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11th Annual Dairy Youth Conference is April 11th in Noblesville
Do you have a younger generation of dairy farmers, aged 8-18? Consider registering for the Dairy Youth Conference that will be held at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Noblesville on April 11th from 10-4 Eastern Time. Registration is requested by April 4, cost is $15 including T-shirt. This conference gets rave reviews! Click here for details.
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FDA's Survey of Milk Finds Few Residues
 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on March 5 results from its milk sampling survey, involving the testing of nearly 2,000 dairy farms for drug residues in milk. More than 99 percent of the samples are free of drug residues of concern-- underscoring the safety of the US milk supply. These findings provide evidence that the nation's milk safety system is effective in helping to prevent drug residues of concern in milk, even in those limited instances when medications are needed to maintain the health of dairy cattle. The agency initiated the study to determine whether dairy farms with previous drug residue violations in tissue derived from dairy cows were more likely to have violative drug residues in milk than other dairy farms. The FDA tested samples from two groups: a "targeted" list of farms with known previous tissue residue violations and a control group of farms. Results show that the occurrence of drug residues in milk is very low, even in the targeted group. However, the limited number of residues detected involved drugs that are not included in routine testing under the current milk safety program. Despite the finding of a small number of drug residues in samples collected, the FDA intends to take steps to maintain the strongest possible system to ensure milk safety. The FDA will work closely with state regulators to consider modifying testing to include collecting samples as necessary from milk tanks on farms when investigating illegal drug residues in tissues involving culled dairy cows. The agency is also working with its milk regulatory partners to update the existing milk safety program, as necessary, to include testing for a greater diversity of drugs and to educate dairy producers on best practices to avoid drug residues in both tissues and milk. Here are links to other articles with various points of view about the residue study: Jim Dickrell: The Dairy Industry's Drug Residue Dilemma Your Milk's Not Contaminated With Drugs FDA Tests Turn Up Farmers Breaking the Law |
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Upcoming 2015 Events
MARCH March 18-20 IDP Farm and Conference Bus Tour to PDPW Business Conference
APRIL April 1 IDP Board Meeting at the offices of Plews Shadley Racher & Braun 10 AM. No industry updates at this meeting. April 7-8 Indiana Milk Quality Conference, details here. April 11 Dairy Youth Conference 10 - 4 Hamilton County Fairgrounds Details April 11 Purdue Boilermaker Legacy Sale 11 AM Eastern, 1010 Teal Road, West Lafayette, IN April 20-22 Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, details here.
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IDP Corporate Sponsors
 There is a growing list of companies that recognize IDP's value to Indiana's dairy industry. Please visit our list of companies that have become Corporate Sponsors for only $100. If you know of a company that may have an interest in supporting IDP at some level, please download a brochure here.
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