Indiana Dairy Producers E-Newsletter
www.IndianaDairy.org
July 9, 2015                                                              Issue 83

Our Vision: To Make Indiana the most desirable place in which to produce milk.

Mission Statement
To promote a profitable, positive, professional image of
dairy producers while providing educational opportunities
for the interchange of ideas and to speak as a proactive voice
for Indiana dairy producers.   


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In This Issue
 

Diamond 

Sponsors 

Click on any logo to reach company website
Indiana Corn Diamond PNG
Indiana Soybean Diamond PNG

 

Platinum

Sponsors 

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Kaeb-Lely Logo
Hubbard Feeds Logo


PSRB

NorthStar 
Gold Sponsors
  
 JBS United 
Milk Specialties Global Byron Seeds 
Stewart-Peterson  Agri-King  
Maurer-Stutz



Dairy Farmers of America
Farm Credit Logo 2012
Pioneer logo
Kalmbach
DeLaval Logo
BI Logo
Indiana Farm Bureau
ZFS Official


Indiana Dairy Producers  
Board of Directors
 
Indiana Dairy Producers Logo 

Executive Director

Doug Leman 

317-695-8228

 

Steve Obert, President

 

Sarah Wagler, Vice President 

 

Julie Bommer, Secretary/Treas. 

 

Board Members

 Joe Hibshman

Liz Kelsay
Brian Huber

Brian Houin

Cory Craig
Nathan Kuehnert 

  

Industry Advisers

Andy Tauer

Dr. Ken McGuffey 

Todd Janzen, Attorney   

Nathan Hrnicek 

 

LuAnn Troxel, Business Mgr.  


Silver Sponsors

Click on the logo to visit sponsor's

website

 
 
RP Feed Components  
 
 
 
Diamond V 
BMO Harris Bank 
 
 
Prince Agri Logo  
NPC Bovamine Logo 
Merck 
Perdue Ag Solutions 
Arm & Hammer Logo  ABS Global Logo 
  
Michigan Milk Producers Logo 
  
Bunge Logo 
GEA Logo 
Specialty Hybrids 
Prairie Farms 
Alltech 
Fair Oaks Farms Logo 
Zoetis, formerly Pfizer 
Cargill 
 
            
View our photos on flickr
Indiana Dairy Picture Gallery
Over 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.
 

Visit Our Bronze Sponsors 

Bronze Level
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RESOURCE CENTER
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Cows on Grass
Indiana Grazing & Forages NRCS Website

Newborn Calf
Calf Notes and Links

Residue Prevention
Innovation Center
Innovation Center for U.S.
Dairy


 
 Purdue

 

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.

 

IDP Corporate Sponsors
Indiana Dairy Transparent 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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Greetings!
 

We often talk about safety and being careful and not taking the shortcut; there is a dairy farm family in Wisconsin suffering at this time because of a decision to enter some type of manure pit, the article said both the father and son died within minutes, one trying to save the other. We often read of such events happening, way too often, it hurts deeply and if you are like me, you think of the times you have put yourself in a risky situation - in retrospect it is just not worth a few minutes or dollars saved. Please take this to heart and have the conversations with your children and employees - and yourself!

 

On a lighter note, many IDP producers should have received an actual brochure about the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange in the mail. It is now crunch time and you need to get your reservations and registration made. We would love to have you join us, and I know you will enjoy the trip! Give me a call!

 

The slots are filled for the first IDP shift at the Indiana State Fair  Dairy Bar. I still have some openings for Friday, Aug. 14th and Friday, Aug. 21st from 7-11 p.m. Let me know if you would like to participate in the fun experience of serving the public at the famous State Fair Dairy Bar. We will get you a ticket for your entrance to the State Fair.

 

There is some information and a link below for you to listen to and watch IDP's recent Price Management Webinar. A lot of time and effort goes into these, and I'm confident you will learn something new or hone your marketing expertise. We did find out there are some problems viewing it in Internet Explorer so try a different browser; see the directions below and you shouldn't have any issues.  

 

Call me at 317-695-8228 or email  dougleman@indianadairy.org to get registered, sign up, or any other dairy need. Take care and God bless!

   

Doug Leman

IDP Executive Director   

Are you coming? Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange July 28-29 in Southwest Indiana
Register now for the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange! The annual event which rotates between Kentucky and Indiana will be held in Southern Indiana in Dubois, Posey and Gibson counties on Tuesday, July 28 through Wednesday, July 29! Bus transportation is being provided from northern Indiana with several additional stops along the way. For this tour, we will be on Central Time.

Four farms are featured on this tour:
Rauscher Dairy (200 cows, next generation recently entered partnership)
Obert's Dairy (800 cows, new facilities)
Rexing Dairy (1250 cows, AgriTourism on a new greenfield site)
Koester's Diamond K Dairy (Installed robotic milking system in 2012)

At this time, there is room on the bus for you, and you can meet the bus at any of these pick-up points on July 28:

Plymouth Wal-Mart (6:30 AM Central / 7:30 Eastern)
Kokomo Wal-Mart (7:45 AM Central / 8:45 Eastern)
Spencer Wal-Mart (10 AM Central / 11 AM Eastern)
Dubois County Fairgrounds Registration at 1 PM Central

Attendees who wish to park their vehicle at Dubois County Fairgrounds and ride the bus at that point are welcome, but  reservations are still needed so we can plan spaces accordingly. The entire tour is designed as an idea exchange among the group. Riding the bus together is a great way to take advantage of that time together.

On Tuesday evening, we will enjoy a delicious dinner and then have the
Dr. Arnold
opportunity to hear Dr. Michelle Arnold from the University of Kentucky. She will be giving a presentation on "Cow Signals." 

The cost of attending the 2015 Kentuckiana is $75 per person for IDP Members, $50 for students, and $175 for non-members wishing to attend, or become an IDP member and save! This includes bus transportation to and from any pick-up location, Tuesday evening banquet and lunch on Wednesday. Seating may be limited on the bus, so please reserve your spot by calling Doug Leman 317-695-8228. Credit Card payments are also accepted.

We have negotiated a special hotel room price of $89.99, including breakfast, at the Comfort Inn, Evansville North for the evening of July 28. You are responsible for making your own hotel arrangements. Call 812-867-1600 to make hotel reservations. The room block will be released to the public on July 15, so reserve your room today!

You can download a brochure with more detailed information about the Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange by clicking here.
2015 Floods Information Resources
Many areas in Indiana have been hit hard with excessive rains and even flooding. Purdue has put some very informative resources for dealing with these issues. There is information for agriculture, consumers, homeowners and more. Click here to access the 2015 Floods resource page.
 
IDP - Stewart-Peterson Webinar Archive: What Every Dairy Producer Should Know
Stewart-PetersonIn case you missed the live webinar, we have archived all three webinars in the series for your listening convenience. Each webinar is about one hour in length. Click here to go to the webinar page. We understand that there are issues using Internet Explorer, so consider another browser to launch them, such as Firefox or Google Chrome. Please contact Doug Leman if you have questions.
We're Looking for a few good men and women!
IDP will be serving up ice cream and grilled cheese sandwiches at the dairy bar for 3 Friday evenings during the Indiana State Fair. Remember this is the year of the Farmer! Why not make plans to see the fair and then check in at the dairy bar around 6:40 PM, working from 7-11 PM. It's loads of fun, and we'd sure appreciate the help! Give Doug Leman a call at 317-695-8228, and see which dates work for you: August 7 is full, but we still need help on August 14 and 21. Who knows, maybe a celebrity like the Lieutenant Governor will join us again like she did last year!
Purdue Study: Views on Animal Agriculture
in Rural Versus Urban Indiana Counties

 

Agriculture is important to Indiana's economy. In 2011 Indiana had $25.4 billion of its economic value coming from agriculture industries.

 

In a recent study, Purdue researchers Olynk-Widmar, Fulton and Cummings explored where Indiana consumers are purchasing food. Next they examined consumers sources of information on animal welfare. Information on whether their household had been involved in food production is then considered, followed by perceptions of livestock operation growth. Finally, they looked at consumers' perceptions of the impact of livestock operations.

 

An online survey was conducted in July of 2014 to understand Indiana residents' consumption behavior and perspectives on animal agriculture growth. Respondents were asked to share their level of concern about several hot topics related to livestock operations, including environmental friendliness, water quality, proximity of livestock operation to home or work location, and odor.

 

Overall, consumption behavior and patterns of Indiana residents do not differ by whether they live in rural, urban, or mixed counties. But, while the research did not show differences in consumption, there are differences in views on production agriculture, specifically animal agriculture. Rural residents (compared with urban residents) are more familiar with food production, particularly at-home production for personal consumption, like home gardens. Residents of rural counties are also friendlier towards livestock production growth. A greater proportion of residents in rural or rural/mixed counties see agriculture as an important industry in the state. Rural residents tend to be more accepting of livestock production growth, despite the fact that they have reported similar impacts and experiences with livestock production as urban residents. Residents of rural counties have more favorable views towards livestock production and growth in general, compared to residents of urban counties. It could be hypothesized that the more favorable view by rural residents is due, at least in part, to their more direct linkages to food production and agriculture than their urban counterparts.

 

This study was funded by Indiana Pork and Indiana Soybean Alliance. Details are disclosed in the full report, which is available here. 

Manure Pit Tragedy is Sober Reminder
On July 2, a father and son lost their lives on a dairy farm in Wisconsin when they were overcome by manure pit gasses. You can read more about this accident. as well as a list of precautions suggested by the National Ag Safety Database by clicking here.
MPP 2016 Enrollment Begins July 1
Starting July 1, 2015, dairy farmers can enroll in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Margin Protection Program for coverage in 2016. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating dairy operations when the margin - the difference between the price of milk and feed costs - falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer.

The Margin Protection Program gives participating dairy producers the flexibility to select coverage levels best suited for their operation. Enrollment begins July 1 and ends on Sept. 30, 2015, for coverage in 2016. Participating farmers will remain in the program through 2018 and pay a $100 administrative fee each year. Producers also have the option of selecting a different coverage level during open enrollment each year. 

 

USDA also has an online resource available to help dairy producers decide which level of coverage will provide them with the strongest safety net under a variety of conditions. The enhanced Web tool, available here, allows dairy farmers to quickly and easily combine their unique operation data and other key variables to calculate their coverage needs based on price projections. 

ZFS Feed Update
ZFS Official
866-888-7082
Weather in Canadian provinces has them experiencing their worst drought in the Canola growing areas. Near-by market steady, as June downtime, along with poor crush margins, high cost of seed, still is causing product tightness.  We look for the poor margins to last into early fall and product tightness to follow that same schedule. New crop offers are difficult to find from suppliers due to the drought. Soybean meal basis is stronger as bean futures rise over $10. July -May 2016.  Soybeans are beginning to get difficult for crushers to buy old which will equate to higher soymeal basis levels. Processing plant maintenance schedules begin of a week or two weeks of downtimes planned between July 15 and Sept. 20.  May be a good time to look at your new crop meal needs and offers, as that market rises as well, due to weather in Midwest. The cotton crop was planted late and in some spots like TX, the largest producer historically, the crop is much smaller, due to rain. Overall acreage is down across the U.S. Old crop cottonseed supplies are getting tight and we don't expect a fall-off in price. Today the spread between old crop and new crop cottonseed is running at around $50 per ton.  New crop offers are available as ginned October through August 2016. Corn Gluten feed has taken a jump is cost following the USDA report, as traders covered their short in the market,  rising about $30-40 per ton through September. New crop offers from suppliers are minimal until food side sales increase and contracts are made. New crop offers shall be out within a week or so in July. Wet gluten product is still available and may be the better buy vs. pellets, both are in good supply. As ethanol production continues strong nationally, distillers grains is showing weakness in the market and readily available. Export market is way off this year compared to last year. A new ethanol plant opened last month in northern Indiana. Hominy is still available as a good dry, fine ground corn, substitute or if running short on high moisture corn and need a replacement, it may be worth a try. Contracts are available now through September in good supply. Some new crop traded last month, but processors have pulled those offers for the time being. Sugar beets love this weather, and are growing great. Wet pulp contracts are already available which begin shipments mid-late September through Feb, which the product is 25%DM. Old crop pellets are still available into late August, if you are looking for a sugar/fiber source to supplement your ration. Contracts for new crop pellets will be out soon for Oct-Aug 2016. Citrus pulp pellets are readily available as the processing has wrapped up with harvest. Good supply will be available through November on contract.  Values are down from recent years, with less export demand, it may be worth a look. Soy hull pellets have fair availability in the area market,  if you need a good fiber source in the ration. Tightness will begin July -Sept as plants take downtime for a week or two, for maintenance however, shifting prices upward. If processing does slow some due to increasing bean costs for Aug- Sept, that too will create extra tightness. Wheat midds have become more readily available from the processors, as they take in new crop wheat harvest, and offers are favorable. A good fiber and starch source. Look for contracts to open up soon to book needs.

Support IDP  

Indiana Dairy Producers Logo

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.
Upcoming 2015 Events
 
  

July   

July County Fair Season Click here to see the Indiana county fair schedule and get info on the fairs you care about!  

July 10  Ice Cream Social at Monument Circle in downtown Indy from 11 AM - 2 PM. $3 Sundaes, scooped by local celebrities! Details  

July 28-29 Kentuckiana Dairy Exchange in Southern Indiana, dowloand tour brochure here.

 

August

August 7 IDP Board of Directors Meeting at the Indiana State Board of Animal Health offices 10 AM 

August 7-23 Indiana State Fair Year of the Farmer, official state fair website.  For downloadable info about showing dairy cattle, including schedule on pp. 11-12, click here.