Dairy Business Association Update 
April 8, 2016


In This Issue
At Your Service
 
Nicole Barlass 
  
DBA offers many benefits, programs and events. Nicole, director of member relations, can walk you through all of them. If you've got ideas, she will gladly take those as well.  
  
Nicole is a dairy farmer and former Alice in Dairyland who lives in Sheboygan Falls with her husband, young daughter and son.

Nicole brings invaluable experience and knowledge of the dairy community 
to our team. 
  
Contact her by phone at 
920-980-3141 or email at [email protected].  
   
Membership Updates
 
A huge shout out to all of our members who completed the membership update surveys and returned them to us!
 
We can't thank you enough!
 
   

 
As an association, our most valuable information is our membership data. That data is what we depend on to leverage our association's strength with legislators at the capitol, the media, the public and other organizations. It is also how we contact you, track association involvement, and know what great things our members are doing. 
 
Because of the importance of membership data, we are striving to ensure that our database contains the most current information for your farm and business. In upcoming months DBA will be transitioning to a new association management system where we want to have all information up to date. We are asking for your cooperation in completing a brief survey.
   
The survey can be returned by:
 
Mail: 
2763 Manitowoc Rd Ste B, Green Bay, WI 54311
 
(Click on the appropriate form below)
 
Fax:  920-857-1063
 
Online: (Click on the appropriate link below)
We really appreciate your support in helping us gather updated information. Thank you!
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Prestigious Sponsors
Badgerland Financial




Elite Sponsors

   

AgStar Financial Services

 
Bayland Buildings, Inc.
 
BMO Harris Bank
   
Cargill Animal Nutrition
 

Diamond V

 
Elanco Animal Health

GHD Services, Inc. 
 
GreenStone Farm Credit Services
 
Klondike Cheese Co.

Landmark Services Cooperative

McLanahan Corporation 

  

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Semex USA, Inc. 
 
Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek SC 
 
Wisconsin Cheese Makers Assn

 

Zoetis
Time to secure your sponsorship for the 14th Annual
DBA Dairy Golf Classic

 
Promote your business while you play golf! Take advantage of the the remaining available opportunities to sponsor holes on the course, meals, contests and more!  Don't miss this great event!

Click here to download the available sponsorship opportunities!
 
Animal ag feeding U.S. economy
By Jacqui Fatka, Feedstuffs 
 
Animal agriculture plays a vital role in the economy and also faces numerous challenges in years to come. Its impact has far-reaching effects on economies at both the national and state levels, according to a new soy checkoff-funded study.

The analysis shows that animal agriculture - the leading end user of U.S. soybeans - increased gross national product by $123 billion in economic output, improved household earnings by more than $21 billion and added 645,629 jobs from 2004 to 2014.

According to the "Economic Analysis of Animal Agriculture," during 2014 alone, U.S. animal agriculture's support of the national economy included $440.7 billion in economic output, $76.7 billion in earnings and $19.6 billion in income taxes. Those figures all increased from 2013.

Animal agriculture contributes significantly to total U.S. jobs, contributing 2.364 million jobs within and outside of animal agriculture. Jobs generated by animal agriculture increased by 379,159 between 2013 and 2014.

Why do we drink cow's milk?
 From DairyGood

Every so often, the DairyGood.org team is asked one question in a variety of ways, but when you get down to it, people wonder: Why do we drink cow's milk?
 
For several reasons actually. Here's some food for thought:
  
  • We've enjoyed cow's milk for centuries: Archaeologists and anthropologists have found evidence of people drinking cow's milk dating back several thousand years, according to our colleague Greg Miller, PhD, FACN, who recently wrote about this topic. He found that "milk drinking is not just a practice of Western culture, but a shared part of human existence around the world."
  • It's not just about taste: While milk tastes great, it's also good for us - it packs a nutrient punch, plus it's affordable, readily available and versatile. Plus, milk is the No. 1 source of nine essential nutrients in America's children's diets.
Farmers struggling as markets overflow with
milk, grain, livestock

By Rick Barrett, Journal Sentinel

Carrie Mess, like most dairy farmers, is losing money every time the cows are milked on her farm near Watertown, WI.

As farmers gear up for spring planting, those who sell crops on the commodities markets stand to lose buckets of money from low prices that are beyond their control.

Simply put, what many farmers are paid for milk, grain or livestock now isn't enough to cover their expenses. They're taking out loans and tapping savings to remain in business, going to work every day knowing that it's costing them money.

The Mess family farm milks about 100 cows and raises 300 acres of crops.

Don't wait until the cows come home: Changes to WHEDA's Agriculture Loan Guarantee programs
Client Alert from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

On March 30, 2016, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed 2015 Wisconsin Act 316, which makes changes to the various agricultural loan guarantee programs offered by the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). The changes increase the flexibility and availability of the programs.
 
Agricultural Production Loan Guarantee Program
In its agricultural production loan guarantee program, WHEDA provides guarantees for certain agricultural production loans. The prior cap on this type of guarantee was reached when the total outstanding principal of loans to a borrower was $150,000. Under the new law, the cap is raised so that the total guarantee can be as high as $250,000 (including refinancing loans). In addition, WHEDA can now extend the term of the guaranteed loan if the loan is part of a workout agreement, providing borrowers and lenders the support of the continued guarantee as they work through a troubled or stressed credit.
 
Limits on eligible farmer debts are now limited to the debts and assets related to the agricultural production that is the subject of the loan. The farmer receiving a guaranteed loan must be reasonably likely to not be subject to voluntary or involuntary liquidation by the end of the loan term. Prior law required the test to be as of April 1 of the following calendar year.

Are full-fat dairy foods better for you after all? 
By Mary Brophy Marcus, CBS News

Can we go back to putting whole milk  in our coffee and slurping down real ice cream? Two recent studies suggest eating  full-fat dairy foods instead of their thinner tasting, low-fat or non-fat counterparts may help cut the risk for diabetes and obesity. But the research is still early, experts told CBS News.

Tufts researchers report in the journal Circulation that people who consumed full-fat dairy products had as much as a 46 percent lower risk of  developing diabetes over the course of the 15-year study compared with people who opted for skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese. The research was based on an analysis of blood test results showing biomarkers of full-fat dairy consumption.

A second study of more than 18,000 middle-age women who were part of the Women's Health Study -- and normal weight, free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes at the start of the research -- found that those who ate more high-fat dairy had an 8 percent lower chance of going on to become obese over time compared to those who ate less. No association was observed with low-fat dairy product intake.

"We saw less weight gain for higher total dairy and high-fat dairy intake and also a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese in those who consumed more high-fat dairy," said study author Susanne Rautiainen, a research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

It's time to apply for state nutrient management grants
   
The deadline for this year's state Nutrient Management Farmer Education Grant program is April 15. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection awards grants for local organizations to perform nutrient management training and assist farmers with NMP development and implementation.

Those who can apply are conservation districts; county, state and federal agriculture or natural resource agencies; technical colleges and universities; University of Wisconsin-Extension offices; nonprofit or lake organizations; other local groups interested in protecting water quality such as farmer-led groups.

Read more. 
Win free replacement screens for your Screw Press Separator for an entire year!
 
Do you have a screw press separator?  US Screen Company, a Proud Member of DBA, is extending this promotion from the WPS Farm Show.

Click here to enter for your chance to WIN! 
Registration coming soon for 14th Annual
DBA Dairy Golf Classic