Does it matter how checkoff spends your money?

When Progressive Dairyman learned that the dairy checkoff would be footing the bill for third-party verification of the National Dairy FARM Program, we wanted to know your thoughts on the matter.

Pork checkoff pays for third-party verification

In 1989, with the use of checkoff dollars, the National Pork Board developed the Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) program, a producer education and certification program to reduce the risk of violative animal health product residues in pork.

Last September, the management board for Dairy Management, Inc. voted in the majority to endorse the spending of check-off dollars by the National Dairy Board to cover the cost of third-party verification for the National Dairy FARM Program.

The FARM program is a nationwide voluntary program, administered by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) that addresses dairy animal well-being. It requires dairy farms to follow animal care guidelines and undergo an on-farm evaluation conducted by a trained professional.

Based upon the responses and comments we received, there are three main schools of thought on the issue.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents said “No.” They are opposed to the practice of tail docking and do not believe the practice should continue on dairy farms.

Time to end painful tail docking for dairy cows
Over the last few years, the HSUS has driven major change within multiple sectors of animal agribusiness – and at a pace faster than I could ever have anticipated. Just this year, we’ve seen a slew of major food retailers decide to phase out their purchases of pork from producers that confine sows in gestation crates.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the practice of tail docking in the dairy industry began in the early 1900s in New Zealand as a method to reduce the incidence of leptospirosis in milking personnel. It continued as producers cited a variety of benefits, such as improved comfort for milkers and animal handlers, enhanced cow and udder cleanliness, reduced incidence of mastitis and improved milk quality.

The most commonly used method for docking tails in dairy cattle is the use of elastrator bands. Usually performed on pre-fresh heifers or calves near weaning, the elastrator band is applied to remove one-third to two-thirds of the tail. Other methods of docking include using a cauterizing docking iron, use of emasculators and surgical excision.