News

As the dairy industry suffered a huge economic blow in 2009, so did Wisconsin’s agriculture industry. Total receipts from the state’s farm marketings dropped by an estimated $1.8 billion (18 percent) in 2009, with nearly 80 percent of that decline resulting from much smaller milk checks. Coincidently, the equity of the state’s dairy industry also fell by $1.8 billion last year.

This week DeLaval produced its 2,500th unit of the new Feed Stations FSC40/400 – a solution created to help milk producers maintain greater control over production while reducing input costs. Feeding each cow to her individual needs throughout the lactation cycle increases milk production, optimizes use of feed, helps promote animal welfare, reduces concentrate waste, saves energy and helps cut CO2 emissions.

During the Western Regional Dairy Challenge held in Twin Falls, Idaho on March 4-6, 50 students from five universities across the Western states were acquainted with a dairy and the problems that can come from family farming on a large scale.

The newly renamed Professional Dairy Producers Foundation, formerly known as the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Education Foundation, has received a commitment from a Wisconsin producer that shows he is proud to dairy.

Mitch Breunig of Mystic Valley Dairy LLC donated Jenny-Lou Million 2719 for this year’s PDPF fundraiser auction held March 16-17.

Maryland & Virginia Milk Producer Cooperative Association hosted their annual Young Cooperator Conference March 2-4 in Concordville, Pennsylvania. Twenty-four YCs gathered to hear about current issues in the dairy industry and build relationships with fellow young dairymen.

After some icebreakers and get to know you games, the group was joined by the Maryland & Virginia field staff and management team to hear from Wawa Dairy’s marketing team.