Dairy Herd Management

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 12 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), Michigan Milk Producers, Niagara-O-AT-KA, and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 2.090 million pounds (948 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese, 1.323 million pounds of butter (600 metric tons), and 396,832 pounds (180 metric tons) of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from January through July 2016.

Hay prices increased this week in the Midwest by $20 according to Team Forages, an extension division of the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The price spread between the highest quality hay and lowest quality also increased with high quality alfalfa hay baled in large bales coming in at $175 per metric ton and low quality hay baled in large bales bringing per ton. The highest priced hay in the Team Forage Hay Report was high quality alfalfa with a relative feed value greater than 151 baled in small bales which sold for an average of $282 per ton this week due to limited demand.

Milk production for 2015 is raised on slightly stronger growth in milk per cow. Forecast 2016 milk production is reduced from last month. Cow numbers are lowered due to lower expected milk prices and the recent blizzard in Texas and New Mexico. Growth in milk per cow is reduced on lower milk prices.

Acclaimed real estate mogul and “Shark Tank” investor Barbara Corcoran addressed farmers and ranchers at the closing session of the 97th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

World-renowned environmentalist Mark Lynas shared his experience of moving from anti-GMO activist to advocate for biotechnology at a featured workshop at the 97th American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show.

What could you buy in agriculture with $1.4 billion?

The Moes family began milking cows in South Dakota in 1884. The fourth generation, Jim and Greg joined the operation in the early 1970s. What was once a 200-cow dairy is now a 2,000-cow dairy, a farming operation and a trucking company. Three of their sons have come back to the farm to transition into ownership; something Greg says took a lot of discussion, planning and preparation.

Vani Hari has built a profitable propaganda empire by taking food companies and their ingredients head-on. Personalities like her are easy to find in the age of the Internet. The authors of a new book profile how they got there, and what people can do to lessen their influence.

A scorching drought in Southern Africa that led to widespread crop failure could nudge African nations to finally embrace genetically modified (GM) crops to improve harvests and reduce grain imports.