Digest Highlights

2020 DMC enrollment deadline is Friday, Dec. 20

Editor's note: The USDA extended the deadline to enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program for 2020 to Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. For more information, click here.

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Dave Natzke
Editor / Progressive Dairy

Comments sought on FARM Workforce Development evaluation tool

The FARM Program released a proposed workforce development evaluation tool for input from industry stakeholders.

FARM Workforce Development (WFD) is the FARM Program’s newest initiative, focusing on human resources and safety management. The on-farm evaluation tool is meant to help farms:

  • Learn about human resources and safety management best practices
  • Identify which best practices will be most useful to implement on their farm
  • Track improvement over time

By performing on-farm evaluations, FARM participants can also provide important assurances to supply chain customers: our dairy buyers and retailers.

FARM is getting direct feedback from dairy producers through a pilot program that runs through the end this year. Nine cooperatives, involving about 60 producers, have volunteered to test the evaluation tool to solicit feedback.

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Public comment will complement the pilot. After the comment period closes on Jan. 20, FARM staff, the WFD Task Force and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) executive committee will review and consider revisions based on the comments, then present a final proposed evaluation tool for approval by the NMPF board of directors in March.

To review the draft evaluation tool and provide feedback, click here.

California: STOP QIP files lawsuit

Stop QIP, an organization opposed to California’s Quota Implementation Plan (QIP), filed a lawsuit, Dec. 3, in an effort to terminate the state program.

The lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of Sacramento County against the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Stop QIP is an unincorporated association with about 30 California dairy farmer members.

In October, Stop QIP sent a letter to CDFA Secretary Karen Ross saying QIP was illegal, calling for its termination. Ross rejected the request.

The United Dairy Families of California (UDFC), supported by major dairy cooperatives in California, is currently coordinating a series of meetings seeking to resolve differences related to the QIP. UDFC believes the sudden elimination of the asset value of “quota” under the QIP would have major negative impacts to all California dairy producers.

Pennsylvania seeks dairy intern host farms

Pennsylvania dairy farms are being sought to host on-farm interns during the summer of 2020. Host farms and interns work together to establish learning goals and complete a research project that benefits the host farm’s operation. Applications are due by Dec. 31, 2019.

Farms that apply for the program may be located within or outside of Pennsylvania, but producers must agree to provide the intern with exposure to all aspects of a successful, progressive dairy operation.

The program provides the next generation of dairy managers with a 10- to 12-week on-farm internship and exposure to all facets of dairy production. The Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association and the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation partner to support this program.

Students must attend a Pennsylvania university, must be a Pennsylvania resident attending an out-of-state school or must be a recently graduated Pennsylvania resident with an interest in dairy production. Preference is given to upperclassmen undergraduates.

For more information, email Brittany Haag or phone (717) 346-0849.

GENYOUth’s annual gala generates nearly $2 million

GENYOUth, a youth health and wellness nonprofit dedicated to creating healthier school communities, generated nearly $2 million during its annual fundraising gala on Dec. 4 in New York City.

GENYOUth is a public charity whose flagship program is Fuel Up to Play 60, which was created by National Dairy Council and the National Football League to improve health and wellness in schools across the country. The program is in 73,000 schools, reaching more than 38 million students since launching 10 years ago.

This year’s gala theme – “Rise By Lifting Others!” – embraced the importance and value of mentoring, inspiring, challenging and investing in youth to help them achieve their personal best.

“The gala once again showed how much we all have in common when it comes to driving health and wellness priorities in schools. The opportunity for farmers and major business leaders and influencers to network and align on our shared values is critical to our continued success, and we’re thankful to GENYOUth for making it happen,” said Pennsylvania dairy farmer Marilyn Hershey, who serves as chair of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff.

New to GENYOUth’s gala are the Genny Awards, which honor individuals who embody the leadership role that GENYOUth serves in school communities by helping more students “Rise By Lifting Others.” Among the recipients was Indiana dairy farmer and registered dietitian Sarah Kuehnert, for her commitment to youth education in nutrition and agriculture.

Maryland covering 2020 DMC premiums

The Maryland Department of Agriculture will continue its cost-share program to cover premiums for dairy farmers participating in the USDA’s DMC program.

Earlier this year, Gov. Larry Hogan announced a state cost-share program that covers premium costs for farmers to enroll in the highest level of coverage in the DMC program (Tier I production at the $9.50 margin level). In its inaugural year, more than 80% of Maryland dairy farmers signed up for the DMC program. Enrollment for 2020 runs through Dec. 13.

Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns local nutrient management ordinance

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned a county ordinance regulating nutrient management plans, finding the Montour Township regulation conflicted with the state’s Nutrient Management Act because it imposed stricter or inconsistent requirements on farmers. The court ruled on the case, Berner, et al. v. Montour Township Zoning Hearing Board, et al., in late September 2019.

Pennsylvania’s Nutrient Management Act requires certain agricultural operations, including concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and other animal feeding operations (AFOs), to comply with various standards regarding the management of livestock manure by creating Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) and accounting for potential adverse effects. The act also exempts smaller operations from the NMP requirements.

According to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, Montour Township enacted a regulation that required farmers who wanted to raise hogs to apply for a special exception from the local zoning board and required applicants to submit facility designs and provide legally binding assurances with performance guarantees to demonstrate that manure management plans would not have adverse impacts on adjacent properties.

cow drought areas

Fewer cows are ‘dry’

The estimate of U.S. dairy cows located in “drought areas” continued to shrink, according to the USDA’s World Agricultural Outlook Board. Just 3% of the nation’s milk cows were located in areas experiencing drought at the start of December (Figure 1), a 1% reduction compared to a month earlier.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor overlays areas experiencing drought with maps of major production areas for hay, alfalfa hay, corn, soybeans and other crops, as well as primary dairy and all cattle areas. The report also showed about 6% of major alfalfa hay production areas were in areas experiencing drought as of early December.  end mark

Dave Natzke