The I-29 Moo University Collaborators will offer the third annual Dairy Beef Short Course on Tuesday, March 28 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD. This is a Pre-Welcome Reception Educational Events at the Central Plains Dairy Expo.

Topics covered will include:

• VACCINATION AND IMPLANT PROTOCOLS:WORKSHOP WILL COVER SELECTING THE RIGHT VACCINES AND IMPLANTS FOR YOUR OPERATION TO IMPROVE HERD HEALTH, OPTIMIZE PERFORMANCE, AND EXCEED CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS. PRESENTED BY RUSS DALY, SDSU EXTENSION VETERINARIAN.
• MANAGING LIVER ABSCESSES IN THE VFD AGE:PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE ACIDOSIS AND LIVER ABSCESS ISSUES AND COMPLY WITH THE VFD REGULATIONS. PRESENTED BY WARREN RUSCHE, SDSU EXTENSION BEEF FEEDLOT SPECIALIST.
• MARKETING DAIRY BEEF IN 2017:THIS WORKSHOP WILL FOCUS ON ISSUES SURROUNDING MARKETING DAIRY BEEF, INCLUDING MARKET ACCESS, PRICE DISCOVERY, INCREASED RED MEAT SUPPLY, AND END PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS. PRESENTED BY BRAD KOOIMA, PRESIDENT KOOIMA & KAEMINGK COMMODITIES, INC.
• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND WORKING WITH LENDERS:THIS WORKSHOP WILL PROVIDE ATTENDEES WITH INSIGHT INTO WHAT BANKERS ARE LOOKING FOR AS THEY WORK WITH CATTLE FEEDERS. PRESENTED BY DAVE KARNOPP, RETAIL COMMERCIAL LENDER/BEEF SPECIALIST – FARM CREDIT SERVICES.

The Dairy Beef Short Course begins 10 a.m. with registration; program starts at 10:30 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m.

The agenda will allow for attendees to take in the evening entertainment at the Welcome Reception for the Central Plains Dairy Expo.

To cover costs, there will be a $25 registration fee which will include lunch. Registrations deadline is March 27 to insure a spot at the meeting, since attendance is limited to 80 people. Please contact the Watertown Regional Extension Office at 605.882.5140 or register by email at:

Tracey.Erickson@sdstate.edu

In its twelfth year of collaboration, I-29 Moo University has established a learning community which is a cooperative effort of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and Nebraska University Extension personnel along with the SW Minnesota Dairy Profit Initiative, Iowa State Dairy Association, Minnesota Milk Producers Association, Nebraska State Dairy Association, and the South Dakota Dairy Producers. The objective of various educational venues offered is to bring research-based information to stakeholders while helping to grow a sustainable agricultural industry.

For more information check at: HTTP://IGROW.ORG/EVENTS/I-29-MOO-UNIVERSITY-DAIRY-BEEF-SHORT-COURSE/#STHASH.7BBI9UUS.DPUF

ROCK VALLEY HAY AUCTION FOR MONDAY, FEB 27, 2017

Receipts:  32 loads    Last Week:  31 loads    Year Ago:   39 Loads

Compared to last week:  Market was sharply lower with quality average to poor.

One load Small Squares equals approximately 5 tons; Large Squares and Large Rounds range from 10-25 tons per load.

Alfalfa:  Good:  Large Squares, 1 load 95.00.  Fair:  Large Squares, 6 loads 70.00-77.50; Large Rounds, 9 loads 65.00-82.50.

Alfalfa/Grass Mixed:  Fair:  Large Rounds, 2 loads 60.00-77.50.

Grass:  Good:  Small Squares, 1 load 90.00.  Fair:  Large Squares, 1 laod 70.00; Large Rounds, 4 loads 65.00-85.00.  Utility:  Large Rounds, 2 loads 55.00-62.50.

Straw:  Large Rounds, 1 load 70.00.

Corn Stalks:  Large Rounds, 4 loads 35.00-45.00, mostly 40.00-45.00.

Bean Stubble:  Large Rounds, 1 load 35.00.

On Thursday, the first Senate Farm Bill Reauthorization hearing webinar was hosted in at the Sioux county Extension office. Those attending heard testimony and questions from a wide range of producers and industry representatives.

A consistent theme heard from the presenters was the continuation of the crop insurance, conservation programs (especially EQIP) and a need for more transparency in price determination for the beef industry.

Lynda Foster from Foster Dairy in Fort Scott Kansas voiced her concerns for the upcoming farm bill discussion focusing on three issues.

She noted, in 2014, Congress passed legislation establishing a new safety net under Title I for dairy farmers. During the legislative process, changes were made to the original dairy program designed by NMPF and other dairy leaders around the country. Unfortunately, the safety net, known as the Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers (MPP), has failed to provide the level of protection envisioned in the original program.

She pointed out that in the first year, there farm signed up for the program and purchased supplemental coverage at the $6.00 level. And like others, since that first year they have only enrolled at the minimal $4 margin level. “…to be perfectly honest, Senator, is meaningless. MPP remains the right model for the future of our industry, but changes are needed if Congress wants to provide relevant tools to our sector…” she stated.  She continued noting that many dairy farmers participating in the MPP have become disenchanted with the program. In calendar year 2015, dairy farmers paid $70 million into the MPP program and received $730 thousand. In 2016, those figures were $20 million and $13 million, in a year where more program support was needed.

During the lead-up to the 2014 Farm Bill, she explained the process to develop a model for average feed costs for dairy cows. This process took nearly a year and included industry experts who understand the real cost of feeding cows. When it was presented to Congress, the formula, while respected as being accurate, was cut by 10 percent. This cut resulted in a skewed margin program, a flawed calculation for MPP and a much less useful program.

As a result of this change, a number of farmers who purchased higher coverage levels in 2015 did not opt to do so in 2016 because of the likelihood of no payment during times of need.

Since its inception, she pointed out that MPP has actually made the government a profit, equal to $66 million in fiscal year 2015 and $37 million in fiscal year 2016, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

She continued by pointing out that unlike other sectors in agriculture, Congress arbitrarily limited the ability of dairy producers to use Risk Management Agency (RMA) products as well as Title I programs. Although all other commodities can use both RMA and Title I programs without any restrictions, dairy farmers cannot use the Livestock Gross Margin for Dairy Cattle (LGM) program, which remains a popular tool for producers. Due to restrictions in MPP, a producer must decide at the beginning of the Farm Bill cycle whether to cover their milk under LGM or the MPP. This restriction leaves dairy farmers without the tools that other farmers have at their disposal regarding federal support for their operations.

Foster also stressed the importance of a dependable labor force to the dairy industry. She quoted a Texas A&M report stating 51 percent of all dairy farm workers are foreign born, and the farms that employ them account for 79 percent of the milk produced in the United States. She then asked, “How are dairies like mine, or any others, supposed to operate if we do not have access to a reliable workforce? In dairy, we cannot turn the cows off when there are not enough employees to do the job, we have to milk them.” She urged the Senators to act immediately to reform our immigration system in a manner that addresses agriculture’s needs for a legal and stable workforce.

One of her final points was how the dairy industry has come a long way on trade in the past several years. Our nation has gone from exporting dairy products valued at less than $1 billion in 2000 to exporting a record $7.1 billion in 2014, an increase of 625 percent. Fifteen years ago the USA was exporting roughly five percent of its milk production, now we are at three times that level, even as overall U.S. milk production has continued to grow. That means the equivalent of one day’s milk production each week from the entire U.S. dairy industry ultimately ends up overseas, making exports integral to the health of my farm and our dairy industry at large. It is critical that Congress protects the progress we have made as the Administration updates trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The complete testimony of each presented is available at:

HTTP://WWW.AGRICULTURE.SENATE.GOV/HEARINGS/HEARING-FROM-THE-HEARTLAND-PERSPECTIVES-ON-THE-2018-FARM-BILL-FROM-KANSAS

Hoard’s Dairyman dairy news reports that tight margins that ranged from $5.76 to $9.17 per hundredweight after feed costs were among the reasons that more dairy farmers exited the industry last year. Those business closings were only the fourth time in the past decade that 4 percent or more of dairy farmers called it quits.

As the industry continues to lose dairy farms, cow number remain robust as the national dairy herd reached a 20-year high of 9.328 million cows last year.

Given these two trends in recent USDA statistics, it goes without saying that dairy cows and farms continue to consolidate into clusters. When evaluating the top 10 dairy states as measured by total dairy farms, that group only lost 3.7 percent of its farms last year. Each state in that group also had 1,000 or more dairy farms. For the remaining 40 states, losses totaled a more brisk 4.9 percent.

Orange City- The first hearing in the country on the 2018 Farm Bill re-authorization will be held at 2 p.m. on Feb. 23 on the Kansas State campus in Manhattan, KS.

Beth Doran and Fred M. Hall, Northwest Iowa livestock and dairy specialists will host the live webinar at the Sioux County Extension office. No registration is required, but seating will be on a first come basis. While those attending will be able hear the questions and testimony, if they would like to submit written testimony they will be able to email comments to the ag committee. This is the first of eight hearing to be held across the country.

Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture Nutrition and Forestry U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts says lawmakers need clear direction from producers on what is working and what isn’t working in farm country.

For more information contact the Sioux County Extension office at 712.737.4230.

Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Feb 20, 2017

Receipts:  31 loads    Last Week:  43 loads    Year Ago:   30 Loads

Compared to last week:  Market was sharply lower with quality average to poor.

Prices dollars per ton, except where noted.  All sales FOB Rock Valley, Iowa, vicinity.

One load Small Squares equals approximately 5 tons; Large Squares and Large Rounds range from 10-25 tons per load.

Alfalfa:  Fair:  Large Squares, 4 loads 77.50; Large Rounds, 4 loads 80.00-82.50.

Utility:  Large Rounds, 1 load 45.00.

Alfalfa/Grass Mixed:  Good:  Large Rounds, 1 load 90.00.  Fair:  Large Rounds, 1 load 72.50.

Grass:  Good:  Large Rounds, 1 load 85.00.  Fair:  Large Rounds, 7 loads 55.00-70.00; Small Squares, 1 load 72.50.  Utility:  Large Squares, 1 load 40.00; Large Rounds, 2 loads 45.00-50.00.

Straw:  Large Squares, 1 load 55.00.  Large Rounds, 3 loads 47.50-57.50.

Corn Stalks:  Large Rounds, 4 loads 40.00-42.50.

Come and visit the NW Iowa Ag Fair in Spencer today and visit me and other field specialists in the Extension booth.

Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, Feb 16, 2017

Receipts:  97 loads    Last Week:  98 loads    Last Year:  100 loads

Compared to last week:   Market was 5.00 to 10.00 lower for all types of hay

and qualities.  All sales FOB Rock Valley, Iowa, vicinity.

One load Small Squares equals approximately 5 tons; Large Squares and Large Rounds range from 10-25 tons per load.

Alfalfa:  Premium:  Small Squares, 1 load 150.00.  Good:  Large Squares, 4 loads 90.00-95.00; Large Rounds, 7 loads 85.00-87.50.  Fair:  Large Squares, 8 loads 65.00-82.50; Large Rounds, 23 loads 60.00-80.00.  Utility:  Large Squares, 1 load 50.00; Large Rounds, 1 load 55.00.

Grass:  Premium:  Large Squares, 2 loads 80.00-87.50; Large Rounds, 10 loads 80.00-90.00.  Good:  Large Squares, 2 loads 65.00-70.00; Large Rounds, 17 loads 57.50-77.50.  Fair:  Large Rounds, 1 load 47.50.

Alfalfa/Grass Mix:  Good:  Large Squares, 1 load 80.00; Large Rounds, 3 loads 82.50-97.50.  Fair:  Large Rounds, 2 loads 60.00-67.50.  Utility:  Large Rounds 1 load 35.00.

Oat Hay:  Large Rounds, 1 load 72.50.

Straw:  Large Squares, 1 load 65.00.  Large Rounds, 6 loads 40.00-70.00, mostly 65.00-70.00.

Cornstalks:  Large Rounds, 5 loads 35.00-42.50.

As I have been traveling in NW Iowa, I’m seeing standing water in fields and am wondering what how unusual warm temperatures will effect the stands. ISUEO Agronomist Brian Lang send out this link- it has lots of good information:

HTTP://AGRONOMY.WISC.EDU/2014/09/04/FALL-ALFALFA-MANAGEMENT-CAN-MAKE-OR-BREAK-SURVIVAL-SAYS-DAN-UNDERSANDER/

There is some fear President Trump’s stance on immigration could heavily impact the availability of immigrants, it seems a new Senate bill will also be cause for concern. The new bill called the ‘Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act’ is sponsored by senators Tom Cotton (R-AK) and David Perdue (R-GA). The pair of senators say the bill aims to “reduce the influx of workers drastically in hopes to reserve jobs for low skilled American workers.”

If passed, the bill would make getting a visa harder, placing restrictions and caps on some visa categories and eliminating others all together. Proponents of the bill say it will provide opportunity for Americans who can’t currently find jobs. Those who oppose the bill are concerned with the bill as many well-paying jobs in the agriculture industry already go unfilled year after year.

“One thing is clear, jobs on the farm are not desirable to most American workers regardless of wage and benefits,” officials from the American Dairy Coalition say. “This bill restricts the ability of farmers to have access to a safe, legal workforce.”

The Coalition is urging dairy producers to contact their Senators to express concern with the bill.