Laurie Fischer, CEO of American Dairy Coalition spoke to WIDA members at their annual meeting last night, highlighting what she is working on in immigration legislation in Washington as a lobbyist on behalf of dairymen.
Continue reading “WIDA Annual Meeting Speaker Shares Insights On Immigration”
Video of Mark Stephenson and Bob Cropp from UW visitng about production and stocks that are keeping pressure on milk prices at:
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, Jan 25, 2018
Receipts: 70 loads Last Week: 97 loads Last Year: 36 loads
Compared to last week: Hay sold mostly steady. Demand was good for overall average quality.
Alfalfa: Premium: Large Squares, 2 loads 140.00; Large Rounds, 3 loads 142.50-152.50. Good: Large Squares, 3 loads 127.50-130.00; Large Rounds, 13 loads 110.00-127.50. Fair: Large Rounds 97.50-107.50.
Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 4 loads 132.50-145.00. Good: Large Rounds, 6 loads 122.50-127.50. Fair: Large Squares, 2 loads 92.50-95.00; Large Rounds, 15 loads 97.50-115.00.
Alfalfa/Grass Mix: No Sales.
Straw: Large Squares, 3 loads 85.00-87.50, poor quality 50.00. Large Rounds, 1 load 70.00.
Bean Straw: No Sales.
Cornstalks: Large Rounds, 5 loads 30.00-42.50.
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, Jan 18, 2018
Receipts: 97 loads Last Week: 70 loads Last Year: 85 loads
Compared to last week: Alfalfa and grass sold steady. Prices dollars per ton, except where noted.
Alfalfa: Premium: Large Squares, 4 loads 142.50-147.50. Good: 1 load 137.50. Fair: Large Squares, 10 loads Large Squares and Rounds 115.00-130.00. Utility: Large Squares and Rounds, 17 loads 95.00-112.50.
Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 3 loads 132.50-140.00. Good: Large Rounds, 13 loads 115.00-127.50. Fair: Large Squares and Rounds, 26 loads 90.00-110.00; Small Squares, 1 load 2.75 per bale. Utility: Large Rounds, 2 loads 60.00-75.00.
Alfalfa/Grass Mix: Good: Large Rounds, 1 load 122.50.
Straw: Small Squares, 1 load 4.75 per bale; Large Squares, 3 loads 62.50-82.50; Large Rounds, 3 loads 65.00-72.50.
Bean Straw: Large Rounds, 20.00.
Cornstalks: Large Rounds, 8 loads 35.00-37.50.
Milk production in Iowa during December 2017 totaled 442 million pounds, up 17 million pounds from the previous month and up four percent from the December 2016 according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during December, at 220,000 head, was 1,000 more than last month and 5,000 more than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,010 pounds, up 30 pounds from last December.
Continue reading “Iowa Milk Production, Cow Numbers And Per Cow Production All Up For December”
ISU Extension Agricultural Engineering Specialist Kapil Arora reports on January 19, 2018, EPA filed a motion with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to further delay issuance of the mandate by three months. Per EPA, no reporting is required until the Court issues its order, or mandate, enforcing its decision to eliminate the reporting exemptions for farms. EPA requested the Court allow the agency to further revise the guidance to be more effective in assisting farms with coming into compliance, to conduct outreach to ensure farms with limited or no internet access are aware of the reporting requirements and to finish developing the streamlined continuous reporting form. Once the court issues the mandate, the statutory reporting requirements will go back into effect.
At the Dairy Direction programs in December, I asked dairymen if they used a smartphone or tablet; about half did and the number of apps on their phone ranged from 0 to 15.
I’m a asking the same questions at the Dairy Days in Eastern Iowa and finding about the same results.
The USDA NASS Upper Midwest Regional Office January crop production report shows Iowa corn for silage production is estimated at 6.93 million tons, down 12 percent from 2016. The silage yield estimate of 21.0 tons per acre is down 3.0 tons per acre from 2016. Producers harvested 330,000 acres of corn for silage unchanged from 2016.
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Jan 8, 2017
Receipts: 50 loads Last Week: NA loads Year Ago: 56 loads
Compared to last week: Market was steady compared to last Thursday
Alfalfa: Good: Small Squares, 1 load 145.00, 1 load 4.75 per bale; Large Rounds, 6 loads 130.00-150.00. Fair: Large Squares, 2 loads 127.50; Large Rounds, 7 loads 112.50-127.50.
Grass: Good: Large Rounds, 9 loads 117.50-137.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 10 loads 95.00-112.50. Utility: Large Squares, 1 load 70.00.
Alfalfa/Grass: Good: Large Rounds, 1 load 115.00.
Straw: Large Squares, 2 loads 102.50-115.00; Large Rounds, 1 load 80.00.
Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 9 loads 40.00-42.50.
While fridged temperatures may have reduced the expected attendance at the 2018 Iowa State Dairy Association Annual Meeting last week in Ames, those attending enjoyed top-flight presenters. Included in the program was Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey who reviewed cover crops and water quality programs, gave insights on the farm bill discussions and trade issues plus outlined how agriculture needs a labor force that is predictable and legal.