Michigan Milk Messenger: March 2014

Messenger www.mimilk.com Vol. 96 Issue 9

March 2014

Michigan Milk

The official publication of Michigan Milk Producers Association

2014 Dairy Farmers of the Year • 2014 Farm BillInside

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EDITOR’S LETTER

4 MMPA Matters2014 Farm Bill—Finally

6 Quality WatchFARM Herd Health Plan May Actually Help Your Operation

8 News & Views

FEATURES

10 Understanding the Dairy Title Provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill

12 One Director-At-Large Position Election at the 98th MMPA State Annual Meeting

15 Hands-on Ownership

2014 MSU Dairy Farmers of the Year

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contentsMichigan Milk Messenger

Managing Editor............................. Sheila BurkhardtEditors ............. Laura Moser, Alex SchnabelrauchAdvertising Manager .................Nancy MuszynskiCirculation ................................................................... 4,200

An Equal Opportunity Employer – F/M/V/DMichigan Milk Messenger (USPS 345-320) is the official publication of Michigan Milk Producers Association, published monthly since June 1919. Subscriptions: MMPA members, 50¢ per year; non-members, $5 per year.

41310 Bridge St. Telephone: 248-474-6672 P.O. Box 8002 FAX: 248-474-0924Novi, MI 48376-8002 www.mimilk.com Periodical postage paid at Novi, MI and at additional offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Michigan Milk Messenger, PO Box 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002.

(ISSN 0026-2315)

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20 Twelve Youth Named Michigan Dairy Ambassadors

22 MMPA Scholarship Winners

Cover StoryMeet the 2014 Msu Dairy Farmers of the Year — Geert and Gertie van den Goor. see page 15 for their story.

Officers: President: Ken NobisVice President: Bob KranTreasurer: Mark halbert General Manager/secretary: clay Galarneau assistant Treasurer: Joe DiglioGeneral counsel: Todd hoppe

Michigan Milk Producers association, established in 1916, is a member owned and operated dairy cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and ohio.

Michigan Milk Producers Association

Board of Directors Directors-At-LargeKen Nobis, st. Johns 989-224-6170 or 248-474-6672, ext. 201rodney Daniels, Whittemore 989-756-4935Mark halbert, Battle creek 269-964-0511

District Directors 1. hank choate, cement city 517-529-9032 2. Tim hood, Paw Paw 269-657-5771 4. Dan Javor, hastings 269-948-8345 5. Brent Wilson, carson city 989-584-3481 6. Brad ritter, Byron 810-266-4091 7. James reid, Jeddo 810-327-6830 8. leonard Brown, sandusky 810-648-450510. eric Frahm, Frankenmuth 989-652-355211. Bob Kran, Free soil 231-464-588912. John Kronemeyer, Pickford 906-647-7638

Departments24 Merchandise25 Quality Premiums26 Freeliners28 Classifieds29 Policies30 Market Report31 Staff

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on February 7, 2014 air force one landed in lansing, Mich. bringing the President of the united states to sign the farm bill on the campus of Michigan state university.

Michigan agriculture was in the news around the globe for the day, and that elevates awareness of the impact of agriculture on Michigan’s economy…always a good thing.

I was invited to the signing ceremony and gladly accepted. after all, how often does a person get the chance to sit in the fourth row when the President signs a bill? The atmosphere was relaxed, despite tight security, but maybe that is to be expected when it has taken so long to pass a bill that should have been enacted in 2012.

President obama signed the bill in east lansing at the request of senator Debbie stabenow, who played a major role in its development as chair of the senate agriculture committee. The President’s signature officially ushered the dairy industry into a new era. The dairy policy signed into law isn’t exactly what we wanted, but it provides a reasonable compromise. The Dairy Margin Protection Program (DMPP) that National Milk Producers Federation created is intact. The Dairy Market stabilization Program (DMsP) didn’t make the final cut.

The objective in creating the DMPP was to establish a relevant safety net for dairy farmers so the devastating financial damage inflicted by the recent economic recession could be avoided in the future. Instead of being based solely on the price of milk, the DMPP looks at the margin between milk price and the cost to feed the cow.

however, establishing a safety net runs the risk of creating a program that reduces the risk of producing milk too much. This concern is what led to DMsP, which would have created financial disincentives to adding production in times when the milk being produced is already more than the market can bear. DMsP ran into a hurdle in congress. although we had the votes, speaker of the house John Boehner threatened to sabotage the entire farm bill by not allowing a house vote if the DMsP was part of the bill. Frank lucas, chair of the house agriculture committee and chair of the conference committee, pulled his support as a result of that threat.

In the end, we can live with the compromise that was reached. The farm bill allows for a permanent base for the five-year life of the bill, fixed premium rates, rates more heavily subsidized on the first 4 million pounds of production and a substantial increase in the producer’s share of the cost of insuring margin at the $7 to $8 levels. The DMPP that did make it into the bill offers a subsidized premium rate on up to 90 percent of established base production.

lower premium rates to insure the first 4 million pounds will encourage all producers to get involved, since it is a voluntary program. The permanent base provides allowances for growth equal to the national average growth rate, but increases beyond that standard will not be covered by this program. higher premium rates at the margin levels above $7 will give serious pause to the producer “over insuring” the base with an eye toward larger expansion. DMPP will give us a better safety net without encouraging over-production.

Dairy industry representatives held their first official meeting to begin developing dairy policy in June 2009. so there we were last month, just four months shy of the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the process, with the bill signed, sealed and delivered. It has been worth everything - the work, frustrations, disappointments - everything. Because in spite of it all, people with very diverse interests had input all along the way and into the final version. compromises were made by everybody (well, almost everybody) which proves hard work and a give-and-take attitude can result in a significant step forward. I believe the dairy policy changes in this farm bill address challenges we face to successfully market our milk in the 21st century.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

byKen NobisPresident

MMPA MATTERS

The annual delegate meeting of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) will begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 20 at the:

The Lansing Center 333 E. Michigan Avenue

Lansing, Michigan. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. Business will be conducted only by accredited delegates, but all members are welcome to attend. The agenda will include consideration of policy statements, resolutions and the election of one director-at-large position on the MMPA board of directors.

If the Lansing Center parking area is full, the North Grand ramp located next to the Radisson Hotel has a walkway to the Lansing Center.

2014 MMPA StAte AnnuAl DelegAte Meeting

POWERof ownershipTHE

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reenrollment in the National Dairy Farmers assuring responsible Management (FarM) Program is underway. Member representatives have been contacting farms to schedule appointments for reenrollment as well as first-time enrollees. MMPa has 80 percent of its milk supply enrolled in the program.

The National Dairy FarM Program goes through a three-year reevaluation period where stakeholders in the program have an opportunity to provide input. What emerges is an updated FarM evaluation and reference manual.

The biggest change from the first reevaluation period has been the addition of a guideline requiring a written herd health plan (hhP).

a written hhP includes written protocols for the main management areas of your farm (i.e. vaccinations, newborn calf management, non-ambulatory animal management, etc.) These written protocols often include written step-by-step standard operating procedures (soPs) that occur on your farm including proper administration of injections, tube feeding newborn calves, equipment utilized to move a

down animal and other common processes.

It may not seem necessary to have these protocols and soPs written, and I’ve heard it all. “They are tasks that are performed every day of the year. You train employees by doing the tasks with them and giving verbal directions. It takes time to write procedures and time is a precious commodity.” however a written hhP does have a place on your farm.

“The strongest memory is weaker than the faintest ink. a hhP fosters communication, reduces protocol drift and ensures everyone on the farm related to a task hears and understands a consistent message and plan,” ron erskine, Michigan state university dairy veterinarian and professor, explains.

Why are You Doing What You’re Doing?Writing the procedure really makes farmers analyze what they are doing and how best to do it. Try writing out your milking procedure and count the number of times you ask yourself, “What gets done next?” Identify the goal you are trying to accomplish and ask yourself if the procedure, as performed, fulfills that goal. Is there a more efficient or improved way of performing a task? This is a perfect opportunity to involve employees in writing and/or reviewing procedures. The people performing those tasks day-in and day-out will have valuable input and suggestions to make their jobs easier and better for the animals in their care. herd veterinarians and other consultants can be an outside

set of eyes to review procedures and make suggestions.

Don’t Leave Them GuessingNew employees don’t have the benefit of experience performing procedures that may seem second nature. Written procedures and soPs are an excellent reference for them. MMPa member, Jason elenbaum, says, “Written procedures can help new hires know how to deal with a situation if no one is immediately available to help them. It keeps things running smoothly.” employee training should include reviewing soPs and showing new employees where they can find the soPs when questions arise.

Employees Need to Know What’s Expectedclearly written and posted protocols convey a farm’s commitment to doing things right. That is an attitude all employees should share. setting expectations for job performance bolsters the team approach to accomplishing a task the right way every time it is performed.

And Cows Benefit, Too!The benefits of written procedures are not just for us humans. cows are creatures of habit and will benefit from the consistency of procedures, regardless of who performs them. For example, the result of feed being mixed for six minutes versus 12 minutes can be dramatic for the cows. If everyone knows to mix feed for six minutes, the cows benefit from a consistent ration.

QUALITY WATChbyChristy Dinsmoore

Mastitis Management

Continued on page 8

FARM Herd Health Plan May Actually Help Your Operation!

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NEWS & VIEWS

Upcoming Events

March19 State Resolutions Committee Meeting - Lansing

20 MMPA State Annual Delegate Meeting - Lansing

April4 YC Conference - Grand Rapids

24 Dairy Communicator Meeting - Lansing

January Class III Up $2.20, 2013 Dairy Exports Boom January’s class III price is $21.15 per hundredweight, up $2.20 from December and $3.01 above January 2013. The class IV price is $22.29 per hundredweight, up 75¢ from December and $4.66 above year-ago prices.

2013 u.s. dairy product exports (as a percent of total u.s. dairy product production) set record highs. an estimated 16 percent of total milk solids were exported last year, compared to less than 10 percent just five years ago.

You’re Not Done Yet…after writing a hhP and conducting employee training (and retraining) your job is not done. annually reviewing your farms hhP with your veterinarian ensures procedures and soPs have not become out of date. It also gives you and your veterinarian a chance to discuss the current goals of your farm and what kind of progress you’ve made toward those goals. If results have not been to your standards, there’s a possibility that a tweak in procedure could make a difference.

Milk quality and animal wellbeing does not happen by accident. a written hhP can guide your farm toward success far beyond participation in the National Dairy FarM Program.

Continued from page 6

Producers scoring 95 percent or more on Grade A Surveys and Federal Check Rating

MMPA ROBERT LALONEJanuary 2014Paulen Farms Inc. chapin Family Farm llc William stein Pine hills Dairy llc Michael hogan*h Brushaber sons Farm llc Grassley Farms hillhaven Farms Inc. Javian coats oK Farms llc Beth Ingraham

MMPA VISSERSJanuary 2014Vissers Dairy llc

MMPA CONSTANTINE NORThERN INDIANAFebruary 2014ray / Katherine / James eash*steven Miller*Thaddeus coning calvin Miller raymond Miller*ernest Mast Philip Bontrager Milton Bontrager Maynard Mast*Darrel Yoder Jeremiah lambright*elmer Beechy harvey schrock*harvey / lamar Yoder Willis Miller*lyle Warkentine

MMPA MIChIGAN DAIRY SOuThFebruary 2014Feldkamp Farm llc lynn / Greg Deforest Tom hammond Weidmayer Farms llc Brian sweetland Marcus Bristle Breuninger Farms llc horning Farms llc*Drakelan Farms llc Grand Valley Farms*Williams Family Farm llc huehl acres*ron laustein Gary Middleton

MMPA SOuTh CENTRALFebruary 2014James ogdenernest o’connerPenney Farms Denningsons Farms rex Wells cary Dairy Farms Inc. crandall Dairy Farm llc halbert Dairy Farm llc*car-MIN-Vu Farm llc choate’s Belly acres Gordon / Joy / Justin Porter Kubiak Family Farms *

*100 percent

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NEWS & VIEWS

MMPA Advisory CommitteeDistrict Onecarlton evans, litchfield 517-398-0629 Brad hart, clayton 517-445-2649Glenn Preston, Quincy 517-639-4182art riske, hanover 517-524-6015 District TwoDonald Bever, Delton 269-671-5050richard Thomas, 574-825-5198 Middlebury, IN Michael oesch, 574-825-2454 Middlebury, IN

District FourDavid Bivens, Bellevue 269-758-3980Mark crandall, 269-660-2229 Battle creekJames Droscha, charlotte 517-543-5577David lott, Mason 517-676-4593

District FiveBruce Benthem, McBain 231-825-8182Tom Jeppesen, stanton 989-762-5399Bill Jernstadt, Big rapids 231-796-4650 Mike rasmussen, edmore 989-762-5380

District Sixaaron Gasper, lowell 616-897-2747 anthony Jandernoa, 989-593-2224 st. Johns David reed, owosso 989-723-8635 Kris Wardin, st Johns 989-640-9420

District SevenBill Blumerich, Berlin 810-395-2926Pat Bolday, emmett 810-395-7139 scott lamb, Jeddo 810-327-6135chuck White, Fowlerville 517-521-3564

District EightMike Bender, croswell 810-679-4782Tim Kubacki, sebewaing 989-883-3249Dale Phillips, Marlette 989-635-7917steve schulte, 989-479-9339 harbor Beach

District TenJohn Bennett, Prescott 989-345-4264Ken Daniels, sterling 989-654-2546rod Fowler, chesaning 989-845-6131scott Kleinhardt, clare 989-386-8037

District ElevenJim Good, caledonia 616-891-1414Frank Konkel, hesperia 231-854-8041 David Pyle, Zeeland 616-772-1512Bill stakenas, Free soil 231-757-9340 District Twelverobert Barron, Gladstone 906-786-7027Dave Folkersma, rudyard 906-478-3023corby Werth, alpena 989-379-3772Jeremy Werth, alpena 989-464-4022

Straight-Forward Contracting

By Fcstone

Managing risk has become increasingly important in navigating rising marketplace volatility. With record prices on the board to kick off 2014, Michigan Milk Producers association, in an effort to continually support its producers, offers a state-of-the-art forward contracting program for your use.

MMPa producers will find the forward contracting program desirable for a number of reasons, starting with the simplicity of how it functions. MMPa offers the ability to lock in your milk price when you choose. With that flexibility in mind, you can sell class III milk by using the futures market (direct price) and/or options-on-futures (minimum price or minimum/maximum range). More importantly, the program allows you the freedom to make marketing decisions without dipping into an operating

line or establishing a new line of credit to meet “margin” calls.

another attractive feature unique to forward contacting is the flexibility in the size increments a producer may wish to sell at their desired time. The current size of the class III contracts at the exchange are 200,000 pounds. as an MMPa producer, you have the ability to contract your milk in increments starting at 25,000 pounds.

If you’ve not yet signed up for the forward contracting program, you can do so quite easily by contacting Nancy Muszynski at 248-474-6672, ext. 202. approved MMPa members can market or protect up to 75 percent of their production per month up to 24 months out into the future at their determined price

based on cMe futures markets.

Benefits of forward contracting include: • No margin posted – takes the

emotion out of establishing a profit margin

• Flexibility in size of contract • use of Put options to set a

minimum “floor” price• use of options to create a

minimum/maximum milk price range

• Dedicated line to Fcstone’s office for market information

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LEgISLATIVE WATCh

N ow that the ink has dried on the 2014 Farm Bill, the real work will begin

putting the details to the changes outlined in the law. The Dairy Title calls for a restructuring of how the government will interact with milk marketing. Gone, are the Milk Income loss contract Program and price supports. In their place is a new margin protection program and a product donation program. While the basic structure of these programs are defined in the law, the usDa will now begin writing the rules and definitions. The information presented here is based on the intent of the law and may change as the rules are written.

The final product passed in late January is a compromise of many proposals and amendments debated over the past four years. scott Brown, farm bill advisor and professor at the university of Missouri, sums it up in a recent webinar by saying, “Forget everything you knew about the farm bill prior to January 2014. It

has many of the components of prior proposals but it has evolved a great deal. Producers need to pay attention to the final language and not the earlier proposals. “

Brown stresses this farm bill puts much of the decision making back on the producers; it is not a one-size-fits-all farm bill. Producers need to make individual decisions on how the farm bill may affect them.

“The farm bill is a great opportunity

for risk management for dairy producers. It will provide a new level of flexibility for them. each dairy is unique and needs to critically evaluate their level of risk. They need to crunch their financial numbers and strategically decide their level of participation,” he adds.

Margin Protection ProgramThe heart of the dairy title is the Margin Protection Program (MPP). This program is designed to provide a safety net in times of

extremely low margins, like those experienced in 2009. operating like an insurance policy, producers who are enrolled and pay a $100 enrollment fee, receive coverage at a $4 margin (calculated milk price over feed price). The milk price is the monthly u.s. all-Milk price and the feed costs are a national monthly feed price based on corn, soybean meal and alfalfa hay.

It is important to note the program supports margins, not prices. Producers

Marketings under 4 Million Pounds Marketings Over 4 Million Poundscoverage level Premiums* coverage level Premiums$4.00 None $4.00 None$4.50 $.01 $4.50 $.02$5.00 $.025 $5.00 $.04$5.50 $.04 $5.50 $.10$6.00 $.055 $6.00 $.155$6.50 $.09 $6.50 $.29$7.00 $.217 $7.00 $.83$7.50 $.30 $7.50 $1.06$8.00 $.475 $8.00 $1.36

*Except for the premium at the $8.00 level, these premiums will be reduced by 25 percent for each of calendar years 2014 and 2015 and only for marketings under 4 million pounds.

Understanding the Dairy Title Provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill

President Obama signs the 2014 Farm Bill on the MSU campus in February.

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wanting higher levels of margin protection can pay premiums to protect against lower margins up to an $8 margin (see premium chart).

Margin protection will be calculated on each herd’s production base, calculated on their annual production for 2011, 2012 or 2013, whichever is highest. herds without a full year of production will have a base calculated on projected production for the year. (Base averages will be adjusted annually by the usDa based on overall u.s. milk production.) This program does not limit growth; however, margin protection will only be provided on the percentage of the producer’s base enrolled in the program, never to exceed 90 percent of the base amount (with annual adjustments).

as stated by Brown, producers will decide individually the extent they want to use the program. Producers will be able to select margin protection coverage at 50¢ increments beginning at $4 per cwt. through $8 per cwt. for 25 to 90 percent of their production history (in 5 percent increments). The amount of coverage will be dependent on each farm’s risk strategy.

The Margin Protection Program is expected to be in place by september 1, 2014. If conditions warrant, the MIlc payments will be temporarily available to producers until the implementation of the new

program or september 1, 2014, whichever happens first. after the implementation of the MPP, the MIlc Program will be terminated.

Dairy Product Donation Programalso under the new farm bill is a dairy product donation program that will be triggered when margins fall below $4. This program will provide dairy products to food banks or other feeding programs in an effort to remove extra product from the marketplace. This program will activate only when margins are at the $4 level for two consecutive months. The program would retract after three months, or when margins rebound above $4. under this provision, the usDa will provide a variety of dairy products to distribute to food banks or related non-profit organizations. usDa is not required to distribute or store the products.

Going Forwardalthough there was a collective sigh of relief as the 2014 Farm Bill was finally signed into law, our work is not finished. MMPa and NMPF will continue to work with the usDa as the rules and definitions are written to ensure the intent of the law is upheld and the rules are reasonable for our producers. We will continue to provide information as it is available. In the meantime, we encourage you to look at the structure in place to determine how you can best implement the MPP in your operation.

less milk production met by stronger export sales growth has caused significant, contra-seasonal price spikes for both physical product as well as futures prices. It has also created excellent marketing opportunities for MMPa producers.

We’ve all heard the adage “high prices cure high prices.” While we don’t know when those high prices will cure high prices, what we can offer is the instruction on the tools you have at your disposal. call us to discuss how you can proactively secure a profit for your dairy in 2014.

For information on where current market prices or options premiums are trading, you have a direct line to Fcstone’s office in chicago at 1-888-341-1773 where brokers are available to discuss markets and forward contracting opportunities pertinent to you.

Continued from page 9

retired MMPa Mastitis Management supervisor, Tom herremans was presented with the 2014 NMc award of excellence for contribution to Mastitis Prevention and control at the recent NMc meeting. This award, in its third year, is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., and recognizes an NMc member for sustained contribution to mastitis prevention and control through research, extension or education, clinical practice or service to producers. Tom was instrumental in developing and implementing MMPa milker training schools, which have taught thousands of dairy producers and their employees effective mastitis management techniques. Tom worked closely with MMPa members to design management programs to reduce somatic cell counts and lower the incidence of mastitis. he has also presented at many regional and national conferences on effective mastitis management programs. It was Tom’s dedication and commitment to mastitis management that set him apart for this award. congratulations to Tom on this well-deserved recognition.

Herremans Receives NMC Award of Excellence

Dr. Ron Erskine, MSU, presents Tom with the NMC Award

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robert (Bob) Barron farms in partnership with Tom Barron in Michigan’s upper Peninsula.

They milk 250 cows and operate 1,500 acres on their Gladstone, Mich. farm.

Bob serves as president of the MMPa Menominee-Vacationland local and has been a district delegate for over 20 years. he also serves on the Nominating and advisory committees.

In his community, Bob has served as a trustee of the Bay de Noc community college for 30 years and on local boards including equity uP livestock, Farm credit services and the Fmha board. he is currently a trustee of Northwoods Baptist church.

First elected in 2006, rodney Daniels is seeking his fourth term as a director at-large on the MMPa board of directors.

Prior to being elected to the board, rodney served on the resolutions, Nominating and credentials committees as well as a sunrise local board

member and District 10 delegate.

outside of his MMPa activities, rodney has been involved with the Michigan District VII holstein association, local fire department and the Whittemore-Prescott area schools sports Boosters.

rodney, with his brothers, nephews and their families farm together in Iosco county near the town of Whittemore on the family farm, now known as W-r-l Daniels Farm llc. The farm was started in 1953 by rodney’s parents, Donald and Dorothy Daniels. It

now consists of a 450-head milking herd of partially registered holsteins and 1,370 acres. They consistently earn MMPa quality awards and place in Michigan’s top 150 herds on DhIa.

rodney and his wife, anne, have five adult daughters – Jennifer Kyle, audrey Bischoff, laura anschuetz, Bonnie rossow and catherine Daniels – and five grandchildren – Megan, allison and luke Kyle and otto and clara anschuetz.

Dale PhillipsDale Phillips, and his wife, rita, partner with Dale’s brother, Glen, and nephew, eric, to operate Phillips Farms in Marlette.

They milk 100 cows and operate 1,400 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. Dale has been a dairy farmer for 35 years.

he has served on the Brown city – Marlette local board for 15 years, serving as secretary/treasurer and president, a position he currently maintains. Dale also has served on the MMPa state advisory committee for 15 years and is a member of the resolutions committee.

In the community, Dale has been a member of the Marlette oil and Gas board for 15 years. Dale and rita have one daughter, sharon Freeman, and two grandchildren.

One Director-At-Large Position Election at the 98th MMPA State Annual Meeting

Delegates at the 98th MMPa state annual Delegate Meeting will cast their ballots to elect one at-large member to the MMPa board of directors. rodney Daniels, Whittemore, Mich. is the current director seeking re-election. The MMPa Nominating committee submitted the following nominees for the director-at-large position: robert Barron, Gladstone, Mich.; rodney Daniels, Whittemore, Mich.; and Dale Phillips, Marlette, Mich.

Robert Barron

Rodney Daniels

Registration Conference registration is free to MMPA members and MMPA member employees. Send the YC Conference registration card mailed in the February 17 milk check by March 18 to:

MMPA Member Relations DepartmentPO Box 8002

Novi, MI 48376

For additional information, contact Alex Schnabelrauch at 800-572-5824, ext. 211 or email [email protected].

Hotel ReservationsMake hotel reservation by March 13 and mention MMPA to receive the discounted $99 rate. Call 1-616-957-1770 to make your reservation.

Connecting Younger Members for Two Decades

MMPA YC Conference Network | Learn | Connect | Grow

April 4, 2014 Crowne Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids – Airport

Grand Rapids, Mich.

To our fellow MMPA Young Cooperators,

Are you getting cabin fever? Has this cold winter slowed down your social life? Sick of thawing waterers and dealing with icy milkhouse floors?Forgotten what it is to take your spouse out for a “day away?”

Then this conference is for you! Bring your significant other or neighboring dairy friends over to Grand Rapids to meet up with other young dairy cooperators who get it.

Find out how they are handling this frigid Michigan weather and keeping their cows comfy, water thawed and houses warm. “Farm talk” with other dairy men and women to your heart’s content!

• Speaker: Dr. Gordie Jones, a veterinarian from Wisconsin, will tackle the ABCs of profitability while helping producers identify bottlenecks impeding cow performance on their farms.

• tour: Nate and Jenny Elzinga of the Grand Rapids area are hosting a farm tour. You will love learning how they are using automatic calf feeders to improve efficiency on their farm.

• Producer Panel: YC panelists will discuss their business planning protocols and field questions from the group.

• tailgate Party: It’s been too long since the Super Bowl. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser (maybe even more exciting than the actual Super Bowl).

What are you waiting for?? Sign up today! We’ll keep your seats warm!

Mike and Jordan Noll 2013 MMPA OYDC

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registration: 9:30 a.m. Program: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch is provided)

March 6 Bad axe huron county expo centerMarch 18 st. Johns agro-culture liquid headquarters (english)March 19 st. Johns agro-culture liquid headquarters (spanish)april 9 Newaygo cronk’s oakridge restaurantapril 23 alpena a-PlexMay 1 clare clare church of Nazarene

Milker Training School Registration

Name:

address:

Telephone:

Producer Permit Number:

Date and location of session You Will be attending:

Number of People attending:

Send this form to: MMPa Milker Training school Member services Dept. P.o. Box 8002 Novi, MI 48376-8802

or call/email Marianne Gasiewski with this information at 248-474-6672 or [email protected].

2014 Milker Training School Locations and Dates

attention to detail and consistency in milking procedures make the difference between a good milking routine and an excellent one. Whether you or your employees have been milking for 30 years or three months, at MMPa Milker Training schools (MTs) you will learn best milking procedures which will lead to improved milk quality, higher monthly quality premiums, reduced new mastitis infections and antibiotic use and increased milk production.

MMPa MTs is a day-long session offered free of charge to MMPa members and their employees. a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training helps participants understand the “why” and “how” of an excellent udder prep procedure. Both managers and employees are encouraged to attend to promote consistent, operation-wide adoption, implementation and reinforcement of milking procedure techniques.

The registration form and schedule are included below. each MTs is limited to 35 people; however, a

second session may be held to meet demand. Please register early to help us determine if a second day is needed at some locations. contact your MMPa member representative or the Member services Department at the Novi office (see contact information below) with any questions or registration information.

hispanic Milker Training Schoolshave trouble communicating with spanish-speaking employees? some Michigan dairy farms employ hispanic milkers and, more often than not, the language barrier makes communication between milkers and owners difficult.

To help overcome this obstacle, MMPa offers MTs taught by a spanish-speaking instructor. a concurrent, but separate, session is also held to give employers and/or milking supervisors an overview of the techniques the employees are taught so everyone is on the same page after attending MTs.

2014 MMPA Milker Training Schools

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hands-on Ownership 2014 MSU Dairy Farmers of the Year goma Dairy LLC

g eert and Gertie van den Goor don’t have to be cast for an episode of

Undercover Boss to know what their employees are doing.

The Marlette couple, recently named 2014 Dairy Farmers of the Year by Michigan state university, starts each morning at 6 a.m., pulling on their rubber boots and working alongside their employees.

“People think because we’re a large farm, we’re not involved in the day-to-day operations. That couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Gertie explains. “I spend every morning feeding and checking on the calves before heading inside to manage the bookwork. Geert individually talks and plans the work day with each employee, filling in wherever necessary.”

caring for 3,000 cows and 34 employees, daily schedules gets chaotic. But the van den Goors consistently go the extra mile to be hands-on business owners, employing the same relentless work ethic they used when Goma Dairy had far fewer cows and employees.

Shortening the Learning Curve Just 16 years ago, the van den Goors lived in a different country, spoke a different primary language and operated in a totally different dairy climate. Farming under the strict quota system of the Netherlands, Geert operated in partnership with his brother, tending to their herd of 120 cows.

In 1998, Geert sold his share of the family business and, after looking for a location environmentally and economically suited for dairy production, purchased a farm in Marlette. “The farm was the right

size and the right price for our situation. We started with 250 cows and immediately converted the operation to accommodate 300,” Geert relays.

The first year was one of the hardest as the young van den Goor family adjusted to the relocation, managing their cows and cropland with the help of only one other employee.

“Many people just see what our operation looks like today. They weren’t around for those first few years, but I remember all the long days and short nights,” Gertie smiles.

“The closest Dutch farmers were an hour away, so we constantly asked neighbors and local dairy farmers for their business recommendations. some days, we’d have to take half a machine to the dealership to explain what part we needed! But we were lucky to be immersed in the

By alex schnabelrauchGeert and Gertie van den Goor, 2014 Dairy Farmers of the Year

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community from the beginning; now those helpful and welcoming neighbors are some of our closest friends.”

With neighbors’ support, the van den Goors quickly adjusted to dairying in Michigan and constructed an additional freestall barn just two years after purchasing the farm, expanding their herd to 700. In 2006, they built a new parlor and grew their herd to 1,500 cows. By 2007, the second phase of parlor construction was completed and 2,500 cows called the farm home.

The current Goma Dairy herd boasts an impressive 29,000 pound rolling herd average (rha) and 125,000 cells/ml average somatic cell count (scc).

Putting People Firsthowever, the biggest paradigm shift didn’t come from managing a larger herd’s rha and scc. “In general, a lot of farmers don’t like to work with people. In the Netherlands, it wasn’t uncommon to go a whole day without talking to anyone,” Geert recalls. “Now, I talk with every person involved in our operation on a daily basis. My job has changed from farmer to people manager. and honestly, I really enjoy both.”

he adds, “unfortunately at the beginning, there’s no handbook to understand employee management!”

The van den Goors quickly realized a quality team improves an operation’s success. Working with specialized consultants and leveraging Gertie’s past experience following structured, formalized procedures as a registered nurse, Goma Dairy drafted written protocols for common on-farm activities, keeping everyone on the same page.

“Just because you have the way you’d like cows to be milked in your head, you can’t assume someone else thinks the same way and can read your mind. That’s why we’ve worked with our vet and other consultants to write protocols for everything from treating cows to calf feeding and delivery,” Gertie says.

constantly reinforcing the farm’s commitment to quality, all milkers are required to attend a monthly training meeting with the farm’s veterinarian. only those milkers in attendance are eligible for the milk quality bonuses.

“With so many employees, we have to get the right people in the right spots throughout our operation. We spend time working alongside employees and talking with them about what they are seeing in our barns so they aren’t intimidated to approach us with their questions and concerns. We try to be easily accessible for every employee,” Geert affirms.

Redefining SustainabilityWhile some dairy farmers tend to bristle at the mere mention of “sustainability,” the van den Goor’s make it a daily priority.

“For us, taking good care of the environment is just one part of being a sustainable business. We also have to be economically and social viable, being efficient and

The van den Goors accept their award from Dr.Janice Swanson, chair of the MSU Animal Science Department, on behalf of MSU. Pictured above (l-r) Geert, Lotte, Giel, Gertie and Dr. Swanson.Below: Both Geert and Gertie remain hands-on owners, working alongside their employees every day. Pictured: Gertie tends to a newborn calf.

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Goma Dairy highlightsOwners: Geert and Gertie van den Goor

Children: anne (23), Giel (20) and lotte (18)

herd Size: 2,800 milking, 350 dry

Replacements: 2,600

Acres Farmed: 800 (rent out their land to buy crops from a local crop farmer)

Milking Regiment: three-a-day milking in a double-36 parallel parlor

Sustainable Practices: recycled plate cooler water, high efficiency lighting, light sensors, fan timing controls

Breeding Program: aI

Certifications/Training: FarM certified, MaeaP verified

Ag, Dairy and Community Involvement: The van den Goors have been a Breakfast on the Farm host farm along with hosting a group of mommy bloggers for a farm tour. They also chaired a 2013 Breakfast on the Farm Planning committee while volunteering with the Volunteer Freedom riders 4-h club and sanilac county Farmers care group. In addition, Geert has been involved in the statewide MMPa large producers group. Gertie has served on the sanilac county Dairy Banquet committee, has been a hospice volunteer and was an aYso soccer coach. statewide, Gertie serves as an MMPa Dairy communicator, an MMPa state delegate and is a current member of the Msu Dairy extension advisory Team.

profitable enough to pay our bills while taking care of our employees and engaging with our community,” Gertie elaborates.

In addition to recycled plate cooler water, light sensors, fan timing controls, fluorescent lighting and MaeaP verification in farmstead and livestock systems, the van den Goors focus on social sustainability, providing employees with health insurance and weekly paychecks and sharing the reality of modern dairy farming with anyone willing to take a farm tour.

“We, and many other dairy farmers, are already doing the right things when it comes to sustainability. We have to share these success stories with the public and share our story. If we don’t proactively tell our side of the story, the public will make up farm stories of their own,” Gertie attests.

From hosting a Breakfast on the Farm event to speaking with local Kiwanis and lions clubs, managing an active farm Facebook page to handing out milk during a local parade, the van den Goors invest substantial time and resources into sharing the dairy story.

Geert concludes, “If you just do it for the money, you’re not a farmer. There isn’t always money to be had in our industry. But those of us with a passion for dairying, that never goes away. It’s our job to promote agriculture to our future consumers and our future workforce. Kids don’t realize there are big opportunities at every level of our industry. It starts with us.”

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Beef Checkoff — It’s the LawHave You Sold Cattle on the Farm?

If so, be sure you paid the $1.00 checkoffDid you know?• Every time you sell a bovine animal, regardless of age, sex, breed, purpose or number,

a dollar per head is due.• Th e dollar is to be collected by the buyer from the seller, although both parties are

responsible for remittance.• Th e checkoff is designed so that everyone pays their fair share.

How are your checko� dollars being used?• Beef and veal promotions and digital advertising.• Food safety, health and nutritional research.• Product technology and development.• Educating consumers and children about beef ’s role in a healthy diet.• Refuting issues that could negatively impact the beef industry, such as BSE, E Coli

and Foot-and-Mouth disease.

How do you pay?Complete a remittance form and mail it along with your check to the Michigan Beef Industry Commission. Additional remittance forms are available through the Michigan Beef Industry Commission. For more information, contact: Michigan Beef Industry Commission, 2145 University Park Drive, Suite 300, Okemos, MI 48864, 517- 347-0911,fax: 517-347-0919.

Who pays?When cattle are sold or imported, the buyer of the cattle must withhold a dollar per head, or equivalent, from the seller’s purchase price. Failure to do so is a violation of the law and may be subject to a $5,500 penalty. It’s the law — no one is exempt!

Beef Promotion and Research ProgramPrivate Treaty Sales Checko� Investment Form

Both the seller and the buyer have the responsibility to have the $1-per-head assessment collected and remitted to the qualifi ed state beef council. Th is form is designed for the seller to use in private treaty sales.

DateSeller’s Name Buyer’s NameAddress AddressCity/State/Zip City/State/ZipSeller’s Signature Buyer’s SignatureTotal Number of Cattle Sold X $1 per head = $Date of Sale State of OriginPerson remitting assessment Seller BuyerSend Form & Remittance to: Michigan Beef Industry Commission2145 University Park Drive, Suite 300, Okemos, MI 48864According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. Th e valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0093. Th e time required to complete this information is estimated to average 1.8 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the datat needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Th e U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orien-tation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To fi le a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Offi ce of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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T welve dairy youth kicked off their year of dairy promotion

and outreach as Michigan dairy ambassadors during the Great lakes regional Dairy conference (GlrDc) in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. on Friday, Feb. 7.

Three high school junior dairy ambassadors – Mason horning of Manchester, evelyn okkema of Blanchard and libby Venema of Deford – and nine college senior dairy ambassadors – Megan Bush of swartz creek, Natalie horning of Manchester, Kayle Jakus of st. Johns, Quinn Kolar of Troy, Jennie lubbers of lake odessa, laura lubeski of Bad axe, allison Pung of Portland, Kailey sweers of Dansville and heather Van lieu of reading – spent the day training for their upcoming role as dairy advocates.

ambassadors participated in educational sessions covering topics ranging from media relations to social media while showcasing their passion for the dairy industry to a panel of judges. Throughout the year, the 12 reigning dairy ambassadors will be afforded further training as well as opportunities to represent the dairy industry during promotion and outreach events.

In addition to training sessions, ambassadors competed for scholarships and the titles of junior and senior Michigan dairy ambassador representative. Mason horning, a sophomore at Manchester high school, was named the junior ambassador representative and was awarded a

$1,000 scholarship. Megan Bush, a junior at Michigan state university, and Kailey sweers, a sophomore at hope college, were announced as the senior ambassador representatives, each receiving a $1,500 scholarship.

“The 12 candidates who participated in the 2014 Michigan Dairy ambassador Program were remarkable young people, each of whom has a passion for agriculture and valuable knowledge of the state’s dairy industry. By combining these characteristics with the lessons learned throughout the training, the new ambassadors will be outstanding advocates for the Michigan dairy industry,” Jamie Wilson, training presenter and judge, commented.

The ambassadors and representatives were announced

Feb. 7 during the GlrDc’s Michigan Dairy Industry recognition Night. The ambassador representatives were selected based on each ambassador’s application, professional introduction, interview and participation throughout the training.

The GlrDc established the Michigan Dairy ambassador scholarship and leadership Program in 2006. The program provides future young dairy leaders with an opportunity to develop communication, promotion and leadership skills while representing the dairy industry in person and online.

To learn more about the Michigan Dairy ambassador scholarship and leadership Program, visit www.glrdc.msu.edu.

Twelve Youth Named Michigan Dairy Ambassadors

Michigan Dairy Ambassadors pose after their training during the Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference. Pictured: front (left to right) Evelyn Okkema, Kailey Sweers, Heather Van Lieu, Allison Pung and Libby Venema and back (left to right) Jennie Lubbers, Laura Lubeski, Natalie Horning, Mason Horning, Kayle Jakus, Quinn Kolar and Megan Bush.

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F or over 40 years, MMPa has sponsored scholarships for MMPa members, their

children and employees enrolled in the agricultural Technology Dairy Management Program at Michigan state university (Msu) with the hope of encouraging more young people to pursue dairy careers. scholarships are based on academics, involvement in the dairy industry and letters of recommendation. The following students received MMPa scholarships to support their dairy education during the 2013-2014 school year.

MMPA First Year ScholarshipsMacy Cole works on her family’s dairy farm in Bancroft. In high school, she was a member of the Durand volleyball, track and tennis teams and participated in 4-h and FFa. along with owning 25 head of her own, Macy is active in the Msu Dairy club and her county’s junior fair board and hopes to one day take over her family’s dairy and crop business or become a dairy nutritionist.

Emily Laeder hails from harbor Beach and was a member of the harbor Beach FFa, ribbons and Bows 4-h club, Junior livestock association and basketball team in high school. currently, emily is a member of the Msu Dairy club and hopes to manage or serve as a herdsman for a large dairy operation after graduation.

Allison Pung graduated from Portland high school with honors and was a member of the clinton county 4-h for 10 years. In college, she is active in the Msu Dairy Judging Program and competed in the Msu Dairy challenge. she also

attended the 2013 National 4-h Dairy conference as one of the top participants in the MMPa 4-h Milk Marketing Tour. after completing the two-year program, she plans to pursue a four-year degree in agribusiness management.

MMPA First Year Employee ScholarshipsCaleb Brown, of Jonesville, is employed by MMPa member steve Denning. In high school, caleb was an FFa member and captain of the Jonesville soccer team. a member of the Msu Dairy club, he actually took two years off before starting college, working on a dairy farm in Greece and taking care of dairy heifers on a ship traveling from Delaware to russia. after completing his two-year degree, he plans to pursue a four-year degree in agribusiness management and eventually work for his father’s company, First-Midwest ag.

Sawyer Johnson, of lakeview, is employed by MMPa member Jeff Nielsen. In high school, he was a member and president of his FFa chapter, a member of the class council and student government

and a basketball and soccer athlete. he’s a member of the Msu rodeo and Dairy clubs with aspirations of becoming a herdsman and making a positive impact on the Michigan dairy industry.

MMPA Second Year ScholarshipsAndy Slocum is from hastings where he is active as the sixth generation on his family’s dairy operation. In high school, andy was active in FFa for three years, participating in the parliamentary procedure contest and making it to the state level twice. he’s a member of the Msu Dairy club and the Farmhouse Fraternity. andy completed an internship in Northern california this summer working for a family that has three dairies milking over 3,000 cows utilizing an organic, pasture-based system. Following graduation, andy plans to return to his family farm and serve as the operation’s herdsman.

Kelvin Webster is in the second year of the dairy program at Msu. he is from elsie where he’s involved on his family’s 3,200-cow dairy operation and owns 40 head of his own. he has

MMPA Scholarship Winners

Pictured above: MMPA scholarship winners were recognized at the 2013 MMPA Leaders’ Conference. Back (left to right): Andy Slocum, Kelvin Webster, Jorin Ouwinga, Matthew Stanton and Sawyer Johnson. Front (left to right): Allison Pung, Caleb Brown, Emily Laeder and Macy Cole.

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participated in 4-h and is a member of the Msu ag Tech Dairy Judging Team. he completed an internship at Thelen Dairy Inc. in Fowler, Mich. Kelvin plans to return to his grandfather’s farm after graduation.

Second Year Employee Scholarship Matthew Stanton is from elkton and works for Te Voortwis Dairy llc milking 1,850 cows. In high school, Matt studied electrical technology at the huron area Technical center and competed in skills usa competitions at the regional and state levels. he’s a member of the Msu Dairy club, participated in the Msu Dairy challenge and the National Dairy challenge academy and completed a summer internship with agri-King. Following graduation, Matt plans on returning to the Te Voortwis Dairy as a full time employee with hopes of one day owning or operating his own dairy farm.

Jorin Ouwinga is from McBain where he works for Daniel DeZeeuw helping manage the farm’s 120 cows. In high school, Jorin was active in FFa, 4-h and the National honor society. he is in his second year of the dairy program at Msu and is a member of the Msu ag Tech Dairy Judging Team and alpha Gamma rho Fraternity. he completed an internship at the cal Poly university Dairy in california where he supervised students as the lead student in charge of the operation. Jorin would like to move back to McBain, work full time for Dan DeZeeuw Dairy and start his own dairy after graduation.

If you, your children or employees are interested in applying for an MMPa scholarship, the scholarship application and two letters of recommendation must be submitted to the Dairy Management coordinator by september 27 of each year to be considered for the next school year. The applicant must have been accepted in the Institute of agricultural Technology Dairy Management Program.

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To order call: 1-800-572-5824 then dial 2

Order Your MMPA Merchandise

through your milk hauler or call:

Supervisor:Duane Farmer 989-681-2334

Fax: 989-681-3988

Toll Free: 877-367-6455Orders (Novi)

800-572-5824 then dial 2

34% minimum protein13% maximum crude fiber

4% minimum fat

Valero Meal

16% maximum fiber6% minimum protein

2.1% maximum calcium2% minimum fat

Citrus PulpLow Fat Hominy7% minimum protein7% maximum fiber4% minimum fat

Improve bottom-line $$. Lower feed costs. Maximize production.Ingredients from your trusted source.

Soybean meal, soybean hulls, cereal feed, cottonseed, distillers, gluten, canola meal, beet pulp, wet feeds, and more!

Traditional ZFS® Menu

Zeeland Farm Services, Inc.® MI: 866.888.7082 Fax: 616.772.7067 www.zfsinc.com

Super Calf Kit

MERChANDISE

I t has been an unusually cold winter and many of us are dreaming of an early spring. however, if the warm temperatures and sunny days don’t

make their hoped-for early appearance, baby calves will still have to battle the cold through March and april. at temperatures below 30° F, young calves should be given a supplement to their milk diet.

The Merrick company has a product filling this need. super calf Kit is an additive that can be mixed with whole milk or milk replacer to increase the caloric intake of young calves. This product contains 60 percent crude fat, 7 percent crude protein and extra sources of vitamin a, D3 and e.

Feeding instructions are as follows:add one measure (2 oz.) of super calf Kit to two quarts of whole milk or reconstituted milk replacer and feed twice daily. Milk or milk replacer should be at least 110-115° before blending in the super calf Kit. use of this product will help reduce cold stress-related death among young calves and give them a thicker hair coat and fat layer for winter survival.

studies have shown that cold stress occurs at the following ambient temperatures:• calves under 21 days – 60° F• calves over 21 days – 42° F Daily energy requirement increase:• From 60°F to 32°F – 30 percent• From 60°F to 5° F – 60 percent

The st. louis warehouse currently stocks super calf Kit in two containers:

Stock # 1114 8# pail Member cost: $13.46 Stock # 1115 25# bag Member cost: $32.34

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These are service personnel only. order your Member Merchandise supplies through your hauler.

ECOLAB24 - Hour Medical Emergency

Hotline: 1-800-328-0026 For service, call the

ecolab service Message center 1-800-392-3392

orstan Palmer

5303 e. swan Drive #3Port clinton, oh 43452

419-797-2101

Ben Johnson4461 cambridge Dr.

Port huron, MI 48060810-824-0636

Jason Koerth7509 aborcrest Dr.Portage, MI 49024

269-207-3773

Pat Mitchell7273 N. rollin hwy.addison, MI 49220

517-403-0928

A & L Laboratories24 - Hour Medical Emergency

Hotline: 1-800-424-9300

Kurt Fiene8356 c.r. 115

Kenton, oh 43326612-889-1063

Jeff TimmNW 8665 c.r. M

shawano, WI 54166612-840-0555

Payment for testing will be made through an automatic milk check deduction. all costs are listed per individual sample.

Cow Tests $1 Cow samples may be tested for: culture for streptococcus agalactiae, strep non ag, staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staph, gram negative and/or scc.

Additional testing can be coordinated through your MMPA Member Representative to include: raw bacteria count and components.

All herd tests must be scheduled with the laboratory through your MMPA Member Representative.

Members who choose to receive their lab test results via u.S. postal service: $2/month

Additional Tests Available: All costs are listed per individual sample. •MycoplasmaCultures $12•BacteriologyCultures $13 – Includes identification of bacteria

and drug susceptibility.

•BovineViralDiarrhea - Pcr $40 - elIsa $ 6•Johne’sMilkTest - Pcr $40 - elIsa – cows $ 6 - elIsa – tank $10

•BovineLeukosisTest - elIsa – cows $ 6 - elIsa – tank $10•MilkPregnancyELISA $4.50

All tests must be scheduled through your MMPA Member Representative or the laboratory for proper sample submission protocol.

somatic cell count premiums and deductions (in addition to Federal order scc adjustments computed in the producer pay price) will be paid at the following levels:

50,000 or below +55¢/cwt.51,000-75,000 +50¢/cwt.76,000-100,000 +45¢/cwt.101,000-125,000 +40¢/cwt.126,000-150,000 +35¢/cwt.151,000-175,000 +30¢/cwt.176,000-200,000 +25¢/cwt.201,000-225,000 +20¢/cwt.226,000-250,000 +15¢/cwt.251,000-300,000 +00¢/cwt.301,000-400,000 - 30¢/cwt.401,000-500,000 -$1.00/cwt.501,000-600,000 -$1.50/cwt.601,000 and greater -$2.00/cwt.

A payment of 5¢/cwt. will be added for each of the following, if the count is equal to or below:

•10,000RawBacteriaCount•20,000Pre-Incubated(PI)Count

There will be a deduction of 10¢/cwt. for:

•Greaterthan100,000RawBacteriacount

a high raw count deduction will be waived if the producer has received the quality premium the previous three months for raw bacteria count.

To qualify for Raw and PI Bacteria Count premiums there must not be any of the following during the month:

•Positivedrugresidue•Abnormalfreezepoints•Highloadcountshipmentorrejectedload shipment•#3or#4sediment•RawBacteriacountover100,000The count levels for raw and PI will be determined on one test run per month.

To qualify for MMPA SCC premiums there must be:

•Noabnormalfreezepointsduringthe month

To qualify for MMPA volume premiums there must be:

•Noabnormalfreezepointsduringthemonth•Anaveragesomaticcellcountof750,000 or less

MMPA Quality Premium Program

MMPA Member Testing Fees

Chemical, Sanitizer & Teat Dip Contact Information

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Freeliner PolicyThe Freeliners column is open to current MMPa members who wish to advertise—at no charge—goods or services relating directly to their dairy farm operations.

•Anitemsubmittedwillbepublishedfor no more than two consecutive months (one month, unless otherwise requested). after that, it will be withdrawn.

•Itwillbepublishedagainfornomore than two consecutive months only if the member resubmits the item by writing or calling the Novi office.

•Referencetoanameofafirmorother commercial enterprise with which a member is involved will be deleted, with permission of the member.

•Ifthememberdoesnotwishsuchdeletion, he may choose to have the item published as a classified ad at the regular per-line classified ad rate.

•Freelinersmustbereceivedbythe 10th of the month preceding the desired month of publication. example: to be included in the January issue, the freeliner must be at the MMPa office by December 10.

BullsRegistered holstein Bulls: We have a nice selection of service age bulls, sired by top aI sires. Green Meadow Farms, elsie, MI. 989-862-4291 or see our website at www.greenmeadowfarms.com.

Service age holstein bulls. call steve alexander, 810-622-8548 evenings or 810-404-8548.

Service age Reg. holstein bulls, deep pedigrees, some red carriers. Jenesis Genetics, 231-924-6163 or 231-225-8615.

Registered holstein breeding bulls, all aI sired from top bulls, b&w, red, red carrier and some polled, high production, low scc herd. Bulls are priced to sell. Ver hage holsteins, 269-673-4886 or 269-217-6076, ask for Tim. www.verhageholsteins.com.

Cross bred bulls 100% aI. 810-724-8825.

Cows & heifers60 crossbred Montbeliarde, swedish red, holstein cows for sale. low scc high components. For more information call 989-551-1429.

Equipment“Roto Grind” bale chopper, model 760, 1,000 rPM. chops to any size bale, eliminates cows sorting feed. New 12-6-11, perfect condition, and is stored under cover. selling because we bought a JD silage baler. $14,500. cheboygan, Mich. 231-625-2036.

Knight 1140 box spreader excellent shape, $14,500. unverferth 4 shank zone builder, $4,500. New Idea 6-ft. snow blower, $700. 810-531-4619.

92 John Deere 5830 chopper 4x4 with KP and many new parts. 989-551-5644.

5127 Kuhn Knight TMR mixer with flip out conveyor and scales in a1 condition. 574-642-1247.

7720 John Deere combine. 643 6-row corn head. 18-ft. grain head. Will separate. 231-425-6913.

Dairy EquipmentTwo Delaval CF1000 Computer Calf Feeders with 4 nipples and laptop with software. Will feed milk or milk replacer. $17,500 for everything or could split them up, too. 517-749-9112.

Jamesway bulk tank with compressor, 500 gal., $2,150. 616-897-0620.

Complete Delaval pipeline milking system, approximately 200-ft. stainless with Delaval c125 washer, no vacuum pump, $2,000 obo. one ao smith 80 gal. propane water heater, 3 years old, $400 obo. 989-268-5789 leave message.

Double-7 herringbone Milking Parlor. Modified surge superstalls with a stainless steel weaver index rail. Bou Matic 4400 signature series detachers, Flo star units, 10 hp sutorbilt vacuum pump, Mueller plate cooler, Therma-stor heat recovery for hot water, 3” low line and all control boxes. call for details 989 551-6751.

Dairy FarmDairy Farm, cheboygan, Mich. 367.11 acres. 25x56 double 16 parallel parlor put in 3 yrs. ago, 2,000-gal. bulk tank, 400 free-stall barn, 48x100 calf barn, 80x80 commodity barn, 64x280’ hay barn, 32x56 maternity barn, 44x100 tool pole barn. 45 acre pasture by barn. 7-bedroom l shaped brick home, built 1976. can send packet with more info & appraisal if interested. Turn key operation if you want cows & equipment, or will sell farm separate. We also rent 670 acres paying $40 ac. most acres, less amt. David Brown, cheboygan, Mich. 231-625-2036.

Misc.1st, 2nd & 3rd cutting balage and dry hay, round bales. also, round bales of straw. 810-531-4619.

1st cutting haylage. 989-640-3370.

Wantedused bulk tanks for storage and other stainless steel tanks 200 gal. to 3,000 gal. 989-826-5453.

herd of dairy cows: If you are considering retiring from dairy farming and looking for an economical way, consider selling your herd on a milk check assignment. If this sounds appealing to you please contact us at 616-889-0769.

Dairy farm help wanted. light maintenance and a lot of field work. 616-218-9350.

call 1-800-572-5824 ext. 202 to place your ad or email to: [email protected] or fax 248-426-3412.

FREELINERS

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Mail ads to: classified ads, Michigan Milk Messenger, Po BoX 8002, Novi, MI 48376-8002. email to [email protected] or fax 248-426-3412. ads must be received by the 10th of the month before the month of desired publication. send check or money order for $20 for up to 6 lines with your order. MMPa neither sponsors nor endorses products or services advertised in the Messenger.

ClassifiedAds($20peradupto6lines)

1-800-248-8070

M-40 South

Hamilton, MI 49419

PTO and Automatic

Start Generators

REGISTERED HOLSTEIN BULLS

a special herd sire or a truck load of breeder bulls. ready to go to work on your farm!

GREEN MEADOW FARMS

• SIREDBYTHETOPSIRESFROM the u.s. and canada

• FROMOURTOPPRODUCTION cows.

www.greenmeadowfarms.com6400 hollister rd.

elsie, mi 48831ph: 989-862-4291

over 100 service age bulls for your selection!

Concrete Grooving and TexturingCall: Jeff Brisky - Owner

Toll Free: 1-800-294-1202Cell: 1-716-353-1137

Concrete Services Company

CLASSIFIEDS

OPPERMAN GROOVING: We can fix your scabbled floors. Diamond sawed grooves, no hammering or cracking of concrete. No hoof damage. call opperman Grooving Inc., Portland. 517-647-7381.

DAVIDSON CEMENT GROOVING, INC: No water needed. Wider, rougher grooves for better traction. We also offer texturing for your previously grooved floors. Three operators will travel Michigan and other states. No interest payment terms. est. since 1987. call 1-800-365-3361.

CONCRETE GROOVING BY TRI-STATE SCABBLING, home of the 2” wide groove. Best traction, lowest prices. 800- 554-2288. www.tristatescabbling.com

A SuRE WAY TO KEEP YOuR COWS uPRIGhT! concrete grooving/texturing brings existing grooves back to 100% efficiency & provides high quality traction in new & old concrete, fast service. Blue rIBBoN hooF TrIMMING, llc. 989-635-1494.

FOR SALE: 5000-4000-3000-2500-2000-1500 Oh MuELLER LATE MODEL BuLK TANK MILK TANKS, complete, will trade. 1-800-558-0112.

WANTED TO BuY: uSED BuLK MILK TANKS, 200 gallons & larger, sunset & Mueller, 1-800-558-0112.

JuNE CLOVER SEED, MIChIGAN CERTIFIED oats and spring barley seed. 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414.

CORN SILAGE, hAYLAGE & hAY. 989-723-1886 or 989-277-1414

FOR SALE: (2) 7,000 TANDEM FOOD GRADE TANK TRAILERS. set up for direct load w/chutes & spill dams. 1999 Walker 7,000 gal. 2000 Walker 7,000 gal. call Matt Veale @ Burch Tank 989-400-9536.

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MILK ON FARM – DRuG RESIDuE SuSPECTEDIf a member suspects milk in the farm bulk tank contains drug residue:

1. call a MMPa Member representative to have the milk in the tank tested. a “hold” must be placed on the tank contents until the test results are known. - or -

2. The member can test the milk on the farm. If dumped, the member must be sure to take the stick reading, record the number of pounds of milk and report the information to their membership representative.

• If the tank tests negative (no drugs present), the milk may be released and shipped.

• If the tank tests positive (drugs present), the membership representative will authorize the member to dump the tank of milk. The member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.*

• If for any reason MMPa personnel must pick up samples at the farm for testing three or more times within 12 consecutive months, the member involved will be charged $25 per trip.

MILK ShIPPED — POSITIVE DRuGS CONFIRMEDIf a member ships milk from the farm and testing by approved laboratory methods show that the milk contained drug residue, the member will be assessed the penalties imposed by the state regulatory agency and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums.

If a loss is incurred by MMPa due to the disposal and/or non-marketability of a load of milk or milk products containing drug residue, then the member responsible will be provided an invoice for the entire value of the loss plus transportation and disposal costs as required by the Pasteurized Milk ordinance. This invoice may be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPa must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless other settlement arrangements are made.

Milk from that member’s farm tank must be tested and found clear of drugs before the next tank of milk can be picked up.

a hauler whose entire load sample shows the presence of drugs will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all show negative.

ALL POSITIVE DRuG RESIDuE ShIPMENTS MuST BE REPORTED TO ThE ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

MMPA Policy on Drug Residue in Milk:

MMPA Policy on Milk QualityQuALITY QuESTIONABLEWhen a member suspects that the milk in the farm bulk tank is of poor quality they should call a MMPa Member representative who will authorize milk in the tank to be dumped. If the member dumps the milk on their own, they must be sure to take the stick reading and record the number of pounds of milk, and report the information to the Member representative.

If the milk is dumped, the member will be paid 75% of the value of the tank of milk involved.*

In order to receive payment for an added water voluntary dump, the member must install a swingline safety switch. The swingline safety switch can be ordered from the st. louis warehouse. The MMPa Member representative will verify the switch has been installed. reimbursement for the swingline safety switch and the voluntary dump will then be made to the member.

The member assumes all liability for losses incurred as a result of shipping poor quality or contaminated milk.

MILK ShIPPED – hIGh BACTERIA COuNTIf: 1. a load of milk is received (unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and, 2. a sample from the load has a bacteria count of 300,000 or more and, 3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members having a bacteria count of 300,000 or more, then the member or members involved will be charged the value of one-half of one day’s production** and will be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums.

**For members using more than one bulk tank, the assessment will be based on the value of milk in the tank or tanks in violation of the MMPA quality policy.* The member will only be paid for two (2) voluntary dumps in a rolling 12 month period.

REJECTED LOAD ShIPMENTIf: 1. a load of milk is rejected (not unloaded) at a dairy processing plant and, 2. the milk cannot be sold through normal Grade a channels for reasons of quality which results in the load being sold or disposed of at a loss to MMPa, and, 3. testing of the individual member samples on that load identifies the member or members that caused the contamination or rejection of the load, then, the member or members responsible will be charged the full value of the loss to MMPa plus transportation and disposal costs, and be disqualified for raw and PI bacteria count premiums except for loads rejected for temperature. 4. MMPa will provide an invoice to the member for the amount of the loss, to be submitted to the member’s insurance carrier. MMPa must receive settlement on the invoice within 90 days of issuance. If settlement is not made within 90 days, the full amount of the invoice will be deducted from the next milk check unless other settlement arrangements are made. If a member has a third occurrence or more within 12 consecutive months, that member must appear before the MMPa board of directors to review steps taken on the farm to correct the quality problem which will enable MMPa to continue to market the milk for this member.

hAuLER a hauler whose entire load sample exceeds 300,000 cells per ml bacteria count will be charged the amount of an average shipment on that load if the individual member samples all are less than 100,000. a hauler will be responsible for all costs incurred by MMPa for loads rejected for temperature.

charges and assessments made under this program will be withheld from milk checks of members or haulers involved.

POLICIES

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MARKET STATISTICS Mideast Federal Order #33 (pounds)

Mideast Federal Order #33

COMPONENT PRICING INFORMATION Mideast Federal Order #33

NATIONAL TRENDS(million pounds)

This Month Year Ago % Change

Total class 1 sales 566,300,727 564,184,672 +0.38

Total class 2 sales 155,692,081 290,910,447 -46.48

Total class 3 sales 462,287,081 434,040,740 +6.51

Total class 4 sales 137,799,160 243,641,208 -43.44

Total Production 1,322,079,049 1,532,777,067 -13.75

class 1 utilization 42.8% 36.8%

Current Month Total Producers 6,005average Daily Production per Farm 7,102average Protein Test 3.19%average Butterfat Test 3.89%average other solids Test 5.71%average scc count (MMPa) 170,000

Protein Price/lb. $4.1870

Butterfat Price/lb. $1.7874

other solids Price/lb. $0.4155

class III Price @ 3.5% $ 21.15

Prod. Price Diff/cwt. (Mich. Mkt.) $0.55

uniform Price @ 3.5% $ 21.70

scc adjustment/cwt./1000 $0.00104

2013 2012 % ChangeProduction california 3,624 3,462 +4.7

Wisconsin 2,305 2,375 -2.9

New York 1,135 1,132 +0.3

Idaho 1,110 1,106 +0.4

Pennsylvania 908 904 +0.4

Texas 845 818 +3.3

Michigan 789 779 +1.3

Minnesota 780 797 -2.1

New Mexico 682 688 -0.9

Washington 533 524 +1.7

ohio 461 467 -1.3

Indiana 329 324 +1.5

* Total u.s. 16,082 15,927 +1.0

* u.s. Y-T-D 16,082 15,927 +1.0

* For 23 states

Monthly avg

cheese /lb 2.0838

Butter /lb 1.6475

Nonfat Dry Milk /lb 2.0335

Dry Whey /lb 0.6025

NASS Survey Prices

MARKET REPORT

January 2014

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STAFFMMPA

General ManagerClay Galarneau, ext. 200

Member ServicesDean Letter, ext. 213

Milk Sales/DispatchCarl Rasch, ext. 244

Finance/ControllerJoseph M. Diglio, ext. 240

Laboratory Supervisor Patti Huttula, ext. 219

Manufactured Product SalesJim Dodson, ext. 229

QualityAhmandeep Dhillon, ext. 304

Credit/InsuranceCheryl Schmandt, ext. 210

Human ResourcesCindy Tilden, ext. 220

Member Relations/Public AffairsSheila Burkhardt, ext. 208

Data Processing Gregory Schulkey, ext. 237

Member Communications Laura Moser, ext. 296Alex Schnabelrauch, ext. 211

Novi: 800-572-5824 (in MI) 800-233-2405 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Mon-Fri

Ovid: 989-834-2515 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. Daily

Constantine: 800-391-7560 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Daily

MMPA Labs

If you are unable to reach your assigned member representative, contact any one of the representatives listed in your area.

NORTH AREA Supervisor: Gerry Volz st. louis office 989-289-9219

Frank Brazeau 920-834-4059oconto, Wis., cell: 906-250-0337

Ben Chapin Blanchard 989-289-0731

Lyndsay Earl ludington 231-519-2455

Angelee Kirsch harbor Beach 231-414-4539

Violet Lombard hubbard lake 248-520-3481

Deborah Navarre leroy 248-520-3580

Lindsay Green Dewitt 989-488-8159

Gerry Volz 989-848-5996Fairview 989-289-9219

Merchandise—St. LouisDuane Farmer, supervisor 989-681-2334 Fax 989-681-3988 Toll Free 877-367-6455 orders (Novi) 800-572-5824 then dial 2

MANUFACTURING PLANTS

Constantine269-435-2835Plant ManagerDave Davis

Ovid989-834-2221

NOVI (Headquarters)248-474-6672 • 800-572-5824

MMPA FIELD STAFF

Monthly avg

cheese /lb 2.0838

Butter /lb 1.6475

Nonfat Dry Milk /lb 2.0335

Dry Whey /lb 0.6025

SOUTH AREA Supervisor: Ed Zuchnik coldwater office 269-967-7351

Krista Beeker howe, IN 269-986-6792

David Brady 517-522-5965Grass lake cell: 517-937-9061

Emily Butcher Middlebury, IN 269-535-0822

Andrew Rupprecht clio 269-986-6793

Elyse Martin eaton rapids 810-701-6460

Ed Zuchnik Three rivers 269-967-7351

Other Services:Gary Best 810-664-4984lapeer cell: 586-484-9279Bulk Tank Calibration

Katie Pierson coleman 989-289-9686Merchandise Coordinator, Energy Auditor

Steven Lehman 989-875-3441Ithaca cell: 989-330-1638Mastitis Management

Christy Dinsmoore Fairgrove 248-513-7920Mastitis Management

Documents

Michigan Milk Messenger: March 2014