Iowa Good Farm Neighbor Award

Nominate an Iowa dairy family for this award!

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Ag Radio Network are continuing their partnership to honor Iowa livestock producers for their commitment and dedication to the environment, their community and their livestock through the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.

Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey stated, “The goal of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award is to generate positive stories about Iowa livestock producers. Thousands of these stories exist all across Iowa. We also want the people who know these producers best, their neighbors, to nominate them because of their respectable farming practices.”

The award is made possible through the financial support of The Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers and Farm Credit Services of America. “This award is a tremendous opportunity to tell the story of agriculture. I’m proud to be a part of telling that story,” Northey concluded.

To nominate, a neighbor should write a letter or e-mail explaining why their neighbor should receive this designation.

Applications may be submitted to:
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award
Henry A. Wallace Building
Des Moines, IA 50319 or
E-mail: agri@iowaAgriculture.gov.

In the e-mail subject line please type: Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award Nomination. The application should detail the livestock producer’s commitment to the environment, community, neighbors, and preserving the land for future generations.

A monthly winner will receive an award plaque presented by the Secretary of Agriculture on their own farm and will be interviewed on the Iowa Ag Radio Program.

Dairy Promotion Group Elects Officers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Four dairy farmers have been elected to lead the Midwest Dairy Association Iowa Division, helping to guide programs conducted through the dairy promotion checkoff. Officers were elected during the group's 2009 annual meeting held in conjunction with a national dairy checkoff forum in Scottsdale, Ariz. Officers are:

• G. Joe Lyon, (Toledo, Iowa) - chairman;


• Norbert Schmidt, (Readlyn, Iowa) - vice chairman;


• Dan Hotvedt, (Mabel, Minn.) - secretary; and


• Larry Shover, (Delhi, Iowa) - treasurer.
  

The four officers, along with Pam Bolin, Clarksville, and John Grafenberg, West Union, were elected to serve on the Midwest Dairy Association corporate board.

Shover and Schmidt will join other state representatives on the American Dairy Association of the Midwest board, which controls the organization's non-cash assets.

Suzette Vander Veen, Harris, Gerrit Davelaar, Inwood, Scott Feuerhelm, LeMars and Alan Steffens, Clermont, were seated as new members of the board.

The group's annual meeting emphasized the need for promotion during the current economic challenges. "Dairy producers have good promotion efforts in place, and we're evaluating other ways we can respond to dairy producers needs for improved sales," said Lyon.

Midwest Dairy Association represents more than 11,000 dairy farmers in nine states including North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri and eastern Oklahoma.
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Midwest Dairy Association is a non-profit organization funded by dairy farmers to build demand for dairy products through integrated marketing, nutrition education and research. Per capita consumption of total milk has climbed to 605 pounds today compared with 522 in 1983 when the national dairy checkoff was created.

Contact: Marla Behrends, Media Manager (309) 376-2196 (mbehrends@midwestdairy.com)

The Way We Live Award

Nominate an Iowa dairy family by May 1 for this great award!

Information from Iowa State Fair:
The Iowa State Fair is excited to announce The Way We Live award. This award is for farm families who love the land and the product they produce. These families exemplify farm values derived from hard work and a love for the occupation of farming. Selected families must show dedication to animal agriculture in their daily lives and in the lives of their family members! Deadline for nominations is May 1. The Iowa State Fair is searching for FIVE farm families to highlight during the Iowa State Fair.

Winning families will receive:
• $150 cash award
• Four Iowa State Fair gate admission tickets
• One vehicle permit for their day of recognition
• A coupon book from the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters, Iowa Sheep Industry Association, Iowa Pork Tent, Iowa Turkey Federation Turkey Grill and Midwest Dairy Association
• Introduction and award presentation on the Christensen Farms Stage in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center
• Recognition in the Paul R. Knapp Animal Learning Center during the 2009 Fair

For more information contact:
Emily Brewer
(515) 262-3111 ext. 244
ebrewer@iowastatefair.org

Sponsor:
WHO Newsradio 1040

For an application: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/clinton/news/wwl.htm

Milk a Cow!

The Iowa State University Dairy Science Club gave VEISHEA attendees the chance to milk a dairy cow by hand. Missed out? Look for the I Milked a Cow (IMAC) display at the Iowa State Fair this August in the livestock barn and bring your camera!

Milk at I-Cubs Games!

Thanks to the hard work of Midwest Dairy Association, Nesquik chocolate milk will be sold at this season’s Iowa Cubs’ games in Des Moines. Be sure to grab some next time you are at Principal Park!

Twitter

Follow us on Twitter! http://twitter.com/IowaDairy

Iowa Dairy Economic Forecast

"Navigating Change and Identifying Opportunities in a Dynamic Marketplace"

A Dozen Key Dairy Financial Benchmarks

Thursday, April 23, 2009

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Iowa State Bank

105 Albany Ave, SE

Orange City, IA

Come network with your peers and have a frank discussion around the economic forecast for 2009. This meeting is for lenders and producers - information will be on legal strategies available to survive these tough financial times and allow for success in the future. VitaPlus and ISU Extension will be hosting this meeting featuring guest speaker Gary Sipiorski. RSVP to Chris Mondak: 712.737.4230 or cmondak@iastate.edu.

Iowa Dairy Numbers Update

• Iowa ranks #13 in total U.S. Milk Production
• Iowa milk production totaled 4.3 billion pounds in 2008
• Iowa cows produce on average 19,995 pounds per year
• Iowa is home to 216,000 dairy cows
• Iowa’s dairy industry makes up 4% of the state’s agricultural receipts. That equals $800 million in total receipts for 2008.
• The average size of a dairy in Iowa is 107 cows
• Iowa is proud to be the home to over 2000 dairy farm families

We Love Cheese!

Join us this April in celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month!

Grilled Cheese Lunch: http://www.3aday.org/Recipes-And-Snack-Ideas/Recipe-Search/Pages/Our-Favorite-Grilled-Cheese-Sandwich-Lunch.aspx

Double-Decker Grilled Cheese: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/sandwich-recipes/double-decker-grilled-cheese-sandwiches/article.html

Grilled Cheese Recipes: http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/breadstuffs/grilled-cheese-recipes.asp

Artificial Insemination Class

Northeast Iowa Community College will be offering an Artificial Insemination class, June 2, 3 and 4, 2009 from 9:00 – 3:00 taught by Chris Harvey, D.V.M. The classes will take place at The Dairy Center located south of Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar, Iowa.

The A.I. School will cover all aspects of bovine reproduction, from anatomy and hormones, to heat detection. The students have actual insemination practice utilizing cattle from the Dairy Center and neighboring farms.

Please register soon as class size is very limited. Registration fee is $115.00 and includes supplies. To register for the A.I. class, call Northeast Iowa Community College 800-728-2256 Ext 399. For more information on the Artificial Insemination (#0027106) class, please call Mary Steen at Northeast Iowa Community College, 1-800-728-2256 Ext 341.

Animal Composting Workshop

Mortality Composting Workshop

Monday, April 20, 2009

1:00 - 3:30 pm

Dairy Center Room 115

Calmar, Iowa

Iowa State University Extension, The Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation and Northeast Iowa Community College are working together to host a Mortality Composting Workshop. With the availability and cost of rendering services and the need to safely compost livestock, the workshop will address the basics of composting all types of livestock.

12:30 - 1:00 pm
Registration

1:00 - 1:30 pm
Dr. Gary Eiben, District State Veterinarian
Iowa rules and regulations related to the composting of livestock mortalities, especially those over 30 months of age

1:35 - 2:30 pm
Dr. Tom Glanville, Extension Ag Engineer
Fundamentals of animal composting

2:40 - 3:30 pm
Tour the Mortality composting site

Topics to be covered include:

• Cover materials selection and quantities
• Site location and maintenance
• Land preparation for a compost pile
• Preparation of the carcass(es)
• Alternatives such as turning and management of the compost pile

Whether you deal with normal death rates or an emergency happens -- be prepared. Fires, floods, building ventilation failures and catastrophic disease don't happen often, but when they do livestock producers suddenly can be faced with livestock deaths and carcass disposal problems. Don't miss this free program on mortality composting.

To register for the Mortality Composting Workshop (#0027363), please call NICC at 800-728-2256 Ext 399.