Bad has turned to worse for milk producers in the nation's largest dairy state. Few, if any, California dairies managed to fully recover from the 2009 cost:price crisis before another outbreak in 2012
Last fall the Purebred Dairy Cattle Association (PDCA) updated their showmanship scorecard. The committee felt the scorecard should more accurately reflect how showmanship is evaluated. They removed the...
With advancing technologies, how many (other than producers) have seen a working modern farm? The red barn, white fence and silo are not commonplace anymore. Thousands of guests, both rural and urban,...
When Hoard's Dairyman commissioned artist Bonnie Mohr, Glencoe, Minn., to create a new edition to its Foster Mothers of the Human Race paintings, the result was astounding
While it may no longer be June Dairy Month, educating the public is a year-round challenge. As summer shows and fairs get into full swing, do you take the time to educate the public about your animals,...
Last week at the National Holstein Convention in Springfield, Mo., junior members gathered for the youth forum to hear the state of the association address by JAC Chairman Derek Wasson and to select three...
Gratitude seems to be lost these days. A sincere thank you is replaced with a "Yea, thanks man." While some gestures only need a quick thank you, others might necessitate more. Writing thank you notes...
Recent size and landscape changes of New Zealand's dairy industry are worth noting. Even though New Zealand currently produces less than 5 percent of the global milk supply, recent changes in size and...
After 22 years leading the largest dairy state's nutrition education program, Peggy Biltz will retire July 13 as CEO of Dairy Council of California. Replacing her will be Tammy Anderson-Wise (pictured),...
Use pictures to catch the eye and use your words to catch the mind To build trust, farmers know they must become a familiar face to their customers. From coffee shops to hay sales, farmers have used these...
Do you enjoy money, knowledge or friends? This is not a multiple-choice question, as you can have all three through a prominent dairy charity. National Dairy Shrine is a 17,000-member nonprofit charity...
Serve dairy products at events to promote the industry by Patti Hurtgen, Hoard's Dairyman staff Last weekend, I attended a high school graduation party for a student pursuing higher education in our industry....
Consider writing a standard operating procedure to ensure tasks are completed uniformly on your operation. The workforce on a modern dairy farm is both multigenerational and multicultural. Without training,...
Economist Herbert Stein (1916-1999) had a keen wit and ability to sum up complex financial concepts in simple ways. A former chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, he is best remembered...
Betty Thompson felt like she had the odds stacked against her when she ran for Miss America. "I was the little farm girl with a milk dud platform that wasn't tall enough to win," she said. But, this Oklahoma...
It seems people choose to focus on the negative. When sharing milk's story, highlight the positive. The phases you speak or type become memorable and often quotable. MyDairy shares some reminders as we...
The jargon in our industry can overwhelm the ordinary urbanite. The words we choose when talking to our dairy neighbor at the feed mill are different than the vocabulary used to talk to the teacher at...
The National FFA Contest encompasses dairy management into their judging contest. by Hoard's Dairyman staff Many of us began dairy judging in 4-H programs. The younger members started by just filling out...
by Hoard's Dairyman staff One of the U.S.'s most prominent dairymen looked into his renewable crystal ball. Mike McCloskey, D.V.M., may be a name you are familiar with. Or another name, Fair Oaks Farms,...
