NMPF’s Senior Vice President for Communications, Alan Bjerga, discusses NMPF’s “CEO’s Corner” for June, which deals with U.S. dairy’s growing leadership in sustainable dairy exports. The monthly thought-leadership series highlights key dairy issues of the day from an NMPF perspective and is part of the organization’s “Sharing Our Story” initiative that spotlights farmer voices and industry commentary. Bjerga spoke on WEKZ radio, Janesville, Wisconsin.
“Innovation” is a buzzword thrown about to the point of cliché. What it is varies with the circumstance.
For tech professionals, innovation could be an updated app or a streamlined solution. For teachers, it might be the newest way to engage students remotely. For those in health care, it may be a vaccine or more-effective treatment.
On dairy farms, innovation can look like … entomological wastewater filtration and effluent subsurface drip irrigation. Neither are buzzwords. Both are examples of how dairy is innovating its way toward a more sustainable future.
Royal Dairy in Royal City, Washington, wanted to enhance its waste-management system and reduce GHG emissions. Seeking solutions, Austin Allred, owner of Royal Dairy and a member of Northwest Dairy Association, piloted and adopted the BIDA® System developed by BioFiltro. The international wastewater filtration company uses worms within a passive aerobic system to clean wastewater from the dairy for irrigation. By investing in this technology, Royal Dairy has reduced its Total Suspended Solids (TSS) by 99% and reduced total Nitrogen (TKN) by 83%. As an added benefit, it also creates a rich fertilizer from the worm castings.
Another sustainability solution is found at De Jager Dairy North and California Dairies Inc., member McRee Dairy, both near Chowchilla, California, where drip irrigation is leading toward a future of better harvests and reduced emissions.
The two dairies partnered with Israeli company Netafim and Sustainable Conservation to develop and test a sub-surface irrigation system that delivers liquid dairy cow manure as a fertilizer close to the crop’s root system. This results in needing up to 35 percent less water while maintaining or even increasing crop yields in addition to reducing irrigation-related greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent – saving costs and building resilience against droughts projected to worsen with climate change.
Projects like these, which put in the work today to develop solutions for a better tomorrow, are only two of the many on-farm innovations taking place on dairies. For those who spend their time planting as well as milking, carbon sequestration made possible by cover cropping and conservation tillage further maximize efforts like Allred’s. From improved anaerobic digesters and technology that separates nutrients, to feed additives that reduce methane emissions, dairy farming is continuing to advance – and lead – in adoption of sustainable technologies and practices in agriculture.
And they’re efforts the industry supports, with programs like the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Environmental Stewardship initiative that measures a farm’s carbon and energy footprints. The initiative equips farmers with data that helps them understand their sustainability impact and chart a course for continued progress that’s essential to ensure industry progress toward the collective 2050 environmental goals of becoming carbon neutral or better; optimizing water use; and improving water quality.
On-farm innovation on dairies may not always be as obvious as an app or a vaccine. But they’re no less real or important. Dairy farms are sites of constant innovation, with farmers embracing new methods and new measures. And their proven track record of innovation is set to grow even further.
The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program team offers an issues update for the 2020 NMPF Virtual Town Hall.
NMPF’s Regulatory team offers an issues update for the 2020 NMPF Virtual Town Hall.
On National Farmer’s Day, dairy farmer Suzanne Vold is highlighting dairy’s commitments to the environment and a net-zero future, noting that her colleagues are already effective stewards and are committed to doing more.
“We need to work with our partners in government. We need to work with partners in academia, dairy science departments, and agronomy departments and our colleges and universities. And we need to work with our cooperatives, the companies that process our milk into products to sell,” said Vold in the latest Dairy Defined podcast, released today. “But we have to start the work somewhere, and we have to start the work now.”
Vold, with her husband, brother-in-law and two part-time employees, runs Dorrich Dairy, a 400-cow, fourth-generation dairy farm in western Minnesota. In the podcast, she also discusses specific practices on her farm that save money and create potential revenues as well as improve water and soil health – as well as the importance of other initiatives important to dairy and agriculture, from the Dairy Margin Coverage program to rural broadband.
The full podcast is here. You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud and Google Play. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file. Please attribute information to NMPF.
(Note: NMPF’s Dairy Defined podcast explores today’s dairy farms and industry using high-quality data and podcast-style interviews to explain current dairy issues and dispel myths.)
ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. dairy farmers have been through challenging times, but they’re ready to face the challenges of trade, the environment, climate and changing consumer tastes, said Randy Mooney, a Missouri dairy farmer and chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation. Mooney spoke this morning at the organization’s annual meeting, this in New Orleans.
“Dairy farmers play an important role in society. We help preserve communities,” he said. “Like all of you, I’m proud to be a dairy farmer, producing the most nutritious product in the world.”
To listen to the full podcast, click here. You can also find the Dairy Defined podcast on Spotify and SoundCloud. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file. Please attribute information to NMPF.
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The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce more than two-thirds of U.S. milk, making NMPF dairy’s voice on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
The National Milk Producers Federation today commended Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for actions intended to provide relief to farmers impacted by significant flooding and rain this spring.
The Department of Agriculture has announced that farmers who planted cover crops on prevented-plant acres will be able to hay, graze, and chop their fields as early as September 1 this year, as opposed to the usual November 1 date, to provide for enough forage for dairy and livestock operations later this year. The Department is also allowing for silage to receive the same treatment this year as haying and grazing.
“This year’s problematic weather and disasters have created a unique set of challenges for dairy producers for whom feed availability is a critical issue,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We thank Secretary Perdue for taking important steps to ease the feed crisis that farmers are facing in multiple regions of the country.”
NMPF has also endorsed the bipartisan Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters Act (H.R. 3183) introduced by Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Angie Craig (D-MN), which takes similar steps to alleviate the feed challenges facing dairy farmers and others in agriculture. NMPF looks forward to working with Congress and USDA to address this challenge.
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The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
NMPF celebrated a successful milestone in a more than two-year effort on June 5, when the Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule that codified its earlier interpretation that air emissions from manure are not reportable under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act.
The action successfully concludes a battle in which NMPF was involved at every step.
“We are pleased with the outcome of EPA’s painstaking efforts,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “This final rule codifies what’s been the right thing to do all along.”
The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986 was created to help communities plan for chemical emergencies and requires industry to report on the storage, use and release of hazardous substances to federal, state, and local governments. The extent to which agricultural operations needed to be included has been controversial, with the EPA moving toward fewer burdensome requirements for farmers.
NMPF had been engaged with the effort to codify the manure exemption since April 2017, filing comments as recently as last December supporting EPA’s efforts last fall to modify its regulations to eliminate the reporting of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide air emissions from manure.
EPA had concluded in Oct. 2017 that air emissions from manure did not need to be reported under EPCRA while signaling it would explain its thinking on the issue through rulemaking. EPA’s assessment largely was based on the conclusion that the air emissions were a result of “routine agricultural operations” exempt from EPCRA reporting.
EPA’s final actions with EPCRA is consistent with Congress’ recent action to exempt manure emissions reporting requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). NMPF supported that approach and noted that EPCRA’s legislative history showed that Congress did not intend for continuous air emissions reports to be filed under EPCRA if they were not required under CERCLA.
NMPF has noted in its support for EPA that the emergency response community has said it doesn’t need these reports and that they impede their emergency response function.
ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Milk Producers Federation today welcomed California Dairies Inc. into its membership, as the addition of the largest dairy cooperative in the biggest dairy-producing state significantly bolsters the strength of dairy producers in speaking with a unified voice on national and international issues of concern to farmers.
“We are very pleased to have CDI’s voice among our already strong and active membership,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF, which is the largest U.S. dairy-farmer organization. “CDI bolsters the nationwide reach and diversity of our organization and strengthens our ability as farmer-owned cooperatives to tackle a wide array of challenges in marketing, farm labor and trade, food safety, nutrition and product labeling.”
CDI, based in Visalia, produces 40 percent of California’s milk and about 8 percent of all milk in the U.S. By volume, it is the second-largest dairy cooperative in the United States. Co-owned by more than 370 dairy producers who ship 16 billion pounds of milk annually, CDI makes high-quality butter, fluid milk products and milk powders. It produces two leading brands of butter – Challenge and Danish Creamery — and its products are available in all 50 states and more than 50 foreign countries.
“California Dairies, Inc. is excited to begin our membership with the National Milk Producers Federation as we work toward a stronger U.S. dairy industry,” said Simon Vander Woude, Chairman of the CDI Board of Directors. “Both CDI and NMPF are active and respected organizations in Washington, DC, advocating on behalf of our respective memberships. However, we believe by combining our efforts, we can be an even stronger and more effective coalition, advocating pro-dairy policies that fundamentally strengthen our farmers and our industry as a whole.”
CDI officially joined National Milk today by a unanimous vote of its board of directors at NMPF’s June meeting. The cooperative will have five seats on that board of 53 members. In addition to approving CDI’s membership, NMPF also created a 14-member executive committee, which will include one member from CDI, to serve as a core leadership body, supplementing the work of its officers and board. The members of the executive committee include:
Jay Bryant, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Operation (Reston, VA)
Beth Ford, Land O’Lakes Inc. (Arden Hills, MN)
Tony Graves, Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. (Edwardsville, IL)
Mike McCloskey, Select Milk Producers Inc. (Dallas, TX)
Randy Mooney, Dairy Farmers of America (Kansas City, KS)
Keith Murfield, United Dairymen of Arizona (Tempe, AZ)
Ken Nobis, MMPA (Novi, MI)
Doug Nuttelman, DFA
Leroy Plagerman, Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold (Seattle, WA)
Neal Rea, Agri-Mark, Inc. (Andover, MA)
David Scheevel, Foremost Farms USA (Baraboo, WI)
Steve Schlangen, Associated Milk Producers Inc. (New Ulm, MN)
Simon Vander Woude, CDI
John Wilson, DFA
“The addition of the new executive committee will be helpful in gaining additional member input on often fast-developing policy issues, and it reflects the strong interest of our membership in united dairy community action,” said Randy Mooney, NMPF’s chairman and dairy farmer from Rogersville, MO.
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The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Milk Producers Federation today commended the Environmental Protection Agency for issuing a final rule to codify its earlier interpretation that air emissions from manure are not reportable under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act. The action successfully concludes a two-year battle in which NMPF was involved at every step.
“We are pleased with the outcome of EPA’s painstaking efforts,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “This final rule codifies what’s been the right thing to do all along.”
NMPF has been engaged with this effort since April 2017, filing comments as recently as last December supporting EPA’s efforts last fall to modify its regulations to eliminate the reporting of ammonia or hydrogen sulfide air emissions from manure. EPA concluded in Oct. 2017 that air emissions from manure did not need to be reported under EPCRA while signaling it would explain its thinking on the issue through rulemaking. EPA’s assessment largely was based on the conclusion that the air emissions were a result of “routine agricultural operations” exempt from EPCRA reporting.
EPA’s final actions with EPCRA is consistent with Congress’ recent action to exempt manure emissions reporting requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). NMPF supported that approach and noted that EPCRA’s legislative history showed that Congress did not intend for continuous air emissions reports to be filed under EPCRA if they were not required under CERCLA. NMPF has noted in its support for EPA that the emergency response community has said it doesn’t need these reports and that they impede their emergency response function.
NMPF anticipates the rule will be challenged in court.
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The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. NMPF’s member cooperatives produce the majority of U.S. milk, making NMPF the voice of dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Milk Producers Federation is pointing out some key facts about U.S. dairy in observance of World Milk Day on June 1 and the National Dairy Month that follows.
The state of the industry
Sustainability and animal welfare
Consumer choice
And, finally …
“As World Milk Day is celebrated globally, remember some key facts,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Dairy has faced economic hardships these past few years, but hard-working producers stand strong behind a high-quality product. Thank a dairy farmer on World Milk Day, for feeding America and the world.”
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The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. For more, visit www.nmpf.org.
In its first hearing of the 116th Congress the House Agriculture Committee’s subcommittee on livestock and foreign agriculture focused on dairy’s improved safety net and the need for expanded exports, with farmers from NMPF cooperatives and industry leaders bringing national attention to industry concerns.
The hearing, called by Subcommittee Chairman Jim Costa (D-CA), spotlighted the low prices and trade concerns the sector faces while discussing the opportunities offered for producers through the new Dairy Margin Coverage program, calling solutions to dairy’s struggles one of the subcommittee’s highest priorities.
Testimony included:
NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern thanked the participating farmers and industry leaders for bringing their crucial dairy perspectives to a national level and applauded the subcommittee for putting dairy first on its 2019 agenda, noting that the sector’s “challenges reverberate through the U.S. economy.” Mulhern also thanked lawmakers including Costa, subcommittee ranking member Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), and Congressman GT Thompson (R-PA) for their helpful opening and closing statements at the hearing.
