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Be dairy; we are in this together

Recently, the 120th World Dairy Summit, an annual global dairy meeting held by the International Dairy Federation, was held in Chicago for the first time in decades. The IDF is an organization of …

Interview with myself

I spent the day being interviewed on camera a few weeks back. It was exhausting — thinking deeply about things, answering questions coherently and attempting to limit the number of …

Volatility in butter markets

Butter prices have moderated after reaching record highs. DairyVisor President Joe Spader said holiday demand has been the biggest support for the market. “There may be a shift in consumer …

Vanilla meatballs

Fall has arrived. All of us here – humans and cows – are enjoying the cooler temperatures. We’ve actually been getting rain, so the cows can graze again. On the sunny days when fall …

All is well

At choir practice last week, the director asked us to share the highlight of our day. Many said a long walk through a tree park as colorful leaves danced to the ground. Another member said an extra …

Jury duty

It was quite unsettling some years back when I received that letter from the clerk of courts. My first reaction was, “What now? Am I being sued? Do I have a pile of unpaid parking tickets? …

Undeniably Dairy grants provide Midwest dairy farmers the opportunity to connect with their communities and share their story. These grants are used for local promotion efforts to showcase that dairy …

Internal parasites can eat profits

External parasites, like flies, mites and lice, are often easy to detect when observing dairy cattle behavior and appearance. Severe infiltrations of internal parasites can result in roughness of …

In my barn boots

Carried away go my thoughts Like fall leaves on a brisk breeze My feet are in boots My mind does as it may please It floats to the meals I will make for the crew It flies to the work — …

Facebook flashback

I use my phone for so many things that if I lose it for a moment, I panic.   I have prioritized this piece of technology to be my lifeline. It allows me to connect to people I know and work …

The hazards of agri-driving

My daily drive from home to the Dairy Star office in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, and back should be about 30 minutes one way. However, commute time stretched to 45 minutes for much of summer and into …

FMMO hearing in recess

The National Federal Milk Marketing Order Pricing Formula Hearing is in recess until Nov. 27. Once the process begins again, the hearing is expected to last for a couple more weeks. The U.S. …

The downturn in U.S. milk production was bigger than we thought but is likely over. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest preliminary data put September output at 18.21 billion pounds, …

Butter sets a new record high

The September federal order Class III milk price was announced at $18.39 per hundredweight, up $1.20 from August but $1.43 below September 2022 and the highest since April. The nine-month average …

Back to school with events too

This past month has been a whirlwind, but I have finally recovered from the busyness of the Minnesota State Fair. The day after the fair, my parents and I picked up the 90-pound block of butter and …

How hot is too hot?

The summer of 2023 was hot and dry. However, until the third week in August, most farmers in my area reported little, if any, drop in milk production. Cows did well because dairy producers have …

Back to baking

Apples, pumpkin and cinnamon are three of my favorite things about fall. We haven’t had a killing frost yet, but a few chilly nights are pushing me out of the garden and back to the kitchen to …

Farming with family

As dairy farmers, the work is never done. There are always chores that can be done. Nonetheless, we typically try to take it easy on Sundays and dedicate time for family. Most Sundays, we either …

Autumn chores

It is now officially autumn, which means it’s time to quit putting off your summertime projects and start putting off your fall chores. Back in the days of yore — a historical period …

Not World Dairy Expo bound

Emily and I used to go to World Dairy Expo every year to wander around, chatting with friends, looking at equipment and admiring beautiful dairy cattle. The road trip to Madison, Wisconsin, was also …

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