Midwest Dairy Expo 2010

Sponsored by:

The Midwest Dairy Expo is coordinated by the Events and Education Committee of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association.

December 8-9, 2009St. Cloud Civic Center • St. Cloud, MNwww.mnmilk.org/midwestdairyexpo

Networking Opportunities • Educational Programming • Progressive Trade Show

Securing a Bright Future

The Voice of Minnesota’s Dairy Industry





















What’s Inside...Shaping the future of farm policy .........................Page 4Saving time and money ........................Page 7About the speakers ..0Agenda & Trade Show map ................... Pages 12-13Estrous detection, crossbred study topics of Chebel’s seminars ..................Page 14Map to the St. Cloud Civic Center ......................Page 16Speaking out for dairy ................. Pages 21-22Expo sponsors .........Page 23Scholarship Auction .. Page 24

By Jennifer BurggraffStaff writer

NEW LONDON, Wis. – On May 21, 2009, Lance Fox achieved some-thing only 1,500 people from the West-ern world have done. He stood at the top of the world – 29,035 feet above sea level – on the summit of Mount Everest. “It was incredible,” Fox said of the moment he reached the peak. Even more incredible is the journey that brought him there, which traces back to a dairy farm in central Wiscon-sin, becoming a veterinarian and read-ing a book. Producers from across the state will have the opportunity to hear about Fox’s trials and tribulations in conquer-ing Mount Everest and how they per-tain to everyday life when he presents “No Place but UP!TM” on Nov. 30 dur-ing the recognition banquet at the 2010 Midwest Dairy Expo, which will be held in the St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud, Minn. “I want to inspire people to achieve their own Everest,” Fox said. “… There are challenges in dairy – milk prices, feed costs; these can get daunting. But we need to look through those chal-lenges and realize there is light at the end of the tunnel. We hold our future in our own hands; we set our own paths.” Fox’s story begins in a small rural community in central Wisconsin. It was

Fox challenges producers to achieve the Everest within

here that Fox was first exposed to the dairy industry. “I had a close friend who grew up on a 35-cow dairy with registered Hol-steins and a few Jerseys thrown in,” he said. “I started working on the farm, and I fell in love with it.” By the time he was in high school, Fox owned his first heifer calf, which

he raised to production age. “That molded my career,” Fox said. He attended vet school at the Uni-versity of Wisconsin-Madison, gradu-ating in 1995. From there, he worked four years in general practice before taking a position with Milk Producers Incorporated. In 2005, Fox was hired by Alpharma, LLC – a global animal

health company – as a technical service specialist for dairy and beef. Fox’s fascination with Mount Everest began in 1997, when he read the book “Everest: Mountain without Mercy.” After reading the book, Fox was determined to one day stand atop the mountain. The opportunity came nearly 12 years later, in May 2009.

Veterinarian will speak during Midwest Dairy Expo’s recognition banquet

Turn to Fox / Page 2

PhoTo SubmiTTEdDr. Lance Fox is pictured at the summit of Lobuche Peak during his trek to Mount Everest in Nepal. Fox will be the featured speaker during the Mid-west Dairy Expo’s recognition banquet on Nov. 30, where he will present “No Place but UP!TM”

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Continued from Fox / Page 1

“I pursued a dream [that came] from reading a book,” he said. “I took a chance and was able to summit [Mount Everest].” Aided by stories, photos and video footage, Fox will share his experiences, from his first exposure to dairy through reaching the top of Everest – a feat he credits to the dairy industry, which ul-timately led him to his career as a vet-erinarian and working for Alpharma, which sponsored his climb. “Had I not [been exposed to dairy], become a vet and made my way to Alpharma, I wouldn’t have made it to the top,” Fox said. “Agriculture set the stage for me; it opened doors.” Fox will also talk about his work

helping the local people of Nepal im-prove their yak herds. “Yaks are their Holsteins,” Fox said. “I’ll talk about [my work] to give people a taste of giving back through teamwork.” But his main goal is to inspire oth-ers. “[My message] will be about the importance of dreaming and pursuing those dreams so you don’t become one of those who say, ‘I wish I would have done this,’” he said. “… It’s not just about climbing a mountain. Everyone has their own Everest.”

Calf care 101 Aside from speaking during the

banquet, Fox will host two educational sessions during the expo: “The 5 C’s of Calf Raising” from 2:30 to 3:20 p.m. on Nov. 30 and “Scours vs. Pneumonia” from 10 to 10:50 a.m. on Dec. 1. “Heifers are an expense, and pro-ducers don’t see a return on them un-til they are in the milking string,” Fox said. “What [producers] do in the first days, weeks, months of a calf’s life will have long-term ramifications.” The five C’s of calf care are colos-trum, calories, comfort, cleanliness and consistency. While these seem obvious when it comes to their importance in calf care, they are all too often over-looked when problems arise. “Don’t go chasing zebras in a horse herd,” Fox said about pinpointing the cause of a problem with calf health. “We tend to want to look for the one thing that is causing the problem, but it’s actually a lot of little things.” During his first session, Fox will review the five C’s of good calf care through pictures and real-world exam-ples.

“It will be a very practical talk,” Fox said. “Sometimes we overlook the basic principles of calf raising; we skip the first steps. These steps are ul-timately important in the lives of [our calves].” “This session will be a good re-view of the baseline practices that give calves a good start. It will give produc-ers a foundation to build upon,” he said. Fox’s second session, “Scours vs. Pneumonia,” is an extension of his first. “Two of the biggest challenges in youngstock health are scours and pneu-monia,” Fox said. From birth to weaning, scours is the No. 1 cause of morbidity and mortality in calves. Post-weaning, pneumonia is the No. 1 cause, Fox said. “I’ll go specifically into these two problems: their relevance, recognizing the problems and diagnosing,” he said. This session is formatted to compli-ment Fox’s first session. “I’ll review the basic pathogens in-volved with scours and pneumonia … and what to do about them,” he said. “It’s better to prevent than treat.”

PhoTo SubmiTTEdFox stands beside a yak that has just been dewormed in May 2009. Part of Fox’s expedition to the summit of Mount Everest was working with the locals to improve their yak herds. A veterinarian by trade, Fox will present two educational sessions on calf care during the 2010 Midwest Dairy Expo.

PhoTo SubmiTTEdDuring Fox’s banquet presentation on Nov. 30, he will speak on the impor-tance of dreaming and pursuing those dreams, inspiring people to achieve their own Everest.

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What are the top three reasons you attend the Midwest Dairy Expo? We attend the expo to meet and mingle with others in the dairy industry, learn about new technologies and come home with a renewed enthusiasm for what we do.

Who has been the best speaker you have heard at the Midwest Dairy Expo? Is there a speaker you are looking forward to hearing at this year's expo? Probably Dr. Michael Swanson with Wells Fargo because of his global economic perspective. This year we are splitting up. Sara Jane is interested in "The Five C's of Calf Raising," Jesse wants to hear Marcia Endres' and Dr. Chebel's talks, and David wants to attend the "Trends in Profitability" session.

What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy in-dustry? Any topic that makes us better dairy people, improves our bottom line and progresses the sustainability of our industry.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy in the next five years. Our plan is to improve profitability through increased efficiencies and internal growth. New technologies for monitoring feed efficiencies and cow health with advanced genetics will change our industry. Cow comfort and animal welfare are one in the same. Whether we like it or not, consum-ers will demand standards. Every year we learn.

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dairy industry...”

give them the quantitative facts of the policy changes,” Brown said.

A l -t h o u g h B r o w n does not have a d a i r y b a c k -g r o u n d , he was involved in agricul-ture since his child-h o o d ;

growing up on a crop and hog farm in Missouri and then earning his agricultural eco-nomics degree from the Uni-versity of Missouri. He has quickly grasped knowledge of the dairy in-dustry during his time at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, working with large dairy organizations to analyze the effects of their programs on the industry. In his first seminar, “The Road for Future Farm Policy: What will Shape the 2010 Farm Bill?” Brown will talk about the political landscape in Washington, D.C., how the recent election has affected House, Senate and committee leadership and how this will


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By Krista M. SheehanStaff writer

Finances and farm policy will be the two main topics of Scott Brown’s presentations at this year’s Midwest Dairy Expo. Brown will present on Nov. 30. At 10 a.m. in the Herberger Suite, Brown will talk about “The Road for Fu-ture Farm Policy: What will Shape the 2010 Farm Bill?” and at 2:30 p.m. in the Wilson Suite he will talk about “To-day’s Tools Dairy Producers Have to Reduce Financial Risk.” Brown is the research di-rector for the Food and Ag-ricultural Policy Research Institute, which works in conjunction with the Univer-sity of Missouri. He has been working at the University for over 20 years. In his position, Brown works with congres-sional staff in Washington, D.C., as they look at farm programs. “Our efforts are to help them (congressional staff) understand what program changes mean; whether it’s feed costs, milk prices, con-sumer food costs or govern-ment expenditures. We try to advocate policy and try to

Shaping the future of farm policy

Scott BrownUniversity of Missouri

affect the Farm Bill. Another topic will be how the government’s budget defi-cit will affect the 2012 Farm Bill. “It will take a lot of time to put together this Farm Bill,” Brown said. “Even with billions of additional dollars in 2002 it took a long period of time to get [the Farm Bill] together. And in 2008 when there was no new money it took a lot of effort to find a Farm Bill that would satisfy what everyone was after.” The 2012 Farm Bill could have less money to spend, Brown said. “Agriculture might not even have baseline amounts if Congress decides to cut the budget deficit in front of us and committees must some-how cut spending,” Brown said. “Many policies in place today might be replaced with newer, different policies be-cause we might have less to-tal dollars to spend.” Current dairy proposals for the Farm Bill will also be a part of the seminar. Brown said it will be important to look at what people in the commodity groups are draft-ing, and follow the two dairy proposals’ alternatives that have been introduced by a

representative and a senator. “We’ve seen two alter-natives begin to surface – a supply management proposal … or a proposal that will pro-vide a fuller level of direct payments … Which of those might become policy is a tough call at this point. They have pros and cons that I hope to pull out of this presenta-tion,” Brown said. “Many folks feel like dairy policy hasn’t worked very well. The likelihood of moving to something new increases as a result of that.” In his afternoon seminar, “Today’s Tools Dairy Produc-ers Have to Reduce Financial Risk,” Brown will talk about the volatility that will be in the months and years to come and ways producers can try to reduce the risks, such as using the futures market and hedging both milk prices and feed costs. “It’s hard to have perfect foresight into the future and 2009 is a great example,” Brown said. “I think many of these risk management tools can help litigate volatility … and help us get through the lows like 2009.” However, it should not be milk prices dairy producers should look at – feed prices

are important, too, he said. “Producers better be cer-tain that they think about strategies that lock in both – not just one or the other. Feed costs will remain high for the foreseeable future. When feed costs decline will be a good time to look into feed cost hedging, but producers should go into that cautiously and relative to what they’ve done on the milk price side,” Brown said. Hedging hasn’t been a popular way to manage fi-nances, Brown said. “I think part of this is be-cause of the industry we’ve operated in the past, where in the ‘80s and ‘90s when gov-ernment support was very im-portant and kept volatility to a minimum,” Brown said. Brown said education on contracting options to help reduce financial risk is impor-tant in today’s ever changing dairy industry. “Producers have to real-ize that they may not always get the highs, but they might be able to avoid the lows,” Brown said. “Producers have to realize they’re using them to help reduce volatility, not necessarily to enhance their bottom lines with the use of these strategies.”

Brown to discuss Farm Bill 2010, reducing financial risk during Midwest Dairy Expo presentations


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John ScherberRogers, minn.; hennepin County

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What are the top three reasons you attend the Midwest Dairy Expo? The main reason I go to the Midwest Dairy Expo is to get re-energized about the dairy industry. The whole atmosphere there is upbeat and posi-tive about the future. I also go to the expo to make or reestablish contacts within the dairy industry and see what is new that dairy has to offer.

Who has been the best speaker you have heard at the Midwest Dairy Expo? Is there a speaker you are looking forward to hearing at this year’s expo? There is no one speaker in particular that comes to mind. They are all very good. What I enjoy listening to the most are the speakers that help us take a step back from ourselves so we can see the changes that have taken place that got us to where we are today, and how changes can lead us to endless possibilities in the future. Also, I enjoy speakers who help us not take ourselves too seriously.

What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy in-dustry? I am most interested in hearing feedback from farmers who are try-ing the latest technologies or practices. Whether it be bedded-pack barns,, robots, digesters or intensive grazing, I always seem to bring something back to our operation that I can use.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy in the next five years. My wife, Staci, and I, along with our family, milk about 50 cows.. We use 100 percent A.I. and milk in a tiestall barn. We farm about 200 acres of alfalfa, corn and oats for our cows and youngstock. My father, Don, still helps out with much of the fieldwork. We raise all our replacements and are generally able to sell some bred heifers throughout the year. We also raise our bull calves and finish them out as steers. In the near future we hope to upgrade the youngstock facility and also install an activity monitoring system to help detect heats.

“I enjoy speakers who help us not take ourselves too seriously.”

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By Jill WarrenStaff writer

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Time and money are valuable as-sets for any dairy producer, and they are also key features of Dr. Larry Tranel’s breakout session presentations at this year’s Midwest Dairy Expo. Tranel is a 21-year veteran in the extension program, hav-ing served in Wisconsin for 10 years and has been a dairy field specialist in Iowa for the past 11 years. He focuses on fi-nancial management and dairy production, specifically with low cost facilities. Tranel’s two sessions will discuss that every producer has the options available to trans-form the labor efficiencies of their operation to make them more profitable.

Millionaire Model Dairy Farms Tranel’s first presenta-tion, “Millionaire Model Dairy Farms,” will take place from 8:30 – 9:20 a.m. on Nov. 30. During this presentation, Tranel will present a method he helped develop 18 years ago with the Wisconsin extension program that helps beginning and transitioning producers

create equity and profitable op-erations using a specific farm design. “This (model) shows that you don’t necessarily have to get bigger to be profitable,” Tranel said. “It’s all about in-

c r e a s i n g labor ef-f i c i e n c y. Producers need to re-alize that their time is worth money.” T h e M i l l i o n -aire model entails six

key aspects: labor efficiency, cost effective parlors and fa-cilities, management intensive grazing, cross breeding, semi-seasonal calving and dairy TRANS financial analysis. Through these six aspects, young and transitioning pro-ducers learn to save money by saving on labor, Tranel said. Tranel himself owns a 100-cow dairy that is in the Millionaire Model program. He worked with a couple for seven years on his dairy before they successfully moved on to their own operation. Tranel is

now working with his second producer on his farm. “I like to learn by doing,” Tranel said of creating the pro-gram, which has several model farms in parts of Wisconsin and Iowa. Tranel points out that this session will really appeal to young or transitioning produc-ers, but it can also be beneficial for anyone looking to get a bet-ter understanding of the finan-cial side of dairy farming. “This will financially in-terest any producer. It shows examples of how to truly cri-tique your farm financially and move it to the next level,” Tranel said. “Producers should learn how to actually do a fi-nancial analysis, understand why it’s important, what you should learn from one and how to improve profitably from it.”

TRANS-Iowa Low Cost Par-lors Tranel’s second presenta-tion, “TRANS-Iowa Low Cost Parlors,” will take place from 1:30 – 2:20 p.m. on Nov. 30 and will focus on a specific cost-effective parlor setup. The TRANS-Iowa parlor design was developed in part by Tranel’s travels to Austra-

lia, New Zealand and Ireland, where he observed their la-bor efficient, low cost ways of milking cows. He applied those observations to creating a parlor design for producers still milking in stall barns in the U.S. “People always say they don’t want to spend money to put in a new parlor, so they will just milk in a stall barn for the rest of their lives. Neither of those options seems like a good one to me,” Tranel said. “There are lots of low cost par-lor options that dairy producers have, and the TRANS-Iowa one is a specific example.” TRANS-Iowa parlors are built in preexisting stall barns, and are converted using low cost methods. This option is ideal for 60 to 200-cow dair-ies, Tranel said. Producers find they can often milk the same number of cows in a low cost parlor in half the time com-pared to their old stall barn. Though there are lots of low cost parlor models out there, Tranel points out that he kept specific consider-ations in mind when develop-ing his model; safety, bending and reaching issues and back strain are main focuses. Those,

combined with the low cost concept of improving milking efficiencies are what save on labor, and ultimately money. “No barn is ever too old to convert,” Tranel said. “The economics show that people can’t afford to milk in stall barns compared to the efficien-cies of milking in a low cost parlor.” Tranel states that if you compare cost production per hundredweight, it cost under $1 per hundredweight annu-ally in a TRANS-Iowa parlor, compared to a lot of other par-lor types, which are around $2 or $3 per hundredweight. This is based on time per person per hour and annual milk produc-tion. Tranel will use slides of TRANS-Iowa parlors that have been installed and proven suc-cessful to demonstrate the pros and cons of the model for pro-ducers looking for options to put in a parlor without break-ing the bank. Time and money are im-portant components to any operation, and Tranel offers specific models to help produc-ers see the available options to increase those two very impor-tant factors.

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Ron Durstmantorville, minn.; dodge County

1,500 cows

What are the top three reasons you attend the Midwest Dairy Expo? I have attended the expo about six times. I like to attend the trade show be-cause it has new technology to see. It also gives me the opportunity to talk with people from companies where we've purchased equipment to tell them how it's working and give them feedback. I like to take in the educational presentations to learn more ways to improve our farm. The Midwest Dairy Expo is also a great way to network with other dairy producers and industry people. I like coming to this expo because it's a great time to get together and visit with people I only see once a year.

Who has been the best speaker you have heard at the Midwest Dairy Expo? Is there a speaker you are looking forward to hearing at this year's expo? I've seen a lot of good ones, but David Kohl has given some presentations that stick out in my mind. He gives a very good presenta-tion. This year I plan to take in "Succession and Estate Planning." I am the youngest, at age 60, in our dairy's partnership, and we're going to be suc-ceeding into something else in a short period. "The Road for Future Farm Policy: What will Shape the 2010 Farm Bill?" interests me because I like knowing about dairy policy. There are a lot of dairy proposals out there, and I'm interested to see where all that will go. I'll also take in the business meeting.

What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy in-dustry? I would like to learn more about the trends in dairy profitability to make our farm as successful as it can be, and continue to learn about the financial aspect of farming. I'm interested in efficient reproduction and I will attend a seminar at the expo about it. On our farm, we have projects going on so I'm interested in finding whether bins or flat storage would be better for a commodity area.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy in the next five years. Durst Bros. Dairy is a partnership between me and my older broth-ers, Allen and Ken. The dairy has about 30 employees. In addition to the cows, we also farm 3,000 acres and raise our own youngstock. We are currently looking to build a new feed center, but the main change coming will be a change of management as the three of us look into the transition into retirement.

“I’m interested in efficient reproduction and I will attend a seminar at the expo about it.”

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Ricardo Chebel, D.V.M. and assistant professor in the college of veterinary medi-cine at the University of Min-nesota, will be presenting two seminars at the Midwest Dairy Expo, held Nov. 30 – Dec. 1 at the St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Both of Chebel’s seminars will be on Dec. 1 in the Wilson Suite on the second floor. At 10 a.m., Chebel will present “The Importance of Estrous Detec-tion on Re-insemination of Lactating Dairy Cows,” and at 11 a.m. he will present “Immu-nity and Health of Holstein vs. Crossbred.” In his first seminar, “The Importance of Estrous Detec-tion on Re-insemination of Lac-tating Dairy Cows,” Chebel will discuss research and data about reproduction programs used on farms. One method many herds use and find successful to iden-tify cows in heat is using tail paint. A cow is marked on the tail with paint one morning and if the paint is rubbed away the following morning, she likely had been standing to be ridden.

This indicates she can be insem-inated. “Some herds successfully find cows in heat by this meth-od, but new and more sophisti-cated activity monitoring sys-

tems may be helpful to herds that cannot find cows in heat,” C h e b e l said. Cheb-el said he will also emphasize and explain that finding cows that

are in heat, and inseminating them before they have a chance to go on a timed A.I. program, is beneficial to the reproduction of herds that have good heat detec-tion accuracy. Timed A.I. pro-grams such as GGPG – which stands for GnRH, GnRH, pros-taglandin, GnRH – can work well for cows after they have had the chance to show natural signs of heat, Chebel said. However, he said the key to estrus detection for cows is hav-ing the right personnel. “Dairy producers need to

make sure the people who are [watching for estrus] are well trained and understand what the signs of estrus are. These people should have enough time to do the work and have good facili-ties that allow them to do the work,” Chebel said. Some dairies have up to 150 percent stocking density or no self locking head stations, Chebel said. “In those situations it’s re-ally hard to do good heat detec-tion unless you want to spend a lot of time in the pen,” he said. Later in the afternoon, in his presentation, “Immunity and Health of Holstein vs. Cross-bred,” Chebel will discuss a study done through the Univer-sity of Minnesota that tried to identify if there are reasons for crossbred cows to be healthier after calving. “There is a belief from pro-ducers … that crossbred ani-mals should have better health, but realistically there are very few studies in dairy cows show-ing that. Our goal is to point out whether or not there are differ-ences and where these differ-ences come from,” Chebel said. “We’re not preaching that cross-bred animals should be used in every single dairy. We’re just

looking at reasons why we have more problems in the postpar-tum cow and hopefully find management procedures that will reduce these problems.” Although 1.6 percent of dairy cows born in the U.S. in 2005 were crossbred, studies about these animals have be-come important as crossbreed-ing has become more common in the Midwest, Chebel said. Holsteins make up about 91 percent of the U.S. dairy herd. “We wanted to see whether or not a hybrid would have less problems. That might be a sug-gestion as to why we have so many problems with Holsteins,” Chebel said. Some of the problem might be due to inbreeding Holsteins. Chebel said many Holsteins to-

Estrous detection, crossbred study topics of Chebel’s seminars

Ricardo Chebel, D.V.M.University of Minnesota

day trace back to about 15 sires. “We wanted to look at [crossbreeding] to remind our-selves that hybrid vigor may not a bad thing,” he said. From the study, Chebel said it is possible to suggest that crossbreds are healthier post-partum than Holsteins. Dairy producers can find out the re-sults during Midwest Dairy Expo; however, Chebel also en-courages veterinarians and nu-tritionists to attend his seminar. “My goal is to talk about the study, but at the end I would like to talk about management issues and day-to-day things that will predispose the cows to more immune suppression which will lead to more diseas-es,” Chebel said.

“There is a belief from producers ... that crossbred animals should have better health, but realistically there are very few studies in dairy cows showing that.” - Ricardo Chebel, D.V.M., university of minnesota


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Keeping Your Cows Comfortable Marcia I. Endres, PhD, PAS – University of MinnesotaNov. 30 at 8:30 a.m. (1st Floor: Bell/Alexander Rooms) & Dec. 1 at 11 a.m. (1st Floor: Weidner/Clarke/Edelbrock Rooms) Marcia Endres earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, a Master’s De-gree from Iowa State University and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Univer-sidade Federal do Parana, Brazil. Marcia is currently an Associate Professor in Dairy

Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research interests include dairy cattle well-being, man-agement and behavior.

Management of the Postpartum Dairy Cow to Optimize Health and Reproductive PerformanceCarlos A. Risco, D.V.M. – University of FloridaNov. 30 at 1:30 p.m. (1st Floor: Bell/Alexander Rooms) Carlos A. Risco is a professor in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sci-ences at the University of Florida, Gainsville, Fla. as well as part of the Food Animal Reproduction and Medicine Service. Carlos is a 1976 graduate of the Dairy Science

program at the University of Florida. In 1980, he graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Carlos’ primary research focus is on reproductive management of dairy cattle.

Succession and Estate PlanningBrian J. Schoenborn – Leonard, Street and DeinardNov. 30 at 1:30 p.m. (2nd Floor: Wilson Suite) Brian Schoenborn is managing partner of Leonard, Street and Deinard’s St. Cloud, Minn. office, where he focuses his practice on family and closely held busi-nesses. Brian has substantial experience providing general counsel representation to closely held and family businesses with manufacturing, high technology, and sports

and entertainment industries. Brian received a law degree from University of Minnesota Law School in 1995, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Communications Studies from St. Cloud State University in 1992.

Trends in Dairy ProfitabilityGary Vande Vegte, CPA, CMA – Van Bruggen & Vande Vegte, P.C.Nov. 30 at 2:30 p.m. & Dec. 1 at 10 a.m. (1st Floor: Bell/Alexander) Gary is managing partner for the firm, Van Bruggen & Vande Vegte, P.C. He holds dual professional certifications, having earned his CPA and CMA designations in 1993 and 1994, respectively. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Augustana College. Most recently, Gary has been working with

large owner-operated dairy farms, offering consulting and tax services, as well as financial statement preparation. He works closely with Genske, Mulder & Company, a California firm with formidable expertise in the dairy industry, on many dairy projects.

10 Ways to Improve Profitability Thru a Successful Feeding ProgramAndy Mueller, PhD – Land O’Lakes Purina Feed L.L.C.Dec. 1 at 11 a.m. (1st Floor: Bell/Alexander Rooms) Andy has worked for Land O’Lakes Purina Feed as a dairy nutrition and tech-nical support manager in Minnesota and northeast Iowa for six years. He earned a bachelors of science degree in Agriculture at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo., in 1998. He earned his Masters Degree in Dairy Science in 2001 and a Ph.D. in

Ruminant Nutrition in 2004 from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Andy works with all different sized dairy farms on nutrition and management issues.

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Loren and Kevin Vetsch, Vetsch Farmsbrowerville, minn.; Todd County

130 cows

What are the top three reasons you attend the Midwest Dairy Expo? We like seeing what is new in the dairy industry. We also like talking to other dairy producers to see what has worked for them and what hasn't. Looking around at all the different booths helps us find other ways to be more efficient in our operation.

Who has been the best speaker you have heard at the Midwest Dairy Expo? Is there a speaker you are looking forward to hearing at this year's expo? The best speaker we have heard was a speaker a few years back who talked about robotic milkers. He was very informational and made us realize robotic milkers really won't work on our farm. Every year there is always a speaker that we end up really enjoying, but as of right now we're not looking forward to any of them.

What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy in-dustry? We like going to the Midwest Dairy Expo with an open mind and learning about all the topics they have there, especially anything new they have come out with. It's always interesting to learn about any new ideas and figure out if it will work on our operation.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy in the next five years. Right now we milk 130 cows with our cousin, Keith. We built a sand-bedded freestall barn in the summer of 2009, and we run 150 acres of corn. Our plans in the future would be to install a parlor, build another heifer shed and milk 160 cows.


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Joe NeftState Shooks, minn.; beltrami County

110 cows

What are the top three reasons you attend the Midwest Dairy Expo? My wife enjoys getting away for a few days and this is a great excuse to get away. I am also very interested in looking at different lighting systems for in the barn and looking at different TMR mixers.

Who has been the best speaker you have heard at the Midwest Dairy Expo? Is there a speaker you are looking forward to hearing at this year's expo? I extremely enjoyed listening to Jeff Beardsley talk about running in a marathon and his other life addictions and how he has learned to cope with them. I also enjoyed the humor the other entertainers brought.

What topics are you most interested in learning about in the dairy industry? I'm interested in learning about cattle health and other feeding strategies.

Tell us about your farm and your plans for your dairy in the next five years. I farm with my wife, Sissy, son, Tim, and daughter, Jenna. We milk 110 Holsteins in a swing-10 parlor. We also have about 200 head of young-stock and we do some crop farming as well. Tim owns about 20 percent of the milk cows, and his family sometimes comes over and helps out. He also owns about 90 head of beef cattle that I sold to him last year, and Jenna also owns about 15 beef cattle. We are planning to keep things going pretty much the same because we put in a new parlor two years ago and a new lighting system that I was able to find at the expo from Champion Ag Electric. We also put in another 40 freestalls in the barn last year after we had an incident where the pit wall caved in. We are all updated with our facility, so we are going to really con-centrate on our production and breeding programs.

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By Jennifer BurggraffStaff writer

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Sarah (Bedgar) Wilson is a woman on a mission. As a farmer, that mission in-cludes reaching out to others to spread the message of agriculture – connect-ing America’s food to the farm – and correcting misconceptions of the ag industry as portrayed by the media. “I’ve always spoken out for dairy and I have a real passion for research-ing how the animal rights and envi-ronmental movements have affected agriculture,” Wilson said. On Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, Wilson will be sharing her passion with oth-ers as she presents two talks during the 2010 Midwest Dairy Expo at the St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud, Minn.

“I’ve Got the Sun in the Morning” Wilson first presentation, “I’ve Got the Sun in the Morning,” will be from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m. on Nov. 1. “Basically, this session will be a chance for dairy women – and men – to get together and support each other, to be encouraged and empowered and celebrate their successes,” Wilson said. “[Attendees] will laugh, cry and hopefully go away feeling refreshed.” As a dairy farmer’s daughter, a farm wife and mother of two young children, Wilson knows first-hand how crazy life can get. She also knows the effects negative press from the media can have on ag producers and the industry as a whole. “We are constantly under criti-cism from the media and the public,” Wilson said. “This session will be an opportunity to celebrate our successes [as producers] and realize we have a right to be proud of what we are do-ing.” Wilson will share her thoughts and insights through entertaining and engaging stories from her life on the farm that those in attendance will be able to relate to and laugh about, she said. She’ll also share some indispens-able wisdom from her Grannie as well as explaining the three F’s her family lives by. “Faith, family and farming, in that order” she said. “This has really in-creased the quality of our lives.” While men and women alike are welcome to attend, this will be a ‘women in jeans’ sort of session. “I think farm women are a really

Speaking out for dairy

Wilson shares passion for spreading the message of agriculture, correcting misconceptions

unique group,” Wilson said. “They don’t get many opportunities to sit back and relax. This is my reward to them; they deserve to be encouraged and commended.” Overall, however, she hopes to celebrate all producers – men and women alike. “We’ve certainly been faced with challenges, and we’ll get through them,” Wilson said. “But we need each other to do that.”

Taking action Wilson’s second session, “Activ-ism and Agriculture” from 10:15 to 11:45 a.m. on Dec. 1, will take on a slightly different tone than her first. “[This session] will really be a culmination of the years I spent re-searching animal rights activists and environmental movements and their affects on agriculture,” Wilson said. “I’ll talk about what we can do to stand up and make our voices heard.” Wilson will outline the various an-imal rights and environmental groups, their agendas and exactly how they operate. She’ll also present a number of tools producers can use to reach out to consumers and tell their stories. “If we don’t speak out and fight back against the groups that are

PhoTo SubmiTTEdSarah (Bedgar) Wilson will present two education breakout sessions during the Midwest Dairy Expo, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, in St. Cloud, Minn. Wilson grew up on a dairy farm in Maryland and currently farms with her husband near Jamestown, N.D.

Turn to Wilson / Page 22


against us, we won’t have the opportunity to farm in the future, especially those of us in animal produc-tion,” she said. With the recent media attacks on agriculture, there’s no better time to start than now. “There’s a real sense of urgency,” Wilson said. “These groups have combined and amassed a for-tune to work against us … They’re very good at

what they do; at being fundraising machines.” While the ag industry may not be able to beat the opposing forces through funds, it can through influ-ence. “[The ag industry] has tremendous influence [on consumers],” she said. The social media craze has helped this, creat-ing lines of communication between rural and urban

America that were non-existent in the past. “This will take everyone; cooperation is the key,” Wilson said about working to spread the message of agriculture. “We need to move be-yond organic and conventional, big and small, and fight for dairy and the right to produce products – and consume them.” This session is for anyone and everyone in-volved in the ag industry. Those in attendance will come away with a toolbox of ideas on how they can become involved. Wilson will also speak on her latest work, reaching out through faith communities. “There’s a real demand for farmers to speak out on a faith level, not to just say, ‘This is a dairy cow and this is what we feed her,’ but to explain why we do what we do,” she said. “We have that story to tell as Christians as well.”

About Sarah (Bedgar) Wilson Sarah Bedgar was raised on a diversified dairy farm in Maryland and was active in both 4-H and FFA. At 16 years old, she was crowned the Maryland Dairy Princess; thus began her ac-tive role in publicly promoting dairy and the ag industries. Sarah attended the University of Maryland at College Park, where she earned a B.S. in ani-mal science. From there, she moved to North Dakota and obtained her Master’s degree in animal science at North Dakota State Univer-sity. She worked as a livestock extension educa-tor for the University of Minnesota Extension Service in Hutchinson, Minn., for a short time before meeting Jeremy Wilson at an American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Dis-cussion Meet. The two were married in 2006. The Wilsons now have two young daugh-ters and operate a 3,000-acre crop farm near Jamestown, N.D., in partnership with Jeremy’s father. They also graze heifers for a neighboring dairy farm. Sarah is currently employed by the North Dakota Farm Bureau.

Continued from Wilson / Page 21

The dairy industry is one of the soybean farmer’s biggest livestock customers – consuming 594,000 tons of soybean meal annually. Soybean producers depend on dairy and other livestock operations of all sizes for the profi tability of their farms.

That’s why the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council annually invests in projects to increase the dairy farmer’s bottom line – such as improving the nutrition content of feed and communicating its important contributions to Minnesota’s economy.

By working together, Minnesota’s soybean and dairy farmers can continue to provide the necessary employment and tax revenue to keep our state strong.

Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council

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Minnesota SoybeanResearch & Promotion CouncilResearch & Promotion CouncilMinnesota SoybeanResearch & Promotion CouncilMinnesota Soybean

The dairy industry is one of the soybean

livestock customers– consuming 594,000 tons of soybean meal annually. Soybean producers depend on dairy and other livestock

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Come support the Live Auction at the Midwest Dairy Expo raising funds for the scholarship programs of Minnesota Milk Producers Association and Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association. The auction will begin at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30th in the Glenn Carlson Hall. A complete listing of all items, including the specific butter and cheese items, will be available at the auction.

Donated by: Midwest Dairy Association• Vikings Tickets4 Tickets to the Minnesota Vikings versus the New York Giants at 12:00 p.m. on December 12th. You will be in section 141, row 32, seats 17-20.• Autographed Jared Allen Football

Donated by: Upper Midwest Dairy Industry Association• Cheese and Butter PackagesIncludes blocks of cheddar, specialty cheeses and butter from the UM-DIA Fall Contest. With Christmas baking and gift giving around the corner, cheese and butter are the perfect idea!

Donated by: AgStar Financial Services• Bonnie Mohr’s “Big Plans”A young boy walks barefoot in the farm fields with his heifer. This is an 11 x 14 canvas giclee.• Bonnie Mohr’s “One Snowy Night”Night falls and the farm becomes still. While everyone else has turned in for the evening, these Holsteins congregate at the hay bunk for a late night feeding. This is a 14 x 18 print with glass.• Bonnie Mohr’s “The Beautiful Cow” (18x23) Created from the images Bonnie had shot of their cows out on pasture this past spring. It acknowledges simplicity and truth of the beloved Holstein Cow. On a quiet spring day, these Holstein cows rest with pure content and a sense of freedom…it appears to be a sort of ‘cow heaven’. This is an 18 x 23 print with glass and a verse.

Donated by: Stone’s Dairy in Henning, MN• John Deere & Snoopy Kids QuiltA handmade baby quilt (32” x 48”) featuring John Deere tractors on one side and Snoopy characters on the other.• Cowland QuiltA handmade queen quilt (90” x 110”) featuring various cow prints.

Donated by: Dairyland Supply Inc.• Polydome Calf WarmerProvides a comfortable heated environment for newborn calves for the first few hours after birth. Comes complete with a deluxe, high perfor-mance, 110 Volt heater, heater box that helps hold the heat in longer and clips to hold the cover and bottom together. Made from durable, medium density polyethylene.

Donated by: Midwest Machinery Co.• John Deere 7930 Pedal TractorFirst JD diecast pedal tractor in 2 years. Made partially with metal sheet-ing on seat and steering column, for added stability. Keeps for genera-tions with heavy duty construction.

Donated by: KASM 1150 AM• 4 – Chanhassen Dinner and Show TicketsEach ticket is valid until spring of 2012 and excludes Saturdays and the month of December.

Donated by: Merial• Garmin NUVI 255 GPSThis navigator leads the way with turn-by-turn directions. It’s packed with millions of destinations and maps for the U.S., Canda and Puerto Rico.

Donated by: Udder Tech, Inc.• Milking Set: Bibs, Jacket, CTP setPackage includes waterproof bibbed overalls, jacket and cloth towel pouch set. The Waterproof Bibbed Overalls feature taslan nylon, adjust-able shoulder straps, 2 pockets on the chest, and an inside zippered chest pocket. The Waterproof Jacket or Waterproof Pullover (winner’s choice) features taslan nylon and our signature adjustable cuff using elastic and Velcro to ensure a good fit. The Jacket features a full zipper and 2 side pockets, while the Pullover has a half zipper and one double layer front pocket. The Cloth Towel Pouch Set consists of a 2 inch sturdy belt and 2 Cloth Towel Pouches in the medium size.

Donated by: Idexx Laboratories• Live Maine LobstersFour 1 ½ pound live lobsters shipped directly from Maine to your doorstep.

Donated by: Vita Plus• Bonnie Mohr’s “Raisin ‘em Right”This framed print shows a farm wife busy with morn-ing calf chores and teaching her daughter about work ethic at the same time. Individual care and attention is a must when raising calves!

Donated by: Countryside Environmental Systems• Countryside Microfiber Towels250 microfiber udder prep towels.

Donated by: AG Processing, Inc./AMINO-PLUS • Prepared for Winter Merchandise BasketIncludes 1 - XL AGP Insulated Hooded Coat, 2 - Ami-noPlus stocking hats, 2 – AminoPlus Ball caps, 2 – Pair of AGP Leather Gloves, 4 – AminoPlus Can Koozies, 1 – AGP Fleece Blanket, 1 – AGP Window Scraper/Brush and 1 – AGP Stainless Steel Thermos.

Donated by: AgResource Strategies • LEQA RegistrationA free on-farm assessment for environmental quality.

Donated by: Wells Fargo• Wells Fargo Gift BasketIncludes Old West Briefcase, Old West Duffle Bag, Navy Microfiber Windshirt (Large) and Red Columbia Fleece Jacket (XL). Donated by: Burnett Dairy Co-op• String Cheese Gift BoxA variety of the Burnett Dairy World Champion Moz-zarella String. Flavors include natural, smoked, hot pepper, salsa, onion and the popular String Whips! 30% of Burnett Dairy Wisconsin Cheese is made with the milk of Minnesota producers.

• Wood River Creamery Artisan Gift BoxFive of the Wood River Artisan Cheeses by Burnett Dairy. These are small vat cheeses have been devel-oped by our WI Master Cheese Makers. Perfect as a treat or part of a wine tasting. The box includes two custom cheeses Alpha’s Morning Sun and Yogurt Cheddar, Edam, Northwoods chedddar and a reduced fat Yogurt Cheddar. 30% of Burnett Dairy Wisconsin Cheese is made with the milk of Minnesota producers.

Donated by: Cargill, Inc.• Wine and Cheese Gift Basket w/ VISA Giftcard• Chocolate & Champagne Gift Basket w/ VISA Giftcard

Donated by: American AGCO Trading Company, LLC• Bonnie Mohr’s “Cows of Content”• Terry Redlin Framed Print

Benefi ts of Microfi ber towels:• It is 6 times more absorbent than cotton and lasts up to 10 times as long• Superior soil removal• Removes soil and bacteria on a microscopic level up to 99.9%• Lasts for 700-1500 laundry cycles (5-10 times longer than cotton) • Towels do not fray or lint

www.CowTowel.comPO BOX 8042 Holland, MI 49422

616.212.5653

Visit us at

booth #423

Scholarship Auction

2nd Annual Scholarship Raffle Don’t miss this opportunity to buy a raffle ticket to win 10 pounds of butter and cheese from the UMDIA Fall Contest.

Tickets are only $5 and can be purchased in the lobby area of the Civic Center from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30th. At 3:30 p.m., 20 winners will be selected and must pick up their items by 4:00 p.m.






Midwest Dairy Expo 2010

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Transcript of Midwest Dairy Expo 2010