Thursday November 17 Ag News

Nebraska Soybean Day and Machinery Expo Offers 2012 Growing Season Information

The 2011 Nebraska Soybean Day and Machinery Expo Dec. 15 will assist soybean producers in planning for next year's growing season.  The expo, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 2:15 p.m., will be in the pavilion at the Saunders County Fairgrounds in Wahoo, said Keith Glewen, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educator.  The expo opens with coffee, doughnuts and the opportunity to view equipment and exhibitor booths. Speakers start at 9 a.m.

Presenters include UNL researchers and specialists, Nebraska Soybean Board representatives, soybean growers and private industry representatives.

This year's featured presentation is Farmer and Rancher Mobilization. Join the conversation about the food you grow and raise presented by Kim Essex, senior vice president, brand strategy for Ketchum. Essex is speaking on behalf of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. USFRA is a coalition of more than 50 national, regional and state agricultural groups and their partners, committed to continuously improving how they grow and raise food that provides healthy choices for people everywhere.  The USFRA reports that fewer than 2 percent of Americans operate a farm. As a result, Americans are disconnected from where their food originates. Essex will discuss what consumers feel and know about food production. She will also discuss what producers can do to join the conversation.

Other topics of the program include: Recent Soil and Crop Management Findings for High Yield Soybean, Charles Wortmann, UNL Extension nutrient management specialist; New Information on Resistant Weed Developments and Important Weed Management Issues, Lowell Sandell, UNL Extension weed science educator; and Fungicides and Seed Treatments: Which ones work and should you use them?, Amy Timmerman, UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic coordinator

The expo also will include an update on the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff update and association information.

Producers will be able to visit with representatives from seed, herbicide, fertilizer and equipment companies and view new farm equipment during a 30-minute break at 10 a.m.  Soy doughnuts will be cooked on site, and noon lunch will be served.

Registration is available the day of the expo at the door. For more information about the program or exhibitor information, call 800-529-8030 or e-mail kglewen1@unl.edu.  This program is sponsored by UNL Extension in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Nebraska Soybean Board, Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization and private industry. There is no registration fee.



Bob Kerrey to Deliver Next Heuermann Lecture

Former Nebraska Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey is the third speaker for the new Heuermann Lectures in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  "Conflict and Resolution on the Missouri River" is his topic at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12, in Hardin Hall at 33rd and Holdrege.  A 3:30 p.m. reception in the Hardin Hall lobby precedes Kerrey's lecture.

"The Missouri River has been both sustaining and tormenting animal and plant life forms for millions of years," Kerrey said. "The first humans to deal with the river lived nomadic lifestyles without ownership traditions and issues, making it rare physical structures built inside the river's flood boundaries would be at risk in spring and summer when the water rises."

That changed with the arrival of Europeans.  "They were drawn to the new land precisely because ownership was possible," Kerrey said. "They were farmers, ranchers, builders, dreamers, developers and boosters.  "For them the stream flow of the Missouri was something to claim, to manage and to control," Kerrey said. "Conflicts between property owners and between alternative visions of community began almost immediately and have been raging ever since. The 2011 flooding is just the latest."

In his public lecture Kerrey will focus on three critical moments in which the resolution of Missouri River conflicts produced federal and/or state laws that continue to affect lives today.

"As Nebraska's former governor and U.S. senator, Bob Kerrey knows the importance of water to our powerhouse agricultural state, and to the nation and world. He knows what conflicts concerning water mean," said Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska vice president and Harlan vice chancellor, IANR.  "Understanding the challenges to the preservation and sustainability of water and other natural resources is vital as we consider the challenges of feeding the world."

Heuermann Lectures focus on meeting the world's growing food and renewable energy needs while sustaining natural resources and rural communities.  Lectures run monthly throughout the school year, and are made possible by a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips, long-time university supporters with a strong commitment to Nebraska's production agriculture, natural resources, rural areas and people.

Kerrey served as Nebraska's governor from 1983-1987, and as a Nebraska U.S. senator from Jan. 3, 1989 to Jan. 3, 2001. He was president of The New School in New York from 2001-2010, and in July 2011 joined M&F Worldwide Education Holdings as company chairman. He is responsible for the company's education businesses and leads strategic initiatives and evaluation of future investments in the education sector.  He was a member of the 9-11 Commission, and is a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.



National Biodiesel Board members elect Governing Board, officers

National Biodiesel Board members selected their trade association leadership this week as part of the organization's membership meeting in Washington D.C. Members elected seven returning governing board members and one new member to serve on the leadership committee.  "Led by a robust and diverse trade association the biodiesel industry is well prepared to meet the opportunities of the future," said National Biodiesel Board Chairman Gary Haer. "I am optimistic about what is in store for our industry as we join forces to fulfill federal alternative energy requirements and work together to continue to advance the industry."

Officers elected to lead the board are:
    Gary Haer, chairman, Renewable Energy Group, Inc.  (Producer)
    Ed Ulch, vice chair, Iowa Soybean Board (Farmer)
    Ron Marr, secretary, Minnesota Soybean Processors, (Producer)
    Jim Conway, treasurer, Griffin Industries (Producer)

Biodiesel board members also voted to fill eight board member spots. Board members elected to the Governing Board include the officer team and:
    Ed Hegland, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council (Farmer)
    Kris Kappenman, Archer Daniels Midland (Producer)
    Bob Metz, South Dakota Soybean Research & Promotion council (Farmer)
    Robert Stobaugh, Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board (Farmer)

The following members continue to serve on the governing board:
    Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board (Farmer)
    Ramon Benavides, GEN-X Energy Group (Producer)
    Steven Levy, Sprague Energy (Producer)
    Dave Lyons, Louis Dreyfus (Producer)
    Doug Smith, Baker Commodities (Producer)
    David Womack, Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board (Farmer)
    John Wright, Owensboro Grain Company (Producer)



Specialty Crop Grants Available in Nebraska

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provided a grant to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) to administer a project that is designed to provide small, competitive grants, in amounts of up to $4,600, to a limited number of Nebraska specialty crop growers for the sole purpose of extending the growing season for specialty crops. Grant sub-recipients, who will be selected from different areas of the state so as to represent various topographical regions of Nebraska, will receive funding to construct and implement season extension practices on their individual farms.

Project funds will help offset the costs of the construction and implementation of cold frames, plasticulture, biodegradable mulches, floating row covers, drip irrigation, low tunnels, and/or high tunnels. Other alternative extension practices, also fundable under this project but used more sparingly in recent times, include smudge pots, wind machines, windbreaks, heat sinks, and cloches. In return for receiving grant dollars, the sub-recipients will be required to disseminate information regarding their use of these techniques to agricultural growers through written reports and farm tours. This project is only available to Nebraska specialty crop growers for the 2012 and 2013 calendar years.

Growers who want to be considered as a potential project applicant for the 2012 year must meet the eligibility requirements and complete and mail an application form to NDA by November 30, 2011.

Complete details can be found at www.agr.ne.gov/

Farmers wishing to apply and needing assistance with the application process and writing their proposal are welcome to contact Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society through email address, healthyfarms@gmail.com, or the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center with Elaine Cranford at ecranford2@unlnotes.unl.edu.



The Economics of Farm Animal Happiness

The debate over the welfare of animals in agriculture used to be limited to activists. Now, it’s become a major concern for agricultural producers, as consumers become more aware of the issues involved and new polices on the subject are being developed at the local and federal level. Yet, the economic implications of adopting new standards has only recently begun to be studied. In a new article, two economists discuss what we can learn from the existing research, and what questions still need to be answered when it comes to the happiness of farm animals.

Writing in the latest issue of Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Jayson Lusk and Bailey Norwood of Oklahoma State University discuss the importance of economic research in this debate. “As this debate gains some steam, it’s crucial that we understand the different economic forces at play, and how they would be impacted by efforts to increase animal welfare,” Lusk said.

In one example, Lusk and Norwood discuss the fact that increasing the happiness of animals means increased production. One would assume that based on this, the most profitable approach for a farmer would be to make the animals as happy as possible. Not always, the authors say, as sometimes it makes more economic sense to sacrifice the happiness of each animal, so that you can have more animals producing. “Producers are not paid based on the number of eggs produced per hen, but rather on the total number of eggs coming out of the barn,” they explain.

In the context of these realities, it can be difficult to craft policies that adequately address the issue. Calling an all out ban on particular practices a “blunt policy instrument,” the authors discuss the merits of other approaches, like adding food labels to products that meet a certain standard or creating explicit markets for the level of animal welfare produced on a farm. “Letting consumers decide what products to buy may end up being as effective as a blanket policy, with fewer unintended consequences,” Lusk said.

The full text of this article, “Animal Welfare Economics” will be available at www.aepp.oxfordjournals.org on Thursday, November 17. The article will be published in Volume 33, Issue 4 of AEPP.



U.S. Farmland Demand Continues at Record Pace - Shows No Slowdown

Farmers National Company, the nation’s leading agricultural services company, reports that demand for farmland is at an all-time high – based on a record number of transactions – pushing sales prices up 20 percent, on average, over 2010.         

Strong grain prices and farmland profits are fueling record demand, sales volumes and land prices. These same factors are also resulting in record increases in cash rent levels, according to Jim Farrell, president of Farmers National Company.  Cash rents in the top production areas have increased by 25 to 40 percent in 2011, some of the largest jumps the market has ever seen, according to Farrell. 

On the real estate side, market dynamics indicate there are still more potential buyers than sellers, with the possibility to push land prices higher. Fiscal year sales at Farmers National Company increased by 17 percent over 2010 transactions. The company sold over $450 million in real estate, with over 750 farm and ranch units.

“Just when we felt we had seen the top in the market, record land prices have been surpassed over and again,” said Farrell. “Market factors continue to be ripe for record performance.”

Currently farmers still make up 75 percent of buyers, despite continued strong interest from investors. Auction activity has reached a record level, which is boosting sales prices for properties to top dollar. During the last quarter of 2011 alone, Farmers National Company will hold over 70 auctions.



Iowa Beef Producers on Trade Mission to Japan

Japan has been increasing its purchases of U.S. beef, and two Iowa beef producers just returned from a trip to ensure Japan keeps Iowa beef near the top of their sourcing list. Daryl Strohbehn, Boone, and Dean Black, Somers, were part of an Iowa Meat Trade Mission to Japan, Nov. 5-11.

Strohbehn and Black represent different areas of the beef checkoff program. Strohbehn, who raises seedstock, is a director on the Iowa Beef Industry Council, and Black, a cattle feeder, is one of Iowa's representatives on the national Cattlemen's Beef Board. They were part of an Iowa trade team that included Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and representatives from the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the Iowa Pork Producers Association, and the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

In September, Japan imports of beef were up 7.4 percent in volume (12,188 metric tons) and 18.1 percent in value ($69.5 million) from a year ago. "The Japanese meat industry is proud of their tradition of supplying a healthy and high quality beef product to their customers and find that U.S. beef fills that need," said Strohbehn. "We visited with high level executives of the four major Japanese meat companies and they all look forward to increasing sales with U.S. beef suppliers. These Japanese companies are analyzing their marketing plans to expand U.S. beef sales if and when the 21-month age restriction is changed," added Strohbehn. Japan has required that U.S. beef imports be from cattle younger than 21 months since discovering one cow with BSE in the U.S. in December, 2003.

"Lack of supply of U.S. beef was also a consistent comment from the four major Japanese companies," said Black. "Limitations on age under 21 months make it difficult to provide U.S. beef throughout the year. Importers and retailers are very hopeful that the change to 30 months will allow them to increase purchases of U.S. beef. Japan has a population of more than 127 million people who have been increasing their taste for beef."

"This trade promotion trip was an opportunity to continue to promote Iowa beef with a key trade partner. Japan has been a great market for U.S. farmers as they appreciate the high quality, corn-fed beef we produce," Northey commented.



Farmers to Discuss Transparency, Innovation at IFB Meeting

Members of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) will gather for the organization's 93rd annual meeting Dec. 7-8 at the Polk County Convention Center in Des Moines to discuss the many aspects of food and energy production and the important role Iowa farmers play as international leaders in ag technology, innovation and environmental sustainability.

To celebrate the annual gathering, Governor Terry Branstad has declared the week of Dec. 4-10 as "Iowa Farm Bureau Week."

"This year, our annual meeting theme 'Setting the Table for the World,' focuses on how our Iowa farmers, our members, help feed and energize a growing world," said Craig Lang, IFBF president and a fifth-generation dairy farmer from Brooklyn. "The world population will grow to more than 9 billion people by 2050, and these people will need food and energy. Iowa farmers lead the nation in the production of corn, soybeans, livestock, ethanol and wind energy. We must be at the table to discuss how our farms can support our nation and the world in a sustainable way. It's a huge task and one that can be met if we continue to focus on developing technology, production efficiencies and conservation practices."

Lang added that food production discussions also need to address consumers and their needs and demands.

"More than ever, people want to know more about the food they eat; where it comes from, how antibiotics are used by livestock farmers or how waterways and soils are protected," said Lang. "Farmers want to be transparent about why they do what they do. I know that we'll have some enlightening discussions that will benefit farmers and consumers, alike."

The IFBF annual meeting educational seminars will discuss the environmental, health and economic aspects of today's food production system and will be kicked off with a luncheon panel discussion of ethical food production. Moderated by Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, the panel will include experts from Pioneer, Elanco and Hy-Vee.

The three seminar topics include: 1."Environment: Optimizing Resources to Feed A Hungry World," with Marv Wilson , Pioneer, and Craig Chase, from the Leopold Center; 2. "Health: Meeting Consumer Demand for Safe and Healthy Food," featuring Scott Hurd with the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Bahia Nightengale of the Golden Hills RC&D, and Ellen Reis, HyVee dietician; and 3. "Economics: The World Food Economy," with Grady Bishop, Elanco swine business unit director; Frank Mitloehner, ag researcher from the University of California-Davis; and Daniel Whitley, deputy director of the U.S. Foreign Ag Service.

Lang will address members and special guests on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 a.m. In addition, Dave Miller, IFBF director of research and commodity services, will lead a session focused on farm revenue risk and the Food Security Act of 2012 on Dec. 8. The organization will celebrate the contributions of dedicated Farm Bureau members with a recognition banquet on Dec. 7 and a young farm leaders' achievement luncheon on Dec. 8.

Farm Bureau will wrap up its annual meeting with a voting delegate session and elections. The following directors are up for re-election this year: IFBF President Craig Lang, District 2 board member Charles Norris, District 7 board member Andy Hora, and District 9 board member Jim McKnight.

Members can register for the 2011 IFBF annual meeting at their county Farm Bureau offices. For more information about the annual meeting, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com.



House Dems Eye Estate Tax Overhaul
Bill Would Increase Estate Tax Rate to 55%, Decrease Exemption to $1 Million

House Democrats plan to introduce a bill Thursday to extend and overhaul the estate tax beyond 2012 in the opening salvo of what is likely to be a long and politically-charged debate next year.

A favored target of Republicans, the tax on inherited wealth already promises to be one of the most controversial elements of the tax code up for renewal at the end of next year. Six Republican presidential candidates, including all of the front-runners, have said they would repeal the tax.

But the legislation by Rep. Jim McDermott (D., Wash.), a veteran member of the House Ways and Means Committee, proposes to extend the current reach of the estate tax by reducing the amount of the estate exempted from the tax to $1 million from $5 million and raising the tax rate to 55% from 35%, bringing it back to pre-Bush era levels.

"I'm not against people making money in this country, but I do think they have a responsibility to give some of it back," especially at a time of a deep federal budget deficit, McDermott said in an interview this week.

While Democrats acknowledge they will face stiff resistance from Republicans, McDermott said taxpayers need to know Congress is not ignoring the issue until the last minute. In a deal reached with President Barack Obama last December, Congress reinstated the estate tax for this year and next, after letting it lapse for one year in 2010. While the estate tax is slated to revert back to 2001 levels after next year, Republicans in Congress have already introduced legislation to repeal it again.

"It really is a question of clarity," for both families and planners, McDermott said. "The question is how to bring fairness into it."

Under McDermott's proposal, co-sponsored by Rep. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.), the exemption for married couples would drop to $2 million from $10 million. Spouses could still claim the remainder of their partner's exemption if some remains unused after death, as they can now. The rate and $1 million exemption would be adjusted for inflation, beginning at the 2000 level.

The bill, slated to be introduced Thursday, would also unify estate and gift taxes. That means a taxpayer would only have a single exemption of $1 million for their estate and most gifts. The legislation also includes several provisions from Obama's last budget proposal to end targeted estate tax breaks.

Republicans, often led by Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.) have pushed hard in previous years to repeal the tax, whose rates and exemption levels have varied wildly over the last decade.

Complicating the issue is the congressional deficit-reduction panel, which could include tax code changes in a final deal or instruct tax-writing committees to overhaul the tax code by a certain date.



Hired Workers Down 1 Percent, Wage Rates Up Fractionally From a Year Ago

There were 1,141,000 hired workers on the Nation's farms and ranches during the week of October 9-15, 2011, down 1 percent from a year ago. Of these hired workers, 828,000 were hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up the remaining 313,000 workers.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $11.15 per hour during the October 2011 reference week, up 2 cents from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $10.54 per hour, up 5 cents from last October, while livestock workers earned $10.67 per hour compared with $10.28 a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $10.57 per hour, was up 14 cents from last year. The number of hours worked averaged 41.6 for hired workers during the survey week, down fractionally from a year ago.

The largest decreases in the number of hired workers from last year occurred in California and in the Southern Plains (Oklahoma and Texas), Corn Belt I (Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), and Pacific (Oregon and Washington) regions. In California and in the Pacific region, the wet spring and cooler than normal growing season delayed crop development, lessening the need for hired workers. Wetter conditions compared with last year's reference week kept the demand for hired workers lower in the Corn Belt I region. In the Southern Plains, prolonged drought conditions led to considerable culling of livestock throughout the summer. Therefore, fewer hired workers were needed during the October reference week.

The largest increases in the number of hired workers from last year occurred in the Lake (Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin), Mountain I (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming), Southeast (Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina), Appalachian I (North Carolina and Virginia), and Corn Belt II (Iowa and Missouri) regions. In the Lake, Mountain I, and Corn Belt II regions, above normal temperatures and windy conditions were more than enough to offset minor rain delays, and field activities progressed rapidly. This resulted in a stronger demand for hired workers. In spite of rain in the Southeast region, most fields remained workable due to prolonged earlier dryness. Therefore, harvest and planting activities kept worker demand higher. In the Appalachian I region, increased activity on vegetable operations led to a greater need for hired workers.

Hired worker wage rates were generally above a year ago in most regions. The largest increases occurred in the Northeast I (New England and New York), Delta (Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi), Pacific, and Southern Plains regions. In the Northeast I and Pacific regions, the higher wages were due to strong demand from the nursery and greenhouse industry. The higher wages in the Delta region were due to a lower proportion of part time workers. In the Southern Plains region, there were more salaried workers working fewer hours which pushed the average wage up.

The 2011 U.S. all hired worker annual average wage rate was $11.07 per hour, up 1 percent from the 2010 annual average wage rate of $10.95 per hour. The U.S. field worker annual average wage rate was $10.33 per hour, up 14 cents from last year's annual average. The field and livestock combined annual average wage rate at the U.S. level was $10.36, up 1 percent from last year's annual average wage rate of $10.22.



NMPF Chairman, President Cite Successes at Annual Meeting

The leaders of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) stood before their members this week during NMPF's 2011 Annual Meeting here this week as they reported on the organization's progress during the past year.

NMPF Chairman Randy Mooney, along with President & CEO Jerry Kozak, started the joint presentation by discussing NMPF's most prominent initiative to reform U.S. dairy policy through Foundation for the Future (FFTF), which this fall evolved into the Dairy Security Act (DSA) of 2011 (HR 3062). FFTF began in June 2009 with the creation of a Strategic Task Force instructed to come up with a better safety net for dairy farmers.

Mooney and Kozak stressed that although NMPF has come a long way toward achieving its goal of better dairy policy, there is still more work to be done. "Success is coming up with a better, more innovative way of preventing an economic crisis down on the farm," Mooney stated. "Ultimately, success in dairy policy reform is working together to get something better than before."

The initial FFTF provisions were refined after NMPF staff went on the road during the summer of 2011 and presented the proposal to dairy farmers in 12 cities and 11 states across the country. Kozak explained that although the primary purpose of the tour was to speak directly to farmers about the need for dairy reform, it also allowed NMPF staff to listen to farmers' perspectives. "This gave us an unfiltered insight into the producer community's view of FFTF," Kozak said.

The changes that resulted from the summer tour were incorporated into the DSA under the leadership of Congressman Collin Peterson (D-MN), with support from co-sponsor Congressman Mike Simpson (R-ID). Mooney thanked both congressmen for their hard work on the bill and urged all producers to rally behind it.

Although dairy reform was the most visible initiative in 2011, NMPF was busy throughout the year working on other priority issues, which Mooney and Kozak also discussed in their presentation.

The organization worked on several regulatory efforts in 2011, including advocating for a reduction in somatic cell count levels to 400,000 and grappling with the Food and Drug Administration on drug residue violations in dairy animals. A significant regulatory victory came from the Environmental Protection Agency's final exemption of milk storage from its Spill, Prevention, Control and Countermeasure regulation.

"Reforming immigration policies to address the labor needs of farmers remains a paramount concern for NMPF," Mooney continued. Although there had not been any significant progress made on immigration in 2011, the issue was getting the attention of Congress through a Senate hearing, the H-2A visa program, and E-Verify.

Mooney and Kozak noted various successes on Capitol Hill, such as minimizing the impact of the estate tax, overturning the proposed tax reporting requirement known as the IRS form 1099, passing three Free Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, and resolving the trucking dispute that was negatively impacting U.S. cheese exports to Mexico.

NMPF also was pleased to see the final implementation of the promotion checkoff on imported dairy products. "Ultimately, the outcome of this issue is not about equity, but justice for America's farmers," Kozak explained.

Annual Meeting attendees learned that Cooperatives Working Together will continue in 2012 and 2013 after the program reached its 70% membership goal this year.

The joint presentation concluded with Mooney and Kozak affirming that NMPF will continue to work on the issues important to its membership. "We won't settle for mediocrity…We will never settle on anything less than what our members expect," they said.



NMPF Elects New Board Officers at Annual Meeting

The National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Board of Directors elected several new officers this week at the organization’s 2011 annual meeting here in San Diego.

Randy Mooney, from Rogersville, Missouri, representing Dairy Farmers of America, was re-elected as the organization’s chairman, a position he has held since 2008. Ken Nobis, from St. John, Michigan, representing Michigan Milk Producers Association, was elected First Vice Chairman. Nobis had been serving as NMPF Treasurer.

Cornell Kasbergen, from Tulare, California, representing Land O’ Lakes, Inc., was re-elected as Second Vice Chairman.  Mike McCloskey, from Fair Oaks, Indiana, representing Select Milk Producers, Inc., was elected as Third Vice Chairman; he had been serving as Assistant Treasurer.

Newly-elected to the Treasurer position was Pete Kappelman, from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, representing Land O’ Lakes, Inc. Newly-elected to the Assistant Treasurer position was Adrian Boer, from Jerome, Idaho, representing Northwest Dairy Association.

Dave Fuhrmann, from Baraboo, Wisconsin, representing Foremost Farms USA, was re-elected as Board Secretary. Newly-elected to the Assistant Secretary position was Doug Nuttelman, from Stromsburg, Nebraska, representing Dairy Farmers of America.