Tuesday October 04 Ag News

 Nebraska Pork Announces New Ambassador Program

Choosing a career path can be difficult and with unlimited occupational options, it is helpful to receive a little guidance along the way. With that premise in mind, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NPPA), under the direction of Education Director, Sophia Lentfer announces a new Pork Ambassador Program. The Pork Ambassador Program is a career development program that will provide a variety of firsthand experiences to promote career development.

NePPA is seeking college-age students to be a part of the Pork Ambassador Program. If students are connected to agriculture and believe in the future of the pork industry, they are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicants must be between 18-23 years of age, be enrolled full-time in a Nebraska post secondary school. The yearlong program will run from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024. During that time students will attend seminars where they will learn about the various and varied career opportunities of the pork and agriculture industries. Applicants do not have to be a pork producer to apply.

As a Pork Ambassador you will job shadow pork industry professionals, promote agriculture, and the pork industry, improve your leadership, team building, and communications skills. You will travel to the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, IA, the Nebraska Pork Expo, and other exciting industry tours, and group events. Upon successfully completing the program, students will receive a $500 scholarship toward their education expenses. Students will not be responsible for any expenses to participate in the program.

Interested students should complete the application on www.nepork.org and submit an up-to-date resume by November 1. Applications will be reviewed, and selection notifications will be sent by November 15.

For more information, contact Sophia Lentfer: sophia@nepork.org or 531-500-3423.



Best Management Practices are key, especially in dry times

As dry conditions continue, it not only affects this year’s crop, but could impact next year’s as well, leaving aquifers deeply impacted.  At their September board meeting, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) voted to formally declare a drought across their 15-county district.

Mike Sousek, general manager for the LENRD, said, “It’s important that we’re all conserving the groundwater we share.  If this situation continues, our board will have some tough decisions to make by Nov. 1st.”  If the district remains in a D3 or D4 drought designation, November 1st is the deadline for the board to make any decisions concerning water use restrictions for next year.

Many cities and towns across the district have water-saving measures in place, encouraging residents to limit their water use on their scheduled days.  The LENRD reminds citizens to work together to conserve water.  Sousek said, “We can help each other by using less water and being mindful of our day-to-day usage.”

Best Management Practices (BMPs) are important when managing any conservation plan, especially in dry times.  The district has cost-share funding available for BMPs and encourages producers to stop by their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office or the LENRD office in Norfolk, to look over their options and apply for the best program to fit their needs.

Water can be efficiently applied at different rates throughout the field, using Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI).  Over-applying water to the soil could cause nutrient runoff or leaching beyond the root zone of the plant.  Using VRI and other management tools can help prevent over-watering and could potentially improve water quality.

Soil moisture sensors are another tool that can be cost-shared with the LENRD.  The sensors can help determine when and where the water is needed, saving the producers time and money.  Telemetry programs are also available to connect with the sensors, giving producers quality information at their fingertips.

Sousek said, “Water flow meters are another management tool used to protect current water users and allow for the development of new water users.  Meters became a requirement across the LENRD in 2007.  After the drought of 2012, it became evident that we needed to be even more proactive in the management of our groundwater since numerous in-season shortages were reported across the district, from all types of groundwater users.  Therefore, in 2018 and 2019, all high-capacity wells located within the 15-county district were required to install a meter.”

Many growers installed flow meters in response to regulations, but now realize their importance.  By periodically checking your irrigation meter, you can see how fast you’re using the resource and the amount being used.  Meters allow you to keep track of your allocation (if you have one), to check your pivot’s efficiency, and to detect any well or pump problems before they become severe.  Everything in agriculture is constantly measured and calculated.  Measuring and managing the water with flow meters is another important part of a producer’s management plan.

Sousek added, “Keeping track of your water meter during the growing season can help determine how close you are getting to the annual allocation.  You can also improve your irrigation efficiency by keeping track of how much water was applied the previous week and comparing that number to the crop water use data.  If you applied more water than the crop used the previous week, you may not be making room to store potential rainfall or water may be leaching below the root zone.”

Water savings can also be found with healthy soils.  Soils with more organic matter can hold more moisture but building up the soil profile takes time.  The LENRD encourages producers to take advantage of cost-share money available for planting cover crops and continue to develop healthy soils for enhanced water infiltration, water holding capacity, and nutrient management.  Watering less often, saving time and money is the key.  Good ground cover also prevents further wind erosion, keeping the soil in place.  Healthy soils can also assist in protecting the quality of the water.

With the LENRD’s Conservation Cost-Share Program, there are many options for producers who are looking to conserve water, but also to protect the quality of their water at the same time.  Sousek said, “Stop by or give us a call.  We can work together to find the program that is right for you and your operation.”

The next Committee meeting for the LENRD board is Thursday, October 13th at 7:00 p.m. at the LENRD office in Norfolk and on Facebook Live.



GRAZING DROUGHT STRESSED CROP RESIDUE
– Todd Whitney, NE Extension Educator
 
Welcome rains have occurred in many Nebraska regions; but our hot and dry summer impacts are extending into the fall; and drought stressed forage stalks are deteriorating more rapidly than normal. These conditions along with shorter than normal grass pastures may be motivating livestock producers to begin fall crop residues grazing earlier.
 
When it comes to stalks residue, grain sorghum stover will retain nutrient grazing value longer than corn. This year, though, rapidly declining stalks quality, may be encouraging earlier residues grazing of both corn and sorghum soon after grain harvest. Both crop residues provide good nutrition for mid- to late-gestation cattle following fall harvest. Sorghum leaves have similar quality to corn husk and leaves; but their quality still decrease over time.
 
Although both residues provide the highest nutrient content when grazed soon after grain harvest; prioritize grazing corn stalk fields first. Corn leaves tend to detach from stalks within one to two months after harvest and then blow out of stalk fields; thus, dramatically lowering grazing nutritional content. In contrast, grain sorghum stover leaves remain attached to their stalks much longer into the winter and early spring retaining nutritional value.
 
Previous grain sorghum yields can be used to set optimum grazing stalking rates. For example, grazing rates might be 1 acre per cow per month for every 100 bushels of harvested sorghum.
Unlike corn residue, grain sorghum stover can have prussic acid toxicity along with possible nitrate toxicity risk especially if cattle are forced to graze the lower 1/3 of drought stressed stalks. Other sorghum stover residues advantages include being less prone to lodging; and lower acidosis (founder disease) from grazing spilled grain than corn.
 
More crop residues research information is available on our cropwatch.unl.edu and beef.unl.edu websites



McLEAN SELECTED AS NEXT DEAN OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH DIVISION AT NEBRASKA

Derek McLean has been selected as the next dean of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Agricultural Research Division.

McLean, who currently serves as a senior science adviser in the Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, will begin the appointment Jan. 1. He will succeed Archie Clutter, who will retire at the end of the year.

In his new role, McLean will lead and oversee all programming and initiatives related to agriculture and natural resources research, as well as the three research, extension and education centers and affiliated research sites across Nebraska. The position is housed within the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. McLean was one of four finalists who visited the university to interview for the position earlier this summer.

“Everything I learned during my visit to UNL furthered my desire to join the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources,” McLean said. “I was already aware of its reputation for excellence in research, education and community outreach, and the enthusiasm to build upon that success was unmistakable throughout the selection process. I look forward to the opportunity to support the faculty, staff and students and engage stakeholders as they pursue their goals in providing innovative solutions to address the interdisciplinary challenges we face as a society.”

The Agricultural Research Division dean works closely with Nebraska producers and ag and natural resources groups to ensure that Husker scientists are engaged in research that advances agriculture and natural resources management in Nebraska. Lisa Lunz, president of the advocacy group Ag Builders of Nebraska and a farmer from the Wakefield area, said she appreciated the interest in cultivating relationships with IANR stakeholders McLean demonstrated during the interview process.  

“I’m excited to work with Dr. McLean to build on the strong foundation of research and discovery relevant to Nebraska’s farmers, ranchers and other stakeholder groups,” Lunz said. "I want to thank Dr. Clutter for his leadership within IANR and his work throughout the state."

Bill Rishel of North Platte, founder of Rishel Angus, also participated in the interviews.

“Having attended the interviews of the candidates for the position, I was impressed with how Dr. McLean clearly defined why he was interested in this role,” Rishel said. “He said he enjoys the process of pulling different projects and groups together. The ARD dean position certainly presents an opportunity to fulfill that challenge.”

In his current role, McLean works to ensure that research funding aligns to the priority areas established by the National Institutes of Health. This effort requires expertise in building relationships, establishing groups to develop funding plans and policy and working across the more than 20 institutes and centers at NIH. Prior to NIH, McLean was the senior director of collaborative research for Phibro Animal Health Corporation. He also served for 10 years as a faculty member in the animal sciences department at Washington State University.

“We had an incredibly strong group of candidates for this position, but Dr. McLean’s experience spanning higher education and the private and government sectors stood out,” said Mike Boehm, NU vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR. “Dr. McLean is a highly effective, thoughtful and inclusive leader, and I'm delighted to welcome him to UNL. I’d also like to thank the search committee, chaired by CASNR Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss and Professor Ed Cahoon, for their work in cultivating such an incredible group of candidates.”

Clutter announced in January that he would retire at the end of 2022 after holding the Agricultural Research Division dean position for more than a decade. Under Clutter’s leadership, both research awards and expenditures have grown steadily, culminating in fiscal year 2021, when the division received a record $64 million in externally sponsored awards. At the same time, the division has seen the construction of state-of-the-art research facilities and the development of interdisciplinary research teams created to more holistically address complex issues related to food, water, climate and the environment.



Nebraska CSP, EQIP application deadline set for Nov. 18

The deadline for Nebraska producers to submit initial paperwork for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is Nov. 18.

CSP and EQIP are working lands programs that allow farmers and ranchers to address natural resource priorities while maintaining agricultural production. They are administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provide financial and technical assistance for producers interested in implementing conservation practices.

“In contrast to a one-size-fits-all approach, these programs allow producers to select conservation practices that work with the specific needs of their operations,” said Kalee Olson, policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs.

EQIP is designed to help producers address a particular resource concern with a single practice or project, such as improving soil health through no-till or rotational grazing. In addition, EQIP offers assistance for structural practices, such as building terraces.

In contrast, CSP is a whole-farm program designed to help producers take their existing conservation efforts to the next level. Eligible producers must demonstrate they are currently addressing regional resource concerns and be willing to implement additional practices, such as a multispecies cover crop.

“As with any change to an operation, implementing conservation practices comes with an amount of risk. CSP and EQIP alleviate these risks and provide incentives for producers to try something new,” Olson said.

In 2021, more than 1,200 contracts advanced conservation across Nebraska, with 1,029 EQIP and 184 CSP contracts statewide.

Producers interested in applying for either program are encouraged to contact their local NRCS office as soon as possible to set up an appointment. A list of local offices can be found at offices.sc.egov.usda.gov.



Pro Ag Outlook and Management Series Begins in November

Producers, ag lenders and suppliers can get a look at current market conditions and expected trends in crop and livestock income potential during the annual Pro Ag Outlook and Management webinar series, which begins Nov. 7.

Live webinars will be held daily Nov. 7-10, from noon to 1 p.m. Central time. A live question and answer session will follow each presentation. Programs will be available for on-demand viewing the day following each live broadcast.

Timely topics include an update on carbon markets, transportation logistics and supply chain issues, as well as crop and livestock market outlooks by economists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“Agribusiness professionals, producers and others in the agricultural industry will benefit from hearing economic experts from Iowa State University address current and rising issues affecting Iowa agriculture,” said Ann Johanns, program specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “World events have had direct impacts on U.S. producers in 2022 and attendees will gain insights and a better understanding of what to watch and prepare for going into 2023.”

Speakers include Chad Hart, professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist at Iowa State; Alejandro Plastina, associate professor in economics and extension economist; Lee Schulz, associate professor in economics and livestock economist; and Bobby Martens, associate professor and ag supply chain specialist.

The program takes an in-depth look into the outlook for agriculture in 2023 and provides an opportunity to discuss the current Iowa economic situation with university experts.

Seminar dates and speakers
    Monday, Nov. 7. Alejandro Plastina provides an update on carbon markets and credits.
    Tuesday, Nov. 8. Lee Schulz provides an update on livestock outlook and profit potential for beef, pork and other Iowa industries.
    Wednesday, Nov. 9. Bobby Martens discusses logistics and transportation impacts on agriculture.
    Thursday, Nov. 10. Chad Hart discusses crop markets for 2023 and beyond.

All webinars will be moderated by Ann Johanns. She can be reached at aholste@iastate.edu or 515-337-2766.

Registration for the whole series is $20 per email address and includes access to the four live programs and archived recordings of each session. Register at: https://www.aep.iastate.edu/proag/

Viewing of the live and recorded programs is through a web browser and no additional software downloads are needed. Only paid registrants will have access to the webinar recordings following the live events. Initial questions for the presenters can be sent to agdm@iastate.edu.



I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar To Discuss Long-term Dairy Supply and Demand Trends Scheduled for Nov. 10

The I-29 Moo University 2022 Dairy Webinar Series continues Thursday, November 10 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. with a focus on long-term dairy supply and demand trends.

Betty Berning operates Betty Berning Consulting, which provides services ranging from supply chain optimization to market intelligence for the food and agricultural sector. Betty has extensive experience in the agricultural supply chain and has held a wide variety of roles including Senior Dairy Buyer at General Mills, Loan Officer at Farm Credit, Extension Educator at the University of Minnesota, and has worked on her family’s dairy farm in Central Minnesota. These experiences have enabled her to understand both the challenges farmers face as well as the decision-making processes of food companies and consumers. She is also an analyst for the Daily Dairy Report.

Berning will help producers Learn about how dairy supply and demand are shifting globally and what that means for U.S. dairy.

Dairy producers and allied industry reps are invited to join the webinar. There is no fee to attend, but you must register at least one hour before the webinar at:  https://go.iastate.edu/O55DC7.

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall at 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer at 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Heidi Carroll at 605-688-6623.



Naig Submits Comments to Preserve Atrazine

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in response to its proposed revisions to the September 2020 atrazine interim decision. Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in corn production and the proposed revisions by EPA would severely restrict its effectiveness and use.

In the letter, Secretary Naig focuses his comments on four areas where the EPA has proposed revisions and efforts to further restrict the use of atrazine will have a negative impact on food production, the environment, and the farm economy:
    Further restricting the use of atrazine will negatively impact pest resistance management and conservation efforts.
    The proposed level of concern far below the current level will diminish the herbicide’s effectiveness, leaving farmers with fewer options to control weeds and implement conservation practices.
    The EPA proposed picklist approach to managing atrazine is complicated, costly, and not feasible for Iowa farmers, landowners, and pesticide applicators. It also creates enforcement challenges for state pesticide regulatory agencies.
    Before any part of the proposed rule is finalized, EPA must convene a Scientific Advisory Panel.

“Listening to Iowans and being a strong voice for farmers and those who work in production agriculture is one of the most important roles of the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. As I extensively travel the state, I continually hear from farmers and producers about the crucial need to have effective weed management tools like atrazine for food production and conservation now and well into the future,” said Secretary Naig. “I am hopeful that EPA will review stakeholder feedback closely and adopt atrazine use requirements that are based on the best available science and do not impair the effectiveness of this critical weed management tool.”



Beef Quality and Production
Brenda Boetel, Dept. of Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

The first three quarters of 2022 saw beef production 1.7 percent higher than year ago levels. Since the end of August, beef production has averaged a weekly year-over-year increase of 3.7 percent.
 
Not all beef is the same. The first three quarters of 2022 saw steer slaughter is down 1.7 percent, while heifer slaughter is up 0.9 percent and cow slaughter is up 0.7 percent. Dressed weights for all cattle have averaged 0.86 pounds below 2021 average for the first three quarters. The average decrease is due to the decrease in dressed weights of cow slaughter being down an average of 7.8 pounds relative to 2021. Dressed weights for steer and heifers is up over 4 pounds relative to 2021.
 
Combining weekly slaughter and dressed weights leaves fed beef production about 1.6 percent higher than a year ago while cow beef is up 4.3 percent. The percent of carcasses presented for grading over the last month that are grading Prime and Choice are running about 1.4 and 0.7 percent below a year ago, respectively. About 0.7 percent more carcasses are grading Select than a year ago.
 
The Choice boxed beef cutout has averaged $252.65 since September 1, compared to $316.90 over the same period in 2021. The Select cutout has averaged $228.38 versus $284.21 during the same period in 2021. The Choice-Select spread since September 1 has averaged $24.26 per cwt this year compared to $31.69 last year.
 
The Choice-Select spread tends to increase seasonally from the end of January until mid-June and then decrease until end of September, before resuming an increase until before the December holidays. Except for a short-lived dip after Labor Day, the Choice-Select spread has been steadily increasing since the end of February when the spread was at a negative $2.00 on February 23, 2022 (meaning Select boxed cutout was higher than Choice boxed cutout).
 
Even though beef production has remained above 2021 levels, the make-up of the beef production is important. The decrease in beef produced from finished steers and heifers relative to cows has tightened the supply of Choice graded beef, which in turn is widening the Choice-Select spread.



U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) Certificates Can Now Be Transferred

International customers of U.S. Soy throughout the supply chain are now able to better demonstrate their commitment to sourcing sustainable ingredients. The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) has been expanded to allow the transfer of SSAP certificates up to four times.

U.S. Soy customers have long sought more transparency in the sustainability of their purchases. This change to the SSAP by Soy Export Sustainability, LLC, which is partially funded by the national soybean checkoff, allows customers to keep records of their sustainable U.S. Soy purchases, use these purchases to meet their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals, and report on their progress toward those goals. Importers will be able to receive a certificate in their name from an exporter, the importer will then be able to transfer certificates to their customers. The certificate has the potential to be transferred a total of four times after export.

“Ensuring sustainable sourcing of products is central to our commitment to responsible supply chains. We are glad to see continuous improvement of the SSAP certifications, as well as the transparent and credible methodologies in place for measuring sustainable performance. Transferable certificates are key to our customers and our business to track and verify that the soy products we source are raised in a sustainable manner, leading to greater sustainability of the global food system,” said Dessislava Barzachka, EA Sustainability Execution Manager, Bunge.

The SSAP, which was developed in 2013, is a verified aggregate approach, audited by third parties, that verifies sustainable soybean production on a national scale. The system is designed to maintain mass balance of verified sustainable soy at each transfer and industry processing calculations are also incorporated into the system.

Under the SSAP guidelines, U.S. soybean farmers continuously improve their sustainability performance, ensuring an even more sustainable product in the future. U.S. Soy is already recognized as having the lowest carbon footprint versus soy of other origins. In addition, the SSAP includes farm audits conducted by an independent third party – the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). SSAP recently earned Silver Level Equivalence when benchmarked with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform)’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0. It is also positively benchmarked with the soy sourcing guidelines of the European Feed Manufacturers Federation (FEFAC) through the independent International Trade Centre (ITC) and is recognized by the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Soy Sourcing Guidelines and the Global Seafood Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices.

“U.S. soybean farmers have a strong commitment to sustainability, so we are always exploring how we can support their efforts to verify the sustainability of their products. The SSAP does that, but now with transferable certificates, it allows for that verification to be passed along to their other customers,” said Abby Rinne, Director of Sustainability, U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC). USSEC is a founding member of Soy Export Sustainability, LLC focused on differentiating, elevating preference, and attaining market access for U.S. Soy.



USDA Dairy Products August 2022 Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.15 billion pounds, 0.1 percent above August 2021 but 0.2 percent below July 2022. Italian type cheese production totaled 488 million pounds, 1.7 percent above August 2021 and 0.3 percent above July 2022. American type cheese production totaled 453 million pounds, 2.1 percent below August 2021 and 2.9 percent below July 2022. Butter production was 144 million pounds, 2.0 percent below August 2021 and 5.0 percent below July 2022.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with August 2021)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 134 million pounds, up 10.1 percent.
Skim milk powder - 56.0 million pounds, down 22.7 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with August 2021)
Dry whey, total - 78.8 million pounds, down 4.3 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 101 million pounds, up 3.2 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 42.1 million pounds, up 1.2 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with August 2021)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 65.7 million gallons, up 3.9 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 41.5 million gallons, up 1.8 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.23 million gallons, down 4.5 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.19 million gallons, down 3.4 percent.



Environmental Benefits of Modern Dairy Study Unveiled by AEM, Dairy Organizations at World Dairy Expo

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), The National Milk Producers Federation and Dairy Farmers of America, issued a study quantifying the benefits of modern dairy technologies and how they have positively impacted consumers, dairy farmers and cows over the past 15 years.  
The study was unveiled at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin during a panel discussion of industry experts and moderated by the 75th Alice in Dairyland, Taylor Schaefer.

“The dairy industry contributes up to 3.5 percent of the US gross domestic product, over three million jobs across the U.S., and $42 billion in direct wages,” said Schaefer. “And The Environmental Benefits of Modern Dairy, Hay, and Forage Production Technologies study highlights how policies and technological advancements can help farmers increase outcomes.”

The study also shared benefits of dairy and the practices associated with modern dairy production, while debunking common myths and misconceptions about modern dairy practices.  

“We are living in a new age of agriculture, and today’s modern dairy, hay and forage production technologies have an enormous positive impact on dairy farmers, cows, consumers and the environment," said Curt Blades, Senior Vice President of Industry Sectors and Product Leadership at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “One of our goals at AEM is to encourage the adoption of these technologies by more farmers, so they can all reap the benefits as we continue to focus on sustainability.”

According to the study, dairy farmers have become more sustainable with advances in genetics, technology and data driven decisions. In fact, milk production in the U.S. has increased 19 percent since 2007 despite fewer cows.

“Dairy farmers are going above and beyond to provide milk that is responsibly produced,” said Matt Daley, President of GEA Farm Technologies. “Ninety-nine percent of all US milk comes from dairies participating in the FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) program, ensuring 360-degree responsible stewardship of dairies and milk production.”

As part of the stewardship pledge to consumers, the dairy industry is pursuing a voluntary goal to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.

Contributions to output
Along with the continued innovations in technology there are other enablers that have contributed to dairy output and sustainability, including:
Deeper Insights: Driven by data, farmers have a deeper insight into their operation, enabling better decision making.
Genetic Selection: Improvements driven by better genetic selection of cows has been a major contributor to the overall productivity increase in the industry.
Larger Scale Dairies: The average herd size is twice as large in 2020 as it was in 2003, resulting in an intensification of production practices and the financial advantages associated with economies of scale.
Knowledge Sharing: The internet and social media has reduced barriers to information sharing between farmers and allowed for a crosspollination of ideas and spreading of best practices across geographies.

Compared to 2007, the resource optimization that technology enables today has led to:
930,000 less cows to produce the same amount of milk.
Reducing feed enough to fill 3,200 NFL football stadiums
Reduced need for cropland roughly equal to the state of Maryland
GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions improvements equivalent to taking four million cars of the road permanently
Water savings each year are enough to supply New York City for two years

“North America has far outpaced the rest of the world in milk productivity, producing nearly four times as much as the global average,” said Chad Huyser, President of Lely North America. “With only four percent of the world’s cows, North America produces approximately 15 percent of all the milk worldwide. In fact, between 1960 and 2020, North American milk yield has increased 3.5 times, while the rest of the world has increased only 1.5 times.

“These improvements are the result of genetics, technology, farm management practices and other innovations that benefit cow, dairy farmer, environment and society,” continued Huyser.
In addition to livestock generics, the feed ration and quality is the greatest determinant of milk quality and yield. With the advent of near infrared sensors, modern forage harvesters can test forage for things like protein and energy content as it is being harvested. This enables a better-quality feed, lower waste and higher milk yields.

Overcoming Barriers
While the industry has improved significantly, continued improvements hinge on perpetual technology adoption. Between 2022 and 2030 it is anticipated that the following gains could be realized if adoption and innovation continue at the rate that they have over the last 15 years:
Milk yield can increase by three percent.
Feed use could decrease six percent.
Land use could decrease four percent.
GHG emission can decrease eight percent.
Water use will decrease three percent.

“If the industry continues with its current trend of resource efficiency, in 2030, milk will potentially increase by 11% as compared to 2021,” said Fabian Bernal, Global Head of Sustainability at DeLaval.  “But this hinges on the sustained innovation that has led to where the industry is today, including continued technology adoption, integration of artificial intelligence, continued improvement in genetics, precision irrigation adoption, among other innovations.”  

AEM, The National Milk Producers Federation and Dairy Farmers of America, continue to work together to advance technologies and practices that will bring the potential the study highlights to fruition including promoting policies that reward innovation, growing farm income, improving enabling infrastructure and improving consumer communication.



Zoetis Completes Acquisition of Jurox

Zoetis Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of Jurox, a privately held animal health company that develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of veterinary medicines for treating livestock and companion animals. Jurox's operations are based in Australia, with additional regional offices in New Zealand, U.S., Canada and the UK. Financial terms of the transaction, which was announced in August 2021, are not being disclosed.

The acquisition of Jurox brings Zoetis a range of important products primed for greater global expansion; a valuable animal health portfolio, including Alfaxan®, a leading anaesthetic product for companion animals; and high-quality local R&D and manufacturing operations in Australia, Zoetis' fourth largest market based on revenue in 2021.

Founded in 1992, Jurox formulates, manufactures and distributes companion and commercial animal health products from its CGMP-compliant facility located in the Hunter Valley region, New South Wales, Australia. Jurox products, including a leading anaesthetic product Alfaxan, are currently distributed Australia, the US and more than 20 other countries around the world.