4 Things Everyone Should Know About Dairy Farming

Jul 01, 2024

June is Dairy month so IL Corn touched base with some dairy farmers in Illinois. Here’s what they shared.

It’s a day in-day out job

Dairy Farming is a commitment unlike most 9-5 jobs. Matt, a local dairy farmer from Kilgus Farmstead located in Fairbury, IL, talks about the needs of dairy cattle on a day-to-day basis. “We milk twice a day every day, some farmers do three times a day just depending on preference or demand of the cattle,” he told us as he explained that most people do not realize the constant 24-hour effort it takes when you are living at the beck and call of livestock.

Most Dairy Farms in IL are Family owned

A common misconception in the agriculture industry is that most farms are corporately owned whereas the reality is that a lot of farms, especially dairy farms, are family owned, passed down from generation to generation. They’re comprised of fathers and sons working alongside uncles and cousins to produce the needs for our world to operate. Nowadays, most farms are onto their 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th generation of farmers. As the world continues to evolve so does the need for agriculture with it. Families work together and dedicate their time to care for their livestock to produce the best product for their consumers.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.