Dairy Impact July 2023

Aug 02, 2023

By Cassi Worster

Developing and planning a four-part Spanish dairy webinar series for Spanish-speaking dairy managers, herd managers, herds persons, and employees. The goal of this effort is to teach unbiased, university-based research in the areas of reproduction, nutrition, dairy management, and milk quality so they can improve farm viability and food safety, while maintaining animal wellbeing and welfare.
A dairy production and management newsletter for farmers, managers, employees, and agribusiness professionals where they learned about recording drought conditions, taking and managing forage inventory, understanding impact of fatty acids on milk production, and utilizing fecal starch as a tool to determine starch digestibility. The goal is to improve farm business vitality, environmental sustainability, and food safety.

Video: Veteran Farmers: A Legacy of Service in Rural America

Veterans Day is a time to honor the men and women who have selflessly protected our freedoms and values. And for some, the transition from military service to civilian life brings them back to the farm.

At Farm Bureau, we believe it’s important to not only celebrate veterans but also those who continue to make a difference in agriculture and their community. We've partnered with Farm Credit to establish the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence to shine a light on those who have continued to go above and beyond to serve their communities.

This year, we recognize retired Colonel Joe Ricker as the inaugural Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence winner. Joe served over 30 years in the Army before retiring from the Pentagon and completing tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since leaving the Army, his commitment to excellence in farming and enriching the lives of veterans has blossomed in a myriad of ways in both his local community of Wilkinson, Indiana, and across the country. Joe grows apples and raises bees on his farm in Indiana. Joe founded “Veterans IN Farming,” an organization, now with more than 1,100 members, dedicated to providing veterans in Indiana with the tools and training to succeed in agriculture.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is an independent, non-governmental, voluntary organization, comprised of and directed by farm and ranch families who engage in all types of food, fuel and fiber production.