Dairy Stream

Dairy Streamlet: Farmers versus Foodies: Who will call the shots for agriculture

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, listen to the full episode on March 22. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research about the food system outsider problem and how we can protect the future of agriculture.  

Special thanks to the Animal Agriculture Alliance for sponsoring this episode.

Ray will be speaking at the Animal Agriculture Alliance Stakeholders Summit on May 4-5 in Arlington, VA. It is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches, allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies and media. Registration is available through May 1 at bit.ly/AAA23Summit.

About the guest

Ray Starling is an attorney, public policy professional, law professor, ag system thought leader, former Special Assistant to the President for Agriculture and farm kid from North Carolina. With almost three decades of experience in navigating how public policy impacts farmers and agribusiness leaders, Ray has seen a lot, but readily admits we are in the midst of a new era of outside influence in agriculture. He is currently the General Counsel at the North Carolina Chamber and also an Executive Advisor with Aimpoint Research.  

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have recently made headlines and there has been some focus on the dairy community. Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, shares the basics of PFAS, her experiences working with contaminated dairies and future legislation. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Courtney:

• 1:36: PFAS and the original intention
• 4:21: Where are PFAS commonly found
• 5:15: Clean-up of PFAS contaminated areas
•  6:17: How a farm can get in contact with PFAS   
• 7:52: Testing for PFAS 
• 10:46: PFAS testing in Maine, Michigan and New Mexico
• 11:45: Should the focus be more on PFOA and PFOS
• 12:50: Who should be most worried about PFAS on the food supply chain
•  15:05: Courtney’s experience with dairy farms impacted by PFAS
• 16:25: PFAS contamination, now what
• 18:00: Media narrative with PFAS contamination
• 19:30: How widespread is PFAS  
• 20:57: What actions are being taken to regulate PFAS
• 24:36: If a farm experiences a PFAS contamination tomorrow, what does a farm do?
• 25:31: Research support to understand PFAS
• 26:33: Wisconsin receiving PFAS funding, what will it be used for?
• 27:47: How can all industries work together now on PFAS
• 29:30: PFAS in the next farm bill
• 30:39: What is still unknown about PFAS

Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: PFAS contamination and possible implications for dairy

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the March 1 episode. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Courtney Briggs, senior director of government affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, about the basics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), contaminations on dairy farms, implications and future legislation.

Special thanks to The Nature Conservancy of Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest

• Courtney Briggs serves as the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Senior Director of Government Affairs. Her issue portfolio encompasses Clean Water Act and conservation issues. Courtney’s work focuses on specific issues such as Waters of the United States, nutrient reduction strategies and NRCS conservation compliance. Courtney came to the American Farm Bureau Federation in November 2021. Prior to joining AFBF she served as Senior Federal Legislative Director of Government Affairs at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For over a decade, Courtney directed the federal lobbying on environment, transportation and land use policies. Courtney currently serves as Chair of the Waters Advocacy Coalition, a multi-industry coalition that focuses on Clean Water Act issues. Prior to joining NAHB, she spent 5 years on Capitol Hill working for Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Courtney grew up outside of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and graduated from Villanova University with a degree in political science. She lives on Capitol Hill with her husband and two young children.
  
  

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets

We are fortunate to have a cutting-edge dairy reporting system in the United States through the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).  Statistician Greg Bussler and Associate Professor Chuck Nicholson dissect the NASS dairy reports and the role it plays with understanding dairy markets. Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Greg and Chuck:

• 1:23: Overview of the National Agricultural Statistics Service and how it generates dairy reports
• 3:48: How dairy farmers are randomly selected   
• 4:08: Handling NASS surveys in other states and regions
• 6:20: Reviewing and analyzing NASS reports
• 8:13: How the reports are used to determine dairy markets
• 11:02: How other countries do dairy reporting
• 13:10: Overcoming the challenge of poor dairy reporting in other countries
• 16:38: How policymakers utilize NASS dairy reports
• 17:29: Role of the U.S. Ag Census, response rate
• 20:52: NASS data helps understand the dairy supply chain, keeping up with innovation
• 24:17: How NASS stays up-to-date with the industry
• 26:25: Data from NASS to keep an eye on
• 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture

Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.  
• Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Dairy Streamlet: How USDA generates dairy reports and its impact on dairy markets

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you, we encourage you to listen to the Feb. 8 episode. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza talked with Greg Bussler and Chuck Nicholson about how the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) generates dairy reports, the most anticipated, analyzing reports to determine dairy trends and what data to keep an eye on.

Special thanks to BMO Harris Bank for sponsoring this episode.

About the guests

• Greg Bussler is the Wisconsin Statistician for the National Agricultural Statistics Service. He grew up on a hog and crop farm in Minnesota. Greg enjoys working with numbers and has been with NASS for over 33 years.  
• Chuck Nicholson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics and the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin—Madison. His position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub and focuses on the analysis of dairy markets, policy and supply chains. Chuck teaches undergraduate courses on food systems and supply chains. 

This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy

Forecasting the future is no small task. In this episode of Dairy Stream, Iowa dairy farmer Christina Zuiderveen shares how the dairy community can prepare for the next ten years of dairy. New Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza dives into the topics below with Christina:

• 3:12: What was happening with Christina and her farm ten years ago in 2013
• 4:59: What issues will be top of mind from 2023 to 2033
• 11:13: What are the top concerns that we need to start working on right now
• 12:21: What have you automated and what are your plan for automation
• 14:08: What will relationships look like in the next ten years
• 15:52: How should a farm and/or processor communicate about expansion goals
• 17:20: What opportunities do you see in the next ten years
• 21:27: How can farms prepare for challenges and opportunities
• 22:40: How can dairy businesses better support farms
• 25:43: How can we have a better relationship with our policymakers
• 26:35: What trends should dairy be tracking outside of agriculture
• 29:20: What advice do you have for dairymen and women to be successful

Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen

Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate.  They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children.

Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 2023 here. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Dairy Streamlet: Preparing for the next 10 years in dairy

The Dairy Streamlet is a new, condensed version of Dairy Stream that takes the long episode and covers just the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interests you and you’ like to learn more, we encourage you to listen to the Jan. 18 episode. 

Dairy Stream host Joanna Guza asks three questions to dairy farmer, Christina Zuiderveen, about her top concerns for the next ten years in dairy, how farmers should prepare and advice to be successful.

Special thanks to Compeer Financial for sponsoring this episode.

About the guest, Christina Zuiderveen

Christina grew up on dairy farms in both California and Michigan. She moved to Iowa in 2012 with her husband, Nate.  They milk 2,700 at their home farm, Black Soil Dairy, in Iowa and also work with her brother, Tim den Dulk, at two sites in South Dakota, Dakota Plains and Mount Hope. With all three sites, they milk about 15,000 cows. Christina has served on the Central Plains Dairy Association board and currently serving on the Iowa State Dairy Association Board and school board of their Christian School. Christina also had the privilege of testifying before the Senate Ag Subcommittee on milk price reform. Along with being a farmer and wife, she is also a mother of three children.

Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com. 

Part 2: Looking back with an eye on the future

The first part of this episode was released on Dec. 28 and was a reflection of Dairy Stream and Mike Austin's time as a farm broadcaster and podcast host. This episode dives into listener feedback and the 2023 Dairy Stream focus.

This episode covers:

• 1:41: Feedback from Dairy Stream listeners
• 5:27: Dairy Stream focus for 2023 
• 8:48: Mike's perspective on topics Dairy Stream should focus on 
• 13:27: Mike's closing comments and final signoff 

Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

 

 

Part 1: Looking back with an eye on the future

Dairy Stream reflects on its almost three year anniversary and Mike Austin shares insight from his over 40 year farm broadcasting to podcasting experiences. You also hear from the new Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza. 

This episode covers:

• 2:30: Mike shares where agriculture was 40 years ago to today
• 11:02: Joanna shares where agriculture and podcasting was 3 years ago to now  
• 17:20: Top Dairy Stream episodes 
• 27:14: What Mike has learned from being a farm broadcaster to podcast host

Part 2 will cover Dairy Stream listener feedback and the 2023 focus.

Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. 

Dairy Feed in Focus: A menu approach to improve your farm

The Dairy Feed in Focus program offers a menu approach for all size farms to improve conservation efforts. Dairy Stream host Mike Austin talks with Ricardo Costa, agricultural strategy manager at The Nature Conservancy, Mercedes Talvitie, farm sustainability analyst at Foremost Farms USA and Derek Jacobs, farm manager and one of the owners of Jacobs Hillview Dairy in Hilbert, Wisconsin about the program. They discuss efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through conservation practices, feed additives, targeted fertilization and the economic benefits of the program. Thank you to The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin for sponsoring this episode. 

TO JOIN AND LEARN MORE, CONTACT:

• Interested farmers that ship to Foremost Farms in Wisconsin or Michigan Milk Producers Association in Michigan, contact Ricardo Costa at Ricardo.costa@tnc.org
• Processors interested in learning more and bringing the project to their area can contact us at soil@tnc.org
• Learn more at www.nature.org/workinglands 

Learn more about the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 18-19 here, use promocode DAIRYSTREAM to receive 10 percent off your registration. This podcast is co-produced by the Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, sister organizations that fight for effective dairy policy in Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.