Tag: national dairy farm program

FARM Program Area Updates Underway

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney
  • Finalized recommendations for FARM Animal Care standards and received NMPF Board of Directors approval
  • Expanded reach of the Calf Care Quality Assurance Program
  • Developed online training for FARM Enhanced Biosecurity to be made public in October
  • Conducted testing on select farms nationwide to further development of the RuFaS model for Environmental Stewardship

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program has refined and grown its Animal Care, Workforce Development and Environmental Stewardship program areas in preparation for new versions in 2024 as it harnesses the latest science and best management practices with significant farmer leadership, feedback and stakeholder discussion.

All FARM program area standards are revised every three years to reflect the most current science and best management practices within the dairy industry. For the FARM Animal Care Program, the Animal Care Task Force and NMPF’s Animal Health and Well-Being Committee worked closely with program staff throughout 2021 and 2022 to develop recommendations for Animal Care Version 5, leading to votes in March and June 2023 by the NMPF Board of Directors approving the recommended revisions. The FARM Program staff is updating all resources and materials related to the Animal Care Program—including manuals, handbooks, preparation guides, Evaluator training materials, templates and posters—ahead of the July 1 effective date.

Additionally in Animal Care, FARM continued to grow the Calf Care Quality Assurance program efforts. This initiative is jointly led by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Beef Quality Assurance Program with support from the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association and Veal Quality Assurance. CCQA in the past year has released calf-care specific employee training modules and in-person courses offered in both Spanish and English. Over the two-year lifespan, more than 1,200dividuals have become CCQA certified. In progress is an audit tool specifically for facilities without lactating animals but raising calves with dairy genetics. More information can be found at calfcareqa.org.

The FARM Biosecurity Program this year has further developed Enhanced Biosecurity, in collaboration with Danelle Bickett-Weddle of Preventalytics LLC, through a cooperative agreement with U.S. Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, to accompany the Everyday Biosecurity Manual and suite of materials made available in 2022. Enhanced Biosecurity incorporates elements of the Secure Milk Supply Plan into a voluntary continuity-of-business plan built for the entire chain of movement of milk from farm to processing plant should a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak occur in the United States. Enhanced Biosecurity training developed over the course of 2023 is set to launch in early October.

FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (IC) are collaborating to update the scientific model that powers FARM ES, through work with the Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) model, an initiative involving researchers across the country. FARM convenes a bimonthly working group including dairy farmers, cooperative/processor staff and members of the industry to collect stakeholder feedback throughout the development process.

FARM also facilitated direct industry participation in the scientific process by supporting recruitment of 20+ volunteer farms representing a variety of sizes, geographies, and productions styles to participate in scientific model validation. FARM, in collaboration with the IC Environmental Research team, trained FARM ES evaluators to support the volunteer farms. The on-farm model validation will generate valuable feedback to help build out FARM ES V3 output reports, evaluator training, and other resources. The evolution to FARM ES Version 3.0 will enable dairy co-ops and processors to better address customer requests while offering more insights to farmers. More information on FARM ES Version 3.0 is here.

FARM Workforce Development Version 2.0 will launch next July, with minor updates expected to the evaluation tool. The FARM Workforce Development Task Force met in April and discussed possible adjustments to the evaluation for Version 2.0, including streamlining evaluation questions and adding ones that further highlight practices that promote a culture of safety. The Task Force will convene again later this year to review draft modifications to the evaluation tool for Version 2.0.

Year in Review Spotlights FARM Program’s Growth

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The FARM Program released its 2021 Year in Review March 9, highlighting new initiatives and program area advancements.

“The FARM Program expanded its efforts to connect, support and recognize dairy farmers and program participants in 2021,” said Emily Yeiser Stepp, vice president of the FARM Program. “Our progress has enabled us to provide meaningful assurances of on-farm social responsibility to the entire dairy supply chain.”

The annual report chronicled the FARM Program’s many activities and accomplishments of the past year, which included adding the FARM Biosecurity program area, implementing the FARM Excellence Awards and developing a formal partnership program.

The complete 2021 Year in Review is available for download here. For a printed copy, contact dairyfarm@nmpf.org.

Two Farms Receive Pizza Party for Employees

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The Galen family at Milkwood Farm (Lynn Dairy) in Neillsville, WI and Emily Pankratz with Holtz Ridge Grass Farms (Saputo) in Rudolph, WI were selected out of 84 entries as the winners of the FARM Program Employee Appreciation Pizza Party as part of FARM’s participation in World Dairy Expo.

Dairy farmers and managers were encouraged to enter for the chance to treat their employees when they visited the FARM booth during World Dairy Expo, Sept. 28-Oct. 2. During the trade show, FARM Program staff shared resources with visitors including the 2021 Year in Review, the Calf Care Quality Assurance (CCQA) Manual, and the Drug Residue Pocket Guide. They also answered farmer and stakeholder questions about current Version 4.0 expectations and the beginning stages of Version 5.0 planning.

FARM Program staff also attended the American Association of Bovine Practitioners Annual Conference October 7-9, during which veterinarians had an opportunity to ask questions, gather resources, and have conversations at FARM’s booth. FARM also participated in a joint session with the Beef Quality Assurance Program at the conference to provide program updates about current standards and future revisions, FARM Biosecurity, and CCQA.

FARM to Host Lunch Panel at World Dairy Expo

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy FARM Program will host a luncheon at World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI on Sept. 30 that will feature a panel discussion from industry stakeholders involved in the newest FARM initiatives, FARM Biosecurity and the Calf Care & Quality Assurance (CCQA). Space is limited and registration for this in-person only event is required.

Panelists for the luncheon include:

  • Josh White, Executive Director, Producer Education, NCBA
  • Kris Scheider, Wisconsin, Foremost Farms Dairy Farmer
  • Jennifer Van Os, PhD, Animal Welfare Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, UW – Madison
  • Justin Potts, Senior Manager, Dairy 2025, Land O’ Lakes.

Visit FARM in the Exhibit Hall at booth EH 4508 where farmers can register to win a pizza party for their employees. NMPF and FARM will sponsor two World Dairy Expo Seminars – Dairy Cow Productivity: More Important to the Profitability of Your Dairy Operation than You Think presented by Peter Vitaliano, Ph.D., Vice President, Economic Policy and Market Research at NMPF and Practical Employee Management Strategies presented by Dr. Robert Hagevoort, Associate Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist, New Mexico State University.

FARM Hosts Successful Evaluator Conference

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management Program (FARM) hosted the annual Evaluator Conference for a second year in a virtual format July 20-21. Evaluators, participant managers and personnel joined the FARM team for two days of town hall updates, external speakers and a fully virtual cheese tasting.

To kick off the event Dr. Bickett-Weddle, Associate Director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, spoke alongside Jamie Jonker and Miquela Hanselman from NMPF to introduce FARM Biosecurity. Then, FARM Program Evaluators Janae Klingler from Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Deb Gingrich form Michigan Milk Producers Association, and Mike MacHado, from Glanbia discussed engaging producers in the FARM Environmental Stewardship program area.

“Glanbia decided to roll out FARM ES to our producers in a two-pronged system,” MacHado said. “We began with a targeted approach to our more influential dairy producers so we could learn about the program while the producers were learning about the program, at the same time.”

Other strategies for producer engagement included sharing info about the evaluation in advance; talking about how FARM ES helps tell a farm’s environmental story; and timing evaluations to fit farmers’ schedules and for when data is readily available, such as tax season.

Dr. Mike Lormore, Head of the US Cattle Technical Services organization within Zoetis’ cattle business rounded out the first day’s speakers and gave an overview of the current drug residue prevention landscape in the industry and talked about the challenges facing dairy farmers in the space.

Matt Lange, a business consultant with Compeer Financial, presented on the connections between cow comfort and dairy farm profitability. Lily Edwards Callaway, Assistant Professor of Livestock Behavior and Welfare at Colorado State University and Michelle Calvo-Lorenzo, Chief Animal Welfare Officer with Elanco discussed different aspects of prioritizing dairy cattle fitness for transport.

Callaway says fitness for transport decisions can be challenging but with the right protocols in place and the right understanding of the end goal for the cull cows, the process can run smoother for the cows and the farmers who care for them.

To end the conference, Julie Sorensen Director of the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, a program of the Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, NY spoke about how small behavioral changes through the process of ‘nudging’ can impact safety on the dairy farm.

FARM is planning on hosting Evaluator Conference in-person next year but until then, will continue providing virtual updates – like the monthly Summer Series for State and Regional Checkoff Staff. The next one on FARM Environmental Stewardship will take place Aug. 4.

Summer Series for State and Regional Checkoff Staff to Begin in July

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The FARM Program will host a series of monthly webinars for state and regional checkoff staff that will run July 7-Oct. 6. The webinars will offer attendees an opportunity to learn about the program and each specific program area. The FARM Virtual Evaluator Conference will also take place this month on July 20-21.

FARM Publishes Biosecurity Page, Plans New FARM Excellence Awards

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The FARM Biosecurity webpage is now live and will offer resources, information for farmers and a timeline of deliverables for the newest FARM program area.

Funded through a cooperative agreement with the USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response program, FARM Biosecurity will integrate select on-farm elements (like the enhanced biosecurity plan) of the Secure Milk Supply program into the FARM Program and will develop an everyday biosecurity plan and resources for dairy farmers.

FARM also is launching a new awards program to recognize farms and FARM evaluators who demonstrate excellence in their FARM Program. Award categories include Animal Care & Antibiotic Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship, Workforce Development, and FARM Evaluators. Nominations are open from July 1-Sept. 1. Farms or evaluators can be nominated by fellow dairy farmers, members of their communities, extension, cooperative or processor staff, veterinarians, themselves or others. Winners in each category will receive tickets for two individuals to attend the Dairy Joint Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nov. 15-17.

Visit the FARM Excellence Awards page for more details.

FARM, NMPF Recognize Dairy Leadership on Earth Day

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The FARM Program and NMPF collaborated across the dairy community to recognize Earth Day on April 22, using it as an opportunity to highlight their efforts and goals across the sector in conversations about climate, the environment and sustainability throughout the month. In a  joint communications toolkit for members, messaging and social media was provided to amplify the spotlight on:

  • The FARM Environmental Stewardship program area
  • How farmers are prioritizing on-farm sustainability
  • Recent House and Senate Agriculture Committee testimony about the industry’s proactive sustainability work and how congress can support these efforts
  • NMPF’s role in the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance

Nicole Ayache, senior director of sustainability initiatives for NMPF, discussed how the FARM Program has led achievements for the entire sector as dairy strives to achieve ambitious sustainability and emissions goals on the April 12 Dairy Defined podcast and in an article for Hoard’s Dairyman, published on April 19.  The Earth Day theme was continued in a FARM Quick Convos on Net Zero, a Farmer Focus, and another Dairy Defined podcast featuring Krista Hardin, president and CEO of USDEC.

The FARM Program and NMPF jointly promoted U.S. dairy as part of a sustainable, equitable and secure food system to UN Food Systems Summit audiences.