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DAIRY ST R
Milk pricing revisited
December 25, 2021
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 23, No. 21
Teenager takes home heifer calf
Fonder looking forward to calf becoming a part of herd
MMPA panel discusses FMMO, its future
By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WAITE PARK, Minn. – The push to reform the Federal Milk Marketing Order continues to gain traction. The pricing system guiding the country’s milk supply and solutions that may be on the horizon was discussed at the Minnesota Milk Producers Association annual meeting Dec. 8 in Waite Park. “We want to make things better,” Lucas Sjostrom said. “But, we’re far more worried about making things better in 2042 than now. Let’s have better price discovery for generations to come.” Sjostrom, MMPA executive director, joined University of Minnesota assistant professor Marin Bozic, and dairy farmer and MMPA President Shelly DePestel on a panel moderated by Joe Gill of KASM Radio. Last spring, MMPA and other dairy organizations announced the Class III Plus proposal for milk pricing, an initiative to reform the current FMMO and pricing of uid milk. And most recently, lawmakers introduced the Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act, which would require the United States Department of Agriculture to hold hearings to review proposals that could change Class I pricing. These initiatives are the outcome of dairy farmers’ requests for a milk price reective of the current market conditions. “We’ve had FMMO for over 100 years,” Bozic said. “It’s changed a bit but is designed for a world we don’t live in. Our future is not uid milk; it’s in cheese, exports, products that don’t have a high water content.” DePestel agreed. “When we talk about a system that has been in place Turn to MILK PRICING | Page 6
RUTH KLOSSNER/DAIRY STAR
Nicolas Fonder, of Milbank, South Dakota, receives the heifer calf from Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway drawing from Paul Swenson Dec. 18 near Nicollet, Minnesota. Fonder registered at Valley Dairy Supply in Corona, South Dakota.
MILBANK, S.D. – Nicholas Fonder is the winner of the heifer calf that was given away as part of the Dairy Star’s Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway drawing. Nicholas’ parents, John and Sandra Fonder, milk 40 Holsteins on their organic dairy operation located at Milbank. Nicholas has two sisters, Veronica, 15, and Elizabeth, 5. John and Sandra became foster parents several years ago and currently have two foster children at home. Sandra works in the human resources department at Valley Queen Cheese Factory. A native of Columbia, she serves as an interpreter for Spanish-speaking employees. The Fonders registered for the Great Christmas Grand Prize Giveaway drawing at Valley Dairy Supply in Corona. Turn to GIVEAWAY | Page 7
Klatt’s barn full of colors Farm dons all breeds from across the nation By Kate Rechtzigel kate.r@dairystar.com
NORWOOOD YOUNG AMERICA, Minn. − On the outside, Julie Klatt’s 132-yearold barn looks like any other. Upon stepping inside, the barn is anything but ordinary as the stalls are lled with color. “I was 6 when we started (having all the breeds),” Klatt said. “For 30 plus years, it’s been the legacy of this farm, and I don’t ever see us going back.” Klatt milks 40 cows on her dairy farm in Carver County near Norwood Young America. The herd at Evergreen Farm consists of Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn, Holstein and Red and White Holstein. The days begin at 6 a.m. for Klatt. “The big decider for me as to when I start my day is that our milkman picks us up at 7 a.m.,”
Klatt said. “I decided a long time ago it would be easier to start milking after he picked us up.” She then goes out to the barn, feeds the cows, cleans the stalls and milks. “I’ve always had the mindset of giving to the animals before taking from them, so I make sure they are all fed, bedded and cleaned before I milk,” Klatt said. As a mixed-breed herd, they run about 4.7% butterfat and 3.7% protein on test. After the herd is milked, Klatt gets ready to work off the farm. During the day, almost every day, Klatt works at Cathy Mackenthun’s Meat and Deli in St. Bonifacius. There, she works customer service at the fresh meat counter and also slices bacon. At the end of the day, Klatt is back to the farm to feed the cows and youngstock, clean the barn and milk. “It’s go, go, go all day,” Klatt said. “I look at it as you get out of the animals what you Turn to KLATT | Page 10
KATE RECHTZIGEL/DAIRY STAR
Julie KlaƩ milks 40 Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Milking Shorthorn and Red and White cows on her farm near Norwood Young America. All cows are separated in the barn by breed.