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8 201 2019
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 20, No. 20
Vilsack hopeful for U.S. dairy industry USDEC working to increase exports to 20 percent By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
WELCH, Minn. – Tom Vilsack is hopeful for the dairy industry. “There is a good day ahead if we stay committed to exports,” said Vilsack, president and CEO of the United States Dairy Export Council. Vilsack shared how the U.S. dairy exports will increase to 20 percent during his presentation Nov. 27 at the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in Welch, Minn. USDEC helps create awareness, expand knowledge and peak interest of U.S. dairy products in global markets. It focuses on cheese and dairy ingredients, with major markets being Mexico, Latin America, South America, the Middle East, North Africa, southeast Asia and northern Asia. To start his presentation, Vilsack rst thanked the farmers and those who work in the agriculture and food industry. “We don’t have to import any food in order to feed our population,” he said. “That’s not true of almost any of the major countries in the world today. We have incredible security because of the work you do every single day.” But this productivity is more than what is needed in the United States. “These are difcult times in the dairy industry, and the agriculture and food industry,” Vilsack said. “In my lifetime you have all increased dairy production per cow almost ve fold. … That would be a great story to tell if consumption of milk domestically had increased at the same rate. But the reality is that today there is a lot of competition … .” The good news is that United States dairy exports are increasing, Vilsack said. Over the last nine months, exports have reached 16.5 percent. Turn to VILSACK | Page 5
December 8, 2018
Metzes named Producer of the Year
Rushford family works together on dairy, on-farm creamery By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
RUSHFORD, Minn. – Family and friends of the Metzes usually get an added perk whenever they gather. “They are our guinea pigs,” Jeff Metz said. “We always bring new products for people to try.” It is all part of their way to test new cheese avors from their on-farm creamery, a venture they started in 2014 to keep their dairy viable and successful in the future. It is one of the reasons why the family received the Producer of the Year award Nov. 28 at the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in Welch, Minn. The Metz family includes Jeff and Mariann along with their children Alicia and her ancé Ben Anderson; Courtney and her hus-
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
The Metz family – (from le�) Ben Anderson, Alicia, Courtney Kalbarczyk, Mariann, Jeff, Nathan, Bri�any Agrimson, Dawson Agrimson, Dominick Agrimson and Nick Agrimson – received the Producer of the Year award on Nov. 28 at the Minnesota Milk Dairy Conference and Expo in Welch, Minn. The family milks 210 cows and operates an on-farm creamery near Rushford, Minn. band, Jordan Kalbarczyk; Brittany and her husband, Nick Agrimson and their two children, Dominick, 4, and Dawson, 1; and Nathan and his ancé Shelby Boldt. They milk 210 cows on their farm, Metz Hart-Land Dairy, near Rushford, Minn. “I was shocked,” Jeff said about receiving the award. “We
didn’t see it coming. We felt humbled and honored. There are so many great dairy producers out there …”. Qualications of receiving the award include being involved in the dairy industry, having a proven commitment to managing their dairy for the future, promoting the industry and being active
in their community. Building an on-farm creamery had been a dream of Jeff’s from the start of his dairying career. One of the main reasons it has worked well has been the involvement of the next generation. “It takes a lot of hard work
Turn to METZ | Page 7
From dairy novice to assistant herdsman Buttjer nds fullling career in farming By Stacey Smart Contributing Writer
REBECCA MILLER/DAIRY STAR
Carissa Bu�jer is an assistant herdsman at Schanbacher Acres in Atkins, Iowa. Bu�jer has worked on the 275-cow dairy for 10 years.
ATKINS, Iowa – Ten years ago, Carissa Buttjer had never even so much as touched a cow. Today, she is assistant herdsman at Schanbacher Acres, a 275-cow, 800-acre dairy farm in Atkins, Iowa. Buttjer, 28, ventured into the world of dairy farming as an 18-year-old college student feeding calves. Although Buttjer came to Schanbacher Acres completely green to dairying, that did not stop her from digging in and learning the ropes alongside her boss and the farm’s owner, J Schanbacher. “Everything I know about dairy I learned on the job,” Buttjer said. “I love to learn, and J has always been willing to teach me anything I want to do on the farm.” Buttjer grew up in the small town of Plaineld, Iowa with no farm exposure whatsoever. Her dad drove semi and her mom worked at an insurance agency. Buttjer was always one of the best students in her class, and her brains led people to believe she Turn to BUTTJER | Page 6