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DAIRY ST R
President Trump signs off on USMCA
Trade agreement to create level playing eld for dairy By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dairy organizations across the nation echoed their support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement as President Donald Trump signed a bill to implement the trade deal Jan. 29, at the White House in Washington. “On behalf of dairy farmers, we are extremely grateful to get to this point,” Bob Huffman said. “This is a big win for farmers and the dairy industry as a whole.” Huffman is the CEO of First District Association based in Litcheld, Minnesota. The agreement, which was accepted by Mexico’s government last year also, now awaits Canada lawmakers’ approval to take effect. “I’m looking forward to it being signed and done,” said dairy farmer Pat Lunemann. “When (Canada raties it), maybe then we can get back to a new normal.” Lunemann and his wife, Jody, milk 850 cows and run 1,600 acres of land at Twin Eagle Dairy in Todd County near Clarissa, Minnesota. The Lunemanns’ youngest son, Alex, also farms with them. The purpose of the new trade agreement is to modernize and rebalance components of the North American Free Trade Agreement as both Canada and Mexico continue to be critical destinations for United States’ agricultural exports. In 2018, Canada accounted for 34% of U.S. agricultural goods exported to free trade agreement partners and Mexico 30%, according to the Ofce of the United States Trade Representative. Turn to USMCA | Page 5
February 8, 2020
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 24
Happily ever after on the farm Hebigs build life as fourth-generation dairy producers By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
LITTLE FALLS, Minn. – For Adam and Hanna Hebig, dairy farming has not only solidied their love for the industry and a familial career but also their affection for one another. “We’re together working on the farm all the time,” Hanna said. “And, I still get butteries for him.” The young couple milks 100 cows with Adam’s uncle, Peter Fussy, at Fussy Family Farm near Little Falls. Adam and Hanna are the fourth generation on the farm, and they are raising the fth generation – Adeline, 18 months, and Henry, 6 months. Days begin at 5 in the morning for the Hebigs. Within the hour, the couple and their small children are at the dairy farm,
Turn to HEBIGS | Page 7
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Hanna and Adam Hebig talk about their plans for the day Feb. 3 at the couple’s 100-cow dairy near Li�le Falls, Minnesota. The Hebigs dairy farm with Adam’s uncle, Peter Fussy.
Neighborly assistance
Vaughans feel welcomed to South Dakota By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
BANCROFT, S.D. – The Vaughan family admits that moving to an area states away from family has been tough; however, the kindness of neighbors has made the transition more bearable. “We wouldn’t be here without all of the support from our neighbors,” Kenn Vaughan said. “I hope to nd a way to pay them back someday.” Vaughan and his wife, Rebecca, who now have four children, Klaytonn, 7, Sophia, 5, Jethro, 2, and Autumn, 4 months, left their family’s dairy farm in New York and moved September 2017 to Bancroft to fulll
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
Klaytonn, 7, and Kenn Vaughan stand in the freestall barn on their dairy farm near Bancro�, South Dakota. Neighbors have helped the Vaughans get a foothold in dairying by assis�ng with manure hauling and selling them silage.
a dream to start a dairy farm of their own. From the very beginning, nothing went as planned for the Vaughans and their 100-cow herd. “Anything that could happen did happen,” Vaughan said. “Our loader tractor broke down with a bad injector pump, so I had to feed the cows in a blizzard using an open cab skid loader. We had three weeks of below zero weather and all of the manure in the barn froze. The herd of cows that we bought were accustomed to a pasture system and didn’t want to lie in the free stalls. Our cull rate was a lot higher than expected.” On top of it all, the price the Vaughans received for their milk went into a nosedive. “Our milk price began to drop in January of 2018 and continued to fall,” Vaughan said. “We struggled to pay our bills. It was tough. I was stressed out. Turn to VAUGHANS | Page 6