LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR CALF & HEIFER SPECIAL EDITION!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 3
Legacy Farms nd help from area prison Relationship benets both parties with labor, employment By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
SHELL LAKE, Wis. – Labor has become a growing concern for dairy farmers across the Upper Midwest. For one dairy in northwest Wisconsin, they have found a solution that addresses their workforce woes while also providing an opportunity for those they hire. Since October 2017,
March 23, 2019
“This is their chance to start over.” – Dan Coates
Legacy Farms has worked with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Gordon Correctional Facility to source a reliable group of individuals to help on the dairy in Washburn County near Shell Lake, Wis. “It’s a benet for us and a benet for them,” said Dan Coates of the relationship between the dairy and the state penitentiary. Coates is the farm’s operations manager and works with the correctional center to coordinate when prisoners will BRITTANY OLSON/DAIRY STAR help at the dairy. Every week, a small group Dan Coates is Legacy Farms’ operaƟons manager in Shell Lake, Wis. Coates works with the area correcƟonal center to coordinate when prisoners will help at the 1,050-cow dairy. Turn to LEGACY | Page 5
More barns collapse under weight of snow
Northern farmers scramble to repair structures By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
HAWLEY, Minn. – After the blizzard that struck southern Minnesota with devastation, dairy farmers across the state were on edge as another snowstorm brewed March 9-10. Unfortunately, the combination of wet snow and strong winds proved to be too much for animal housing facilities across the northern half of Minnesota. “There was a lot of thick, heavy snow and winds Saturday afternoon and evening,” Brian Waldner said. “The snow piled up on the south side of the barn and it was too much for the roof to hold.” Waldner is the herdsman at Blumenfeld Holsteins in Clay County near Hawley, Minn. On the early morning of March 10, 80 feet of roof collapsed over the 450-cow dairy’s freestall barn. The wreckage displaced one pen of cows and shut down two of eight milking robots. “The alarm caller went off at 3 a.m., PHOTO SUBMITTED signaling there was no power in the barn,” InsulaƟon, Ɵn and wood from the roof of a freestall barn cov- Waldner said. “I thought that was strange beer the center aisle at Koehler Dairy in New York Mills, Minn. cause there was power in the house.” The roof of Roy and Rhonda Koehler’s barn caved in over the Turn to BARNS | Page 7 400-cow dairy herd March 12.
Dairy Day at Capitol inuences legislaƟon Disaster relief funds available By Danna Sabolik
danna.s@dairystar.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. – More than 60 dairy farmers converged at the Minnesota State Capitol to let their voices be heard during Minnesota Milk Producer Association’s annual Dairy Day at the Capitol March 13 in St. Paul, Minn. “I think it’s extremely important to do this,” Kevin Buss said. “I want [my daughter] to be able to farm in the future and that will not be feasible if we let things continue how they are.” Kevin has attended the event in the past, but brought along his daughter, Kelsey, this year. Together, Kevin and Kelsey milk 120 cows near Hutchinson, Minn. Throughout the day, farmer participants spoke with legislators about the challenges they face in the dairy industry. It was also an opportunity to ask for support in the upcoming legislative session. Such conversation helped conrm the need for nancial assistance following this winter’s bout of snowstorms. Following Dairy Day at the Capitol, a bill passed to expand a disaster recovery loan program to aid farmers on March 14. The legislation was approved 127-0 in the House and 60-0 in the Senate. Turn to CAPITOL | Page 6