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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 23, No. 5
Lawmakers address farmers during Dairy Day at the Capitol
April 24, 2021
“I was like a stone. I couldn’t stop staring at what was happening.” – MaryBeth Seykora
Thrown a curveball
Exports, research, truth-in-labeling emerge as priorities By Stacey Snart
krista.k@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Support for agriculture, and the dairy industry in particular,appeared strong during Dairy Day at the Capitol April 14. Hosted by the Dairy Business Association, the virtual conference included appearances from U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, members of the budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance, and the secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget includes a historic $43 million investment to support agriculture in Wisconsin. Key policies cited in the budget include plans to bolster international trade for Wisconsin products, investments in dairy processor grants to support innovation and expansion, land and water funding, regional farmer support programs, and investments in the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection which include the hiring of additional meat inspectors and permanent staff in the hemp program. Baldwin, chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies, supports the Dairy Innovation Hub and preserving Wisconsin as a leader in the global dairy industry. “Taking an innovative idea and putting it into action is what this program is all about,” Baldwin said. Turn to CAPITOL | Page 5
Six factors that drive PPDs
Bozic demysties values in federal marketing orders By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
Negative producer price differentials are not a new occurrence in the dairy industry, but with the inuence of formula changes on federal milk marketing orders and industry trends, PPDs have recently caused chaos on the milk check. “Until last year, negative PPDs were always a short-term phenomenon,” Dr. Marin Bozic said. “The markets would have steep rallies but then with the intricacy of milk pricing, it would smooth out from one month to the next. Never did we have nine of the 10 consecutive months of negative PPDs. We’re here to have a frank discussion on what is driving this.” Bozic is an assistant professor of applied economics at the University of Minnesota. In an educational webinar co-hosted by Minnesota Milk Producers Association and Wisconsin Dairy Business
Turn to PPDS | Page 11
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Brian and MaryBeth Seykora stand in front of all that is leŌ of their dairy barn that was destroyed by a re April 8 on their farm near Owatonna, Minnesota. Twenty-nine of their 57 cows perished due to the re.
Seykoras lose 29 cows in barn re
“I got a call from my brother at 6:54 p.m. while I was watching the game, and I got here (to the farm) by 7:15 p.m.,” Brian said. “By that time, you couldn’t get By Krista Kuzma in the barn anymore.” krista.k@dairystar.com The Seykoras could only watch as their 45-stall hip OWATONNA, Minn. – While Brian and MaryBeth roof tiestall barn went up in ames on their farm near Seykora were watching their sons, Matt and Mitchell, Owatonna. play baseball the evening of April 8, their own lives “I was just numb,” Brian said of that moment. “I were thrown a curveball. was trying to think of what to do like nding a home for the cows that got out. There wasn’t any emotion really until about Sunday.” MaryBeth felt the pain that night. “I was like a stone,” she said with tears. “I couldn’t stop staring at what was happening. I just thought of how much work he (Brian) had done and all the memories.” Earlier in the evening, two employees had done chores for the Seykoras so they could watch their sons play baseball. Brian and MaryBeth split up so each son would have a parent at their game. The employees nished chores PHOTO SUBMITTED and left the barn about A re engulfs the Seykora family’s dairy barn April 8 on their farm near Owa- 6:30 p.m. Turn to SEYKORA | tonna, Minnesota. Page 7