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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 20, No. 5
April 28, 2018
Their turn to upgrade Glennas build freestall barn, install retrot parlor By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
AMERY, Wis. – For 10 years, Randy and Char Glenna have wanted to upgrade their facilities. Instead, they could only watch as fellow farmers continued to improve dairy facilities to make their cows more comfortable and productive. “It was frustrating for us because we had so many roadblocks,” Randy said. This year, it was Glennas’ turn. They are almost two months into milking their herd of 84 cows in a single-8 retrot parlor and housing the herd in a new 68- by 176foot tunnel-ventilated, 105-stall freestall barn. “Now I get excited about getting out in the barn to work every day and see the cows healthier and doing better,” Randy
Turn to GLENNAS | Page 6
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Char and Randy Glenna stand in their new single-8 retrot parlor on their farm near Amery, Wis. The Glennas milk 84 cows. They also built a new 105-stall freestall barn.
A united voice Shovers’ century-old barn burns Dairy herd saved for dairy before ames destroy facility
Federal, state policies discussed at capitol By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
ST. PAUL, Minn. – As the dairy industry continues developing, it seems a united voice for the industry is paramount more so than any time before. The need for such a voice was apparent as more than 80 Minnesota dairy farmers and representatives in the industry had the opportunity to share concerns and gratitude with state lawmakers during Minnesota Milk Producers Association’s (MMPA) Dairy Day at the Capitol April 18 in St. Paul, Minn. “It’s our most impactful day of the year,” said MMPA Executive Director Lucas Sjostrom about the annual event. “We need to keep relations with senators and representatives year-round through lunches and farm breakfasts, but this is the one day we
come to them instead of them coming to us.” Along with associate members and a group of farmers who regularly attend Dairy Day at the Capitol, many new faces joined this year. With inclement weather preventing any eldwork, Kevin and Stephanie Krohnfeldt found time in their day to visit the capitol and learn more about Minnesota policy. This was Kevin’s rst year participating in Dairy Day at the Capitol, and Stephanie’s second. “Last year, I came down and I was terried to speak with our representatives,” she said. “But it was an amazing experience. You meet these people and realize they have the same interests as you. … They hunt and sh, and have families, too.”
Turn to CAPITOL | Page 5
By Andrea Borgerding andrea.b@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Larry and Nancy Shover’s dairy barn near Delhi, Iowa, burned on April 10. The barn was a total loss and one cow perished in the re.
DELHI, Iowa – It’s something every dairy farmer knows can happen but hopes it never does. For Iowa dairy farmers Larry and Nancy Shover the possibility of experiencing a barn re unfortunately became reality. The Shovers suffered a barn re on their farm near Delhi, Iowa, around 10 p.m. on April 10. A re originating in a shop burned the 56by 96-foot insulated structure while also spreading to the adjacent 67-cow tiestall barn where the dairy herd was housed. Turn to SHOVERS | Page 11