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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 8
Milk supply, contracts, trade discussed with poliƟcal leaders By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
WINONA, Minn. – Minnesota Milk Producers Association, together with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, hosted a meeting on June 5 at the Wilson Township hall in Winona County to discuss ways to prevent dairy farmers from losing a market for their milk, similar to what happened to a handful of dairy producers in the corner of the state in April. In attendance were the majority of the Minnesota farmers who scrambled to nd a new milk processor in April, representatives from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Farm Service Agency, along with representatives from the ofces of Congressional leaders, Sen. Al Franken, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Tom Emmer and Rep. Tim Walz. Lucas Sjostrom represented Minnesota Milk Producers Association. Andrea Vaubel, Minnesota Department of Agriculture assistant commissioner, conducted the meeting. “Part of what I’m here to listen for is the long-term issue to see if there is anything that can be done in the next farm bill to prevent us from sitting around a similar table two or three years from now,” said Chuck Ackman, outreach director for Klobuchar.
June 10, 2017
“We all had to work together and still do. We’re very blessed.” – Rachael Rusch
Dairy splits, family stays together Beckers transition to next generation by adding more farm sites By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
EDEN VALLEY, Minn. – “If we would’ve thought in ‘87, we’d have a setup like this today, I couldn’t have even envisioned this,” said Vern Becker, with a glisten in his eye. Vern and his wife, Mary Kay, and his brother, Joe, and his wife, Karen, milk 1,000 cows with their families near Eden Valley, Minn. The brothers began Becker Dairy, Inc. and have since built two Turn to BECKERS | Page 6
MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR
Joe and Vern Becker discuss their family’s succession plan. The Beckers milk 1,000 cows on two farm sites with their families near Eden Valley, Minn., and Grove City, Minn.
Oversupply and processing capacity The amount of supply in relation to processing capacity was a big topic of conversation. “Eight to 10 years ago we had the opposite problem. People were gathering just like this, but with processors who were saying they needed more milk from dairy farmers,” Sjostrom said. In the most recent years, MARK KLAPHAKE/DAIRY STAR Sjostrom said processors in the Midwest have grown by about Rodney MarƟn chops rst crop alfalfa, while his wife, Jennifer, and daughters, Janika and Megan, ride along, as the sun begins to set June 1 near Sauk Centre, Minn. Rodney milks 300 cows with his dad, Gene. Several of his friends were hauling loads for Turn to MEETING | Page 5 the MarƟns.