Farm Bureau News
From the President’s desk
Farm Bureau members are crucial to the future work of agriculture
‘Tis the season… to celebrate Delaware Farm Bureau members!
The fall and winter seasons give us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our members and the important work they do for our vast agricultural field in the First State.
We had the chance to do that during our county banquets in September and October. We honored some farmers with generational ties to the Farm Bureau and others who have worked to enact policies, bettering our future for even more generations to come.
These grassroots efforts of all sizes keep agriculture alive and the need for the Farm Bureau growing. On a grander scale, the American Farm Bureau Federation, our national organization, has started a group of dedicated volunteers from state members called the GO Team. This group will help take grassroots efforts and turn them into lobbying opportunities via the media and legislators.
This group understands that our membership is uniquely equipped with experiences that can help mold the future of our ever-changing world of technology and growth. We just have put some of these experiences to work.
Delaware Farm Bureau News
Editor
Jennifer Antonik jenn.antonik@defb.org Graphics/Production Designer
Heather Kline heather.kline@defb.org 302-697-3183
Delaware Farm Bureau News (ISSN 10770798), published in Camden, DE, bimonthly, by Delaware Farm Bureau. Production by Delaware Printing Company. Periodicals postage paid at Camden, DE and additional offices.
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The GO Team, or the Grassroots Outreach Team, was created back in 2013 to engage volunteers in a new and exciting way through legisla -
tive and media-based advocacy. Farm Bureau members have to be nominated by their state organization and president for this role. Once accepted, they will be offered a place in a social media group where GO Team members can share experiences and needs. Training is also made available to GO Team members so they can feel more comfortable advocating in a variety of spaces.
As the Delaware Farm Bureau President, I can tell you that advocacy in these ways is tough. The nomination process and training are valuable parts of this program. The training, in particular, helps us provide clear, concise responses to some of the harder questions we face in our field. Many farmers shy away from talking with the media and lawmakers because it can be quite intimidating. But, I would encourage you to think of how agriculture has changed over the years because farmers spoke on
important topics when they arose.
Advocacy through the Farm Bureau and its national GO Team have proved crucial on topics ranging from the postal service to international trade or even local water concerns. Right now, a specific need is to increase poultry industry professionals on the GO Team, a need Delaware could be uniquely qualified to satisfy.
If you think you might be interested in volunteering your expertise, please reach out. The GO Team is always looking for new advocates from every arm of agriculture.
The Delaware Farm Bureau is also looking for volunteers to step up to the plate. There are a lot of ways to get involved at the county and state levels through the Women’s Committee, Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, Promotion & education Committee and other opportunities. Each of these groups remains active and vibrant throughout the year, promoting literacy, growth, safety and more. Volunteers keep these programs alive for generations to come.
All of the volunteers we have honored this year understand the importance of these grassroots efforts to create national change or share agriculture with our local communities.
Be sure to check out their stories later on in this issue. Thanks to members like you, we are, without a doubt, Farm Bureau Proud. Celebrate with us.
Directors
President
Richard Wilkins
1st Vice President
Laura Hill
2nd Vice President
William Powers, Jr.
County Presidents
Kent: Jacob Urian
Sussex: Steve Breeding
New Castle: Stewart Ramsey
Young Farmers and Ranchers
State Chair: Mollie Lynch
Kent Chair: Michael Lynch
New Castle Chair: Travis Voshell
Women’s Committee
State Chair: Mary B. Gooden
Kent Chair: Rebecca Bobola
Sussex Chair: Constance Fox
New Castle Chair: June Unruh
Kent County Directors
Bruce Dempsey
David Marvel
Ted Bobola Jr.
Sussex County Directors
Alan Bailey
Mark Davis
New Castle County Directors
Bruce Patrick
Will Powers, III
Ryan Greer
Delaware Farm Bureau President Richard Wilkins
New Ag Literacy Resources now available through AFBF
Fascinating facts about food in America – how and where it is grown and who produces it – are at your fingertips in a new resource produced by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Order the new Food and Farm Facts book, map, pocket guide and related products at Fb.org/store.
Food and Farm Facts helps answer questions that learners of all ages may have, including “Where does our food come from and who grows it?” The 32-page, full-color book features updated facts and easy-toread infographics about U.S. agriculture that can be used in a variety of ways to help increase agricultural literacy. The book would be a valuable resource in the classroom, at fairs and events, for student leadership organizations and when creating social media posts.
The book is organized by section (Consumers, Modern Farmers, Trade & Economics, Environment and Production). New in this edition of the book is information on how
farmers are producing more on fewer acres and how they sustainably manage and preserve soil. Copies of Food and Farm Facts may be purchased for $4.25 each (up to 49 copies). Price breaks are available for multi-copy purchases starting at 50: 50-99 copies, $3.50 each; 100 or more copies, $2.50 each. Each copy of the book includes a color “Abundant Agriculture” map poster depicting top agricultural products produced in every state. A pocket guide version of Food and Farm Facts (100 copies for $10) that features several popular infographics from the book is also available. Additional Food and Farm Facts products created by the Foundation will be available later this fall. These include free classroom activity cards for grades 4-6 and a PowerPoint game for grades 7-12 developed using national learning standards and state “common core” standards that reflect the knowledge and skills young people need for success in college and careers.
and reach nearly 7,000 members!
Jennifer Antonik at (302) 697-3183 or jenn.antonik@defb.org
DEFB members honored with county-wide awards
Each year, the Delaware Farm Bureau honors members from each county for their service to agriculture and the organization.This year's awardees include generational farmers and incredible advocates.
Kent County Distinguished Service to Agriculture:
Katherine (Kitty) Holtz
Katherine (Kitty) Holtz of Clayton, along with her husband, has operated a grain farming business in Delaware since 1969.
She volunteered for ten years as an assistant organizational leader for 4-H, helping share agriculture with youth in the First State. She has also volunteered with the Delaware Farm Bureau since 2003. Her roles with the Farm Bureau have included acting as a director on the Kent County and State Farm Bureau Boards for eleven years, Kent County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chair for eight years, State Farm Bureau Women’s Committee Chair for one year, Kent County Farm Bureau President for two years and State Farm Bureau President for four years.
Holtz has continuously impacted
the ag industry in a positive way by promoting the need for agriculture to have a seat at the table, even if it means educating the public along the way. With this in mind, she has served on a host of committees, including:
• The Governors Native Species Commission,
• Ecological Extinction Task Force,
• Farin & Food Advisory Com-
mittee,
• Delaware Produce Safety Advisory Council,
• USDA Specialty Crop Review Committee,
• USDA-NRCS State Technical Comunittee,
• Central Delaware Advisory Committee on Agrability,
• Dept. of Agriculture Deer Management Committee,
• Council of Farm Organiza-
tions,
• Farin and Food Council,
• Kent County Emergency Fund Committee,
• And Participated for three years as a panel member for the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce Leadership Conference for Agriculture and Agri-Tourism. She has also acted as a watchdog for agriculture by attending meetings related to the Water Resource Alliance, Clean Water & Flood Abatement Task Force, Delaware Advisory Wetlands Committee, and Delaware Sediment and Stormwater Regulation Advisory Committee.
Kent County Farm Family of the Year: The Busker Family
This year’s Farm Family of the Year for Kent County is the Busker Family of Harrington.
Lifelong farmers Chuck and Charmayne Busker started their family operation in Harrington in 1979. Jenamy Farms, LLC, was first established with a dairy herd
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Kent County Distinguished Service to Agriculture.awardee is Kitty Holtz.
of 35 and 70 acres of cropland. The family grew to include Philip Busker and his wife Ann, along with their children Karley and Gracie, and daughter Sarah Busker and her daughter Sophie Roger.
Shortly before starting their farm and acting as CFO, Charmayne earned a Bachelor’s degree in dairy science from Virginia Tech in 1977 and worked with Farm Credit for 30 years. She has volunteered as a Delaware 4-H Foundation board member since 1998, including roles such as treasurer; a Delaware Holstein Association member since 1980, including the roles of secretary and treasurer; and a former trustee of the Delaware Ag Museum since 2010. Charmayne earned recognition in 2018 as a Delaware 4-H Hall of Fame Inductee. She was also awarded the Joy G. Sparks Award in 2013 and Delaware Holstein Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 2006. She holds an honorary state FFA degree, as well.
Philip attended the University of Delaware and is now the COO of the family farm. He served on the Green Branch Tax Ditch Committee.
Sara earned a Bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Delaware in 2010. She is currently the operations assistant at the Delaware Ag Museum, a 4-H volunteer, and a Delaware Dairy Princess Committee member. Sara also served on the Kent County 4-H Livestock Committee as a member and treasurer. Both Philip and Sara are recipients of the American FFA degree.
Chuck passed away unexpectedly in 2007, but not before helping his family leave an agricultural legacy in Central Delaware with a focus on educating youth. Chuck and
Charmayne hosted the first Delaware Cow Camp in 1981 at Jenamy Farms. The family reinvented the camp in 2001 as an overnight event at the fairgrounds where as many as 60 kids and their calves could camp out and participate in various educational workshops. It is annually funded by an endowment in the Delaware 4-H Foundation created by the family and other friends in Chuck’s memory.
Now, in 2021, the family’s milking herd is at 260 with an equal number of young stock. They have a tillable acreage of 775 acres.
New Castle County Distinguished Service to Agriculture
June Unruh
June Unruh grew up on a dairy farm just five miles from where she and her husband, Tom, live now. In her youth, she was a member of Stump Corner 4-H Club. She graduated from Middletown High School and attended Goldey Beacom College.
Unruh has been a member of the Delaware Farm Bureau since the early 1970s. In 1977, June and Tom purchased their own farm in Taylor’s Bridge where they raised their two children, Scott and Lori. The family started a dairy operation and raised beef cattle. They now also grow corn, soybeans and wheat, and have a small hay business. June also worked for PNC Bank for 32 years, retiring in 2013.
Advocacy has been an important cause for both June and Tom. On July 8, 1991, the Delaware Farmland Preservation Bill was signed on one of theIr farms in Taylor’s Bridge by then-Governor Mike Castle.
Over the years, Unruh volunteered with both the Delaware Farm Bureau and the Delaware State Grange. Her favorite committee has
been the Farm Bureau’s Promotion and Education Committee, saying, “It’s the education component that I love! I always wanted to be a schoolteacher; now I have ‘the public’ to teach instead.” More recently, she and Debbie Kirk worked on a video for YouTube sharing several blueberry recipes.
She has volunteered in a variety of other roles with the Farm Bureau, as well. In 2013, she accepted the position of New Castle County Women’s Chair for the Delaware Farm Bureau. In 2016, she also created the “Rural Road Safety” initiative throughout the First State for the Delaware Farm Bureau and the Delaware State Grange. She currently serves as the Promotion and Education Committee Rural Road Safety Chair and the Safety Conference Chair. She also sits on the Board of Directors, Foundation Board and is an office for the Delaware State Grange.
Unruh’s service to ag has been recognized several times in the past. In 2016 during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee, Delaware was one of three states to receive an award for rural
road safety initiatives. June was also honored in 2018 at the National Grange Session in Washington, D.C, for her resolution on Rural Road Safety where it was adopted and became policy in theIr records. She is always looking for new ways to reach the public with Rural Road Safety topics. A Rural Road Safety brochure is now housed at all four Delaware Motor Vehicle locations and the Smryna Rest Stop, and Delaware’s driver’s education test for youth in public schools also includes two questions regarding Rural Road Safety.
Grain bin safety is also a priority for her. She recently helped the Odessa Fire Company win grain bin rescue equipment and training from NationwidV and advocated for safety stickers for grain bins to be given to farmers in the First State. They should receive their stickers soon.
New Castle County Farm Family of the Year
The Maghan Family
Steven and Lisa Maghan of Townsend have been Delaware
The Busker family earned Kent County's Farm Family of the Year award.
June Unruh displays an honor for being named New Castle County's Distinquished Service to Agriculture awardee.
The Maghan family shows off awards for their New Castle County Farm Family of the Year award.
Farm Bureau members since 1989. Steven started farming with his father on theIr farm in New Jersey when Steven was just five or six years old. He recalls driving on the tractor while potato farming with his family and was driving farm equipment before his feet could reach the pedals. As a young family, they also grew wheat and eventually pumpkins in the late 1960s.
In 1988, Steven, his wife Lisa, and his parents moved to Delaware where they continued growing potatoes along with grain and pumpkins. The family started a U-Pick strawberry business starting in 2000. He gave up growing potatoes in 2006 and then started a Sod business which ended in 2019.
The couple have been married for 34 years and now have four children, Ashley, Michayla, Steven, Jr., and Michael, who has passed on. Their children could often be found around the farm grading potatoes, planting and picking strawberries, or harvesting wheat and baling straw. Lisa helped the family with potato farming, but also took on the roles of office secretary and stay-athome mom.
Steven has volunteered his advice and guidance when needed to other farmers in the area, especially with regards to growing pumpkins and strawberries. He is always willing to give it his all and donated to the Food Bank when possible to help the community thrive.
Sussex County Distinguished Service to Agriculture
Debbie Absher
Debbie Absher started her career with Southern States and spent 31 years with the Sussex Conservation District where she is currently the Director of Ag Programs. Through the Sussex Conservation District, Debbie often finds creative avenues to expand conservation efforts through the soil health initiative, conservation cost share/cover crop financial assistance program and other opportunities.
Her passion is to help farmers help the land by providing them with technical and financial resources needed to implement best management practices, hopefully making them more resilient and sustainable. In the past, Absher was also instrumental in bringing the Air Seeder to Sussex County and was involved in starting the Envirothon Competition in Delaware.
More recently, Absher was instrumental in organizing the 2020 and 2021 Delmarva Soil Summits. She
also recruited/nominated the six NACD Soil Health Champions in Delaware - the most of any state in the Northeast and all located in Sussex County. She has been involved in the following committees:
• Sussex Technical High School’s Landscaping and Environmental Advisory Committee,
• Chesapeake Bay Interagency Work Group,
• Nonpoint Source Pollution Program Advisory Group,
• Delaware Soil Health Partnership,
• Sussex County Soil Health Committee,
• Tax Ditch Modernization Work Group,
• State Technical Advisory Committee,
• And the Delaware Envirothon Committee.
Sussex County Farm Family of the Year
The Lawson family
Robert “Bob” Lawson started farming at a youth age with his parents, Clifford and Jessie Lawson. His mother’s family, the Dodds, owned farmland in Sussex County since the late 1600s. The Lawson’s still actively farm property the family owned back in 1686.
Bob’s grandfather, Fred L. Dodd, also owned and operated one of the larger feed productions in the poultry industry at one time with a grist mill on his property at Morris Mill outside of Georgetown.
Lawson set out on his own in 1969 with just 16 acres and equipment from the family after graduating from the University of Delaware with a degree in agriculture education. He became a high school agriculture teacher for 32 years and earned a Master’s Degree in business administration from Wilmington University. In 1971, he and his wife, Diana, formed RoDi Heritage Farms in Harbeson where they would raise their sons, Todd and Cliff. Bob earned an honorary American FFA Degree in 2019.
Lawson and his wife Stacy now have two children, Cooper and Grier. Cliff and his wife, Meg, have three children, Case, Mack, and Maeve.
Both sons remain active in agriculture and on the family farm.
Cliff earned a degree in agriculture education from the University of Delaware, became a high school ag teacher, and is a Sussex County Delegate for the Delaware Farm Bureau. Todd earned a degree in agriculture business management from the University of Delaware and has been involved in the Delaware State Fair. Bob, Meg, and Cliff are also involved in the Sussex Central Ruritan.
RoDi Heritage Farms now has over 200 acres. It has earned distinctions such as Delaware Century Farm, Delaware Farm of Distinction, and National Bicentennial Farm.
Debbie Absher earned this year's Distinquished Service to Agriculture award in Sussex County.
The Lawson family is this year's Farm Family of the Year for Sussex County.
Lace up for Ag 5k Run/Walk brings in more than $10,000
The inaugural Lace up for Ag 5k Run/Walk raised more than $10,000 for the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation in October, according to Foundation Coordinator Kali Voshell.
Runners and walkers woke up early Saturday, Oct. 23 and travelled to Buffalo Wild Wings in Dover where they began their trek on the scenic St. Jones River Greenway Trail.
Runners and walkers competed for unique awards for overall male, female, and master’s winners. Awards were also given to the top three male/female runners in 10year age groups starting with 10 and under through 70 and over. 5K walk awards were given to the top five male/female finishers. All Kiddie K finishers will earn ribbons.
All proceeds from this event benefited the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation whose mission is to build awareness, understanding, and positive public perception about Delaware’s farm operations and fresh, local food.
To top off a successful event, Voshell announced another award during the ending ceremony.
"We did a team competition. So the team with the most participants is winning a $200 gift card to the national Ag in the Classroom store and that team gets to give the gift certificate to a school or organization of their choice," she said.
"With the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation, we are the state contact
for the National Ag in the Classroom organization so we thought that was a really good way to give
back to let a school or organization be able to buy from that store."
The Young Farmers & Ranchers
team won the gift card this year. Upcoming events can be found online at defb.org.
Teammates organized by the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for the Lace up for Ag 5k Run/Walk post for a photo after a successful fundraising event for the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
Debbie Kirk and Laura Hill are cheered on by Jackie King and other Delaware Farm Bureau members.
Quinn Phillips nears the finish line Saturday, Oct. 23 during the Lace up for Ag 5k Run/Walk in Dover.
Runners start their race in support of ag literacy in Delaware.
Pat Noble and Wendy Davis near the finish line at Buffalo Wild Wings in support of the Delaware Farm Bureau Foundation.
Walkers from the team organized by the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee complete the race.
Runners and walkers alike earned picture-perfect spots in the leaderboards during the event.
Sandra Lewis and Barbara Shalley-Leonard walked together during the Lace up for Ag 5k Run/Walk in October.
Delaware Farm Bureau President Richard Wilkins talks to the crowd.
Scholarships presented during county banquets
Timothy Gardner, above, and Bethany Knutsen, to the right, are presented with scholarships from the Kent County Farm Bureau.
USDA Opens Registration for 2022 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Registration is now open for the 98th annual Agricultural Outlook Forum (AOF), the largest annual meeting and premiere event of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The two-day event will be held virtually on Feb. 24-25, 2022. The 2022 Forum will feature a keynote address by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a presentation on the 2022 agricultural economy by USDA’s Chief Economist Seth Meyer, a panel of distinguished guest speakers, and 30 breakout sessions organized by agencies across USDA and covering a range of timely issues impacting the sector. More than one hundred government, industry, and academic leaders will share their perspectives and insights on a wide array of topics including commodity and food price outlooks, U.S. and global agricultural trade developments, climate change, and innovations in agricultural production and sustainability. The 2022 Forum theme and full program will be announced soon.
About USDA’s Outlook Forum
USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum began in 1923 to distribute and interpret information developed through economic forecasting to farmers so they had the tools to read market signals and avoid producing beyond demand. Since then, the event has evolved into a unique platform where key stakeholders from the agricultural sector in the United States and around the world come together every year to discuss current and emerging topics and trends in the sector. More than 4,500 peo-
ple attended the 2021 virtual Forum.
The Agricultural Outlook Forum, which is organized by USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist together with other USDA agencies, is independent of commercial interests and aims to facilitate information sharing among stakeholders and generate the transparency that supports more, better, and fairer markets for producers and consumers alike.
Register for the 2022 Agricultural Outlook Forum
Registration for the virtual USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum is free but required to attend. Register online and learn more about this year’s program at the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum website.
Follow the conversation at #AgOutlook on USDA’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Nathan Loucks and Edward Yu display scholarship awards presented to them during the Sussex County Farm Bureau Banquet.
Savannah Holtz is presented a scholarship from the Kent County Farm Bureau.
Tech, local foods, production: Five fascinating facts about farming
By Cyndie Shearing
Farm and ranch families make up less than 2% of the U.S. population. This means anyone who does not have direct day-to-day knowledge about farming and ranching is in the majority. If you’re part of the 98% and would like to have a few fascinating facts about farming in your back pocket the next time the subject comes up, read on.
Local foods. About 8% of U.S. farms market foods locally, through direct-to-consumer or intermediated sales (farmers’ markets, on-farm markets, Community Supported Agriculture, food hubs, etc.). When you buy local, it provides the opportunity to talk to those who grow or produce fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, meats, cheeses, baked goods and other value-added products.
Visit USDA’s online directory for more information.
Technology: GPS technology that farmers use is more precise than
what most people use in their personal cars and pickup trucks. GPS used by farmers is typically accurate within a few inches.
Farmers who use tractors with auto-steer technology drive “handsfree” in straight lines with less effort, which reduces fatigue. Using auto-steer also helps ensure crops are planted in consistent rows when different people take a turn in the driver’s seat.
Producing more on fewer acres: Today’s agriculture accounts for less than 10% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. That’s far less than the transportation, electricity generation and industry sectors. Put simply, farmers continue to produce more with greater efficiency. Economic analysis reveals that U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres in 1990 to match 2918 production levels.
Sustainable soil management: U.S. farmers deploy a variety of
techniques to proactively manage and preserve soil used. This includes planting cover crops and using conservation tillage practices, in addition to expanding use of no-till cropping methods. These practices help conserve soil while preserving and increasing nutrients and improving water quality. Trapping excess carbon in the soil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are also benefits.
Sustainable soil use and resource conservation efforts by farmers has increased by 34 million acres in just five years. Closely related – 15% of all U.S. farmland is used for conservation and wildlife habitat.
Biotechnology: Biotechnology helps solve problems or enhance products in medicine, agriculture and environmental management. Current examples in the food arena include non-bruising/non-browning apples and potatoes that reduce waste. “Golden rice” is another
example. The Philippines was the first country to introduce this nutrient-enriched food for planting. This rice variety provides up to 50% of the daily Vitamin A requirement for young children, protecting against deficiency that can cause blindness. In the future, expanded food choices for people with common food-related allergies may become a reality on our tables. And products from leaner beef cattle and pigs with a higher meat-to-fat ration are in development. Produce lovers can look forward to non-browning white button mushrooms and romaine lettuce.
Check out the new Food and Farm Facts book from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture for more details on these and other topics about food and farming. Learn more here.
Cyndie Shearing is a director of communications at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Help prevent dairy farm chemical contamination with these tips
The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the #1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*
Chemicals keep equipment clean and animals healthy on many modern dairy farms. But when mishandled, they can cause problems for farmers and their cows. Dairy cross-contamination can also cause health problems for milk consumers.
In general, consider these steps to help keep chemicals out of your milk:
• Monitor and document chemical use
• Follow label instructions and dairy best management practices
• Conduct regular, frequent inspections of farms and animals
• Train workers to properly handle and administer chemicals
• Update protocols regularly based on chemicals used “All workers should be trained. Include education on chemical usage, documentation and proper storage and application,” said Nationwide Agribusiness Senior Risk Management Consultant Lance Reeve. “When a new chemical is introduced, train workers on potential hazards. Account for any special handling requirements and ways to prevent exposure.”
Minimize antibiotic risks
Dairy antibiotics help keep cows healthy and productive. But every farmer must make sure milk is free of even a trace of them before it leaves the farm. Work with a veterinarian and keep detailed records on specific products, their doses and when they’re given. Many antibiotics have labeled withdrawal periods. Observe those times to help keep them out of the consumer dairy supply chain.
“Review records regularly with a veterinarian who visits the farm,” Reeve said. “All farm workers need to know the impor-
tance of following protocols for antibiotic use. This training is vital to preventing cross-contamination.”
Build a chemical
control program
There are a lot of other chemicals used on dairy farms. Account for the following product types in a chemical control program for your farm:
• Cleaners
• Sanitizers
• Lubricants
• Other animal treatments and medications
Your program should include how to take care of potential chemical residues in animals, barns and on equipment. Follow all specific product label instructions or warnings about cross-contamination and safe handling. Finally, have a plan for how you will eliminate those residues.
“Ensure you are appropriately managing all chemicals to protect employees and milk,” Reeve said. “For example, many cleaners are concentrated. If you dilute one before using, follow label instructions. Then, verify and document those steps.”
Don’t take shortcuts
It’s sometimes tough to resist the urge to do things like reuse containers, for example. Doing so can cause exposure even when all other protocols are followed.
A part of managing chemicals on a dairy farm is managing your workforce. Make sure only your workers and other approved personnel are allowed on the farm. Store chemicals securely and
allow only trained, authorized workers access to them.
“Every worker on the farm needs to know mishandling chemicals creates a risk to themselves and the milk,” Reeve said. “All workers need general chemical training and education on protocols like safe storage and prohibited uses of unapproved chemicals.”
Visit AgInsightCenter.com for more expert tips and information from Nationwide.
*A.M. Best Market Share Report 2020.
The information was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company should not be used as the basis for legal advice or other advice but should be confirmed with alternative sources. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide
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