TODAY ON AGDAY
NOVEMBER 25, 2016
HEADLINES
TODAY ON AGDAY - AN INDEPTH LOOK AT THE NATION’S DAIRY INDUSTRY - THROUGH THE EYES OF ELITE PRODUCERS. THE DRIVE AND THE DREAM... DONALD IS THE ONE THAT WILL MAKE THE DEAL. THINKS THAT WE CAN STEP OVER THOSE BOUNDARIES. I AM USUALLY THE ONE WHO SAYS, OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.THE RISK AND THE REWARD... SO WE ARE THE MERCY OF MARKET WITH THE MILK AND ALSO THE BUYING OF FEEDS.LIVING...AND THE LEGACY. OUR GOALS, OUR MISSION STATEMENT IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GET BETTER BEFORE YOU GET BIGGER. PURPOSE AND PAYOFF- WE CHANGE A LOT OF MINDS HERE WITH THE INFORMATION WE GIVE TO THEM. THEY SEE HOW THE COWS ARE TREATED AGDAY-BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO.
DEJONG FAMILY
GOOD MORNING I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF AGDAY AS WE PUT ALL OF OUR ATTENTION ON ELITE DAIRY PRODUCERS IN THIS COUNTRY. WITH THE HELP OF OUR REPORTING PARTNERS AT FARM JOURNAL’S MILK AND DAIRY HERD MANAGEMENT, WE’VE COMPILED AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY/ COLLECTION/ASSORTMENT OF DAIRY PRODUCERS FROM REGIONS THROUGH- OUT THIS COUNTRY. FROM WISCONSIN - A PRODUCER WHOSE LEGACY HINGES ON CONSERVATION. IN CALIFORNIA - A PRODUCER TRYING TO FEND-OFF AN ENCROACHING URBAN POPULATION. TO INDIANA WHERE MILK IS AWARDED IN ONE OF THE GREATEST SPECTACLES OF SPORT. BUT WE BEGIN IN DALHART TEXAS WHERE WE MEET AN IMPRESSIVE DAIRY FARMING DUO. THE DEJONG FAMILY IS WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE ON THEMSELVES - AND OTHERS - TO EMPOWER DAIRY FARMERS WORLDWIDE. THEY OFTEN SAY LEADERSHIP IS A LONELY PURSUIT.... BUT FOR DONALD AND CHERI DE JONG, THIS ISN’T THE CASE. “DONALD IS THE DREAMER. DONALD IS THE ONE THAT WILL MAKE THE DEAL. THINKS THAT WE CAN STEP OVER THOSE BOUNDARIES. I AM USUALLY THE ONE WHO SAYS, OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT, DO IT, OPERATE.” I CAN’T STAND TO SIT THERE AND READ A 50 PAGE LEGAL DOCUMENT. I GOT ADD. IT’LL DRIVE ME NUTS. AND I’LL MISS STUFF. SHE DOESN’T MISS ANYTHING. IT’S BALANCE IN THE OFFICE, ON THE FARM AND AT HOME, THAT MAKE THE DE JONGS SUCH A POWERFUL COMBINATION. THE TWO MET AT CAL-POLY STATE. CHERI’S FAMILY WERE GROCERS, AND DONALD’S WERE DAIRY PRODUCERS. . HIS FATHER CAME OVER FROM THE NETHERLANDS. AS ONE OF SEVEN KIDS, DONALD SAYS COLLEGE WAS HIS TICKET OUT FROM SOME VERY TOUGH TIMES. I KNEW THAT POINT IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO BE A DAIRYMAN… FOR SURE.SO AFTER COLLEGE, HE BROKERED COMMERCIAL INVESTOR REAL ESTATE, REPRESENTING DAIRY FARMERS. THE MONEY WAS GOOD. BUT THE JOB WAS NOT. AND SO HE TREUTNRED TO AN INDUSTRY HE HAD ONCE SWORN OFF. PEOPLE IN AGRICULTURE, BY IN LARGE, GOOD TO WORK WITH. THEY SAY WHAT THEY DO AND DO WHAT THEY SAY. AND I CAN’T SAY THAT FOR MY EXPERIENCE IN THAT FIELD.” 3:22> SO ONLY SIX MONTHS INTO THEIR MARRIAGE, THEY FOUND A FARM FOR SALE IN CENTRAL TEXAS. WITH THE HELP OF HIS FATHER, CHERI, DONALD AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER GOT A FRESH START. OUR BANKER CALLED US AND KNEW THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR LAND IN EITHER TEXAS OR NEW MEXICO. TOLD US THERE WAS A FARM FOR SALE, ABOUT 900 COWS, IN DUBLIN, TEXAS, AND THAT WHEN WE MADE THE DECISION TO COM EON OUT.” THEY STAYED THERE 15 YEARS, BUT THEN THE DE JONGS WANTED TO TAKE A RISK. WANTING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE FAMILY BUSINESS, THE DE JONGS DECIDED TO START A FARM IN THE HEART OF THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, WHILE STILL LIVING IN DUBLIN. THAT WAS OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE MANAGING FROM AFAR. AND WE WERE FAILING MISERABLY.THAT’S WHEN THEY MOVED WITH THEIR THREE GIRLS NORTH. AND THE BUSINESS VENTURE BLOSSUMED INTO MUCH MORE. I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY WE WERE AT THE RIGHTR PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND WE KNEW THE RIGHT PEOPLE. IN 2005 IS WHEN WE STARTED NATURAL PRAIRIE DAIRY FARMS. THE INTENTION WAS TO JUST START WITH 500 COWS AND JUST SEE HOW IT WENT. BECAUSE WE HAD NEVER BENE IN THE ORGANIC BUSINESS AT HTAT TIME. AND I DON’T THINK WE HAD EVEN BROKE GROUND YET AND WE WERE ALREADY UP TO 3,000 COWS. TODAY, IT’S ORGANIC DAIRY HAS GROWN TO 9 THOUSAND COWS TODAY, WITH PLANS TO BUMP THAT TO 15 THOUSAND BY THE END OF 2016. THE ORGANIC DAIRY IS SUPPORTED BY 40 THOUSAND IRRIGATED ACRES IN TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. QUALITY GOES BEYOND JUST THE FINAL PRODUCT, INVESTING IN EMPLOYEES, AS WELL. FROM GOOD SALARY, WAGES AND BENEFITS, TO OFFERING HISPANIC WORKERS THE CHANCE TO LEARN ENGLISH, THE STRATEGY IS WORKING. CURRENTLY THE DE JONGS EMPLOY 300 PEOPLE, BUT DONALD SEES THAT GROWING TO 1,000 BEFORE HIS CAREER IS OVER. THAT’S WHY IMMIGRATION REFORM WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE. HE’S PASSIONATE ABOUT POLICY, AND THE FAMILY, WITH THE NEXT GENERATION WAITING IN THE WINGS. I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE RIGHT NOW WE’RE HOPING THEY COME BACK TO THIS OPERATION. THIS IS A FAMILY OPERATIONS. IT’S NOT JUST MYSELF AND DONALD.I WOULD SAY THEY TAKE AFTER THEIR MOTHER VERY WELL. AND THOSE STRONG TRAITS ARE WHY DONALD ISN’T CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION TAKING OVER THE FAMILY FARM. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WIN EVERY BATTLE YOU HAVE TO COMPROMISE. AND I HOPE WE GOT THAT INTO THEM. BUT THEN ALSO NOT BEING PUSHOVERS AND BEING STRONG ENOUGH TO SAY AND BEING AGGRESSIVE AND MY GIRLS ARE ALL VERY AGGRESSIVE. DONALD AND CHERI SAY THEY OWE IT TO THE GIRLS TO PROVIDE OPPORUTNITY, NOT RESULTS. BUT WITH SMART BUSINESS DECISIONS AND THE DRIVE TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS, OPPORTUNITY HAS TURNED INTO SUCCESS. THE DEJONGS HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR OWN FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE OTHER DAIRY PRODUCERS WITH TOOLS TO IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESSES.
CROP COMMENTS
CROP COMMENTS IS POWERED BY RESICORE HERBICIDE FOR CORN, FROM DOW AGROSCIENCES.” FROM THE DAIRYLAND OF WISCONSIN....THE TREES ARE BARREN, THE FIELDS ARE CLEAR, BUT THE MILK TANKER SHOWS THAT WORK MUST STILL GO ON. HOPEFULLY IN THIS PART OF WISCONSIN, WINTER WON’T BE TOO TOUGH TO PREVENT TANKERS FROM DOING THEIR IMPORTANT JOB. AND WE’D LIKE TO SHOWCASE YOUR CROP COMMENTS PHOTO AS WELL. BY DOING SO, YOU BECOME ELIGIBLE TO WIN A 100-DOLLAR GIFT CARD FROM CABELAS. SUBMIT YOUR PHOTO THRU AGWEB, EMAIL OR TEXT. TEXT THE WORD ‘CROP’ ALONG WITH YOUR PICTURE--AND DESCRIPTION TO 31-31-3. STANDARD MESSAGING RATES APPLY.
TEASE
STILL AHEAD - MEET A DAIRY PRODUCER WHO WANTS TO LEAVE A LEGACY OF CONSERVATION. AND IT STARTS WITH HIS FARM IN WISCONSIN. PLUS AN INDIANA MILK PRODUCER WHO HELPS PROMOTE THE GOODNESS OF MILK - WHEN IT’S AWARDED AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST SPORTING EVENTS IN THE WORLD.
RON BROOKS
AGRIBUSINESS TODAY, BROUGHT TO YOU BY YAMAHA - MAKERS OF VIKING SIDE- BY-SIDES. YAMAHA - REAL WORLD TOUGH.WISCONSIN DAIRY PRODUCER RON BROOKS SAYS HE WANTS HIS CONSERVATION EFFORTS ON HIS FARM TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PART OF HIS LEGACY. ANOTHER KEY ELEMENT OF HIS SUCCESSION IS DAUGHTER ZOEY WHO RETURNED TO THE FARM AFTER COLLEGE. TOGETHER THEY’RE BUILDING UPON SOUND LAND STEWARDSHIP. FORGET PRICES, FORGET THE WEATHER, RON BROOKS IS EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE. WE FORGET HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH THAT KIND OF SKILL WHO IS WILLING TO COME IN AND DEDICATE THAT KIND OF TIME TO CARRY ON THE LEGACY. AND THE LEGACY OF BROOKS FARMS IS RICH. FOUNDED IN 1855 BY A HOMESTEAD CLAIM, WAUPACA WISCONSIN OPERATION HAS BEEN IN PURSUIT OF IMPROVEMENT EVER SINCE. IN 1982 BROOKS HAD JUST BEEN ACCEPTED TO VET SCHOOL. ABOUT 3 DAYS AFTER I WAS ACCEPTED I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM MY FATHER SAYING MY UNCLE WANTED TO DISSOLVE THE PARTNERSHIP AND HIS HEALTH WAS FAILING-- HE HAD MS AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO? 25:22 WHAT HE DID WAS RETURN TO THE FARM AND START BUILDING THE FAMILY LEGACY. OUR GOALS, OUR MISSION STATEMENT IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO GET BETTER BEFORE YOU GET BIGGER. -- WORKING WITH HIS FATHER THE TWO MEN ADDED FARMLAND, ADDED COWS AND BUILT A SUSTAINABLE OPERATION. WE WERE SUSTAINABLE BEFORE SUSTAINABLE WAS COOL WE’VE BEEN PRODUCING CROPS AND PRODUCTS AND KIDS ON THE SAME LAND FOR 160 YEARS AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT HAS ACTUALLY DECREASED WHILE OUR PRODUCTIVITY HAS INCREASED OVER 10 FOLD.FARMLAND NOW INCLUDES COVER CROPS AS PART OF THE ROTATION... AND IF IT’S JUST SITTING THERE BARREN VERSUS THIS I’LL GUARANTEE YOU WHERE MY MOST PRODUCTIVE ACRES ARE ITS ALWAYS ON MY COVER CROPS AND ALWAYS COMING IN NO-TILLING INTO ALFALFA. AND MORE RECENTLY A NEW DRY COW BARN-- ALL IMPROVEMENTS THAT MUST MAKE BUSINESS SENSE FIRST... DAD IS A REMARKABLE MONEY MAN AND HE ALWAYS BRINGS US BACK TO REALITY WITH HOW IS THAT GOING TO PAY FOR ITSELF.I HAVE APPROACHED THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND I THINK IT’S A HYBRID SITUATION NOW...BUT WE DON’T NECESSARILY SPEND OUR WAY INTO PROSPERITY BUT WE’RE A LITTLE LESS INCLINED TO LET THE NICKEL COVER UP THE DIME. 27:16 INVESTMENTS HELPING PAVE THE WAY... “BUT THEY’RE HONESTLY LIKE PUPPIES. LAUGH” FOR ZOEY...BROOKS FARMS NEWEST CHIEF OPERATION’S OFFICER. THERE’S SCARY DAYS’ THERE’S DAYS WHERE I THOUGHT YOU KNOW I COULD BE WORKING AT A DESK IT’S NOT NEGATIVE 20 OUTSIDE AND A PLUSH LIFE BUT THIS INDUSTRY AND THIS PROFESSION IS THE MOST REWARDING I’VE SEEN. 49:15 WE TALKED AND I TOLD HER COMING BACK JUST TO PRESERVE THE LEGACY ISN’T THE RIGHT REASON TO COME BACK. IF YOU’RE GOING TO JUMP INTO THIS WITH BOTH FEET YOU’RE GOING TO NEED TO REALLY WANT TO DO IT. 49:20 SHE EXPRESSED TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT THIS IS WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO. ONE OF FOUR DAUGHTERS ZOEY IS NOW FULL TIME AND FULL STEAM AHEAD.. SO WE’RE SEEING ALMOST DOUBLE THE AVERAGE DAILY GAIN OF TRADITIONAL DAIRY CALVES WHICH IS HUGE.NO I NEVER ENVISIONED THAT ANY OF HIS DAUGHTERS WOULD BE DOING THIS. THREE GENERATIONS... WE’RE GOING FROM 250 LACTATING COWS TO 500 NOW BUILDING A FUTURE TOGETHER.. YOU REALLY SEE THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR . ON A PAST RICH IN HISTORY. YOU CAN’T GET IT OUT OF YOUR BLOOD. AND ITS COMES WITH A BURDEN OF ITS OWN.
TEASE
NEXT - WE’RE HEADED TO INDIANA TO MEET A DAIRY PRODUCER WHO STANDS IN THE ‘WINNERS CIRCLE’ WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTING MILK TO RACING FANS AROUND THE WORLD. AND THEN WE MEET A PRODUCER WHO IS NOT DETERRED BY AN ENCROACHING URBAN POPULATION IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
INDY 500 DAIRY
INDIANA IS HOME TO MORE THAN 12-HUNDRED DAIRY FARMS HOUSING OVER 144- THOUSAND HEAD OF CATTLE. WHILE ALL UNIQUE, ONE DAIRY PRODUCER REPRESENTED ALL OF THEM DURING THE “GREATEST SPECTACLE IN RACING” - THE INDIANAPOLIS 500. HERE’S BETSY JIBBEN. “COME ON GIRLS! UP, UP, UP!” IN THIS 24 ROW PARALLEL PARLOR... YOU’LL FIND JANET DAGUE MAKING HER ROUNDS, MILKING ROUGHLY 200 HOLSTEINS FROM HER FAMILY’S OPERATION. “WE’LL PUT THEM ON AND TAKE THE OTHERS OFF AND THEN THEY GET TO GO OUT BY THE FREE STALLS AND LAY DOWN. IN SAND! IT’S KIND OF LIKE THE BEACH!!"THE INDIANA DAIRY FARMER WITH A BIG PERSONALITY “ALRIGHT LADIES, TIME TO GO!"MILKS EVERY AFTERNOON.. EXCEPT.. FOR THIS SUNDAY. THAT’S BECAUSE JANET IS THE 2016 INDIANAPOLIS 500 MILK WOMAN. AT THE END OF THE RACE, SHE’S THE ONE GIVING THE WINNER A COLD BOTTLE OF MILK IN VICTORY LANE. IT’S A TRADITION DATING BACK TO 1933, WHEN WINNER LOUIS MEYER ASKED FOR A REFRESHING GLASS OF BUTTERMILK TO QUENCH HIS THIRST. NOW THE TRADITION CONTINUES WITH JANET.. ONLY THE THIRD WOMAN ASSIGNED TO THE JOB. NOT ONLY IS IT THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 BUT IT’S THE COOLEST TROPHEY IN SPORTS!” AND LONG BEFORE JANET KNEW SHE’D REPRESENT DAIRY FARMERS AROUND THE COUNTRY, RACE DAY ALWAYS REVOLVED AROUND MILKING. “WE DO MAKE A BIG DAY OUT OF IT STARTING AT 5 A.M. BUT BEING THE DAIRY FARMERS WE ARE, WE DO RUSH HOME AND FINISH UP CHORES AFTER THE RACE IS OVER,"IT’S THOSE CHORES AND ROOTS IN THE INDUSTRY THAT MAKE THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE SO SPECIAL. FROM HER MORNINGS FEEDING IN THE CALF BARN.... TO HER TIME OUTSIDE IN THE LOT. “416 YOU WANT TO COME SEE ME!” IT’S A LOT OF HARD WORK BUT IT’S DEF WORTH IT. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE BOTH STAY AT HOME PARENTS. WE’RE HERE EVERYDAY FOR OUR KIDS. OUR KIDS ARE HERE FOR US.........IT’S A LIFESTYLE AND IT’S ENJOYABLE."A PASSION.. THAT’S ALL BOTTLED (UP) AND READY FOR THE BIGGEST RACE DAY OF THE YEAR. REPORTING IN KEWANA, INDIANA, I’M BETSY JIBBEN. BEFORE THE RACE, EACH DRIVER SUBMITS ANSWERS TO A POLL ON WHETHER THEY WANT WHOLE, 2 PERCENT OR FAT FREE MILK. THE WINNING DRIVER, OWNER AND CHIEF MECHANIC ARE ALL AWARDED A BOTTLE.
TEASE
NEXT - WE’LL HEAD WEST TO CALIFORNIA WHERE A DAIRY PRODUCER IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE-UP HIS FARM TO URBAN GROWTH. INSTEAD HE EMBRACES WHAT IT MIGHT OFFER IN RETURN. AND SEE HOW ONE WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY IS BUILDING UPON ITS SUCCESS IN DAIRY EDUCATION - BY COMBINING LIVING AND LEARNING FOR STUDENTS.
DAVE VAN OMMERING DAIRY
SAN DIEGO, IT’S KNOWN FOR ITS BEACHES AND NEAR PERFECT CLIMATE-- FARMING HOWEVER, NOT GENERALLY THE FIRST THOUGHT. THE COUNTY IS HOME TO ROUGHLY 5-THOUSAND FARMS--WITH AN AVERAGE SIZE OF 9 ACRES OR LESS. BUT, WHAT’S GETTING HARDER TO FIND IS A MODERN WORKING DAIRY FARM. SET DISCRETELY OFF THE BEATEN PATH. IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY’S HILL COUNTRY.. LOW MIKE PRICES AND HIGH FEED PRICES RIGHT HERE BECAUSE OF THIS WEATHER. 55:42 STARTS ANOTHER COOL WINTER MORNING FOR THE VAN OMMERING DAIRY. MY MOM AND DAD WERE IMMIGRANTS FROM HOLLAND. DAVE VAN OMMERING IS THE SECOND GENERATION ON THIS 250 COW OPERATION...A PLACE HIS PARENTS PURCHASED NEARLY 60 YEARS AGO. THEY STARTED ON A DAIRY FARM..WORKING ON A DAIRY FARM RIGHT WHERE QUALCOMM STADIUM IS AND SAVED UP ENOUGH MONEY 7 YEARS LATER AND BOUGHT THE PROPERTY WE’RE ON NOW AND STARTED DAIRYING IN 1960. TODAY, THESE COWS ARE MORE NOVELTY THAN ECONOMIC NECESSITY. IN A REGION KNOWN FOR IT’S SOARING SKYLINES AND PRISTINE PACIFIC VIEWS, AGRICULTURE KEEPS GETTING HERDED TO THE OUTSKIRTS. THERE’S ONLY 3 DAIRY’S LEFT HERE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. MOST HAVE MOVED EITHER TO CENTRAL VALLEY OR OUT OF STATE OR GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. THE TROUBLE STARTS AT THE FEED TRUCK... THE ECONOMICS OF THE DAIRY BUSINESS IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GROW YOUR OWN FEED. AND MOST OF THE DAIRY FARMS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH LAND TO GROW ALL OF THE LAND YOU NEED TO GROW FEED. SO WE HAVE TO PURCHASE ALL OF OUR FEED. SO WE ARE THE MERCY OF MARKET WITH THE MILK AND ALSO THE BUYING OF FEEDS. ADD TO IT, HIGH LAND PRICES, A DIP IN MILK MARKETS, POPULATION CREEP, AND REGULATIONS... KEEPING COWS IN THIS PEACEFUL VALLEY IS PROVING TO BE A CHALLENGE. WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO DIVERSIFY BECAUSE DAIRYING IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY IS NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE JUST WITH DAIRY FARMING./// 8:50 WHICH IS WHY ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO THEY STARTED OMA’S PUMPKIN PATCH. WITH 40 THOUSAND VISITORS A YEAR, WE HAVE TO BE MORE WILLING TO SPEAK TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AGRICULTURE OR ARE UNEDUCATED ABOUT AGRICULTURE. // THE AGRI-TOURISM BUSINESS HAS QUICKLY OVERTAKEN THE DAIRY AS A MAIN SOURCE OF INCOME. WE CHANGE A LOT OF MINDS HERE WITH THE INFORMATION WE GIVE TO THEM. THEY SEE HOW THE COWS ARE TREATED...ONE THING THEY’VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO--IS SELL DIRECTLY TO THOSE CUSTOMERS. WHICH IS WHY LATER THIS YEAR THE FARM PLANS TO BUILD A CREAMERY START SELLING ARTISAN CHEESES. HERE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY WE HAVE 31 MICRO BREWERIES AND THAT’S BECOME A BIG HIT. THE MICRO BREWERIES SCENE AND NO CHEESE MAKING FACILITIES HERE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND WE HAVE A POPULAION OF ABOUT A MILLION AND HALF PEPOLE AND WE FIGGURE IN THAT MILLION AND HALF A LOT WOULD CRAVE ARTISAN CHEESE MADE HERE ON THE FARM. 11:38 GIVING FRESH HOPE, AND A RENEWED PURPOSE FOR THIS FARMING FAMILY...AS IT WORKS TO PUMP LONGEVITY INTO AN OTHERWISE DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT. NEXT - SEE HOW THE NEXT GENERATION OF DAIRY PRODUCERS ARE LIVING AND LEARNING ABOUT THEIR CHOSEN CAREER - AND THEY’RE JUST A FEW STEPS APART FROM EACH OTHER.
COLLEGE STUDENTS LIVING WITH DAIRY
IN THE COUNTRY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY KUBOTA’S BX AND L SERIES COMPACT TRACTORS - AVAILABLE NOW WITH A SIX-YEAR LIMITED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. LEARN MORE TODAY AT YOUR LOCAL KUBOTA DEALER.IF YOU’VE SENT YOUR TEENAGER TO COLLEGE IN RECENT YEARS, YOU MAY BEFAMILIAR WITH HOUSING THAT PUTS YOUR STUDENT IN THE SAME DORM OR FLOOR WITH STUDENTS WITH SIMILAR INTERESTS, SUCH AS AN HONORS DORMITORY.AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN IN PLATTEVILLE, STUDENTS CAN LIVE, LEARN AND WORK ON A REAL DAIRY FARM.WE GET DETAILS IN THE VIDEO FROM THE WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD.ALTHOUGH TRAVIS FRANKS DID NOT GROW UP ON A FARM, HE WORKED ON ONE THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL. HE ENROLLED AT UW-PLATTEVILLE AND CHOSE THE COOPER LIVING AND LEARNING CENTER AS HIS HOUSING OPTION, ALLOWING HIM TO LIVE,LEARN AND WORK AT PIONEER FARM ON CAMPUS. “THERE’S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN UP HERE AT THE FARM. BEING OUT HERE YOU’RE KIND OF CONNECTED TO THAT.” “THE STUDENTS JOB WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE KEEPING UP WITH THAT…"CLOSELYMENTORED BY HIS ADVISOR DR. TERA MONTGOMERY, TRAVIS SEES THIS OPPORTUNITY AS A WAY TO PLAN FOR HIS FUTURE! “BEING OUT HERE, CLOSER TO THE FARM, WE GET MORE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE AND IT DEFINITELY MAKES US MORE MARKETABLEFOR AFTER WE GRADUATE TO FIND A JOB!” GAINING CLASSROOM KNOWLEDGE ALONG WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE ON THE FARM IS WHAT WILL HELP PREPARE TRAVIS FOR HIS FUTURE IN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. “IT’S REALLY AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE RURAL LIVING, THE FARM LIFE, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE FARM GIVES THEM, BUT THEN ALSO THEY’VE GOT PLENTY OF CLASSES ON CAMPUS WHERE THEY CAN REALLY INTERACT WITH THE GENERAL POPULATION AS WELL.” FOR DR. MONTGOMERY, THE COOPER LIVING AND LEARNING CENTER IS AN ASSET THAT WILL HELP STUDENTS, LIKE TRAVIS, GAIN THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AFTER GRADUATION. “A LOT OF THE PROGRAMMING THAT THE COOPER LIVING AND LEARNING CENTER DOES IS FOCUSED AROUND AGRICULTURE. SO IT’S A CONSTANT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND IT’S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE DOING PART OF THE TIME, IT’S SOMETHING THAT THEY’RE REALLY IMMERSED IN ALL OF THE TIME.” AND THAT’S WISCONSIN DAIRY NEWS.
CLOSE
THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST IN THE U-S DAIRY SECTOR. FOR TYNE MORGAN AND BETSY JIBBEN, I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
