Hoard's Dairyman

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program today began its open comment period for both the Animal Care and Workforce Development programs’ proposed Version 2028 updates to compile and incorporate farmer and industry feedback. “Farmer involvement is critical to ensuring program standards are practical and achievable,” said James “Cricket” Jacquier, an Agri-Mark member-farmer and chairman of the FARM Animal Care Task Force.

Two years ago, the last breeding bull left our property to his second career at the sale barn, and I distinctly remember the conversation that followed regarding whether to refill the empty bull pen. For as long as I can remember, our farm has primarily artificially inseminated cows, but we always kept a “just in case” bull on site. As our reproductive efficiency improved, we questioned if we really needed to feed that bull for the one to two cows he bred each year.

The moment all my camp paperwork and planning stress vanished. A week ago, I would have told you I was ready for 4-H camp. Little did I know, I was nowhere near ready for what was to come. Last Monday, I took off behind two buses of kids, with a trailer full of luggage hitched behind my truck. Don’t get me wrong, we had an incredible week. When you are responsible for that many kids, returning home with all their limbs and no major medical or behavioral crises is a massive win.

Classifieds: July 2026

I thought we were leaving, but Mom was still talking” is something my kids have often said. Anyone else overhear this kind of feedback from family members? The season of shows, sales, and meetings means my long conversations are fairly common occurrences for my family. It seems possible that is not the case for everyone around us, though. “The number of words you say in a day is shrinking” was a headline-worthy line in Time magazine.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Ark.) released the Agricultural Act of 2026 discussion draft. Dairy provisions include program reauthorizations, dairy product processing cost reporting, the Dairy Forward Pricing Program, Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives, and nutrition incentives that could expand dairy access.

Junior Holstein members showcased their passion for Holstein cows and the dairy industry at the 2026 National Holstein Convention in Orlando, Florida. From June 22 to 25, 2026, over 250 enthusiastic Junior Holstein members participated in the Convention. Throughout the week, youth members engaged in contests and educational speaker sessions, enjoyed the resort venue and tours, and forged new connections.

Lely North America is proud to launch the Lely Farmers Market, https://marketplace.lelyna.com/lely-farmers-market, a new online destination that connects consumers directly with farms across the country producing dairy food and products with care, precision and purpose. The Lely Farmers Market offers an easy way for consumers to discover and navigate to farms using Lely automation to care for animals, improve farm management and produce high-quality products.

Join us July 28 and 29 for an engaging and interactive two-day workshop designed for youth ages 11–16! Participants will explore the exciting world of Vibe Coding, a modern approach to software development that uses natural language prompts to create applications. No traditional coding experience required. Over two mornings, youth will learn to turn their ideas into digital projects by creating a simple website, designing a user-friendly interface, and crafting effective prompts to guide AI tools.

The Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) is beginning to shift how they conduct genomic evaluations, with a method called the “single-step” expected to be implemented next year. How is it different from our current approach, and what are the potential advantages of the new approach? Figure 1 gives a broad overview of the current evaluation system; a key feature is that the DNA markers we use are essentially treated as performance predictors.