Dairy Farmer's Thankful Thursday

What's up Buttercup ?

I don't know the origin of that phrase but if you have noticed there is a lot 

of Buttercup weed in pastures all across Northwest Arkansas.

It's not unusual to see some Buttercup weed in the spring, but

this year's crop is outstanding! 

It is pretty but unfortunately, it is a weed and will require a plan

to get rid of it. Pasture management is  an ongoing

job of every farmer and changes each year with our always 

changing weather conditions.

I'm thankful for the science and research that provide

the ways to manage pastures safely and effectively

and the help farmers receive from our Benton County Extension

 agents in making management decisions that impact our farms.

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

Governor Asa Hutchinson declared June Dairy Month in Arkansas.

It's the perfect kick-off to a month that celebrates the nutritious goodness of milk and a variety of dairy products that consumers across our state and the nation enjoy everyday.

Milk is our Arkansas state drink!

I was honored to take part in this ceremony with 

Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Ambassador Julie Griffin,

other dairy  farmers and industry leaders.

                                         
                                       I'm thankful for a governor who supports dairy farmers,
                                                                                 and

                                              showed his love for milk by raising his glass
                                           to celebrate June Dairy Month and World Milk Day!
                                                                 

Happy Agriculture Day

                                                      Happy National Agriculture Day
                                                                            from
                                                      down on the Arkansas dairy farm!

                     Today is an  opportunity as farmers to share how we are working everyday
                              to produce safe affordable food for consumers and celebrate
                                                all that agriculture provides to each of us.

                                            Thanks to proven science and technology,
                                we are producing a gallon of milk using 95 percent less land and
                                     65 percent less water while  producing 76 percent less
                                                         manure compared with 1944.

                                             Do you know what hasn't changed since 1944?

                                                 
                                 Farmers still care  for our animals and the land we call home
                                                  and are committed to providing you
                                             with safe,high-quality milk and dairy products.

                                                   Happy National Ag Day!

Dairy Farmer Olympics

It's a race to the finish when you are raising a crop that will be fed to your dairy cows. 

The cows are counting on us! 

Each phase of crop production

--soil preparation,planting,harvesting-- 

is part of the relay race.

We began the harvest relay of our corn crop yesterday. 

It's being chopped and hauled to the silo so that it can ferment and

 be fed to our dairy cows  as corn silage.

  Sometimes the farmer  loses the race for 

no fault of his own because of  uncontrollable  factors like weather but  

like the Olympians we've been watching this week, 

farmers don't quit till the end of the race.

                                         My dairy farm Olympics experience tells me that we
                                          will have a few slow starts during  the harvest relay
                                                                 but like true Olympians,
                                    we can enjoy the rewards of hard work at the end of the race.
                                         

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

As I watch  these beautiful Holstein cows grazing in the pasture, I am also reminded that

 my dairy farm  family and I are working everyday

 to produce nutritious food for hungry people.

 Food security is a shared responsibility 

that dairy farmers commit to seven days a week.

I'm thankful that dairy farmers across the nation partner with Feeding America,

 the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Dairy Council to help

 fight hunger in America and promote healthy food choices

 not only during Hunger Action Month but throughout the year.

Dairy Farmers Working to Fill the Milk Gap

All during the month of September (Hunger Action Month), dairy farmers are working with Feeding America and the Great American Milk Drive to bring greater awareness to the issue of hunger in America and promote ways for all of us to get involved in helping our communities solve the issue of hunger. 

The Great American Milk Drive, the first nationwide program to deliver gallons of milk to food banks for hungry families, kicked off early this year. To date, more than 90,000 gallons have been donated as part of the dairy industry's ongoing commitment to helping families get much needed nutrient-rich milk.

You can help fill the milk gap with your donation at MilkLife.

Thank-you for helping reach out to  the 49 million people facing food insecurity in America.

Celebrate World Food Day

 

 

World Food Day, October 16th,  has been celebrated since the founding of the United Nations in 1945. It's been celebrated in the United States since 1982 with sponsorship from 450 national and private voluntary organizations. 

The theme of World Food Day changes each year but all themes revolve around agriculture and the need for investment in agriculture and it's support  from  education and health. It continues to be the belief of the United Nations that " the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all people can be achieved."

One of the great challenges of the next generation will be providing nutritious, affordable food to a global population expected to grow  to 9 billion by 2050 while using fewer resources.
As dairy farmers, we recognize the serious challenges and  are committed to being a part of the solution to feed our nation.

Dairy farmers partner with Feeding America, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Dairy Council to help fight hunger in America and promote healthy food choices.

 

 

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

 

During the month of June, Midwest dairy farmers will donate $1 to Feeding America for each view of Feedin' a Nation video. With your help, we can donate the equivalent of 160,000 meals for families in need.

 

 I'm thankful for the commitment of America's dairy farmers that work seven days a week on the farm to provide nutritious milk and  to fight hunger by partnering with Feeding America, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Dairy Council.