The Farm

Gaynor Cranberry Company in Wisconsin Rapids is the latest feature farm for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s sustainability tour.

Manager and co-owner Heidi Slinkman says her family’s 212-acres of cranberries must be environmentally sustainable to continue on for more generations. Those 212 acres of cranberry vines are accompanied by about 2,000 acres of support land — wetlands.

She says the relationship between her family and the land is unique. The farm focuses on water quality, borrowing water from a reservoir shared with neighbors that’s swimmable, and supporting wildlife.

Right now, Gaynor Cranberry Company is harvesting its berries. During harvest and planting, the business hires additional employees to take on the labor-intensive work. To maintain a strong workforce on the farm, Slinkman says the farm offers a lot of great incentives, for example, a family-like environment, housing and full benefits.

In order to be economically efficient, Slinkman explains the business keeps a tight balance between labor and machinery.

Gaynor’s cranberries go to Ocean Spray to make craisins, juice or concentrate. Wisconsin is the No. 1 producer of cranberries in the nation with 250 growers on more than 21,000 acres. The Badger State produces more than half of the world’s supply of cranberries.

The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association applauds a package of bills proposed to boost the state’s ag community.

The package, released this week at World Dairy Expo by Gov. Tony Evers and state Dems, includes a new, $20 million investment in food security. The program would provide “much-needed” support to dairy farmers and processors amid pandemic market disruptions, according to WCMA.

The bills also aim to help hunger relief organizations purchase local milk, butter, yogurt and cheese.

“The food supply chain remains volatile as we navigate another national wave of COVID-19 infections,” explains WCMA policy director Rebekah Sweeney. “Additional funding for the successful Food Security Initiative would offer a welcome layer of stability to the marketplace.”

Sweeney adds dairy processors welcome every opportunity to partner with leaders in the hunger relief community to aid its food-insecure neighbors. She urges lawmakers to act quickly to approve legislation that will help address urgent, essential needs.

See a previous story on the proposed legislation: https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/2021/09/28/state-aid-packages-target-agribusiness/

Agribusinesses of all shapes, sizes and commodities are experiencing some kind of pandemic implication. For cranberry processor Ocean Spray, it has its highs and lows.

Tom Tritt is the plant manager of the Ocean Spray Craisin facility in Wisconsin Rapids. He says the plant is experiencing labor challenges, but is managing to stay ahead of any workforce crises. On the other end of the spectrum, Ocean Spray has seen robust demand for cranberry products.

Tritt attributes the change in lifestyle that occurred when shutdowns were taking place. Cranberries fit into both the health food and local food demands from grocery shoppers. The berries are also versatile for at-home food preparation and on-the-go snacking.

He adds more consumers are expecting their products to come from sustainable sources. Ocean Spray prides itself on having sustainable initiatives for both the processing facilities and the cranberry bogs. These initiatives have been an asset to marketing the brand.

Tritt says Ocean Spray prides itself on working for the growers. He says the pride cranberry producers have in their farms spills through the cooperative and is a strength to the company.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation has just wrapped up its “Leaders of the Land: A State Sustainability Series” at Gaynor Cranberry Company in Wisconsin Rapids with a cranberry harvest and bog tour.

The series of nine tours took place across the state in each of the WFBF districts, highlighting diverse commodities and sustainability practices with farmers and agriculturists.

“Farm Bureau is a unique organization because we bring together many different farm types, sizes and commodities,” says WFBF President Kevin Krentz. “This new series is meant to bring farmers and agriculturalists together to talk about what sustainability means on different farms and businesses. Everyone has a sustainability story to share, and we have more in common across the state when it comes to stewardship practices than you might think.”

The purpose of the statewide sustainability series was to offer farmers and agriculturists different perspectives regarding environmental stewardship across Wisconsin. The tours brought farmers of all types together to explore how diverse sectors of agriculture achieve similar goals regarding water quality, soil health, waste management, carbon conversations and air quality.

Each event featured a unique learning opportunity, applicable across farms and allow networking across sectors of agriculture and areas of the state.

Upon reflecting on the tours, Krentz notes that he found environmentally sustainability went hand in hand with economic and social sustainability. He says it will be important to showcase what WFBF members learned on the tours with consumers. He adds he sees another series like this on the calendar for next year.

Throughout August and September, the farm tours included Heartland Farms in Hancock, From the Earth Farm and Education Garden in Bowler, High Gem Holsteins & Normandes in Neosho, Wiese Brothers Farm in Greenleaf, Cowsmo Inc. in Cochrane, Lake Family Farms in Boyceville, Roth Feeder Pigs in Wauzeka and Gaynor Cranberry Company in Wisconsin Rapids.

The Wisconsin Holstein Association is pleased to welcome Sunnyside Standout-TW, EDR V I Angie Melvina and Emil Titel as the 2021 Wall of Fame inductees. Award presentation for these outstanding individuals will take place at the WHA State Holstein Picnic hosted at Selz-Pralle Dairy, Humbird, on Saturday, October 9.  
 
Wall of Fame Bull: Sunnyside Standout-Twin 
This year’s Wisconsin Holstein Wall of Fame Bull is Sunnyside Standout-Twin, VG-85 Gold Medal Sire. Standout was born in 1962 at Sunnyside Farms, owned by the Borgwardt family of Valders. He went into service at Tri-State Breeders in Westby, Wisconsin, later to be known as Accelerated Genetics.
 
Standout comes from a well-respected Wisconsin herd, Sunnyside Dairy owned and operated by the Borgwardt family. Today the herd is operated by Todd and Susan but prior to their management the dairy was managed by Roger and Bill Borgwardt and earlier Elroy Borgwardt. All of whom were active in the Wisconsin Holstein Association and served on the WHA board of directors. 
 
At Tri-State Breeders, Standout had at least 11,000 daughters in his proof in nearly 3,000 herds and over 5,000 daughters classified. At that time, Standout was an exceptional production bull with sound type. 
 
He had hundreds of sons that made an impact on the breed. His highest scored daughter, JPG Standout Kandy EX-96 2E GMD, was All-American Aged Cow in 1977 and admired by many yet today.
 
Standout passed when he was 12 years old. He was the type of bull that made both animals for the showring and breeder herds across the USA. 
 
Wall of Fame Cow: EDR V I Angie Melvina  
 EDR V I Angie Melvina EX-93 3E GMD DOM is the 2021 Wall of Fame Cow. Melvina’s story starts at EDR Farms in Palmyra where she was bred by the Marsh family – Ron and Doris and daughters Karen and Laura. 
 
Under the Marsh’s care, Melvina earned show accolades throughout 1990. She was Reserve Senior and Reserve Grand Champion, and Best Bred & Owned of the Wisconsin Spring Show; Senior and Grand Champion of the Wisconsin Junior State Fair; and Reserve All-Wisconsin and Junior All-Wisconsin Senior 3-Year-Old. She was a tall and strong cow with a tremendous udder. 
 
Melvina’s legacy would unfold at Our-Favorite Holsteins in Fall Creek. Todd Stanek purchased her from the Marsh’s dispersal in 1992 as a 5-year-old. She became the foundation cow of the Our-Favorite Conceited EX-92 cow family which has produced offspring that are known around the globe. Her most famous descendant, Our-Favorite Unlimited, EX-94 2E is an Atwood who has produced many high-ranking sons in A.I. as well as daughters who too have produced their own sons.
 
At the time, Melvina had a good index and to gain A.I. interest, Stanek put her on a flush program to high index sires like Mascot. Many of her flushes resulted in 20-25 embryos. 
 
In her lifetime, Melvina produced 154,462 pounds of milk with 4,913 pounds of fat and 4,482 pounds of protein. 
 
Wall of Fame Person: Emil Titel 
 The Wall of Fame Person is Emil Titel of Plymouth, the renowned breeder of several of the foundation cows and bulls of the breed in the 1920s and 1930s. Titel was born in 1874 in Glenbeulah and after graduation from public schools he started farming with his father and purchased some heifers in 1906 that became the foundation of three important families. 
 
Emil’s principal cow families the Vickery Vales, the Klazerinas and the Little Gifts were influential in the Charles Konop, John Pester, Pabst Farms, John Hetts’ Crescent Beauty-Admirals, Kyland, Osborndale, Dunloggin, Pinehurst and Wisconsin Reformatory herds. His influence can be seen in the pedigree of Wisconsin Admiral Burke Lad VG-GM. His sire Wisconsin Admiral Burke has four Vickery Vale females in a row that were bred by Titel on the maternal side. He also bred the Admiral Ormsby Fobes son who sired Burke Lad’s dam.
 
Vickery Vale 79278, born in 1905, lived to 20 years of age and it was her daughters and granddaughters mated with Admiral Ormsby Fobes that guaranteed Titel’s success. Admiral Ormsby Fobes was the second calf from Wisconsin Fobes the 5th, once called “the greatest cow who ever lived.” An Admiral Ormsby Fobes daughter, Vickery Vale Mechthilde Ormsby provided the Admiral component of the Crescent Beauty-Admiral line. 
 
The Klazerina Della family was also developed by Emil Titel. Admiral Ormsby Fobes was mated with a member of this family, and the resulting heifer, Klazerina Champion Fobes, was mated with Sir Ormsby Beechwood, a son of Admiral, resulting in Klazerina Champion Fobes 3d who was Grand Champion at the Wisconsin State Fair. Subsequent matings from Fobes 3d produced Klazerina Della. Her daughter Klazerina Della 2d EX, who was purchased from the Titels by David Bachmann, would prove to have an early positive influence on the Pinehurst herd.
 
A third family that resulted from Titel’s original purchase of heifers in 1906 were the Little Gifts who had a lesser influence, but can be found behind some of the Dunloggin cattle.
 
Emil Titel died in 1952 at the age of 78 years. The farm and herd were continued by his son Arthur Titel who sold out in 1957 at a Baird-managed auction with an average of $365.00 on 37 milking age females. Pinehurst Farms purchased the high seller Bonny Comet Beauty 2d, whose sire and dam were Admiral Comet offspring for $875.

Join other Registered Holstein enthusiasts at the State Holstein Picnic to welcome these exceptional individuals on to the Wall of Fame. In addition to these presentations, the picnic will offer farm tours of the host’s operation, Selz-Pralle Dairy, a dairy cattle memorabilia display, a meal, wine and cheese samples and a pop-up shop by A Farm Chick’s Closet.

Cornell University finished first among seventeen schools in the National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest on September 27 at World Dairy Expo^®. The Cornell University team, who finished with a score of 2,468, placed third for reasons, second in placings, and had the top two individuals Bryce Windecker and Johnathan King, who both had a score of 829. In addition to these two judges, the team also included Grace Harrigan and Laura Littrell and was coached by Kevin Ziemba. Finishing second and third overall with only a one point margin were Virginia Tech and Iowa State University, respectively. Other teams finishing in the top five include University of Wisconsin – Platteville, University of Minnesota and Pennsylvania State University.  

Teams and individuals receiving recognition include:

Top Ten Teams – Overall:

1.       Cornell University, 2,468, team members: Johnathan King, Grace Harrigan, Bryce Windecker and Laura Littrell, coached by Kevin Ziemba
2.       Virginia Tech, 2,445, team members: Seth Carson, Elizabeth Menard, Joseph Real and George Sebright, coached by Katharine Knowlton
3.       Iowa State University, 2,444, team members: Anna Hanson, Amanda Engelken, Brianna McBride and Jessica Schmitt, coached by Christen Burgett
4.       University of Wisconsin – Platteville, 2,435, team members: Megan Breuch, Emma Buss, Maddy Gwidt and Brooklyn Hollis, coached by Cory Weigel
5.       University of Minnesota, 2,420, team members: Matthias Annexstad, Leif Annexstad, Ashley Hagenow and Kjersten Veiseth, coached by Les Hansen, Alicia Hiebert, Eric Houdek, and Gabriella Houdek
6.        The Pennsylvania State University, 2,406, team members Ryan Allen, Hannah Diehl, Austin Kolb and Madison Woodis, coached by Dale Olver
7.       University of Wisconsin – Madison, 2,393, team members: Jared Baudhuin, Josh Gerbitz, Anne Runde and Colin Uecker, coached by Brian Kelroy and Trent Olson
8.       University of Illinois, 2,392, team members: Justin Huff, Ainsley Peterson and Rachel Scidmore, coached by Derek Nolan
9.       California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 2,380, team members: Lantz Adams, Matthew Brasil, Ryan Haringa and Genevieve Regli, coached by Caitlin Lopes and Morgan Wonderly
10.   University of Wisconsin – River Falls, 2,370, team members: Mikayla Erf, Marie Haase, Lacey Nelson and Colin Wussow, coached by Mary Holle

Top Ten Individuals:

1.       Bryce Windecker, 829, Cornell University
2.       Johnathan King, 829, Cornell University
3.       Elizabeth Menard, 828, Virginia Tech
4.       Ainsley Peterson, 827, University of Illinois
5.       Maddy Gwidt, 827, University of Wisconsin – Platteville
6.       Hannah Diehl, 818, The Pennsylvania State University
7.       Emma Buss, 818, University of Wisconsin – Platteville
8.       Brianna McBride, 817, Iowa State University
9.       Josh Gerbitz, 817, University of Wisconsin – Madison
10.    Amanda Engelken, 817, Iowa State University

Top Ten Teams – Reasons:

1.       California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, 821, coached by Caitlin Lopes and Morgan Wonderly
2.       Virginia Tech, 816, coached by Katharine Knowlton
3.       Cornell University, 812, coached by Kevin Ziemba
4.       University of Minnesota, 807, coached by Les Hansen, Alicia Hiebert, Eric Houdek and Gabriella Houdek
5.       The Pennsylvania State University, 801, coached by Dale Olver
6.       University of Wisconsin – Madison, 800, coached by Brian Kelroy and Trent Olson
7.       University of Wisconsin – Platteville, 798, coached by Cory Weigel
8.       University of Illinois,796, coached by Derek Nolan
9.       Iowa State University,789, coached by Christen Burgett
10.    University of Wisconsin – River Falls, 775, coached by Mary Holle

Top Ten Individuals – Reasons:

1.       Ainsley Peterson, 282, University of Illinois
2.       Ashley Hagenow, 279, University of Minnesota
3.       Genevieve Regli, 278, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
4.       Elizabeth Menard, 276, Virginia Tech
5.       Hannah Diehl, 276, The Pennsylvania State University
6.       Brianna McBride, 275, Iowa State University
7.       Maddy Gwidt, 274, University of Wisconsin – Platteville
8.       Bryce Windecker, 273, Cornell University
9.       Michael Wolf, 273, University of Connecticut
10.    Grace Harrigan, 273, Cornell University

The National Youth Contests are made possible in part through generous support of Platinum Level Sponsor, Bayer Crop Science; Gold Level Sponsor, STgenetics and Cullenberg & Tensen, PLLC; Silver Sponsors, Bio-Vet, Inc.; Bronze Sponsors, Agri Feed International, L.L.C and Revolution; and additional supporters.

Serving as the meeting place of the global dairy industry, World Dairy Expo brings together the latest in dairy innovation and the best cattle in North America. The dairy industry will return to Madison, Wis. for the 54^th event, September 28 – October 2, 2021, when the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show, dairy and forage seminars, a world-class dairy cattle show and more will be on display. Download the World Dairy Expo mobile event app, visit worlddairyexpo.com or follow WDE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Spotify, Instagram or YouTube for more information.

Dairy Management Inc., the dairy checkoff program, announced Tom Gallagher has decided to conclude his 30-year tenure as CEO to devote more time to teaching and other opportunities.

Barbara O’Brien, President of DMI and CEO of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, has been named by the board of directors as the next CEO. The board leadership, Gallagher and O’Brien will work on a transition plan, and Gallagher has committed his support through the transition timeframe. O’Brien’s knowledge and experience with the dairy industry provide a seamless transition and a steady continuation of the checkoff’s value to dairy farmers.

Gallagher says he’s confident O’Brien will drive the checkoff success forward.

O’Brien is praised with make decisions throughout the evolution of the checkoff business plant that have led to strong year-over-year sales growth for dairy through new food service and retail partnerships and product innovation, as well as increases in positive consumer perceptions around dairy and dairy farming.

“Over the last 20 years, I’ve developed deep relationships with dairy farmers, the dairy community, and other companies and organizations that will ensure we sustain DMI’s impact while continuing to build a secure future for the industry,” O’Brien says. “I will bring strategic continuity to the checkoff programs and, at the same time as we navigate the accelerating pace of change, I will set a vision that harnesses the strong legacy Tom built and leads to new long-term growth.”

The Wisconsin Bison Producers Association is hosting its fall conference Oct. 15-17 in Hudson.

The conference speakers include Jim Matheson, assistant director of the National Bison Association, who will present “Bison 101: An Introduction to Basics of Bison Production”.

John Halstead, manager of Turner Enterprises Fawn Lake Ranch of Nebraska will present “Bison Handling: Low Stress for Success”. And Wayne Lautsbaugh, owner of Crescent Meats in Cadott will discuss the status of meat processing in the current market.

The conference concludes with a ranch tour of Jeremy Allemann’s Big Creek Bison in Baldwin.

Registration is required. To register, visit www.wibison.com

Several ag organizations are applauding the Senate’s approval of DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski.

The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association had advocated for confirmation of the three agency heads approved yesterday to Gov. Tony Evers’ cabinet: DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Secretary Missy Hughes and DoT Secretary Craig Thompson.

“With regulatory flexibility, the creation of new aid programs, and clear, open communication, Secretaries Romanski, Hughes and Thompson have proven key partners to dairy processors and dairy farmers through the pandemic,” says John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director. “We value their leadership and look forward to continuing to work with them in strengthening the dairy industry and Wisconsin’s rural communities.”

The Dairy Business Association says the organization looks forward to continuing to work with Randy Romanski as the newly confirmed state agriculture secretary. He was named interim secretary in 2019 and appointed secretary-designee by Evers in 2020.

“We congratulate Mr. Romanski on his confirmation and thank the Senate for recognizing the value he brings to Wisconsin’s all-important agricultural community,” says DBA President Amy Penterman. “Romanski has built a longstanding productive relationship with our dairy community. Over the past 18 months, especially, he has shown steady leadership through some of the biggest challenges our farmers and processors have ever faced due to the pandemic.”

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Krentz also voices support for Romanski’s and Thompson’s confirmation.

“We hope to continue working with these two leaders and their agencies on behalf of Wisconsin farmers,” Krentz says.