2007-2011 ISU Extension Plan of Work -- 110 Dairy Team
Statement of Issues:
Growth and development of Iowa’s dairy industry provides significant program opportunities. Programs and projects related to dairy business development will enable the industry to remain a viable player in the national milk market. Moreover, program will focus on modernizing dairy facilities, integrated herd and health management, human resource management, and environmental and energy resource stewardship. These complex issues will be addressed by the ISU Extension Dairy Team with rural economic and social development as the intended outcomes.
Performance Goals:
- Increase dairy farm business planning to 1) establish new dairies, 2) remodel/expand existing dairies, and 3) assist transitioning farmers. Establish new dairy farm enterprises, including grass-based and organic systems, confinement systems, and young stock systems.
- Increase the adoption of more competitive dairy production systems and practices.
- Adopt, apply and evaluate approaches to integrated dairy herd and health management practices that result in improved profitability, enhanced food quality and safety, and improved environmental stewardship.
- Increase the awareness and use of interpersonal and organizational skills by dairy personnel.
- Increase efficiency of manure and crop nutrient utilization while minimizing surface run-off and preserving ground water and air quality.
- Increase use of energy efficient and energy conservation technologies and practices. Implement alternative energy systems where appropriate.
Output Indicators (Activities):
- Dairy producers will implement business planning to accommodate intergenerational transfers, new enterprises, value-added processing and/or marketing, risk management strategies, and long-term sustainability. Dairy Team will collaborate with Beginning Farmer Center.
- Producers will implement cost efficient milking, feeding, housing and manure handling systems designed to increase labor efficiency along with improved animal (cow comfort) and worker well-being (safety, ergonomics, air quality, stress). Team will continue to inform producers and industry on feeding co-products.
- Dairy producers will make improvements by setting goals through the use of records that identify herd production problems/opportunities for improvement in milk and food quality, nutrition, biosecurity and herd health, reproduction, productive life, and forage production practices.
- Dairy producers will optimize human resources by acquiring and improving human resource management skills.
- Dairy producers will adopt energy conserving measures on dairy farms. Dairy producers will adopt nutrient [manure and waste water] management systems that reduce risk to surface and groundwater environmental quality.
Outcome Indicators (Impact):
111 - Production systems and practices: Number of new dairy farms established; number of existing farms remodeled or expanded; number of transitioned/transferred farms; quantify economic impact made by these changes.
112 - Integrated herd and health management: Number of dairy producers who adopt more competitive dairy production systems and practices.
113 - Enhancing interpersonal and organizational skills: Number of producers who will increase the awareness and use of interpersonal and organizational skills when managing family or non-family personnel.
114 - Dairy farm environmental management: Number of Iowa producers who adopt integrated dairy herd and health management practices that result in improved profitability, enhanced food quality and safety, and improved environmental stewardship.
115 - Manure Nutrient Management: Number of producers increasing the efficiency of manure and crop nutrient utilization while minimizing surface run-off and preserving ground water and air quality.
116 – Energy efficiency and conservation: Number of energy efficient or conserving practices/technologies established.
Target Audiences:
Dairy producers
Beginning farmers
Agricultural lenders
Dairy nutritionists
Other agri-business personnel
Builders and contractors
Dairy veterinarians
Economic development partners
Team Points of Contract:
Larry Tranel, Field Specialist-Dairy
Chris Mondak, Field Specialist-Dairy
Page last updated: May 8, 2007