January 2014
Chairman’s Message
table of
Sourece: Tom Kootstra, Chairman
contents
AGM and Dairy
COnference
2
Steve Mason
DIAA Winner
3
Milk Quality Award
Winners
4-5
As I write my first message as Chairman of
Alberta Milk, I want to thank the Board of
Directors for their faith in electing me as
Chairman. It is an honour to serve in this
capacity and a responsibility I take very
seriously.
Johne’s DIsease 6
Testing for Johne’s
DIsease
7
2014 New Entrant
Assistance
Program
7
Are Canadians
Milking Every
Moment?
8
Bringing
Agriculture Back
into the
Classroom
9
Welcome back
Shawn Fonesca 9
Statistics
10-11
Farm Safety
Canada Publications Mail
Agreement #40065566
If undeliverable please
return to: Alberta Milk
1303-91 Street SW
Edmonton, AB T6X 1H1
12
The feedback received on this year’s Annual
General Meeting has been very positive. The
speakers we had were informative and the mix of
topics really fit the overall theme of translating
sustainability from an economical,
environmental and social perspective. For me,
our keynote speaker Bruce Vincent’s presentation
on sustainability from a social perspective left
me with the most to ponder. Social sustainability
is the one aspect of sustainability that I have the
least understanding of. It is commonly referred
to as our “Social Licence” to operate.
What is a social licence to operate? We can all do
the search and read the definitions, but it seems
to come down to the beliefs, perceptions and
opinions held by the local population as it relates
to an industry or sometimes even as narrow as a
project. In the broad context for our industry, it
relates to the acceptance of our farming practices
and dairy products in the perception of the
general public. This is, of course, a very broad
group and therefore it is understandable that the
acceptance of how we operate can vary
depending on which part of the country we are in
or who we might be talking to.
E-mail:
cblatz@albertamilk.com
We know from the survey completed by AngusReid in 2012 that the general public has a high
opinion of dairy farmers. How do we retain that
level of trust so that we can continue to operate
in an economically viable way? We need to start
by considering what is important to Canadians.
Consumers want safe, secure, high quality
products that they know have been produced in
an environmentally sustainable manner and, with
livestock they want further assurances that we
respect and care for the animals in our
stewardship. The Dairy Farmers of Canada
proAction initiative is the cornerstone of
providing this proof. It contains all the elements
that are important to the general public: food
quality, safety, animal welfare and
environmentally sound farming practices. I am
pleased that producers are able to develop the
criteria for each of the six elements. Another
element that is on the horizon is farm safety. You
can read more about that on page 12.
We must also remember that having a social
licence to operate starts right in our own
communities. Working to ensure your neighbours
and surrounding communities accept our
industry’s best practices is also important. The
open farm days that some of our members hosted
last year are also a great way to show the local
community that we care about the issues that
they care about. It also provides us an
opportunity to hear what they expect and
understand.
Having a “social licence” to operate is not going
away – we need to embrace and address it.
our mission
“Alberta Milk leads Alberta’s dairy industry. We
support the effective operation and advocacy
of the supply management system in a vibrant,
sustainable and market-focused industry.”
could be. He explained that the only way to
continue to be a dairy farmer is to gain the
social licence to operate, and to do that, you
need to explain to the consumer how we are a
sustainable and viable industry. He felt that our
proAction initiative was a good, tangible start.
Translating
Sustainability: Alberta
Milk’s 2013 AGM and
Dairy Conference
board of
directors
Tom Kootstra
Chairman
403-783-8789
Director at Large
Albert De Boer
1st Vice Chairman
780-986-3774
Director at Large
Albert Kamps
2nd Vice Chairman
403-782-4093
Director at Large
Klaas
Vander Veen
403-732-4380
South Region
Jim Towle
403-227-5057
Central Region
Gezinus Martens
780-985-2147
Director at Large
Wim Ruysch
780-986-5948
North Region
Martin
Van Diemen
403-738-4375
South Region
Arnold Van Os
780-361-0103
North Region
Heini Hehli
403-843-3408
Central Region
Source: Jacquie Lycka, Corporate Communications
Coordinator
Over lunch, the DFC recognized Jan Slomp as
the Western Finalist for the Dairy Farmers of
Canada Sustainability Award. Congratulations,
Jan!
Alberta Milk’s 2013 AGM and Dairy
Conference was held from Nov 19-21 at the
Fantasyland hotel, and was a great success.
Nearly 240 producers and representatives
attended the conference, which explored the
theme Translating Sustainability:
Environmental. Economical. Social.
In the afternoon, we had three concurrent
sessions. Bev Yee and Edith Vanderpuye, both
from Alberta Environment and Sustainable
Resource Development, discussed how
changes in water and land use policies can
affect dairy farming. Brad Andres and Jackie
Chrichton presented on how to be prepared in
the event of an emergency. Brad spoke from a
proactive emergency planning perspective and
Jackie highlighted what to do in the event of a
dairy product recall. Finally, Bruce Muirhead
presented the history and progression of
supply management, offering an international
perspective, and explained why supply
management prevails in Canada, despite calls
for deregulation.
The AGM opened on the 19th, with presentations
on our 2012-13 financials and our 2013-14
business plan. Yves Leduc, Director of Trade
with the DFC, gave a presentation on the
impacts of the newly signed CETA agreement.
His presentation was enlightening and broke
down this complicated topic so it was easy to
understand. We also hosted a panel of
representatives from the dairy associations from
across the country, where they offered their
perspectives on sustainability.
The Dairy Conference opened on the 20th with a
presentation from Ron Versteeg, Vice-President
of DFC, where he discussed dairy’s current
political climate. Next, our own Tom Kootstra
and the Alberta Dairy Council’s Executive
Director Dan Wong took part in a panel
discussion titled What Keeps You Up At Night?
Tom discussed his worry of the industry’s image
in the consumer’s mind and Dan focused on the
consumer’s ever changing nature. The panel
offered a well rounded focus on both sides of the
industry.
Tom Kootstra, Tinie Eilers and Hennie Bos
During the evening banquet celebration,
Alberta Milk recognized Hennie Bos as an
outgoing director. As an incredible advocate
for the dairy industry, Hennie was recognized
for his many years of service. Alberta Milk
would like to thank Hennie for his
contributions to the industry and to wish him
our best in his new role as the Commissioner
for the Canadian Dairy Commission! Also
during the banquet, the Diary Industry
Achievement Award was presented (See more
on opposite page). The evening wrapped up
with entertainment from the Heartland Chorus,
an all female acappella group.
Our keynote speaker, Bruce Vincent, inspired
hope among conference attendees by outlining
what the future of a sustainable dairy industry
Lorrie Jespersen
780-785-2121
Director at Large
Bruce Vincent
January 2014
2
The AGM resumed on the 21st, with our
election for the delegate at large position.
Gezinus Martens has been elected as our new
member at large. Congratulations Gezinus!
Next, we had a presentation from Jacques
Laforge, the CEO of the Canadian Dairy
Commission, to bring us updates on changes in
the Canadian Dairy Industry. The AGM
wrapped up with elections of our delegates to
committees. Please see the 2013-14 Delegate
Directory for details.
Dairyman’s Digest, a quarterly compilation of
easy-to-read scientific dairy information
highlighting research and policy topics which
ran from 1999-2009. This technology transfer
tool was subscribed to by producers across
Canada.
Steve also took a special interest in hoof health
and was instrumental in establishing the
Alberta Milk Hoof Health initiative. The
project lead to the use of electronic data
capture of hoof lesions to address lameness in
dairy herds. He also played a significant role in
shaping the Alberta Johne’s Disease Initiative.
Because of his commitment to the Alberta
Dairy Industry, Dr. Steve Mason was the
recipient of this year’s Dairy Industry
Achievement award. Congratulations!
Steve Mason Wins
Dairy Industry
Achievement Award
deadlines
quota exchange
private transfers
January 17, 2014
4:30 p.m.
credit transfers
January 24, 2014
4:30 p.m.
Source: Jacquie Lycka, Corporate Communications
Coordinator
wanted
The Dairy Industry Achievement Award was
created to celebrate outstanding contributions
to Alberta’s dairy industry. Through the Award,
Alberta Milk seeks to convey the respect that
Alberta’s dairy producers hold for the people
that work to help sustain and grow our entire
industry.
Alberta Prime Beef
This year’s award was presented to Dr. Steve
Mason. Dr. Mason is a very deserving winner.
He has made significant contributions to the
industry through his work in dairy research
extension.
buying all classes of
Holstein steers and cows.
Willing to trade Holstein
heifers for your steers.
Trucking available. Picture
Butte, Alberta. Contact:
Andy Houweling
403-308-8700
Clint deLeeuw
403-634-4630
Brad deLeeuw
403-382-7362
Office
403-732-5644
Fax
403-732-4387
Steve and Donna Mason
One of Steve’s major accomplishments is his
ability to take complex technical material and
relate the research information to producers in
an understandable manner. He has written,
edited and published over 40 issues of the
Western Dairy Digest, which later became the
Looking for free-stall
mats.
Phone 780-603-8498.
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Search: More about milk
3
January 2014
Barclay, Andrew
Grubenmann’s Dairy Farm Ltd.
Alieda Farms Ltd.
White Gold Dairy Farm Ltd.
Los Dairies Ltd.
El-Shaddai Dairies Inc.
Ter Borgh Dairy Ltd.
Greenbelt Dairy Ltd.
Viking Hutterian Brethren
Ridder Farms Ltd.
De Boer, Albert & Marianne
Hammer Farms (1997) Ltd.
Child, Allan, John & Brent
University Of Alberta
Holt Hutterian Brethren
Fuhrhop Farms Ltd.
Westerhof Dairies Ltd.
O.B. Holdings Corporation
Rose City Dairy Ltd.
Hofstra, Wilbur or Linda
Dane’s Pride Dairy Ltd.
Grunwald Farms Inc.
Reist, R. Roy or Grace
Loogman, Martinus & Rosemary
Baas Dairy Ltd.
Falona Springs Holstein Ltd.
Breevliet Ltd.
Camrose Hutterian Brethren Church
Riverside Farms Inc.
Gengler, Rudy
Clover Prairie Farms Ltd. #2
Summerdale Dairy Ltd.
Milk Quality Award
Winners
Source: Jacquie Lycka, Corporate Communications
Coordinator
for
sale
Top quality, registered
Holstein bulls from very
high-producing dams and
the most popular sires.
Phone 403-227-2142.
Breeding age Holstein
bulls. VG + EX dams,
some over 300 BCA.
Semen tested and
guaranteed.
Phone Heini at 403-8433408 or Markus at 403783-0442.
Milking Registered
Heifers and Breeding Age
Registered Bulls for sale
all the time. Only top sires
used.
Phone 780-387-5398 or
780-387-8128.
Congratulations to our 2012-2013 Milk
Quality award winners! A total of 166
producers received the milk quality award this
year. This is the highest number of producers
to have received the award since 2008!
Congratulations to the 2012-2013 provincial
Annual Quality Award winner: Jake Stahl of
Cayley HBC. Located 11 km west of Cayley
Alberta, the farm has been dairying since 1971
and milks 54 cows. Jake Stahl worked
alongside his father Jake Sr. for 42 years and
became dairy boss with his wife Rosie in 2003.
Jake is a multiple winner, winning this
prestigious award for the 3rd time in 6 years.
Holstein heifers, fresh or
springing.
Phone 403-381-4850.
Breeding age Jersey bulls.
Dams many generations.
VG, EX + high LPI. Make
Holstein heifers easy to
freshen. Rochester, AB.
Phone 780-698-2267.
Breeding age bulls
available from top
sires with high LPI and
production. Tested for
semen, Leukosis and
BVD. Also, milking heifers
and embryo’s available.
Phone 403-315-4536.
Just Like MILK. High
Quality Milk replacer.
The Best Product for
the Right Price. For
more information go to:
justlikemilk.com
Phone Arie VandenBroek
403-507-9129.
Fresh, springing & open
heifers for sale.
Phone 403-556-0842.
Jake and Rosie Stahl, Tom Kootstra
Central Region
Rocky Mountain Holsteins Ltd.
Britestone Hutterian Brethren
Sylvanside Dairy Ltd.
Whitefisch Dairy Ltd.
Earnewald Holsteins Ltd.
Aspenridge Farms Ltd.
Debruyn Cattle Company Ltd.
Erskine Hutterian Brethren
Castor Hutterian Brethren
Ridder, Jan/Joanne/Berend
Poly-C Farms Ltd.
Andrist, Ulrich
Byemoor Hutterian Brethren
Nellew Farms Ltd.
Mosnang Holsteins Ltd.
1015212 Alberta Ltd.
Veteran Hutterian Brethren Church
Three Hills Hutterian Brethren Church
Philipsen Dairies Ltd.
North Region
Schuurman Dairy Ltd
Twilight Hutterian Brethren
Clover Prairie Farms Ltd. #1
Arco Farms Ltd.
Andermatt Dairy Ltd.
Pine Haven Hutterian Brethren Church
Mutrie, Glenda M.
564762 Alberta Ltd.
Helmus, Marinus & Alja
Scholten Dairy Ltd.
Van Laar, Wilf or Yvonne
Otten, Johannes & Martha
Hofstra, Timothy
Pelchat, Fernand or Carol-Lynn
Fenske, Ken
Entreprises Lavoie (1999) Inc.
Kozak, Henry M. & Brenda
Feitsma Farms Ltd.
January 2014
4
Wm. Wyntjes & Sons Farms Ltd.
Bertens Holsteins Ltd.
Detra Dairy Ltd.
Den Oudsten Dairy Ltd.
Leedale Hbc
Beiseker Hbc
White Spruce Farms Ltd.
Verdant Valley Hb
Daystar Dairy Farm 1999 Inc.
Garedon Holsteins Ltd.
Mars Dairy Ltd.
Davies, Ellis A & Kathleen S
Van Der Sluijs, H & M
Dubitz, Gabriel & Gail
Bentley Hutterian Brethren
Ten Brummelhuis Dairy Ltd.
Towle’s Dairy Ltd.
Lockhart Dairy Farms Ltd.
Parkhill Dairies Ltd.
Adventure Holsteins Ltd.
Scekris Management Inc.
Lac La Nonne Dairy Ltd.
Gadsby Hutterian Brethren Church
Kwakernaak, P & S
Goselink, Christiaan
Straub & Sons Dairy Ltd.
Hillview Hutterian Brethren Church
Huntcliff Dairy Ltd.
Bergman, Antoon & Fennanda
Oosterink, Henk or Jenette
K-Vet Holsteins Ltd.
Fairview Hutterian Brethren Church
Salomons, Dave or Everdien
Stamm Dairy Ltd.
Appel Dairies Ltd.
Huyssoon, William or Martine
Berry Creek Hutterian Brethren Church
Sandhill Hutterian Brethren Church
Rainbow Hutterian Brethren Church
Klarenbeek Farm Ltd.
Van De Brake, W & H
Vandenhoven Dairies Ltd.
Mountainview Hutterian Brethren Church
GDL Farms Ltd.
Thompson Hutterian Brethren Church
J & N Dairy Ltd. & Heva Dairy
Ponderosa Hutterian Brethren
Crystal Spring Hutterian Brethren
H & J Leusink Dairy Ltd.
Lathom Hutterian Brethren
Vander Veen, Klaas
Old Elm Hutterian Brethren
Sunshine Hutterian Brethren
New Rockport Hutterian Brethren
Wild Rose Hutterian Brethren
Little Bow #2, Hutterian Brethren Church
Rockport Hutterian Brethren
Huybregts Holsteins Ltd.
Plainview Hutterian Brethren
Gerlen Dairy Ltd.
Shamrock Hutterian Brethren
Big Bend Hutterian Brethren
Mialta Hutterian Brethren
Beyer Dairy Ltd.
G & H Vande Bruinhorst Farms Ltd.
New Elm Hutterian Brethren
Willow Creek Hutterian Brethren
Standard Hutterian Brethren
Park Lake Dairy/J Van Dijk
Spring Valley Hutterian Brethren Church
1233244/1233249 Ab Ltd/Coulee
Greenwood Hutterian Brethren
Selk Dairy Farms (2003) Ltd.
Rosedale Hutterian Brethren
Newell Hutterian Brethren
New York Hutterian Brethren Church
Delco Hutterian Brethren
Elmspring Hutterian Brethren
Little Bow Hutterian Brethren Church
Starbrite Hutterian Brethren
A & M & P Vanden Dool Farms
River Bend Hutterian Brethren
River Road Hutterian Brethren
Hillridge Hutterian Brethren Church
Slomp Farms Ltd.
Lloyd Vandenberg Dairy Ltd.
Van Der Kooij Dairy Ltd.
Twin Creek Hutterian Brethren
Elkwater Hutterian Brethren Church
Nicol Dairy Farms Ltd.
Pincher Creek Hutterian Brethren
De Leeuw Dairy (2006) Ltd.
Hilltop Dairy Ltd.
Rommens, Hubert or Wally
Butte Holsteins Ltd.
South Region
Cayley Hutterian Brethren
Prairiehome Hutterian Brethren
Wintering Hills Hutterian Brethren Church
Nifera Holsteins & 494684 Ab
Deerfield Hutterian Brethren
Houweling Farms Ltd.
Roseglen Hutterian Brethren
5
January 2014
Fluid Milk
Price Increase
February 1, 2014
The Canadian Dairy
Commission has
calculated that the Class
1 milk price charged to
processors in the Western
Milk Pool will increase
on average by 1.347
per cent on February 1,
2014. This price increase
is calculated using 50
per cent of the change
in the National Cost of
Production (COP) for
2012, indexed to the 3rd
quarter of 2013 and 50
per cent of the change
in the Consumer Price
Index (CPI). The COP
increased 1.754 per cent,
while the CPI increased
0.940 per cent resulting
in the 1.347 per cent
price increase.
Johne’s Disease – What’s the
scoop?
excellent
overview of
the risk of
Johne’s
disease and
of other
diseases and
biosecurity
issues on
your farm.
Each year’s Risk Assessment is an opportunity
for you and your veterinarian to monitor
improvement, look for new ways of reducing
risk and to set goals for next year’s biosecurity
peace of mind.
Source: Jodi Flaig, Industry Development Coordinator
2014
producer
pay schedule
January 20
January 31
February 20
February 28
March 20
March 31
April 17
April 30
May 20
May 30
June 20
June 30
July 18
July 31
August 20
August 29
September 19
September 30
October 20
October 31
November 20
November 28
December 19
December 31
Dairy producers in Alberta have made great
progress in dealing with the productionlimiting Johne’s disease on their farm. So far,
through the recent Alberta Johne’s Disease
Initiative, 61 per cent of Alberta’s dairy
producers completed a Risk Assessment and
74 per cent submitted samples for testing.
What did the Risk Assessment (RA) find? A
study of the completed RAs revealed the
highest risk factor on dairy farms in Alberta is
“not removing the calf from the dam promptly
after birth.” Researchers at the University of
Calgary confirm this high risk because the calf
is exposed to the dam’s manure in the calving
pen, which may potentially be infected with
MAP (the bacteria which causes Johne’s
disease).
Is testing my herd important each year? For a
herd that has had negative results for samples
in previous years, there is value in confirming
that negative status every year. For a herd that
has had positive samples in previous years, it
is very important to monitor the status of your
herd every year and to consult with your herd
veterinarian about next steps.
Another high risk factor on dairy farms is
purchasing cattle from a herd or auction with
unknown history and no quarantine program.
Without the knowledge of the status of your
purchased cattle, dairy producers are gambling
with the health of their herd. On the other
hand, herds that are considered “closed” to
new animals are considered to be at lowest
risk.
Can I still sign up for a Johne’s Disease Risk
Assessment (RA)? Dairy producers who never
completed a Johne’s disease RA are eligible
for a $200 to complete their first RA.
Is there funding assistance available for
producers to help with management changes
on farm? Producers with a Johne’s Disease RA
are eligible to apply for funding assistance
under the provincial Growing Forward 2
(GF2) Biosecurity Program. Many dairy
producers have already applied and GF2 will
re-open this funding category on April 1, 2014.
Producers are encouraged to begin developing
their management plans today so that they will
be prepared to make an application for funding
assistance next spring.
What did the sample testing find? The lab
analysis of the environmental samples
indicated that 70 per cent of Alberta dairy
farms have had one or more positive
environmental sample results for Johne’s
disease over the three years of the program.
What does this mean? With 70 percent of
Alberta dairy farms infected with Johne’s
disease, it is clear that Alberta dairy producers
need to be ever-vigilant of the disease risk to
their herds. It is important for dairy producers
to ensure that they follow the best
management practices to reduce the risk of
introducing or transmitting Johnes’ disease.
Have questions? Call the Alberta Johne’s
Disease Initiative Coordinator, Charlotte
Pickel 403-220-7490, Industry Development
Coordinator, Jodi Flaig 780-718-5650, or visit
albertajohnes.ca.
What can you do to manage Johne’s disease
on your farm every year? Dairy producers
want to be proactive about the management of
their herd’s health. You can conduct a RA with
your veterinarian every year. This investment
of 60 minutes of your time will provide an
January 2014
6
probability of detecting an infected herd,
depending on the proportion of cows in the herd
that are infected (within-herd prevalence).
Multiple negative tests increase the probability
that the herd is uninfected, but a single positive
test indicates that the herd is infected.
What you Need to
Know about Testing
for Johne’s Disease
Source: Steve Mason, Robert Wolf, Herman Barkema
Because Johne’s disease (JD) develops very
slowly and the causative bacteria (MAP) ‘hide’
inside immune cells, it is difficult to detect JD
infection by testing milk, blood or feces. For
example, the milk ELISA test used by Canwest
DHI has only about a 20 per cent probability of
giving a positive result for a cow that is in the
early stages of infection. This means that, if you
test milk from five early-stage cows, on average,
only one will be positive. The probability that an
infected animal will have positive milk ELISA
test (this is called sensitivity) increases to 60-80
per cent as cows show symptoms of JD. At this
point, the magnitude of the test will also likely
be higher (i.e., a ‘high titre’).
2014 New Entrant
Assitance Program
Source: Forrest Evans, Policy Analyst
For the past three years, Alberta Milk has
administered the New Entrant Assistance
Program, loaning a small amount of Alberta’s
dairy production quota to successful applicants
to assist them in establishing a viable new dairy
farm. The goal of Alberta Milk’s New Entrant
Assistance Program is to assist passionate,
knowledgeable individuals and families who
want to start a dairy farm by alleviating some
the start-up costs of dairy farming.
Considering the low sensitivity of the milk
ELISA test, you cannot conclude that a cow is
uninfected based on one negative result.
However, the probability that a cow is
uninfected increases slightly with each
subsequent negative test.
In 2013, we received four completed
applications that were forwarded to the selection
committee for consideration. From these
applicants, we welcomed three successful New
Entrants into the dairy industry in Alberta:
Willem Jansen, Bert Grisnich, and Dustin
Grisnich. To date, this program has been very
successful, as we have accepted 12 applicants in
the past three years, 11 of whom are currently in
production.
If a single ELISA test result is positive, it is very
likely that the cow is infected. This is because
the probability that an uninfected cow will yield
a positive test is around two per cent. The
probability that a ‘high titre’ cow is infected is
closer to 100 per cent. This is the reason that the
Ontario JD control program recommends culling
high titre cows. The same reasoning that applies
to the individual milk ELISA test is also true for
serum ELISA and fecal culture, although both
the sensitivity and specificity of fecal culture are
much higher. Because of the uncertainty
inherent in interpreting the results of these tests,
strategies relying only on testing and culling
individual animals are not effective.
The guidelines for the 2014 New Entrant
Assistance Program will be posted to the Alberta
Milk website by January 31, 2013. These
guidelines may be slightly different than they
have been in previous years, but the 2013
guidelines will remain on the website for
reference until the 2014 guidelines are
published. As in previous years, the criteria
considers a need for assistance, the likelihood
that the applicant will be a successful, and long
term particpation in the dairy industry.
In the Alberta Johne’s Disease Initiative, we
focus on risk assessment followed by modifying
management practices to reduce the risk of
spreading JD within the herd. We also test
manure samples from the cows’ environment
(environmental testing - ET) to evaluate the
probability that the herd is infected, recognizing
that ET has the same limitations as individual
serum, milk and fecal tests. Testing of a single
environmental sample has a 20 – 60 per cent
If you plan to apply for the New Entrant
Assistance Program, please contact Forrest
Evans at 780-577-3313 to ensure your
application will meet the minimum required
criteria. Applications for the 2014 New Entrant
Assistance Program will be accepted between
February 1, 2014 and April 30, 2014.
7
January 2014
Are Canadians Milking
Every Moment?
were 17-19 years. As well, the morphological
survey included a small number of personal
interviews in all regions to delve deeper into
the results.
Source: Katherine Loughlin, Market Development
Manager
In early November, the Strategic Milk Alliance
received our first quarter tracking results on
the Milk Every Moment campaign. Two
research studies were reviewed. The first used
a traditional advertising tracking methodology
to determine if consumers in our target
audience saw our advertising, if they
remembered it, whether the message was clear
and if they liked it. The second study used a
morphological methodology and focused on
determining if milk’s position among various
beverages had changed and was being chosen
more or less often during various meal and
snack occasions.
What have we learned? The campaign is off to
a good start. The ads appeal to consumers and
trigger the feelings of nostalgia and childhood.
We recognize that the simplicity and humour
in the magazine and billboard advertising was
very appealing. Our agency is currently
considering how the campaign should evolve.
Ideas for the evolution of Milk Every Moment
will be presented in mid January.
Starting January 6 and running until February
13th, the Strategic Milk Alliance will air a TV
spot that will freshen up the campaign while
we develop our approach for the rest of 2014.
We will be off air during the 2014 Olympics,
but will always be active on social media and
the Milk Every Moment website. In April, we
expect to be back on air with new ads.
The tracking research showed that the TV
campaign had strong appeal. The adult scores
exceeded the norms for believability, the
campaign was personally meaningful, and it
was an important message. The magazine
advertising was also appealing and memorable.
Humour and simplicity were key drivers of
appeal for the magazine ads. The billboard
advertising appeal was strong and humour was
a key driver of this format.
The morphological research suggests
significant changes in both attitude and
behaviour. The personality of milk rated much
higher than the benchmark on a number of
measures: Milk was the preferred beverage for
before bed, dinner, with a snack, with favourite
foods, after school and to feel refreshed, all
gaining ground since the benchmark study.
Canadians recalled milk advertising on TV and
billboards and six in ten could recall seeing
one or more of the campaign executions.
Almost 60 per cent understood the intended
messages which are “milk goes well with your
favourite foods”, and “milk isn’t just for little
kids, it’s for everyone.”
Both surveys were conducted nationally across
English speaking Canada with adults and
teens, with a skew to female parents, between
June and September. Most adult respondents
were between 30-60 years while most teens
January 2014
8
Bringing Agriculture
into the Classroom
Welcome Back to
Shawn Fonseca!
Source: Karen Spelay, Classroom Agriculture Program
Source: Jacquie Lycka, Corporate Communications
Coordinator
The Classroom Agriculture Program (CAP) is a
non-profit initiative that teaches grade four
students the importance of agriculture in their
daily lives. CAP began in 1985 and since then,
more than 570,000 students have participated in
the program. This year, there are already over
20,000 students signed up for CAP.
Alberta Milk
is pleased to
welcome
back Shawn
Fonseca, as
the IT
manager.
Shawn
originally
started with
Alberta Milk
on April 5,
2010 and left
almost
exactly three years later in 2013. During his
time at Alberta Milk, Shawn introduced an
electronic voting system to use during the
AGM and producer meetings and completed a
milk hauler transportation system application,
which monitors all of the system’s servers and
network hardware. Since April, Shawn has
been working at a construction firm, but has
recently decided to make his way back to
Alberta Milk, starting in January.
CAP is provided free of charge to grade four
classes across Alberta. This is possible thanks to
membership support.
As a CAP member, Alberta Milk helps the
organization achieve its objectives through
financial support, distributing information about
the program and promoting program
involvement. CAP members are also a great
source of program volunteers.
CAP volunteers go directly into classrooms to
discuss farming and agriculture with grade four
students. The volunteers all have unique
presentations because each volunteer focuses on
their own specialty. In the end, however; they
share a common message – that agriculture plays
a very important role in our daily lives and in
Alberta’s economy.
He cites many reasons for coming back to
Alberta Milk, including the positive team
environment and atmosphere, the friends he’s
made in the office, as well as the projects and
challenges the dairy industry has to offer.
Shawn will be working on interesting projects
upon his return, including the Milk Hauler
Transportation System and the National IT
Aggregation project.
Presentations are one hour long and include
story-telling, hands-on props and fun activities.
CAP provides training, resources, ideas and
guidance to all volunteers. Each classroom that
registers receives a package including activities
booklets and a teacher kit with follow-up
learning resources. The activity booklets are
directed at the grade four curriculum and include
fun facts and games. Presentations are delivered
between February and June.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer,
please visit the website at classroomagriculture.
com for more information or to register.
cont’d
Two condensing units,
one Lennox model
number HS9-651-1P, RR
22 for 600-1000 gallon
tank, asking $150. One
Surge model number
874 – 52, 4 hp, R22 for
600 – 1000 gallon tank,
asking $150.
Phone 780-387-4604.
Fresh and springing
heifers. Also, two Dairy
Master alley scrapers.
Phone 780-842-6508.
Artex sawdust
blower,Gehl forage
blower, two-way lock-up
gate and Silage bag selffeeder.
Phone 403-499-5990.
Milk cart.
Phone 403-598-9242.
5000 gallon Muller
bulktank and vacuum
milk pump on demand
c/w variable speed also
backup pump. Double
12 herringbone complete
with rapid exit system
and pump, 2 outdoor
cooling units, 1 and 2
yrs. old. Calf feeder/
mixer with pump, 26
inside calf hutches, 150
Artex lockheads for dairy
cows and lockheads for
young stock. Also Roller
mill attachment with
bins and auger and a
complete feed system.
Phone 403-742-3797.
Delaval Cell counter
DCC, with software
and sampling kits.
Ex.condition.
Phone 403-315-4536.
Do You Require Help With Your Breeding Program?
We have a bull for you; from popular AI sires and registered
Holstein cows. Scoring Very Good and Excellent.
A good selection of Red and White Bulls from popular sires.
Some are polled.
We also have fresh heifers for sale.
Phone Tim 780-387-8128 or Arjan 780-387-8129.
9
for sale
January 2014
75 heavy duty free stalls,
Pivot Up for Freedom.
$35 each.
Phone 403-990-2645.
Dairy Production Statistics
Average Milk Prices
Producer Pool - Additions/Deductions
November 2013
Month
TPQ $/hL
November 2013
83.28
October
84.44
September
83.28
August
81.64
Additions
($)
Deductions
($)
Audit Adjustment
0.00
0.00
Bulk Tank Callibration
0.00
1,220.00
July
81.26
Discarded
0.00
14,732.64
June
81.18
7,989.29
396,586.28
May
82.21
Interest
14,375.88
333.60
April
80.16
Metering
76,648.82
0.00
March
79.14
Organic
96,459.82
0.00
February
81.19
Trucking
0.00
0.00
January
79.21
23,550.33
0.00
December
81.68
Hauling/PLR
Violations
Average Deductions
per Kg Total Solids
($0.0306)
Listed below are the Class 5 prices calculated by the
Canadian Dairy Commission.
Class 5 Prices ($kg)
January 2014
Milk Class
2014 Quota Exchange and
Credit Deadlines
Quota Transfer Credit Transfer
Deadline Date Deadline Date
Effective Date
Jan 17, 2014
Jan 24, 2014
Feb 1, 2014
Feb 14, 2014
Feb. 21, 2014
March 1, 2014
Mar 17, 2014
Mar 24, 2014
April 1, 2014
Butterfat
Protein
Other Solids
April 16, 2014
April 23, 2014
May 1, 2014
Class 5a
3.7787
7.9384
0.9439
May 19, 2014
May 26, 2014
June 1, 2014
Class 5b
3.7787
3.9420
3.9420
June 16, 2014
June 23, 2014
July 1, 2014
Class 5c
4.3824
3.5664
3.3664
July 17, 2014
July 24, 2014
Aug 1, 2014
Class 5d
contract by contract price
Aug 18, 2014
Aug 25, 2014
Sept 1, 2014
Class 4m
contract by contract price
Sept 16, 2014
Sept 23, 2014
Oct 1, 2014
Oct 17, 2014
Oct 24, 2014
Nov 1, 2014
Nov 17, 2014
Nov 24, 2014
Dec 1, 2014
Provincial Average Components
November 2013
Butterfat
4.0556 kg/hl
Protein
3.3945 kg/hl
Other Solids
5.7020 kg/hl
January 2014
Provincial Milk Quality Averages
Month
Bacteria
Average (IBC)
Somatic Cell
Count (SCC)
November
2013
22,109
180,854
10
Dairy Production Statistics
Quota Exchange
Underproduction Credit Transfers
Daily Production Quota
Jan 2014
Kg
Price$/
eligible kg
79,414
$8.88
Month
Total Transferred Clearing Price/kg
n/a
n/a
Dec
137.01
$36,980
Nov
75,249.29
$8.30
Nov
212.28
$37,435
Oct
62,629.70
$8.45
Oct
107.01
$38,030
Sept
47,606.54
$10.68
Sep
119.50
$38,525
August
49,860.29
$11.58
Aug
241.60
$38,725
July
52,202.70
$12.64
July
98.35
$38,980
June
43,692.29
$12.89
June
128.61
$38,545
May
51,030.70
$12.60
May
149.73
$38,500
April
52,509.79
$12.89
April
252.52
$38,995
March
60,021.52
$12.26
March
231.37
$39,225
February
72,928.29
$11.63
Feb
233.38
$39,050
January
74,694
$10.05
Dec 2014
Quota and Milk Production Summary (BF kg)
Month
October
November
December
January
February
Status
Official
Pre-Pooling
Projected
Projected
Projected
Alberta
Total Production (kg)
2,175,462
2,132,013
2,54,041
2,279,128
2,049,079
Total Quota (kg)
2,286,557
2,211,467
2,307,378
2,255,870
2,037,611
Net Position (kg)
-111,095
-79,454
-53,337
23,257
11,468
-0.25%
-0.55%
-0.76%
-0.67%
-0.62%
0
0
0
0
0
-3.66
-3.69
-2.84
-1.64
-0.68
Cumulative Position
Penalty (kg)
Avg. Producer (Days)
Western Milk Pool
Total Production (kg)
6,221,465
6,083,363
6,422,378
6,469,755
5,849,892
Total Quota (kg)
6,500,493
6,287,031
6,559,635
6,413,350
5,792,846
Net Position (kg)
-279,028
-203,669
-137,257
56,405
57,046
-0.45%
-0.73%
-0.92%
-0.84%
-0.76%
0
0
0
0
0
Cumulative Position*
Penalty (kg)
*The Western Milk Pool’s (WMP’s) limits on production are +0.50% and -1.50% of the WMP’s rolling 12-month quota.
11
January 2014
Farm Safety
4. Strengthen the agriculture workers
component of the current Temporary Foreign
Worker Advisory Office (TFWAO)
Source: Mike Southwood, General Manager
services
VJV monthly dairy sale.
1st Tuesday of every
month. Ponoka, AB.
Consignments welcome.
Phone Andrew Wildeboer
at 403-348-9358 or Harry
Makinga at 403-783-1274.
Jenisody Holdings
Custom Dairy Heifer
Raising. Raising your
replacement dairy heifers
to maximize their genetic
potential.
Phone 780-986-2199.
Rominick Livestock
Services. Hoof care
supplies and equipment.
Hoof trimming chute,
trimming discs and knives,
blocks, adhesives, books
and wraps. rlscanada.ca
or phone 780-898-3752.
Find out about the
Jersey Breed on Jersey
West’s website at www.
jerseycanada.com/
jerseywest.
Alberta Holstein
Association
www.albertaholstein.ca
Surf our web for industry
news, upcoming events,
movies, show results
and much more!
Dairy Sale. 2nd Tuesday
of the month at noon.
Picture Butte Auction.
Phone-403-732-4400.
www.picturebutteauction.
ca.
What are you doing to ensure that family
members and staff are aware of the hazards and
follow industry best practices for farm safety on
your farm? It has been well documented that the
agricultural industry is one of the top three most
hazardous industries to work. No one knows
better than producers the risks that can be found
on a dairy farm: equipment, livestock, silos, and
manure storage, to name a few.
The FSAC’s mandate was to consider what to
do and not how to do it. A copy of the full report
can be found on the Alberta Agriculture and
Rural Development website.
Since the release of the report, the provincial
government has worked to secure funding to
assist with the implementation of the
recommendations through Growing Forward 2;
they have also been involved with the
development or adoption of farm safety related
resources. However, the provincial government
needs the support of the industry to determine
how provincial coordination could and should
be done and in the delivery of farm safety
programs, resources and initiatives.
Farm safety has also been an issue in the media
and in the provincial legislature. The questions
being raised are: Does the agriculture
community take farm safety seriously? Are
employees properly protected and aware of the
hazards? With agriculture exempt from
mandatory Occupational Health and Safety
(OHS) legislation and mandatory Workers
Compensation Board (WCB) insurance, some
feel that the agricultural community, farm
employees and farm families, are not adequately
protected.
Alberta Milk is working with Agriculture and
Rural Development to gain a better
understanding of what needs to be done and
providing input on how to do it. At the delegate
workshop, planned for February 2014, we hope
to have the delegates gain a better understanding
of farm safety and what OHS and WCB means.
There are many producers who feel that the
programs and insurance they currently have for
themselves and their employees is much more
comprehensive than what can be offered by
WCB. We definitely do not want to provide less
coverage by being forced to go under mandatory
programs.
In March 2011, the Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development established the Farm Safety
Advisory Council (FSAC). The Council’s
mandate was to provide advice and industry
input to help guide continuous improvement and
the ongoing implementation of farm related
health and safety initiatives. The Council
released its report and recommendations to the
Minister in February 2012. The four
recommendations made by the FSAC are:
1. Strategic, Province-wide Coordination and
Awareness
2. Enhanced Educational Resources, Training
and Certification
3. Clarify Farm Related Policies and
Guidelines
As noted by the Chairman in his Chairman’s
Message on page one, farm safety is becoming
part of the industry’s “social licence” to operate.
Is a social licence a reason to do something or a
reward for having done it?
Bricon Safety Grooving
Ltd.
Concrete grooving,
planing/scarifying
Providing traction for a
safer, more productive
environment.
Phone 1-800-590-4403 or
cell: 204-981-5057.
Custom Heifer Raising,
strict health and feeding
programs. Phone Hank
Overeem 403-783-1270.
January 2014
12