Progress 09/01/08 to 08/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In the Fiscal Year 08, more than 900 elementary school children learned about where the dairy products they consume originate and why good nutrition is important. Since 2001, more than 9,000 students have toured our facility and learned about agriculture right on the farm. This year, thirty-five Northeast Iowa Community college students completed the Dairy Science and other agriculture study programs offered in our facilities, more than 200 people gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of these graduates. Since the Dairy Center opened in 2000, more than 320 students have completed the Dairy Science program. More than 30 dairy producers attended the Iowa State University Extension Dairy Days program held at the Dairy Center, and approximately 50 attended the Midwest Dairy Nutrition School held in partnership with Northeast Iowa Community College. Nearly 100 attended the Dairy Foundation annual meeting and learned about our corn silage test plot, about 20 area livestock producers learned about composting animal mortalities (recommended by the Iowa DNR for carcass disposal)at a workshop we sponsored. Numerous others attended company sponsored workshops on everything from milk quality to women's role in agriculture. Many current dairy producers have visited our facilities to view our various demonstrations, from calf care to manure handling to different milking system. More than 600 visitors, mostly members of the general public who do not otherwise the opportunity to visit a working farm, toured our facility this year. We also had several groups of international visitors this year. Our work with our Beginning Farmer program assists the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next, either within families or matching up folks looking to enter dairying with those looking to exit. Current economic conditions in the dairy industry are again highlighting the importance of dairy farms being as cost efficient as possible. Much of the research conducted at our facility concentrates on what works best and what keeps animals the healthiest. The page on our website featuring the research completed at our facility received more than 2,300 hits in FY08 (posted on website December 2008, number of hits December 08 to August 09). Our 200-plus cows are producing more than 3,000 gallons of milk per cow per year, helping to feed the nation. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals Kelli Boylen, Dairy Foundation Director, PD/PI Dave Lawstuen, NICC Dairy Science Faculty, Chair of Foundation Operations Committee, Co-PD/PI Lynn Hageman, Foundation Farm Manager Jenn Bentley, Iowa State University Researcher Aaron Hageman, Foundation Feed Technician Bri Sparrgrove, Foundation Parlor Technician Micheal Nims, Part time milker Jessica Peter, Part time milker Lucas White, Part time milker Aaron Ashbacher, Part time milker NaTasha Berns, Part time milker Craig Bosma, Part time milker Megan Kregal, Part time milker Emily Krieg, Part time milker Kayla McIntyre, Part time milker Jesse Schumacher, Part time milker Whitt Spaulding, Part time milker Mitchell Sperfslage, Part time milker Andy Schroeder, Part time milker Partners Iowa State University Northeast Iowa Community College Training/ Professional Development offered AAS Dairy Science AS Dairy Science other Ag programs (see below) Training Programs offered at our facility, in addition to numerous college classes included: Monsanto Post Harvest Review DFA annual Women Land and Legacy FSA Ag Lenders Farm Income Tax ICN Meat Goat Accelerated Genetics Tri State Dairy Expo Farm Business Management Pesticide Applicator ISU Dairy Days Grazer Planning Land O Lakes Calf College Monsanto Seed Forecast Midwest Dairy Nutrition School Dairy Foundation Annual Meeting Food and Fitness for Schools Dairy Science Banquet DNR Public comment manure WLL Estate Planning Midwest Dairy Transition to Organic Mortality Composting Pfizer Milk Quality Tri State Dairy Expo Land O Lakes TMR Mixer training Iowa's Dairy Story TARGET AUDIENCES: Target Audiences: Dairy Foundation efforts focus on dairy science students, current dairy producers, the dairy industry, and all current and potential consumers of dairy products. Numerous agriculture workshops were offered in our facility, in addition to community college programs including: AS Dairy Science AAS Dairy Science AS Agriculture Pre-Vet Ag Business and Ag Production We also offered many demonstrations of dairy farming practices (milking parlors, manure handling, calf raising, etc), and made the conclusions of research completed at our facility available to the general public on our website. We work in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Northeast Iowa Community College on many of these programs and demonstrations. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Dairy education does not just mean educating people about dairy - far from it. Having well educated dairy producers supports our rural economy in so many ways, from direct economic stimulus to job creation. Since the creation of the Dairy Center in 2000, the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation has helped contribute to the success of more than 320 Dairy Science students. Approximately 100 of those 320 former students now operate (own and/or manage) successful dairy farms, milking roughly 12,730 cows. Each dairy cow is worth about $16,000 in economic activity annually (Source: University of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics). Our graduates are generating $203,680,000 in economic activity each year. Dairy farmers spend about 90 percent of their income in their local communities. Successful dairy farms are vital to a strong rural economy. The Dairy Center has an annual budget of $1.5 million. We spend 93 percent of our budget in our local area - our farm operation alone puts almost $1.4 million into the local economy. Of the $162,040 in federal monies, $150,700 of that goes directly back into our rural economy, and the remainder benefits other businesses throughout the US. According to the Iowa Dairy Coalition, dairy farms are heavy users of local services for their business, such as veterinary, feed, trucking, hardware and repair, fuel, oil, and electricity suppliers, labor, and professional services. The economic multiplier for milk production is 2.29 - for every $1.00 in milk and associated livestock sales another $1.29 is generated in economic growth. Based on this economic multiplier, our $175,000 appropriation generates more than $225,750 locally, with direct impact. When you add that direct impact to the positive economic impact our graduates are generating ($203,680,000), the economic return of the $162,000 investment of agriculture appropriations funds is actually generating about close to $204 million. The dairy industry is a major component of Iowa agriculture, contributing more than $1.5 Billion to the state's economy. The investment of federal funds our operation has received since we started opened the Dairy center in 2000 (an average of $216,000 annually) have had returns of $942.96 for each $1 of earmark funds (in annual economic impact). According to a Wisconsin study, every 50 dairy cows create one full-time equivalent farm job, so each year at least 28 farm jobs are created and/or retained by the cows being milked by alumni, and many other students complete the dairy science program each year going into other agricultural careers. According to the Iowa Dairy Coalition, for every 100 cows that are brought to and/or retained in the Upper Midwest, there are 2 on the farm jobs, 1.4 off-farm jobs and 1.5 children in our schools. Well-educated, successful dairy farmers are essential to having a strong local rural economy.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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