Week 12-The Last One

This week I have just been piecing together all the information I have gathered this summer and calling producers I wasn't able to meet with this summer. I'm going to miss traveling to farms and meeting different people and learning about different production set-ups. When I look back, I have learned so much this summer about the importance of Michigan Milk Producers in the dairy industry, the set-up and operation of a dairy production, and the role I want to play in it someday as a large animal veterinarian. I have been honored to have had the opportunity to work with MMPA and be chosen as their Summer Food Systems Fellowship and am looking forward to sharing my experience with others in the vet school.
Thank you to everyone who has made this opportunity such a success and I look forward to seeing what else is accomplished with this program in the future!

Week 11-Wrapping Up

This week was my last week to finish traveling to all the farms. It's hard to believe that this summer is already almost over and the Summer Food Systems Fellowship is almost completed. I spent a lot of time in the car this week because most of the farms I had left to go to were farther away. In the beginning of the week I traveled up to the Cadillac area and went to a farm that I was saving until the end of the summer. They recently just finished a new parlor and installed new equipment that they've been trying to get set up properly. After tracking the owner down in a hay field, I was able to learn more about their production and how MMPA has been essential in their expansion and development of their new set-up.
I got a kick out of their barn sign:

Later in the week I traveled up around the coast from Spruce, Alpena, Cheboygan, Petoskey, and ended in Traverse City. It was interesting to learn up there how much they rely on MMPA to analyze their milking equipment. There are very few dealers up there who will evaluate equipment like MMPA and when they do, they often charge a ridiculous amount and are dishonest. I heard from several people that they will get charged a dollar a minute to just call a dealer or go into the store and talk to someone! It was good to talk to these producers and learn how much they appreciate and rely on this service MMPA provides.

It was neat while I was in Traverse City I stopped at Leelaneau Cheese Company. I had heard about it from a field rep I worked with earlier this summer. They are famous for their Raclette cheese which comes from cow's milk from the Garvin farm west of Cedar, Michigan. I thought it was neat to see their milk truck parked outside!

Week 10- Back in my "Homeland"

I spent three days this week back in Southwest Michigan where I grew up and also down in Shipshewana and Middlebury, Indiana. It was a great experience to visit some dairy farms in Paw Paw, Berrien Springs, and Zeeland that I never knew existed. In Indiana I was able to visit with some Amish dairy farmers and learned a lot by sitting in their homes and being on their farm about their lifestyle and the ways farming can be different and more challenging for them. I was able also to see lots of buggies on the road and beautiful farmland along the way.


Perhaps the most interesting place I went this week was the dairy farm at Andrews University in Berrien Springs. In all my years growing up in St. Joseph, MI and traveling through Berrien Springs, I never knew they had a dairy farm. I was amazed to pull up the drive and see a brand new, beautiful facility. Once I headed inside I was even more impressed. Inside the main entrance was a large, soon to be finished visitors center. They hope to fill it with posters and information about the dairy industry. There is a window where visitors can watch the cows being milked in the new double twenty parlor and another window where the bulk tanks used for storage can be seen. Right now they are milking around 600 cows but have room to expand to over 1000. I learned how they hope this center will be somewhere students and visitors can learn more about the dairy industry and gain a greater respect for its importance.

Week 9- Ag Expo

This week was one of the hottest ones of the summer so it was appropriate for it to be the week for Ag Expo at MSU! Ag Expo is an annual event held at MSU where different vendors and representatives from the agriculture industry come and set up tents with information and free goodies. It's a free event for the public and usually gets pretty crowded. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday out at the Expo at the MMPA's tent talking to people as they came in and also went around and looked at different exhibits and met one day with other vet students who are in the Summer Food Systems Fellowship like I am. This is a picture of the giant cow, Daisy, that a MMPA employee towed for over an hour to get to Ag Expo-probably was a funny sight!


I also spent this week traveling north of Grand Rapids around Fremont and Hesperia and then another day up in the thumb again. After surveying almost 50 producers, the results of my survey are starting to come together and I can see general patterns developing. The survey itself doesn't take more than 20 minutes to go over with the producers but the driving to the different farms is what takes some time. I do see a lot of rural scenery and some oddities along the way. Good thing I always have my camera!


A humorous sign, wind mills (almost 50!), and American Pride.

Week 8- Back to the "Main Land"

Boy are there some strange things in the U.P.! No not really, but this two headed calf was something I had never seen before. At the beginning of this week I wrapped up my time in the U.P. by heading over to a few farms near Sault Ste. Marie. I never realized how agriculturally rich the area is up there. I even had to chase down a farmer who was busy cutting hay in order to do a survey. I really enjoyed my time in the U.P. meeting different farmers and learning about their opinions of MMPA's programs and the struggles they face being so far removed from larger agriculture areas.

Once back down state I went to farms up by Mt. Pleasant and also spent one day in the thumb. I continue to meet new producers who each do things a little different but continue to strive for the same goal-have healthy cows that produce high amounts of quality milk.

I also went this week to two meetings- the Dairy Industry Review and Advisory Panel and MMPA's board meeting. At the Review and Advisory Panel meeting there were representatives from many different groups in the dairy industry. I was able to listen and learn more about how permits are issued to farms and milk haulers and fines that can be enforced when standards are violated. I never realized how many groups and individuals are involved in inspecting dairy farms and enforcing regulations and insuring that the milk that is produced and marketed is as high of quality as possible. At the board meeting I was able to see some familiar faces of producers I have met this summer. I informed the board about how my survey was going this summer and the progress I have made so far and how much I have been learning from this opportunity.

Week 7- Up in the U.P.

This week was a lot of fun getting to see new farms and learn new things. Earlier in the week I attended MMPA's advisory committee meeting. It was interesting listening to the market update about dairy products and getting a better idea of how the prices of corn, soybeans, crude oil, and natural gas are affecting the market. I learned some more about food price inflation and how the average U.S. consumer spends less than 10% of disposable income in food. With inflation that will increase $100-120 a year which isn't a considerable amount. There also was a lot of talk about ethanol production in the midwest and the affect on the price of corn and gasoline. I didn't realize that it's been estimated that if there wasn't ethanol production in the midwest gas prices would be $.40 higher than they are. With a new Brazilian roommate, it was interesting to learn at this meeting and later talk to her about the sugar cane industry in Brazil. Ethanol produced by sugar cane and electricity generated has made Brazil an independent country for energy. It was also interesting to listen to the three finalists for MMPA's applied research fund. One of the candidates was an Animal Science professor I had worked closely with during my undergraduate studies.

Later in the week I headed to the upper peninsula to survey some dairy farms up there. During the day on Thursday I traveled around to Daggett, Bark River, and Stephenson. I was welcomed into many homes and was able to get a feel for the dairy industry in the western U.P. I was pleasantly surprised to find one farm that was milking over 600 cows and had a long conversation with the producer about how MMPA has helped him expand his operation, his studies at both Michigan State and the University of Wisconsin, and the need for large animal veterinarians. At another farm I learned more about a producers' struggle with stray voltage and how that has affected his cows' production. Overall, I learned a lot more about the U.P. and its agricultural industry.

Week 6- 4-H and more farms

This week started off by helping with the annual 4-H conference held at MMPA's headquarters in Novi, MI. This conference has been an annual event for over 50 years and is an opportunity for many 4-H participants from around the state to gather and learn more about MMPA and the dairy industry. Not only are there presentations and speakers but also a tour of the Michigan Dairy plant in Livonia, MI. All the participants also have the opportunity to take a test at the end and qualify to go to the National Dairy Convention. While I was there I was able to learn more about MMPA and some facts about Michigan's dairy industry. For example, MMPA was formed in 1916 and has 2,300 members representing 1,500 farms and markets 3.8 BILLION pounds of milk annually. Michigan ranks 7th nationally for milk production and dairy is the top ranking segment of Michigan's number two industry: agriculture.

I didn't get to learn fun facts about the dairy industry and watch cheese and milk get processed the whole week though. I continued on my trek around the state to administer surveys to farms. This week I was in the Westphalia area, Webberville, Howard City, McBain, Falmouth, and Lake City. As I go to these different farms I'm seeing a continuous theme. All of these producers are very thankful for the service MMPA provides by evaluating their equipment on a regular basis. By doing this, they are able to detect small problems and fix them before they become major problems that could jeopardize the health of their cows and the quality of their milk. I am beginning to get a better understanding of and respect for the many things a farmer must monitor and keep track of in order to have a successful, productive farm.

Week 5-Off on my own

This week I went to the first nine dairy farms on which I administered my survey from the summer. These nine farms were everywhere from Westphalia, St. Johns, Litchfield, Conklin, to Pentwater. Some farms were only milking 30 cows and other others 330. One thing they all seemed to have in common was that they thought the Milking System Performance Assurance Program was very worthwhile and helpful. With field staff from MMPA coming out several times a year, there was an extra set of trained, skilled eyes that were able to detect problems with the milking equipment or cleaning system and could correct them before there were any negative effects seen in the cows' production or the quality of the milk. There has also been some constructive criticism which I'm sure will be very helpful to MMPA as they consider changes to this program in the future. Along the way to these various farms this week, I was allowed to be a "sightseer" in my own state with landmarks such as Michigan International Speedway, state historical landmarks, bicentennial farms, and some beautiful rural landscape.



There were also some meetings I went to throughout the week. MMPA is working with an animal behaviorist in Michigan State University's Animal Science Department to establish some general dairy cow welfare protocol. With this they hope to give producers some guidelines they can easily go through on their own and with their veterinarian and other specialists to easily assure all of their animals' welfare needs are being met. I also attended my second Be Aware Be Prepared meeting where the plans for an upcoming simulated Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak and containment exercise were finalized. I traveled down to Shipshewana, IN with MMPA, Michigan Department of Agriculture, and Michigan State University Extension for a meeting withe Indiana Department of Agriculture. They are working on establishing a program called Certified Livestock Producer Program which is similar to Michigan's MAEAP (Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program). MAEAP is a voluntary program farmers can participate in and become certified signifying they are engaging in cost-effective pollution prevention practices and complying with state and federal environmental regulations. Indiana's program will be similar to this but will also encompass animal well being, food safety, emergency planning, biosecurity, and being a good neighbor.

Week 4- A Little Bit of Everything

Wow I've seen and learned a lot this week! Not only have I had the most active part yet in a Milking System Performance Assurance Program (MSPAP) analysis but also toured a dairy plant and seen butter, non-fat dried milk, and condensed milk being made, visited several Amish farms in Indiana, and also been told next week I'll be starting my survey I've been getting ready for!

The MSPAP analysis I helped with at the beginning of the week was a very positive experience. It was the first time I got to operate a lot of the measuring equipment on my own and was able to analyze the numbers and determine the equipment was operating as it should. I also talked to the producer who was helping with the morning milking and learned that she had not grown up on a farm and just recently got into the dairy industry. And here I thought all of the farmers grew up on farms and had been doing it their whole life! Guess there's still hope for me wanting to be a large animal vet having not grown up on a farm (:

I had the opportunity to travel to Constantine, MI and take a complete tour of the processing plant there. At this plant they produce all the butter for the McDonald's around the country. They also produce condensed milk and non-fat dry milk. It was interesting to learn about all the safety and biosecurity protocols that are in effect and witness the massive amount of production that occurs there daily.

In the middle of the week I traveled down to several Amish farms in Indiana. My initial nervousness soon disappeared as I talked to the producers and they showed me their unique milking set-ups and introduced me to their many draft horses, and even was given a ride in a cart by a young girl pulled by the family's 3 feet tall miniature horse, Ginger! I learned a lot about the work ethic of this culture and also about the struggles they have to maintain clean equipment in a setting that doesn't have many of the leisures of vacuum lines and automated equipment cleaning.

By the end of this week I am feeling even more confident about setting out to meet with producers and administer the survey I have been preparing for so far this summer. I am looking forward to meeting even more new producers and seeing their facilities and listening to their opinions.

Week 3- Finally get to milk a cow!

By and far the highlight of my week was not milking just one cow but thirty! At a small farm where they were kind enough to feed us pizza afterwards, I was able to help with a herd test during an afternoon milking and collect samples from each cow. It was great! I was also able to be "in charge" of some farm inspections this week and work through each farm with the MMPA field representative and rank each farm according to how I thought they were doing in maintaining equipment, cow health, and overall cleanliness. Hopefully now when I go to farms as a veterinarian someday I will have a better idea of what I need to look for.

I went one day to Allendale, MI to the Leprino mozzarella cheese processing plant. Even though we weren't able to tour the plant, I now understand the different processes the milk haulers have to undergo during the loading and unloading of milk. I have definitely gained a tremendous amount of respect for the haulers and the responsibilities they have with thousands of pounds of milk at a time. The initial screening lab there also talked about the importance of detecting any milk loads that have antibiotics in them before the milk is pumped from the trunk. That same day we also stopped at a veal farm that was raising around 700 calves. At this farm they receive all the milk from the surrounding areas that can't be sold at the store anymore or served in schools (it's around 3 semi loads a week!). I never knew what to expect at a veal farm but was pleasantly surprised to see the calves with plenty of room and comfort in each of their stalls; all coming up to the front of the stall to see who we were and what we were up to.

The week wrapped up by attending the Agriculture Electrical Council meeting. This was a good opportunity to learn some about stray voltage and the ways it can potentially negatively affect a dairy producer and cows' production.

Week 2- Traveling all over the state

This week I have been all over the state (the west coast to the thumb and back to Central Lansing area) and seen 11 very different farms along the way. I am starting to understand the Milking System Performance Assurance Program a little better. Producers sign up to participate in this program and can have their vacuum lines/system, equipment washing and sanitizing system, and pulsator system (what causes the vacuum and relaxation during milking) analyzed. By doing this on a routine basis, health problems and a drop in production can often be prevented or caught. I am starting to look forward to going to the farms that participate in this program and administering the survey I am charge of. I hope I will get their honest, open opinions about the program and what they like and what can be improved.

I have also gone on more routine farm inspections. During these equipment, the facilities, and the health and cleanliness of the cows are evaluated. By commenting on things that need to be improved, producers can make these changes before state inspectors come who can then enforce violations and fines.

This week wrapped up by getting a taste of the environmental issues MMPA and dairy producers are currently facing or will face in the future. I rode around for the day with the MMPA employee that is responsible for these concerns including manure and waste water management. I learned more about the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) and the steps dairy farmers are taking to meet the environmental standards established by that. The two pictures at the top show a bark filtration system and a future wetland biofilter system. These are designed to remove environmentally harmful substances from dairy farm wastewater before adding the clean water back to the groundwater. It will be interesting to see if more dairy farms adopt these systems in future years.

Week 1- And so it begins

This week has kept me busy starting off with an orientation at MMPA headquarters in Novi, MI. While there I was able to meet a lot of the employees and learn about their different, unique roles in MMPA. I also was able to tour the lab and learn about how hundreds of milk samples from around the state (and some from Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin) come in daily and are analyzed for different bacteria and cell counts as a measure of quality control.

I have also gone to my first Be Aware Be Prepared meeting. At these meetings representatives from Michigan Department of Agriculture, Michigan Farm Bureau, MSU extension specialists, and representatives from the industry discuss emergency plans for foreign animal disease control such as Foot and Mouth Disease.

After traveling with field representatives this week, I have learned about the services MMPA offers including routine inspections, well sampling, and equipment analysis. Before I know it terms such as herringbone or rotary parlors, pulsators, vacuum lines, receivers, and bulk tanks will be a regular part of my vocabulary! I'm just beginning to realize how many services MMPA offers to their members and the importance of each of them.

My summer fellowship with MMPA

This summer I have the privilege of working with Michigan Milk Producers Association through Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine Summer Food Systems Fellowship. Through this opportunity, I will be able to build on my understanding of food animal medicine through a better perspective of the industry side of things. I will be learning everything about the dairy industry including farm inspections, equipment analysis, environmental concerns, animal husbandry and welfare, milk processing, and much more. My main project will be traveling to dairy farms around the state that participate in MMPA's program called the Milking System Performance Assurance Program and administering a survey that will allow MMPA to make the program even more helpful and beneficial for producers.