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.
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