Great interview with Ted Miller. I've followed him for a long time in the pages of "Graze" & before. At the end of the podcast you asked him about references/literature he could suggest. He graciously acknowledged "Graze" but he didn't even toot his own horn that he is a long time article contributor to the "advisors" section of the magazine. The latest issue's advisor topic was about legumes, just like you brought up in the podcast. As for dairy industry future....it might be time to turn the tables on BIG DAIRY. It's just ridiculous that I'm drinking milk on the TX Gulf Coast that came 550 miles from a Texas Panhandle 3000 cow dairy. I remember learning years ago that So. California dairies shipped to NM & Texas (even @ lower marketing district prices) and then NM& TX dairies would ship to points farther east, including Florida Panhandle. Everyone stayed within the mandated time limit of "milk in tanker" to move as far east and south toward milk "deficient" districts. I think revised regulations limiting time in tank would chop the ability of BIG DAIRY to use their size to overwhelm and prevent reformation of "family" dairies in the South & Southeast. Demographically we sit on a 2 edged sword. #1 Fluid milk consumption over the past couple of decades is flat to declining while the only bright spots (still dim though) are cheese and protein powder. #2 population growth in the US is greatest in the coastal South. We can address both issues by promoting more dairies in the southeast and Gulf Coast If we used "regulatory lawfare" and changed shipping time allowances then megadairies in Panhandle Texas, Red River MN & ND and western Kansas would lose market. I know that notion will rankle a lot of feathers but of all ag pursuits, dairy under 500 cow size, promotes more economic growth and stability in a county......and don't even get me started on the migrant labor issue at mega dairies😡
Thanks! Ted a wealth of knowledge and I'm glad you pointed out that he is a long time article contributor for Graze. When we had a dairy here, there were at least three family dairies on this road. All have gone out of business. Of course, this was a few decades ago now and our milk always traveled towards the Southeast. I'm hopeful that the increased interest in locally sourced ag products will result in more small dairies.
Great interview with Ted Miller. I've followed him for a long time in the pages of "Graze" & before.
At the end of the podcast you asked him about references/literature he could suggest. He graciously acknowledged "Graze" but he didn't even toot his own horn that he is a long time article contributor to the "advisors" section of the magazine.
The latest issue's advisor topic was about legumes, just like you brought up in the podcast.
As for dairy industry future....it might be time to turn the tables on BIG DAIRY. It's just ridiculous that I'm drinking milk on the TX Gulf Coast that came 550 miles from a Texas Panhandle 3000 cow dairy.
I remember learning years ago that So. California dairies shipped to NM & Texas (even @ lower marketing district prices) and then NM& TX dairies would ship to points farther east, including Florida Panhandle. Everyone stayed within the mandated time limit of "milk in tanker" to move as far east and south toward milk "deficient" districts.
I think revised regulations limiting time in tank would chop the ability of BIG DAIRY to use their size to overwhelm and prevent reformation of "family" dairies in the South & Southeast.
Demographically we sit on a 2 edged sword.
#1 Fluid milk consumption over the past couple of decades is flat to declining while the only bright spots (still dim though) are cheese and protein powder.
#2 population growth in the US is greatest in the coastal South. We can address both issues by promoting more dairies in the southeast and Gulf Coast
If we used "regulatory lawfare" and changed shipping time allowances then megadairies in Panhandle Texas, Red River MN & ND and western Kansas would lose market.
I know that notion will rankle a lot of feathers but of all ag pursuits, dairy under 500 cow size, promotes more economic growth and stability in a county......and don't even get me started on the migrant labor issue at mega dairies😡
Thanks! Ted a wealth of knowledge and I'm glad you pointed out that he is a long time article contributor for Graze.
When we had a dairy here, there were at least three family dairies on this road. All have gone out of business. Of course, this was a few decades ago now and our milk always traveled towards the Southeast. I'm hopeful that the increased interest in locally sourced ag products will result in more small dairies.