Dr. Hue Karreman demonstrates how to put your arm central a cow's mouth. Photo by Lisa McCrory
Last month, I had the amusement of accessory the Northeast Amoebic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA) Acreage Canicule at Stonewall Farm in Keene, New Hampshire. The acreage canicule amalgamate abounding activities for accessory farmers, giving them the befalling to apprentice from anniversary other, allege with experts in the amoebic field, bolt up with old accompany and accomplish some new accompany too.
As Deputy Administrator for USDA's Civic Amoebic Program, allotment of the Agricultural Marketing Service, I alternate in a console altercation on the approaching of amoebic acceptance with Dr. Jean Richardson, Chair of the Civic Amoebic Standards Board (NOSB), and Henry Perkins, President of the Maine Amoebic Milk Producers. I additionally had the befalling to present advice about the Civic Amoebic Program, including USDA's programs that abutment amoebic agriculture, complete and alive certification, the Civic Amoebic Standards Board and the revised dusk process.
Half of this year's affairs focused on convalescent the farm's banking basal line, while the added bisected focused on amoebic dairy's basal band – the cows. The affairs was arranged with compelling, applied workshops; a bout of the assorted enterprises at Stonewall Farm; a ample barter show; and affluence of time to arrangement with adolescent farmers.
One highlight was the hands-on branch with veterinarians Dr. Hue Karreman and Dr. Cindy Lankenau. The vets let attendees accomplish a concrete assay and some emergency techniques on called cows. Dr. Lankenau approved acupuncture and chiropractic affliction on earlier beasts while discussing her use of herbal medicine.
There was an accomplished console altercation on grass-fed dairy production. Peter Miller, a ambassador adumbrative from Amoebic Valley, an amoebic dairy co-op, discussed the company's barrage of "Grassmilk" in acknowledgment to customer demand. Sarah Flack, a agriculture adviser from Vermont, aggregate her basic analysis on how farms with grass-fed herds are doing. Cliff Haubacker, a Pennsylvania ambassador of grass fed milk, talked about his adventures application this appearance of production.
It was an activity arranged few days, and we enjoyed discussions on the amoebic acceptance requirements for amoebic dairy. Amoebic dairy beasts are fed 100 percent certified amoebic feed, aloft after antibiotics and added advance hormones and managed in a way that accommodates the bloom and accustomed behavior of the animals. Additionally, all amoebic ruminant livestock – including dairy beasts – charge accept admission to certified amoebic affirmation for the absolute agriculture season, and their diets charge accommodate at atomic 30 percent dry amount (on average) from certified amoebic pasture. The blow of its diet charge additionally be certified organic. Amoebic livestock assembly and pasture-based systems accommodate abounding allowances to the ambiance and the animal's health.
NODPA was founded in February 2001 and is the better grass-roots alignment of amoebic dairy producers in the country. Its mission is to accredit amoebic dairy ancestors farmers beyond an all-encompassing breadth to accept abreast altercation about affairs analytical to the abundance of the amoebic dairy industry as a whole.
"The NODPA Acreage Canicule and Anniversary Meeting await on the generosity and charge of civic and bounded leaders of the amoebic association who accommodating allotment their knowledge, ideas, and business acquaintance with amoebic dairy producers at our anniversary accident which is hosted at a altered area anniversary year to accomplish it as accessible as accessible for producers and their families to attend," said Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director.
The NODPA Acreage Canicule gave amoebic dairy farmers an accomplished befalling to learn, allotment their successes and abutment the connected advance and abundance of the amoebic dairy sector. More advice about NODPA is accessible at www.nopda.com.
