LuAnn Troxel

Indiana dairy leaders gathered on Friday to assess the state of the industry and to plan a strategy for the future at the second annual  Partners in Success luncheon sponsored by the Indiana Professional Dairy Producers. While not a new organization, it has seen tremendous growth in just the past few years.  According to President LuAnn Troxel, membership has increased by 79% in the past year. She said one of the reasons for the growth is the hiring of a new executive director and the emphasis on education, “We are blessed to have many people from Purdue on our board that provides us with great educational and scientific resources.”  In addition, Troxel  said good legal counsel also helps provide IPDP members with outstanding information on legislative and regulatory matters.  Currently over 60% of the dairy cows in Indiana are owned by IPDP members.

IPDP is a non-checkoff organization and, as such, can deal with policy issues. Troxel said Indiana dairy producers both large and small are facing serious regulatory issues, “We are dealing with several regulatory issues including antibiotics and an issue with the Department of Labor.”  IPDP has represented Indiana dairy producers at several state hearings recently, including animal welfare rules and regulations on CAFOs.

Troxel said one of the biggest issues facing the dairy industry is creating sustained profitability, something with which the next Farm Bill will deal, “Dairy policy is very complicated, so much so that most dairy producers do not understand it; and we should because that is what determines how our milk checks are calculated.” Troxel told HAT that IPDP provides the kind of education to help producers learn about dairy policy.

Joe Kelsay

Indiana dairy producers are currently enjoying some profitability, according to ISDA director Joe Kelsay. He told HAT that, after the market collapse in 2009, things have improved, “We have better milk prices, a little cheaper feed, and we have learned how to be more efficient with our feed.” He added that milk demand remains strong and many producers are recovering from significant financial losses.  He noted that Indiana’s dairy industry is growing, with both large and small operations on the rise. He said Indiana is a good place to do business and its location makes it ideal for the distribution of dairy products to consumers.

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