A22-L«ncaster Farming, Saturday, March 4, 2000
Dairy Day Message
(Continued from Page A 1)
ask ourselves today as producers
are, what are the implications of
this and where do I fit?” Snider
was quick to admit that there’s
room for everyone in the indus
try.
“There are a number of things
that are pushing things in the
dairy industry as I see it,” said
Snider. “One of the things we
see out there are fewer milk han
dlers. The whole area of milk
marketing is concentrating into
a smaller number of handlers.
Specialization is another big
change that I think is taking
place in the dairy industry
today.”
Another shift that Snider sees,
especially in western New York,
are the number of satellite farms
which would be run much like a
subsidiary of a bigger, more es
tablished farm.
“I see an attitude change. I
see an increased number of
people who say we can make
some money in this dairy busi
ness and we don’t need to be en
slaved to the business like we
have been historically, and I
think that’s a healthy attitude,”
noted Snider.
The solution for many farm
ers is to specialize or carve out a
niche in some area of expertise.
“You might think that all the
opportunities are out there for
the large businesses, and if we
don’t watch it, we’ll be fooled by
that thought,” said Snider. He
quickly admits that getting
bigger is certainly not for every
one. However, he noted that ev
eryone, no matter what the size
of the farm, can get better. For
some, the choice is to get out of
the dairy business entirely.
“This is not an expansion
seminar,” noted Snider. “We
have to think where we are in
the industry and we have to po
sition ourselves so we can grow.
We have to run a business that’s
profitable. Once we get profita
ble, we have to grow in some
areas. We need to grow every
year to remain competitive,” he
said.
Snider pushed specialization
for many growers.
“I think all of us as producers
can select the part of the indus
try that we can participate in. If
A producer panel made up of Bradford County farmers illustrated Gary
Snider’s points about specialization,. Marty Smith, a custom heifer raiser, Ron
Kline, partner in a large dairy, Glenn Gorrell who intensively grazes his cows and
Jerry Spencer, a custom harvester, made up the panel.
my family has decided that
we’re not the one to have more
cows, more barns, more land,
more equipment, more debt,
more headaches .. . and I
decide that that’s not for me and
I really feel very uncomfortable
with that, then our opportunity
is to say, ‘what part of the dairy
industry can I carve out for me
and my business.’ I think small
producers have a great potential
for taking a role as a specialist in
the dairy industry.”
Specialized roles include
custom heifer raising, custom
harvesting, or other portions of
the business.
In order to drive his point
home, Snider welcomed Marty
Smith, Ron Kline, Glenn Gor
rell, and Jerry Spencer to the
stage. Each panelist brought a
unique viewpoint to light.
Although still operating a
small dairy, Marty Smith has
begun a contract heifer-raising
facility.
“Three years ago the milk?
price was bad and we had a bad
crop year and we started looking
at other things. First I went to
work for other people. After
working for myself, I found I
Gary Snider, farm busi
ness consultant with Farm
Credit of Western New
York, encouraged produc
ers to carve out a niche in
today’s market at the 2000
Bradford County Dairy Day.
Bradford County commissioners John Sullivan, Janet Lewis, and Tina Pickett
taste each pie to select a winner as Marian Hennip, third from left, serves the
samples.
didn’t like working for others, so
we looked into raising heifers,”
said Smith.
After careful planning and
discussion, their was
built in November 1998. In less
than four months, their facilities
were full.
“The banker we used to work
Greg Jelliff of the Guthrie
Rural Health and Safety
team gives a tetanus
booster shot to Richard
Kauffman. The shots were
provided free of charge to
all participants who re
quested one.
with said there was not a market
for this,” noted Smith. “We
proved them wrong.”
llMySmitbs charge a per-
basisl They also
take care of the necessities and
whatever the client wants. They
have also left options open for
the future.
“We take pride in what we
do,” noted Smith.
For Ron Kline, bringing two
sons into the business lead to a
major herd expansion and the
building of new facilities.
“We studied this for two
years and visited lots of other fa
cilities before we built what we
have. We have left room for
more expansion if we choose to
do that in the future.”
. Expanding the milking
still left the Kfihes
lemmas. They are considering
whether to have their heifers
custom raised freeing additional
space for more milking cows or
to continue raising their own re
placements. Nutrient manage
ment requirements are also on
his mind. He is looking at a
system to manage the manure
flow.
Many factors went into the
decision to expand their herd.
’s room for everyone in the in-
dustry.
“There are a number of things
that jure pushing things in the
dairy industry as I see it,” said
Snider. “One of the things we
see out there are fewer milk han
dlers. The whole area of milk
marketing is concentrating into
a smaller number of handlers.
Specialization is another big
change that I think is taking
place in the dairy industry
today.”
Another shift that Snider sees,
especially in western New York,
are the number of satellite farms
which would be run much like a
subsidiary of a bigger, more es
tablished farm.
“I see an attitude change. I
see an increased number of
people who say we can make
some money in this dairy busi
ness and we don’t need to be en
slaved to the business like we
have been historically, and I
think that’s a healthy attitude,”
noted Snider.
The solution for many farm
ers is to specialize or carve out a
niche in some area of expertise.
“You might think that all the
opportunities are out there for
the large businesses, and if we
don’t watch it, we’ll be fooled by
that thought,” said Snider. He
quickly admits that getting
■ Lisa Holden, assistant
professor of dairy JjMid
anirfvaf'ilcience from Penn
State University, helped
farmers develop a job de
scription for their employ
ees. She also
the importance of thinking
of your employees adran
asset.
bigger is certainly not for every
one. However, he noted that ev
eryone, no matter what the size
of the farm, can get better. For
some, the choice is to get out of
the dairy business entirely.
"This is not an expansion
seminar,” noted Snider. “We
have to Jthink where we are in
the industry and we have to po
sition ourselves so we can grow.
We have to run a business that’s
profitable. Once we get profita
ble, we have to grow in some
areas. We need to grow every
year to remain competitive,” he
said.
Snider pushed specialization
for many growers.
“I think all of us as producers
can select the part of the indus
try that we can participate in. If
my family has decided that
we’re not the one to have more
cows, more barns, more land,
more equipment, more debt,
more headaches .. . and I
decide that that’s not for me and
I really feel very uncomfortable
with that, then our opportunity
is to say, ‘what part of the dairy
industry can I carve out for me
and my business.’ I think small
producers have a great potential
for taking a role as a specialist in
the dairy industry.”
Specialized roles include
custom heifer raising, custom
harvesting, or other portions of
the business.
In order to drive his point
(Turn to Page A 27)