The Milk Producer - September 2009 - (Page 4)

EDITOR’SNOTES By Bill Dimmick You wrote, I read Here’s what individual readers had to say in their readership survey comments T he huge response to our readership survey conducted earlier this year gave me plenty to read and think about over the summer. Almost 1,000 of you took the time to fill out the forms and send them back, and 197 used the comments section on the back of the form to express your views on a wide range of topics. Yes, I read every one of them. I found it gratifying so many readers cared enough to comment. I found these comments fell into eight broad categories. I wrote about the 10 airing their views on the internet in our August issue. The largest category was what I’ll call comments and suggestions. Some could be interpreted as complaints, but I don’t see them that way. These suggested more coverage of their particular region or province, or more articles about a particular breed or a day-to-day management issue. I can’t promise we’ll be able to fulfill all these requests—91 in total—but we’ll do our best. Another 54 responses fell into category simply expressed as “keep up the good work.” I can promise we’ll be doing that as well as our resources allow. I added to this category one comment that The Milk Producer is “a waste of paper and money and should be discontinued.” I’ve often said you can’t please all the people all the time. In the third largest category, 21 read e used the rs comments section to vent their frustrations with policies at the provincial, pool or national level. At the magazine we can’t change policies. We simply report on them. Keep in mind, however, producers in each province have THE MILK PRODUCER is published monthly by Dairy Farmers of Ontario 6780 Campobello Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L5N 2L8 EDITOR: Bill Dimmick ASSISTANT EDITOR: Sharon Laidlaw Co-ordinated by Communications and Planning Division, Bill Mitchell, Assistant Director. Change of address notices should be sent to: THE MILK PRODUCER 6780 Campobello Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 2L8. Subscription rates: $25.20 for one year, $46.20 democratically elected boards to represent you and make decisions on these policies. If you feel strongly about an issue, please contact your board member. That’s how the system is supposed to work. We received written comments from 11 readers about content published in French. Most of you see only a French translation of the Chair’s Message. Even that is too much for a couple of readers. Sorry, but the translation stays put. The rest of the comments came from our Francophone readers who asked for more content in their first language. We currently publish a six-page French insert translating some of our articles. We may be able to expand that. Five of you were upset about the new dimensions of the Milk Calendar, which we distribute. We’ll pass along your complaints to Dairy Farmers of Canada, which publishes the calendar. A small group of three readers asked that we provide subscriptions for full-time employees or family members who work on the farm. Happy to oblige. Let us know any time if you have such a request. The final category consisted of one reader, a highly respected Quebec producer. He suggested Canadian dairy farmers need two sister national publications, one in English, the other in French. All producers from coast to coast could read their magazine in the language of their choice. My response to that idea is one word: Amen. for two years and $63.00 for three years in Canada (includes GST), $36 per year in the U.S., $36 per year overseas. Single copy: $2.50. Make cheques payable to Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Canada Post Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40063866. Return postage guaranteed. Circulation: 10,000. ISSN 0030-3038. Printed in Canada. NATIONAL MARKETING MANAGER James Fitzgerald, 257 Huntingdon Avenue, Stratford, Ontario N5A 6P7. Toll-free advertisers only: 1-888-460-6212 Phone (519) 273-9369/Fax (519) 273-9289 E-mail: jfitzger@milk.org Opinions expressed herein are those of the author and/or editor and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or policies of Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Publication of advertisements does not constitute endorsement or approval by The Milk Producer or Dairy Farmers of Ontario of products or services advertised. The Milk Producer welcomes letters to the editor about magazine content. Phone: (905) 821-8970 Fax: (905) 821-3160 bdimmick@milk.org slaidlaw@milk.org Website: Go to publications at www.milk.org E-mail: 4 | September 2009 | MilkPRODUCER http://www.milk.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - September 2009

Milk Producer - September 2009
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Farm Finance
DFC Promotion
World School Milk Day
Producer Profile
Research
Environmental Issues
Ruminations
Applied Science
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - September 2009