October is here, and before the ghosts and goblins appear at the end of the month, we hope you’ll join us in Windthorst and Scotland for a look at three robotic dairies as part of Southwest Dairy Day.
 
The event is expected to be very well attended this year, as it will be a great opportunity for dairy farmers, allied industry representatives and the surrounding community to check out modern dairy technology.
 
You’ll find more details about the event elsewhere in this newsletter or here.
 
Robotic technology is an example of how research is helping the dairy industry evolve to help feed the world moving forward. A number of conversations are occurring around Texas on the need for specific research to help dairy farmers. For example, ongoing discussions about implementing digestors on dairy farms has led to some new ideas for research focusing on market access and on the remaining waste from the digester possibly being used as fertilizer by other farms. 

As always, any mention of research in the Texas dairy industry must include kudos to the Texas A&M AgriLife, whose ongoing projects to benefit both Texas dairy and agriculture are often featured in our newsletter.
 
While I’m looking forward to Southwest Dairy Day, I’m also studying the ballot for the upcoming General Election on Nov. 8. Early voting starts Oct. 24 and continues through Nov. 4. I encourage you to vote – these elections are crucial to rural Texas.

Our governmental affairs team discusses the election and the statewide races in this newsletter or here. ...

It is hard to believe that we are entering the last quarter of 2022. This legislative interim has proven to be a very busy one ahead of the next legislative session that will gavel in when lawmakers return to Austin in January. 
 
Those three months will fly by. We anticipate a bustle of activity ahead of the holidays. Early voting for the Nov. 8 General Election begins Oct. 24. Legislative committees still must consider several outstanding interim charges before reports are submitted by the end of the year. With elected officials focused on their reelection campaigns, these hearings aren’t likely to resume until after the election.
 
Campaigns are in the final push to get out the vote. Efforts are particularly prominent in the gubernatorial race between Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Beto O’Rourke (D) and in the other statewide races on the ballot. Recent polls continue to show Republicans leading those races, as anticipated, though the margins of victory  

have narrowed. It remains to be seen, however, whether polling can be relied on for accuracy; a question that has come up in the last several election cycles. We are tracking this trend and will have more to report in our post-election recap next month.
 
Recall the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller, land commissioner, agriculture commissioner and one railroad commission seat are up for election. ...

Ever wonder how a dairy cow is milked by a robot?

You’re invited to find out during Southwest Dairy Day, which will feature three different Texas dairies in the Scotland and Windthorst areas with robotic technology systems. Southwest Dairy Day is just around the corner on Oct. 20 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 12538 U.S. Highway 281 in Scotland.

All are invited to attend this free event between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The event will feature tours of the dairies, sponsor and vendor booths, guest speakers, equipment displays, lunch and more.

One-hour tours of the three host dairy farms -- Wolf’s Legendairy and Hemmi Family Dairy in Scotland and Vieth Dairy in Windthorst – will begin around 8:30 a.m. and go until roughly 1 p.m. Buses will continuously pick up and drop off attendees at the dairies and at the Knights of Columbus Hall. During the tours, the three showcased dairies will highlight their robotic milking systems and

Southwest Dairy Day

management strategies, all of which differ from each other.

About 50 sponsors and vendors will have booths. Sponsor booths will display and showcase their services and products, and other sponsors will be available for networking.

Guest lecturers also will be making presentations at the host dairy farms.  ...

We live in a hyperconnected world where we have access to more information than ever before. Recognizing this shift in how people, especially youth, receive and consume information is pivotal in continuing to reach an emerging generation of consumers who are making their own food consumption decisions earlier in life. Using the latest technology, the Dairy MAX team created an opportunity for people of all ages to visit a dairy farm and introduced Dairy Tour 360 this past June. Through recent collaboration with National Ag in the Classroom, the virtual farm experience will reach students across the country and allow them to see firsthand how dairy farmers care for their animals and the environment.

Dairy Tour 360 gives viewers a 360-degree encounter that combines immersive, interactive virtual reality with an engaging guided tour. Three viewing options were developed for the tour: desktop experience, virtual reality headset, and mobile device. Throughout the tour viewers will feel like they are on the dairy farm – standing in the feed lane, riding the milking carousel or flying over the fields, connecting audiences to farms like never before. ...