Testifying On The Milk As Default Bill

Yesterday I testified before the House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division in response to the bill to make milk a default beverage for children's meals in Minnesota. California, Vermont, and Hawaii have already adopted this law, in hopes of impacting children's health and revitalizing the dairy community. You can view my testimony here, or I have printed my testimony below.

Good morning, my name is Janet Bremer, and I dairy  farm with my husband John in Hastings. I am also the Minnesota Dairy Princess Coordinator, working with Princess Kay of the Milky Way. When you go to the Minnesota State Fair, and visit the butter sculptures...those are my girls! But today I am here to talk about milk. Milk is our state’s official drink, and my husband and I  are proud to be among the 2,500 dairy farmers producing it every single day. 

It was one year ago when my husband John and I attended Dairy Day at the Capitol and while visiting with Senator Bigham and Representative Jurgens, John expressed an idea that he had read about ...making milk the default beverage for children’s meals. I could sit here and tell you the benefits of the 9 essential nutrients found in milk, and also tell you about the health benefits, but I am going to leave those topics to the health advocacy groups that are here today.

My husband John and I are fifth and sixth generation dairy farmers. I guess you can say farming is in our blood. John and I have always been active advocates for the dairy community. Almost 30 years ago I was hosting a school tour to our dairy farm, after explaining to the group of students what we do every day to care for our animals and our land, and describing a typical day on the farm that begins at 6:00 AM and ends 14 or more hours later, a 3rd grader asked me, "What is your husband's REAL job?" That 3rd graders question really got me to thinking about how important it is for me as a farmer to share our story, (what we do, why we do it, and the benefits of dairy foods). It’s important to share our story to all ages. 

 My hope today is that you get a glimpse of my family’s passion for the dairy industry. We are active on social media, host farm tours, make school visits, host a huge Christmas on the farm event, and I have even had several opportunities to promote dairy with the Minnesota Vikings. And today  I am here before you, sharing my dairy story and the importance of milk...advocating in a much different way. 

 Minnesota’s dairy industry has a $9 billion impact on the state. Farm employees, veterinarians, processing plants, transportation companies, retailers, all rely on Minnesota’s dairy contribution. We dairy farmers have been struggling financially. I know you have heard about the low milk prices, poor mental health, and many dairy farmers leaving the career they love. Minnesota’s dairy farmers need your help. This bill could help lay the groundwork for revitalizing the dairy industry. Fluid milk sales have slipped in recent years, partially due to children being given the option of sugary drinks. As dairy farmers, we hope you join us in support of this bill, which does not take away choices, but helps nudge people in the right direction of a healthier future for their children, and simultaneously benefits Minnesota dairy farms by incorporating Minnesota’s official drink with children’s meals. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you to Representative Jeff Brand for co-authoring this bill and asking me to testify.

We now wait to see what the next step is. We are hoping for a hearing with the Senate committee as well. Stay tuned...

I Am the Midwest Region Farm Mom of the Year!

I am beyond excited and humbled to have been selected the mIDWEST rEGION aMERICA'S fARMERS mOM oF THE YEAR. Today I would like to share with you the press release. #feelingblessed #ilovemylife

TEN exceptional women SELECTED as regional Winners in monsanto’s AMERICA’S farmERS mom OF THE YEAR program

The America’s Farmers Mom of the Year Program, sponsored by Monsanto, Selects and Celebrates Regional Winners for their Contributions to their Farms, Families, Communities and the

Agriculture Industry

·         

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – A panel of judges recently named ten women as regional winners of the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year program. These regional winners represent the important and continually evolving role that women play in American farms, families, rural communities and the agriculture industry.

The regional winners were nominated by those close to them who see their commitment to their families, communities and farms each and every day. To honor these efforts, each of the winners will receive the right to select an eligible nonprofit organization in her community to receive a $1,000 donation.

The 2018 regional winners of the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year Contest are:

·         LouAnne King, Waddington, NY

·         Julie Broussard White, Starkville, MS

·         Anne Skrabanek, Marlin, TX

·         Bethany Hardesty, Guston, KY

·         Jennifer Hausauer, Halliday, ND

·         Janet Bremer, Hastings, MN

·         Kimberly Huebler, Bland, MO

·         Val Plagge, Latimer, IA

·         Diane Olson, Geneseo, IL

·         Joy Lauritsen, Arlington, NE

 “Every year we’re so impressed by the nominations we receive, and all that these women do for their families and their communities” said Jessica Rommel, Monsanto’s Business Communications Manager. “This year we were thrilled to expand our program to honor ten moms who make great contributions to agriculture.”

Since the program began in 2010, the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year program has recognized more than 50 exceptional individuals. In 2018, the program focused on even more communities in which farm moms live and work by providing financial support to 10 eligible nonprofit organizations these farm moms are passionate about.

To learn more about the women nominated, visit https://farm-mom.americasfarmers.com/. More information about the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year program can also be found at facebook.com/AmericasFarmers.

About America’s Farmers

The America’s Farmers campaign highlights the importance of modern U.S. Agriculture through communications and community outreach programs that partner with farmers to impact rural America. To learn more, visit America’s Farmers at www.AmericasFarmers.com.

About Monsanto Company

Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops - such as corn, soybeans, and cotton - that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo.

-oOo-

Dairy Farmers and the Super Bowl

Are you ready for some football?

As the Super Bowl drew near, football seemed to be on most every Minnesotans mind. As Minnesota welcomed the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles for the Big Game, dairy farmers were gearing up for the Super Bowl as well.

Having never attended a Super Bowl, I had no idea all the surrounding activities that happen in the host city. For one week prior to the game, there were events, parties, displays, and concerts. Many of these included the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. If you haven't heard of this program, it is a school nutrition and exercise program launched by National Dairy Council and the National football League in collabaration with the USDA to improve health and wellness for kids. The key to Fuel Up to Play 60's success is having a strong student foundation, a team of committed educators and community engagement, with the goal of building a healthy, high-achieving generation of youth.

Dairy farmers participated at several  FUTP60 events during Super Bowl week. Daughter Sara and I were involved in the "Super Bowl Experience" which is sort-of a fair with displays and activities around anything and everything football. Attendees could view past Super Bowl rings, get up close to the Lombardi trophy, observe NFL broadcasts in the making, and even do the combine drills. It was a huge week-long celebration, but the part I enjoyed the most was assisting with the Fuel Up to Play 60 area in the kids zone.

   

Dairy farmers manned a booth which gave football fans the opportunity to visit a dairy farm (and NFL locker room) through a virtual reality game. Here's Sara helping a fan get ready to play the VR game.

As with any big, well attended event, fans waited in long lines. This gave us a great opportunity to speak about our farm, dairy foods, the importance of eating right, and also explain the FUTP60 program. It was a fun time to answer questions and even teach through the trivia we shared. My favorite questions was, "I didn't know you had to milk cows every day. When do you go on vacation?" Here Sara is explaining what happens in each of the buildings on a dairy farm.

The cheese samples we handed out were a big score too!

I also had the opportunity to be the "special guest" as school age children were invited to the skills and drills field. Students were welcomed by a dairy farmer and an NFL player to get in their 60 minutes of physical activity by participating in on-field drills. I was paired with Kareem Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs.

We began by sharing about ourselves so I got to tell about my dairy farm, what we do each day on the farm, and what happens to the milk when it leaves the farm. After Kareem shared about being a pro football player, and also telling us that chocolate milk is the BEST, we led the kids through the activities. Below is a relay showing the importance of eating right every single day!

I am proud to be a part of the dairy community that puts a strong emphasis on the health of our youth. I appreciate that dairy farmers have the chance to collaborate with the National Football League to encourage exercise and good nutrition.

After the group picture, the students pledged to continue to lead a healthy lifestyle by eating right and getting their 60 minutes of activity each day.

Being a part of the Super Bowl Experience was great, and rubbing elbows with NFL players wasn't too bad either   ; )

Happy New Year 2018

Happy New Year from the Bremer's.

(Our son Michael is the author of this year's holiday letter.)

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a…. WAIT A MINUTE. Did you seriously think I was going to start the Bremer Family Christmas Letter with this lame starting line?!  And before I go any further, Christmas is over, so technically this is our “Bremer Family New Year’s Letter.” With that being said, let us now go through the Bremer dynasty and see what kind of incredible accomplishments we have achieved in 2017.

Janet at the MN State Fair chaperoning the dairy princesses.

Janet has all the free time in the world these days now that she is retired from her Title 1 position at Pinecrest… Oh wait! She’s now somehow MORE busy after retirement! Janet has kept herself more than busy in 2017.  Starting with her successful blog, My Barnyard View. If you’ve been living in a cave and are not familiar with it, it features her thoughts and stories about life on, and off the farm. Check it out at mybarnyardview.blogspot.com. She has also occupied much of her time with her position as the Minnesota Dairy Princess Coordinator through Midwest Dairy. Janet is like the mother hen (Oops, wrong animal industry!) for all of the Dairy Princess finalists at the State Fair. She also works hand in hand with the Dairy Princess all year long. That’s not the only feat Janet has accomplished... Speaking of feet, on day 1 of the State Fair Janet broke her foot! Luckily, Sara came to the rescue to help oversee the Dairy Princesses the first few days at the fair. In other news, it has felt like Janet has been on the TV show “This Old House” this past year as she has been fully engrossed in preparing Grandma and Grandpa Brown’s houses for sale. We popped the champagne in 2017 as the childhood house she grew up in was successfully sold!

TLC from Farmer John.

John, the don, considers 2017 a success. When I asked him what he wanted in the letter about him, he shrugged and smiled. John is a man of few words, so I consider that a success! John was delighted by some dandy purchases on the farm this year: a new drag, a sprayer, a silage bagger, AND a round baler! These pieces of machinery make life on the farm smoother, and a heck of a lot more fun! There has also been some primping to our parlor recently, as we updated the milking parlor’s ceiling, and lights. Now we can see better while we milk cows, and more effectively put on tours (like the tour we did last summer to a group of over 100 German students!). Serving as Trustee on the St. John’s Church Council, and being the Chairman of the Nininger Planning Commission keeps dad more than busy!

Sara hosts "Aprons Optional."

As most people were counting down the 12 days of Christmas, Sara has been counting her 12 YEARS of teaching at the Hastings Middle School! Nouns, verbs, adjectives… Sara teaches it all (and is a pro at Mad Libs because of it!). Always pushing the envelope, Sara is now in charge of the Fuel Up To Play 60 club after school. This program educates students on the importance of fueling up with dairy, and getting 60 minutes of physical activity each and every day. It’s never a problem for Sara getting 60 minutes of go-time a day, as she milks cows every evening. She also has been walking countless miles this winter setting up her enormous Christmas light display! Sara’s light display was so good this year, she was able to convince Santa and Mrs. Claus to come out for a fundraiser that collected food for Hastings Family Service and monetary donations for The Great American Milk Drive. We were thrilled to have over 400 people attend our Santa on the Farm event this year! If Sara’s plate wasn’t full enough, she has also literally had her plate full with her cooking TV show, “Aprons Optional.” Check out all her delicious episodes by searching for it on YouTube and Facebook!

Michael is a national winner!

And then there’s me, “Take a Hike, Mike!” also known as Michael. My TV show has had a gangbuster year! My show was nominated again this year for a NATOA award in the humor category. This pitted me against other TV stations across the country. I was able to impress the judges enough to bring home the bacon as I came in FIRST place in the country! I got to spend a week in Seattle for a video conference and the awards ceremony. You can search for my show on Facebook and YouTube! Along with my TV show, I have been engrossed with many other things at Hastings Community TV. I have been directing weekly live sporting events, and filming countless other shows. I also get to play teacher as I am the Technical Advisor for the Broadcast Journalism Class (The Ekko) at  the Hastings High School. Though I love my full time job at HCTV, I refuse to miss out on the fun at home on the farm. Milking cows, cleaning the cowyard with the Bobcat, and working in the field are all part of my repertoire. The sky was the limit for me this year as I jumped out of a plane 13,000 feet in the air and underwent a 60 second freefall! That’s right, I was nutty enough to go skydiving!

Cheering the Minnesota Vikings on to victory. 

Other Bremer bulletin board worthy mentions include going to cheer on the Vikings at US Bank stadium as a family, and living out our rockstar dreams at the Guns N’ Roses concert! We also have been playing Extreme Makeover Home Edition as we have remodeled our kitchen, and downstairs bathroom. We’re excited for you to try them out! While you’re here, stay for a bonfire at our new fire pit while you observe the fact that we recently removed several of our massive trees!

Like every year, 2017 has had its ups and downs. But to quote the 90’s one hit wonder band, Chumbawumba in their song Tubthumping: “I get knocked down, I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down!” From our family to yours, Merry Christmas! ...Oops! I already forgot Christmas is over! Happy New Year!

-Michael & the Bremer Family

X, Y, Z, all done

  After an eXtra busy June Dairy Month, Yes, I'm Zapped!

Janet

But if there's at least one thing you have learned from my June Dairy Month posts; I feel I have accomplished my goal. As you have followed my A to Z journey, I hope you have come to realize how passionate my family and I are about the farming lifestyle that we live. 

Farmer John

We take much pride in everything we do at Bremer Farms, and we thank God for the opportunities He has given us.

 

Sara

I LOVE DAIRY FARMING BECAUSE...

• it allows me to continue my family tradition as a proud sixth generation dairy farmer.
• my husband, Farmer John never complains about going to work.
• we have raised our children on our dairy farm, and never heard, "I'm bored!"
• we spend many hours working side-by-side with family, and there's nothing better than spending time with family.
• it reinforces that hard work truly does pay off.
• living and working on our dairy farm teaches us to care for and appreciate God's creation.
• it gives me the opportunity to answer questions and meet new people as I share our dairy farming story.
• we help feed the world safe, nutritious dairy foods.
• my family and I are "leaving this world a little better than when we found it" through our sustainability efforts on our dairy farm.
• we are the first step to making milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream! Yum...dairy deliciousness!

Michael

 Thank you for visiting during June Dairy Month. I hope you'll come back often, and perhaps invite a friend or two to join us. I am truly grateful for each of you!

 Shoot me a comment or email if you have a topic idea or a question to answer. 

Another Facelift

It's time for a bit of Throwback Thursday.

These pictures, taken about 1979, show three of the four original buildings on Bremer Farms when my in-laws were married in 1958.

On the left is the machine shed which was the only storage shed on the farm. The cute little hip-roofed building is the milk room. This is where the cans of milk were kept cold until the milk truck came for pick-up.  Lastly, on the right is the barn which was originally used to milk the cows. 

I recently told you about the facelift our barn received.

Now it's time for another facelift.

 After years and years of scraping and painting, scraping and painting...   

 The machine shed doesn't look like this anymore. 

 Presenting the "new" shed!

 Our "new" shed hasn't served as the machine shed for a long time. Machinery has gotten much too big to fit in this little shed. It's now used for maintenance supplies, feed storage, and we even let Sara and Michael claim some space! 

P.S.- Here is what this shed looked like the last time we scraped before painting... Why am I showing you this?

The peeling paint of this shed is what you see as my blog background. I like looking at it surrounding my blog posts, but on the shed...not so much. 

                            

Best And Wisest Mom

 My Mom is the strongest, most giving woman I know. She is a farmers daughter, a farmers wife and a farm mom too. 

 The past year and a half have not been easy for her, but with God's guidance she has continued to be strong. She has come face-to-face with a stroke, infections, a mild heart attack, bypass surgery, the loss of  her right leg, colon cancer, and the loss of my dad, her farmer husband. 

Through all this, our mother-daughter roles have become somewhat reversed. It is now time for her to do the receiving, and not all the giving. But no matter what our family does for mom, we can never repay her for what she gave all of us. Thank you God, for my strong, giving Mom.

Best and Wisest Mom

By Joanna Fuchs

  Mom, I wish I had words to tell
How much you mean to me.
I am the person I am today,
Because you let me be.

 Your unconditional love
Made me happy, strong, secure.
Your teaching and example
Made me confident, mature.

  In all the world, there is no mother
Better than my own.
You're the best and wisest person, Mom
I have ever known.

Happy Mother's Day!

Cows + Books = MOO!

I love to read and I also have many, many great memories of spending time at the local library with Sara and Michael when they were little kidlets, so when the library asks me to help out with an event (especially one that involves cows)

 I say, "What time do you want me there"?

 I recently participated in the "Once Upon a Reader" program which is designed to encourage the love of books.

 

The featured book was Moo! by David LaRochelle.

There were guest readers, like Tom from our local TV station,

 and crafts to make like these great cow hats...

and I got to talk about living and working on our dairy farm to lots of kidlets.

Cows and books, AND cookies and milk at the library...

my life is good!

You can click here to see a movie of the book Moo! 

and you can click here to learn more about cows and milk!

Happy Spring and Happy Reading!

Moo!