SEPTEMBER  2004

Another TDR party — another fun night
It's not just a dairy, it's a family and a home
Waco feeling the heat for filing dairy lawsuits?
Lake Waco a concern for nearly 80 years
Proposed fuel plant may be of great benefit to dairyman
Coba/Select Sires challenges other semen companies
Spotted cow dots West Texas & Panhandle landscape
 

Dairymen and advertisers---get ready for the The Texas Dairy Review Annual Appreciation Party on Thurs., Sept. 16, beginning at 6 p.m, at the Royal Manor Pub, 1400 W. Swan, Stephenville, Texas.  If you haven't made plans to attend, it's time to do so. You'll enjoy a fun-filled night where everyone can kick back and enjoy the evening's event.

For the past eight years, the Texas Dairy Review has been holding this party for advertisers, exhibitors at the trade show held in Stephenville in September, and for dairymen, It provides an opportunity for folks to get together in an informal atmosphere and enjoy visiting with one another, eating great food, and enjoying refreshments and music.

The party was initiated by the Texas Dairy Review as a way to show appreciation for the many companies, businesses and dairymen who have supported this publication for the past 13 years. In February, 2005, the Texas Dairy Review will begin its 14th year. Since advertising is what drives this paper, we especially thank all those who have continued to do business with us throughout the years so that we may continue to keep bringing you the Texas Dairy Review and celebrate at the annual party.

The Texas Dairy Review would personally like to thank, in advance, the Royal Manor Pub and its staff for always doing a terrific job on the food, decorating, and handling the many people who attend. Without their help each year, the party would not be as successful as it has been and certainly not near as much fun! We especially thank Charles Elliott, owner of the Royal Manor Pub, Roland Stephens for his patience in overseeing everything, Rena Stone for the terrific food, George Verberg, all the girls who wait on customers, and everyone else that helps.

Here's to another good time. Hope to see you there! For more information, call Sherry Webb, 254-965-2255 or 800-344-4901, email: TDeditor@texasdairy.com.

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Not everyone is fortunate enough to choose a place to live where they are able to make a good living, enjoy the quality of life, and be happy all at the same time. When Fred and Judy Lueck moved in 1986 from Arizona to Erath County, Texas, they thought they had found a pretty-close-to perfect place. As owners of a dairy in Arizona, they came to Texas full of enthusiasm and dreams for a new dairy with the idea this would soon be home to them.

Mixing Arizona sentiment with Texas buoyancy, the Luecks’ concept was molded into AzTex Dairy which celebrated its 18^th year of operation this past August. The dairy is permitted for 1200 cows, milking 2x per day in a double 12 herringbone parlor with a rapid exit. Located in the Highland community near Dublin, the dairy employs 11 people and is operated by Fred Sr., sons Freddy Jr., and Tyson, along with daughter Melissa, who keeps the books. Fred Sr. jokingly refers to himself as “the overseer of the overseers or the guy who runs around and makes sure the bosses are doing what they’re supposed to do.” Although Fred Sr. swears he’s “not a farmer” he plants coastal and harvests 320 acres of robust sorghum to make feed for his cows.

But, there’s a lot more to AzTex Dairy than its mechanical procedures or modus operandi.

Looking out over the 700 acre site where the dairy and home comfortably sets the tone for a quality of life that many would envy, it’s evident this picturesque scene didn’t just hatch and evolve into what it is. It took years of hard work from the entire family and a lot of headaches to get to where it is today. “It’s not just a dairy operation---it’s a family and a home,” Judy said.

Judy’s custom-made “just-for-her” kitchen just about tells it all. It’s big and roomy, with three ovens and a microwave that obviously aren’t there just for looks. She uses them frequently for family dinners and get-togethers, and for cooking breakfast each morning for the men in her life before work on the dairy begins.

“The kitchen is the dairy home,” she said. She’s especially proud of her self-designed picture window over the sink where she can look straight ahead and see the dairy. “The window in the dining room also faces the dairy,” she said. The dining room houses a large stately table and chairs for special occasions and holiday dinners, such as Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving is Fred’s favorite holiday. He likes to look out at the dairy while we’re eating.”

The Lueck home is full of family memorabilia. Proudly displayed on the refrigerator is a variety of random snapshots of children, dogs, their eight grandchildren and other family members. In the living room, a very large family photograph taken by their daughter-in-law, Julie, dominates the fireplace. Even Fred’s dairy office, designed by Judy, displays a collection of family memories.

It’s no guess that Judy and Fred are devout believers in family life and its traditions. This trend has been embraced further by Freddy Jr. and his wife Julie, who initiated “family fun night” a few years ago. Judy said on this night, the family gets together to do something, or anything, depending on what activity they choose. “Sometimes it’s bowling, miniature golf, or going to the lake. It just depends on what we want to do,” Judy said. The time taken out from everyone’s hectic schedules promotes family ties and togetherness that is oftentimes neglected in today’s busy society.

Fred and Judy were both brought up on Arizona dairies in farming communities near Buckeye. They graduated from Aqua Fria High School in Avondale, married a few years later, and celebrated 38 years last April.

When they moved to Texas, they were a big part of the Erath County dairy growth that prevailed in the late 80s and early 90s. At that time, the name “Lueck” was a kind of Erath County icon that included Fred, his two brothers Al and Bob, and Al’s son, Carl. They all played a major role in Erath County’s dairy boom.

During that time, Fred and Judy encountered their first problem with complaining neighbors and with the then Texas Water Commission, (TWC). The dairy negativity from the public and pressure from the TWC took its toll on some dairymen who ended up moving away. Although not a pleasant time to remember, the Luecks survived that period now often regarded as the beginning of an exodus for many dairies of that era.

“We loved Texas and we didn’t want to move. Our kids liked it here and we did, too. We’d never have moved away from them,” Judy said.

Putting forth every effort to withstand the stigma and abide “by the book” the Luecks determined to do whatever was necessary to meet TWC regulations. The problem, Judy explained, was they had to know what the book said first, and it was very complicated.

“The laws were unclear and I don’t think anyone from the state knew what they were doing back then,” Judy said.

“We had moved here thinking things would be wonderful. We didn’t think people would hate us. We’re a family and this dairy is our home. We’re good stewards of the land. We live right across the road from our dairy and we wouldn’t dare jeopardize our own family or other people,” she added.

As time progressed into the 21^st century, the Luecks have remained adamant about keeping up with state and federal regulations. They hoped they had left all the old problems behind. But, this past February, their lives suddenly suffered another serious jolt. This time, however, it was in the form of a lawsuit by the City of Waco filed against them along with 13 other dairy operators in the Bosque River watershed.

Rumblings of old feelings began to surface and once again, Fred and Judy found themselves staying up night after night debating on what to do: Make a deal? Move? Sell their cows? Afterall, the lawsuit is not just affecting one generation of dairy owners but the future of their children, and grandchildren.

Considering their options, Fred and Judy knew what they had to do. They were compelled to face their decision squarely for the good of all and defend their right to work and live in the community of their choice. With their time, energy and money invested in AzTex, plus leading the kind of life they’ve worked hard to get, no other decision seemed possible. 

Judy laughed and said, “Even the man who came out and served us with the papers, looked around and said, ‘Gosh, this place is beautiful!’”

In retrospect, there’s a big difference between the attitude of the public and the state’s progress today as compared to that of yesterday. “The community is showing a lot of support for our situation and the other dairies,” Judy said. “We’re very grateful for that and it makes this trying time much more tolerable.”

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The whining is pretty loud in Waco these days as evidenced by the many melodramatic one-sided articles that have appeared in the Waco Tribune-Herald lately. It's a real pity that some Waco extremists are suddenly feeling the heat from state agencies and others and are now bawling out loud about the lawsuits that the City filed against 14 Bosque River dairies earlier this year.

Among the many articles written that have basically offered excuses or justification for filing the lawsuits, one article in a guest column tells the real story. Written by Phil Ford, general manager and CEO of the Brazos River Authority (BRA), he clearly expresses his disdain at how very counterproductive Waco's legal actions against the dairies have been.

Ford specifically refers to the Keith Broumley Dairy in Hamilton County that was listed in the recent lawsuits. Ford said that for nearly two years, the BRA and other state and federal agencies worked with the Broumley Dairy to raise funds for a pilot project in an effort to offer an additional solution to the phosphorus problem in the Bosque River. The project included recycling dairy waste into a usable compost product that would be shipped off the dairy for commercial sale. The methane gas produced by the recycling process would be used for power to the dairy.

This "win-win situation," as Ford called it, potentially put the funding for the project in jeopardy when the lawsuits were filed. He said dairies, such as this one, that are making strides to improve the phosphorus problem, should be allowed to continue their business.

In addition to the Broumley digester project, Ford said the BRA is involved with other projects that include: building up to 10 wet ponds or wetland projects on the Bosque upstream from Lake Waco; the possible use of alum as a means of removing phosphorus from the river; making fuel from cow manure at the proposed Norcon International ethanol plant in Stephenville; a QED, Occtech Manure Separation project where manure solids and liquids are separated, removing 70 to 80% of phosphorus in manure.

Ford said that everyone should take note that phosphorus in the Bosque River is not caused solely by dairy operations. "Phosphorus is a a naturally occurring element in many types of soil. It is present in fertilizers used on farmland throughout Texas," he said.

He added that phosphorus can also be caused by malfunctioning septic systems on privately owned property adjacent to the river. "It is present in most effluent returned to the water course by wastewater treatment plants."

While there may be some dairies in violation of the law, Ford said, all of the factors he's mentioned are contributing to the quantities of phosphorus in Lake Waco. "The point here is that the Broumley Dairy, along with the other government agencies is making a good faith effort to remediate the problem. The effort need not be thwarted before the solution is allowed to begin."We must work together on projects that will continue to provide solutions for removing phosphorus from the Bosque River. Proper use of fertilizers by local farms, proper maintenance of private septic systems and compliant discharges from upstream wastewater treatment plants must also be a priority. Only then will the quality of Lake Waco drinking water improve."

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When BRA CEO Phil Ford sent off a rigorous article to Waco's local newspaper, he mentioned that runoff into the Bosque River had been a concern for nearly 80 years. Although Bosque River dairies have been dealing with Waco's accusations for a long time, Ford sheds some light on the problem that dates back before 1928.

"Prior to the first Lake Waco being built in 1928,the city fathers hired U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gen. George W. Goethals, the engineer of the Panama Canal, to review the two possible sites for the lake. At that time, Goethals cautioned city leaders that the powdery mud washed from the upstream black land farms (along with runoff contents) with every rain would eventually fill up the lake.

"In 1928, Goethals' report caused opponents, who feared that Waco's water would never be fit to drink, to file suit to stop the lake. The suit was finally defeated in the Texas Supreme Court and Lake Waco became a reality.

"Unfortunately, Goethals' fears have to some extent come to fruition. Now, we must find ways to improve the quality of the lake's water" Ford said.

*The information used by Ford came from an excerpt in the March 1995 edition of a supplement magazine (Discover) to the Waco Tribune-Herald, written by Thomas E. Turner, Sr.

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Although nothing is set in stone yet, there's a possibility that Erath, Hamilton, and Comanche County dairymen could benefit if Stephenville becomes the new home for a fuel plant that would convert the many tons of cow manure that comes from area dairies into ethanol.  Norcon International, a Georgia-based company, is considering spending as much as $70 million to make fuel out of natural waste produced by dairy cows. The company has a lease agreement for more than 100 acres from a landowner near Stephenville.

Dr. John Ellis, strategic planner for the Brazos River Authority (BRA), said the plant would initially begin operation using wood chips. As far as dairy manure, the company expects they would start out with manure from about 20,000 cows increasing that number to 40,000 as dairy farmers sign on with the plant. "A successful Norcon project would very likely eliminate phosphorus as the controlling factor in the dairy permitting process, and dairies should have greater expansion opportunities," Ellis said. 

With more than 20 years experience in the waste recycling and handling business, Norcon is considering a joint venture with the California-based Nova Fuels. Norcon projects they could use up to 750 tons of manure per day to make the ethanol which would be railed to various markets. The factory could make 60 to 80 gallons of ethanol per ton of dry waste, or more than 50,000 gallons a day. About 5% of the material's original volume would be leftover ash that could be turned into fertilizer or cinder blocks.  Norcon officials also noted that a second plant in the area would be a possibility should the economics and manure supply  warrant additional investment.

Ellis, and BRA strategic planning manager Charlie Brown, have worked closely with Norcon for the past year and a half on the showcase project. "Where dairies are concerned, we're currently facing the challenge to come up with a system for flush-system dairy operators. The manure needs to come into the plant at about 50% water content. Dry lot operators are no problem. We're trying to figure out a cost-effective system that will dewater the manure and reduce the phosphorus in the remaining liquid. There are many options such as chemicals, bacteria, advanced mechanical separation systems, etc.  In addition, we're looking into Federal EQIP funding to aid in purchasing  this type of equipment."

The search for cleaner burning automotive fuels in today's society makes ethanol a very valuable product with a big profit potential. Norcon officials said they expect to sell the ethanol wholesale for $1.20 to $1.52 per gallon which could result in a sizeable income per year. In turn, the controversy over dairy waste and its phosphorus content could be minimized with manure becoming a commodity instead of a waste.

Ron Butler, board member of the Stephenville Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and a member of the Brazos River Authority board said the plant project is still in the very early stages of development. "But, we hope they make progress with this. It would mean a significant capital investment for Stephenville. It would create jobs, increase our tax base, and of course, help our dairies. It would be a win-win situation."

BRA's role in the project has been to help facilitate the site location, interface with the Fort Worth and Western Railroad, as well as do some preliminary legwork for air and water quality permits from the state.  The agency sees the project as a key component of their numerous efforts to protect and improve water quality in the Brazos and North Bosque watersheds.  Norcon is currently seeking funding for the project, and has 2 or 3 potential funding sources closely examining their business plan.  A decision on "go or no-go" is expected within a few months.

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COBA/Select Sires at its recent board of directors meeting voted to contribute $5,000 to the "Dairymen's Legal Defense Fund." The $5,000 was unanimously supported by COBA board members after the Waco versus dairies lawsuit was discussed at the meeting. Norman Hoff, COBA SW marketing director has issued a challenge to all other semen companies and other Erath and Comanche county dairy suppliers to match or better the $5,000 of support provided by COBA.

Four COBA farmer directors from Texas, David Hinders, Canyon; Chuck Loper, El Paso; Dan Steubing, Hondo; and Chad Steinberger, Windthorst; were instrumental in explaining the situation to other COBA board members. Along with Hoff, further encouragement came from COBA district sales managers Randall Carpenter and Parker Friedrich, both of Stephenville, Texas, who work closely with dairymen involved in the suit. 

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Brilliant blue skies and starry starry nights are two of the amenities that go along with West Texas and the Panhandle. Although the areas may not have the lush greenery that other parts of Texas offer, there’s still something to be said about those wide open spaces that exist all the way from Pecos to Dalhart.

No argument about it---there’s plenty of room for people and for cows. While sagebrush, shinnery, and oil wells used to dot the rustic scenery, things began to change dramatically a few years ago. Now it’s not unusual to find black and white Holsteins spotting the landscape in a large way. What used to be very uncommon, has now become the accepted norm.

Several communities began to envision dairies as an economic benefit as far back as the mid to late 90s. Areas such as Amherst, Littlefield, Muleshoe, Plainview and Hereford were some of the first to  take hold, soon followed by other communities that joined the dairy entourage. Before long, the familiar beef cows in the enormous area feedyards were not the only “cows on the block.” The black and whites were beginning to make their debut on a whole new frontier.

Hereford, located in Deaf Smith County, is most famous for being the “beef capital of the world.” But, city officials and others, under the guidance of Hereford Economic Development Executive Director Don Cumpton, saw an opportunity too good to pass up. When the city voted in a sales tax in 1995 for economic development, it afforded them the money and incentives to begin their quest, resulting in six dairies making Deaf Smith County their home. The dairies and permitted number of head are: Jakob Van Der Weg, Van Der Weg Dairy,  3,000; Mike and Zeba Schouten, Mission Dairy, 4,500;  Doug Benson, D&J Dairy, 4,600; John Hafliger, Swiss Girl Dairy,1,200; Lawrence Rains, Ford Dairy, 600; Glen Stueve, Stueve Gold Dairy, 4,600.

Dimmitt, in Castro County, has nine dairies to its credit. They are Laurens and Illona Schilderink,  Spandet, Inc., 4,000; Evert and Marie Dyksterhuis, E&M Dairy, 3,000; Tom and Sandi Osterkamp, Tom Osterkamp Dairy, 3,900; Alvin Kleman, Sunrise Farms, 950; Lester Backus Dairy, 280; Tom Braddock Dairy, 50; Harry and Margaret Dewit, High Plains Dairy, 2,500; Ramona Struikmans, Evergreen Farms, 5,500; and the Neil Visser, Dairy, currently under construction, 6,000, when completed.  

Muleshoe, located in Bailey County,  has a trade area that includes six dairies with a new one under construction. The dairies are: Pam and Larry Hancock, Prairie View Dairy, 4200; Joel Shearer & Stanley Jones, J & S Dairy, 2900; Brian Boehning, Hilltop Dairy, 3,000; Alan Caddell & David Lawrence, Rio Blanco Dairy, 3,000; Tretha and Randy Martin, RTM Dairy, 1600; Jinger and Jesus Valverde, Muleshoe Dairy, 160; Hettingas Family, Progress Dairy, 7,000, to begin milking by the end of the year.

Dalhart, located in the Panhandle is divided between the counties of Dallam and Hartley. They currently have two operating dairies and two that are undergoing construction. The two operating dairies, permitted for 10,000 head each, are Frisa West, owned by Klaas Talsma and Northside Dairy, owned by David and Donald De Jong. Both Talsma and the DeJong brothers own dairies in Central Texas also.

Dumas, Texas, is located in Moore County 50 miles north of Amarillo in the Panhandle,. According to Robert Worley, executive director for the Dumas Economic Development Corporation, they have two permitted dairy sites with six dairies showing great interest in coming to the area. Their major income is oil, gas and farming.

*Editor’s Note: We realize that not all dairies in West Texas or the Panhandle are named in this story. If any economic development board would like to submit the dairies in their area to the Texas Dairy Review, for a future story, please email to TDeditor@texasdairy.com.

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The Texas Dairy Review
1521 C Lingleville Road, Stephenville, Texas 76401
800-344-4901 — 254-965-2255 — Fax 254-965-6202 — Cell 254-967-2190
Sherry Webb, Editor

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