By Megan Crenshaw, Staff Member
The Southeastern dairy industry seems to be in big trouble. While the nation is experiencing a surge in dairy and milk demand, the Southeastern dairy industry has experienced a greater than 37 percent decline in total production of milk. Since 1995 more than two-thirds of the dairies in the Southeast have closed. A six-state study is in the works to reverse this trend. The main focus of the study is to “pinpoint the causes of the decline in the Southeastern U.S. dairy industry.” The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture will fund the study for five years with a $3 million grant. The University of Tennessee’s Institute Of Agriculture is the lead institution for the study. “Regional participants in the study include the University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, Mississippi State University and Virginia Tech.” A scientist in each participating state will oversee the state’s outreach and research efforts.
Researchers seek to reach out to struggling dairies that are underperforming in hopes to enhance regional milk production and improve milk quality.  “The assistant dean of the University of Tennessee explained that the study will focus on improving herd health and milk quality and quantity by lowering the incidence of mastitis.” One of the central concerns surrounding low milk quality in the southeastern regions is the high level of mastitis.
“Mastitis is the inflammation of the mammary gland and udder tissue.” It has been categorized as a “major endemic disease of dairy cattle.” The illness is a very complex disease. Typically it occurs as an “immune response to bacterial invasion of the teat canal by a variety of bacterial sources present on the farm.” It can also occur as a “result of chemical, mechanical, or thermal injury to the cow's udder.” “Practices such as close attention to milking hygiene, the culling of chronically-infected cows, good housing management and effective dairy cattle nutrition to promote good cow health are essential in helping to control herd mastitis levels.”
Researchers will work to identify factors that affect regional farmer’s inability to adopt practices to control mastitis. They will conduct research aimed at strategies to solve this issue and work to develop continuing education programs for those working within the dairy industry. Researchers are hopeful that this study will result in an “implementation of cost effective, science-based mastitis prevention and control strategies” that can help producers “improve quality milk, increase production and therefore improve industry profitability and sustainability.”
 Aimee Nielson, Kentucky Dairy Farmers to Benefit from New Six-State Study on Southeast Milk Decline, KyForward (July 1, 2013), http://www.kyforward.com/2013/07/kentucky-dairy-farmers-to-benefit-from-new-six-state-study-on-southeast-milk-decline/.
 Tim Lundeen, Program to Aid Southeastern Dairies Through Herd Health, Milk Quality, Feedstufs (June 21, 2013), http://feedstuffs.com/story-program-aid-southeastern-dairies-through-herd-health-milk-quality-45-99532.
 UT Heading Dairy Study In Southeast, News Channel 5 (June 20, 2013 1:19 PM), http://www.newschannel5.com/story/22645402/ut-heading-dairy-study-in-southeast.
 Patricia McDaniels, Saving Southeastern Dairies Through Improved Herd Health, Milk Quality, UT Institute of Agriculture (June 19, 3013) https://ag.tennessee.edu/news/Pages/NR-2013-06-MilkQualityGrant.aspx.
 Nielson, supra note 1.
 Mastitis in Dairy Cows, DAIRYCO.ORG, http://www.dairyco.org.uk/technical-information/animal-health-welfare/mastitis/ (last visited July 4, 2013).
 Nielson, supra note 1.
 McDaniels, supra note 8.