How can veterinarians assist dairy farmers from only requesting a signature on the VCPR form in the FARM program to developing a culture of continuous improvement? In this episode, AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by AABP member Dr. Corale Dorn to discuss the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program.  Dorn discusses how she has implemented the tenets of the FARM program and included it as part of her billable services valued by her clients. Dorn graduated from Iowa State University in 2001 and is the owner of Dells Veterinary Services in Dell Rapids, S.D. Find out information about her practice at this link.  Dorn offers tips about completing the various checklists of the FARM program including identifying training opportunities during routine farm visits such as fresh cow protocols, euthanasia protocols, milking procedures and sick cow protocols and keeping the forms in your truck to sign off on them and include in the binder that is used by evaluators to ensure training is completed and protocols are updated. Dorn utilizes her team to assist with the services her practice provides to dairy and beef clients. She recommends veterinarians start with small bites and implement portions of the program during various times of the year and suggests that veterinarians consider becoming a second-party evaluator, so they are familiar with the audit process. She also discusses three models of charging for this service and incorporating it into your routine preventive medicine programs. By incorporating these protocols and procedures into your practice, veterinarians can move the FARM program beyond “just the signature”.

 Find out information about the NMPF FARM Program at this link. Resources that can be used by veterinarians and producers can be found in the FARM resource library found here. 

 AABP Guidelines and Position statements are used by NMPF FARM program and can be found under the About menu of the AABP website at this link.