The Chinese company, Feihe Dairy, Beijing, has been named the “Most Energetic Brand” in the “Top Ten Best Infant Formula” category at the Annual Baby and Infant Industry Ceremony.Feihe is owned by American Dairy, Inc., one of the leading producers and distributors of infant formula, milk powder and soybean and walnut products in China.
The Baby and Infant Industry Ceremony is one of the largest annual events in the industry and awards companies involved in all aspects of infant care, ranging from infant formula producers to baby food and clothing manufacturers. Participating companies are evaluated by a group of industry experts and the public, who votes on the Internet. Nominating companies go through a three-stage elimination process, and receive awards based on their achievements during the year, which include titles such as “Most Socially Responsible,” “Most Competitive,” and “Most Energetic.”
Mr. Leng You Bin, Chief Executive Officer of American Dairy, stated, “Feihe is a nationally established and trusted brand in China. The award speaks to Feihe’s growth in recent years and its potential for future growth. We expect that Chinese consumers will continue to seek our brand for quality and consistency.”
If you happen to be in the New York City area this Saturday (May 3rd), stop by a local Stop & Shop grocery store from 1:00 - 5:00 for an ice cream that will help support families dealing with childhood cancer. During “Scoop Day” Edy’s Ice Cream will donate all proceeds from the promotion to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
During the one-day event, shoppers can donate $1 for a scoop of Edy’s Slow Churned ice cream or $3 for a scoop of Slow Churned Light Ice Cream and a compilation CD of eight former American Idol performers.
“With Edy’s support, we are making a difference in the lives of thousands of children,” said Ron Onorato, senior vice president of Stop & Shop. “Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center relies on the generosity of local communities and citizens to help provide lifesaving support to children and their families struggling with the difficulties of childhood cancer. We are proud to take part in this event.”
Additionally, Stop & Shop stores kicked off the Triple Winner game April 11. Through July 10, those who donate $1 get a Triple Winner game ticket. Every ticket could be a winner, with prizes valued from $2 to $10,000 in cash. During the promotion period, Edy’s will make a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from sales of its Slow Churned Take The Cake Light Ice Cream at all Stop & Shop stores.
The PEAQ (Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality) method was developed around the relative feed value (RFV) which looks at the quantity of fiber. Dr. Bill Mahanna, coordinator of global nutritional sciences for Pioneer, takes a look at determining not just the quantity of fiber but the digestibility of that fiber through RFQ or relative feed quality testing. Mahanna also comments on timing the first alfalfa cutting.
Bill Mahanna on Integrated Forage Program (5:30 min MP3)
To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.
Congrats to Joe Michaels who has been named the Forage Segment Director at Vermeer Corporation.
Michaels, who previously served as the segment’s sales manager, is now responsible for overall operations and will report directly to corporate management.
“Joe’s experience and understanding of the market will be invaluable to Vermeer as we continue to develop and market new and better solutions in the hay and forage marketplace,” said Bob Vermeer, president of Vermeer Corporation.
Michaels brings twenty-five years of agricultural equipment sales, service, marketing and product development experience.
After joining Vermeer as ag product director in 2000, he left the company briefly to help McCormick, USA re-launch the McCormick brand in the US market (McCormick USA, which was originally based in Pella, shared a strategic marketing alliance with Vermeer from November 2001 to March 2004) and then returned to the Vermeer forage group as sales manager.
The Drumstick events will provide fans with ticket discounts and family activities. Families can have their pictures taken during nationwide Nestle Drumstick Family Days Tour this season, and birthday parties will be part of that tour at select minor league ballparks.
Nestle also is offering fans a chance to receive a personalized set of Topps baseball cards with the purchase of two Nestle Drumstick Cones. Fans can visit their website to create their own trading cards featuring their favorite young ballplayers.
“We are excited to dish up a sweet part of Americana that families can slow down and enjoy together—Nestle Drumstick ice cream cones and baseball,” said John Harrison, official taster for Nestle Drumstick cones, in a statement.
A complete schedule of NestleDrumstick Family Days is also available on the Web site.
The cheese state has added two new masters to its rank of 44 certified cheesemakers. Tom Torkelson of Pasture Pride Cheese, Cashton, Wis. and Bruce Workman of Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Wis. have completed the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® Program. The program is the only advanced certification program of its kind outside of Europe.
The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® Program is administered by the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and funded by Wisconsin dairy producers, through WMMB. Participants must be active, licensed Wisconsin cheesemakers with at least 10 years’ experience. Cheesemakers can earn certification in up to two specific cheese varieties each time they enroll and must have been making those varieties as a licensed cheesemaker for a minimum of five years prior to entering the program.
Torkelson received Master certification in the production of Brick and Muenster cheeses, and Workman added Emmenthaler and Specialty Swiss (low-fat, low-sodium lacy Swiss) to his Master’s portfolio. This is Workman’s fourth time through the rigorous three-year program, and he now holds Master certification in the production of seven cheese varieties, more than any cheesemaker in the state. Both men already have applied to go through the program again.
More news from the Jersey Association - their board of directors have announced two new Honorary Members: Robert E. McDowell, Raleigh, N.C., and John M. White, Blacksburg, Va. Both recipents will be recognized at the organization’s 140th annual meeting, June 25-28, 2008 in Asheville, N.C.
“Honorary Membership is a high distinction previously awarded to only 20 people in the 140-year history of this organization,” noted Neal Smith, Executive Secretary and CEO. “The Board of Directors was unanimous in singling out Dr. McDowell and Dean White for recognition this year.”
Robert E. McDowell’s professional career as a researcher, teacher and consultant spanned six decades, starting in 1946 as a research scientist at USDA’s Beltsville laboratory, then serving 20 years on the faculty of Cornell University (1966-1986) rising to Professor Emeritus, and after retirement to his home state becoming a Visiting Professor at North Carolina State University for another 20 years.McDowell’s ground-breaking research on crossbreeding, evaluation of indigenous and European dairy breeds in the tropics, livestock production and dairy records continues to inform and be cited by the current generation of dairy scientists.
“Even 20 years later, Dr. McDowell’s review is regarded as one of the most valuable investments ever made by the AJCC Research Foundation,” commented AJCA’s Smith. “‘Some Indications about Jerseys’ is an essential part of the information packet that our organization distributes to students across the world and also dairy producers who are considering adding Jerseys to their herds.
From the late 1970s through the ’80s, John M. White of the Virginia Tech faculty was a key contributor to the development and implementation of breeding tools and programs that helped advance the Jersey breed.
In the area of applied dairy cattle genetics, Dr. White utilized extensive data from the American Jersey Cattle Association, among other sources, to help develop procedures for improving the accuracy of sire and female genetic evaluation procedures.
An innovative educator who received three different awards for teaching excellence in the late 1970s, White was one of the first to utilize computers in his teaching. Starting in 1969, he used computer simulations in a senior-level class to demonstrate the effectiveness of genetic selection methods. It contributed to the academic climate at Virginia Tech that fostered development of MAXBULL, a computer program written by Mike McGilliard and John Clay to optimize sire selection relative to herd goals.
With the benefit of hindsight, however, Dr. White’s longest-lasting contribution to the Jersey breed came through his leadership of the Jersey Research Panel, appointed in 1985 by then-president C. L. Collins Jr. to evaluate the state of Jersey research. The panel’s discussions led to the formulation of five priority areas for Jersey research and, more importantly, the declaration of a five-year campaign to raise $1 million for the AJCC Research Foundation endowment.
“Jersey youth are drawn to Virginia Tech because of the excellence of its programs,” noted the AJCA’s CEO Neal Smith. “Jersey producers in not only Virginia, but across the United States and the world, benefit directly from its extension services. Virginia Tech dairy scientists, working with one of the few university dairy herds that includes Registered Jerseys™, have answered questions of importance to all Jersey breeders through a vigorous research program.”
Previous Recipients
McDowell and White join these previous recipients of Honorary Membership in the American Jersey Cattle Association: Hilton Boynton, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts; Clyde Chappell, Ph.D., University of Tennessee; Blair Maxwell “Max” Drake, NOBA, Ohio; Professor W. H. Eaton, Auburn University; Morris B. Ewing, American Breeders Service; Peter Kayano, Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project, Japan; Richard H. Kellogg, COBA, Ohio; W. D. Knox, Hoard’s Dairyman; Norma Stong Lyon, artist-sculptor, Toledo, Iowa; Eugene C. Meyer, Hoard’s Dairyman; Anne E. Perchard, M.B.E., La Ferme Ltd., St. Martin, Jersey; Ronald E. Pearson, Ph.D., Virginia Tech; W. E. Petersen, Ph.D., University of Minnesota; R. Dean Plowman, Ph.D., Agricultural Research Service, USDA; Carlos E. Robert, Barva Heredia, Costa Rica; Harry A. Strohmeyer, White Plains, N.Y.; Antonio C. Urquiza, Queretaro, Mexico; Danny Weaver, Cary, Ill.; John C. Wilk, Ph.D., North Carolina State University; and Merlin Woodruff, Urbana, Ohio.
Applicants must be a junior or life member of the American Jersey Cattle Association upon submitting their application. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) is required to apply for these scholarships. A copy of the applicant’s high school or college transcript must be included with the application form.
The largest award is the Russell–Malnati Scholarship for Advanced Studies of $5,000. Undergraduate students who have completed at least one-half of coursework credit hours required for a degree in dairy science, animal science (dairy emphasis), large animal veterinary practice, dairy production or manufacturing, or dairy product marketing, and graduate students in those program areas are eligible to apply. The William A. Russell Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 will be presented to a student who will begin a program of study at an accredited college or university in the fall of 2008 The Cedarcrest Scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student seeking a degree in large animal veterinary practice, dairy production, dairy manufacturing, or dairy product marketing. The V. L. Peterson Scholarship and Paul Jackson Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to students who have completed at least one year of college or university work. Also to be awarded is the Bob Toole Jersey Youth Award, which can be used for either college expenses or a well-defined practical experience related to breeding, developing and showing Registered Jerseys™.
Residents of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia who are at least high school graduates, but not older than 36 years of age as of January 1, are eligible to apply for the Reuben R. Cowles Jersey Youth Award. Applicants must state whether the award money will be used for to support their education or to fund a trip to the All American Jersey Show and Sale, the AJCA-NAJ Annual Meetings or other Jersey educational activities.
A new study has added to the evidence that flavored milk is a great choice for children. Not only do flavored milks taste delicious, they are full of essential nutrients.
Using national survey data on more than 7,500 2- to 18-year-olds, researchers found that those who drank flavored milk had similar intakes of calcium, vitamin A, potassium and saturated fat as those who drank only plain milk. And both groups, the study found, got more of these nutrients than children who drank no milk at all.
One reason parents might be wary of chocolate or strawberry milk is that the added sugar might encourage excess weight gain. But in this study, milk drinkers and non-drinkers had a similar average body mass index (BMI), the researchers report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
The findings suggest that flavored milk can be part of a sound diet for children, according to the research team, led by Mary M. Murphy, a nutrition science researcher with Arlington, Virginia-based ENVIRON International Corp.
The study, funded by the National Dairy Council, is based on results from a government health and nutrition survey. Murphy’s team found that among the 7,557 children and teens those who drank flavored milk tended to drink more milk per day than their peers who only consumed the plain variety.
Some flavored milks contain artificial sweeteners, but most do have extra sugar and calories. While low-fat plain milk contains about 100 calories per serving, a serving of low-fat chocolate milk has about 160 calories, Murphy and her colleagues point out.
Still, the researchers found no significant differences in the average BMI of milk drinkers and non-drinkers younger than 12. Among teenagers, those who drank milk had an average BMI that was comparable to or lower than that of their peers who shunned milk.
Since the 1960s, U.S. children’s milk consumption has fallen off, in favor of sugary sodas and sweetened juices, and some experts believe the trend is one of the factors driving the rising rate of childhood obesity. Until then, the researchers conclude, banning flavored milk from children’s diets “may only have the undesirable effect of further reducing intakes of many essential nutrients provided by milk.”
The Farm Bill extension went down to the wire before President Bush signed another one-week extension that expires May 2. Lawmakers were able to reach a tentative agreement today that legislative aides will work this weekend to hammer out before the new deadline.
An intense series of closed-door bargaining sessions over how to pay for the five-year, roughly $280 billion bill ended Friday afternoon with senior Democrats expressing optimism that they would soon be sending the measure to President Bush.
“I don’t think there’s any question now that we can get this done by the eighth of May,” said Rep. Collin C. Peterson, the Minnesota Democrat who heads the Agriculture Committee.
A key breakthrough came when senior lawmakers, after an hours-long huddle in an ornate room in the Capitol, agreed on a $1.7 billion package of tax breaks to be included in the bill, and on how to finance the overall package.
The outline includes an $861 million increase for nutrition programs, partially paid for by slashing crop subsidies by $400 million and cutting a program to pay farmers for ruined crops by $250 million.
It also reflected the political and economic realities surrounding this year’s tough farm bill talks. With crop prices high and the federal budget squeezed, there’s less appetite in Washington for big farm programs, especially among congressional leaders who hail from urban areas. The sharp economic slump has many lawmakers focused more on job losses and home foreclosures than farm policy.
To close stubborn funding gaps, negotiators agreed to cut an ethanol tax credit that has previously been seen as untouchable because of its popularity in politically potent Iowa. They sliced $1 billion in support for blending fuel with the corn-based additive, bringing the per-gallon credit from 51 cents to 45 cents. They boosted support for another form of the clean-burning fuel additive — cellulosic ethanol, which is made from plant matter — by $400 million.
The tentative deal includes a $3.8 billion disaster package, trimmed from the $4 billion farm-state lawmakers had initially sought.
The tax package includes several elements sought by powerful lawmakers, including a tax break for race horse owners important to Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, and one that benefits timber companies championed by Baucus. Also included were trade preferences for Caribbean countries, a priority for Rangel, whose district has a high concentration of people of Caribbean descent.
Negotiators were still working to finalize provisions limiting farm subsidies for the wealthy. Under the tentative deal, the government would eventually limit payments to high-earning “nonfarmers,” people who make only a small portion of their income from farming. But it wouldn’t impose any income limits on wealthy farmers, Peterson said.
Posted: April 25, 2008 at 11:51 am
By Chuck Zimmerman
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Block cheese closed this week at $1.9250 per pound, up 2 cents on the week and 37 1/2-cents above that week a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.88, up 4 cents on the week and 38 1/2-cents above a year ago. Five cars of block traded hands on the week and none of barrel. The U.S. NASS average block price hit $1.8306, up 3.4 cents. Barrel averaged $1.7748, down 0.4 cent.
Butter closed Friday at $1.4125, up 2 cents on the week and a half-cent above a year ago. Only three cars traded hands on the week. Cash Grade A and Extra Grade nonfat dry milk jumped a nickel on one bid of each and both closed Friday at $1.35 per pound.
NASS butter averaged $1.3483, up 0.3 cent. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged $1.2574, up 1.5 cents. Dry whey averaged 25.82 cents, up 0.8 cent.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has filed a joint citizen petition with the American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association that in urges the USDA to ensure that all nonambulatory, or downer, cattle, are kept out of the human food supply.
NMPF jointly filed, with the American Meat Institute and the National Meat Association, a citizen petition that requests that the U.S. Department of Agriculture eliminate a regulation allowing a government veterinarian to reinspect animals that become nonambulatory after they initially pass ante-mortem inspection. In some cases, a
The All-American Dairy Show is now accepting applications for the 2008 Obie Snider Award through May 30. The award recognizes a dairy industry leader that exemplifies Snider’s character, leadership, professionalism, ethics and service.
The award will be presented during the 45th Anniversary celebration of the All-American Dairy Show on Sept. 13 -18, themed ‘Celebration of Excellence.’
“Obie was a founding father of the All-American Dairy Show 45 years ago,” said Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff. “He set the standard of excellence then, which the show continues to meet year after year. Presenting this award in Obie’s honor during the anniversary will be a true celebration of his dedication to the show and the dairy industry as a whole.”
President Bush has asked Congress to pass a one-year extension of the 2002 Farm Bill as the expiration of the bill’s one-week extension looms.
The White House proposal would erase hopes in Congress of large increases in funding for nutrition programs like food stamps and in land stewardship. Some farm lobbyists say a bill cannot pass without rewarding those popular programs. White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush does not support another short-term extension.
House and Senate negotiators, meeting minutes after the White House issued Bush’s statement, said they would make a final effort to wrap up the new law. The optimism was mixed with sober words that time is short.
“Maybe that’s where we end up, I don’t know,” said Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Tom Harkin, referring to Bush’s idea of a one-year extension. The Iowa Democrat oversees the effort to write a final version of the farm bill.
Farm bills are omnibus legislation that control dozens of programs including nutrition, stewardship, specialty crops and biofuels. Nutrition would get two-thirds of the estimated $600 billion in outlays over the coming decade.
Discussions have deadlocked for weeks over how to pay for a $10 billion spending increase for the new law and Senate insistence on a $2.4 billion tax package. While traveling in Louisiana, Bush said in a statement there were no signs that negotiators would agree soon on a reform-minded farm law that does not raise taxes.
“I therefore call on Congress to provide our agricultural producers with the certainty to make sound business and planting decisions about this year’s crop by extending current law for at least one year,” said Bush.
Don’t forget to register for the 5th Downes-O’Neill/EDairy Annual Outlook Conference. Held on June 18 & 19 in Chicago, the conference’s platinum sponsor is Schreiber Foods and the gold sponsor is Dairy Farmers of America. An impressive list of speakers are on the program.
The Outlook Conference is a leading gathering for dairy-industry executives, analysts, traders, and producers that also attracts participants with price risk exposure in other commodities, including grains and fuels.
The keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Todd Buchholz, a former director of economic policy at the White House and a managing director of the $15 billion Tiger hedge fund. Buchholz, who has authored numerous books on the economy, including Market Shock: 9 Economic and Social Upheavals that Will Shake our Financial Future and the bestseller Dead Economists, will present his viewpoint of the direction of the global economy in 2008 and beyond.
The conference, also will feature Siva Yam, the president of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce, who will discuss the Chinese economy and trends in that nation’s food import and export situation. Climatologist Drew Lerner, who also addressed last year’s conference – and predicted this year’s harsh winter in the U.S. – will be back to offer his predictions for global weather patterns in the remainder of 2008 and beyond.
Downes-O’Neill/FCStone’s own Bill Brooks will offer his perspective on the changing fundamentals of the dairy market and what they will mean for prices at the wholesale and retail level. Ken Bailey, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at Penn State University and a consultant to Downes-O’Neill/FCStone, also will address the dairy market outlook, and will discuss the use of econometric models to forecast commodity prices.
Other speakers will include David Hightower, editor of the Hightower Report newsletter, on U.S. and world currencies; Julian Viso, Vice President of Latin American Operations for FCStone, LLC, on Latin America’s economy and agriculture sector; Eric Bowles, Senior Vice President of FCStone Trading on OTC swap derivatives; Mike Knobbe, President, carbon credits, of FCStone Carbon, LLC; technical analyst Peter Ullrich; Jim Webster, publisher of the Webster Agricultural Letter, on the legislative outlook; Tripp Dunman, Director of the fuel surcharge program for FCStone, LLC on the energy market outlook and trading strategies; and David Smoldt, FCStone Vice President and risk-management consultant, on the outlook for U.S. grains.
Congratulations to Scott Metzger, the new area sales manager for Trans Ova Genetic’s dairy clients across the nation.
In his new position, Metzger will work with elite dairy breeders, helping them utilize advanced reproductive technologies such as embryo transfer (ET) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) to create desirable offspring from top cow families. Metzger also will counsel and educate breeders on sexed semen embryo production applications, genetic preservation and cloning to help align elite cow families with methods which will allow breeders to multiply their chances of success.
Metzger has a strong foundation in the dairy industry and a developed interest in dairy reproduction. He most recently spent four years providing genetic advice and service to clients of Semex USA as a district sales manager. In this role, he developed a new territory for the company by gaining client trust and providing genetic and reproduction solutions that matched their specific needs. Prior to joining Semex, Metzger worked for Nelson Dairy Consultants, Iowa State University Foundation and Prairie State Select Sires in full-time or internship roles.
Metzger graduated with honors in Dairy Science and Agricultural Business from Iowa State University in 2002. While at Iowa State, he was an active member of the school’s dairy science club, serving as president, and the Iowa State Dairy Judging Team for whom he earned All-American honors in 2001. A native of Larchwood, Iowa, Metzger was intricately involved in his family’s 50-cow Fredstel Jerseys including working as herdsman for a year following graduation.
Scientists and lawmakers in New Zealand are excited about the potential of milk, saying the country is only scraping the surface of milk’s potential.
The Government’s $700 million Fast Forward investment into science and innovation, announced last month, would make research possible.
“I have no doubt that some very smart scientists will also find ways to crack milk into a myriad of elements and lay the foundations for entirely new biotech industries,” said Minister of Agriculture Jim Anderton.
Massey University’s Riddet Institute co-director Harjinder Singh agreed, and said Mr Anderton had it right on the dot.
“It’s like a gold mine, if you like.”
Mr Anderton said there were exciting business opportunities in fields that used milk as an ingredient, able to be sold for as much as $US4000 a tonne. Nutriceuticals could sell for even more, he said.
“The challenge for our industry will be to harness these opportunities, instead of just supplying the raw ingredient, while someone else takes off with the intellectual property and all the associated returns from new products.”
Well, readers, here’s the latest state to follow-the-leader so to speak, and review their milk labeling guidelines. Missouri lawmakers are mulling over a controversial measure that would restrict the information dairies can place on milk containers. Missouri is the latest state to be concerned about milk that is labeled as being “hormone free.”
“It’s a very complicated issue,” said Rep. Brian Munzlinger, chair of the House Special Committee on Agri-Business. That panel, as well as the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation, Parks and Natural Resources, this month conducted public hearings on proposed legislation.
At issue is the use of Posilac, or recombinant bovine somatotropin, a synthetic hormone made by Creve Coeur-based Monsanto that increases the milk production of dairy cows. Certain dairies and retailers are labeling milk as being produced without its use, charging more and implying that it is healthier than other milk.
The Food and Drug Administration has found no difference in milk that comes from Posilac-treated cows. It says there are no related human health concerns. Consumer advocates say shoppers should have all available information about their milk.
The newest value-added dairy product on the market is from Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA). The company has introduced Borden Essentials™, a cheese containing protective antioxidants, which help support a healthy immune system.
Borden is among the first packaged cheese to provide consumers with a source of antioxidants. DFA responded to consumers’ desire to increase antioxidants in their diets. According to the “2007 HealthFocus Trend Report,” more than 75 percent of moms believe that antioxidants improve or strengthen the immune system. Research from the U.S. National Institute of Health shows that protective antioxidants support a healthy immune system.
Antioxidants are molecules that protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lycopene, tocopherol and retinol, interact with and stabilize free radicals. Free radicals are formed through a process called oxidation which occurs when we eat, breathe or go out in the sun.
Two varieties of Borden Essentials are distributed nationally:
• 2% Singles – 16 individually wrapped slices in a 10 2/3-ounce package
• Mozzarella string cheese – 12 individually wrapped sticks, low-fat part-skim, in a 10-ounce package
The Midwest Dairy Association - North Dakota Division is seeking candidates to participate in this year’s Dairy Princess contest scheduled for July 23, 2008 in Minot during the North Dakota State Fair. The entry deadline is June 27, 2008.
The North Dakota State Dairy Princess serves as an ambassador for the state’s dairy industry, helping the dairy checkoff program to communicate with consumers about wholesome and nutritious dairy products and the responsible stewardship employed by dairy farmers with their land and animals.
Candidates must be 17 to 23 years old, a high school graduate, unmarried and have parents or guardians who are actively engaged in the production of milk for sale to a licensed plant. A candidate also qualifies if she, her parent or guardian is employed on a dairy farm. Candidates are judged on their communication skills, personality, general knowledge of the dairy industry and enthusiasm for dairy promotion.
The 2008 North Dakota Dairy Princess receives a $400 scholarship and the first runner-up receives a $200 scholarship. One contestant, regardless of the contest results, will also be awarded a $500 scholarship from the Midwest Dairy Association North Dakota Division.
The PEAQ (Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality) method was developed around the relative feed value (RFV) which looks at the quantity of fiber. Dr. Bill Mahanna, coordinator of global nutritional sciences for Pioneer, takes a look at determining not just the quantity of fiber but the digestibility of that fiber through RFQ or relative feed quality testing. Mahanna also comments on timing the first alfalfa cutting. 
Dairy Markets Week in Review
