Posted: November 28, 2008 at 7:06 pm
By News Editor
And the winner is: (see post below): Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART) in Clovis, Calif.! Congratulations to all of the students who took part in this unique and challenging learning exercise.
To effectively market to teens, the CART students said, milk must be presented as exciting, unattainable, even taboo. Using wit and humor as well as day-in-the-life experiences of teens, CART students impressed the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the creator of GOT MILK?, and its advertising firm, San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein and Partners (GSP) and awarded the students $2,000.
“Sitting there listening to what these students had come up with was just remarkable,” says Steve James, executive director of the CMPB. “They were so professional that you wouldn’t know they were in high school. The CART students captured the essence of the GOT MILK? campaign and its history.”
“To see what these young people brought to this 15-year-old campaign has been delightful,” says Jeff Goodby, GSP co-chairman. “They suggested new twists of design, story and thinking that will definitely inspire us here at the agency for a long time to come.”
The winning school, CART, presented three TV spots in storyboard format, using humor to appeal to the teenage audience while still addressing the health benefits of drinking milk. One of the spots called “Awkward Moment” shows a father concerned about the changes his son is undergoing: building muscles and exploring new things. As the father starts to have “the talk,” the son confesses that he experiments. He now drinks milk for strong bones, teeth and better sleep. Relieved to see his son interested in milk, the father closes the spot with, “I’m glad we had this talk.”
Amador Valley High School presented the theme “Brawn, Beauty and Brains” with the slogan YNotMilk? to highlight the health benefits of the “wonder tonic.” In the case of Orange High School, students proposed a concept with a mythical, story book theme. As a way to thank Amador Valley and Orange High Schools for their dedication to the project, the CMPB will also award each of the schools $1,000.
Posted: November 28, 2008 at 6:53 pm
By News Editor
Here’s a really neat learning experience: students at Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton, Calif., are devising a marketing campaign to promote milk among their peers.
Classes at three high schools in California will be spending the next six or seven weeks developing ideas for the “Got milk?” campaign, which is sponsored by the California Milk Processor Board. In a kind of academic version of “The Apprentice,” the classes will function as if they were advertising agencies, responsible for research, strategy, creative concepts, media plans and account management.
The students are being asked to propose ads that could be run next year as part of the efforts by the milk board to help increase consumption among teenagers. They are scheduled to present their work to executives from the milk board and the San Francisco agency behind the “Got milk?” campaign, Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, part of the Omnicom Group.
The contest is emblematic of a major trend on Madison Avenue: inviting consumers to create the ads that are aimed at persuading other consumers to buy stuff. The trend is gathering momentum as marketing — assisted by technology and the new media — morphs from a top-down lecture into a two-way conversation.
One benchmark they can use is a current campaign with that purpose from Goodby, Silverstein. The ads feature a make-believe rock band, White Gold and the Calcium Twins, which appears in television commercials, on a Web site and on social networks like MySpace.
The inspiration for that campaign, and the contest, is the fact that as teenagers “leave the sphere of influence of the home, and the jug of milk on the kitchen table, what happens to consumption is not a pretty sight,” he added. The reference was to how they eschew milk for soft drinks, energy drinks and other nondairy beverages.
“It would be good for us, and good for them, to get some ‘native intelligence,’ ” Mr. James said, “to help us resonate ever truer with our teen audience.They are a mysterious demographic,” he added, “and we want to reach them with an authentic voice in an authentic way.”
Posted: November 28, 2008 at 6:39 pm
By News Editor
Traces of the industrial chemical melamine have been detected in samples of top-selling U.S. infant formula, but federal regulators insist the products are safe. The Food and Drug Administration said last month it was unable to identify any melamine exposure level as safe for infants, but a top official said it would be a “dangerous overreaction” for parents to stop feeding infant formula to babies who depend on it.
“The levels that we are detecting are extremely low,” said Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “They should not be changing the diet. If they’ve been feeding a particular product, they should continue to feed that product. That’s in the best interest of the baby.”
Previously undisclosed tests, obtained by The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act, show that the FDA has detected melamine in a sample of one popular formula and the presence of cyanuric acid, a chemical relative of melamine, in the formula of a second manufacturer. Separately, a third major formula maker told AP that in-house tests had detected trace levels of melamine in its infant formula.
The three firms: Abbott Laboratories, Nestle and Mead Johnson, manufacture more than 90 percent of all infant formula produced in the United States. The FDA and other experts said the melamine contamination in U.S.-made formula had occurred during the manufacturing process, rather than intentionally.
The U.S. government quietly began testing domestically produced infant formula in September, soon after problems with melamine-spiked formula surfaced in China.
Sundlof said there have been no reports of human illness in the United States from melamine, which can bind with other chemicals in urine, potentially causing damaging stones in the kidney or bladder and, in extreme cases, kidney failure.
Melamine is used in some U.S. plastic food packaging and can rub off onto what we eat; it’s also contained in a cleaning solution used on some food processing equipment and can leach into the products being prepared.
The concentrations of melamine [found in China] were extraordinarily high, as much as 2,500 parts per million. The concentrations detected in the FDA samples were 10,000 times smaller _ the equivalent of a drop in a 64-gallon trash bin.
“We’re talking about trace amounts right here, and you know there’s a lot of scientific bodies out there that say low levels of melamine are always present in certain types of foods,” said McBean.
Posted: November 28, 2008 at 6:29 pm
By News Editor
Congratulations to Lindsey Worden on her recent promotion to Communications Manager for the Holstein Association USA. Lindsey has served as Public Relations Specialist for the Association since July 2007.
In her new role, Lindsey will lead all editorial, advertising, and public relations strategies and programs online and in print. The University of Wisconsin-Madison Dairy Science and Life Science Communications graduate brings solid dairy experience to her position.
“We are excited to be able to promote Lindsey,” said John Meyer, CEO of the Holstein Association. “She grew up with Holstein Association programs, and her experience and talents lend themselves greatly to the position. All who have had the opportunity to work with her, feed off her genuine enthusiasm for the Holstein cow and the Association. Additionally, Lindsey has been the driving force behind the Association’s new website which will be launched next month,” he continued.
Lindsey was actively involved with Wormont Dairy, the Worden’s family farm, while growing up in New Mexico and New York. Prior to joining the Association full time, Lindsey served as the Summer Intern for Youth Programs and Education for the Holstein Foundation in 2006, and was the Dairy Youth Programs Intern for the University of Wisconsin Extension in 2005.
While in college, Lindsey was a member of the Badger Dairy Club, the Association of Women in Agriculture, and the UW Dairy Cattle Judging Team. In her senior year, Lindsey was a top ten finalist in National Dairy Shrine’s Student Recognition Contest.
Posted: November 26, 2008 at 8:33 pm
By Chuck Zimmerman
It’s time to take a break from what’s going on in the dairy business.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving from ZimmComm New Media.
And just in case you want to know more, here’s what Wikipedia says about it:
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a harvest festival. Traditionally, it’s a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general. Thanksgiving is a North American holiday with the dates and whereabouts of the first Thanksgiving celebration a topic of modest contention. It has generally become a national secular holiday with religious origins. Though the earliest attested Thanksgiving celebration was on September 8, 1565 in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida[1][2], the traditional “first Thanksgiving” is venerated as having occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in 1621.
Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving dinner is held on this day, usually as a gathering of family members.
Posted: November 25, 2008 at 7:34 pm
By News Editor
The American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. are seeking nominations for their annual breeder awards. Any lifetime member of the AJCA can nominate qualified persons for these awards. All materials must be received on or before January 15, 2009.
The Master Breeder Award is bestowed annually upon a living AJCA member, family, partnership, or corporation, who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, has bred outstanding animals for many years and thereby has made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed in the United States.
The Distinguished Service Award is bestowed upon as many living AJCA members and/or members’ families, who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, have rendered outstanding and unselfish service for many years and thereby have made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed in the United States.
The AJCA-NAJ Award for Meritorious Service is bestowed annually upon a living individual, who, in the joint opinion of the Boards of Directors of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., has made a notable contribution to the advancement of the Jersey breed and the livelihood of Jersey owners in the United States through research, education, development, marketing, or other significant activities of the allied dairy industry.
Young Jersey Breeder Award. These awards are bestowed annually upon as many living AJCA members and/or members’ families, who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors, merit recognition. Nominees must be active members of the American Jersey Cattle Association and must be at least 28 years of age but not more than 40 years of age as of January 1 of the recognition year. Selection is based upon expertise in dairy farming and Jersey cattle breeding; participation in AJCA and NAJ programs; and leadership in Jersey and other dairy and agricultural organizations.
Posted: November 25, 2008 at 7:25 pm
By News Editor
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has announced their updated export bids for the past week.
One bid was accepted from California Dairies Inc., of Artesia, Calif., for the export of 132 metric tons (291,010 lbs.) of butter to Mexico.
Another bid was accepted from Humboldt Creamery of Fortuna, Cailf., for the export of 20 metric tons metric tons (44,092 lbs.) of whole milk powder to Indonesia.
Finally, four bids were accepted from Dairy Farmers of America of Kansas City, Mo. One bid was accepted for the export of 36 metric tons (79,366 lbs.) of anhydrous milkfat to Mexico. The other three bids were for whole milk powder in the following amounts: 80 metric tons (176,370 lbs.) to Mexico, another 20 metric tons (44,092 lbs.) to Mexico; and 80 metric tons (176,370 lbs.) to Haiti.
With these accepted bids, CWT’s total 2008 export obligations are: butter, 25,427 metric tons (56 million lbs.); cheese, 1,285 metric tons (2.8 million lbs.); whole milk powder, 1,588 metric tons (3.5 million lbs.); and anhydrous milkfat, 10,477 metric tons (23 million lbs.). The milk equivalent total of these products is 1.96 billion pounds.
Posted: November 25, 2008 at 7:20 pm
By News Editor
A diet high in dairy calcium may aid weight loss, according to a recent study published in the International Journal of Obesity.
Dr Judith Bryans, Director of the Dairy Council and Registered Nutritionist said: “Previous studies have shown that consuming low-fat dairy, as part of a calorie controlled diet, may have a beneficial effect on weight, but how it may do this is unclear. It has been proposed that calcium may reduce fat absorption. This study therefore investigated the effect of dairy calcium on fat excretion.”
In this study men and women were given a high-calcium diet for seven days, followed by a one-week break, and then a low calcium diet for a further seven days. The fat levels excreted by the participants during both calcium diets were analysed and recorded.
Low-fat dairy foods were the main source of calcium given to the participants, and the researchers found that increasing dairy calcium from 700mg/day to 2300mg/day more than doubled the fat excreted by the participants. They suggested that the calcium may decrease the amount of fat absorbed by the body and this could potentially lead to weight loss.
Another new study, published in Nutrition & Metabolism, found that consuming three portions of dairy a day, as part of a healthy balanced diet may help with weight maintenance.
The subjects were put on a weight-loss diet for the first three months. Those who lost 10kg or 10% of their body weight, were then divided into two groups and followed for a further six months to see if they would maintain their weight. The first group ate three servings of dairy each day, while the second group ate less than one.
At the end of the study, both groups had similar weight and body composition despite a greater calorie intake by the group which had more dairy.
In this study a serving of dairy was 1 glass (240ml) milk, 1 pot (227g) yogurt or 42g hard cheese. In the UK, the Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) of calcium for adults is 700mg per day, and to achieve this The Dairy Council recommends 200ml of milk, 150g of low-fat yogurt or 30g (matchbox size) of hard cheese.
Posted: November 25, 2008 at 7:14 pm
By News Editor
Arizona Maricopa Associates LLC, a dairy conglomerate spanning the Southwest U.S., has purchased a former auto parts plant in Grand Rapids, Mich. for $4.4 million. Although not confirmed, the plant is slated to become a dairy plant.
The Arizona/California dairy business is owned by the Arie De Jong family, a long-standing member of the West Coast milk industry. Although the product mix and job count for the new plant is still fuzzy, the factory’s future apparently lies with milk.
“We got a property transfer in today,” City Manager Steve Patrick said Thursday. “The company is dairy-related, but I have not been told for sure if it’s going to be a dairy operation.”
The De Jong family immigrated from Holland to California in 1949, establishing a dairy that followed their European heritage. Settling in Escondido, Calif., in 1949, the business expanded into Arizona in the past decade.
Posted: November 22, 2008 at 3:28 pm
By News Editor
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in preparation to regulate automobile greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. But first, in order to regulate automobile emissions, EPA has to make a finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and safety and should be classified as a pollutant. EPA is accepting comments through Nov. 28.
If that happens, says Ken Hamilton, executive vice president of the Wyoming Farm Bureau, “The regulation automatically initiates other provisions of the Clean Air Act. One of those provisions requires permits from anyone who emits more than 100 tons/year of a regulated pollutant, and there are millions of sources that emit more than 100 tons of carbon.”
In fact, USDA says that a producer with more than 50 beef cows, 25 dairy cows or 200 hogs would emit more than 100 tons of carbon and be subject to the permitting requirements.
“These thresholds would impact 99% of dairy producers, over 90% of beef producers and 95% of hog producers in the U.S.,” says Rick Krause, American Farm Bureau Federation director of regulatory relations. Under the proposal, if a state charged the “presumptive minimum rate” from EPA, the cow tax would be $87.50/head for beef cattle, $175/head for dairy cows and around $20/hog, he said.
For information, go to
Posted: November 22, 2008 at 3:20 pm
By News Editor
World Dairy Expo is seeking nominations for outstanding leaders from across the international dairy industry for their annual recognition awards. Nominations will be accepted through February 1, 2009 in the four following categories: Industry Person of the Year, Dairyman of the Year, Dairy Woman of the Year and International Person of the Year. Individuals will be honored at the Dinner with the Stars during World Dairy Expo, September 29 – October 3, 2009, in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
The Industry Person of the Year award is presented to an individual in recognition of excellence in research, development, education, marketing or other fields that are part of the dairy industry.
The Dairyman and Dairy Woman of the Year awards are presented to individuals who are active dairy producers and whose primary source of income is derived from their dairy operation. His/her farming operation needs to demonstrate and excel in efficient production and breeding of quality animals. Progressive management practices, along with involvement in community, government activities, breed organizations and other aspects of the dairy industry, will also be considered.
The International Person of the Year will be recognized for significantly contributing to international relations, business development, trade or cooperation in the dairy industry.
Posted: November 22, 2008 at 8:36 am
By News Editor
Congratulations to Kristin Hogan, Tillamook, Ore., who has been crowned the 54th National Jersey Queen. The first alternate National Jersey Queen for 2008 was Julie Ann Ozburn, from Nolensville, Tenn. She is the daughter of Jim and JoAnn Ozburn and a third-generation Jersey dairy farmer. Selected as second alternate Queen was Katie Wirkus, the daughter of Allen and Barb Wirkus of Athens, Wis.
Hogan will represent Jersey breeders for the next year with her participation in events such as the Annual Meeting of the American Jersey Cattle Association, World Dairy Expo and The 57th All American Jersey Show & Sale.
The National Jersey Queen contest lasted two days with 10 young women from across the country competing for the coveted crown. Participants had to pass a general dairy knowledge test, were interviewed by a panel of judges, and prepared a two-minute video presentation that demonstrated their ability to represent the Jersey breed through public speaking. The National Jersey Queen Development Fund provides scholarships of $500, $300 and $200 to the Queen and two alternates.
Kristin is the daughter of Dave and Rita Hogan, producers to the famous Tillamook County Creamery Association. She attends Oregon State University, where she is president of the Dairy Club and Executive Vice President of the Agricultural Executive Council. As a member of the OSU dairy judging team, she was high individual at the North American International Livestock Exposition collegiate dairy judging contest in 2007, and earned All-American honors at the 2008 national intercollegiate contest in Madison, Wisconsin. Kristin received the American FFA Degree in 2007, and served as president at both the chapter and district levels. She was also the 2005 Oregon FFA Dairy Entrepreneurship Dairy Proficiency Award winner with her herd of 26 Registered Jerseys™.
Posted: November 21, 2008 at 5:58 pm
By Chuck Zimmerman
Dairy Markets Week in Review
The CME cash cheese market was bid higher the week before Thanksgiving. Block closed Friday morning at $1.77 per pound, up 5 1/4-cents on the week but still 43 cents below a year ago when it hit $2.20. Barrel closed at $1.74, up 4 1/2-cents on the week, but 34 cents below a year ago. Nothing traded all week. The U.S. average block price surveyed by NASS fell 8.7 cents, to $1.6840. Barrel averaged $1.6911, down 7.7 cents.
Cash butter awoke from a virtual eight-session nap this week and closed Friday at $1.59, down 4 1/2-cents on the week, but still 21 3/4-cents above a year ago. Only three cars were sold on the week. The NASS butter average hit $1.6358, down 3.2 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged 86.66 cents, up 0.9 cent, and dry whey averaged 19.31 cents, up 0.7 cent.
Cash Grade A and Extra Grade nonfat dry milk closed the week at 90.25 cents per pound, unchanged on the week. Price support purchases of powder for the week totaled 9.6 million pounds, raising the cumulative total to 67.2 million, compared to none a year ago. Still no word of any DEIP shipments in the works.
Provided courtesy of Dairyline.
Posted: November 19, 2008 at 5:10 pm
By News Editor
Perry’s Ice Cream, based in Akron, N.Y. is going green with the introduction of Perry’s Organic Ice Cream line. Starting this month, vanilla and chocolate organic ice cream will be available in retail stores across western N.Y.
Perry’s organic ice creams are carefully crafted, one batch at a time to give consumers all the creaminess and taste you would expect from Perry’s with all natural, USDA approved organic ingredients.
“The introduction of an organic ice cream line demonstrates Perry’s commitment to creating delicious, wholesome products to fit a variety of consumer lifestyles, ” said Michael Brown, Senior Product Manager, Perry’s Ice Cream. “Our organic ice creams fit into the larger move to organic foods and locally sourced produce,” said Brown.
Perry’s products are made with milk and cream from local dairy farmers for the freshest ice cream you can buy.
Posted: November 19, 2008 at 4:46 pm
By News Editor
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA) recently announced the winners of their annual member photo contest. DFA member Carrie Topp of Botkins, Ohio took home the grand prize title for her adorable photo! Congratulations to all the winners - be sure to visit the website to see all the great photos.
The DFA photography contest again demonstrated that our members take great photos of what it’s like to live on a farm! Professional photographers Don Ipock and Bob Barrett of Kansas City, Missouri, and DFA staff reviewed the hundreds of entries, looking for the photos portraying life on a farm that were both technically proficient and unique.
Grand-prize winner Carrie Topp of Botkins, Ohio, will be awarded a $500 check from Agri-Services Agency and a Borden® Cheese basket. Other first-place winners also will be sent cheese baskets; second-place winners will receive a DFA embroidered work jacket; and third-place winners will get a shirt sporting the DFA logo.
Posted: November 19, 2008 at 4:33 pm
By News Editor
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has announced their updated export bids for the past week.
Two of the bids accepted were from Land O’Lakes of Arden Hills, Minn.: 1800 metric tons
(3,968,321 lbs.) of butter to South Korea, and 36 metric tons (79,366 lbs.) of Cheddar cheese to
South Korea.
Three bids were accepted from California Dairies Inc., of Artesia, Calif.: 500 metric tons
(1,102,312 lbs.) of butter to Iran, 16.9 metric tons (37,258 lbs.) of butter to Honduras, and 400
metric tons (881,849 lbs.) of anhydrous milkfat to Mexico.
Four bids were accepted from Darigold of Seattle, WA, all for butter exports: 100 metric tons (220,462 lbs.) to Indonesia, 75 metric tons (165,347 lbs.) to Singapore, and two separate exports to Egypt in the amounts of 2000 (4,409,246 lbs.) and 1400 metric tons (3,086,472 lbs.).
Finally, eight bids were accepted from Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) of Kansas City, Mo. Five
bids were for the following exports of anhydrous milkfat: 3175 metric tons (6,999,678 lbs.) to
Mexico, another 900 metric tons (1,984,161 lbs.) to Mexico, and another 18 metric tons
(39,683 lbs.) to Mexico; 18 metric tons (39,683 lbs.) to Haiti; and 18 metric tons (39,683 lbs.)
to Jamaica.
Three bids from DFA were accepted for exports of whole milk powder, including 80 metric
tons (176,370 lbs.) to Haiti, 40 metric tons (88,185 lbs.) to Trinidad, and 20 metric tons (44,092
lbs.) to Panama.
With these accepted bids, CWT’s total 2008 export obligations are: butter, 24,335 metric tons
(53.6 million lbs.); cheese, 1,285 metric tons (2.8 million lbs.); whole milk powder, 1,788
metric tons (3.9 million lbs.); and anhydrous milkfat, 10,441 metric tons (23 million lbs.). The
milk equivalent total of these products is 1.9 billion pounds.
Posted: November 18, 2008 at 8:54 pm
By News Editor
Through the national checkoff program, dairy producers are helping grow the dairy industry by demonstrating leadership, innovation and results, according to producer leaders who spoke to more than 1,000 dairy producers and other industry representatives at the 2008 National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB)/United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA)/National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Joint Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
Collaborating with national restaurant chains and manufacturers provides opportunities to include dairy products on menus – such as string cheese and milk in plastic bottles – and within existing products – including coffee drinks, smoothies and protein bars. These partnerships help the industry act as a leader in nutrition, and help capitalize on opportunities to include dairy products and ingredients in current and future products.
The dairy checkoff is also leading industry innovation to protect dairy’s place in schools. In order to address the changes in school milk requirements, the checkoff: determined interest in flavored milk in schools; conducted taste tests among students; developed new products that meet the preference of students, while still meeting nutrition requirements.
With the announcement of the Child Nutrition and Fitness Initiative (CNFI), the dairy checkoff has started an unprecedented effort to improve the lives of our children and teens through a comprehensive, youth-driven initiative that encourages and rewards improved nutrition – including dairy – and physical fitness. CNFI ultimately will give students greater access to dairy products and other nutritious foods, and will encourage one hour of physical activity each day. Dairy producers are teaming up with the National Football League (NFL) as a key fitness partner in the initiative.
Dairy producers, through the checkoff, have established an industry-wide sustainability initiative that will encourage innovation and support real-life practices (throughout the entire dairy marketing chain) that are economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible for now and for future generations. Part of the sustainability initiative will educate the public and key thought leaders that being sustainable has been, is, and will continue to be, part of our dairy farming practices.
Posted: November 18, 2008 at 8:37 pm
By News Editor
The Campbell Soup Company is supporting agriculture in several new and exciting ways. The company says, “We all rely on farms and farmers to nourish our families. Now it’s our turn to give back to them.” The company is supporting National FFA in an effort to preserve five historic barns. You can help too! When you visit their website and click on the red barn icon, Campbell’s will donate $1 on your behalf (between September 26 2008 and June 21, 2008). Let’s spread the word and help Campbell’s in their commitment to agriculture!
Through a partnership with National FFA Organization which is dedicated to developing our next generation of leaders through agricultural education, Campbell has committed a quarter of a million dollars to help support the future of American farming.
Campbell Soup Company and the National FFA Organization are teaming up to make a greener future for American farming. Across America, we are reviving historic barns — an iconic symbol of American farming. We’re also building greenhouses and supporting agricultural education to help future generations produce the good food that goes into every can of Campbell’s® condensed soup.
Posted: November 17, 2008 at 8:03 pm
By News Editor
The Delaware based Woodside Farm and Creamery will soon be powered solely by a solar-energy power plant that should eventually provide up to 85 percent of the farm’s power.
“I’ve always liked the idea of being a little independent,” said Jim Mitchell, whose family has owned and operated Woodside Farm since 1796.
When the 112-kilowatt power plant goes online in the coming weeks, Woodside Farm will be the largest solar-powered commercial venture in the state, said Delaware Energy Office spokeswoman Rachel Marcus, who noted a rise in the number of photovoltaic solar cells being installed in the state’s homes and businesses.
Crews from Sun Technics/Conergy Inc. have been on the site since August, drilling footers, pouring foundations and erecting eight arrays of solar-collecting panels. Each of the eight arrays is 75 feet long and 12 feet wide.
The system at the farm is known as a net metering system that feeds electricity directly into Delmarva Power’s power grid
Solar inverters are attached to each array to change the solar-generated direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) that flows in the grid. The final step in the process is for Delmarva Power to install two-way meters at the site, said company spokeswoman Bridget Shelton.
The two-way meter runs backward as well as forward, she said, tracking the electricity that the farm pours into the grid as well as the current it takes away.
Posted: November 15, 2008 at 3:48 pm
By Cindy
Dairy Markets Week in Review
Strength continued in the cash cheese market in Chicago the second week of November, with block adding another 6 3/4-cents and closing Friday at
$1.7175 per pound, but that’s still 43 1/4-cents below a year ago when block jumped 9 1/2 cents. Barrel closed Friday at $1.6950, up 5 3/4-cents on the week, but 33 1/2-cents below a year ago. Thirty five cars of block traded hands on the week and only one of barrel. The NASS-surveyed block average hit $1.7713, down 5.2 cents. Barrel averaged $1.7683, down 9.2 cents.
Butter traders were asleep most of the week with the Friday closing unchanged at $1.6350, but 26 cents above a year ago. Only six cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.6654, down 4.6 cents. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged 85.65 cents, down 5.3 cents. Dry whey averaged 18.63 cents, down
0.4 cent.
Cash Grade A and Extra Grade nonfat dry milk closed Friday at 90 1/4-cents per pound, down 5 3/4-cents on the week. Uncle Sam must have a lot of holiday baking planned as he purchased another 11.4 million pounds of powder this week under the price support program, pushing the years total purchases to 58.1 million.
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