USDA Dairy Committee Members Announced
Posted: January 6, 2010
Congratulations to all of the dairy leaders named to the new federal Dairy Industry Advisory Committee. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the appointment of 17 members today.
Over the next two years, the committee will review the issues of farm milk price volatility, dairy farmer profitability and consolidation, and offer suggestions on ways USDA can best address the needs of a struggling dairy industry. Representatives will include: producers and producer organizations, processors and processor organizations, handlers, consumers, academia, retailers, and state agencies involved in organic and non-organic dairy at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Producer members appointed to the committee are: Erick Coolidge (Pa.), Timothy den Dulk (Mich.), Debora Erb (N.H.), James Goodman (Wis.), James Krahn, (Ore.), Edward Maltby (Mass.), Manuel Souza (Calif.), Ed Welch (Minn.), and James Williams (Ga.).
Representatives from the processing industry include: Jay Bryant (Va.), Patricia Stroup (Calif.), Sue Taylor (Colo.), and Robert Wills. (Wis.).
Members representing state government, retail, academia, and consumers are: Rodney Nilsestuen (Wis.), Robert Schupper (Pa.), Andrew Novakovic (N.Y.), and Paul Bourbeau (Vt.).
All members will serve two-year terms, beginning in January 2010, and expiring Jan. 1, 2012. The committee was expanded this year from 15 members to 17 and will hold its first meeting in early 2010. The meeting will be open to the public and USDA encourages public participation.
Source: USDA
kathy Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 3:37 pm
Included in the 2 year discussion should be the other reason this industry is failing, that is the severe health consequences of consuming milk and/or its products. It is time this committee take seriously all the scientific literature out there concerning the dire health effects of your product, not to mention the ethical and ecological factors as well. We the public want the truth and answers to these serious problems for we are the ones paying your salaries. This should not include discussions on how to better market milk for people through gimmicks and lies or using CELEBRETIES to market your product. ENOUGH! Keep in mind that you and your families are consuming this unhealthy product, also. (or are you?) The USDA Food Pyramid doesnt even offer an alternative to milk which is completely irresponsible giving the fact that a large majority are allergic to it. IT IS TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING! How can you people be proud to be a part of this organization that has lied, kept the truth from the american public and encouraged consumption of a dangerous product that has been linked to more ailments than ever before? (some of you or someone you know has suffered from dairy consumption: heart disease, cancer, etc.) If not do this for the public, do it for your own families and their future generations. We will be watching with hopeful hearts.
Chuck Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 3:45 pm
You’ve sure got a lot of accusations without any facts. The actual scientific facts are completely the opposite of your tirade. “large majority are allergic to it” Huh? Instead of being so emotional why don’t you relax and get your facts straight?
kathy Said,
January 8, 2010 @ 4:32 pm
No time to relax Chuck. The facts are out there about the harm of consuming dairy products. It’s no secret. Those same vital nutrients in dairy can be easily consumed without saturated fat, cholesterol, antiobiotics, pesticides and hormones ( especially the highly dangerous rBGH that is still being giving for cows to produce more milk). Yes I did not communicate the allergy correctly , let me re-phrase, lactose intolerant (2 very different things, excuse me for saying that) the majority of people in the entire world are lactose intolerant (some Asian countries as high as 90%) , in the US it is runs about 17 -20%, about 50 million Americans.(still significant). That info came from a dairy website. Only hear to argue with this industry that this product is necessary in the human diet. It is not. People need to know that. You don’t need to clog your arteries, raise your blood pressure and in females raise your own estrogen levels to get calcium. Animal protein is the number one contributor to the excretion of calcium in the human body, this is a scientific fact, not something new. Please go read some books , learn about the human body and then you will understand.