Posted: July 2, 2009 at 4:17 pm
By News Editor
R&B star Usher is the latest celebrity to don a milk mustache. Usher is featured in the ad campaign Body By Milk.
Usher was recently quoted in a People magazine article to say, “You’ve got to do things like win Oscars and Grammys. But, you’re nothing if you don’t have a milk ad!”
Bodybymilk.com is an online educational resource for consumers from the Milk Processor Education Program, funded by America’s milk processors.
The ad reads: “Let it flow. I pour my heart into my music. How do I stay in tune? With milk. The protein and nutrients in lowfat milk help me build muscle and stay fit. So eat right, exercise and grab a glass of ice-cold milk. Now that’s’ chill.”
Source: Dairy Herd Alert, IDFA Smart Brief, People magazine
Posted: July 2, 2009 at 4:08 pm
By News Editor
We’ve been seeing this story all over the social media networks - and as a supporter of agriculture, we urge you to become involved by writing a personal letter to Bank of America. You do not need to have an account with the company to express your concerns.
As reported by Cattlenetwork.com and Drovers:
The agriculture industry is protesting a new credit card offer from Bank of America. This new credit card will be a direct fundraiser for the Humane Society of the United States. For every $100 charged to the card, HSUS will receive 25 cents. Cattlenetwork.com, which like Drovers is owned by Vance Publishing, broke this story earlier this week and has covered it extensively. Bank of America, the articles point out, is a major lender to agriculture and does millions of dollars of business with feedyards across the Plains region.
Bank of America said in a response letter that it is looking into the matter of the specialty credit card with HSUS. To read the entire response, click here.
To access a form letter circulating in the industry to protest this partnership, click here.
Posted: July 2, 2009 at 4:03 pm
By News Editor
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has now finished the farm audits of its seventh herd retirement round since the program was started in 2003, removing 101,040 cows that produced almost two billion pounds of milk.
At the completion of the on-farm auditing process at the end of June, CWT removed 367 herds in 41 states, comprised of nearly 101,000 cows that produced 1.96 million pounds of milk. These figures reflect the final number of dairies that successfully were audited in the herd retirement process in May and June.
CWT had received 538 bids from 41 states during the bidding process in April. As has been the case with its previous herd retirement rounds, most of the cows removed were in the western regions of the country. This round also removed 818 bred heifers.
“Even though this was by far the largest of CWT’s seven herd retirement efforts, we were able to move quickly in May and June to audit the participating farms,” said Jim Tillison, Chief Operating Officer of CWT. “The national dairy herd will be noticeably smaller this summer as a result of CWT.”
CWT auditors were sent to each of the farms whose bids were accepted. Once the information submitted by the farmers with their bid was verified, each of the cows had a special CWT ear tag applied, and the farmers were a brief amount of time to sell their cows for processing. Once the sales receipts for the animals are verified and ear tags are returned to CWT by the processing plants, farmers are issued payment, and their names are posted online.
Tillison said some farmers’ names have yet to be posted online from this seventh round, but will be in coming weeks as they are sent their payments. He added that additional CWT herd reduction activities are likely in 2009, given the depressed state of milk prices and the continuing imbalance between supply and demand.
The totals for each region in the Spring 2009 herd retirement round include:
Northeast: 41-Total Farms Audited; 5,121-Total Cows Retired; 104.3 million pounds-Total Milk Removed
Southeast: 52-Total Farms Audited; 6,400-Total Cows Retired; 107.2 million pounds-Total Milk Removed
Midwest: 125-Total Farms Audited; 8,153-Total Cows Retired; 147.3 million pounds-Total Milk Removed
Southwest: 63-Total Farms Audited; 43,121-Total Cows Retired; 844.4 million pounds-Total Milk Removed
West: 86-Total Farms Audited; 38,245-Total Cows Retired; 759.9 million pounds-Total Milk Removed
Total: 367-Total Farms Audited; 101,040-Total Cows Retired; 1.96 billion pounds-Total Milk Removed
Posted: June 30, 2009 at 7:21 pm
By News Editor
Have you tried Domino’s new American Legends specialty pizzas yet? On this last day of June Dairy Month, dairy producers, through their investment with Dairy Management Inc., announce the launch of Domino’s second phase for the premium pizzas, which use 40-percent more cheese than a traditional Domino’s pizza
To help revitalize the pizza category and build cheese sales, dairy producers and Domino’s Pizza launched the second phase of the American Legends specialty pizzas earlier this month. This is part of a multi-year partnership between dairy producers, through their checkoff investment, and Domino’s Pizza.
Domino’s kicked off phase two of the campaign by airing a new round of radio and television commercials emphasizing the premium ingredients and the cities for which the pizzas are named. The ads will run now through July 19.
“The dairy checkoff remains focused on building partnerships with industry leaders, such as Domino’s Pizza, to help drive immediate- and long-term sales for U.S. dairy products and ingredients,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy producer and chair of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff. “The potential from these new pizzas could result in more than 10 million additional pounds of cheese sold annually.”
Domino’s introduced American Legends pizzas in February as permanent menu items that represent regional tastes — Philly Cheese Steak, Pacific Veggie, Honolulu Hawaiian, Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch, Memphis BBQ Chicken, Buffalo Chicken, and the new Fiery Hawaiian. Each pizza offering uses two or more types of cheeses in addition to Domino’s signature cheesy crust.
The campaign also includes cheese-focused pizza boxes, box-toppers, print advertising, online/text message ordering and various sampling tactics.
Dairy producers are supporting the effort through advertising, public relations, local market promotions, and other communications support. Amid a challenging market, Domino’s reported an increase in first quarter sales thanks, in part, to the Domino’s American Legends pizzas.
Posted: June 30, 2009 at 7:08 pm
By News Editor
Here’s a another reason to keep dairy in your diet! New research finds fat free milk instead of a fruit drink at breakfast helps you feel fuller and eat less at lunchtime. Stock your fridge, friends!
Now there’s a new reason for the weight-conscious to drink fat free milk at breakfast time, suggests a new study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers in Australia found that drinking fat free milk in the morning helped increase satiety, or a feeling of fullness, and led to decreased calorie intake at the next meal, as compared with a fruit drink. The milk drinkers ate about 50 fewer calories (or nearly 9% less food) at lunch.
In the study, 34 overweight but otherwise healthy men and women participated in two testing sessions – one in which they were served about 20 ounces of fat free milk, and one in which they were served the same amount of a fruit drink (both beverages contributed about 250 calories to the breakfast meal). During the four hours between breakfast and lunch, the men and women gauged their feelings of fullness and were allowed to eat until comfortably full at lunch. The researchers found that the milk-drinking adults reported feeling fuller, more satisfied and therefore ate fewer calories at lunch.
The researchers suspect that milk’s protein content (providing 16% of the daily value per cup), the lactose (the natural sugar in milk) or simply the thickness of the beverage may play a role in the satiety benefits. And, research suggests choosing foods that can help enhance satiety is an important success factor in any weight management plan.
Experts are increasingly focused on small behavior changes that can make a big difference when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. A calorie decrease as little as 50 calories per day can add up in the long run. Americans may be gaining weight at a rate of up to two pounds per year, likely caused by an average of less than 100 calories per day, according to recent research.
Fat free milk is packed with nine essential nutrients Americans need, including calcium and vitamin D, and contains 80 calories per 8-ounce serving. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend three servings of fat free or lowfat milk each day.
Posted: June 29, 2009 at 6:55 pm
By News Editor
Jersey enthusiasts from all over the country are headed to Syracuse, N.Y. for the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc. annual meeting, July 1-4, 2009. Building on the theme “Jersey Worlds Combine in 2009,” the program includes seminars, tours, recognition banquets, and the 52nd National Heifer Sale punctuating annual meetings for each organization on three consecutive days.
In addition, the first North American Jersey Cheese Awards will be presented. The contest is modeled after the highly successful World Jersey Cheese Awards, the first breed-specific cheese competition held last May in Jersey during the International Conference of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau.
President James Ahlem, Hilmar, Calif., will call the 51st annual meeting of National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) to order at 7:30 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 2. The company reported all-time member participation in its Equity program for 2008. The NAJ subsidiary Jersey Marketing Service, reported its fourth best year in history at $9.4 million in public auction and private treaty sales.
At the conclusion of this meeting, Dr. Chad Mueller and Garrett Tschida of Oregon State University will present findings from their NAJ-funded research on the growth and development of Jersey steers.
The annual meeting of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau is scheduled for Friday, July 3, with Dr. Gonzalo Maldonado of Colombia presiding. Evening activities will be held at Sycamore Hill Gardens, Marcellus, N.Y. There, Kathy Guidi, maitre fromager and the founder and president of Artisan Cheese Marketing of Toronto, will talk about opportunities for Jersey milk cheeses in the fast-growing artisan retail segment.
Then, at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 4, president David Chamberlain of Wyoming, N.Y., will conduct the 141st annual meeting of the American Jersey Cattle Association. Executive Secretary & CEO Neal Smith will report on the multiple all-time records set by the company in 2008.
That will be followed by the 52nd National Heifer Sale at the Empire Expo Center in Syracuse. Consignments include 50 Jersey heifers ranked in the top 10% of the breed today for genetic merit. Jersey Marketing Service will manage the sale.
William and Carolyn Ahlem, Sabino Ahlem Herrera, D.V.M., and Ed Fisher will receive the Master Breeder Award. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Dr. Robert C. and Helene Z. Dreisbach, Mercer, Penna. And, the AJCA-NAJ Award for Meritorious Service will be presented to Ronald E. Pearson, Ph.D., Blacksburg, Va.
The Young Jersey Breeder Award is presented by the American Jersey Cattle Association to individuals or couples who are at least 28 years old and under the age of 40 on January 1 of the year nominated, who merit recognition for their expertise in dairy farming, breeding Jersey cattle, participation in programs of the American Jersey Cattle Association and National All-Jersey Inc., and leadership in Jersey and other dairy and agriculture organizations.
The 2009 award recipients will be recognized at a banquet the evening of July 1. They are Roger and Cathleen Alexander, Liberty, Penna.; Kimberly Clauss, Hilmar, Calif; Eric D. Daggett, Derby, Vt.; Jake and Kate Hardy, Belleville, Penna.; Shari Strickhouser, Elkhorn, Wis.; and Ron and Nicolle Wussow, Cecil, Wis.
Posted: June 25, 2009 at 9:09 pm
By News Editor
Registered Holstein enthusiasts - do you have your bags packed for Sacramento, Calif.? Final preparations are being made for the 124th National Holstein Convention and Annual Meeting, June 27-30, 2009. The California Convention Planning Committee and volunteers are eager to welcome Holstein members from across the country to their state for what promises to be an exciting and memorable National Convention.
Those breed enthusiasts who can’t make it to California, can check online each day at the Holstein Association USA’s website, to see updated Convention pictures, contest results, and daily summaries!
Convention events will begin on Saturday, June 27 with several Junior competitions and the Wine and Cheese Social. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about California during Host Day tours on Sunday, June 28. A nondenominational devotional service will also be held that morning. Host Day concludes with the California National Convention Sale, featuring several lots of premium Registered HolsteinSM genetics.
The Holstein Association USA Annual Business Meeting will take place on Monday, June 29 and Tuesday, June 30. An Early Bird panel covering the popular topic of Genomics will be held on Monday morning, prior to the start of the meeting. Panelists include representatives from the A.I. industry, as well as Registered Holstein breeders from around the country. Later in the day, members will hear reports from CEO John M. Meyer and President Doug Maddox. The Association’s Forty-Year members will be recognized on Monday, as well as the Star of the Breed and Herd of Excellence honorees.
An exciting feature of Monday’s meeting will be a discussion of Holstein Association USA’s Dairy Price Stabilization Program by Dr. Robert A. Cropp, Professor Emeritus in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Dr. Cropp has been serving as an advisor for the development of the program.
Officer and director elections are slated for the second day of the Annual Meeting. Larry Tande of Medford, Minn. will be seeking the office of President. Three candidates have declared their candidacy for the office of Vice President: John Bierbaum, Burnsville, Minn.; Tom Thorbahn, Vickery, Ohio; and Chuck Worden, Cassville, N.Y.
Four members will be elected to the Association’s board of directors. The candidate for Region 5 is Robert Nigh of Viroqua, Wis. Contending for the Region 8 seat are Bill Stoltzfus, Buhl, Idaho, and Bill Wright, McCornick, Utah. Incumbent Hank van Exel is up for re-election in Region 9, and for the At-Large position, three candidates have declared: Dennis A. Areias, Los Banos, Calif.; Thomas F. Atherton, Gaines, Mich.; and Jonathan Lamb, Oakfield, N.Y.
The Convention will conclude on Tuesday evening with the Gold Nugget Gala Banquet, where the recipients of the Distinguished Young Holstein Breeder, Elite Breeder and Distinguished Leadership Award will be revealed.
Juniors have several exciting events taking place during the Convention, including Dairy Jeopardy and Prepared Public Speaking on Saturday and the popular Dairy Bowl competition on Monday.
Posted: June 25, 2009 at 9:01 pm
By News Editor
The Iowa State Dairy Association (ISDA) is now accepting nominations for the Ralph Keeling Leadership Award. Each year an outstanding member of Iowa’s dairy industry is presented this prestigious award.
Nominations are open to producers, educators or industry persons in the dairy field who have significantly contributed to the progress of Iowa’s dairy industry. Nomination forms are available online and are due by Friday, July 17, 2009.
The Ralph Keeling Leadership Award is given in honor of the late Ralph Keeling. Keeling operated a successful dairy farm and business, devoting much of his time and talents to help the progress of Iowa’s dairy industry. Since 1967, this award has been presented annually to outstanding individuals in various fields of the State’s dairy industry.
Presentation of the award will take place during the Iowa State Fair on Friday, August 14, in the Livestock Pavilion on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey and Iowa State Dairy Association President, Wayne Dykshorn, will present the award.
The Ralph Keeling Leadership Award is sponsored by the Iowa State Dairy Association.
Posted: June 24, 2009 at 6:54 pm
By News Editor
Results from an intensive study of growth and development of Jersey steer calves fed at different energy levels for lean meat production will be presented during a seminar on Thursday, July 2 following the annual meeting of National All-Jersey Inc. at the DoubleTree Hotel Syracuse, Syracuse, N.Y. The seminar begins at 9:30 a.m. at and is open to the public. It will also be broadcast by webinar for those not able to attend in person.
Dr. Chad Mueller and Garrett Tschida from Oregon State University will discuss findings from their research, initiated in October of 2007 after being selected for funding by National All-Jersey Inc. This is the most intensive research project on this topic financed to date by the USJersey organizations, based in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
“Beef operations have an interest in feeding Jersey calves for meat production due to the low input costs and the propensity to generate high quality, marbled carcasses,” Dr. Mueller explained in 2007. “However, due to a lack of known growth parameters, feedlot operators are simply using trial-and-error to feed out these calves. This has resulted in over-conditioned carcasses and reduced growth efficiencies, both of which have limited the usefulness of Jersey steers in feedlot operations.”
“We expect the results of this study to enable feedlot operators to optimally feed Jersey steer calves to maximize financial returns while achieving optimal growth and meeting consumer demand for high quality, marbled beef,” said Dr. Mueller.
Posted: June 24, 2009 at 6:46 pm
By News Editor
The last days of June are ticking away, but dairy farmers and dairy organizations across the country continue to use this month to tell the special story of the dairy industry. Tell us what your state has done to celebrate the contributions of dairy farmers! Meanwhile, South Dakota Governor, Mike Rounds has declared June as Dairy Month in his state. The presence of dairy farms in South Dakota offers families throughout the state access to local, wholesome sources of food, Gov. Rounds stated in the proclamation.
Dairy Month recognizes the contributions of the states 400-plus South Dakota dairy farmers, who produce the safe, nutritious milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream that South Dakotans enjoy every day. A healthy dairy industry in South Dakota is important not just to our rural economy, but to every citizen of the state, Gov. Rounds said. Dairy farmers are an integral part of South Dakota agriculture and have a tremendous positive impact on our communities.
South Dakotas dairy processing industry employs nearly 900 workers, in addition to the states 1,100 dairy farm laborers. Overall, the dairy industry has an annual economic impact of more than $1.41 billion in South Dakota. Agriculture is South Dakotas No. 1 industry, and our states 94,000 dairy cows are one of the driving forces behind our economy, said South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Bill Even. Agriculture has a $21.3 billion economic impact on South Dakota, and creates approximately 40% of the states job opportunities and 50% of its tax revenue.
The Governors proclamation also notes that dairy products like milk, cheese and yogurt contain nine essential nutrients which help to reduce the risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers.
Posted: June 24, 2009 at 6:39 pm
By News Editor
More than 20 dairy industry representatives, including 15 dairy producers, traveled to Harrisburg earlier this month to meet with more than 20 key legislators and staffers in the capitol building. The delegation was organized by the Government Relations Committee of the Pennsylvania Dairy Task Force, with assistance from the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and the Center for Dairy Excellence.
“With milk margins at all-time lows and many of the state’s dairy farms in danger, it is crucial that legislators recognize the vital economic engine our dairy industry is for Pennsylvania and the important role a strong support system provides to the industry,” says Tim Kurtz, chair of the Government Relations Committee and a dairy producer from Elverson. “This was a monumental event because it was the first time we’ve had a significant number of dairy producers and industry representatives converge at the Capitol on the same day.”
The delegation visited with members of the Senate Ag and Appropriations Committees, as well as key House members. Dairy producers participating in the event also visited with legislators representing their district. At least three people attended each meeting and updated legislators and staffers on dairy’s role in Pennsylvania, the current state of the dairy industry, and support programs for dairy in the state.
“The meetings were overwhelmingly positive, with many of the legislators and staffers telling us that they do not hear enough from the dairy sector of the state,” Kurtz says. “They seemed to have a genuine interest in agriculture, recognizing the enormous value dairy contributes to Pennsylvania. With the current budget situation and their hectic schedules, we were amazed at their willingness to visit with us and listen to what we had to say.”
The legislative visits were coordinated in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Dairy Task Force semi-annual meeting held in Harrisburg and the annual “June Dairy Month” giant ice cream sundae celebration hosted by Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program and Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association on the steps of the capitol building. Many of the delegates visiting with legislators were task force members, and they all attended the giant ice cream sundae unveiling prior to going on their visits.
“It was truly a collaborative effort to promote dairy at the capitol that day,” Kurtz says. “The General Assembly members and their staffers were first invited to enjoy free ice cream sundaes in honor of June Dairy Month. Later, we followed up with visits to reinforce why dairy is important to our state. It was really a unique opportunity to share dairy’s story with state policy leaders.”
Posted: June 23, 2009 at 7:05 pm
By News Editor
In response to the current economic milk price crisis affecting dairy farmers across the country, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)’s newly-formed Strategic Planning Task Force met last week to focus on short‐term solutions and to establish an aggressive schedule for addressing longer‐term solutions to the problem.
The Task Force immediately voted to recommend to the CWT Committee and the NMPF Board of Directors to direct any available CWT funds to assist CWT members in utilizing the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) to its fullest extent. DEIP has the potential to export the equivalent of more than 1.5 billion pounds of milk. The NMPF Board of Directors immediately approved the recommendation and directed CWT management to work with CWT members to facilitate this recommendation.
While CWT’s Export Assistance program isn’t meant to replace the use of the DEIP, “we’ve always seen it as a complement to the role of DEIP, and so we are willing to utilize specially designated CWT funds to help expedite the use of the government’s resources to help remove one percent of the nation’s dairy production through DEIP,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF.
Kozak said that this measure, spurred on by the Task Force, will further aid efforts to correct the supply‐demand imbalance at the heart of the financial hardship being faced by thousands of American dairy farm families. In a separate action, CWT is currently in the middle of removing more than 100,000 cows equivalent to two billion pounds of milk in the largest‐ever herd retirement in its six‐year history.
To address longer‐term factors affecting price and volatility, the Task Force will next meet in Chicago with representatives from major dairy producer organizations across the nation that are proposing programs to resolve the crisis.
The Task Force will engage in a detailed dialogue with these groups “to determine the economic and political feasibility of those plans, with the goal of achieving a common understanding of how best to tackle the problems of low milk prices and high input costs,” Kozak said.
Letters of invitation have already been sent to the producer organizations asking them to be prepared to discuss a number of proposals concerning both supply and demand.
“There was no single reason why dairy farmers have found themselves in this plight so the Task Force will focus on developing a portfolio of solutions to ensure that we can avoid such circumstances in the future,” said Kozak
Posted: June 22, 2009 at 11:11 pm
By Amanda
Want to know where President Obama spent part of his Father’s Day? In a quick trip to get ice cream, Malia and Sasha took their dad to a Wisconsin-based ice cream shop called Dairy Godmother in the Washington D.C. area. (Article and photos by Jeff Zeleny of “The Caucus” Blog)
At this boutique on Mount Vernon Avenue, the sign indicates that the line forms to the right. But Mr. Obama and his small entourage went to the left, bypassing the crowd. No one seemed to mind, store employees said later, as people strained their necks to see what the Obama family was ordering.
The president had a small vanilla custard with hot fudge and almonds. Malia asked for vanilla custard in a waffle cone. And Sasha ordered a brownie sundae with vanilla custard. Bo, the presidential dog, was not along for the ride on this pre-Father’s Day outing, but the store employees sent a bag of “puppy pops” home with the girls.
Mr. Obama paid for the items and offered to leave a tip, according to Elizabeth van Gestel, who rang up his order. Mr. Obama was told that tips aren’t allowed at the Dairy Godmother, so he stayed for about 15 minutes, taking photographs and eating his custard.
Posted: June 22, 2009 at 8:44 pm
By Amanda
I knew that the 2009 Miss America, Katie Stam was a gem! After writing about her in AgWired for her support of 4-H and community service, it’s in the news that this dynamic woman is now a spokesperson for the dairy industry! According to Indy’s News Center, Indiana’s first Miss America, Katie Stamm, is the new celebrity spokesperson for the American Dairy Association. What a great face for America’s milk producers!
Stamm recently completed a photo shoot for the ADA’s new image campaign in Indianapolis on Monday. She grew up on a family dairy farm in Jackson County and showed dairy cattle in 4-H.
Stamm said it was always a goal of hers to do what she could to help the farming community. Now as Miss America, she says she’s come full circle, promoting dairy products at appearances for the American Dairy Association around the state and across the U.S. Stamm will be in Indiana for a few more days, crowning a new Miss Indiana on Saturday before leaving for more appearances in Colorado and California.
Posted: June 22, 2009 at 7:40 pm
By News Editor
Young people tend to cut down on bone-strengthening dairy products as they enter their 20s — just when their body needs it most, new research finds. In a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, a majority of the 1,500 participants reduced their calcium intake in high school and the years immediately following high school. More than half of the males and more than two-thirds of the females consumed less than the daily recommended level of calcium at the end of each of those time periods, the researchers found
The study findings are published in the July issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.
Because human bone mass peaks when a person is in their 30s, consuming sufficient amounts of calcium, protein and vitamin D — all found in dairy products — during the teen and young-adult years is considered key to lowering the risk of osteoporosis and some other health issues in later life. About 1,300 mg of calcium a day is recommended for high school-aged children and 1,000 mg a day for young adults, according to a news release from the journal.
Increased availability of milk at mealtime, a proper attitude and approach to weight, health and nutrition, and a taste for milk were linked to greater consumption of calcium during these critical years, the study authors noted. Excessive television watching and lactose intolerance were tied to lower calcium levels.
“The findings of this study indicate that future interventions designed to promote improvements in calcium intake should encourage the families of adolescents to serve milk at meals,” the team concluded in their report. The authors also suggested that specific efforts target concerns particular to each sex.
Posted: June 22, 2009 at 7:35 pm
By News Editor
Congratulations to Natalie Laubner, 17, of Mandan, N.D. Natalie was crowned the 63rd North Dakota Dairy Princess allowing her to serve as the official goodwill ambassador for the nearly 250 North Dakota dairy farmers during the coming year. Natalie’s duties will include media interviews and she will be active at the North Dakota State Fair promoting the dairy industry. Dairy princess candidates were judged on personality, knowledge of the dairy industry, enthusiasm for promotion and communication skills. The dairy princess program is sponsored by the state’s dairy farmers through the checkoff program.
Natalie is the daughter of Larry and Elaine Laubner. She will attend Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas this fall pursuing a degree in animal science. Natalie also received an $800 scholarship from the North Dakota Milk Processors and Friends of Dairymen.
Throughout her year-long reign as North Dakota Dairy Princess, Natalie will make numerous appearances to educate children and adults about dairy farmers’ commitment and caring for their animals and the environment. She will make classroom visits to educate children on the importance of including wholesome dairy products in their diets every day.
Four candidates competed for the North Dakota Dairy Princess title. Nancy Leier of Hague was named runner-up.
Nancy plans to study Bismark State College majoring as a veterinary technician or agronomy this fall.. She also received a $500 scholarship from the North Dakota Milk Processors and Friends of Dairymen.
Tiffany Mosset of Linton was awarded a $500 scholarship from Midwest Dairy Association. Tiffany is studying at the Minnesota School of Business in Moorhead majoring in veterinary technology.
Posted: June 19, 2009 at 10:15 pm
By News Editor
A proposed Leprino Foods cheese plant in Greeley, Colo. is still on track, but depressed milk prices may force a change in the schedule of how that new plant is built.
The $143 million, 847,000-square-foot plant, to be built on the former site of the Western Sugar Cooperative factory, will convert milk into cheese for use primarily on the nation’s pizzas. At its inception, Leprino said the plant would employ 260 people, with 500 total new jobs created when all construction is complete in later building phases.
But those phases may be changed due to economic conditions of the dairy industry, said Becky Safarik, community development director for the city of Greeley, who has been in regular contact with company officials.
“They (Leprino) are cautiously optimistic,” Safarik said. “I’m in contact with them almost every week, and they are still moving ahead, but they may be bumping their time line.” She said grading permits for the site east of 1st Avenue and 13th Street, are ready, and Leprino officials indicated they would pick those up by the end of the month.
She said she has been told the dairy industry may start to see improvement later this year, but how long that will take is up for conjecture.
The economy in general has forced businesses to slow, and that includes Leprino, which is the largest producer of mozzarella cheese in the country for the quick-service restaurant business. In addition to a plant in Fort Morgan and the planned Greeley facility, it has operations in Minnesota, New Mexico, Nebraska, California and the United Kingdom.
Leprino gets all of its milk from Dairy Farmers of America, a cooperative that includes most Colorado dairies. In addition to the mozzarella cheese it provides as diced and shredded product, it produces whey and lactose products, which it also will do at the Greeley plant.
In response to the current milk price crisis affecting dairy farmers across the country, the National Milk Producers Federation’s newly-formed Strategic Planning Task Force met last week to focus on short-term solutions and to establish an aggressive schedule for addressing longer-term solutions to the problem.
The new group voted to recommend the utilization of the Dairy Export Incentive Program to its fullest extent. The program has the potential to export the equivalent of more than 1.5 billion pounds of milk. Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of the producers group, said that move will further aid efforts to correct the supply-demand imbalance at the heart of the financial crisis that has hit the industry.
Posted: June 17, 2009 at 9:20 am
By Amanda
As reported in the Reliable Plant, U.S. dairy market sales continue to rise despite economy. According to a recent study, “The Dairy Industry Market Research Study 2009,” while dairy producers continue to struggle with a poor economy and high costs of production, dairy sales have increased by over 2% in 2009.
The new study, which discusses perspectives of 40 dairy processors, associations, and suppliers, aims to analyze the local dairy market dynamics and determine the outlook for the dairy industry in the future. Some of the key findings discussed in the report include:
·U.S. dairy industry anticipates production shift to West Coast, with industry consolidation creating a greater number of mega dairies
·71 percent of dairy processors likely to make capital expenditures for packaging equipment in the next 12 months despite economic downturn; additional 16 percent to make packaging line modifications that might require machinery investments
·Stronger dairy/vendor relationships expected: 90 percent of survey respondents rely upon machinery builder to train operators; 73 percent want suppliers to play more consultative role from concept stage to installation
·Primary and secondary packaging change drivers include considerations about the most economical and environmentally friendly materials, customer requirements and improving efficiency to address lower margins
Posted: June 15, 2009 at 4:56 pm
By Amanda
Here’s a great promotion for June Dairy Month hot off the wire. Order yourself a Domino’s Pizza tonight and thank a dairy farmer!
Midwest Dairy Association, which helps to increase demand and sales for dairy products on behalf of dairy farmers in nine Midwest states, is partnering with Domino’s franchisees across the Midwest during June Dairy Month and through the summer months to reintroduce consumers to Domino’s new line of American Legends pizza, which are made with up to 40 percent more cheese.
Domestic cheese sales are important to dairy farmers. About 25 percent of total cheese is used on pizza, representing more than 25 billion pounds of annual milk production. According to USDA National Agricultural Statistic Service, 40 percent of the milk produced in Midwest Dairy’s nine-state territory goes into cheese production.
“Pizza sales are important, because they directly affect overall cheese sales,” says Jerry Messer, a North Dakota dairy farmer and chairman of Midwest Dairy Association. “It’s important to my fellow dairy producers and to me that we help reinvigorate the pizza category and increase sales for pizza products containing more cheese, and June Dairy Month is the perfect opportunity to get people excited about it.”
Posted: June 9, 2009 at 6:55 pm
By News Editor
A few of Maine’s hard-working dairy farmers were recently recognized by Oakhurst Dairy at the company’s annual Producer Luncheon The awards banquet, which has been held for more than 20 years, allows Oakhurst Dairy to show its appreciation for the dedicated service of its independent farmers. Congratulations to all of the award winners!
“The farms that produce Oakhurst milk are part of the Oakhurst family,” said Stan Bennett, president of Oakhurst Dairy. “As the truly local brand of milk, we are committed to providing the freshest, highest quality milk we can. Working directly with our farms helps us to maintain these high quality levels, and we think it’s important to recognize those who meet and exceed our expectations.”
For quality, the Producer of the Year was Hemond Farm of Minot, Maine. For volume production predictions, Algahoma Farm of Knox, Maine, went home with the award by coming in at a variation of 0.07 percent of their prediction.
Oakhurst Dairy works directly with 84 independent Maine farms that supply their milk. In many cases, these farmers have been producing for Oakhurst for three generations. Oakhurst is northern New England’s largest independent dairy company with three generations of commitment to the health and well-being of the community and the environment.
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