This video is what set the stage for the Alltech Global 500. We’re talking innovation, sustainability, risk management, feeding efficiency and much more.
DFA Purchases Castro Cheese
Houston-based Castro Cheese Company, Inc. has been acquired by Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA). Castro Cheese is a highly respected Hispanic cheese brand.
Castro Cheese owns the La Vaquita brand product line, which includes Queso Fresco, Panela, Queso Quesadilla and other artisanal cheeses commonly used in Hispanic dishes. La Vaquita is a strong national brand in the Hispanic cheese market with a wide variety of customer channels.
“DFA is well positioned to support the continued growth and profitability of Castro Cheese and its La Vaquita branded products,” said John Stephens, chief operating officer for the Consumer Brands Division of DFA’s Global Dairy Products Group (GDPG). “La Vaquita is an established national brand with a reputation for quality that complements DFA’s dairy farmer ownership, and the farm-based heritage of many of its cheese and butter brands.”
The acquisition aligns with DFA’s overall growth strategy of expanding its commercial businesses and brands portfolio for GDPG. Castro Cheese will become a wholly owned subsidiary of DFA and will operate as a separate business unit within the GDPG Consumer Brands Division.
DFA will retain the company’s current 72 employees, who will continue to be led by Alberto Bandera, the current operating executive.
“Our new relationship with DFA is an exciting new chapter in our history,” said Alberto Bandera, operating officer for Castro Cheese. “For nearly four decades, our focus on quality has earned a strong following, and we’re looking forward to developing the La Vaquita brand with a farmer-owned cooperative that shares our commitment to superior dairy products.”
The authentic Latin flavor offered by the La Vaquita product line makes it the second largest Hispanic cheese brand in the nation, available at popular retailers such as H.E.B., Walmart, Fiesta Mart, Kroger and CostCo.
Source: Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
Holstein to Hold Regional Meetings
Attention Holstein Association USA members! Mark your calendars now for your upcoming regional member meeting.
These sessions are an ideal forum to get updated on Association activities and programs, and provide an excellent opportunity for members to give their elected directors and Holstein Association USA staff input. Following are the dates and locations for 2010-2011 regional member meetings:
Region 1: Brattleboro, Vt.
December 2, 2010
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Holstein Association USA headquarters
RSVP by 11/29/10 to Kelli Dunklee at kdunklee@holstein.com
Region 8: Grand Ronde, Ore.
December 4, 2010
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Spirit Mountain Casino
In conjunction with the Oregon Holstein Convention
Region 4: Staunton, Va.
December 10, 2010
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn Staunton Golf & Conference Center
In conjunction with the Virginia Holstein Convention
Region 9: Bass Lake, Calif.
January 28, 2011
9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The Pines Resort on Bass Lake
In conjunction with the California Holstein Convention
Region 7: Springfield, Mo.
January 28, 2011
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
University Plaza Hotel
In conjunction with the Missouri Holstein Convention
Region 3: Indianapolis, Ind.
January 29, 2011
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Park 100-NW Ag Complex
In conjunction with the Indiana Holstein Convention
Region 2: Scranton, Pa.
February 17, 2011
2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
In conjunction with the Pennsylvania Holstein Convention
Region 5: Beaver Dam, Wis.
February 18, 2011
1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Best Western
In conjunction with the Wisconsin Holstein Convention
Region 6: Dubuque, Iowa
February 25, 2011
2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Holiday Inn
In conjunction with the Iowa Holstein Convention
Source: Holstein Association USA
Looking At The Future For Dairy
A forward looking panel of experts spoke to the Alltech Global 500 today. Their topic, “Forecast 2025: A vision for the future.” Now that’s not an easy task!
I spoke with one of the panelists, Mandi McLeod, Dunvegan Farms, Ltd, New Zealand. Mandi says the future is about doing what you do well and focusing on the resources you have, in fact, “use them to the absolute maximum.” She says that you have to make sure your profits and people are sustainable and that profits come before production. She was very clear that by 2025 she hopes there will be no subsidies. I asked her what sustainability means to her. She provides a very common sense definition. Too bad there are so many that aren’t! She says farmers here are curious about prices and controls and how to become more profitable.
You can listen to my interview with Mandi here: Interview With Mandi Mcleod
Working With Your Local Community
The first dairy breakout session at the Alltech Global 500 focused on “Value Added Dairying: The Future of Sustainability.” Our presenter was Jim Ostrom, Rosendale Dairy, USA. I missed the opportunity to interview Jim but spoke with session moderator, Steve Elliott, Alltech. Steve is the global director for the company’s organic minerals division. He says that Jim addressed sustainability in his dairy of about 16,000 cows taking into account his local community. After the presentation Steve moderated a question and answer session where the questions focused on how he relates to his community and his workers since half of them are multi-cultural.
Steve says the appeal of this conference is the ability to network with people from all over the world. It’s an opportunity to find out what is similar and not similar in other parts of the world. He says there are attendees here from more than 20 countries!
You can listen to my interview with Steve here: Interview With Steve Elliott
Social Media Important To Dairy Farmers
Let’s just say that social media has been very, very good to ZimmComm New Media, publishers of World Dairy Diary. It is also the hottest topic in agricultural communications of the last year. At the Alltech Global 500 it was also a key topic during our morning general session.
I joined Alltech’s, Billy Frey, on stage to present what social media is and encourage and beef and dairy farmers to use these new channels of communications to help re-connect consumers with the farm and promote their own businesses. We used a series of slides and YouTube videos which I can’t show you but I did record our presentation. I said and will continue to say that dairy farmers seem to be some of the most engaged of any commodity group I know when it comes to social media.
Billy had some great quotes like the following:
Social media is the biggest revolution since the industrial revolution. It offers us new ways to stay informed and it can simplify information overload. It can fundamentally change agriculture if we use it.
We have a lot of great story tellers in our industry because we have the best story ever. Agriculture allowed civilization to develop. Before agriculture we were hunter gatherers. We have a great story to tell. We just have to tell it.
I can’t agree more. After our presentation a woman from France approached me to say that she “felt like I know you” since she is a regular visitor to World Dairy Diary. That kind of anecdotal evidence is great since it shows how truly connected we are globally thanks to social media.
You can listen to our presentation on social media here: Social Media Presentation
Follow Alltech on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and their blog, Innovations.
Alltech Celebrates Decades of Innovation
Dr. Karl Dawson, Alltech, says he’s got the greatest job in the world since he heads up research for the company. That research, which now includes, nutrigenomics, is finding ways to improve animal and human health through nutrition. It’s fascinating to hear him discuss not only how the company is finding that its products improve animal health but from that work they’re now seeing applications in humans which will have an impact in the future on diseases like alzheimer’s and cancer!
During his presentation Dr. Dawson looks back on some of the accomplishments of Alltech and then takes a look forward so we get a glimpse of what the future will hold. I recorded Dr. Dawson’s Global 500 opening general session comments for you. Dr. Karl Dawson Presentation
Get Out and VOTE!
Hopefully everyone reading this will be wearing one of these “I Voted” stickers by the end of today – well, assuming your polling place has them. Mine didn’t this morning and I was quite disappointed. It’s kind of like getting ashes on Ash Wednesday – wearing it is a reminder to others of what day it is.
Much is being made about this year’s election, with many calling it one of the most significant in our lifetime. Fact is, every election year is significant. Voting is the single most important act we can perform as citizens of a free country.
Take advantage of it and VOTE – NOW!
Alltech Global 500 Underway
The Alltech Global 500 is underway at the Lexington Convention Center. Welcoming us was Geoff Frank (pictured) once again.
I caught up to Geoff after our morning session. He is Managing Director for Improcrop, a division of Alltech. They have over 20 products to deal with a range of crop and foliar applications. Geoff says this is the 3rd year for the Global 500 which has been expanded this year to include beef farmers in addition to dairy. He says that it’s interesting how these farmers come from countries all over the world and then find that they share common challenges. The conference provides a good forum for them to discuss and share ideas. You can listen to my interview with Geoff here: Interview with Geoff Frank
Cottonseed Video Contest
Cotton Incorporated is asking dairy producers to get creative with their video cameras.
A free truckload of whole cottonseed is just one of the prizes dairy producers will have a chance to win by participating in Cotton Incorporated’s new video contest, dubbed “Innovative on-farm storage solutions for cottonseed.” Launching November 1, the contest invites dairy producers to grab their cameras and show off their cottonseed storage savvy.
While fun at heart, the video contest was created with purpose: to educate fellow dairy producers about innovative and cost-effective storage solutions for the feedstuff, supplies for which are forecast to double in 2010-11. The contest will live on Cotton Incorporated’s recently launched website, www.wholecottonseed.com. The new website and contest coexist to engage progressive dairy producers with whole fuzzy cottonseed in a new and interactive way.
Enter The Cottonseed Video Contest from Whole Cottonseed on Vimeo.
The video contest entry requires dairy producers to demonstrate in three minutes or less an innovative storage solution for cottonseed. Entries must be submitted at www.wholecottonseed.com/contest by December 10, 2010. Cotton Incorporated will select the top five videos, based on the following criteria weighed at 25 percent each: originality, maintenance of seed quality, economic feasibility and presentation (clarity of message, creative, professional delivery). The five finalists will receive a $500 Visa® gift card and a Kodak® flip camera and digital picture frame. The public will subsequently have the opportunity to vote and elect the winning video. The recipient of the grand prize shall receive a free truckload of cottonseed worth approximately $5,000.