CWT Export Assistance Bids

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group, Export

Cooperatives Working TogetherHere’s the latest announcement from Cooperatives Working Together:

Cooperatives Working Together accepted eight export assistance bids last week for the sale of butter and cheese.

The first bid was from Michigan Milk Producers Association for 190 MT (418,000 lbs) of butter to Egypt.

The second bid was from Darigold for the export of 300 MT (660,000 lbs) of butter to Saudi Arabia.

The other six bids were from Land O’Lakes for: 400 MT (880,000 lbs) of butter to the Netherlands, along with another 100 MT (220,000 lbs) of butter also destined for the Netherlands; two bids for 11.3 MT each (24,860 lbs) for Parmesan cheese to South Korea; 8.3 MT (18,260 lbs) of retail-packaged cheese to the United Arab Emirates; and .54 MT (1,188 lbs) of retail-packaged cheese to Egypt.

These accepted bids increase CWT’s total 2007 export obligations for cheese to 5,307 MT (11.7 million lbs); its YTD export obligations for butter to 7,994 MT (17.6 million lbs) and its YTD anhydrous milkfat exports to 2,180 MT (4.8 million lbs).

World Dairy Summit

News EditorEducation, International, Markets

Dublin, Ireland sounds like a wonderful place to visit in the fall. So why not register for the World Dairy Summit, September 29 – October 4, 2007? Early bird registration is closing soon – don’t miss out!

Over 100 speakers, 3 symposia running in parallel each day, and technical tours that include infant milk formula manufacture, food research, cattle breeding and dairy farms are on offer. Dairying – can it manage change?

All eyes will focus on the Dairy Leaders Forum involving CEO’s from a number of leading dairy companies worldwide for their words of wisdom on future market prospects. In the first part of the symposium, the views of dairy farmers from around the world (UK, US, DK, E. Europe, CN, IE, AU) will be aired during the course of a Dairy Farm Leaders Forum. The second half of the symposium will explore enterprise structure, role of genetics, impact of animal welfare and the dairy production research supports appropriate to meet the needs and increase the production efficiencies of future dairy farmers.

A panel of leading international speakers has been assembled to address key nutrition issues from a dairy product perspective under four themes:
1. Metabolic Syndrome and Dairy Products: focus on overweight and cardiovascular disease
2. Fats Revisited: Update on latest research based on epidemiological and physiological studies on certain key positive components
3. New insights into the health benefits of calcium
4. New insights into Probiotics and Prebiotics Functional Foods Forum

Microsoft and HSUS

News EditorIndustry News

After reading the information below, you may choose to use the following contact information. Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft, 1 Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052; phone 425-882-8080; or fax 425-936-7329. Find a sample letter here provided by the Animal Agriculture Alliance.

According to the Animal Agriculture Alliance, Microsoft will soon be making donations to the Humane Society of the United States. Microsoft has launched a program called the “i’m Initiative.”

Through the new program, whenever a Windows Live Messenger user has a conversation using i’m, Microsoft will give a portion of the program’s advertising revenue to one of 10 organizations selected by the user. HSUS is one of the choices, and there is no limit to the amount of money that can be donated.

HSUS, which is not to be confused with the American Humane Society which runs animal shelters, is a radical animal rights group led by vegan Wayne Pacelle. HSUS opposes animal use, and one of its biggest targets is animal agriculture.

The Animal Agriculture Alliance, a broad-based coalition of producers, producer organizations, suppliers, packers-processors and retailers, is urging everyone involved in agriculture to contact Microsoft and its founder Bill Gates to demand that it terminate its financial support for HSUS. One is left to wonder how the Gates Foundation can fight world hunger while simultaneously funding an organization that seeks to end animal agriculture.

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review
Cheese prices saw more strength this week. Block closed Friday at $2.10 per pound, up a dime on the week and 92 1/2-cents above a year ago. Barrel closed at $2.0475, down a quarter-cent on the week, but 88 1/4-cents above a year ago. Nine cars of block traded hands on the week and five of barrel. The lagging NASS-surveyed block price averaged $1.8620, up 10 cents, while barrel averaged $1.9151, also up a dime.

Cash butter closed Friday at $1.49, up a penny on the week and 33 3/4-cents above a year ago. Nothing was sold. NASS butter averaged $1.5072, down 0.9 cent. NASS nonfat dry milk averaged $1.9082, down slightly, and dry whey averaged 76.19 cents, up 0.5 cent.
Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Milking the Bet

News EditorMedia

espnFor those of us who milking a cow is second nature, you will surely find this video chuckle-worthy. ESPNRadio’s Mike & Mike hosted a unique guest this morning, the Holstein cow, Sox, there to settle a bet between the two co-hosts. Losing a March Madness wager forced Mike “Greeny” Greenberg to try his hand at milking a cow. Guaranteed to bring a smile to your day!

ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning co-host Mike Greenberg will pay up on a bet when the self-proclaimed metrosexual will doff his pressed khakis for overalls and milk a cow named Sox. Sox, provided by regional dairy market Stew Leonard’s, will arrive at ESPN’s Bristol, Conn. headquarters at 6:30 a.m. Thursday from the Doumas at Eddy Farm in Newington, Conn.

Mike & Mike in the Morning co-hosts Greenberg and Mike Golic traditionally match their NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament brackets, with the loser’s fate pre-determined by a listener/viewer vote. When Golic’s “sheet of integrity” prevailed this April, Greenberg was put in an utterly precarious position of having to milk a cow.

Wisc. Cheese Featured on History Channel

News EditorCheese, Media

modernmarvelsThe cheesehead state will take center stage on the History Channel’s Modern Marvels on June 27 at 9:00 p.m. Wisconsin cheesemakers and Alto Dairy will be featured in the hour long show about cheese.

The documentary takes a look at both ancient techniques and new technologies behind some of the world’s most popular cheeses as they visit several of the state’s cheesemakers.

“The main reason for including Wisconsin in the show is the great diversity in specialty cheeses that are made here, from Gruyere and Blue cheese to Cheddar and Mozzarella,” says Anthony Lacques, Modern Marvels Producer. “It’s also the tradition that Wisconsin has; everyone knows what they’re doing and can speak articulately about cheese.”

The Modern Marvels production crew spent several days in Wisconsin visiting Chalet Cheese Cooperative and Roth Käse USA in Monroe, the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research in Madison, Alto Dairy in Waupun and Winona Foods in Green Bay.

Alto Dairy was selected as one of the feature operations because of our time-honored traditions, experienced employees, and state of the art facilities. “Alto prides itself on tradition and consistent natural products. We are excited to show America how we make cheese.” said Rich Scheuerman, Alto’s President and CEO. “It is an honor for us to be on a national television show and represent America’s Dairyland,”

Two of Alto’s master cheese makers, Kurt Heitmann and Ken DeMaa as well as our Whey Division Manager, Joel Denk, were also interviewed to be featured on the show.

Nominations Taken for Leadership Award

News EditorCompetition, Industry News

Nominations are now being accepted by the Iowa State Dairy Association for the Ralph Keeling Leadership Award. Applications are due July 16, 2007.

Nominations are open to educators, industry, and producers in the dairy field who have significantly contributed to the progress of Iowa’s dairy industry.

The award, presented annually since 1967, is in honor of the late Ralph Keeling. Mr. Keeling operated a successful dairy farm and business, devoting much of his time and talents to help the progress of Iowa’s dairy industry.

Presentation of the award will take place on Friday, August 10, 2007 during the Iowa State Fair. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Iowa State Dairy Association President Wayne Dykshorn will present the award.

Ball Game Pitches Dairy

News EditorDairy Checkoff

midwestThe Midwest Dairy Association celebrated June Dairy Month in a unique way – they sponsored a local ball team and “pitched” dairy at the same time! Homerun!

Midwest Dairy Association sponsored the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in their series opener against the Schaumburg Flyers. North Dakota Dairy Princess Stephanie Weinberger got things started right by throwing out the first pitch of the game, and the day ended with a handy RedHawks win, 12-3.

The game’s dairy focus included People Behind the Product banners on display and dairy products offered in the concession area, including cheese curds, wrist bands, 3-A-Day of Dairy pens, recipes and grocery list pads. Announcements made throughout the game reminded fans to honor June Dairy Month by getting 3-A-Day of Dairy products and thanking the dairy farmers for their hard work and dedication.

In true baseball tradition, Princess Weinberger and Char Heer, industry relations manager for Midwest Dairy Association, also led the audience in singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” during the seventh inning stretch.

Beer Ice Cream

News EditorIce Cream, International

beericecreamOne last ice cream story, this one international. The Windermere Ice Cream Company, based in the UK, has created a beer ice cream using a local beer, the Hawkshead Brewery’s Red Ale. The ice cream received rave reveiws at the beer festival, and will now be available for sale in the company’s shop.

Explaining the idea behind the new flavour, boss Steve Duffin, a 43-year-old father-of-two, said: “I’d read about beer ice cream before and the idea of combining the sweet produce with a bitter beer works quite well really.”

Mr Duffin said he went to the Hawkshead Beer Hall and sampled all the beers before deciding to give it a go. He added: “I chose the Hawkshead Red, which has a nice colour to it as well. We just reduced it down so we have a nice intense flavour and boiled off the alcohol. It tastes like ice cream but there’s something else there – there’s a different taste and body.”

Vermont Creemees

News EditorIce Cream, Industry News

vtmilkcologoOk – pop quiz. What do the people in New England call soft ice cream? Creemees – which I think is a fantastic word. It completely describes the creamy, wonderful texture of soft ice cream. I bring all this up to tell you about this story – the Vermont Milk Company distrubuting a machine that produces a soft ice cream made with Vermont milk.

The company bought the franchise rights to the British “One Shot” ice cream machine. The innovative machine makes five-ounce creemees from prepackaged single serving cartridges.

The Vermont Milk Company plans to sell the machines in New England and New York City. A company priority is to pay dairy farmers a fair price, never dropping below fifteen dollars per hundred pounds of milk.