China Company Announces U.S. Presence

News EditorGeneral, Industry News

Here’s a press release from American Dairy, Inc. announcing some exciting plans for 2007.

American Dairy, Inc. , one of the leading producers and distributors of milk powder and soybean products in China, today announced plans to enhance the Company’s presence in the U.S. American Dairy listed on the NYSE Arca exchange in April 2005 and currently operates out of its offices in Harbin and Beijing, China. To improve communication with auditors, legal counsel, regulatory bodies and investors, American Dairy expects to open an office in the U.S. during the first half of 2007.

In accordance with today’s announcement, American Dairy has hired Judy F. Tu in the role of Vice President of U.S. Operations. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, Ms. Tu brings to American Dairy a wealth of knowledge and experience in operating Chinese companies as well as a background in U.S. law.

Additionally, today the Company announced participation in two investor conferences in January 2007: The ICR XChange Investor Conference and the Brean Murray Carret & Co. One on One Winter Consumer Conference.

American Dairy, Inc. conducts operations in The People’s Republic of China (“China”) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Feihe Dairy. Founded in 1962, Feihe Dairy is one of the leading producers and distributors of milk powder and soybean products in China. Feihe Dairy is located in Kedong County, China, and has been in operation since 2001. American Dairy also has a milk powder processing plant, BaiQuan Feihe Dairy in Kedong County, and also has a milk powder processing plant in the city of QiQiHaEr, Heilongjiang Province.

Vitamin D Power

News EditorResearch

We know that dairy products are a healthy source of many nutrients, including Vitamin D. A new research study now shows a link between levels of Vitamin D and a lower risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). While researchers are still being conservative in their recommendations, this study has been a positive media story for the dairy industry.

A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health offers some of the strongest evidence yet that people with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood were at lower risk for later developing the disease. Researchers found that among white people, the risk for multiple sclerosis was lowest among those with the highest vitamin D levels, and highest for those with the lowest vitamin D levels. Among black people, who researchers say have a naturally lower level of vitamin D in their blood because of the pigment in their skin, no significant associations between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis risk were found.

“We established with a certain degree of confidence that people with high vitamin D levels have a lower risk of developing MS. What we don’t know for sure if increasing their vitamin D levels will actually prevent MS,” said study author Dr. Alberto Ascherio of the Harvard School of Public Health.

Vitamin D is unique. The fat-soluble vitamin is found naturally in foods such as milk, cheese, fish and fortified juices and cereals. It can also be produced in the body by exposure to sunlight. More is not better: The Institute of Medicine warns that excessive intake of supplemental vitamin D can have serious, toxic effects on the body, including excessive calcium levels in the blood, high blood pressure, nausea, poor appetite, weakness, constipation, impaired kidney function and kidney damage.

Winning Milk Carton Designs

News EditorEducation

milk carton designPrairie Farms, a milk cooperative in the midwest, recently held a fun contest for kids. “Holy Cow! Milk Tastes Great” promotion asked grade school kids to design a milk carton. Congrats to Allison, 5th Grade, Gateway Elementary, Grades 1-7 Grand Prize Winner and Chrissy, 10th Grade, O’Fallon Township High School, Grades 8-12 Grand Prize Winner. You can see Chrissy’s design here, to see the other winning designs, visit this site.

Celebrity Farmers

News EditorMedia

A visit to your local supermarket or farmers market will show you this story in action.

The Ricker family of Maine makes for unlikely celebrities. Photographs of the farming family—with 70-year-old patriarch Don Ricker, his three sons, four grandchildren, an infant great-grandson, and the family’s mutt—adorn local supermarkets, from Wal-Mart (WMT) to the local Hannaford chain, proclaiming that the juicy red McIntosh apples come from the local Ricker Hill Farm, which was established in 1803 in Turner, Me., by the newly arrived émigré from Poland, Albion Ricker.

After being pushed out of the spotlight for years, the local farmer is emerging as a new celebrity, a movement to celebrate the local farmer is sweeping the country. At the forefront of the movement has been supermarket Whole Foods (WFMI), which for years has put up photos of local farmers in its stores promoting their produce.

Now many other food chains are also playing up local produce, including Kroger (KR), Publix, and Food Lion, a subsidiary of Brussels-based Delhaize Group (DEG). Currently, Wal-Mart is running a “Salute to America’s Farmers” program across several states to highlight its commitment to purchase from local growers. The interest in local food has led to a dramatic increase in farmers’ markets in the U.S. Today there are 4,385 farmers’ markets in the country, an over 50% increase from 2,863 markets in 2000, according to the Agriculture Dept.

World Ag Expo Turning 40

Chuck ZimmermanFarm Show

World Ag Expo is 40In case you didn’t know it, the World Ag Expo is turning 40. That’s not old though, I’m here to tell you.

The 40th World Ag Expo is just around the corner! The largest agriculture exposition in the world has something to offer every farmer, rancher, dairy producer or agribusiness professional. For the latest information and media resources, please visit our website at www.worldagexpo.com. At the 40th Expo farmers can take in informative sessions in the Seminar Center and Dairy Profit Seminars, and have direct contact with the best equipment and technology on the market. In addition to special demonstrations in the World Ag Women pavilion, and cutting-edge dairy farming technology showcased in the 80,000-square foot Dairy Center.

2007 World Ag Expo

Where: International Agri-Center- 4450 South Laspina Street, Tulare, CA 93274 (Located in California’s Central Valley, 45 miles south of Fresno and 60 miles north of Bakersfield, just off Highway 99. Airfields are located in Tulare, Visalia, Fresno and Bakersfield.)

When: February 13,14,15, 2007 (the second Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of February)

Cost: $9 General Admission; $24 for 3-Day Pass

Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday- 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Contact: (800) 999-9186; Fax (559) 686-5065; email info@farmshow.org

New Procurement Officer at Dean Foods

News EditorDairy Business, Industry News

Dean Foods has named Brad Holcomb to be senior vice president and chief procurement officer for the company’s Dairy Group. Holcomb comes to the company with an extensive resume – welcome to the dairy industry Brad!

Holcomb joins the company from the turnaround management team at Royal Group Technologies Limited, a producer of polymer-based building materials, where he was senior vice president of global materials and supply.

At RGTL he had responsibilities for RGTL’s chemicals plants in North America and operations in China, and he managed procurement and supply as well as the overall project management function for the company. Prior to RGTL, Holcomb served for five years as vice president and chief procurement officer for Waste Management, North America’s largest waste disposal company, headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Holcomb previously led procurement and supply management organizations in two other companies. Prior to Waste Management, Holcomb was vice president of supply chain management at American Precision Industries, headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and was vice president of global procurement and materials management at Praxair, Inc., headquartered in Danbury, Conn. Holcomb’s earlier career was with Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, N.Y., where he spent over 20 years and held a broad range of management positions, including production control, manufacturing, international marketing and sales, product development and procurement. While at Kodak, he led the effort to globalize procurement by developing worldwide processes and best practices.

Wisconsin Producers Renew

News EditorGovernment

If you farm in Wisconsin, you are required to renew your premises registrations. Click here to renew online.

As part of the Wisconsin Premises Registration Act, livestock producers in the state must renew their premises registration annually with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Xlick on the premises registration box and log onto your account. The site includes information about the requirements and deadlines.

Another Cooperative Considers Supply

News EditorDairy Business, Markets, Milk

Yet another report of a milk cooperative considering supplying bST-free milk to their buyers. This is an interesting cooperative/producer release.

First, the cooperative:

Illinois-based Prairie Farms may designate some of its milk supply as “rbST-free.” According to a plan under review, producers who don’t treat their cows with rbST would sign affidavits to that effect, and their milk would be diverted to two specially designated “rbST-free” processing plants. Other plants in the system would handle milk from rbST-treated cows. “Prairie Farms has not banned the use of BST,” Ed Mullins, CEO of the cooperative, told a group of dairy producers Monday. (Please see item below.)

Now, the dairy producers:

Dairy producers in Illinois met Monday to discuss the use of bovine somatotropin — in hopes of retaining some control before the issue is decided for them by outside forces. “We wanted to get good reliable information to the dairymen, so a good decision could be made,” said event organizer Boyd Schaufelberger, of Greenville, Ill. One of the speakers, Terry Etherton, head of the dairy science department at Penn State University, said “milk from cows supplemented with rbST is the same as milk from non-supplemented cows.” In other words, all milk is equally safe for consumers.

New Leaders At Alto Dairy

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Business

Alto Dairy CooperativeThe holidays are almost on us but some work is still getting done at Alto Dairy Cooperative.

Barrie Tenpas of Brandon was re-elected as Alto Dairy’s chairman of the board. Other board members receiving leadership positions include Gary DeJager of Brandon, Vice Chairman; Marion Barlass of Janesville, Treasurer; and John Jorasz of Wilson, MI, Secretary.

The membership area of Alto Dairy Cooperative is divided into three districts with four members from each district elected to Alto’s board. Members on Alto’s board are elected by Alto’s producer-members and serve a three year term. Their responsibilities include hiring professional management to manage day-to-day operations, setting policies and procedures, and supervising the progress of the business.

Alto Dairy’s 2007 Finance Committee will be lead by committee chair, Marion Barlass of Janesville, and includes Howard Zellmer of Montello, Dan Vandertie of Brussels, Nancy Meulemans of Black Creek, and Gary DeJager of Brandon. The 2007 Administrative Committee will be lead by committee chair, John Jorasz of Wilson, MI, and includes Randy Bruins of Waupun, Jeff Bradley of Omro, Richard Hell of Westfield, David Goers of Shawano, and Dave Endres of Lodi.

New Alfalfa Varieties From Pioneer

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, Feed, Products

PioneerAs you know, Pioneer Hi-Bred has been a supporter of World Dairy Diary with their Forage Forum podcast. They just announced that they’ve got 3 new alfalfa products for the 2007 planting season.

Pioneer® brand varieties 54R02, 53H92 and 54V09 offer growers specific traits and resistance packages for various growing environments and conditions. 54R02 is a high-yielding, four-dormant variety with good forage quality, and it displays strong winter hardiness and an excellent disease-resistance package.

54R02 includes Roundup Ready® technology and can be used in most alfalfa-growing regions.

53H92, a high-yielding, three-dormant variety, shows exceptional resistance to potato leafhoppers and also has good forage quality. The disease-resistance package for this variety adapts well to areas with annual potato leafhopper infestations from eastern Nebraska and South Dakota to the eastern United States and Canada.

54V09, another high-yielding, four-dormant variety, demonstrates excellent nematode resistance for most western environments. It performs well in winter conditions and has an outstanding disease-resistance package.