Dairy Markets Week in Review Block cheese plummeted this week and closed at $1.8150 per pound, down 17 1/2-cents on the week, but still 48 1/2-cents above that week a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.90, down 9 cents on the week, but 56 cents above a year ago. Sixteen cars of block traded hands and 10 of barrel. The … Read More
Soda is "Liquid Candy"
This statstic from a recent article posted on CNN.com really jumped out at me: “The rise in soft drink consumption mirrors the national march toward obesity. At the midpoint of the 20th century, Americans drank four times as much milk as soda pop. Today, the ratio is almost completely reversed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, in the … Read More
Complete Census Online
The Census of Ag, performed every five years, is set for updating in 2007. Farmers and ranchers can now fill out their census forms online, at a new website. USDA will mail out census forms beginning Dec. 28 to collect data for the 2007 calendar year. The mailing will include info on how to complete the census online. Whether you … Read More
Johanns Resigns
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns has announced his resignation, with apparanent plans to return to Nebraska to run for a U.s. Senate seat. The Acting Agriculture Secretary will be Chuck Conner, the former Deputy Secretary. Johanns did not announce his Senate candidacy when he appeared with Bush in the White House Rose Garden, but Bush all but did it … Read More
U.S. Yogurt Probiotic Council Formed
The National Yogurt Association (NYA) is creating a probiotics council – another signal the active cultures have achieved mainstream status in North America. NYA’s probiotic council will look to inform on industry standards and regulatory issues. The aim for its founders is for it to become the reference point for the probiotics industry in North America. The concept of friendly … Read More
Winners Announced in Championship Dairy Products Contest
The Championship Dairy Product contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Assn (WDPA), was held September 5 & 6 at the Madison Area Technical College (MATC) Culinary School and September 7 at UW-Madison’s Babcock Hall. The contest received a record number of 360 entries for cheese, butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, sherbet, buttermilk, sour cream … Read More
New foot and mouth cases confirmed in UK
The third case of foot and mouth disease has been confirmed in the UK. Sheep on a farm in southern England tested positive for foot and mouth disease after being slaughtered on suspicion that they were infected, the British agricultural ministry said. Cattle on the same farm were also slaughtered after they displayed signs of the disease, including lesions, with … Read More
Milk Vending in Schools Up
Seven years ago, nearly no secondary schools in the U.S. offered milk vending. By the 2006-2007 school year, 20.5 percent of the schools are offering milk in vending machines. School vending machines are stocked with fewer high-calorie soft drinks today because some states have banned the sale of sodas on campus and the beverage industry is phasing in healthier drinks, … Read More
Silage Innoculants
Silage innoculants are discussed in this segment of the Pioneer Forage Forum, with information provided by Bill Rutherford, research coordinator, Pioneer Forage Additive Research Group. In addition to the much talked about L. buchneri, Rutherford provides information on organisms which also have an important role as components of silage inoculants. He explains why it is important to have multiple strains … Read More
Canadian Border to Open…
The USDA announced the lifting of its ban on Canadian cattle that are 30 months of age or older, starting Nov. 19. The U.S. has banned the older, or “cull cattle,” since Canada reported its first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or mad-cow disease, in May 2003. The U.S. eased restrictions on cattle under 30 months old, which are the … Read More