Apply Now for BQA Award

News EditorBeef Checkoff

Attention dairy farmers – applications for the third annual National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Award are now being accepted.

The National BQA Award will recognize one outstanding beef and dairy farmer that best demonstrate animal care and handling principles as part of the day-to-day activities on their respective operations. A common trait among all contest entrants must be a strong desire to continually improve BQA on their operations while encouraging others to implement the producer education program.

The National BQA Award is funded by Safeway’s Rancher’s Reserve beef brand and Cargill, and supported by The Beef Checkoff Program. The program promotes beef quality assurance in all segments of the industry, including commercial cow-calf, seedstock, stocker operators, feedlots and dairy operations.

“We’re in the business of caring for animals, and cattlemen and women understand that animal care and producing delicious, wholesome food go hand-in-hand,” noted John Maas, DVM, MS, veterinarian with the University of California at Davis Cooperative Extension, seedstock producer from Northern California and chairman of the Producer Education Committee. “The BQA program is just one example of the many ways that we, as an industry, stand behind this principle.”

Two National BQA award winners will be selected by a committee of representatives from universities, state beef councils and affiliated groups. Nominations can be submitted by any organization, group, or individual on behalf of a U.S. beef producer. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, however the nominees are expected to be involved in the preparation of the application.

Source: Dairy Herd Management and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

New Hay and Forage Tool

News EditorForage

Nikkel Iron Works introduces a new tool for hay and forage producers. Dur-Adjust™ features a dual spring and rod system for DARF Hay Rakes to help harvest a better quality crop.

As an option for the spring and chain assembly, the new system:
• Prolongs the life of key components
• Provides precise height control
• Reduces unwanted wheel lift
• Creates a smoother transport ride.

“Dur-Adjust™ allows growers and producers to harvest a better quality crop, while prolonging the life expectancy of the hay rake. Ultimately, farmers save time and money,” said Bruce Shannon, national sales manager for Nikkel Iron Works. “We’re always trying to improve our products, and the Dur-Adjust™ system makes life easier for farmers.”

Dur-Adjust’s™ dual spring and rod system is easy to adjust and has shock absorption, making the ride smooth during transport, Shannon said. In addition, providing precise height control and reducing unwanted wheel lift are key features of the product.

“Dur-Adjust™ makes sure your raking depth is precise, so foreign materials don’t make it into your crop and deteriorate the quality of your product,” Shannon said. “At the same time, it’s keeping pressure on your wheels to make sure that every inch of your crop is collected – that’s where the money is.”

Source: Nikkel Iron Works

FDA's Sundlof Leaves

News EditorGovernment

The Food and Drug Administration’s director of food safety is leaving the agency for an academic post, the FDA said Monday.

Stephen Sundlof, who has been with the FDA 16 years, will join the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, according to a statement from the FDA.

A veterinarian and research scientist by training, Dr. Sundlof became director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in January 2008. That was partly because his background in toxicology was relevant to emerging food-safety issues, such as the increase in antimicrobial resistance in food-borne bacteria and “mad cow” disease, which was linked to the consumption of some European beef products.

The deputy director of regulatory affairs at the food-safety center, Michael Landa, will become its acting chief.

The food center has been beset with safety crises in recent years including melamine-contaminated milk products from China and several outbreaks of salmonella in produce. In early 2009, the FDA was criticized for reacting too slowly to salmonella found in U.S.-produced peanut butter, which was linked to several deaths and led to recalls of more than 30 million pounds of peanut butter and more than 100 products around the country.

In the wake of these problems, some consumer advocates and members of Congress have called for a separate food-safety agency that would combine the oversight authority of the FDA’s food section and the Department of Agriculture.

Last year, the FDA hired food-safety expert Michael Taylor, who had worked at the agency during the 1990s. In January, he was promoted to a newly created position, deputy commissioner for foods. Dr. Sundlof and Dr. Taylor weren’t immediately available for comment.

Source: Wall Street Journal; Alicia Mundy

Dairy to Remain in China

News EditorInternational

The following information was released by the International Dairy Foods Association:

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today applauded the announcement by China granting the U.S. 30 days to work with Chinese authorities to secure agreement on a new health certificate for food-grade dairy exports to China. Industry leaders also praised the Chinese government for its recognition of the need to allow trade to continue while resolution of this complex issue is addressed by technical staff.

On April 21 the Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) sent a letter to the U.S. government notifying them that due to the lack of an agreed-upon health certificate, China planned to no longer accept U.S. food-grade dairy products as of May 1. There had been no ongoing discussions related to an inadequacy of U.S. certification language prior to the notification.

Swift action by the Foreign Agriculture Service, in close coordination with the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office (USTR), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed the market to remain open and enable trade to continue to flow uninterrupted. The U.S. dairy industry exports billions of dollars of dairy products all around the world; foreign sales last year totaled $2.3 billion. As global trade is one of the most critical components of our industry today, policies that maintain and grow returns to the U.S. dairy sector play a critical role.

IDFA, USDEC and NMPF indicated their intent to work closely with the U.S. government to ensure successful resolution of this issue over the course of the next month and urged attention to the need for careful coordination among the relevant U.S. agencies in order to secure agreement on new certificate language during this period.

Source: U.S. Dairy Export Council, International Dairy Food Association and National Milk Producers Federation

Weekly CWT Export Update

News Editorcwt

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) accepted four bids from Dairy Farmers of America for export assistance for a total of 1,219 metric tons (2.7 million pounds) of Cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack to the Middle East and Asia. The product will be delivered in June and July 2010.

Since CWT reactivated the Export Assistance program on March 18, 2010, it has assisted members in making export sales of cheddar cheese totaling 9,219 metric tons (21.7 million pounds) to 15 countries on four continents.

The Export Assistance program was reactivated when economic analysis indicated that sizeable cheddar cheese inventories overhanging the market are hampering a recovery in producer milk prices. Assisting CWT members in exporting cheddar cheese will provide the most immediate way to positively impact producer milk prices.

CWT will pay export bonuses to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.

Source: Cooperatives Working Together

Students See Sustainable Side of Novus

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Novus International, sustainability

One of the important lessons the students learned during the 2nd annual “Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers” days at Novus International’s suburban St. Louis headquarters and rural Missouri research farm was that Novus is more than just an animal agriculture company. It’s a sustainability company.

Experts say the world’s population will be 9 billion by 2050 … but maybe only half the land used for agriculture now will be available to feed that population in 40 years. The point wasn’t lost on Avila University in Kansas City senior Neemah Ngega. The biochemistry major says she was impressed with how Novus is working to get more food out of shrinking resources for the world’s growing population.

“That’s a crucial point that I don’t think a lot of young people understand … including myself. The more I got engaged today, the more I learned how important of a problem we’re going to be facing as a world, not just a nation. For the science [Novus] engages in to help produce more food, I think, is commendable.”

Born and raised in Tanzania, Africa and moving to this country when she was young has given Ngega a unique perspective. “I think I’ve learned a lot, and there’s so much I could utilize in my future studies and future work… getting other people engaged and teaching other people what I’ve learned today.”

She says Novus’ work to better the world through minimizing the amount of space needed to grow an increased amount of food truly makes Novus a sustainability company. “The more we become better on sustaining not just the food industry, but all around – water, economic, land and people – it’s going to help.”

Listen to John Davis’ interview with Neemah in the player below.

2010 Novus International Science: A Foundation for Dynamic Careers Photo Album

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

Cash dairy trading didn’t see a lot of change the last week of April but the block cheese price closed 2 cents higher, at $1.3875 per pound, 23 1/2-cents above that week a year ago. Barrel closed Friday at $1.38, up 3 1/4-cents on the week, and 29 1/4-cents above a year ago. Only two cars of block traded hands on the week and one of barrel. The U.S. average, NASS-surveyed block price gained 4.7 cents, hitting $1.4384. Barrel averaged $1.4209, down 1.2 cents.

Butter closed Friday at $1.62, up a nickel on the week, and 39 cents above a year ago. Nothing was sold. NASS butter averaged $1.5153, up 2 cents.

Grade A and Extra Grade nonfat dry milk closed unchanged on the week at $1.2975 and $1.25 respectively. NASS powder averaged $1.1774, up 3.4 cents, and dry whey averaged 35.23 cents, down 1.2 cents.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Enslow Middle School National Winners

News EditorDairy Checkoff

Congratulations to the students at Huntington, West Virginia’s Enslow Middle School for winning the national Fuel Up to Play 60 competition! As the national winner, Enslow wins a HOPS Sports System and a cafeteria makeover (valued at $40,000), which will help Enslow’s students make their improvements permanent. The students will also be featured on FuelUpToPlay60.com and NFLRush.com.

Students at schools across the country are taking action for their health, proving that small, yet significant improvements when it comes to eating healthy and getting active can be the first steps toward eliminating childhood obesity. More than 60,000 schools across America participated in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, and students throughout the nation logged the healthy choices they were making for themselves and their school over the course of the year as part of an online challenge.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school wellness program launched by the National Football League and National Dairy Council (NDC) with support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); it empowers students at schools like Enslow Middle School to get healthy and be active by implementing changes. Enslow students held a taste test to add healthy lunch options to their cafeteria and also started a walking club, which helped students incorporate more physical activity into their school day and to track their progress with a walking journal. Huntington is no exception when it comes to soaring rates of obesity among children, as one-third of all American children are overweight or obese.(1) But Enslow students have shown how a program like Fuel Up to Play 60 can help youth take small steps toward developing and maintaining lifelong healthy habits, with the goal of repeating the success seen in Huntington in communities all across America.

Efforts to implement a sweeping overhaul of school food in Huntington have received national attention, but students at Enslow Middle School found success on their own through their involvement with the Fuel Up to Play 60 program. By making manageable changes, students helped each other “fuel up” with nutrient-rich foods often missing from their diets – such as low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains – and “play” for 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

As a private-public partnership effort, Fuel Up to Play 60 shares the ambitious yet attainable goals outlined in First Lady Michelle Obama’s childhood obesity platform “Let’s Move!” which aims to curb child obesity within a generation. In its first year, more than 60,000 schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60. Together with the involvement of supporting organizations – including Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association – the Fuel Up to Play 60 program will further its progress by aiming to reach even more schools nationwide in the years ahead.

“Fuel Up to Play 60 inspired our students and let them know that they have a legitimate say in their health. I think these changes can really take hold, in large part because the students were the ones who determined what would work best for our school,” said Lisa Riley, Enslow’s Fuel Up to Play 60 Program Advisor. “We had too many kids not participating in P.E. class, so our students decided on starting a walking club – not only to get the other students active, but to also help increase their academic performance.”

Source: Fuel Up to Play 60

Three Employees Create Winning Ice Cream Flavors

News EditorIce Cream

Three SUPERVALU employees have used their ice cream creative talent to take home the prize in the the company’s employee “Stone Ridge Creamery Name Your Dream Flavor Sweepstakes.” In addition to receiving free ice cream for a year and a $500 gift card, the winning associates will have their dream flavors added to the Stone Ridge Creamery lineup and their caricatures featured on the carton.

The winning associates and their “dream flavors” are:

* Tom Lindberg, retail technology specialist for SUPERVALU’s supply chain services northern region in Minneapolis, for his “Twisted Pretzel” flavor;
* Amy Youngblood, senior business support specialist at SUPERVALU’s innovation center in Minneapolis, for her “Red Velvet Cake” flavor; and
* Joe Agrusa, direct store delivery receiver at the Albertsons store in Chula Vista, Calif., for his “Italian Kiss” flavor.

All three flavors are now available nationwide at SUPERVALU’s family of grocery stores, including Acme(R), Cub Foods(R), Farm Fresh(R), Hornbacher’s(R), Jewel-Osco(R), Shaw’s/Star Market(TM), Shop ‘n Save(R) and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy(R), as well as at select independent grocery retailers who are affiliated with SUPERVALU.

Last year, SUPERVALU invited associates from across the company to show their love for the company’s private-label Stone Ridge Creamery brand of ice creams, sherbets and tart frozen yogurts by entering their “dream” ice cream flavors in the sweepstakes. The company received nearly 1,500 submissions, of which Lindberg’s, Youngblood’s and Agrusa’s were selected winners.

Lindberg has always been an ice cream lover, so learning that his “Twisted Pretzel” flavor was going to be churned into reality was a true thrill. Lindberg’s “Twisted Pretzel” features sea salt-infused caramel and crunchy dark chocolate-coated pretzel pieces in a bed of rich vanilla ice cream.

“As a kid, I ate ice cream almost every day and put everything imaginable in it, from a variety of syrups and fruits to things like nuts, pretzels and even popcorn. I really like the combination of sweet and salty, as well as having something crunchy,” Lindberg said. “Hands down, however, my favorite thing to put on ice cream is caramel. When the contest came up, I discussed it with my family, and we decided that caramel was mandatory, and pretzels would be good, especially if covered in chocolate. All of my friends and family are so excited and can’t wait to see it on the shelves.”

For Youngblood, the idea of a Red Velvet Cake-flavored ice cream conjured up many happy memories with her family. Her “Red Velvet Cake” ice cream, which will be a first for any major ice cream brand, is deep red in color infused with rich flavors of chocolate and decadent cream cheese frosting.

“Red Velvet Cake has long been a favorite family dessert for any celebration — from birthdays to weddings,” Youngblood said. “I also thought this flavor would be a great choice because Red Velvet Cake itself is a classic, nostalgic flavor that would be a natural addition to the retro feel of the Stone Ridge Creamery lineup. However, it still feels modern and innovative since it’s a flavor not commonly found in ice cream.”

Agrusa came up with “Italian Kiss” after being inspired by memories of growing up in Italy. The new flavor is a blend of chocolate ice cream, hazelnut and dark chocolate chunks, reminiscent of an Italian treat Agrusa enjoyed as a child.

“This is a very intense and complex flavor that I think will have broad mass-market appeal,” Agrusa said. “I am excited about being a winner, and I hope this flavor takes off and generates lots of sales.”

Source: SUPERVALU INC.

If It's Not From Cows, It's Not Milk

News EditorEducation, Milk, Products, Promotion

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) took a stance this week, a decade after it first asked the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to crack down on the misappropriation of dairy terminology on imitation milk products. Not only did NMPF send another petition to the FDA, asserting that the practice has gotten worse in the past 10 years, it also reached out for support through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

In its petition submitted April 29th, NMPF contends that not only have the terms “soy milk” and “soymilk” continued to proliferate, but also other dairy-specific terms like “yogurt,” “cheese,” and “ice cream” are now being used by products made out of a wide variety of non-dairy ingredients.

“The FDA has allowed the meaning of ‘milk’ to be watered down to the point where many products that use the term have never seen the inside of a barn,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. “You don’t got milk if it comes from a hemp plant, you can’t say cheese if it’s made from rice, and faux yogurt can’t be made from soy and still be called yogurt,” he said.

This matter was originally brought to the attention of the FDA in February 2000, when NMPF sent a letter asking that the agency make clear to manufacturers of imitation dairy products that product names permitted by federal standards of identity, including dairy terms such as “milk,” are to be used only on foods actually made from milk from animals like cows, goats, and sheep. The FDA has failed to act on that petition, so NMPF “is again asking our regulators to defend the letter and the spirit of regulations intended to prevent false and misleading labeling on consumer products,” Kozak said. “The use of these terms shouldn’t just be determined by the common and convenient vernacular that marketers prefer; they should be used according to what the law allows.”

As NMPF had predicted ten years ago when it first brought this issue to the attention of FDA, soy “milks” continue to be marketed and sold right along with dairy milks, and now, a bevy of new artificial dairy products has reached store shelves in the past decade. In many cases, these products don’t contain the equivalent levels of nutrients that real milk does.

NMPF’s petition cites examples including imitation milks made from hemp, rice, almonds, and other plants, legumes and vegetables; yogurts made from soybeans and rice; and cheeses made from soy, rice, and nuts. In some cases, marketers use superficial word changes, such as “cheeze,” in an apparent attempt to skirt the standards of identity regulations.

Non-dairy products “can vary wildly in their composition and are inferior to the nutrient profile of those from dairy milk – although they are marketed as replacements for foods that consumers are familiar with and which have a healthful image,” Kozak said. “Although some phony dairy foods may have a passing resemblance to their authentic counterparts, they are very different in nutritional value, composition, and performance from standardized dairy products.”

Source: National Milk Producers Federation