Howard New Bio-Vet Representative

News EditorGeneral

Congratulations to Steve Howard, the new Regional Representative for Bio-Vet, Inc., a company that researches, manufactures and markets direct fed microbial and nutritional products for dairy and beef cattle, small ruminants and horses.

In this position, Steve will be responsible for selling Bio-Vet products in northeast, central and southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and eastern Iowa.

His previous work experience includes positions with several major cattle genetics companies in the Midwest, as well as Genmark in Utah and the Wisconsin Holstein Association. His experience also includes livestock DNA research and sales management.

A Wisconsin native, Steve also owns a livestock mortality insurance agency with his wife, Mary. Steve has spent his entire career in the dairy industry, developing longlasting
relationships with individual dairy clients, salesmen, dealers and distributors. Steve is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science.

Source: Bio-Vet, Inc.

Celebrating the Foster Mothers

News EditorIndustry News

Hoard’s Dairyman is celebrating the magazine’s 125th anniversary this year, and to honor this occasion, a new version of the famous “Foster Mothers of the Human Race” painting will be painted by dairy artist Bonnie Mohr. Hoard’s will be chronicling the painting in a special blog “Bonnie’s Brush with Hoard’s“. Check out the first entry below!

While 2010 marks the beginning of a new decade, it also marks a momentous occasion for Hoard’s Dairyman. On January 23, 1885, William Dempster Hoard launched the first edition of Hoard’s Dairyman. This year, our 125th anniversary, we’ve asked world-renowned dairy artist Bonnie Mohr of Glencoe, Minn., to help us create an updated Foster Mothers of the Human Race painting. With a century and a quarter under our belts, we know this fresh look on the famous Foster Mothers print will be a great launching point for future years of service to the dairy industry. The original Foster Mothers print was created in 1957 followed by updates in 1963, 1991, and 1993 — all of which were painted by former Hoard’s Dairyman Art Director James Baird.

You’ll find this all-new painting on the June 2010 cover of Hoard’s Dairyman. This celebratory issue will highlight landmarks of the dairy industry and Hoard’s Dairyman in the past 125 years. Luckily, you won’t have to wait until June to get a sneak peak of the painting. We’ll be catching up with Bonnie throughout the painting process. Recently, we sat down with Bonnie to visit with her about her excitement for this project.

Source: Hoard’s Dairyman

Defending Biotech Alfalfa

Cindy ZimmermanGeneral

gm alfalfaThe Supreme Court will soon make a decision on whether or not farmers can grow biotech alfalfa – and it could ultimately impact other genetically modified crops.

That’s why the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and several other agricultural organizations have filed an amicus curiae brief with the court in the case of “Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms” regarding Roundup Ready® alfalfa.

The groups urge that the lower courts’ decision to approve an injunction without adequately hearing the key evidence must be reversed “to protect the farmers who choose to grow genetically-engineered crops, as well as the public benefits that agricultural biotechnology brings to producers and consumers around the world.” They argue that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has studied Roundup Ready® alfalfa and found no significant human environment impact and has recommended that farmers be allowed to grow it. APHIS just recently concluded a comment period on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the crop.

This case is important case because it marks the first time the high court has weighed in on the risks of genetically engineered crops. It is scheduled for oral argument on April 27 and a decision is expected from the Court by June.

Read more about the case here from Farm Bureau.

Nominate Your Mom Today!

News EditorCompetition

We all know that Mom is the heart and soul of every family, and no where is that more true than in a farm family. Why not show your appreciate of all your farm Mom does by nominating her for the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year award? Hurry, nominations are due by April 9, 2010.

Behind every American Farm Family is the Backbone of the Operation: The American Farm Mom

Tell us in 300 words or less how your farm mom embodies the caring, values and hard work that make up the family farm way of life. You can even nominate yourself. (Why not? You do everything else.)

There will be five regional winners of $5,000 each. All five will be posted online here where voting will determine one national winner of an additional $2,500.

Source: Monsanto

Iowa Farmers Feed their Community

News EditorDairy Checkoff

Help Iowa dairy farmers give back to their community, up to $30,000, during the Iowa Farmers Feed US campaign. All you need to do is fan the Iowa Farmers Feed US Facebook fan page or become a Twitter follower of @IAFarmersFeedUS. Each new fan and follower will add $1 to the donation milk can. The promotion runs through March 31.

Iowa dairy farmers know a thing or two about giving back to the community. In addition to providing wholesome, nutritious milk for consumption across the state, last month dairy farmers donated $30,000 to Iowa’s food banks to provide dairy products to those seeking community assistance. With the help of the community, the donation could grow to $60,000.

Beginning March 8, dairy farmers will add $1 to their donation, up to $30,000, for every new fan to the Iowa Farmers Feed US Facebook fan page and Twitter follower of @IAFarmersFeedUS. The donation promotion also extends to the Midwest Dairy Association website. For each click received from the homepage to the Iowa Farmers Feed US link, another $1 will be added to the donation. The donation drive will run until Wednesday, March 31 or until a combination of 30,000 new fans, followers and website clicks are reached.

Iowa’s six food banks – Food Bank of Iowa, Food Bank of Southern Iowa, HACAP, Food Bank for the Heartland, Northeast Iowa Food Bank and Riverbend Food Bank, which serve the state’s 99 counties, will purchase dairy foods from Iowa dairy processors as needed over the next 12 months with the money donated by dairy farmers throughout the state. Midwest Dairy Association will also provide ongoing nutrition education materials to food banks for their clients, highlighting the benefits of consuming three servings of milk, cheese and yogurt every day.

Source: Midwest Dairy Association

StollerUSA's Alfalfa Program Features Bio-Forge

News EditorAlfalfa, Biotech

Spring is in the air, and it’s time for dairy farmers to think and plan for the 2010 crop. Read below for information on StollerUSA’s Alfalfa Program.

Stoller’s Director of Bioscience, Dr. Ron Salzman, explained the Stoller technology while reviewing university research results and showing images from field trials. StollerUSA field representative, Don Stork also shared what Stoller’s Alfalfa Program involves and the benefits it delivers.

Stork shared results from a dairy farm that followed Stoller’s alfalfa program. The Vos family of Burlington, Wisc. began adding Stoller products to the foliar insecticide spray application used on their alfalfa. Bio-Forge® is the key to Stoller’s Alfalfa Program, applied approximately seven days after each hay cutting to boost root growth and plant vigor. Bio-Forge is a yield enhancer and stress reducer for all crops. It offsets the negative effects of plant stress caused by drought, excessive moisture, frost, herbicide damage and other crop stressors. Bio-Forge keeps the root systems functioning normally under stressed conditions promoting more normal growth activity. This allows more impressive second cuttings and improved digestibility.

Second generation dairy farmers Ray and Ron Vos, like all dairy farmers, are working to manage their operation by looking for efficiencies and improved ROI. The result of their use of the Stoller Alfalfa Program was exceptionally healthy hay with increased tonnage and feed value. With just four cuttings they calculated 6.7 tons of dry matter/acre.

The increased tonnage allowed them to manage their feed needs efficiently – eliminating the previous year’s $11,000 expense of buying alfalfa from an outside source. In addition, the quality of the feed improved significantly. The second cutting feed analysis of the Bio-Forge-treated alfalfa showed an Relative Feed Value (RFV) rating of 189 with a 21.26% crude protein level. This represents a significant increase from recent regional data showing the average RFV as 145-160. In addition, the Vos operation noted higher milk production – with over 28% of the herd averaging milk production of over 100 lbs/day.

In addition to the short-term feed benefits of applying Stoller products to their alfalfa, the Vos operation anticipates their alfalfa fields will be more productive for many more years to come. New seeding performance offered a glimpse into the hearty nature of Bio-Forge-treated alfalfa fields – with a tall stand and blooms appearing eight days after a hard October frost.

Source: StollerUSA

DFA Dairy Farmers are Committed to Animal Welfare

News EditorAnimal Welfare, Industry News

Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.’s (DFA) Board of Directors and management are taking a series of proactive steps to emphasize its commitment to proper treatment of animals.

“Animal welfare is a critical issue for our members and is vitally important to producing high-quality milk,” said David Darr, vice president of sustainability and public affairs. “We have a responsibility to clearly articulate our expectations regarding animal well-being and, equally important, to help educate consumers about those standards.”

A key initiative is the second round of DFA’s Gold Standard Dairy quality assurance program. DFA introduced the program in 2007 to proactively address the concerns of consumers, retailers and processors who are interested in how food is produced. The on-farm review includes animal well-being, environmental stewardship, employee training, and milk safety and quality. More than 90 percent of DFA member farms have participated in the Gold Standard process.

When the second round of the Gold Standard Dairy process begins in 2010, the program will incorporate measurement criteria from the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program, a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program that demonstrates U.S. milk producers are committed to producing high-quality milk in a high-quality environment.

Further demonstrating its commitment to animal welfare, at its March meeting, the Board approved a resolution affirming that the public image of dairy, including animal housing and care, is of utmost importance to DFA and its dairy farmer members. The resolution states that DFA will continue to emphasize an expectation of proper and caring treatment of animals through individual dairy farm quality programs, the Gold Standard Dairy program, and participation with other dairy industry organizations to establish animal well-being standards for the U.S. dairy industry.

In addition, the Board welcomed special guest Charlie Arnot to its March meeting to discuss the growing consumer interest in animal welfare issues, and how consumer perceptions influence demand and consumption. Arnot is chief executive officer of the Center for Food Integrity and president of CMA, a consulting company that works with companies across the food chain on issues management, communications and public relations.

Source: Dairy Farmers of America

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

Dairyline Markets In Review

Block cheese fell 4 1/4-cents the first week of March, closing Friday at $1.2975 per pound, but that’s still 9 3/4-cents above that week a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.25, down 4 cents on the week, but 3 cents above a year ago. Eight cars of block traded hands on the week and 34 of barrel. The NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price fell 1.4 cents, to $1.4921. Barrel averaged $1.4661, down 3.4 cents.

Thankfully, the butter market remains strong, closing Friday at $1.45, up 4 1/2-cents on the week and 28 1/4-cents above a year ago. Only one car was sold all week. NASS butter averaged $1.3592, up 1.9 cents.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk lost a penny on the week, closing Friday at $1.11. Extra Grade plunged 12 cents, dipping to $1.12. NASS powder averaged $1.0448, down 2.5 cents, and dry whey averaged 38.94 cents, down 0.5 cent.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Domino's Success is Good for Dairy

News EditorCheese

Have you tried an American Legends pizza yet from Domino’s? The pizza, which uses 40% more cheese, is one reason why Domino’s was able to report a profit for 2009, and is good news for dairy farmers.

The improving sales prospects for Domino’s Pizza, Inc., could help deliver a boost for slumping cheese prices. Domino’s, which owns or franchises more than 4,900 U.S. locations, projects domestic same-store sales to increase 1 percent to 3 percent this year from last year, the company said in its fourth-quarter earnings statement today. International same-store sales are expected to rise 3 percent to 5 percent, Domino’s said.

The company’s efforts to retool and promote its pizzas are paying off, resulting in traffic growth in all four quarters of 2009, Domino’s Chief Executive Office David Brandon said. Domestic same-store sales rose 0.9 percent for all of 2009, Domino’s said.

Growth was “most significant” during the fourth quarter, Brandon said in today’s statement. “This positive momentum has continued thus far in 2010, as sales and traffic have increased significantly since the launch of our new core pizza.”

Increased pizza consumption may help trim excess cheese supplies and provide a lift for beleaguered dairy producers still reeling from a milk price crash. Pizza generates about $32.5 billion in annual restaurant and grocery store revenue, and about a quarter of all cheese sold is used to make pizza, according to Dairy Management Inc.

The same-store sales outlook is “some much needed good news for the market,” said Scott Brown, a livestock and dairy economist at the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute in Columbia, Mo. “We must have some demand growth if we want milk prices to move higher and stay higher in 2010.”

At the end of January, U.S. cheese inventories totaled 980.8 million pounds, up 11 percent from a year earlier, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Cheese prices will likely stay below $1.40 a pound for a few months without some additional cheese sales, Brown said. “We have a ways to go yet but this hopefully is the start of good news on the demand front,” he said.

In November, Brandon, the Domino’s CEO, told Dairy Herd Management that using more cheese was yielding benefits. The company’s “cheese-enhanced” American Legends pizzas accounted for a double-digit share of overall pizza sales, and the share is growing, Brandon said.

“When you talk about a product that achieves double-digit mix in its first year of introduction, that is big,” Brandon told Dairy Herd Management.

Source: Bruce Blythe, Vance Publishing

Sargento Introduces Reduced Sodium Cheeses

News EditorCheese

Sargento Foods Inc. has announced the introduction of a new series of Reduced Sodium cheeses! he six new varieties include Colby-Jack slices, Provolone slices, Colby-Jack snack sticks, String snacks, Mild Cheddar shredded cheese and Mozzarella shredded cheese.

The series offer great flavor for health-conscious consumers looking to indulge their passion for cheese, without having to sacrifice taste. With 25 percent less sodium, the new cheeses are worthy substitutes for regular natural cheese in both cooking and snacking. With National Nutrition Month in March, the launch of the Reduced Sodium line comes at a time when consumers are seeking healthier food options.

“With almost 50 percent of consumers reading food labels for sodium content, we’re responding to their interest in lowering their daily intake by offering Reduced Sodium Sargento cheeses,” said Chris Groom, marketing director. “However, we only wanted to launch the line if we could still provide the great tasting natural cheese that consumers love, which this line does successfully.”

Consumers, regulators and health groups are increasingly watching sodium intake as public service organizations are referring to high sodium diets as the single greatest problem in the American diet. The average daily sodium intake is now 4,000 milligrams, which is about twice the government’s recommended amount for the average person. Health experts claim that as little as a one gram sodium reduction in the American diet per day can help, which is equivalent to 25 percent less, matching the decrease in Sargento Reduced Sodium cheeses.

Available in slices, shreds and snacks, the new Reduced Sodium cheeses will be on grocery store shelves nationwide in March. Product information, recipes and snack ideas featuring the Reduced Sodium cheeses are available online.

Source: Sargento Foods Inc.