Artist Offers Charm for Jersey Youth Scholarship

News EditorJersey Association

jersey jug 2Who wouldn’t want to support dairy industry youth by purchasing a jewerly charm, made especially by cattle veterinarian and jewelry artist Kathy McComb Swift? Her agricultural art gallery, Cow Art and More, features fine art and craft representing the agriculture industry. Now Cow Art and More is partnering with the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA), offering a charm replica of the traditional Jersey jug in honor of the Jersey breed heritage. Cow Art and More will donate 15 percent of the selling price to AJCA to help support future Jersey milk producers through youth scholarships.

“I realize now what impact adult supporters had when I was also a youth involved with cattle. They gave their precious time and monetary support to provide the opportunity for me to grow as a leader in the dairy industry,” states Swift. “I am in a position now to help the next generation and am excited to be able to do so with my artistic abilities.“ The charm is available for purchase in the jewelry section of the Cow Art and More catalog or by calling the toll free customer care number, 888-613-6019. Charms will also be available for purchase at the All American Jersey show and sale in Louisville, Kentucky, November 8 and 9.

Study looks at dairy industry's impact on society

Amanda NolzAgribusiness, Industry News, International

Carol Ryan Dumas recently wrote an article, Study weighs dairy industry’s social impact, published in the Capital Press. The reported study indicates the growth of the Hispanic workforce as a key part on the discussion. This has some interesting findings that are definitely worth reading. Check it out…

Unprecedented growth in Idaho’s dairy industry over the past decade brought both economic gains and concerns about the community impact of a growing Hispanic workforce. Paralleling the industry’s expansion and geographic concentration, Southern Idaho’s Hispanic population has grown by 85 percent since 2000.

Perceptions that foreign workers are overburdening schools, health-care services and the justice system led dairymen to fund a University of Idaho study of the community impacts of a changing industry and a changing demographic. The two-year study, costing more than $60,000, was released this week.

“We asked the university for the study to quantify perceptions and offer solutions,” said Bob Naerebout, executive director of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association. “We wanted the study to try to understand what the actual impacts are. We knew there would be positives and negatives.”

What resulted was a long, complicated study on those community impacts, the only one of its kind, said Priscilla Salant, UI outreach and engagement coordinator and one of the lead researchers.
What the study found was mostly positive, she said.

Automatic Milking: How Effective Is It?

Amanda NolzMilk, Technology

teatclean Here is an interesting look at automatic milking and its effectiveness. Charolotte Johnston with TheCattleSite evaluates the benefits of automatic milkers through four different interviews with producers Tim Gibson, Doug Heintz, John Wolf and Max Warren. This is an interesting look at dairy technology and equipment. Titled, Automatic Milking: How Effective Is It? this article is an interesting read that addresses any concerns producers and consumers might have about these machines. Read on to learn more…

A common myth regarding automatic milking machines is that they disengage the herdsman from the animals, and so neglect herd health.

If this were true, the new Lely Astronaut A3 Next would not have won the 2009 Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers’ Livestock and Machinery Award at this year’s Dairy Event. The award was presented on the grounds of economics, the welfare and close management of milking animals, the reduction of drudgery for family and employed staff, flexibility since it applies to family run and larger units, and the longer-term needs of the dairy industry.

*Photo Courtesy of TheDairySite.

Predicting Changes for Parasite and Vector Induced Animal Diseases

Amanda NolzAgribusiness, Health

arslogo A featured article at the Dairy Site, Predicting Changes for Parasite and Vector Induced Animal Diseases, discusses climate change and the livestock industry. Eric Hoberg, an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) zoologist at the Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville, discusses how climate change could have a major influence on animal health, by affecting parasites and vectors that spread disease. This is an interesting read for anyone in the dairy cattle industry. Check it out.

Climate change can alter an animal’s relationship with parasites and vectors. These changes can influence where parasites and vectors thrive, making certain geographical regions more or less amenable to them. Climate change can also alter when and for how long parasites and vectors pose a threat to agricultural animals. Climate can determine how pathogens are distributed, transmitted and evolve, and can influence the factors associated with emerging disease and how animals respond to those diseases. Significant environmental changes have been well documented in recent decades, and some of these changes are causing trouble for livestock.

Dr. Eric Hoberg is one of many ARS scientists investigating the probable impact of climate changes on agricultural parasites and virus vectors. Their research is generating information that could help producers prepare for and respond to heightened disease threats.

In one study, Dr. Hoberg collaborated with several Canadian scientists to investigate the influence of climate change on parasitic lungworms known as Protostrongylus stilesi in Arctic mammals. Although the lungworms had never before been observed in muskoxen, the scientists observed them in muskoxen that share habitat with Dall’s sheep. Environmental changes that bring the two animals into contact more frequently could result in larger parasite populations.

Lactose Intolerance Study Reveals Rates May Be Significantly Lower

News EditorEducation, Industry News, Milk, Nutrition

headerA new study recently released by Nutrition Today suggests that the prevalence of lactose intolerance may be far lower than previously estimated.

The study, which uses data from a national sample of three ethnic groups, reveals that the overall prevalence rate of self-reported lactose intolerance is 12 percent – with 7.72 percent of European Americans, 10.05 percent of Hispanic Americans and 19.5 percent of African Americans who consider themselves lactose intolerant.

These new findings indicate that previous estimates of lactose intolerance incidence – based on the incidence of lactose maldigestion – may be overestimated by wide margins. Previous studies have found lactose maldigestion, or low lactase activity in the gut, to occur in approximately 15 percent of European Americans, 50 percent of Mexican Americans and 80 percent of African Americans.(2,3,4) The new study shows that lactose intolerance, based on self-reported data, may actually occur far less frequently than presumed.

“There’s so much confusion surrounding lactose intolerance,” said Theresa Nicklas, DrPH, of the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and lead study author. “By getting a better handle on the true number of people who deal with this condition every day, the nutrition community can be better equipped to educate and provide dietary guidance for Americans, including strategies to help meet dairy food recommendations for those who self-report lactose intolerance.”

Study: Nicklas TA, Qu H, Hughes SO. Prevalence of self-reported lactose intolerance in a multi-ethnic sample of adults. Nutrition Today 2009; 44(5):186-187

SOURCE National Dairy Council

Create a Milkdonkulous Video – Win Big!

News EditorGeneral

whitegold“White Gold” the star of the new rock opera, the Battle for Milkquarious, has great news for California high schools – a chance to win $20,000 for their school’s art programs!

California Milk Processing Board’s “the Milkdonkulous Giveaway” asks students to recreate scenes from the online movie, and then post them on YouTube.

High schools must upload their videos by Dec. 20. Winners will be announced on Jan. 25.

Grab a glass of milk and get creative! If you create a video, post a link here in the comments section so WDD can share your “milk-piece!”

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Dairy COOL Act introduced to Senate

Amanda NolzAgribusiness, Government

Here is an update on the Dairy COOL Act, which would add labeling on milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and butter as reported by Heather Thorstensen, an Agri News staff writer. Without a doubt, dairy producers will be keeping a close eye on this act. I’m curious to know your thoughts on COOL and how it might impact the dairy industry. Read on for more details…

Bob Lefebvre, Minnesota Milk Producers Association’s executive director, said his organization is closely watching a bill U.S. Senator Al Franken helped introduce to the Senate Oct. 14 that would expand country of origin labeling to dairy products.

He’s confident Franken (D-Minn.) wants to help dairy producers. He agrees consumers should know where their milk comes from, as long as the legislation doesn’t inhibit exports. The challenge will be potential ramifications if other countries perceive the legislation negatively.

“I’m sure that Senator Franken is aware of that potential, too. It’s just one thing we always have to be aware of,” Lefebvre said.

Franken’s Dairy COOL Act, S. 1783, was co-sponsored by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio). Currently, the COOL law requires some retailers, such as full-line grocery stores, to label the source of muscle cuts and ground meat of beef, veal, pork, lamb, goat, and chicken; fish and shell-fish; produce; certain nuts and ginseng.

Universities Receiving Funding for Organic Research

News EditorGovernment, Organic

usdaAgriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced more than $19 million in grants have been awarded to universities across the country to solve critical organic agriculture issues through the integration of research, education and extension projects.

Merrigan announced the funding in Portland, Maine, and was joined by representatives from the University of Maine, the local grant recipient which is conducting research that will increase farmers’ capacity to produce high quality organic bread wheat. The announcement was made at Borealis Breads bakery where proprietor, Jim Amaral, benefits from the USDA funded research by using the locally produced organic bread wheat that meets the higher quality standards necessary for bread production. Supplying this expanding market for organic bread wheat represents a significant economic opportunity for this region’s farmers.

Launched in September 2009, the ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ includes such major agricultural topics as supporting local farmers and community food groups; strengthening rural communities; enhancing direct marketing and farmers’ promotion programs; promoting healthy eating; protecting natural resources; and helping schools connect with locally grown foods.

Since the late 1990’s, U.S. organic production has more than doubled, but the consumer market has grown even faster. Organic food sales have more than quintupled, increasing from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $24.6 billion in 2008. More than two-thirds of U.S. consumers buy organic products at least occasionally, and 28 percent buy organic products weekly.

The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), funds projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who already have adopted organic standards to grow and market high-quality organic agricultural products. Meanwhile, the Integrated Organic and Water Quality Program funds projects that demonstrate benefits to soil and water availability posed by implementing certified organic practices. Projects combine physical measurements of soil and surface and/or groundwater conditions at the field or farm scale with modeling information generated at the same spatial and temporal scale.

Group Seeks Tax Relief

News EditorIndustry News

ncbaFrom Drover’s Magazine:

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association(NCBA) urged Congress to pass legislation providing additional relief and permanency in the tax code for America’s farmers, ranchers and other small business owners. As part of these ongoing efforts, NCBA is supporting H.R. 3905, the Estate Tax Relief Act of 2009, introduced by Congresswoman Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), along with Representatives Kevin Brady (D-Texas), Devin Nunes (R-Calif), and Artur Davis (D-Ala.). Over a 10-year period, H.R. 3906 would increase the estate tax (“death tax”) exemption to $5 million while decreasing the rate to a level of 35 percent.

Currently, the death tax is set at 45 percent for estates worth more than $3.5 million (or $7 million for a couple). The president’s budget proposed freezing the estate tax at this level so it could be dealt with at a later date. If Congress does nothing, in 2011, it would revert to pre-2001 tax levels, and estates worth more than $1 million would be taxed at a 55 percent rate.

“This bipartisan bill is a step in the right direction towards a permanent solution that will allow farmers and ranchers to better plan for the future of their operations,” said Jill Davidsaver, manager, legislative affairs.” If Congress doesn’t act soon, it will be too late. Allowing the estate tax to revert to pre-2001 levels will be a death warrant for small-to-medium sized family businesses.”

H.R. 3905 would raise the estate-tax exemption through a phased approach, starting at $3.5 million in 2009, and increasing by $150,000 each year until 2019 when the exemption would permanently level off at $5 million. The phase-out of the tax would work the same way: decreasing from 45 to 35 percent by 1 percent increments from 2009 to 2019. The bill is indexed for inflation after 2019.

The death tax is considered one of the leading causes of the breakup of multi-generation family farms and ranches. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS), farm estates are 5-20 times more likely to incur estate taxes than other estates. In fact, according to ERS estimates, one in ten farm estates (farms with sales of $250,000 or more annually) are likely to owe estate taxes in 2009. Most of the time, these assets have already faced taxes two or three times over the course of a lifetime.

NCBA continues to support H.R. 3524, the Family Farm and Conservation Preservation Act, sponsored by Congressmen Thompson (D-Calif.) and Salazar (D-Colo.), as well as additional estate tax relief for agriculture operations in tax extender legislation. NCBA also supported an amendment by Senators Lincoln (D- Ark.) and Kyl (R- Ariz.)—which passed earlier this year as part of the Senate budget resolution—to raise the death tax exemption to $5 million per individual and $10 million per couple, indexed for inflation. While the amendment wasn’t included in the final bill passed in conference, its passage in the Senate demonstrated strong bipartisan support for death tax reform.

Martina McBride Returns to Dairy Queen

Amanda NolzIndustry News

Martina-McBride Be sure to catch Oprah tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. CST to watch Martina McBride return to her old high school job at Dairy Queen. I’m interested to watch this segment and see if any positive comments are made about dairy products. Who could say anything bad about ice cream anyway? Regardless of McBride’s comments, it will be exciting to see CMT and Oprah put together a nice segment on one of the dairy industry’s best customers.

Martina McBride will appear on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show about first jobs on Tuesday (Nov. 3), returning to the Dairy Queen in Hutchinson, Kan., where she worked after high school. In the episode, McBride works the counter and the drive-through window of the restaurant, which is still owned by the same couple who once hired her. McBride also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Oct. 26 during a visit to the State Fair of Texas.