City Girl Finds Heart in Dairy Science

Amanda NolzDairy Business, Media

Here is a positive feature recently published in the Daily Record, Dairy farms moo-sic to her ears, written by Bobby Warren. A city girl fell in love with dairy cattle and decided to pursue her dreams despite her urban upbringing. Here is an excerpt from this exciting story…

DR103009shoemaker Despite being a “city girl” while growing up in Worthington, Dianne Shoemaker fell in love with dairy cows, and it led to her studying dairy science, becoming a dairy farmer and a dairy education specialist.

As a child, Dianne Shoemaker remembers her parents taking the family to her grandparents’ in Wisconsin. Shoemaker grew up in Worthington, a suburb of Columbus, but loved looking at the dairy cows grazing in pastures along the roadways between Ohio and Wisconsin. Those fond memories of the dairy farms, barns and cows has turned into a career for Shoemaker, who recently joined Ohio State University’s Wayne County Extension Office as a dairy specialist.

While dairy is her profession, it is also her life. She and her husband, Steve, milk 170 head on their Mahoning County farm, where they have a mix of Jerseys and Holsteins. Despite being a city girl, her father told her if she wanted to study dairy, then she should study dairy. So, off she went to The Ohio State University and pursued a degree. (Photo courtesy Daily Record)

Dairy Ag Education Book

Chuck ZimmermanEducation

Dairy BookIf you’re looking for a Christmas present for your kids then how about one that showcases the dairy industry?

Rebecca Long Chaney is proud to announce the release of her daughters’ second children’s book, “Mini Milk Maids on the Mooove.” This book is the second book in a children’s agricultural education book series by five-year-old twin sisters Rianna and Sheridan Chaney and focuses on the dairy industry.

The book highlights the twins personal experiences in the dairy industry including time with their grandfather, a retired dairy farmer; learning about what happens at a dairy farm from birth to milk production; participating in the Pee Wee division of the pretty cow contest at the county fair; joining the 4-H Cloverbuds club; and helping to make ice cream at South Mountain Creamery.

Suit Filed Agaisnt DFA and Dean Foods

News EditorGeneral, Industry News

milk glassA class action, antitrust lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Northeast dairy farmers against the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) and Dean Foods Company in U.S. District Court in Burlington, Vt.

The suit charges DFA and Dean each with monopolizing a level of distribution of fluid milk in the Northeast and forcing dairy farmers to join DFA or its marketing affiliate Dairy Marketing Services (DMS) to survive. DMS and milk processor HP Hood also were named in the suit for aiding DFA’s and Dean’s monopolization and, in the case of DMS for price-fixing with DFA.

Northeast dairy farmers blame DFA, the nation’s largest cooperative, and Dean, the nation’s largest processor, for lowering the price they receive for fluid milk by making DFA and its affiliates the exclusive suppliers of milk to Dean and Hood. Together the two processors bottle about 90 percent of the fluid milk in the Northeast.

“Monopolization and price-fixing have contributed to the milk-pricing crisis dairy farmers — especially small, family-owned dairies in the Northeast — face today,” says Brown. “Many dairy farmers have been forced to choose between joining DFA or DMS or going out of business. If they join, they have to pay to market to their own customers at prices fixed by DFA, DMS and other cooperatives. Meanwhile, major milk processors Dean and Hood, which is part-owned by DFA, enjoy the economic benefits.”

The DFA, DMS, Dean and Hood domination of the milk distribution system resulted from an unlawful series of contracts, agreements and understandings that defied restrictions that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and various state attorneys general offices imposed, says Brown.
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Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review

Cash cheese prices saw little change the last week of October as the temporary increased government purchases prices were likely returned to their previous levels on Halloween Day. The block cheese price closed Friday at $1.51 per pound, up a penny on the week but 9 3/4-cents below a year ago when they plunged 13 cents, to $1.6075. Barrel closed Friday at $1.4875, down a half-cent on the week and 19 3/4-cents below a year ago. Eleven cars of block traded hands this week and one of barrel. The NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price hit $1.4523, up 3.2 cents. Barrel averaged $1.4592, up 3 cents.

Butter closed at $1.41, up 6 cents on the week, but 27 1/2-cents below a year ago. Fourteen cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.2473, up 2.6 cents.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk gained a penny this week, closing at $1.3350, while Extra Grade remained at $1.27. NASS nonfat powder averaged $1.0345, down 1.2 cents, and dry whey averaged 32.64 cents per pound, up 0.6 cent.

There were no price support purchases on the week, leaving the cumulative total on nonfat dry milk at 132,276 pounds. That compares to 24 million pounds that week a year ago. Dairy Export Incentive Program bid acceptances included 462,966 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 123,458 pounds of Cheddar cheese.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Students Receive Scholarships Through Dairy Checkoff

News EditorDairy Checkoff, Education

dairycheckoffDairy producers, through their checkoff investment, awarded 20 scholarships to students throughout the nation who are majoring in degrees with a dairy emphasis and who have shown potential to become future dairy leaders.

The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB), through DMI, annually awards up to 19 $1,500 scholarships to eligible undergraduate students enrolled in programs that emphasize dairy. The majors can include journalism, communications/public relations, marketing, business, economics, nutrition, food science, or ag education. In addition, NDB awards the $2,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding scholarship recipient.

“When selecting scholarship winners, the committee looks for academic achievement, an interest in the field of dairy and demonstrated leadership, initiative and integrity,” said Kimberly Clauss, California dairy producer and NDB chair. “These students represent some of the brightest and most dedicated members of our industry’s future, and it gives us great pleasure to recognize their academic achievements and assist them with their college educations.”

The 2009-2010 $2,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Kaci Probst, who is a student at Eastern Illinois University.

The $1,500 scholarship winners are:
Rachael A. Becker, South Dakota State University
Paula J. Craun, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Leslie German, Oklahoma State University
April Johnson, South Dakota State University
Londa Johnson, University of Wisconsin – River Falls
Heather Jons, South Dakota State University
Ashley Julka, University of Wisconsin – River Falls
Melissa Lax, South Dakota State University
Rosemary R. Liskey, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
Brittany Moorse, South Dakota State University
Kathryn Norling, South Dakota State University
Aaron Palmer, Iowa State University
Rachel Patrick, South Dakota State University
Ana Schweer, South Dakota State University
Nicole Marie Stevens, South Dakota State University
Anna Troester, University of Wisconsin – Platteville
Michelle Vander Linden, South Dakota State University
Samantha Wahls, South Dakota State University
Abbie Wirt, South Dakota State University

New Guardian Vaccine Website

News EditorAnimal Health, Industry News

guardian websiteIntervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health announces the launch of its new Guardian® vaccine Web site, which provides the latest information to help producers and veterinarians prevent and manage neonatal diarrhea, commonly known as scours, in their cattle herds.

“Neonatal diarrhea is the No. 1 killer of beef and dairy calves less than 60 days old, costing producers an estimated $100 million in annual losses each year,” says Kevin Hill, Technical Services veterinarian for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health1. “The economic impact is even greater when one considers the effect this disease complex has on infected calves that survive, causing increased treatment costs, increased labor and care for sick calves, decreased performance, and the potential for a lifetime of production losses.”

Beef and dairy producers, as well as veterinarians, can direct their Web browsers to www.guardianvaccine.com for comprehensive information on the cause of calf scours, how best to manage the problem, and the economic benefits of vaccinating cows and heifers with Guardian prior to calving. Visitors to the Web site can utilize the online calculator to determine the cost savings that can be achieved by vaccinating with Guardian each year. The interactive tool, which includes beef and dairy adaptations, allows users to apply specific herd information to determine the return on investment Guardian vaccine can provide.

Visitors to the Web site also can submit questions to animal-health specialists about calf-scours management. In addition, they can watch video clips from recent RFD-TV LIVE episodes and learn about preventing and managing neonatal diarrhea.
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Managing High Moisture Corn

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Forage, Forage Forum, Pioneer Forage Day, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Podcast

pioneerPioneer Hi-Bred Forage Forum PodcastDr. Bill Mahanna, nutritional sciences manager for Pioneer, discusses ideal moisture percentages for high moisture corn. Mahanna says high moisture corn and snaplage benefit digestion. He also comments on corn particle sizes and inoculants for high moisture corn.

This edition of Forage Forum was recorded at the Pioneer Forage Media day held in September at the Livestock Nutrition Center in Johnston, IA.

Listen to the podcast here:

[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://zimmcomm.biz/pioneer/pioneer-podcast-65-wdd.mp3] Bill Mahanna (4:45 min MP3)

To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.

Senate Panel Hears From Dairy Producers

Cindy ZimmermanGeneral, Government, Policy

Senate Agriculture Committee members this week heard directly from dairy producers, industry groups and processors about what can be done to address the current economic crisis in the dairy industry. Proposed short and long term solutions ranged from the government buying more cheese to complete restructuring of U.S. dairy policy.

senate dairy hearingEric Ooms, a producer from New York, told the panel that while there is industry support for a national pricing solution, producers in his area are against eliminating differentials. “ANY plans that recommend eliminating or lowering the Class 1 differentials should be viewed very skeptically, if not outrightly opposed,” Ooms said emphatically. “With growing emphasis on the importance of regional food systems and local foods, it seems obvious to me that to steer federal policy away from Class 1 differentials is counterproductive.”

senate dairy hearingProducer Paul Toft from Wisconsin, testifying on behalf of the Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), noted the importance of maintaining the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) and the Dairy Product Price Support Program. “Unfortunately, the MILC program by itself is not sufficient,” Toft said. “The price dairy farmers are receiving for their milk is still below the cost of production. They have been losing thousands of dollars a month, even with the MILC program assistance.” He says that AMPI is supporting the concept of dairy price
stabilization.

senate dairy hearingRay Souza of California, president of Western United Dairymen, said the situation for family dairy farmers in his state is dire. For the short term, Souza says WUD recommends USDA buy more cheese to donate to food banks. “I come from an area where some counties have 15% to 16% unemployment. The food banks there sure could use that cheese,” he said. Long term, he says WUD endorses the supply management proposal known as the Holstein Association Dairy Price Stabilization Plan.

senate dairy hearingDoug Nuttelman, a dairy farmer from Nebraska, says the the current economic situation has “redefined dairying.” As a member of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) board of directors, Nuttleman presented a plan that would involve a new approach to dairy policy, including revamping of the federal Milk Marketing Order program and discontinuing the Dairy Product Price Support Program, as well as instituting a dairy insurance program. “As a farmer, I participate in my crop insurance program,” he told the panel. “I’d like to see some type of margin-type program for my dairy.”

Read the testimony of all the panelists at this week’s hearing and watch a video of the proceedings here on the Senate Ag Committee website.

2009 World Cheese Awards Honors Several Calif. Cheesemakers

News EditorCheese

California CheeseCalifornia’s cow’s milk cheesemakers were honored with 15 awards at the 2009 World Cheese Awards, a prestigious international cheesemaking competition hosted October 1-3 in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

The annual competition, hosted by the Guild of Fine Foods, boasted more than 2,000 entries from 34 different countries, including Mexico, South Africa, Australia and Japan. The submissions were evaluated by a panel of judges drawn from 24 nations across the globe. California cheesemakers clearly demonstrated the quality and heritage of California dairy: improving upon last year’s remarkable achievement of 10 awards, seven California cheesemakers were awarded two gold, three silver, and 10 bronze awards at this year’s competition.

California winners in the 2009 World Cheese Awards competition included:

Marin French Cheese Company, Petaluma, received 1st place (Gold) for Le Petit Déjeuner in the “Fresh/cream cheese cows’ milk plain” category; 2nd place (Silver) for Le Petit Crème and 3rd place (Bronze) for Le Petit Camembert in the “Mould ripened, soft or unpressed cows’ milk cheese – plain” category; 3rd place (Bronze) for Wildberry Quark in the “Quark plain or with additives” category; 3rd place (Bronze) for Traditional Brie in the “Brie made from pasteurized milk” category; and 3rd place (Bronze) for Marin French Blue in the “Blue vein cheese any variety, uncut, natural rind” category.Joseph Gallo Farms, Atwater, received 1st place (Gold) for “Provolone Cheese in the Provolone – mild” category; and 3rd place (Bronze) for Mild Cheddar Cheese in the “Mild Cheddar made after 05/31/09” category.Belfiore Cheese Co., Berkeley, received 2nd place (Silver) for Smoked Mozzarella in the “Other smoked cheese – soft/semi soft” category; and 3rd place (Bronze) for Burrata round mozzarella with cream filling in the “All other new cheeses, open to any new cheese first marketed after 10/01/2008” category.Bellwether Farms, Petaluma, received 2nd place (Silver) for Carmody in the “Semi-hard cheese not in any other class” category.Fiscalini Cheese Company, Modesto, received 3rd place (Bronze) for Horsefeathers in the “Processed cheese or Processed cheese spread with additives” category; and 3rd place (Bronze) for Bandage Wrap Cheddar in the “Extra Mature traditional Cheddar made after 05/31/08” category.Cantaré Foods Inc., San Diego, received 3rd place (Bronze) for Fresh Mozzarella Ovolini size in the “Mozzarella, fresh, cows’ milk in ball (large or small)” category.Bravo Farms Handmade Cheese, Traver, received 3rd place (Bronze) for Tulare Cannonball in the “Gouda – made after 09/01/2008” category.

Overall, 37 U.S. artisan cheesemakers were awarded a record 79 medals at this year’s World Cheese Awards. This was the best showing for U.S. cheesemakers in the history of the World Cheese Awards competition.

Supermarket News Examines Pros, Cons of COOL

Amanda NolzAgribusiness, Government, Industry News

SN_Enisbig Fresh Market Editor Matthew Enis with Supermarket News dives into the pros and cons of labeling dairy products in grocery stores. He offers up some interesting insights, and this is your opportunity to share your opinions, as well. Link here to read the entire column and voice your opinion in the comments section.

Earlier this month, U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Russ Feingold, D-Wis., and Al Franken, D-Minn., introduced a bill that would extend mandatory country-of-origin labeling to all dairy products. All three senators have said that a new COOL law would help American dairy farmers compete more effectively in U.S. supermarkets and would help them weather the current economic crisis facing the dairy industry.

In a press release, Sen. Feingold added that “with the discovery last year of widespread use of melamine in Chinese dairy products, consumers deserve to know whether the milk used to produce the dairy products they buy meets the high safety standards used in the U.S.”

Passage of this bill might make some great campaign ads, but it will do very little to help U.S. dairy farmers, and it won’t make the U.S. food supply any safer. According to data from the International Dairy Foods Association, the U.S. did import more than $1.2 billion of dairy products during the first six months of 2009. Fluid milk accounted for $3 million of that total. Yogurt, butter, ice cream, dry milk and condensed milk combined for about $70 million more. To put this in perspective, according to recent IRI data, annual U.S. sales of these products total more than $20 billion. In the U.S., the vast majority of these products are already produced domestically.