Oberweis Dairy Seeks Employee Applications

News EditorDairy Business

new_milkOberweis Dairy, Illinois, has announced that despite the current recession, the company is ramping up its hiring to build a large team of direct salespeople. The company is hiring approximately 100 direct sales representatives to grow its home delivery business.

“We hope to pair a lot of people who need work with our need to get our message out to consumers,” said Joe Oberweis, 4th generation family member and the company’s president. “Even in this tough economy, consumers still demand high quality food products, especially when it’s for their kids. And there’s no higher quality milk than Oberweis. So we’re going to take our message face-to-face, and that takes people. This is a win-win.”

The company’s win-win scenario provides benefits to people who join the team full-time and the opportunity for substantial earnings based on each person’s performance. “In a market where many people need jobs to feed their families, we’re happy to adjust our strategy to fulfill that need and simultaneously help grow our business. This is good news for everyone,” said Lino Carrillo, the company’s vice president for home delivery sales. “It’s certainly not free money, but it’s an opportunity when very few are available today.”

The company is redirecting funds previously invested in other non-advertising marketing efforts to build a team of people to talk directly to consumers. Positions are available in the following metropolitan areas: Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Norfolk, Va. Interested candidates should contact the company via e-mail at salesjobs@oberweis.com.

Having been started on a dairy farm nearly a century ago, Oberweis Dairy focuses on making the best-tasting milk and ice cream available anywhere. The company is famous for milk in its trademark glass bottles as well as its best-in-class smooth and creamy ice cream. The company distributes its products through its 48 ice cream and dairy stores, to thousands of homes through its home delivery service, and through grocery stores. Oberweis is family owned and operated, currently by the 3rd and 4th generations.

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review

The cash cheese market added more strength the first week of August, the fourth consecutive week of gain. Block cheese closed Friday at $1.31 per pound, up 2 1/2-cents on the week and the highest it’s been since late February, but that’s still 45 3/4-cents below a year ago. The blocks are now trading at the government’s new temporary support price.

Barrel closed Friday at $1.29, up 3 cents on the week, 43 cents below a year ago, and a penny above support. Fourteen cars of block traded hands on the week and only two of barrel. The NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price inched up 1.2 cents, to $1.1318, while barrel jumped 3 1/2-cents, to $1.1602.

Cash butter closed Friday at $1.23, down a penny and a half on the week, and 42 cents below a year ago. Twenty six cars were sold this week. NASS butter averaged $1.2246, down 0.4 cent.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at 98 cents per pound, up 7 cents on the week, while Extra Grade remained at 90 cents. The new temporary support price on nonfat dry milk is 92 cents. NASS-surveyed powder averaged 84.13 cents, down 0.9 cent, and dry whey averaged 29.61 cents, up 0.1 cent.

Price support purchases for the week totaled 892,394 pounds of nonfat dry milk. Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) bid acceptances for the week included 826,725 pounds of butter to Africa and the Middle East and 2.2 million pounds of nonfat dry milk to Asia and Eurasia.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Positive YouTube Video on Dairy Education

Amanda NolzCommunication, Dairy Business, Education

America’s Heartland took a trip to a dairy facility that is making a huge effort on behalf of America’s dairy producers. This positive YouTube video really helps explain a dairy farm’s story. From Grass to Glass, Check out this video!

On our travels throughout the heartland weve visited small farms, big farms, and really big farms. But there are some that, in size anyway, simply defy classification.

Why Use Inoculants?

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

Pioneer Hi-Bred Forage Forum PodcastThe most important thing a quality inoculant can do is maintain or retain more of the forage that is put in a bunker. Paul Porter, Pioneer dairy specialist, says that improvement in dry matter recovery can add up to some substantial dollars.

[audio:http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3?http://zimmcomm.biz/pioneer/pioneer-podcast-60-wdd.mp3] Paul Porter on Inoculants (5:30 min MP3)

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

SD Dairy Farm Tours

Amanda NolzAgribusiness, Dairy Business, Education

agunitedAgUnited For South Dakota has helped sponsor open houses for community members to tour local dairy farms. These outreach programs help educate neighbors about dairy production, while celebrating the work of dairy farmers. In the past two events, more than 500 people attended and ate lunch at the Moonlight Dairy open house near Alcester, and more than 750 attended the open house at Oaklane Colony near Alexandria. What a fantastic way to promote dairy!

To take part in upcoming dairy tours, check out information provided at AgUnited for South Dakota. Salas Dairy is the next stop on the list on August 15, 2009 in Parker, S.D. That will be followed by Hilltop Dairy on August 29, 2009 in Elkton, S.D. If you’re in the area and want to take part, everyone is welcome! Enjoy a good lunch, tour the dairy, learn more about dairy production in South Dakota and the importance of dairy in your diet! Sounds like an exciting day to me!

Third CWT Herd Retirement Second-Largest Ever

News Editorcwt, Industry News

cwtlogoCooperatives Working Together announced today that it has tentatively accepted 294 bids in the third herd retirement it has conducted in the last nine months. The 86,710 cows and 1.8 billion pounds of milk accepted in this round, combined with CWT’s previous two herd retirements, equal a total production capacity of 4.8 billion pounds of milk being removed since December 2008.

This is the second-largest herd retirement since the farmer-funded self-help program started in 2003. The previous retirement round completed in July removed a record 101,000 cows and 1.96 billion pounds of milk.

“These two summer 2009 herd retirements, combined with the USDA’s recent price support increases, should result in very positive movement in dairy farmers’ milk prices,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF, which administers CWT.

Farmers in 38 states submitted a total of 312 herd retirement bids last month to CWT. This eighth CWT herd retirement in the past six years was also the first to feature a maximum acceptable bid threshold of $5.25 per cwt. It was also the quickest herd retirement following a previous round, which is an indication “that there is still an interest on the part of our members to use CWT to remove more cows, even though the program has been very active in 2008 and to date in 2009,” noted Kozak. This round is removing 3,104 bred heifers.

Starting next week, CWT field auditors will begin visiting the 294 farms whose bids were accepted, checking their milk production records, inspecting their herds, and tagging each cow for processing. All farmers will be notified no later than August 31, as to whether their bid was among those accepted.

Cabot's Cheesy Tortillas Perfect for Outdoor Activities

News EditorCheese, Media

37455-hi-03511-aCabot Cheese offers up some great, cheesy recipes for all of your summer and fall outdoor activities!

“Outdoor activities like camping and hiking are excellent ways for your family to get lots of exercise and fresh air,” Sara Wing, Registered Dietitian and Health & Education Programs Manager for Cabot Creamery Cooperative says. “But even away from home, there’s no need to load up on junk foods and unhealthy beverages when you can carry healthy treats in your backpack and cook healthy meals while on the trail or camping.”

Cabot’s individually wrapped, three-quarter ounce, 50-percent reduced fat cheddar bars are the ideal snack for hikers and campers. These energy boosters are high in protein, low in fat, and easy to carry on the go.

“One of my favorite recipes for camping, hiking or RVing,” Wing says,” is Cabot’s Cheesy Tortilla Rolls; they’re healthy and easy to make. You don’t need a lot of cooking gear or utensils, and there’s not a lot of cleanup involved when you’re done. That’s something anyone enjoying the great outdoors will appreciate.”

Cheesy Tortilla Rolls
Makes 2 servings

3 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons tomato salsa
1 (10-inch) flour tortilla
1/3 cup Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Jalapeno Cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon minced green onion, green part only
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. In small bowl, stir together cream cheese and salsa. Spread cream cheese mixture over tortilla.
2. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, green onions and cilantro. Roll up tightly. Slice in half diagonally.

Saputo to close Fond du Lac cheese plant

News EditorCheese, Industry News

wedgesSaputo Cheese USA Inc. plans to close its plant in Fond du Lac, Wis. by the end of the year, leaving 39 employees without jobs. Layoffs are expected to occur no later than Dec. 31, according to a plant closing notice filed Monday with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. The decision is part of the company’s effort to improve overall operational efficiency, according to the notice. The Saputo plant produces blue cheese, mozzarella sticks and condensed whey products.

Source: Milwaukee Business Journal

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Drinking Milk in Childhood Extends Life Expectancy

News EditorHealth, Industry News, Research

milk cheersNew evidence suggests that children who consume dairy products may have a lower mortality rate compared with those who do not, according to research to be published in the journal Heart. A 65-year follow-up of a study into the eating habits of families carried out in the 1930s found that dairy products and a diet high in calcium made a difference to how long people lived.

“My father used to say milk was the only true, natural drink,” said Eifion Huws, dairy committee chairman at the Farmers Union of Wales.

In one of the first studies, in 1937-39, the food consumption of children from 1,343 families in England and Scotland were assessed from seven-day household food inventories. The data came from the Carnegie (“Boyd Orr”) survey of diet and health in pre-war Britain.

Now researchers in Bristol and Brisbane, Australia, have carried out a 65-year follow-up study to discover what happened to 4,374 of these children between 1948 and 2005. By 2005, 1,468 (34%) of them had died, including 378 deaths due to coronary heart disease and 121 deaths due to stroke. The researchers looked at two main causes of deaths – stroke and cardiovascular disease.

While warning that other factors may play a part, such as socioeconomic differences, they concluded: “Children whose family diet in the 1930s was high in calcium were at reduced risk of death from stroke.

“Furthermore, childhood diets rich in dairy or calcium were associated with lower all-cause mortality in adulthood.”

Another recent review, in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, made similar findings. It found that dairy products conferred an “overall survival advantage” against vascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

Judith Bryans, of the Dairy Council, said the findings were clear: people who are well nourished will be healthier.

“It has long been known that calcium plays an essential in maintaining normal blood pressure and that in turn is important in terms of reducing risk of stroke and heart disease. Milk, cheese and yogurt also provide potassium, another mineral essential for normal blood pressure.”

Missouri Students Receive Scholarships from Midwest Dairy Association

News EditorCompany Announcement, Dairy Checkoff, Education

The Ozarks and Kansas City Divisions of Midwest Dairy Association awarded four Missouri students academic student scholarships through its 2009 Educational Program. Jacob O’Quinn, Falcon, Brenda Arnold, Drexel, Nathan Bunse, Savannah, and Alex Peterson, Trenton, each received $500 awards. The program is an initiative that helps dairy farm families with the expense of college.

O’Quinn, son of Jan and Dianne O’Quinn, plans to attend Missouri Southern State University to study industrial engineering. Arnold, daughter of Bob and Sharon Arnold, is a continuing student at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Bunse, son of Steven and Carole Bunse, is a continuing student at Northwest Missouri State University. Peterson, son of Brian and Barb Peterson, is a continuing student at the University of Missouri.

“Dairy farmers value checkoff programs that encourage innovation and strive to increase demand and consumption of dairy products,” said Stacy Dohle, industry relations manager for Midwest Dairy Association. “They are dedicated to supporting the education of youth from dairy backgrounds. The educational program is an excellent way for dairy farmers to help support the future of agriculture.”