New FOOD Group

News EditorIndustry News, Organic

Recently, several organic organizations from Maine to California formed a national network called Federation of Organic Dairy Farmers (FOOD). The group was formed by the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance, the Midwest Organic Dairy Producers Association and the Western Organic Dairy Producers Alliance. Combined, they represent more than 7850 organic dairies across the country. The group met in Wisconsin to discuss issues specific to their niche in the industry, and specifically, seeks to initiate stronger pasture requirements.

They unanimously support adding additional federal regulatory language to clarify that production of organic milk requires that organic dairy animals must consume at least 30% of their food needs (dry matter intake) from pasture for the entire growing season, for no less than 120 days.

Dairyline Markets in Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review
The cheese price roller coaster headed down the week of March 12 as it anticipated Friday’s February Milk Production report. After posting the high for the year so far at $1.3950 on March 9, the block price closed the following Friday at $1.3525, down 4 1/4-cents on the week, but still 17 cents above a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.3575, down 3 1/4-cents on the week, but 22 1/4-cents above a year ago. Eleven cars of block traded hands and 39 of barrel. The NASS U.S. average block price hit $1.3310, up 0.6 cent. Barrel averaged $1.3430, up 0.7 cent.

Cash butter closed Friday at $1.30, down 2 1/4-cents on the week, but 13 cents above a year ago. Fifteen cars were sold. NASS butter averaged $1.2589, up 5.8 cents. Cash Grade “A” nonfat dry milk gained 3 cents on a bid this week and hit $1.57 per pound while Extra Grade remained at $1.45. The NASS nonfat dry milk price averaged $1.1608, up 1.6 cents on the week, and dry whey averaged a record 69.75 cents, up 4.5 cents on the week.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

CWT Accepts 343 Bids

News EditorDairy Group, Export, Industry News

logo_cwt.gifCooperatives Working Together (CWT) announced the results of its latest herd retirement effort today. According to CWT, the accepted bids will remove more than one billion pounds of milk.

CWT announced today that it is tentatively accepting 343 bids from 39 states, representing 54,000 cows which produced 1.03 billion pounds of milk last year. A total of 1,397 bids were submitted to CWT in this round, a larger sum than the combined number of bids submitted in rounds 2 in 2004 (736 bids) and 3 in 2005 (651 bids).

CWT will remove more than one billion pounds of milk, or 0.6% of the nation’s dairy supply, in an effort to help strengthen and stabilize farm-level milk prices. USDA projects a 2.3 billion pound increase in milk production for 2007 and this action by CWT effectively reduces that projection by 45 percent.

The total number of bids accepted by region in this round includes:
Northeast 138 million pounds, 48 farms accepted, 13% of total milk reduction, 7,195 number of cows
Southeast 92 million pounds, 64farms accepted, 9% of total milk reduction, 5,710 number of cows
Midwest 101 million pounds, 122 farms accepted, 10% of total milk reduction, 5,902 number of cows
Southwest 280 million pounds, 56 farms accepted, 27%of total milk reduction, 14,519 number of cows
West 416 million pounds, 53 farms accepted, 41% of total milk reduction, 20,611 number of cows
TOTALS 1.03 billion pounds, 343 farms accepted, 100%of total milk reduction, 53,937 number of cows

Festival for Oregon Cheese

News EditorCheese, Media

OregonCheeseFestThe visit I have planned to DC this weekend will pale in comparision to the Oregon Cheese Festival, March 17 & 18 in Central Point, Ore. The event sounds like a great alternative to the typical Saint Patrick’s day festivities – and a wonderal opportunity for the state’s cheesemakers to showcase and market their product.

Oregon-inspired culinary events, including a Meet the Winemakers and Cheesemakers Dinner, a farmer’s market-style artisan food and wine festival, and a chocolate, wine and fruit fair will kick off with the Oregon Cheese Festival.

“The farmer’s market format will present an interactive experience between makers and visitors, giving everyone an opportunity to talk about the product, the process and learn each individual cheesemaker’s story,” says David Gremmels, owner with Cary Bryant of Rogue Creamery, which is hosting the event. “It’s a way to truly be connected with the source of the cheese being presented.”

At the festival, visitors will be able to shake hands with the cheesemakers and sample cow, sheep and goat cheese from Oregon and northern California creameries, including Fraga Farms, Juniper Grove, Pholia Farms, Tumalo Farms, Tillamook Cheese Co., Willamette Valley Cheese Co., Fern’s Edge Dairy, Rivers Edge Chevre, Ancient Heritage Farmstead, Vella Cheese and Rogue Creamery.

A Dollop of Daisy

News EditorIndustry News, Markets

daisysourcreamDaisy Brand, a popular sour cream brand, has started construction on a new $40 million plant in Casa Grande, Arizona.

Daisy is a family-owned business which began in 1917 when a young man named Louis sold cheese out of a horse-drawn buggy on the west side of Chicago. In the 1920’s, the name Daisy Brand was chosen and Louis diversified by producing and selling multiple dairy products such as yogurt, butter, cream cheese and sour cream for local consumption. Daisy moved operations to Dallas in the 1970’s to specialize in a single wholesome product line, Daisy Pure & Natural Sour Cream. Daisy’s focus resulted in a smoother, creamier, and fresher tasting sour cream than other sour creams on the market.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa Put on Hold

News EditorAgribusiness, Biotech, Feed, Government

MonsantologoMonsanto Company expressed disappointment today for a preliminary injunction issued in a pending lawsuit on Roundup Ready alfalfa. The ruling could have an affect on the planting decisions of producers across the country.

In this case, the court had previously ruled that USDA had failed to follow procedural requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act in granting non-regulated status to Roundup Ready alfalfa under the Plant Protection Act, and would have to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement.

The court has already accepted the fact that Roundup Ready alfalfa poses no harm to humans and livestock. As part of its regulatory filing for Roundup Ready alfalfa in April 2004, Monsanto provided USDA with an extensive dossier that addresses a variety of environmental, stewardship and crop management considerations. Other regulatory agencies around the world, including Canada and Japan, have confirmed the environmental safety of Roundup Ready alfalfa.

The March 12 preliminary injunction order allows continued harvest, use and sale of Roundup Ready alfalfa, but placed limits on the purchase and planting of seed until further hearings are held. Growers who intend to plant Roundup Ready alfalfa and have already purchased the seed as of March 12 may do so if said seed is planted by March 30, 2007. The order also said growers intending to plant alfalfa after March 30, 2007, must plant non-genetically engineered alfalfa and that sales of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed are prohibited after March 12 pending the court’s decision on permanent injunctive relief. The court has scheduled oral arguments on the nature of any permanent injunctive relief in this case for April 27, 2007.

A McCafe and a McMuffin, Please

News EditorGeneral, Milk

McDonaldslogoYou may soon be able to order a fancy latte with your Egg McMuffin, depending on the results of a test period in Michigan McDonald’s. Next week, the company will debut the McCafé, a line of cappuccinos, lattes and mochas, in over 500 Michigan stores.

The drinks, already in many metro Detroit stores, include plain, vanilla and caramel cappuccinos, hot and iced mochas, and hot and iced lattes in plain, vanilla or caramel flavors. Most are offered in small, medium and large (12-, 16- and 20-ounce) sizes. What the company learns from its statewide test will help it fine-tune everything about the product from the types of milk it offers to its advertising strategies.

McBaristas are able to produce a drink made to the customer’s specifications in 40 to 45 seconds because of the highly automated equipment. The machine measures out the correct amount of coffee beans for each individual drink and then grinds and brews them under pressure with 2% or skim milk. It creates a foamy milk top for the drinks — or not — and can add extra espresso if the customer wants a stronger flavor. Syrups are optional.

Raw Milk Gets Attention

News EditorGovernment, Industry News, Milk

Selling raw milk to consumers continues to be a controversial subject. Where do you stand on the issue?

Richard Hebron, 41, was driving along an anonymous stretch of highway near Ann Arbor, Mich., last October when state cops pulled him over, ordered him to put his hands on the hood of his mud-splattered truck and seized its contents: 453 gal. of milk.

Yes, milk. Raw, unpasteurized milk. To supply a small but growing market among health-conscious city and suburban dwellers for milk taken straight from the udder, Hebron was dealing the stuff on behalf of a farming cooperative he runs in southwestern Michigan. An undercover agricultural investigator had infiltrated the co-op as part of a sting operation that resulted in the seizure of $7,000 worth of fresh-food items, including 35 lbs. of raw butter, 29 qt. of cream and all those gallons of the suspicious white liquid. Although Hebron’s home office was searched and his computer seized, no charges have been filed. “When they tested the milk, they couldn’t find any problems with it,” says Hebron. “It seems like they’re just looking for some way to shut us down.”

What raw milk fans most resent is stepped-up efforts to crack down on a personal choice that wasn’t doing anyone else any harm.

Alfalfa Genetics: Winning Percentages

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

Pioneer Hi-Bred Forage Forum Podcast Among seed genetics, alfalfa is a non-conformist. Due to biological limitations, achieving the genetic uniformity that occurs in corn, soybeans, wheat, etc. is not possible. Within each alfalfa variety, there is a range of performance for critical agronomic categories. As explained by Dave Miller, Alfalfa Research Director for Pioneer Hi-Bred, this is why ratings for disease and insect resistance, fall dormancy and winterkill are characterized in the context of average percentages–bag-by-bag, stand-by-stand, plot-by-plot.

Listen To MP3 File Dave Miller on alfalfa genetics (5 min MP3)

To see all archived Pioneer Forage Forum podcasts, click here.
Previous Forage Forum podcasts are also archived at the Pioneer GrowingPoint website. To access them, go to www.pioneer.com/growingpoint and click “Livestock Nutrition” and “Forage Blog.” Those not registered for Pioneer GrowingPoint website can call 800-233-7333 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT for assistance.

New LOL Directors

News EditorIndustry News

landolakeslogoThe Land O’Lakes annual meeting took place February 21-22 in Minneapolis, Minn. The meeting included LOL’s board of directors electing new officers. The elected include several dairy producers.

Pete Kappelman, a dairy producer from Two Rivers, Wis., was re-elected as chairman of the board for 2007. Ronnie Mohr, an agricultural producer from Greenfield, Ind., was re- elected first vice chair of the board. John Zonneveld, Jr. an agricultural and dairy producer from Laton, Calif., was elected second vice chair of the board. Doug Reimer, managing partner of Deer Ridge S.E.W. Feeder Pig, LLC. in Guttenberg, Iowa, was re-elected board secretary. Bob Marley, general manager of Jackson-Jennings Co-op in Seymour, Ind., was re-elected chairman of the board’s Ag Committee. Art Perdue, a manager of Farmers Union Oil Company in Minot, N.D., was elected vice chair of the Ag Committee. Cornell Kasbergen, a dairy producer from Tulare, Calif., was elected to chair the board’s Dairy Committee. Lynn Boadwine, an agricultural and dairy producer from Baltic, S.D., was elected vice chair of the Dairy Committee.