Dairy Advisory Committee in Minnesota

Chuck ZimmermanGovernment

Minnesota Department of AgricultureMinnesota’s dairy industry will now have a new committee to advise the state’s department of agriculture. State Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson announced the committee to provide recommendations for boosting the profitability and competitiveness of Minnesota’s dairy industry.

“Minnesota’s dairy sector faces strong competition, and one of the ways our agency can help our farmers compete is to work with them to improve profitability and efficiency,” Commissioner Hugoson said. “This new committee will have members from across the spectrum of the state’s dairy community, and that broad perspective will help maximize the impact of our dairy profitability efforts.”

The new Dairy Profitability Advisory Committee will advise the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) on ways to strengthen the state’s dairy industry. Specific responsibilities will include reviewing and providing guidance and recommendations for MDA’s dairy profitability and dairy business planning grant programs. In conducting this review, the committee will seek input from profitability team coordinators. In addition, the group will review other MDA resources such as MDA’s existing Rural Finance Authority (RFA) programs that serve dairy producers. Read More

North Dakota Dairy Awards

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group, Industry News

Thanks to the Midwest Dairy Association I just found out that the Milk Producers Association of North Dakota has honored three industry leaders.

The group’s prestigious Milky Way awards were presented to Char Heer, Hazelton, N.D. and Al Nielsen, Rugby, N.D. A Merit award was given to Curt Hanson, Pettibone, N.D. The Milk Producers Association of North Dakota presents the awards annually to individuals in appreciation for, and in recognition of, outstanding contributions to North Dakota’s dairy industry. The group made the presentation during the North Dakota Dairy and Pork Convention in late November in Fargo.

You can still see the program from that convention here (pdf file). I can’t seem to find a website for the dairy group though.

CWT Export Assistance Bids

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group, Export

Cooperatives Working TogetherHere’s the latest announcement from Cooperatives Working Together:

Cooperatives Working Together announced today that it accepted 12 export assistance bid last week for the sale of butter, cheese and milkfat.

The first two bids are from Dairy Farmers of America of Kansas City, MO: one for the export of 152 metric tons (334,400 pounds) of anhydrous milkfat to Panama, and a second for the export of 72 metric tons of mixed cheeses to Japan.

The other ten bids accepted are from Land O’Lakes of Arden Hills, MN: two for the export of .04 metric tons (90 lbs.) of butter and 1 metric ton (2,200 lbs.) of cheese to Panama; two more for the export of 20 metric tons (44,400 lbs.) of Mozzarella cheese and 6 metric tons (13,200 lbs.) of mixed cheese to South Korea; two for the export of 8 metric tons (17,600 lbs.) of mixed cheeses and .5 metric tons (1,100 lbs.) of butter to China; two for the export of 5 metric tons of mixed cheeses (11,000 lbs.) and .4 metric tons (880 lbs.) of butter to the Philippines; one for the export of 7 metric tons (15,400 lbs.) of mixed cheeses to the United Arab Emirates; and one for .5 metric tons (1,100 lbs.) of mixed cheeses to Egypt.

CWT will pay an export bonus to the bidders, once completion of the butter and cheese shipments is verified.

Soybean Site Promotes Agriculture

News EditorEducation, Industry News

SoybeanLogoThis summer, I had the opportunity to meet several soybean checkoff representatives at a tradeshow I attended. They impressed me with the importance they are placing on reaching out to animal agriculture, to build partnerships and to act as avocates. Check out their new website, and you’ll see what I mean.

The importance of animal ag is the focus of a new soybean checkoff-sponsored Web site. The site features factual info for soybean farmers to use in support of the animal ag-business climate. The site focuses on quantifying the importance of livestock and poultry to the soybean industry and contains info on the economic impact of animal ag at the state level, environmental regulation info, and contact info for experts in animal ag and animal welfare.

New Leaders For Dairy Business Association

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group

Dairy Business AssociationHere’s the latest news from the Dairy Business Association from their meeting recently.

The Dairy Business Association ended their 2006 Annual Business Conference Transforming the Dairy Industry: Inspiration, Insight, Ideas on Thursday, November 30, with the election of two new representatives to the board of directors and the re-election of three current members.

John Vrieze, owner of Baldwin and Emerald Dairies, was elected to serve another three-year term. Also maintaining their posts for another three-year term, were dairy producer Jim Ostrom, owner Milk Source, and corporate representative Greg Steele with AgStar Financial Services.

The election brought two new producer members to the board. Dr. Jim Mlsna of Ocooch Dairy and John Pagel of Pagels’ Ponderosa will add to the dairy producers’ perspective.

These individuals will join current producer directors Cris Peterson of Four Cubs Dairy and Jerry Meissner of Norm-E-Lane Dairy, as well as corporate directors Karen Endres, director of communications for Alto Dairy Cooperative and David Crass, environmental attorney from Michael Best & Friedrich.

Invent a Flavor

News EditorIce Cream

MeltingMomentsEast Lancing, Michigan has come up with a unique way to celebrate the city’s centennial – ice cream! Residents can invent a new ice cream flavor that will join the ice cream shop, Melting Moments, line-up in 2007. Can’t wait to hear about the fun flavors!

The competition, sponsored by the city of East Lansing and Melting Moments, is asking people to invent a new ice cream flavor for the city’s 100-year celebration next year. So far, people have come up with about 25 flavors during the contest’s first two weeks, Frey said. “They’re still steadily coming in,” she said, adding that the contest deadline is Jan. 31. The winning entry, already dubbed the “centennial flavor,” could join the store’s other flavors, at least for the next year, Belen said.

Alfred State Photo Wins Cover

News EditorEducation, Industry News, University

AlfredClubPhoto2Agricultural students from Alfred State College will appear on the cover of the DairyBusiness Communictaions Dairy University directory. Great photo!

The Alfred State College’s CAL (Collegiate Agricultural Leaders) Club have placed first in the National Intercollegiate Photo Contest for the 2006 College Directory, and will appear on the cover.

In 2006, Holstein World and DairyBusiness Communications will present their 21st and most comprehensive directory of university dairy programs. This directory is made available for the benefit of prospective students and their families. The 2006 edition includes 37 college and university programs from 24 states and Canada.

Dairyline Markets In Review

Chuck ZimmermanDairyline, Markets

DairylineDairy Markets Week in Review
Cash dairy product prices remain depressed. Block cheese closed Friday at $1.32 per pound, unchanged on the week, but 11 1/2-cents below a year ago. Barrel closed at $1.28, down 2 cents on the week, and also 11 1/2-cents below a year ago. Nine cars of block traded hands on the week and five of barrel. The latest NASS-surveyed U.S. average block price hit $1.3737, up 2.7 cents. Barrel averaged $1.4170, up 2.2 cents.

Butter closed Friday at $1.25, down 2 3/4-cents on the week, 12 cents below a year ago, and the lowest price since late July. 35 cars were sold. Extra Grade nonfat dry milk hit $1.45, up a nickel on the week, while Grade A remained at $1.65. The NASS butter price averaged $1.2644, down 0.6 cent. Nonfat dry milk hit $1.0167, up 1.9 cents, and dry whey averaged 40.13 cents, up 2.6 cents.

Provided courtesy of Dairyline.

Cookie Scents Sour

News EditorDairy Checkoff, Milk, Promotion

A few days ago, we posted on bus shelters in San Francisco being cookie scented as a way to increase milk consumption. It’s too bad that the city’s residents weren’t receptive to the idea! But, I ran across this editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle that seems to suggest not everyone was agaisnt the campaign.

We’re a little puzzled at all the fuss over the cookie-scented signs in bus shelters. It’s true that weird commercial intrusion is upon us. Consider buses shrink-wrapped to look like sneakers, and football bowl games named after pizza chains and car mufflers. We get all that.

But, sorry, how can a bus shelter made to smell like a fresh-baked cookie be such a bad thing? Along with the usual cries about commercialism went at least one new one. A group speaking for the “environmental illness community” said the odors could harm their members. Stamping out cookie odors on behalf of the oppressed would bring the city “one step closer to its greener, healthier and more sustainable present and future.” Cookie scents apparently are moving into the territory of SUVs and coal-fired power plants.

It’s hard to not to wonder if this wasn’t a Madison Avenue lab test. Come up with a goofy idea, nudge it into a hyper-sensitive town and savor the pleasing scent of free publicity. It worked. Now, pass the milk, please.

Increasing Dairy Exports Help US Producers

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Checkoff, Export, General

NAFB Dairy
U.S. dairy exports have doubled in the past decade to now represent about eight percent of dairy production.

California dairy producer Kimberly Clauss, who is secretary of the National Dairy Board, says exports continue to increase.

“We’re already 14 percent above where we were a year ago at this time,” said Clauss. That includes a 28 percent increase in cheese, 24 percent more whey proteins and 18 percent more lactose.

“Our biggest export market is Mexico,” according to Clauss. “But we also have major markets in Asia, Japan, China, the Middle East and Russia.”

Since 95 percent of the world’s population lives outside of the U.S., more markets for U.S. dairy products mean higher prices for U.S. dairy producers.

Listen to an interview with Kimberly Listen To MP3 File Dairy exports (3:30 min MP3)

Pictured is Cindy (left), my wife, who interviewed Kimberly at the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention.