Cheese To Tunisia

Chuck ZimmermanCheese, Dairy Group, Export, International

Cooperatives Working TogetherThe latest from Cooperatives Working Together:

Cooperatives Working Together announced Tuesday that it has accepted a bid from Dairy Farmers of America of Kansas City, MO, to export 19.2 metric tons (42,240 pounds) of Cheddar cheese to Tunisia. CWT will pay an export bonus to the bidder, once completion of the cheese shipment is verified.

This accepted bid increases CWT’s total cheese exports in 2006 to 1,027 metric tons (2.26 million pounds) of cheese. CWT has also facilitated 859 metric tons (1.9 million pounds) of butter so far this year. Previous shipments facilitated by CWT’s export assistance program have gone to Algeria, Barbados, Denmark, Egypt, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Panama, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Trinidad, Tunisia and Turkey

Posilac Supply To Increase

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, Industry News

Monsanto PosilacAccording to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch story, Monsanto “is beginning in-house production of Posilac, which should ease a two-year-old shortage of the hormone used to boost milk production in cows.”

The story goes on to say that although “Monsanto does not release Posilac market data . . . it sells more than 33 million doses a year.” The hormone product will be made at the company’s Augusta, GA facility.

Dairy Exports Reach A Record

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Checkoff, Export, International

USDECThe U. S. Dairy Export Council had some very positive news to report about exports. Talk about an increase this last 2 years. I wish my investment accounts had done as well.

U.S. dairy export values increased 56 percent in the last two years, reaching a record-high $1.66 billion in 2005. For the second straight year, U.S. suppliers showed they can compete internationally at historically strong prices, according to data analyzed by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) Exporters responded to robust worldwide demand for dairy protein in 2005, the Export Council says. Economic growth in Asia – China in particular – Russia, Mexico and the Middle East created opportunities for increased sales of milk components. The United States took advantage, reigning as the world’s leading supplier of skim milk powder (SMP), whey and lactose last year. (Full Release – pdf file)

The Latest From The National Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group

PDHGAI want to thank Elizabeth LeBrun for sending us information about the Professional Dairy Heifer Growers Association’s Tenth National Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference. I think she may have a little bit of the blogger in her!

The Tenth National Dairy Calf and Heifer Conference finished its second full day today in Visalia, Calif. with dairy professionals from around the country participating to learn new industries techniques while networking with their fellow industry workers.
Wednesday consisted of speaking engagement including six main sessions and six breakouts covering a variety of industry topics including:
• Marketing the Dairy Industry in the 21st Century (Richard Cotta, California Dairies, Inc.)
• Can You Manage Your Employees Like Other Industries Do? (Dr. Tom Fuhrmann, DairyWorks)
• Practical Management Tips for You and Your Employees (Dr. Tom Fuhrmann, DairyWorks)
• Current Status of Immigration Reform (Luawanna Hallstrom, Harry Singh & Sons)
• Do It Right With a Heifer Raising Contract (Fred Silva, J.D. Damrell, Nelson, Schrimp, Pallios and Silva)
• Managing Protocols for Success (Jorge Estrada, M.S., Leadership Coaching International)
• How to be Media Savvy (Charlie Powell, Washington State University)
• Value of an Advanced Gender Selection System for Accelerated Herd Improvement (Tom Bailey, DVM, Monsanto Dairy Business)Read More

Cornucopia Institute Releases Study on Organic Milk

Chuck ZimmermanEducation, Industry News

Cornucopia StudyI was not familiar with the Cornucopia Institute until today when they announced a new study titled, “Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Milk.” I visited their website and was quite happy to see that they’re blogging. They even use the same software as World Dairy Diary. So here’s what their new study is all about:

A smoldering five-year debate in the organic community had gasoline thrown on it when one of the country’s preeminent organic watchdogs released a report this week alleging a handful of leading marketers are shortchanging organic consumers.

The report and scorecard, rating 68 different organic dairy name-brands and private-labels, was produced by The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group. It profiles the growth and commercialization of organic dairying and looks at the handful of firms that now seem intent upon taking over the organic dairy industry by producing all or some of their milk on 2000- to 6000-cow industrial-style confinement dairies.

“Consumers who pay premium prices for organic products do so believing that they are produced with a different kind of environmental ethic, a different kind of animal husbandry ethic, and social justice for family farmers,” said Mark Kastel, Senior Farm Policy Analyst for the Institute and the report’s primary author. “Our report, Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Milk, and the accompanying dairy brands scorecard will empower consumers and wholesale buyers who want to invest their food dollars to protect hard-working family farmers who are in danger of being washed off the land by a tidal wave of organic milk from these factory mega-farms.”

You can find the report here.

DFA Holding Annual Meeting

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Group

DFAAlthough I don’t see any information about it on their website DFA is holding their annual meeting this week in Kansas City. I did find this article in the Kansas City Business Journal though that says that 2005 was a good year, “Revenue was about 5 percent better than in 2004, when the milk marketer took in $8.5 billion.”

Get Your Omega 3-s

Chuck ZimmermanDairy Business, Milk

Omega FarmsWe’ve heard a lot about Omega 3-s and now there’s a milk line from Omega Farms with the healthy stuff. The information gets pretty complicated but you’ll get the point.

Omega Farms has launched the first full line of dairy products with all-natural Omega-3’s, the fatty acids vital to good health and well-being. Now consumers can easily and conveniently obtain two of the most beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids–EPA and DHA–while receiving the nutritional and heart health benefits of high-quality dairy products, including calcium, protein and essential vitamins and minerals.

Omega Farms’ all natural, delicious and nutritious line of products includes Milk with EPA and DHA Omega-3’s, Cheese with EPA and DHA Omega-3’s, Yogurt with EPA and DHA Omega-3’s and Orange Juice with EPA and DHA Omega-3’s.

Patz Launches Truck Mounted Twin Screw Mixer

Andy VanceAgribusiness, Dairy Business, General, Industry News

Patz logo

Patz has unveiled the Model 2400 Truck Mounted Twin Screw Vertical Mixer, the first of its kind fully assembled at Patz. The Model 2400 (950 c. ft.) Truck Mounted Vertical Twin Screw Mixer has a variable speed hydraulic motor that automatically slows the mixing screws down as the load is added to the mixer, helping maintain optimal engine horsepower. It has a mixing capacity of 23,750 pounds.

Company president, Darrell Patz, says this has been the company’s third product launch and the fifth new product produced by the company in the past 17 months.

To learn more about the mixer you can contact Patz Sales, Inc. at (920) 897-2251

Classic iPod Keepsake Winner Announced

Chuck ZimmermanAgribusiness, Promotion

New Holland Welcome to National Agriculture Day on World Dairy Diary. Thank you farmers for providing us with the most abundant and safe food supply in the world. This is the day for the announcement of the winner of the New Holland “Down on the Farm” Classic iPod Keepsake Contest. Thanks to all the people who entered online or at the New Holland booth at Commodity Classic. The random drawing has taken place and . . .

The winner is Marcus Spotts, a corn/soybean farmer from Nora Springs, IA. Congratulations to Marcus.

I caught Marcus on his mobile phone at lunch time to give him the news. You can listen to a portion of my conversation with him here: Listen To MP3 Telling Marcus He Won (3 min MP3)

I want to thank New Holland and Michael Peterson for working with us on this project. It has been fun and we are looking forward to doing it again soon.

Please keep our video iPod keepsake idea in mind. It makes a great and truly unique giveaway item! Can we create one for you?

Smith Dairy Adds 7 Novelty Treats

Andy VanceDairy Business, Ice Cream

Smith Dairy Logo

Smith Dairy Products announced this week that its novelty frozen treat line will expand by seven tasty concoctions. By the end of March, the company will feature a total of 16 novelties due to rising consumer demand, with new features including Round Top Sundae cones, Variety Pack Cones, Neapolitan Sandwiches, Vanilla Party Slices, Stawberry Eclair Cruch Bars, Orange Pop-ups, and Vanilla Mini-Sandwiches. Ruggles indicated that the novelties are currently the “shining star” of the frozen dessert category. Parents concerned about portion control use the novelties both as an aid in weight management and as a guarantee that children receive identical portions of their favorite treats. Smith Dairy is a family owned processor founded in 1909 and operating across the Eastern cornbelt, producing dairy, beverage, ice cream, and foodservice products.