World Dairy Diary

Tomkins Given Distinguished Service Award

News Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:05:31 +0000

Congratulations to Dr. Trevor Tomkins, founder of venture | dairy, for receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). In making the award, AFIA cited Tomkins’ achievements during his 30-year career as an active member of the U.S. Feed Industry, including his research contribution to the U.S. dairy industry, contributions to [...]

Two New Sustainability Resources Available

News Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:58:47 +0000

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® has two new resources available to advance the industry’s ability to track, improve and communicate sustainability performance and progress across the supply chain. The draft “Stewardship and Sustainability Guide for U.S. Dairy: A voluntary framework for tracking and communicating progress,” which has undergone a thorough review process by representatives [...]

House Ag Committee Supports DSA in Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:31:16 +0000

The House Agriculture Committee came out in support of the Dairy Security Act (DSA) on Wednesday, voting to reject an amendment by Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and David Scott (D-GA) to remove the supply management mechanism of the act. “Supply management is antithetical to the future growth of the dairy industry,” Goodlatte and Scott said [...]

Ag Gag Bills Not Fair

Talia — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:25:08 +0000

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Are so-called “ag gag” bills fair?” Our poll results: Fifty-two percent said No, forty-one percent said Yes and seven percent said I Don’t Know. So most of you feel that ag gag bills are not fair. Do you think answers would be different if we called them “See Something, [...]

Ag Secretary Sees Dairy as Challenge in Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:15:01 +0000

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 15-5 today to approve the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, which includes the Dairy Security Act. The House Agriculture Committee will take up their version of the bill on Wednesday, where an alternative plan to the DSA will be proposed. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told farm broadcasters [...]

Refocus of Calf & Heifer Association

News Editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:50:57 +0000

The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) has announced a strategically refocus of the association’s priorities and industry role. DCHA will be redefining the information and services provided to its members to ensure relevant and progressive training and educational resources are available. These changes will help to further advance the profitability, health and performance of [...]

CWT Export Update

News Editor — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:33:50 +0000

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted four requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) and Foremost Farms to sell 932,556 pounds (423 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese to customers in Asia and North Africa. The product will be delivered May through October 2013. Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives [...]

Farm Bill Markups Begin

Cindy Zimmerman — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:51:16 +0000

The Senate Agriculture Committee meets this morning to consider the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 and the House ag committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow morning to consider their version of a farm bill. Drafts from both committees were released last week. Chris Galen with the National Milk Producers Federation says both [...]

Couric Latest Mustache Celebrity

News Editor — Mon, 13 May 2013 23:49:42 +0000

Katie Couric is the newest milk mustache celebrity! “Even when you have the day off, you still need protein. An 8 ounce glass of milk has 8 grams of protein. A glass worth raising, even on Mother’s Day.” Source: Milk Mustache Campaign

Jersey Youth Awards

News Editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:39:18 +0000

Jersey youth receiving national-level achievement, production and scholarship awards were honored by the American Jersey Cattle Association. Winners in the National Jersey Youth Achievement Contest were Cassandra Chittenden, Schodack Landing, N.Y., first; Cassandra Krull, Lake Mills, Wis., second; Natalie R. Sanders, Hilmar, Calif., third; Kelli Carstensen, Petaluma, Calif., fourth; Kara Maxwell, Donahue, Iowa, fifth; Dylan [...]

DFA Plant Earns Recognition

News Editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:29:38 +0000

The Minnesota Safety Council has awarded a Governor’s Safety Award to Dairy Farmers of America for superior performance in workplace safety and health at the Cooperative’s Zumbrota, Minn. manufacturing plant. DFA received a Meritorious Achievement Award. Since 1934, the annual Governor’s Safety Awards program has honored Minnesota employers with exceptional safety performance. Applicants are judged [...]

USDA to Fund Climate Studies

News Editor — Fri, 10 May 2013 19:25:07 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded $19.5 million to support research, education and Extension activities associated with climate solutions in agriculture aimed at the impacts of climate variability and change on dairy and beef cattle. The University of Wisconsin (UW) in Madison, Wisconsin, received $9.9 million over five years to study the environmental [...]

Studying Affects of Weather and Climate on Cattle

Melissa — Thu, 09 May 2013 21:24:34 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded $19.5 million to support research, education and Extension activities associated with climate solutions in agriculture aimed at the impacts of climate variability and change on dairy and beef cattle. USDA remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. The announcement is one [...]

Coalition of Organizations Support Dairy Security Act

Cindy Zimmerman — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:56:59 +0000

A coalition of more than 50 state and national dairy organizations have sent a letter to members of the House Agriculture Committee urging them to include the Dairy Security Act in the farm bill when they begin mark up next week. The letter states the need for “a financially-sound risk management program to help farmers [...]

Purina Launches Cool Cow App

Talia — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:03:43 +0000

The Cool Cow mobile app puts the tools dairy producers need to monitor and address heat stress at their fingertips. Research shows that cows can begin to show the effects of heat stress at a Temperature Humidity Index or THI of 68. Reproduction can be impacted at a THI of 55.[1] Heat stress and an [...]

Roker Visits Dairy Farm

News Editor — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:36:31 +0000

One lucky dairy farm family in Tennessee had the morning of a lifetime when weather personality, Al Roker, came to their farm to forecast the weather! America’s favorite weather guru visited the Hatcher Family Dairy today as part of a “Wake Up with Al” contest in which three families across the country were selected to [...]

Profile of Perry’s Ice Cream

News Editor — Wed, 08 May 2013 22:26:18 +0000

When the Cornell dairy plant was demolished last year to make way for a new, improved Stocking Hall facility, Akron, N.Y.-based ice cream company Perry’s was the immediate choice to supply the Cornell campus with the frosty treat. The Perry family connection to Cornell goes back generations, when Marlo Perry ’35 took knowledge acquired in [...]

Are “Ag Gag” Bills Fair?

Talia — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:55:24 +0000

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How many generations are you removed from the farm?” Our poll results: Thirty percent say they are “One Generation, My Parents are Farmers,” 23% are Two, My Grandparents Were Farmers, 22% say None, I’m a Farmer, nine percent are not farmers but work in the ag industry, seven percent [...]

Agri-Blogger Intern From Dairy Industry

Cindy Zimmerman — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:26:31 +0000

We are so pleased with the response to our new agri-blogging internship program. It was tough to choose just one for the summer semester, but we finally decided on Maggie Seiler – a sophomore at Kansas State University dual majoring in agricultural communications and journalism and animal sciences and industry. Maggie grew up on a [...]

Clovis Cheese Plant to Expand

News Editor — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:33:38 +0000

Dairy Farmers of America owned Southwest Cheese Co. LLC plant in Clovis, N.M. will soon undergo a $100 million expansion. The expansion will allow for more production of curds and whey proteins, which are used in ice cream, processed cheese sauces and sports drinks and energy bars. Southwest Cheese is one of the world’s largest [...]

CWT Export Update

News Editor — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:28:49 +0000

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 6 requests for export assistance from Bongards and Darigold to sell 1.896 million pounds (860 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. The product will be delivered May through November 2013. Year-to-date CWT has assisted member cooperatives [...]

Canada to Reclassify Mozzerella

News Editor — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:13:25 +0000

Canada is changing the rules used to classify milk that goes into making mozzarella cheese. The new milk class, to take effect June 1, is expected to result in lower costs for Canadian-made mozzarella for restaurants that prepare and cook pizzas on site. The battle to cut the cost of mozzarella for pizza restaurants has [...]

Holterman Wins Scholarship

News Editor — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:53:40 +0000

Congratulations to Taylor Anne Holterman, the recipient of the 2013 Dairy Calf & Heifer Association Scholarship! Taylor is a sophomore studying Life Sciences Communication at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Besides maintaining her studies and working part-time, Holterman manages social media efforts for her family’s dairy operation, Rosy-Lane Holsteins in Watertown, Wisc. She is the daughter of [...]

Perry’s Introduces Lactose-Free Ice Cream

News Editor — Sat, 04 May 2013 15:46:57 +0000

Perry’s Ice Cream Co. Inc. is introducing a lactose-free ice cream. The Lactose-Free Vanilla, which is available at ice cream stands and retail locations throughout New York, Western Pennsylvania, Northeastern Ohio, Vermont and Virginia. Perry’s Lactose Free Vanilla was unveiled with new flavors revealed at company headquarters on March 22 as part of a panel [...]

Bentley New GM at WDE

News Editor — Thu, 02 May 2013 01:49:57 +0000

Congratulations to Scott Bentley, the new General Manager at World Dairy Expo! Bentley brings a wealth of industry experience to Expo. Most recently he was the Global Supply Manager at ABS Global, DeForest, Wis., and previously held positions as Global Dairy Product Manager, District Sales Manager and in Dairy Sire Acquisition. Prior to that, Bentley [...]

Celebrity Media Coverage

Talia — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:20:42 +0000

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Does celebrity media attention sway your purchasing/listening/watching decisions? (e.g. Carrie Underwood supporting HSUS)” Our poll results: Sixty-four percent said No, sixteen percent said Yes, eleven percent said Carrie Underwood Who, seven percent said Depends on the Celebrity, and two percent said Other. It looks like our audience doesn’t make [...]

DFA Plant Receives Award

News Editor — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:30:59 +0000

In recognition of exceptional commitment to quality and customer service, employees at Dairy Farmers of America’s Schulenburg, Texas, facility have been awarded the PepsiCo North American Foods 2012 Service Award for Contract Manufacturing. The award recognizes the Schulenburg team as leaders among 41 contract manufacturing suppliers at 63 locations across the country. The Schulenburg facility [...]

USDA Seeks Dairy Board Nominees

News Editor — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:20:54 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking dairy producer and importer organizations to nominate candidates to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Nominations must be submitted by May 30, 2013. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint 14 individuals to serve on the board. The appointees will replace 12 board members whose terms [...]

ISU Seeks Input on DDGs

Joanna — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:21:53 +0000

Iowa State University is conducting a survey of livestock producers use of feed-related co-products from ethanol production (distillers grains). The survey is focused on the beef, dairy, swine and poultry sectors. It is being funded by a coalition consisting of the Renewable Fuels Association, the Distillers Grains Technology Council and the Corn Utilization Councils from [...]

Blue Bunny Grants Wishes

News Editor — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:53:25 +0000

Wells, makers of Blue Bunny ice cream, is celebrating 100 years through their relationship with Make-A-Wish®, by helping to grant 100 wishes to 100 children with life-threatening medical conditions. Help them!