February 2009 Dairy – Newsbites
EU dairy export subsidy measures require U.S. response, says USDEC
Tom Suber, President, U.S. Dairy Export Council, had this reaction to the EU's notice that it would reactive its dairy export subsidy program: “The EU's actions today will have a major negative effect on world dairy trade.
On a broad level, the reactivation of the EU's large subsidy program will again depress world dairy prices, prolonging the down cycle in which the world's dairy industry currently finds itself and significantly delaying natural market recovery. Specifically for the U.S. dairy industry, it will perpetuate a lopsided playing field, undercutting recent hard-fought export market gains made by U.S. dairy suppliers.
U.S. suppliers will be hard pressed to compete in a market in which the biggest dairy export bloc in the world, supported by massive government handouts, can sell product for hundreds of dollars less per metric ton than suppliers from other countries.”
The European Union (EU) initially suspended export refunds in June 2007, as international dairy prices climbed. But from 2002-2004, export subsidies averaged 523 euros per metric ton on SMP, 949 euros per metric ton on cheese and 1,703 euros per metric ton on butter, artificially depressing world prices.
The bloc has pledged to eliminate subsidies as part of the stalled World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round negotiations; but that agreement has not yet been completed, leaving the EU free to bring them back.
Manure a costly option for dairy’s uncertain green future
Manure and other waste products like leftover whey are heralding a new era for powering cheese production at one US dairy, however the jury is out on the cost and practical feasibility for wider rollouts across Europe.
John Fiscalini, head of both the Fiscalini Farms and Cheese Company, has spent about $4m on constructing a digester at his farm in Modesto, California, designed to use methane from cows’ manure to provide energy for making its cheese products.
Fiscalini said the system, which converts trapped methane released from the manure through an onsite combined heat and power (CHP) unit, can meet the group’s energy and hot water needs, but at some cost.
However, he added that consumer price support and government initiatives would be vital in improving the accessibility of similar technologies in the future.
Fragmented approach
As the dairy industry faces calls on a global scale to find greener alternatives to milk production and processing, the European Dairy Association (EDA) says that many schemes are currently being piloted across the bloc to test the feasibility of greener dairy production.
Dr Joop Kleibeuker, secretary general of the EDA, said that biogas digesters similar to the technology used at Fiscalini Farms were being adopted by some European and global processors.
However, he stated that with similar testing on solar energy and wind farms also being undertaken, discussions were ongoing over the best means of ensuring energy neutral dairy production.
“Right now there is not so much a central European initiative [for environmental processing], with a focus much more member state specific,” stated Kleibeuker.
To view the complete story, visit http://www.dairyreporter.com/Products/Manure-a-costly-option-for-dairy-s-uncertain-green-future/?c=KrRubAp2pXbbL3Aw4NKduQ%3D%3D
MILC Sign-ups: What You Need to Know
Sign-ups for the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program have now begun and extend through the conclusion of the program on September 30, 2012. Production start month selection guidelines are confusing. The production start month selection options available to MILC program participants are dependent on which phase of the signup CCC-580 for the dairy operation is submitted (either "initial" or "extended" signup period). For more information, visit http://westernuniteddairymen.com/content/view/66/51/
California Family Business of the Year Awarded to Rain for Rent
The Institute for Family Business (IFB), celebrating its 20th Anniversary, honored Rain for Rent, celebrating its 75th Anniversary, at the annual Family Business Award ceremony held in Fresno, California. The IFB, a consortium of community members, the Craig School of Business, California State University Fresno, and the Chamber of Commerce, honored the Lake family and Rain for Rent with the California Family Business of the Year Award.
The objective of the IFB award committee has been “to honor and recognize the many achievements of family businesses in our valley.” Of the top ten established, family-owned valley businesses nominated, the committee distinguished Rain for Rent as the top contender.
Rain for Rent, provider of liquid-handling solutions, was founded in 1934 by Charles P. Lake, in Bakersfield, California. Today, the second, third, and fourth generations actively manage the business. Rain for Rent is one of the 15 largest rental companies in the United States; over the past 75 years they have expanded to support over 50 successful locations nationwide. Cynthia Lake, Vice President of Marketing, commented that “the receipt of this award would not have been possible without our customers, employees, and vendors. As a family we strive for excellence, to be a good employer, and to be active, supportive members of the communities in which we live and work.”
Probiotic 'bar-code' could boost strain identification
Identifying the bacteria in a food product – be they probiotic or pathogenic – may be as easy as reading a bar-code, according to a novel technique called optical mapping.
The technique, licensed by Maryland-based Opgen from New York University and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), has implications throughout the food chain, said Noel Doheny from Opgen, from probiotic producers to consumers.
“Optical mapping provides a new level of information about bacterial genomes (content and arrangement),” Doheny told NutraIngredients.com. “For IP submissions, research comparisons or production verification, the high intensity data output provides never before available details,” he added.
The technique works by using a specific enzyme called a restriction endonuclease to cut DNA in fragments at so-called restriction sites, which are specific repeating sequences of nucleotides in the DNA. These cuts then produce restriction fragments which are imaged using photography, and then combined into an overall map to produce a consensus map, which resembles the bar-code system used in retailing.
And since the bar-code is specific for each strain, researchers can use the technique to detect for insertions, deletions, and translocations responsible for most of the variations in microorganisms.
“Optical mapping is a true representation of the bacteria in the product,” said Doheny.
“For the food industry where probiotics are rapidly growing, the optical mapping technology provides component producers, product producers, distributors and consumers a new level of confidence about the organisms used in production,” he said.
To view the complete story, visit http://www.dairyreporter.com/Safety-Hygiene/Probiotic-bar-code-could-boost-strain-identification/?c=KrRubAp2pXYldDGq3Dyd1w%3D%3D
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