Digest Highlights

mootopia TMR demo

Happy ‘almonds don’t lactate’ anniversary

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) marked the one-year anniversary of then-FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb’s famous observation that “almonds don’t lactate” by reminding the agency it still has not resolved the issue and that citizens who heeded its call for comments with thoughtful responses deserve answers.

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Dave Natzke
Editor / Progressive Dairy

“An almond doesn’t lactate, I must confess,” Gottlieb said July 17, 2018, admitting that the FDA has been lax in enforcing its own rules on the use of dairy terms on products containing no dairy ingredients. “Have we been enforcing our standard of identity? The answer is, probably not,” he said, while pledging agency action in “something close to a year.”

“FDA’s long-standing inaction on enforcing its own standards of identity is perpetuating the marketing of products using milk and dairy terms when those products don’t match the nutritional content of the dairy products they are imitating,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “Dairy farmers have never called for bans on fake food competitors, nor have they called for market censorship. They do want the FDA to enforce its own rules defining what a product is and what it isn’t, in keeping with similar standards enforced in other countries around the globe. The clock is still ticking. We are not going away.”

In January, the FDA concluded a comment period exploring the issue of consumer confusion regarding the nutritional content of dairy products versus plant-based imitators. In February, NMPF filed a citizen petition, offering its own road map offering solutions to how public health, product integrity and free speech could be protected through updated regulations.

Darigold opens sales office in Dubai

Darigold Inc. is seeking expanded export opportunities in the Middle East and Africa, opening a sales office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Benoy Kondoor was named sales director.

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According to the press release, the Middle East region imported $4.8 billion in dairy products in 2018. Of that, the U.S. dairy industry’s market share was about 3%. In addition, nearby north Africa is a major market for skim milk powder, butter and cheese, with Algeria and Morocco having imported $1.5 billion in dairy products in 2018.

Darigold is doing business in Dubai as Darigold FZE. Its office is located at Dubai World Trade Center Complex, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Headquartered in Seattle, Washignton, Darigold is the marketing and processing subsidiary of Northwest Dairy Association (NDA), which is owned by more than 430 dairy farm families in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Darigold handles approximately 10 billion pounds of milk annually, producing a full line of dairy-based products at 11 plants throughout the Northwest.

Darigold previously announced expansion of sales and logistics operations in Mexico.

Beyond calcium: Milk promotes bone health

It’s not just dairy calcium, but several nutrients contained in milk that support bone health, according to research summarized by Brandon Batty and Massimo Bionaz of the Oregon State University Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences.

Bone is often thought of as being relatively static once we reach adulthood. In reality, it is complex and dynamic, undergoing constant change throughout our lives.

“Calcium is often seen as the most important component of milk for bone health, and adequate intake is recommended during adolescence to increase peak bone mass and help prevent osteoporosis later in life,” Batty said. “However, the diverse blend of nutrients in milk have been shown to increase bone health and development. Besides calcium, milk contains biologically relevant amounts of phosphorus, magnesium, protein and vitamin D (due to fortification), which all contribute to bone growth and mineral accrual.”

For example, casein and whey proteins in milk are broken down into peptides with bioactive properties that promote bone formation and decrease bone resorption, as well as having antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties. Lactoferrin can offset estrogen-dependent bone loss, increase bone formation and reduce bone turnover rates.

The authors note knowledge gaps remain and further research into the direct effect of milk on the skeleton is needed.

Their article, “Graduate student literature review: The milk behind the mustache: A review of milk and bone biology,” will appear in the August 2019 Journal of Dairy Science.

Midwest Dairy brings Mootopia to the Minnesota Zoo

Minnesota dairy farmers helped non-farm families gather to play and learn about the life of cows at Mootopia, a real-life dairy experience at the Minnesota Zoo's Wells Fargo Family Farm, June 29.

Coordinated by Midwest Dairy, Mootopia brought local dairy farmers to the zoo to share their farm-to-table stories through a variety of “edu-tainment” activities, including “mooga” (cow-inspired yoga), a coloring station, an interactive selfie photo booth and a cow salad activity that featured ingredients found in a dairy cow’s diet.

In addition to Mootopia’s special activities, the Minnesota Zoo’s Family Farm also leads daily milking demonstrations.

Funded by the dairy checkoff, Midwest Dairy represents 7,000 dairy farm families across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma.

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Global Dairy Trade index improves

The index of Global Dairy Trade (GDT) dairy product prices finally posted positive movement during an auction, July 16. The overall index increased 2.7%, the first improvement since the middle of May.

Prices for most major product categories were higher:

  • Skim milk powder was up 3.8% to $2,505 per metric ton (MT).
  • Cheddar cheese was up 3.3% to $3,869 per MT.
  • Butter was up 1.7% at $4,406 per MT.
  • Whole milk powder was up 3.6% at $3,074 per MT.
  • The next GDT auction is Aug. 6, 2019.

USDA extended acreage reporting deadline in 12 states

The USDA is extending the acreage reporting deadline for farmers in 12 states impacted by flooding and heavy moisture. The new July 22 deadline applies to producers in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin for reporting spring-seeded crops to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices and crop insurance agents.

Filing a timely crop acreage report maintains eligibility for USDA conservation, disaster assistance, safety net, crop insurance and farm loan programs.

Farmers filing reports with FSA county offices are encouraged to set up an appointment before visiting the office. Acreage reports from producers in the affected states who set up appointments before the July 22 deadline are considered timely filed, even if the appointment occurs after the deadline.

USDA is taking additional steps to help producers across the country, including:

  • Updating the haying and grazing date for producers who have planted cover crops on prevented plant acres
  • Offering special sign-ups through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for assistance to plant cover crops
  • Extending the deadline to report prevented plant acres in certain places

Wisconsin accepting 2020 watershed protection grant applications

Wisconsin farmer-led groups can apply for 2020 watershed protection grants through Friday, Aug. 16. The grants are intended to help farmers find solutions best suited for their particular watersheds, based on topography, soil type, types of operations and other factors that differ among regions of the state, and work to increase farmer participation in these voluntary efforts.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will award individual grants of up to $40,000 to producer-led groups that focus on ways to prevent and reduce runoff from farm fields and farmsteads. Applicants must find or contribute matching funds at least equal to the grant request. Grant funds cannot pay for real estate, loans, equipment purchases or lobbying.

Applicants must be groups of at least five farmers whose farms are in the same watershed. Each farm must have produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenue last year or $18,000 over the past three years. Each group must partner with a county land conservation committee, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, or a nonprofit conservation organization, and work with other producers in the watershed to protect surface and groundwater. Both newly formed and established groups may apply.

Since the grants first became available in 2015, DATCP has awarded about $2 million to 28 groups in watersheds.  end mark

PHOTO 1: Christine Leonard of Norwood Young America TMR describes ingredients in a total mixed ration to visitors attending Mootopia, held at the Minnesota Zoo.

PHOTO 2: Other Mootopia activities included cow-inspired yoga, a coloring station and an interactive selfie photo booth. Photos courtesy of Twin Cities Headshots. 

Dave Natzke