Pipeline
VOL 29, NO 5
Pipeline is the newsletter of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
July 2013
IN T HIS ISSUE
Got an App-titude? .. .............. . .. .. . . . . . .. . . .3. .
Hunger Warrior ... ... ............... . . . . . .. . . . 4
Top Co-op Cooks .. ................. . . .. .. . . . . . 6
Top Shop for Ice Cream ........... .. .. . . . . . .. . . .6. . .
Immigration Reform Update ....... .. . . . . . .. . . . .7. ..
Trading Post. .. .... ................... .. . . . . . .. . . 7
FarmBill Passes Senate,
Faces RoughWaters in House
T
he Farm Bill sailed through the Senate, but hit rough waters in the House of
Representatives last month. House Leadership were able to right the ship by splitting farm program language from nutrition assistance provisions and passed
one of the two sections in early July. e farm program-only bill was approved
216 – 208 with all Democrats and 12 Republicans opposing the measure.
e move was the first time in decades that farm programs and nutrition
assistance known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),
or Food Stamps, were not considered together in a five-year farm bill. That breaks the urban and
rural partnership that has allowed farm economic safety net and conservation programs to make it
through Congress alongside the nutrition assistance that is SNAP.
The lasting effects of the House action this week doesn’t stop there. Also included in the
farm program bill is a repeal of the 1949 “permanent law” that each five-year farm bill has amended
and updated for the past six decades. That law includes, among other provisions, a return to parity
pricing for several commodities, including milk, should a five-year farm bill ever be allowed to expire. at has provided a major incentive for the Congress to write new bills to reform farm programs
throughout the years. There are those in the Congress who want this one to be the last farm bill and
this tactic is seen as a way to set up that scenario.
Farm Bill continued on page 2
Farm Bill continued from page 1
Markets at a Glance
NASS Cheese Prices
The NASS Block Cheddar price for July 6, 2013 is
$1.7220, down 16.6¢ from May 18, 2013, yet the price
is 8.7¢ higher than it was the same week last July.
Class I Mover
Compared to 2009
As could be expected, the response from House Agriculture Committee leaders reflected the
party-line vote. “Today was an important step toward enacting a five-year farm bill that gives our
farmers and ranchers certainty, provides regulatory relief to small businesses across the country,
significantly reduces spending, and makes common-sense, market-oriented reforms to agricultural policy. I look forward to continuing conversations with my House colleagues and starting
conversations with my Senate colleagues on a path forward that ultimately gets a farm bill to the
President’s desk in the coming months,” said chair Frank Lucas (R-OK).
Ranking Member on the committee Collin Peterson (D-MN) said, “The House
Majority’s decision to ignore the will of the more than 500 organizations with a stake in the
farm bill, setting the stage for draconian cuts to nutrition programs and eliminating future farm
bills altogether would be laughable if it weren’t true.”
As for next steps, the House has Food Stamps to deal with and there will need to be a
conference committee with the Senate to work out differences in the two bills. What will become
of the Food Stamp provisions in the farm bill is still to be determined at this time. House
Republican leaders said following the vote on farm programs that they intend to take up nutrition assistance language yet this month.
It will be up to the conference committee to sort through the differences in the two bills
and come up with language that can go back to the House and Senate and pass and then be signed
into law by the President. Conference reports cannot be amended and must pass the House and
Senate “as is.” For his part, President Obama has issued a veto threat for any bill that does not
adequately address Food Stamps. e House survived the rough waters of getting a farm bill started,
but the course ahead is going to be far from smooth sailing.
January’s Class I Mover is $15.20, hovering just above
that of January 2010.
The July Class I Mover is $18.91, down $0.02 from
June. This month’s Class 1 Mover is $3.40 above July
2012. The YTD average is $18.32.
Pipeline is published monthly by
MARYLAND & VIRGINIA MILK PRODUCERS
COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION, INC.
Amber Sheridan, Editor - asheridan@mdvamilk.com
Daniela Roland, Asst. Editor - droland@mdvamilk.com
HEADQUARTERS
1985 Isaac Newton Square West
Reston, Virginia 20190-5094
800-552-1976 phone
757-952-2370 fax
Dial Line 800-485-8067
www.mdvamilk.com
OFFICERS
Dwayne Myers
Jay Bryant
President
CEO, Treasurer & Secretary
R. Steven Graybeal
Jorge Gonzalez
First Vice President
Assistant Treasurer
C. Richard Mosemann Jr.
Barbara Campbell
Second Vice President
Assistant Secretary
NEW Producers April
NEW Producers May
Samuel T. & Ruth E. Swarey, Woodward, Pa.
Wayne B. & Marlene B. Zimmerman,
New Enterprise, Pa.
David S. & Rachel F. Glick, Howard, Pa.
Samuel & Julie Doak, Beavertown, Pa.
Leroy G. & Sadie S. Zook, Paradise, Pa.
Henry P. & Naomi S. Blank, Christiana, Pa.
Clayton & Annetta Shirk, Kutztown, Pa.
Aaron S. & Mary E. Lapp, Peach Bottom, Pa.
Nelson N. Weaver, Manheim, Pa.
Addison D. Dobbs, Greenvile, W.Va.
Eli S. & Lydia A. Smucker, Christiana, Pa.
John A. & Anna S. Smucker, Christiana, Pa.
John S. & Mary S. Lapp, Paradise, Pa.
Sylvan & Mary Lapp, Paradise.
Jay Ivan & Laura Newswanger, Pitman, Pa.
Reu-Hel Farms, Inc., Mohrsville, Pa.
Dennis & Karolyn Aucker, Landisburg, Pa.
Dwayne Keithley, Williamsburg, Pa.
Amos & Malinda King, Christiana, Pa.
David & Arie Smucker, Atglen, Pa.
Daniel E. & Lizzie P. Fisher, Leola, Pa.
White Rock Farms, LLC, Peachland, N.C.
Donald Smith, Loretto, Ky.
NEW Transfers April
NEW Transfers May
Maynard M. Black, Three Springs, Pa.
Pleasant Side Farm, LLC, Berlin, Pa.
Leon & Darvin Hostetler, Belleville, Pa.
William & Susan Sellers, Belleville, Pa.
Welcome!
2
Pipeline July 2013
SMARTPHONeS ARe TAKING OveR.
According to e Pew Research Center,
smartphone subscribership has reached 56% of
all adult Americans. at’s up from 35% two
years ago.
Maryland & virginia members aren’t far behind. A co-op survey conducted last winter
showed 44.3% of members had smartphones
and another 10% planned to purchase a smartphone this year.
What’s most interesting is how smartphone
subscribers use their devices. The International
Data Corporation studied the habits of 7,446
18-44 year old iPhone and Android smartphone owners. They discovered users spent only
16% of their smartphone time on phone calls,
proving that smartphones serve more as computers than phones.
Computers make handy tools for busy dairy
farmers and especially when there are farm appropriate applications. Maryland & virginia
member Matt Hoff utilizes his iPhone more as
his personal computer than a phone, and it is a
key tool to efficiently manage his New Windsor,
Md. dairy and crop operation.
Besides checking email from his phone,
Matt uses quite a few applications, also known
as apps, many of which are free, to help him
around his farm. His favorites include:
e Weather Channel – to check the most up
to date weather forecasts.
Convert units – to convert anything from
weight, temperature, currency and more.
iHandy Level – this free app looks just like
a regular level and comes in handy with any
number of building or construction projects.
SoilWeb – GPS-based, real-time access to
USDA NRCS soil survey data for the iPhone.
e app retrieves graphical summaries of soil
types based on the user’s location.
Ag PhD Field Guide – helps you to identify
problem pests out in your field. You can browse
weeds by name or by photo.
Voltage drop – determines the voltage loss
along a wire so you can choose the right wire size
for your circuit.
Pipeline July 2013
What’s
Your
App-titude?
“Having the weather at hand is the greatest thing
for farmers in the summer when trying to bale
hay and make silage,” noted Matt. “Another great
thing is having the ability to look up anything at
any time on Google or You Tube.”
More apps that Matt has on his phone
include the ez Loan Calc – a loan calculator;
White Pages – a mobile phone book; USA
Today – for checking the latest news;
Bloomberg – for instant access to finance news;
Yelp – to search for places to eat, shop, and lists
of local businesses; Big oven – for those who like
to cook; Dropbox – which lets you bring all your
photos, documents and videos anywhere and
share them easily; and expedia and Southwest
Airlines for travel planning.
“e saying ‘ey have an App for THAT’ is
true for just about everything,” said Matt.
Member Wesley Winterstein of Sudlersville, Md., jots down
notes on his iPad using the Notebinder app.
For the iPad Users
Growing nearly as quickly in popularity as smartphones, iPads and tablets have also become
valuable on-farm tools and there are a number
of apps equally valuable to dairy farmers. Member Wesley Winterstein, of Sudlersville, Md.
recommends NoteBinder, a note taking application for iPad. “I have everything on this tool,”
said Wes, “I like how adaptable it is to any kind
of business and found it very easy to use.”
“I’ve been using NoteBinder since December. It imports farm maps very easily from any
program like Google earth or Map Locater,” said
Wes. “You can draw on the maps with a stylus to
make notes or fence lines, write soil test results,
etc. I have all of our field maps plus all the
maintenance records for our equipment on it.”
Wes added, “being able to write with a stylus instead of typing makes it no different than
my old 3-ring binder, just without being a foot
thick with hundreds of pages in it.”
More than Just Apps
Member Justin Rhodes, of Somerset va., found
a unique way to utilize his smartphone’s camera
capabilities. Justin made a short video about how
to set-up the parlor for milking and how to prep
and milk the cows. He downloaded this narrated
video to the office computer and to his employee’s phone.
App-titude continued on page 6
3
MeMBeR NIAMH MATTHeWS of Garfield, Ga. is as sweet natured and nurturing as any animal-loving, child-rearing farm wife, but
don’t let that fool you. Deep down, she is a warrior leading the battle
against childhood hunger. With the help of a few like-minded spirited
friends, Niamh founded Weekend Blessings, a program that sends
needy children home with a backpack filled with nutritious snacks and
small meals each weekend.
Her call to arms is the face of childhood hunger in her community
of emanuel County. Statistics show that 30.3% percent of the children in her county are considered food insecure, which means they do
not always know where they will find their next meal.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
16.7 million children under 18 in the United States live in this condition.
And Georgia has the seventh highest childhood food insecurity rate in the
U.S., affecting 28.8% of children in the state.
With a hefty percentage of local elementary school students utilizing
the free school lunch program, Niamh and her fellow soldiers Angel Lane
and Courtney Wells, plus several dedicated school counselors and teachers in their community, devised a way to stretch the meal gap between
Friday dismissal and Monday’s starting bell.
eir solution, Weekend Blessings, is a backpack feeding program
that supplies needy children with nutritious snacks and small meals on
the weekends. “We had heard about similar programs in other places and
felt we had a great need in our county as well,” said Angel.
e trio worked with the Board of education and with Brandi Beal,
the Twin City elementary school counselor, to get the program off the
ground. ey sent their first backpacks home the week before anksgiving last year. “We started out small,” said Niamh, “e first backpacks
were donated by Southeastern Technical College and at first we only sent
backpacks home with 38 children.”
e cost of the weekend meals average $3 per backpack per weekend. e packs are filled with two breakfasts, two lunches, two snacks,
and two juices.
“We are really picky about what we buy,” noted Niamh, “We provide
snacks like fruit cups, granola bars with whole grains, pudding or easy
mac and cheese for the calcium, peanuts and juice that has 100 percent
vitamin C.”
One challenge for Niamh is finding suitable shelf-stable dairy products for the backpacks. But according to Angel “Niamh makes sure there
is always a dairy product in the bags each week! Shelf-stable milk is not
always in our budget, but she finds a way to get it in there through
puddings or cheese crackers.” ey have even purchased powdered milk
for backpacks going out during long school breaks.
Fueling the Fight
Weekend Blessings is completely reliant on donations. Niamh, Angel and
Courtney have received grants and assistance from local businesses,
churches, clubs and individuals. One hundred percent of the donations go
to the program and the purchase of food.
“We were thrilled when the local Kiwanis Club took us on as one of
their charities,” said Niamh. With a small budget, the $200 Kiwanis
donation will go a long way. “We have been blessed to be a part of such
a generous community, they have welcomed and supported this program
tremendously,” said Angel.
All three friends shop weekly with coupons and price matching arguments at the ready to make sure they receive the best deal on the food
they buy. Several volunteers help collect coupons, assist with food storage
and packing. “It’s a way for people to give back that may not be able to
give financially,” said Angel, “It takes a lot of dedication, determination
and faith to begin any kind of program like this.”
Coordinating the assembly of over 90 weekend backpacks takes an
army of volunteers to shop, pack and distribute the bags to the schools. At
first Niamh’s kitchen served as Weekend Blessings’ headquarters, then they
used a friend’s cookhouse. Recently a generous local realtor donated office
space for Weekend Blessings to store food and package the backpacks.
Since last November, Weekend Blessings has expanded into the Twin
City High School and another elementary school in Swainsboro, Ga.
Waging
War
Against Childhood Hunger
4
Pipeline July 2013
Teacher referrals identify students in need and enroll them into the program.
“We now have 92 students signed up for backpacks,” said Niamh.
“And we hope to expand the program and become county-wide.” In the
coming year, they are looking at adding programs at the Swainsboro
elementary and pre-kindergarten center.
While there is a great deal of labor involved, both Niamh and
Angel agree that the most difficult part of the program is the emotional side. While the students’ names remain anonymous, Niamh
admits she still worries about the children. All three ladies have found
themselves wondering if the children had enough food to eat. “I’ve
wondered did they like the food in their bag, did anyone tuck them
in or read them a story?” said Angel.
Gaining Ground
A local high school took on Weekend Blessings and the fight against
childhood hunger as their Family, Career and Community Leaders of
America (FCCLA) project last year. FCCLA is a program that guides
students to develop and carry out projects that improve the quality of life
in their communities. e FCCLA students obtained grants for their
project, and helped collect donations and backpacks.
As part of the project, they tracked Weekend Blessings participants.
ey found that besides increased nutrition, some students had increased
school attendance, improved grades, and exhibited overall improvements
in their behavior at school.
Niamh shared that she is also extremely thankful to the many dedicated counselors and teachers who help distribute the backpacks. Brandi
Beal, the Twin City school counselor “gets those bags to the kids without
fail and without drama every week and is just wonderful,” said Niamh.
“When we first started the program, Brandi was so supportive. Her
dedication encouraged us to branch out into other schools.”
The War is Not Over
“My hope is that in five years there won’t be a need for Weekend
Blessings,” said Niamh, “But I know that’s not realistic.” She is, however,
optimistic that Weekend Blessings will become a 501c3 nonprofit organization and will go county-wide. Niamh would also like to find a way to
teach children how to prepare healthy food and she wishes to somehow
incorporate an educational cooking program in their community as well.
“Sometimes Colin [her husband] and the kids suffer through a disorganized house because of my immersion with Weekend Blessings,”
said Niamh. Her two sons, Oisin and Aaron, help stuff backpacks and
are learning the importance of giving back to the community.
Food is the only solution to childhood hunger. “It can be done.
America's kids do not have to go hungry,” said Angel. For now Niamh and
her small but mighty army will continue their fight against childhood
hunger one weekend at a time.
For more information about the program, visit the Weekend Blessings
Facebook page. To donate, send your contribution to Weekend Blessings,
Durden Bank, P.O. Box 160, Twin City, GA 30471.
Pipeline July 2013
Childhood Hunger Stats
16 million American children live in households without consistent access to
adequate food. That’s 1 out of 5 kids. (USDA)
21 million low-income children rely on free or reduced-price lunches for their
nutritional needs on an average school day. (USDA)
10.5 million kids eligible for free or reduced-price school breakfast do not get it.
(Food Research and Action Center, School Breakfast Scorecard)
3 out of 5 K–8 public school teachers say they regularly see students coming to
school hungry. (No Kid Hungry)
4 out of 5 of those teachers say these children come to school hungry at least
once a week. (No Kid Hungry)
A majority of teachers who see hunger as a problem believe the problem is growing.
(No Kid Hungry)
Member Profile
Ferdia Farms LLC
Family Members: Colin, Niamh, Oisin (6), Aaron (4) Matthews
Milking 240 cows with the help of three employees
Colin grew up farming on his grandfather’s dairy farm and Niamh grew up on a beef and
crop farm in Ireland. They moved to the U.S. 11 years ago and farmed in Texas and Florida
before settling on their current farm in Georgia. Colin is involved in all aspects of the
dairy and Niamh helps out when she can around the farm. They are also proud parents
to two energetic boys, Oisin and Aaron.
They named their farm ‘Ferdia’ in honor of an Irish warrior who fought a legendary
four-day battle and was the namesake of their hometown in Ireland. It’s obvious they
brought the fighting Ferdia spirit with them to Garfield, Ga.
5
Maryland & virginia Members
Top National List of “Best Ice Cream Shops”
App-titude continued from page 3
When Justin needs to be away from the farm,
his employee can watch the video if he has an
issue or question. “is is like a video Standard
Operating Procedure,” said Justin. “For my employee, who is Hispanic, the visual aids are more
useful than having written protocols.”
In addition to the videos, Justin also started
taking pictures of all newborn calves. By doing
this, he eliminates the headache of remembering
which calf is which if it loses an ear tag. Justin’s
brother, Anthony, and Justin’s employee also take
pictures of newborns when Justin isn’t in the barn.
Justin is also planning to make videos of
how to take apart and put back together a meter
and how to replace a milk pump. “It seems that
these are the first things that always break when
I am gone, so if my employee has a visual aid to
fix the problem, I would feel more at ease when
I am away from the farm,” noted Justin.
Congratulations to members Kate and Dave Dallam, owners of Broom’s
Bloom Dairy in Bel Air, Md., for being named one of the “top ice cream
shops in the nation” based on the reviews and opinions of TripAdvisor travelers. Open year-round, travelers enjoy old-fashioned, hand-dipped ice
cream that is made right on the farm. Scrumptious flavors include coconut
almond, graham cracker cake batter, cookies and cream, and more. “Name
your favorite flavor – they have it in ice cream. Rich, creamy, and delicious,”
said a TripAdvisor traveler.
Top Co • op Cooks
Fruit and ice cream are delightful together. In honor of National Ice Cream Month, try a
scoop of vanilla bean with a half-cup of fresh blueberries or slices peaches. Or give this
delicious recipe, recommended by the Mid Atlantic Dairy Association, a shot.
✄
Summer Fruit Ice Cream
2 cups pureed fruit –
single or in combination
Bananas
Strawberries – fresh or frozen
Blueberries – fresh or frozen
Raspberries – fresh or frozen
from Chef Diane Ganci
Peaches – fresh, frozen or
canned in fruit juice [drained]
Melon
28 oz sweetened condensed milk
4 cups heavy cream, cold
In a large bowl, combine the pureed fruit and sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beat the heavy cream until it has formed soft peaks and is double in volume. [Note: Place a glass or
stainless steel bowl in the freezer along with the beaters from your mixer until they are very cold. is will
help the heavy cream to whip easier.]
Add half of the whipped cream to the fruit/condensed milk mixture and stir well to lighten the fruit
Taking the Plunge
For those considering a smartphone, Matt Hoff
has some words of advice, “I believe a lot of
farmers are like me. I always have to have something going on or I get bored out of my mind,
so my suggestion would be to buy a smartphone
on a rainy day or before a vacation so you take
the time to learn it right after you buy it,” added
Matt. “Apps are easy to use if you take the time
to sit down and figure them out.”
For more farming apps...
Texas A&M and USDA have an ‘Apps for Ag’
sheet at http://tinyurl.com/puygwlj.
Also, Hoard’s Dairyman has compiled
a list of dairy farming apps. You can find it at
http://www.hoards.com/De/dairy-apps.
FOLD
up. en carefully add the fruit mixture to the remaining whipped cream and fold gently to combine.
Pour the mixture into a shallow glass or stainless steel baking pan. Freeze for one hour. Remove the
pan from the freezer and, using a rubber spatula break up the ice cream until it is smooth. Return the ice
cream to the freezer. Do this two more times waiting one hour between each time you beat the ice cream.
is will break up the ice crystals that are forming and produce a creamy ice cream. You can use an electric mixer or a food processor for this step each time as well. is will make a very light, creamy ice cream.
After the last time you beat the ice cream mixture freeze for 6 hours to make it firm.
THE
Immigration Reform Passes Senate By Wide Margin
T
he U.S. Senate passed its comprehensive immigration reform bill by a margin of
68-32. e vote total fell short of the 70 predicted by advocates but filibusters were
defeated by comfortable margins in the high 60’s on the road to final passage so the
tally was not a surprise.
vice President Joe Biden made a rare appearance in his role as President of the
Senate and Senators voted from their desks. After the vote, Senate Judiciary Committee chair Pat
Leahy (D-vT) said, “Today is another historic day in the Senate.”
FOR SALE
tion and takeWaikato Swing 16 parlor. Waikato pulsa
off controls
Takers.
milke
tarter
Flo-S
atic
Boum
offs with
16-9840.
717-8
Call
ed.
and milk sensors recently updat
WANTED
Double 8, 10, or 12 parallel parlor, complete.
Call 540-867-9659.
p with own tank,
DeLaval vacuum pum
11 calf hutches, ’76
p. Schuler feed
with receiver and pum
DeLaval 2” milk line
t could be
tha
ts
par
rge
. Other Su
cart in good condition
Call 540-270-2517.
used as spare parts.
FOR SALE
LOOKING TO BUY
South Carolina or
Cows with a milk assignment in
706-871-7762.
at
ud
Georgia. Call Stevenson Stro
Maryland & Virginia members, (l-r) Reid Smith of Lexington, N.C., Lauren Mosemann of Warfordsburg, Pa., Pipeline Assistant
Editor Daniela Roland, and Thomas and Leanne Bell of Eatonton, Ga., met with their Senators the week before the Senate
passed its comprehensive immigration reform bill.
All 52 Democrats and the two Independents in the Senate voted in favor of the bill. Three
Democrats facing tough reelection races next year, each from the southeast, stayed with the majority. They are: Kay Hagan (NC), Mary Landrieu (LA) and Mark Pryor (AR).
According to The Hill newspaper, 10 Republicans joined their GOP colleagues from the
Senate Gang of 8 in support of the bill. The four Members who helped draft the bill are: John McCain (AZ), Lindsey Graham (SC), Marco Rubio (FL) and Jeff Flake (AZ). The other Republicans
voting for the bill were Bob Corker (TN), Kelly Ayotte (NH) Jeffery Chiesa (NJ), Susan Collins
(Me), Orrin Hatch (UT), Dean Heller (Nv), Mark Kirk (IL) John Hoeven (ND) Lisa Murkowski
(AK) and Lamar Alexander (TN).
With the Senate now done with its bill, attention on this issue now turns to the House of
Representatives. House Leadership is expected to meet after the Fourth of July recess to discuss the
plan for addressing immigration reform.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has said he won’t bring an immigration reform bill
to the floor that does not have majority support from GOP Members. Budget Committee chair
and 2012 vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan (R-WI) told Politico that the House would not
simply take up the Senate bill. The House has had its own Gang of 8, now down to 7 as one
Member left saying the group was hopelessly deadlocked, working on draft legislation. The
House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Bob Goodlatte (R-vA), has passed bills dealing with some
aspects of immigration reform including agricultural worker visa language.
SHARE THE DISHES THAT YOUR FAMILY CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF! Submit your recipe, contact information,
and fun facts about you or the dish to Daniela Roland at droland@mdvamilk.com or by calling 814-635-3958.
6
Trading Post
FOR SALE
Dairy quality corn silage sale for.
$50/ton. FOB.
Call 828-226-2265.
FOR SALE
VF-105. -105 gallons
Two Fre-Heaters. Model D-2
condensing units. $1000
capacity and plumbed for two
-660-0451.
434
or
9
-442
each. Call 434-283
CATTLE FOR SALE
Breeding bulls for heifers for sale in Staunton, Va.
Deep pedigrees, good production, $1300. Call James at
540-746-1776.
CATTLE FOR SALE
Registered Holstein bulls, Red
vailable. Call 270-475-3154.
and Whites also a
CATTLE FOR SALE
Holstein bulls. Please call 717
-597-7860 or 717-658-5328.
To place a listing, contact Daniela Roland at
814-635-3958 or droland@mdvamilk.com.
Pipeline July 2013
Pipeline July 2013
7
Pipeline July 2013
PRESORT
FIRST CLASS
U.S. Postage
PAID
Maryland & Virginia Where Members Matter
Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc.
GAM PRINTERS
Permit #8
Sterling, VA
1985 Isaac Newton Square West
Reston, VA 20190-5094
“We’re doing our best
to serve you better.”
Have you Heard?
DAIRY NEWS FROM AROUND THE INDUSTRY
FIELD RE PRESE NTATIVE S
USDA Approves Voluntary GMO-free Label
Hannah Bomgardner I 717-304-7967
The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recently approved a label for
meat and liquid egg products that would inform consumers about whether the
product contains genetically modified ingredients. The approval marks the first
time the department has approved a non-GMO label from a third party. The verification seal comes from the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit organization “committed to preserving and building sources of non-GMO products, educating
consumers and providing verified non-GMO choices.” The seal allows consumers to know if the animal product they’re about to consume was fed genetically engineered crops like soy, corn and alfalfa. (The FDA has not approved any genetically modified animals for the
food supply, but some animals do eat GMO feed.) Genetically modified foods were approved for human consumption in the United States in 1995, but the FDA never required them to be labeled as such. The FDA responded to the Non-GMO Project’s labeling efforts in April: “The FDA supports voluntary labeling for food derived
from genetic engineering. Currently, food manufacturers may indicate through voluntary labeling whether foods
have or have not been developed through genetic engineering provided that such labeling is truthful and not
misleading.” Chipotle Mexican Grill became the first fast food chain to voluntarily label menu items that contain GMOs; Whole Foods and Ben & Jerry’s have since followed suit. – CNN
hbomgardner@mdvamilk.com
Rod Carson I 814-793-3196
rcarson@mdvamilk.com
Bob Cooksey I 410-778-4603
bcooksey@mdvamilk.com
Reid Crouse I 336-859-3768
rcrouse@mdvamilk.com
Kelli Davis I 301-824-7532
kdavis@mdvamilk.com
Ernie Fisher I 301-447-6513
efisher@mdvamilk.com
Grant Gayman I 717-762-5318
ggayman@mdvamilk.com
Laura Jackson I 540-837-1891
ljackson@mdvamilk.com
Dave Kleintop I 717-548-4089
dkleintop@mdvamilk.com
Janae Klingler I 717-305-8257
jklingler@mdvamilk.com
Galen Kopp I 717-653-1567
gkopp@mdvamilk.com
Larry Krepps I 717-667-2451
lkrepps@mdvamilk.com
Cartoon Character Debuts to Promote REAL Seal
Kevan McDonald I 478-975-9173
kmcdonald@mdvamilk.com
In its ongoing effort to revitalize and build awareness of the dairy industry’s iconic
REAL® Seal, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is introducing a cartoon
character modeled after the logo. “The REAL Seal has been around for nearly 40
years,” said Jim Mulhern, Chief Operating Officer of NMPF. “This character is intended to bring the importance of looking for REAL® dairy products and foods made with REAL® dairy
products to life.” The first order of business will be naming the character, according to Mulhern, who said a
name will be chosen through an on-line challenge. “We want kids to learn how to differentiate real dairy products and foods made with real American dairy products from the vegetable- and nut-based pretenders,” said
Mulhern. “To highlight this important distinction, we are launching a campaign to name the character.” Names
may be submitted through the REAL Seal website at www.realseal.com. All entries must be received by
August 31, 2013. The top three names entered will be posted in September on the REAL® Seal Facebook page
and subject to a vote. The name with the most votes will be declared the winner. – NMPF
8
Pipeline July 2013
Carl Privett I 336-466-0566
cprivett@mdvamilk.com
Peter Schaefer I 717-756-6949
pschaefer@mdvamilk.com
Larry Seamans I 434-372-4534
lseamans@mdvamilk.com
Johnny Sparkman I 931-657-6455
jsparkma@mdvamilk.com
Steve Yates I 615-425-6670
syates@mdvamilk.com
TANK CALIBRATOR
Mike Kidd I 814-623-8340
mkidd@mdvamilk.com