Overtime
This past week I had the pleasure of emceeing the joint annual meeting of the National Dairy Promotion Board, National Milk Producers Federation and the United Dairy Industry Association in Grapevine, Texas. Given the economic crisis the dairy industry is in, I wasn’t sure what the mood of the attendees would be. I guess I would describe it as concerned but guardedly optimistic. There was no denying the level of concern among the more than 900 in attendance and during question and answer sessions the pain and frustration was evident. However an improved price outlook, government assistance and growing demand both domestically and globally, offer hope to those able to withstand the current slump. I came away from the meeting impressed with the industry’s efforts to help itself through these hard times. The CWT herd buyout program and successful partnerships with heavyweights like McDonalds, Domino Pizza and the NFL, seem to be helping to both reduce production and increase demand. One of the highlights of the convention was the address given by Dave Brandon, Chairman and CEO of Domino’s Pizza Partnering with today’s dairy producers through their checkoff investment, Domino’s launched the successful American Legends pizza and Brandon announced there would be new pizza lines coming in 2010 using even more American made cheese. At a time when some in the pizza industry have been cutting back on the amount of cheese used in their products, this was welcome news indeed for a struggling dairy industry. To emphasize his point, Brandon even provided Domino’s pizzas for those in attendance! The industry has a long ways to go and some won’t be able to hang on, but it seems better days are not too far off for dairy producers.
We hear a lot these days about agriculture’s environmental impact from those trying to force changes in our food production system. Jude Capper, assistant professor of dairy sciences at Washington State University, says today’s modern production practices are actually more environmentally friendly than those of the past. For example, in 2007 the U.S. dairy industry produced 8.3 billion more gallons of milk than in 1944 but due to improved productivity, the carbon footprint of the entire dairy farm industry was reduced by 41% She also points out greenhouse gas emissions per pound of beef are INCREASED THREE FOLD in grass fed cattle. Also, “locally” grown food may have a greater carbon footprint than food produced and transported miles away from their final destination. This flies in the face of what we usually hear in the media, the environmental community and those advocating climate change legislation in Washington D.C.! Unfortunately, her voice seems to be drowned out by those determined to make it more difficult for producers to provide a growing world population with the food it needs.