Cal Poly, Cornell, Ohio State, UW-Madison earn 1st place at Dairy Challenge
"The Dairy Challenge brings the future of the dairy industry together in one location where knowledge and experiences are shared and gained, and where they gain a broader perspective of the market we participate in,” said NAIDC chairman Barry Putnam. “That is why the Dairy Challenge is so highly thought of by all of those who have participated throughout our history of now just over 2,000 future leaders."
Host dairies for the 2010 NAIDC were Delta View Farms, owned by Gregory “Butch” Dias Jr. and sons Greg and Darren; El Monte Dairy, operated by Art and Sandra Van Beek; Longfellow Farming Co., George and Bill Longfellow, owners; and Valley View Farms, operated by Ken and Joanne Walker and John and Hilda Knevelbaard.
Click on picture to enlarge Back row (L to R): Cornell University: Mike Van Amburgh, coach; Brett Feldpausch, Breanna Fulper, Chad Wall and Shane Reynolds; University of Wisconsin-Madison: Lydia Hardie, Ashley Sprengeler, Melvin Zenner, and Robb Bender, with coaches David Combs and Lizzy French.
Front row (L to R): California Polytechnic State University: Stan Henderson, coach; Brian Medeiros, Anthony Martin, Michael Wesselink and Katherine Rector; The Ohio State University: Amanda Paulhamus, Annie Eilenfeld, Heather Moff and Ryan Conklin; Maurice Eastridge, coach.
04/08/10
New York Dairy farmers talk of industry on verge of collapse
"It's a disaster," he said of the current pricing structure, "not only for the our farmers but for our rural communities."
Jeremy Verratti from Verratti Farms in Gasport was one of dozens of dairy farmers who spoke at Monday's meeting at Genesee Community College.
About 25 dairy farmers and industry officials spoke for more than three hours during the meeting and almost all of them were united in their criticism of milk processors.
"Like David and Goliath, the family farm is at a competitive disadvantage," said Jonathan Taylor, a Genesee County farmer and a representative of the New York Farm Bureau.
Taylor said the consolidation of milk processors has created a lack of competition for the milk being produced by upstate farmers.
Read more
North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge To Host 120 Students from 30 Universities
Students from 30 different universities across North America will gather in Visalia, Calif., April 8-10 to compete in the ninth annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC). The event will be hosted by California Polytechnic State University and California State University-Fresno, marking the first time the competition will be held on the West coast.
"Participating in Dairy Challenge is a rewarding experience for the future workforce of our industry," states NAIDC chair Barry Putman. "The skills required to participate, as well as the networking opportunities available at the event, provide students with a superior foundation for a career in the dairy industry."
Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, CA is educating the public on how dairy and beef is destroying the ozone.
"The point of the burping cow, and other food-related messages in “Hot Pink Flamingos,” is to highlight the fact that our food choices have an impact on carbon pollution, and that we can reduce our impact by making different choices." - Geoff of the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Mrs. Dyt sent a letter of concern to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and received a response
Mrs. Dyt's Letter below
First name: Jacquie Last name: Dyt State: California Private Information Removed
Message or Request:
I am very disappointed hearing about a cow exhibit saying eat less meat and drink less milk to cut greenhouse gases. There is continued research going on at UC Davis to prove cows contribute less co2 than originally thought. Also dairy farmers across the US are producing more milk with less cows than before therefore reducing the carbon footprint of those dairy farms! I will no longer support your institution given this exhibit is based on unproven, junk, and biased science.
Monterey Bay Aquarium Response below
Dear Jacquie,
Thank you for your interest in the issue of global climate change, and for thoughtfully expressing your concerns about the way we talk about how beef and dairy cattle contribute to carbon pollution.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium does not advocate eliminating beef and dairy products from the diet – far from it. (In fact, one of our staff research scientists raises grass-fed beef cattle commercially.)
The point of the burping cow, and other food-related messages in “Hot Pink Flamingos,” is to highlight the fact that our food choices have an impact on carbon pollution, and that we can reduce our impact by making different choices. You are absolutely correct that fossil fuels used in transportation are a big contributor to global climate change. And we address that in several areas of the exhibit.
In the food sector, red meat and dairy generate nearly half of all carbon pollution. We note in the exhibit that if a family replaces red meat just one day a week with chicken or sustainable seafood, they’d save as much carbon as driving 760 fewer miles a year. A switch to just one vegetarian meal a week would save as much carbon pollution as driving 1,160 fewer miles a year.
And if every household nationwide cut meat out just one day a week, the annual savings would be the equivalent of taking 20 million passenger cars off the road.
We also tell visitors that feed lots and dairy farms can be part of the solution by converting methane from cow manure into energy.
Throughout “Hot Pink Flamingos,” we focus on identifying the small changes that we can make as individuals, and larger changes we can make in our communities, to reduce carbon pollution. The collective impact of changing the way we generate electricity, travel from place to place, and produce and consume food can make a huge difference in averting the serious consequences that people and ocean wildlife face if we don’t reduce our carbon pollution.
Thank you again for taking time to express your concerns.
Thank you,
Geoff
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA 93940
www.montereybayaquarium.org
