Dairy

Congress’s “fiscal cliff” deal on New Year’s Day included a nine-month extension of the expiring U.S. farm bill, preventing retail milk prices from doubling to $7 or more in 2013. That’s a great relief for milk producers, but the last-minute reprieve shouldn’t blind them to the fact that they have already fallen off their own cliff. …

Smith Dairy Products Company announced that Nate Schmid was named president of the Orrville, Ohio based company.  Mr. Schmid succeeds retiring Smith Dairy President Ron Them, who held that position since 2008 and had been with the company since 1974. …

A sculpture made from nearly 1,000 pounds of butter was unveiled today at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, paying tribute to Pennsylvania's diverse agriculture industry. …

Dean Foods Company announced the completion of the previously announced sale of its Morningstar Foods division to Saputo Inc. for US$1.45 billion. …

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) stated today that the legislation proposed by Congressional Agriculture Committee leaders would still cause a problem in the marketplace because it includes a controversial new program designed to limit the milk supply. That proposal, championed by Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) yet resisted by consumer groups, food manufacturers and many dairy farmers, is known as the Dairy Security Act (DSA) and would require the government to intervene in milk markets to manipulate the supply of milk in order to keep milk prices artificially high. …