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VOLUME XVIII, NO. 9 |
TEXAS DAIRY REVIEW |
SEPTEMBER 2009 |
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Select Producers attain votes to build dual purpose milk plant Texas trainer goes from teaching kids to teaching bird dogs 2009 Texas Ag Expo to carry on tradition Current CWT audits to end; more buyouts to go forward in future Dairies and banks: two-fold crisis Dairying Outside The Box — One nation, under one milk supply Vilsack establishes dairy advisory committee and requests nominations Dairy MAX and schools team up to bring student wellness programs |
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Select Producers attain votes to build dual purpose milk plant |
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It is no secret Select Milk Producers, based in Artesia, New Mexico, are gearing up to build a new fluid milk bottling plant reported to be in central Texas that would serve the dual purpose of handling both grade A and organic milk. The plant purportedly would be located off I 20 in or near the Abilene-Sweetwater area with extended capabilities to produce butter and powder. It is reported the plant will be built within two years. Select is recognized in the industry as a robust and energetic organization comprised of some of the top producers in both Texas and New Mexico. Select producers in central Texas are excited and optimistic about the prospect of the dual purpose bottling plant and have signed 10-year agreements that helped Select recently attain the needed votes to proceed with their newest endeavor. But, producers outside the cooperative are becoming concerned about Select’s overall agenda regarding the Greater Southwest Agency (GSA), the central Texas milk market, and the likely possibility the cooperative will go to head-to-head on two marketing fronts against Dean Foods. Dean Foods, the biggest processor in the US, bottles more than one-third of the nation’s milk and is supplied by Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). Dean also owns Horizon Organic with milk supplied by Aurora Dairies. One worried producer pointed out, for instance, if Select should negotiate a cheaper priced Grade A milk to Wal Mart, the nation’s biggest buyer of milk supplied by Dean Foods and DFA, it could drive all producer prices down in central Texas since the other cooperatives in the agency would also be forced to sell the cheapest priced milk. GSA is comprised of Select, DFA, Zia and Lone Star Milk Producers. “That is a scary possibility,” he added, “but, Select has been known to conquer amazing feats in the past. They already supply milk to HEB, the largest grocery chain in Texas and who knows what will follow.” DFA, based in Kansas City, Mo., Is the largest cooperative in the nation, controlling about one third of the nation's raw milk supply and has a full supply contract with Dean. Dean Foods, a $12 million dollar Fortune 500 company headquartered in Dallas, has been reported to brag about getting cheap milk while dairy farmers are barely able to make it. When asked if DFA is devising a plan to deal with the possibility of the new Select milk plant, G.H. Cain of DFA, responded, “not at present,” and commented he feels producers are “jumping the gun” since no official information has been released by Select thus far. “All of this talk among producers is based on speculation, not fact,” Cain said. ”It is premature to assume Select will get the financing they need to build the plant. There is a lot of history with cooperatives that have tried to run their own milk bottling plants. To compete with a plant while trying to get the best milk checks for producers is extremely difficult, but not impossible. It can present a conflict, however, so DFA has partners to run our bottling plants.” Cain noted Select previously experienced this kind of difficulty with the Farm Fresh Plant in Oklahoma where milk was shipped from Clovis to Chandler. Although Cain said he is unaware of Select seeking investors to finance the plant, some Select producers said it is a likely possibility the plant will be leased and not owned by the cooperative. As for the Greater Southwest Agency, Cain said if Select’s milk plant comes to fruition, it would not necessarily mean it would be the end of the agency. “If they needed milk, we would price it to them with no preferential treatment. We would sell milk to their plant just like anybody else.” The GSA has been heavily criticized lately and some producers feel it is no longer serving its purpose. One major criticism is the elimination of competition among the four cooperatives. Peter Carstensen, of the University of Wisconsin law school, specializes in antitrust and is known for his continued observations of the dairy industry. "Where there is a competitive market for buying milk, dairy farmers are paid more. When DFA comes to dominate a market, then farmers are paid less. Monopolists behave like monopolies," Carstensen said. *Editor’s Note: Information for this article was obtained from a variety of sources. Select Milk Producers were contacted by the Texas Dairy Review for their comments but did not receive a return call. Select’s response to this article is welcomed. |
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Texas trainer goes from teaching kids to teaching bird dogs |
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If you’re going to hunt birds in Texas, you’ve gotta’ have a gun and a dog. Not just any dog, but a good gun dog or bird dog that works with skill and accuracy to assist the hunter. Dan, an English pointer, and Ranger, an English setter, are two precision-trained dogs gearing up for hunting as soon as quail season opens Oct. 31. Dog owner and trainer Doug Moore does not need many words to explain why he chose to do away with the grind of day-to-day traffic in Richardson, Texas, to bask and revel in the picturesque and quiet beauty of Glen Rose. As an educator for more than 30 years, he is satisfied to give up training kids for training dogs. “There’s really not much difference,” Moore laughs. “There are some basic commands that dogs need to learn, just like kids and athletes. The icing on the cake is---dogs don’t talk back.” The quiet country life Glen Rose offers might just be what Moore has been waiting for all his life. He is happy to venture out into his yard early in the morning and watch the deer come up as he sits and drinks his coffee. Then, it is time to load up Dan and Ranger and his other dogs, Roscoe and Hoss, and start training. With 30 years in education to his credit, Moore participated in just about every aspect of the public school system from coaching football, baseball and other sports to teaching and attending school functions. His last 10 years were especially full as principal of J.J. Pearce High School in Richardson where he handled teachers, parents and teenagers. After retiring in 1997, he spent another five years in suburbia before moving to Glen Rose. Throughout his years in education, Moore consistently maintained a strong desire for hunting and during his time off, he managed to squeeze it into his schedule. His expeditions took him from elk hunting in Wyoming and white tails in Canada to the more familiar deer and bird hunting in the wilderness of Texas where he has also served as a guide. Moore’s expertise in hunting goes hand and hand with his ability to train his dogs. Living in a comfortable home on a two-acre spread near Morrison Valley, his hunting trophies hang proudly on the wall along with the many championship dog awards he has won over the years. “Hunting is the kind of thing that ‘gets in your blood,’” Moore said, and he enjoys the challenge it offers. All summer, he has been anticipating the opening of dove season that kicked off on Sept. 1. But, he is not the only one that has been anxious for the season to begin. Moore’s kennel at present consists of 10 dogs that have been raring to get started. “They’re a little fat from being lazy all summer,” he laughs. “It was just too hot to work them for very long but as it gets cooler and the season gets into full swing, they’ll get thinner and ready to go for four or five hours.” Moore’s dog pens are mounted conveniently on the back of a Gator. He slowly makes it to a brushy field to set up a demonstration. Once stopped, both five year-olds, Dan and Ranger eagerly jump from the pens and go into action when Moore releases the bird. Dan immediately dashes after it then suddenly strikes a stance. His nose points directly at the bird as he lifts his paw. His tail points straight up in the air. Ranger follows closely behind and instantly strikes the same pose. The two dogs are like statues until Moore flushes the bird and says “all right;” then, they break their stance. He loads up Dan and Ranger and repeats the same exercise with younger dogs, Roscoe and Hoss. “It takes about three years to train dogs like these,” Moore said. “It includes teaching them the commands ‘whoa,’ ‘come,’ and ‘load,’ and to point, back, retrieve and honor the other dog. That’s what you call a finished dog.’” The cost for a dog depends on how well it trains and if it completes the entire process. Moore sells four to five dogs per year. Bird dogs are of three primary types that include retrievers, flushing dogs, and pointing breeds. Moore raises pointing breeds only. “I don’t raise flushing dogs but use them sometimes on guided trips to get the game out,” Moore said. Pointing breeds are intelligent, high-energy dogs with one thing in mind: Hunting. The dogs range from short-haired to wire-haired that sometimes have spotted coats, to silky-coated setters. The breeds are good with people and normally enjoy the relationship that develops between it and its owner. “But, just because the dog is bred to hunt, it doesn’t mean it will make a good hunting dog,” Moore said. “Its natural instincts have to be cultivated and enhanced. If a dog is untrainable, I’ll tell the owner to make a pet out of it, not a hunting dog.” Moore said there are many key points to training but the most important is “patience.” Also, the dog has to become familiar with signs and sounds and the handler’s commands. “It’s like training an athlete where you keep doing things repetitively.” He said it’s only natural a hunting dog wants to move in and catch the game. But, the handler has to learn how to calm it down and be able to ‘read’ the dog. He also needs to make the dog familiar with a whistle. “ You always want the dog to be in front of you so he points in front of you. Sometimes I use a collar on the lowest shock setting so if it gets too far out, I can tap the collar and then use my whistle.” Moore said quail hunting is available at wild game ranches in south and west Texas and Oklahoma or at pen-raised ranches, such as Rough Creek in Glen Rose. “But, quail hunting is becoming a dying art,” he said. “The quail’s habitat is being destroyed by big ranches that plant acres and acres of coastal and when they mow, there’s no place for the quail to nest. Quail coveys consist of about 10-12 birds. They need protection where they can hide from other animals, like in the brush and bushes. They don’t fly like other birds, such as Dove, so they are basically on the ground open to predators.” The three kinds of quail are Bob White, Blue or Scaled, and Gambles, that are found mostly around the El Paso area. “A good quail lease cost anywhere from $3 to $4 per acre and up. It takes 1000 acres per gun,” Moore said. “So, it takes a lot more acreage to go quail hunting than deer hunting.” |
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2009 Texas Ag Expo to carry on tradition |
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Get ready! Texas Ag Expo is coming Oct. 22 at Lone Star Arena in Stephenville. The annual event, sponsored by TriCounty Agribusiness Association (TCAA), will be a full and dynamic one-day show this year. The show gives agribusiness suppliers the opportunity to reach area dairymen, farmers and ranchers. "This is going to be a great show," said Heidi Westbrook, executive director of TCAA. "This year, we will offer event-goers new and exciting information they will find helpful in their respective fields. After all, we are at the heart of the agriculture industry and we want to show its importance to our local and surrounding communities by hosting events such as this to reflect the importance of agriculture in our lives." This year's show follows the tradition set by previous years of offering producers in Central Texas and the surrounding area with educational seminars, a look at the latest in agricultural products and services, and a chance to speak directly with leading manufacturers and distributors. This indoor show provides a forum for dairymen, farmers, ranchers and all others involved in agribusiness to gather and share information on the vast amount of products and services available to manage a successful operation. Activities during the show will include sponsored lunches, seminars, farm safety 4 kids, and much more. Exhibitor booth spaces are still available. Contact TCAA today to reserve your booth by calling Heidi at 254-965-2406 or visit the Web site at: www.tricountyag.com. The Texas Ag Expo Golf Tournament will be at Legends Golf Course in Stephenville. Hole sponsorships are available for the 4-man scramble. Cost for the tournament is $50 per person that includes greens fee, cart and lunch. We want to encourage all golfers in every sector of the industry to participate. Dates for the tournament will be announced in the October edition of the Texas Dairy Review. So watch for them! |
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Current CWT audits to end; more buyouts to go forward in future |
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In the past month, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) vigorously pursued many avenues to seek help for dairy farmers during the worst US milk price crunch in years. The most dairy-active effort is Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) that recently conducted its eighth herd retirement. 294 dairy farms were tentatively accepted in the buyout program administered by NMPF. All farmers bidding in this round were to have been notified no later than August 31 whether their farm was accepted. Audits are expected to be completed by the end of September. CWT officials said 87,000 cows producing 1.8 billion pounds of milk will be removed from the nation’s milking herd. This is the third CWT herd retirement within the last nine months and the second largest-ever since the farmer-funded self-help program started in 2003. This most recent retirement, combined with CWT’s previous two herd retirements, equals a total production capacity of 4.8 billion pounds of milk removed since December 2008. The previous retirement round in July removed a record 101,000 cows and 1.96 billion pounds of milk. In the current herd retirement, 73 percent of the farms selected are located east of the Mississippi River, while 70 percent of the 87,000 cows to be retired come from the Western and Southwest regions of the U.S. Seventy-two percent of the milk removed will come from those two regions. Jim Tillison, chief operating officer for CWT, said overall, the increase in the percentage of farms selected east of the Mississippi in this retirement and the July retirement indicates the financial distress for farmers is nationwide and not unique to one or two regions. The average herd size of 296 cows and average production of 20,884 pounds per cow is the highest of any in the eight herd retirements. He said this further indicates participants are not just small farms, but in many cases, larger herds with significant potential future milk production CWT is removing. In this round, CWT is also removing approximately 3,200 bred heifers, nearly three times the next highest number since the option was added to the herd retirement program a year ago. Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of NMPF said the current herd retirement is the first to feature a maximum acceptable bid threshold of $5.25 per cwt. Kozak noted it is also the quickest herd retirement following a previous round which suggests “there is still an interest on the part of our members to use CWT to remove more cows, even though the program has been very active in 2008 and to date in 2009.” Kozak said CWT is ready to conduct additional herd retirements later this year in order to help address imbalanced milk supply and demand and depressed farm-level milk prices. In other areas of interest, NMPF’s Strategic Planning Task Force met in Chicago in early August to probe several proposals intended to offer long-term solutions to the issues of low milk prices and extreme price volatility. The group said more information is needed regarding ramifications of dairy imports and exports on the effectiveness of a mandatory supply management proposal that several dairy industry organizations are promoting. The task force also recognized the critical importance of evaluating the unintended consequences that could result from the implementation of such a program. They further agreed to examine a plan to reform the Federal Milk Marketing Order program by eliminating “make” allowances. Regarding the impact of globalization on the domestic market, the task force is looking at a major research report, by Bain and Company, to see how the U.S. dairy sector currently fits into the global dairy system and how that role may change in the future, depending on the course of action taken by the domestic industry in coming years. Kozak commented the task force wants to make dramatic and positive changes in milk pricing so the industry does not find itself in the same position in the future as it is now. The task force heard detailed analyses of the so-called price stabilization plan, promoted by the Holstein Association USA and others. Each person or group offered a perspective on how that supply management program would be implemented, affect farm-level prices, and alter the flow of both imports to, and exports from, the U.S. market. Kozak said due to the severity of the present dairy industry situation, the resolve of NMPF is to make certain any suggestions for making changes in future dairy policy will be as thorough as possible. In Washington affairs, NMPF has endorsed new Senate legislation, S. 1542, to impose tariffs on imports of Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC), casein and caseinates. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced legislation called the Milk Import Tariff Equity Act (MITEA), which would create Tariff-Rate Quotas (TRQ) on foreign dairy proteins that currently come into the U.S. in unlimited quantities. Since 2001, NMPF has supported the passage of the MITEA in order to close a loophole in the U.S. dairy sector allowing certain dairy proteins, such as MPC and caseins, to enter the U.S. and disrupt farm-level prices. The legislation directs the US government to ensure the new TRQs are consistent with the U.S.’s World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. The tariff rates would be consistent with existing U.S. tariffs on similar products, such as nonfat dry milk. |
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Dairies and banks: two-fold crisis |
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Although Dairy Farmers of America, (DFA) and other cooperatives and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), are stepping up the pace to alleviate the struggle producers are experiencing, whether the positive action has come soon enough is questionable. Meanwhile producers remain panicked about their financial situation and wonder how long before their bankers will “pull the plug.” But, the nationwide problem of “no money” is not unique to the dairy industry. It exists also in the agricultural lending sector. In fact, rumors about agricultural lending institutions this past year have been flying high with some especially targeting Wells Fargo, the nation’s largest ag lending bank. Tony DeRose, executive vice president of Wells Fargo Bank in Visalia, Calif., said the bank has not been issuing foreclosure notices, as reported, and also denounced the rumor the bank is trying to get out of the dairy industry altogether. But, it is not to say banks are not worried for themselves as well as their customers. Closer to home, Joe Bob Huddleston, chief lending officer for Ag Texas in Stephenville, Texas, shares his views on the situation. “We’ve always been criticized for being too conservative, but I can honestly say we’ve had no foreclosures. We’re working with our customers just as closely as we can and they’re working with us to do everything possible to stay afloat,” he said. “Dairymen are frantically using every borrowing resource possible. They are borrowing from their families, against their land, and if they don’t owe anything on their dairy, they are borrowing against their equity which is eating it up,” he said. “They are trying to scrape together everything they can. Some can pay interest only on their loans. But, they are surviving.” Huddleston’s major concern is so much debt is being created that even if the industry starts to recover anytime soon, it will take a long, long time before dairy producers can get back on their feet and pay back the debt. “Some have actually pledged the farm, hoping for better times.” Huddleston said it is sad but some may not make it unless milk prices increase a lot and continue to increase. He said producers most certainly could not withstand another milk price decline. “It is going to take a good supply management plan for the milk industry to recover and stabilize,” he said. |
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Dairying Outside The Box — One nation, under one milk supply |
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Douwe Plantinga, owner and operator of Pleasant Hill Dairy in Mt. Vernon, Texas, has been in the dairy business for nearly 40 years. Milking a 1,000 cows, Plantinga is a native of Holland and proud of accomplishments and the opportunities afforded him in the US. However, in the past year or so, Plantinga has suffered his share of insomnia where he tosses and turns throughout the night, finally getting up at 3 a.m. to walk his fields and to think about the business he loves, wondering if it will turn around before it’s too late. Just like many of the nation’s dairy producers, Plantinga rakes his brain, night after night, to try and come up with a solution that will get the dairy business back on its feet so families can once again enjoy life and be free of the minute-to-minute worry of how long they can survive or hold on. “It is a constant worry,” Plantinga said. “So, I have an idea about what I think would work.” Plantinga’s plan may not be foolproof or have all the details worked out, but the concept is there and he wants to share it with fellow dairymen. “First, dairy producers need a good and sound supply management program,” he said. In order to achieve this, Plantinga believes the entire milk supply in the US should be managed and controlled by one cooperative or agency, nationwide. “The cooperative would set one milk price for everyone that would make a profit for us and we could stay in business. Then we could all begin to enjoy life again. “We could collect so much money per hundredweight from all the producers and put it into a pot, kind of like we are doing with the CWT program. This money would be for handling the surplus of milk and we could give it away to needy families and children through charities all over the world. This would get rid of the surplus and provide good publicity for the dairymen. “We would be paying all the producers a set price, no matter if their milk was for cheese or went to other products besides fluid milk. We could lower the somatic cell count (SCC) from 750,000 to 500,000, which would cut back on milk production because the cooperative would not take it if it were over that. Producers would be forced to cull the bad cows with high SCC and it would get rid of some cows off the market. Also, with a nationwide milk plan, we could do away with forward contracting.
“None of us are getting enough for our milk
so we’re all in the same boat,” Plantinga said. He said a lot of dairymen have been in a similar situation before. He pointed out, back in the 80s, the interest rate was at 15% and it could happen again. “But it is in the good times when the worst mistakes are made because we think it’s going to stay good. Dairymen should better prepare.” Plantinga said he thinks the dairymen that are left in the business are “a pretty good bunch.” They are diversified and can do other things in addition to their dairy responsibilities. “But, we need to stand up. Whatever we do, we cannot continue to have these ups and downs,” he said. “We need to create a milk market that will stabilize.” *Editor’s Note: The comments or opinions in this article are not necessarily those of the Texas Dairy Review. The space provided will be open each month to all dairy producers and customers who would like to present their comments about the dairy crisis. We welcome your participation. Please email your story to tdeditor@texasdairy.com or fax to 254-968-6202. |
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Vilsack establishes dairy advisory committee and requests nominations |
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As part of USDA’s continuing efforts to listen to and respond to the needs of dairy producers, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is moving forward to establish the Dairy Industry Advisory Committee and is requesting nominations. The Advisory Committee will review key issues that impact the dairy industry and generate additional ideas about how USDA can help struggling producers. Once appointed, the committee will review the issues of farm milk price volatility and dairy farmer profitability. The committee will also offer suggestions and ideas on how USDA can best address these issues to meet the dairy industry's needs. USDA is establishing the committee under the authority of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. The Secretary of Agriculture will appoint up to 15 representatives of the dairy industry to serve in an advisory capacity on the Committee. Representatives will include: producers and producer organizations, processors and processor organizations, handlers, consumers, academia, retailers, and state agencies involved in organic and non-organic dairy at the local, regional, national and international levels. Advisory committee members will elect the chairperson and vice-chairperson who will each serve a two-year term. As Deputy Administrator of the FSA Farm Programs, Willis will serve as the committee's executive secretary. Details will be published in the August 28 Federal Register. More information on the committee is available at www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/DairyAdvisoryCommittee. Written nominations must be received on or before September 28, and should be sent to Judith Lindsay, secretary to Brandon Willis, Deputy Administrator, Farm Service Agency, Farm Programs, USDA Room 3612-S, Stop 0501, Washington, D.C. 20250-0501; faxed to (202) 720-4726; or e-mailed to: judith.lindsay@wdc.usda.gov "The Obama Administration is committed to working with all sectors of the dairy industry to develop changes to the dairy pricing system to avoid the boom and bust cycle behind the crisis facing many dairy farmers this year," Vilsack said. "The input provided by the members of this committee will play an important role in building a more stable market for dairy producers for years to come." Additional steps that USDA has taken in recent months to support the dairy industry includes: • Earlier this month, Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA is undertaking an unprecedented effort to use the department's administrative flexibility to provide relief to individuals and businesses in struggling agriculture industries. Vilsack has ordered USDA Rural Development and the Farm Service Agency to use all available means to help producers, processors and other small businesses who have been hit by worsening economic conditions. • Late last month, Secretary Vilsack announced that USDA was taking immediate action to support struggling dairy farmers by increasing the amount paid for dairy products through the Dairy Product Price Support Program (DPPSP). USDA estimates show that these increases, which will be in place from August 2009 through October 2009, will increase dairy farmers' revenue by $243 million. • In March, USDA transferred approximately 200 million pounds of nonfat dry milk to USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, which will not only remove inventory from the market, but also support low-income families struggling to put nutritious food on their tables. • USDA expects to spend more than $1 billion in fiscal year 2009 on purchases of dairy products (Dairy Product Price Support Program) and payments to producers (Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC). • On March 22, 2009, USDA reactivated USDA's Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP), to help U.S. dairy exporters meet prevailing world prices in addition to encouraging the development of international export markets in areas where U.S. dairy products are not competitive due to subsidized dairy products from other countries. • Since March 22, USDA has encouraged the export of 20,000 tons of nonfat dry milk. • From July 2008 through June 30, 2009, DEIP has announced allocations of 68,201 metric tons of nonfat dry milk; 21,097 metric tons of butterfat; 3,030 metric tons of various cheeses and 34 metric tons of other dairy products. • USDA is working with the Department of State to identify foreign assistance programs such as U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program to make additional dairy products available internationally to reduce domestic supply. |
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Dairy MAX and schools team up to bring student wellness programs |
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Overall student wellness provides for better academic and behavioral performance and can be achieved by eating more nutritious foods and getting 60 minutes of activity every day. It is a known fact, that kids don’t “do” breakfast very well, even though it is by far the most important meal of the day. In the same respect, children oftentimes don’t drink enough milk that is laden with calcium and many other rich nutrients. Breakfast foods and milk are essential to the overall wellbeing of students but the task at hand is delivering a method for getting students to eagerly participate. In an effort to encourage students to eat breakfast and drink milk, Dairy MAX and school districts in the past few years have teamed up to present a variety of programs to make milk and the morning meal more appealing and to enhance students to improve their overall nutrition and physical activities. Beverly Porter, Dairy MAX program coordinator for the central and south Texas region, said oftentimes, even if breakfast is provided at home, most kids would rather spend the few extra minutes it takes to eat breakfast doing something else, such as getting a few extra winks of sleep, playing, or talking to friends. “So, they tend to skip the meal but end up hungry by the time the first bell rings.” The Expanding Breakfast Program, successful and popular in many schools, provides alternative ways to serve breakfast at school with the “Grab and Go breakfast,” “Breakfast in the Classroom,” and “Breakfast after 1st period.” The Expanding Breakfast Program, along with the “New Look of School Milk” that offers milk in attractive plastic bottles instead of cartons, enables students to eat and enjoy breakfast and drink milk in a new and innovative way. The plastic milk bottles provide several advantages over the cartons. “Bottles easier to open and tastes better” Porter said. “Plastic also keeps the milk colder and because of its transparency, students tend to finish it to the last drop.” She said the bottles are attractively packaged and are also recyclable, which is a big plus in today’s “going green” movement. By last year more than 2,000 schools had adopted the plastic bottles and because of its success with students, Porter said Dairy MAX expects more schools to join this effort in the future. Dairy MAX has grants available to assist schools starting a new Expanding Program and also to schools adopting the new plastic milk bottles. National studies consistently confirm breakfast-eaters are healthier and more energetic throughout the day and it helps children to concentrate, think, behave and learn. These studies show students who eat breakfast have improved classroom performance, better test scores and grades, increased ability to focus and concentrate on school work, decreased behavioral problems, less tardiness and visits to the school nurse, and better attendance rates. Just as importantly, when young students routinely start their day with breakfast, chances are this will develop into a good habit that carries into their teenage and adult years. Another resolve to encourage students to eat right and stay physically active is “Fuel Up To Play,” a free school wellness kit from the National Dairy Council, Dairy Max, and the National Football League (NFL). This kit focuses on empowering kids to make smart choices about nutrition and physical activities. The kit targets grades 4-10 and includes materials and wellness-based activities to inspire kids to “get up and play for 60 minutes a day” by fueling up with low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Last year, more than 40,000 schools joined this effort. A new 2009-2011 “Fuel Up to Play Wellness Activation Kit” is free to schools. One kit per school is available. To order, visit www.SchoolWellnessKit.org. Naturally, all parents want their children to perform well at school. With the help of the Fuel Up To Play School Wellness Kit, students are encouraged to perform better by eating breakfast, drinking milk, and participating in physical activity. For more information, visit www.dairymax.org. |
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