Category: What’s Your Industry?

“Mad Cow Disease” Back in the Spotlight

Posted by Mat Bartkowiak  – Dairy Farm, Food Safety, General, Laboratory & QA/QC
April 27, 2012

“Mad Cow Disease:” this may be a reference that many American consumers might associate with the U.K. and the 1990s, or the 2003 American outbreak. April of 2012 might change those associations. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known commonly as “Mad Cow Disease,” was thrust into the American mindset again after the fourth confirmed case in the U.S. in the past fifteen years was discovered in a dairy cow from California.

The cow in question, according to USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford, “was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health.”  According to Clifford, the cow tested “positive for atypical BSE, a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed.” Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack called the case “atypical,” and offered that such a case could be attributed to genetics.

Though an isolated case, there is concern about the potential fallout. According to the CDC the threat to consumers is miniscule (estimated at one in 10 billion, “even after consuming contaminated products”). Often markets have not taken much comfort in such estimates. For instance, after the 2003 case “Beef exports dropped by more than 70%”.

As of the publication date of this article, it looks as if the beef industry will not be too adversely affected. Negative reports centered on South Korea. There, according to CNN, “at least one major South Korean retailer” has pulled American beef from their shelves.  Other markets, such as the European Union and Mexico, at this juncture, appear undeterred, while there may be further conversation/concern from countries such as Taiwan and Russia. The following weeks will likely highlight further details of the international reaction, but the USDA has stated this confirmed case of BSE will likely not effect trade significantly.

The USDA asserts that it will continue to monitor BSE concerns within the food supply.   Currently, they test approximately “40,000 cows a year.” More information on BSE can be found here.

“Brie” Are (Not) the Champions…Close, But This Year…Just Not “Gouda” Enough

Posted by Mat Bartkowiak  – Cheese & Dairy Products, General
March 13, 2012

2012 World Champion Cheese Contest (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

Though a Brie made the list of the “Top 16 Finalists,” it was a Vermeer Gouda from the Netherlands that won best in show at the 2012 World Championship Cheese Contest (and thus allowing for the charming title of this piece). All puns aside, this year’s World Championship Cheese Contest (WCCC), made headlines all around the world and marks another year of a cornerstone cheese competition.

Held in Madison’s Monona Terrace, the competition featured 82 classes and a record 2,500 + entries from around the world. The three-day contest culminated in the naming of FrieslandCampina’s Vermeer, a low-fat Gouda, best in show. Besides surprising some by having a cheese from the Netherlands beat out the dominant Swiss in the competition (the Swiss have won the previous three years in a row), the cheese was also the first ever reduced-fat cheese to win the title of “Best in Show.”

According to a press release from the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the event was judged by an international panel comprised of industry experts from 17 nations. Judges included industry leaders, academics, graders, engineers, etc.  New this year was a potential indicator of the continued rising popularity of the artisan cheese industry, a ticketed cheese tasting event. Though as organizer Jeanne Carpenter discussed, the notion of selling one ticket a decade ago would have been unheard of, the event sold out its 400 tickets for the public-tasting, where attendees were able to sample top finalists’ creations.

Held every two years, you can learn more about this Wisconsin event on their website,  and check out information on how to get your cheese or palate involved in the next competition.

Spring Fever for Farm Events

Posted by Josh Sabo  – Dairy Farm, General
March 8, 2012

You know spring is near as the snow starts to melt and temps begin to rise.  Another indication of spring is all the farm shows and producer meetings that are taking place.  We recently had a booth at the Shoppes at Wood Ridge Farm Show in Marshfield, Wisconsin.  It is always fun getting out and talking with farmers.

Nelson-Jameson handles products that help farmers manage issues that affect the profitability of their farms, specifically antibiotic and SCC test kits.  These topics have become of great concern with farmers as the FDA is stepping up testing frequency for antibiotics and SCC regulations are, in the process, of being lowered.

Nelson-Jameson will be exhibiting at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW) Conference March 13-14 in Madison, Wisconsin.  Our farm products specialist will also be attending the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) Annual Meeting in Kansas City, MO on March 20-21 and be in DSM’s booth representing the Delvotest antibiotic tests.  Then April 10-11, we will have a booth at the Indiana Milk Quality Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  If you are attending any of these events, make sure to look the respective booths up and say “Hi”.  We are always looking to speak with farmers about other tests that they feel would have value for their operations.

For more information about these shows and other trade shows we attend, visit our Events page.

“Hot” Foods for 2012

Posted by Amanda Sasse  – Bakery, Cheese & Dairy Products, Dairy Farm, General, Wine & Beverage
February 15, 2012

Growing up in the Midwest in a food-industry family, I’ve had the opportunity to befriend an unusual amount of people that work for large food companies in varying capacities. Many of the people that I’ve met post-college work for the headquarters of our customers and competitors.

Competitors aside, I find that most of these people willingly offer me information regarding sales, potential problems, new products and upcoming food trends. Their perspective and insider-view is invaluable to helping me understand our customers’ needs and wants. More specifically, the awareness of future food trends can help our Company to anticipate what our customers will be producing in the years to come, and help us to tailor our product offerings to their future needs.

As such, I thought I’d share some of the food trends:
• Butter (Margarine is trending out)
• Sea Salt (Lower in sodium than Table Salt)
• Kefir (The success of our customer Lifeway Foods has largely driven this trend)
• Greek Yogurt Products (The success of the Chobani company in upstate New York has largely driven this trend)
• Healthy Fats (Oils, Fish, Nuts, Olives, Avocados, Soy, etc)
• Stevia (on-caloric sugar-substitute derived from a plant)
• Artisan Cheeses from small producers
• Artisanal Heirloom Meats from small producers
• Local “superfruits” (Cherries, Blueberries, etc)
• Dark, Leafy Greens (Spinach, Kale, Mustard Greens, etc)
• Eggs (Cage-free, Organic, etc)

The same company that’s monitoring the above food ingredients and product opportunities is also carefully considering what they believe to be the three most influential lifestyle dietary trends for 2012:
• Portion Control
• Food Allergies (especially Gluten)
• A return to the traditional “Family Dinner”

While reading the above lists, I’m sure most of you immediately thought of products/services that Nelson-Jameson sells/provides that are specific to some of these trends. And, that’s exactly my point. By maintaining a general awareness of the direction in which our customers are heading, we can better understand our customers’ unique perspectives and continue to maintain Nelson-Jameson’s identity as a knowledgeable, comprehensive food-processing supplier through proactively anticipating customer needs.

It’s Show Time!

Posted by Mat Bartkowiak  – Cheese & Dairy Products, General
February 8, 2012

Below you will find several of the many conferences offered this year focusing on the dairy industry.  If you would like to see an upcoming dairy or food industry conference, workshop, or symposium featured on the Nelson-Jameson blog, leave a comment on this post.

Ice Cream Technology Conference
March 6-7 in St. Petersburg, Fl.
The conference “focuses specifically on frozen dessert research, technology, new market trends, food safety, labeling and opportunities. The Ice Cream Technology Conference encourages an open exchange among participants and experts on the technical and practical processing issues in the frozen dessert industry.” In addition to panels, networking activities, and exhibits, there will be the “annual Innovative Ice Cream Flavor Competition.”

International Cheese Technology Exposition
April 10-12 in Milwaukee, WI.
See us at Booth #317
“The ICTE is an intensive combination of morning seminars, two full afternoons of uninterrupted Exposition and evening social affairs” for dairy manufacturers and suppliers.  This year’s opening address will be delivered Mark Murphy, President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers.

The American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI)/ American Butter Institute (ABI) Joint Annual Conference
April 29-May 1 in Chicago, IL.
“Gain insight into current dairy trends and projected developments. Enhance your industry knowledge. Network with over 750 senior level executives from manufacturers, marketers, suppliers, distributors and brokers of manufactured dairy products, as well as industry analysts, journalists and key government officials…”   A program of presentations, sessions, exhibits, and social events will be featured.

American Cheese Society (ACS) Conference and Competition
Cheese Rally in Raleigh: Owning Our Future
August 1-4, 2012 in Raleigh, NC
See us at the show!
This year’s American Cheese Society Conference and Competition will feature “our annual competition, educational sessions on a wide range of topics relevant to the industry, special events including a keynote by noted author and expert on humane livestock handling, Temple Grandin, and our annual Meet the Cheesemaker showcase”.

For information on trade show and conferences we attend, see our Events page.