The use of pesticides has been of great benefit to farmers when it comes to increasing production in order to feed the world. But along with that benefit apparently comes a downside: the nation’s rivers and streams, and the aquatic life in them, have pesticides in them but not at levels harmful to human health.

A study released late last week by the U.S. Geological Survey found that between 1992 and 2001, almost all the nation’s rivers and streams were contaminated by pesticides. What type of pesticide is found in a body of water seems to depend upon the land that river or stream travels through. The study also found that most drinking water supplies have not been affected.

Source: San Francisco Examiner/ Associated Press/ John Heilprin, March 4, 2006
Source URL: http://www.examiner.com/Science-a37325~Pesticides_Found_in_Most_U_S__Rivers.html

Sales of organic foods are mushrooming at about 20 percent per year since the early 1990s. And estimates say future growth will be between 10 percent and 50 percent depending on which country is studied.

In the U.S., almost 20,000 natural food stores have sprung up and organic foods are carried in most conventional grocery stores. Almost two-thirds of the organic milk and half the organic cheese and yogurt are sold through conventional stores.

Source: The Capital Times/ Mike Ivey, March 7, 2006
Source URL: http://www.madison.com/tct/business/index.php?ntid=75372&ntpid=0

Wal-Mart already has the distinction of being the world’s largest retailer, but now it wants to be the mass-market provider of organic food. The company aims to double its current organic offerings over the next couple weeks. Wal-Mart already is the top U.S. grocery seller and is No. 1 in organic milk sales.

Wal-Mart will not become a health food store, but aims to make organic food accessible to everyone, said DeDe Priest, senior vice president of dry grocery.

Source: Yahoo! News/ Reuters, March 7, 2006
Source URL: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060307/hl_nm/food_summit_walmart_
dc;_ylt=AggFIrsCEfaCPchaScfDwaAQ.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA

Cash markets for grain were mixed across the U.S. on Monday. High-protein wheat brought higher premiums amid weakening basis for feed grain’s surging movement to processors by corn delivered against March contracts taking advantage of good prices, favorable weather and a good opportunity to clean out the bins. Movement of grain and wheat exceeded last week’s from 50% - 100% in many places but weakened basis where supply outstripped demand. Hard Red Winter wheat basis held firm reacting to drought concerns even as foreign purchases tumbled to marketing-year lows. A market sell-off occurred overnight Sunday, sinking all grain commodities 3¢/bu to 10¢/bu in response to news of a strengthening U.S. dollar making U.S. grain more expensive on the world market. As news of more bird flu spreads though Europe a dramatic reduction in poultry demand has begun resulting in very cautious feed ingredient buying by the poultry sector. Bird flu has now been found in over 30 countries killing nearly 100 people. Soybeans may be considered legitimately correctible to 75¢/bu lower in Chicago but many think the underlying support in corn and wheat are considered to be able to hold this range for now as the markets continue to watch underlying fundamentals.

Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension/ Mike Roberts, March 7, 2006
Source URL: http://www.ext.vt.edu/news/periodicals/purcell/2006wp/09.html

The objective of this study was to investigate whether monitoring progesterone concentrations in milk and blood plasma can be used to predict time of ovulation in dairy cattle.

In conclusion, monitoring of progesterone alone is not sufficient to predict ovulation because of the large variation in timing of decrease of progesterone concentrations relative to ovulation between animals. At best the range is about 2 days.

Source: Relationship between progesterone concentrations in milk and blood and time of ovulation in dairy cattle. Animal Reproduction Science 91 (4-Mar): 337-343, 2006. Roelofs, J.B.; VanEerdenburg, F.J.C.M.; Hazeleger, W.; Soede, N.M.; et al.

What in the world does milking cows have to do with dancing? What I’m referring to is the bouncing and shaking, really pounding if you do it right, of the milking unit when the cow is at peak milk flow. You might even agree that at peak flow, the milking unit and hose literally dance!

Why do we care? A fast milk out minimizes unit on-time which limits the negative effect vacuum has on teat-end health. Having the unit on the cow only during significant milk flow minimizes teat-end damage. Minimizing teat-end damage lessons the risk for mastitis infections.

Source: University of Wisconsin/ Ken Bolton, March 2006
Source URL: http://www.uwex.edu/milkquality/

Incorporating cover crops into a production rotation may have conservational benefits, but their short-and long-term agronomic value is still being evaluated. With new research, Ohio State University soil fertility specialists are hoping to provide more concrete results.

Robert Mullen, an Ohio State soil scientist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and his colleagues, plan to seed red clover into this season’s wheat crop to determine whether or not the cover crop provides a sufficient nitrogen benefit for the incoming corn crop.

Source: Ohio State University/ News Release/ Candace Pollock, March 3, 2006
Source URL: http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~news/story.php?id=3542

A New Zealand dairy company is seeking to build its first high-tech dairy ingredients factory and have it up and running by July 2007. A hearing by an environmental board on the proposal begins next week.

Synlait wants to build the $60 million to $80 million milk-powder plant at Dunsandel.

Source: Stuff New Zealand/ Dominion Post/ David King, March 7, 2006
Source URL: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3595602a13,00.html

Campina, one of Europe’s major producers of butter and butter oil, is to invest in the production of butter and butter oil. These investments will lead to further optimisation of the production process and enable the introduction of new products. Campina is investing in new technology and the expansion of production at its butter plant in Hertogenbosch (the Netherlands) and butter oil plant in Klerken (Belgium). Campina then plans to discontinue production of butter and butter oil at its production plant in Aalter (Belgium) in mid-2007. This plant is and will remain Campina’s international strategic production location for long-life milk and dairy drinks.

Source: Campina/ News Release, Feb. 24, 2006
Source URL: http://www.campina.com/default.asp?selected=camcom.engels.newspress.pressrelea&l=en&selectedItem=camcom.
engels.newspress.pressrelea.20060224investmentsinbutter

Overrunning its milk quota could cost the Czech Republic €7 million ($8.31 million US). The possible fine is for exceeding the Czech national quota of 2.682 billion kilos by about 22 million kilos, according to the Czech Agrarian Chamber.

Source: Dairy Reporter/ Leah Vyse, March 2, 2006
Source URL: http://www.dairyreporter.com/news/ng.asp?n=66181&m=2DRE306&c=kiliywpuldsefex