March 12, 2010

Food Idealism Won't Solve Obesity Challenge, Tipton Says

With the drumbeat on obesity growing ever louder, the food industry often appears to be under siege by people with idealistic agendas about food, explained Connie Tipton in her latest Cheese Market News column. "Okay, maybe it would be nice if we all had the time and place to grow our own food or were able to buy only from our local farmers, but th...

February 3, 2010

President's New Budget Has Implications for Dairy

IDFA's analysis of the administration's 2011 budget was posted on Agweb.com. President Obama submitted the first formal budget of his administration to Congress on Monday. Overall, he proposes spending more than $4.3 trillion with receipts of about $2.1 trillion, leaving a deficit for the coming year of $1.4 trillion. Several of the programs receiving funding will have implications for the dairy industry.

December 31, 2009

Tipton Says "Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010" in Cheese Market News

In the December 25 issue of Cheese Market News, IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton's column takes a look at the best and worst of 2009. She outlines the top five "bad ideas" that the industry was able to avoid, along with six positive and collaborative actions that emerged. Read the full column to learn what Tipton sees as the top five facts that...

September 8, 2009

Tipton Calls Amendment "Cash for Clunkers in Reverse"

In her August 28 column in Cheese Market News, IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton called on legislators to rethink the Sanders Amendment, which passed in the Senate prior to the August recess. Although the amendment is intended to help dairy farmers, Tipton said raising farm milk prices would make dairy products less affordable and lessen demand ...

July 20, 2009

Milk Prices Discussed on National Public Radio's 'The Diane Rehm Show'

Last Wednesday, National Public Radio's 'The Diane Rehm Show' dedicated an hour to discussing the impact that milk prices volatility is having on dairy farmers and the dairy industry. Ruth Saunders, IDFA vice president for policy and legislative affairs, represented IDFA members in the discussion. "Dairy manufacturers are in partnership with produc...

June 26, 2009

Much Ado About Price Volatility

In this issue of Cheese Market News, IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton offers a market-oriented, long-term solution for handling milk price volatility.

"Let farmers negotiate quantities to produce and sell with their co-op or processors who then can pair that volume to a profitable buyer. That way we can continue to develop new markets, grow our dairy industry overall and avoid the risk of pricing ourselves out of global markets that are sure to bounce back."

April 24, 2009

Processed foods 'The Villain': What Should We Be Doing About It?

"From obesity to chronic diseases, overwhelmingly negative media coverage is blaming processed foods for everything," said IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton in the April 24 issue of Cheese Market News. Providing a glimpse into new consumer research, Tipton said results show consumers are being influenced by the unfavorable coverage.