Fuel Up to Play 60 Campaign Unites Government, Health Professionals, Industry and Educators to Defeat Childhood Obesity

(NEW YORK) January 15, 2010 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has joined a campaign to fight and defeat childhood obesity in cooperation with the NFL, National Dairy Council, multiple health organizations and several major corporations. The campaign, known as Fuel Up to Play 60, is funded with an initial private sector financial commitment of $250 million over five years by America's Dairy Farmers. Funding is expected to grow as government, business, communities and families join this effort to improve nutrient-rich food choices and achieve 60 minutes of physical activity each day among children. More than 58,000, or 60 percent, of the nation's 96,000 private and public schools are currently enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60.

For some, animal identification is more than just tagging an animal—it is a way to capture every market opportunity by documenting the animal’s source, age, health and/or performance information.

That’s the key purpose for beef producer and farmer Terry Quam of Marda Angus Farm near Lodi, Wis. And using radio-frequency identification (RFID), or electronic identification, tags is one way he makes individual documentation more efficient.

Quam’s family started using RFID before premise identification became a requirement in Wisconsin. Once that happened, the family worked with the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC), and Quam now serves on the board of directors.

In 2005, the Wisconsin Premises Registration Act required anyone who keeps, houses or commingles livestock to register their premises in that state. The WLIC was developed as a multispecies effort led by Wisconsin’s livestock and industry organizations to keep premise information and help producers comply.

California cow's milk cheese makers won 23 awards, including a distinguished Second- Place Best of Show, at the 2009 annual cheese competition held by the American Cheese Society, Aug. 5-8 in Austin, Texas.

The ACS recognizes the finest cheeses produced in the US.  A record 1,327 cheeses and cultured dairy products were entered into the competition.
California cheeses had another strong showing las year, competing against 197 producers from 32 states -- another ACS record, reports Real California Milk and Real California Cheese, South San Francisco.

California cow's milk cheeses won five first-place, five second- place and 12 third-place awards in 2009 judging, with California -based Cowgirl Creamery taking Second-Place Best of Show for its Red AHawk cow's milk cheese, triple-cream, washed-rind, fully flavored cheese.

WASHINGTON — Giving a boost to struggling dairy producers, the Agriculture Department said Thursday it plans to dole out one-time payments to farmers.

The USDA's announcement of the new Dairy Economic Loss Assistance Payment program comes after Congress earlier this year approved $350 million to help the struggling dairy industry, which has been mired in a lengthy downturn.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he'd heard hundreds of stories from struggling dairy farmers.

"Now, we'll be able to offer them help," he said.

When Congress approved the funding in October, $60 million was set aside to cover purchases of surplus cheese and other dairy products, but the USDA was given wide discretion with the remaining $290 million.