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September 06, 2010 | Creme Fraiche, Mascarpone and Clotted Cream by Yea Brand |
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YEA BRAND PTY LTD NEWS ARCHIVE
Soft cheese debate rubs raw - SMH 27/10/09
Oct 28, 2009 Artisans argue our milk laws are leaving Australia behind, writes Catharine Munro. Slow Food warrior Carlo Petrini has thrown his weight behind the campaign to allow raw milk cheese to be made in Australia. Here for the Sydney International Food Festival, he urged a relaxation of the tough rules, saying the local industry is being left behind. The man who defended Rome's Spanish Steps against the presence of McDonald's in the 1980s, and founded Slow Food, believes a consumer campaign would result in change. His followers in Australia are drawing up battle plans and promise a campaign to tear up the restrictions. ''We are being left behind by the rest of the planet,'' local Slow Food campaign co-ordinator Michael Croft says. Petrini added the US is ahead of Australia, noting ''some nice cheeses'' are being made there since bans on raw milk usage in half the US states were lifted during the past decade. Many artisan cheeses sold in Europe are made from raw milk but calls to allow it here for soft cheeses have always fallen on deaf ears. Australian regulations are under review and the recommendations are highly anticipated. Petrini's supporters and some cheesemakers are likely to be disappointed. Australian food regulators are proposing to maintain their tough stance. More than that, they will propose the states are stripped of their current power to make their own rules over selling unpasteurised milk for consumption by humans. Raw milk cheese is made from milk that has not been subjected to pasteurisation or an equivalent process to remove bacteria that can cause listeriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria and brucellosis. Just how high the risk is and how much flavour is lost through pasteurisation is a long debate well argued during the past few years. Lydia Buchtmann is the spokeswoman for Food Standards Australia, which draws up the regulations. Buchtmann says assessing the dangers of unpasteurised milk to Australian consumers is difficult because there is not much of it around. During the past 10 years, fewer than 10 people have fallen ill from drinking raw milk on farms, Buchtmann says. She likens the argument to that for polio prevention. Although the disease had been eradicated in Australia, that did not justify ending vaccination. Imported raw milk cheese was banned from Australia in 1996 with the introduction of a national food authority. Exemptions have since crept in. About 600 tonnes of unpasteurised cheese is imported each year: emmentaler, gruyere and sbrinz from Switzerland; parmigiano-reggiano, grana padano, pecorino romano, asiago and montasio from Italy; and, in 2004, roquefort from France. National laws say unless the states have different rules, all milk must be pasteurised or subjected to a process that kills bacteria, whether it's for drinking or processing into products including cheese. NSW allows the sale of raw goat's milk for human consumption. The proposed rule changes will go before the board of Food Standards Australia in December. The body proposes to establish three risk levels for raw milk products - in effect, hard cheese, semi-hard cheese and milk and soft cheese. Anything in the third category will be banned for human consumption. Regulators plan to lift the ban on hard and semi-soft cheeses, a proposal that would maintain the status quo, since it's technically possible to make such cheeses in Australia. Producers say they don't because it's too hard to avoid contaminating their soft cheese with raw milk. Meanwhile, New Zealand is preparing to lift the controversial ban on the production of cheese from unpasteurised milk. While Australia and New Zealand usually share food regulations, they are parting ways on this vexed topic. Across the Tasman, the government announced last month it would lift all bans on producing unpasteurised cheese and has invited local artisans to compete with Europe. Regulations are now being drawn up. Cheesemakers, distributors and food lovers in Australia continue to call for a relaxation of the rules. ''I think it would be good to be given the choice,'' says internationally acclaimed cheese maker Kris Lloyd, a cheese educator based in the Adelaide Hills who has been experimenting with raw cheese for years. However, she acknowledged the bitter and long-fought debate on whether unpasteurised cheese should be banned was extremely tricky. ''I do want to make raw milk cheese ... it's [a] superior standard ... at the same time it's kind of scary and you don't want to scare anybody,'' Lloyd says. Long-time raw cheese advocate Will Studd is bitterly disappointed by the proposals for new Australian rules, saying he does not expect another review of the laws for at least five years. ''We are getting left behind and these guys in Canberra don't seem to want to know,'' Studd says. Sydney-based cheese supplier and educator Lynne Tietzel argues safety is an issue. ''It is important only those cheesemakers who are in control of all aspects of their artisan production, land care, herd management and disciplines of [hazard and contamination control] practices, be allowed to produce raw milk cheese,'' Tietzel says. But not all cheesemakers want a change in the law. ''Cheese production is more closely watched than hospital operating rooms,'' cheesemaker David Brown says. ''It costs us a bomb.'' Lifting the ban on unpasteurised cheese would produce a flood of European cheese into Australia, he says. Consumers would buy the product believing it to be superior and local makers would be disadvantaged.
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival. Calling all gourmands, 2010 Festival's gastronomy program on sale October 6! Sep 17, 2009
Yea Brand Products now available Nationally, www.ideli.com.au Aug 12, 2009 Yea Brand products are now easier for consumers to purchase. Gone are the days of running around town trying to find our delicious Creme Fraiche, Clotted Cream, Mascarpone and Club Cheddars. All our products are now available to purchase online through www.ideli.com.au
Masterchef is success for restaurant industry Jul 21, 2009 by Rosemary Ryan - Hospitality Magazine The restaurant and catering industry has hailed the top rating MasterChef reality television show for the enthusiasm for the industry that the program has created around the country. The final episode of the reality TV cooking competition last night set a new record with 3.7 million Australians tuning in to see Julie Goodwin defeat Poh Ling Yeow. Restaurant & Catering Australia, said it expected a flow on from the show would be a boost to the number of people interested in a career in the industry which is suffering from a major shortage of staff. "The association is delighted with the overwhelming enthusiasm for the industry generated by MasterChef," said R&CA CEO John Hart. "Fremantle Media and Channel Ten have done a marvellous job conveying the hard work, dedication and commitment you need to succeed in the industry," he said. "In addition, the passion demonstrated by the contestants and the professional chefs and judges including Matt Preston, Savour Australia R&CA Awards for Excellence Chair of Judges, is to be commended.' "MasterChef highlighted the career opportunities available in the restaurant and catering industry. Renewed interest in the industry will no doubt help alleviate some of the skills and labour shortages that the industry is currently experiencing in the areas of cooks, chefs and managers." The skills and labour shortage experienced in Accommodation, Cafes & Restaurants is severe with a Workplace Survey undertaken by Restaurant & Catering Australia in January 2007 indicating that businesses were found to be 6.8 per cent underemployed. In other words the restaurant, caf?nd catering industry could e.could employ an additional 13,600 people at any point in time. Hart said current research indicates that this situation has not greatly changed regardless of the economic situation. MasterChef uses Yea brand Ceme Fraiche Jul 03, 2009 The Press Club use quite a bit of our Yea Brand Creme Fraiche so it's really not surprising that George Calombaris would use the product on Masterchef last night. Gary's roasted Dory also featured the ingredient. I suppose, seeing as it was out of the fridge, they both had a crack at it. You can watch the two video's below. Lower grocery prices are silver lining for economic woe Feb 06, 2009 Agricultural experts say food prices could fall by up to 15 per cent. (Getty Images: Ian Waldie) Most economic predictions for the coming year are poor but amid the pessimism, there could be some good news for households when it comes to grocery bills. Agricultural experts say lower costs for diesel and fertilisers, coupled with bumper harvests in the northern hemisphere, could push prices in Australia down by as much as 15 per cent. The deflationary influence is expected to result in cheaper dairy products as well as lower vegetable and meat prices. An agricultural expert at the Australian Farm Institute, Mick Keogh, says the global meltdown has made agricultural production cheaper, and this, coupled with good harvests overseas, should see food prices come down. "The input costs that go into food production on farms have come back quite substantially over the last few months: fertiliser prices have reduced; fuel prices have come back; chemical prices have been reduced," he said. "We've also seen a substantial downturn in global grain markets as record harvest have come in, in places like Eastern Europe, Kazakhstan and Russia, and they've flowed onto the export markets. "So, a lot of grain-based products will also ... ease a bit in price. Things like pork and poultry, and that of course goes through to dairy and those sorts of things." Mr Keogh says the price reductions are already filtering through to supermarket shelves. "We've already seen dairy companies offering 10 to 15 per cent lower prices for milk from farmers and you would anticipate that would flow through into dairy products on supermarket shelves in the not-too-distant future, because of course it's not a product that's stored for a long time," he said. "That may flow through to things like poultry prices, because that's predominantly grain-based, but just how quickly, it's a bit hard to tell at the moment." The chairman of the National Association of Retail Grocers of Australia, John Cummings, says the economic downturn has put an end to what were spiralling food costs. "We were looking 12 months ago at estimates of price of produce in Australia going up by 10 to 25 per cent [but] I think that pressure has totally come off now with the current economic situation," he said. Mr Cummings's organisation represents independent grocery stores across Australia and he says consumers should already be benefiting from the lower costs. He says one of the most significant factors driving food prices down is a drop in the price of diesel. "All fruit and vegetable and meat products are very high transport costs, and as diesel is coming down, we should see pressure going off the rises in those areas, and in some cases we'll see a lowering of prices, especially in fruit and veg," he said. Based on a report by Michael Edwards for AM on January 19, 2009. Stink over Raw milk cheese Sep 05, 2008 Debate over raw milk cheese has raged for some years. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has put out a discussion paper and is seeking comments (see www.foodstandards.gov.au). The organisation is considering amendments to the Food Standards Code, which could increase the number and type of raw milk, or unpasteurised, products imported or made here. A spokeswoman for FSANZ, Lydia Buchtmann, says the intent "is to make sure that these products are safe, while at the same time making the standards national and uniform ? and getting rid of that inconsistency where you're permitted to import raw milk cheeses but can't necessarily make them locally". One of Australia's strongest advocates for raw milk cheese, importer and host of pay TV's Cheese Slices, Will Studd, has asked FSANZ to allow more of the products into the country and "bring Australian food standards into line with European food standards". "I want to be proud of Australian cheese internationally," he says. "They [FSANZ] have been dragging their feet about this issue. "There are anomalies in the current system - you've got exceptions for international cheese but the local producers are not allowed a choice." Lynne Tietzel, co-owner of cheese specialist Australia On A Plate, would also like the standards changed in favour of raw milk cheese. She says the response to the release of Roquefort in Australia was "incredible" and is aware of frustration experienced by locals of European background, who cannot buy cheeses here that they or their parents grew up with. However, not everyone in the industry wants a change. David Brown, president of Australian Specialist Cheesemakers Association, says when Victorian members were surveyed about raw milk cheese in 2002, "only 6 per cent showed any enthusiasm ? which means there was 94 per cent that either didn't care or didn't want it". Judy Adamson http://www.smh.com.au/news/good-living/stink-over-raw-milk-cheeses/2008/09/01/1220121114884.html King Island pull the plug on Creme Fraiche and Pure Cream Sep 05, 2008 Over twenty years ago King Island Cream and Creme Fraiche were appearing on Menus at all the best restaurants in Australia. Very soon, after gaining the acceptance of the best chefs in the country, you could also buy it at selected delis. The product was regularly hard to get and often not available at all due to the limited production on the island. The KIng Island Dairy has changed hands possibly half a dozen times since Bill Kirk created the now famous products. In recent times, the Brand has become widely available on Supermarket shelves across the country and indeed overseas as well .   
Yea Brand Dairy is a partnership of the Wiliamson Family, the Kirk Family and Kirk Food Associates Pty Ltd. The modern, recently refurbished and expanded production facility is located at Yea in Central Victoria, the northern gateway to the famous cold climate wine region of the Yarra Valley. General Manager Ross Williamson and his wife Jane look after the day to day operations of the facility and have been involved in the business since 1992. Ross is a qualified cheesemaker with 20 years experience in the industry. Managing Director Bill Kirk, was the original creator of the famous King Island Dairy range of products and brings to the company over 40 years experience working in the Dairy industry. Kirk Food Associates provide logistical support and distribution in Sydney and Melbourne. Yea Brand Dairy Manufacture cream and cheese products for both retail and foodservice operators. Clotted Cream, Crème Fraiche, Mascarpone and Club Cheddar cheese make up the product mix. The factory was recently totally refurbished and expanded with a view to tripling the production capacity. These works were completed at the beginning of 2006. Early in 2007, Yea Brand was granted export approval from AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) and is now actively seeking agents in markets abroad, particularly Asia. Yea Brand have been supplying product locally for over twenty years. The current range of products are lauded by Chefs and consumers alike. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand invites submissions from the public on the production of raw milk cheese Aug 21, 2008 xcerpt from the document available to download on the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand website. Click here for the full version. Invitation for Submissions Written submissions are invited from interested individuals and organisations to assist FSANZ in assessing this Proposal. Submissions should, where possible, address the objectives of FSANZ as set out in section 18 of the FSANZ Act. Claims made in submissions should be supported wherever possible by referencing or including relevant studies, research findings, trials, surveys etc. Technical information should be in sufficient detail to allow independent scientific assessment. The processes of FSANZ are open to public scrutiny, and any submissions received will ordinarily be placed on the public register of FSANZ and made available for inspection. If you wish any information contained in a submission to remain confidential to FSANZ, you should clearly identify the sensitive information, separate it from your submission and provide justification for treating it as confidential commercial material. Section 114 of the FSANZ Act requires FSANZ to treat in-confidence, trade secrets relating to food and any other information relating to food, the commercial value of which would be, or could reasonably be expected to be, destroyed or diminished by disclosure. Submissions must be made in writing and should clearly be marked with the word ?Submission? and quote the correct project number and name. While FSANZ accepts submissions in hard copy to our offices, it is more convenient and quicker to receive submissions electronically through the FSANZ website using the Standards Development tab and then through Documents for Public Comment. Alternatively, you may email your submission directly to the Standards Management Officer at submissions@foodstandards.gov.au. There is no need to send a hard copy of your submission if you have submitted it by email or the FSANZ website. FSANZ endeavours to formally acknowledge receipt of submissions within 3 business days. DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS: 6pm (Canberra time) 17 September 2008 SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED AFTER THIS DEADLINE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED Submissions received after this date will only be considered if agreement for an extension has been given prior to this closing date. Agreement to an extension of time will only be given if extraordinary circumstances warrant an extension to the submission period. Any agreed extension will be notified on the FSANZ website and will apply to all submitters. Questions relating to making submissions or the application process can be directed to the Standards Management Officer at standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au. If you are unable to submit your submission electronically, hard copy submissions may be sent to one of the following addresses: Food Standards Australia New Zealand Food Standards Australia New Zealand PO Box 7186 PO Box 10559 Canberra BC ACT 2610 The Terrace WELLINGTON 6036 AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Tel (02) 6271 2222 Tel (04) 473 9942 Heidi Raclette takes Gold at ASCA cheese show Aug 21, 2008 HEIDI FARM RACLETTE IS CROWNED GRAND CHAMPION CHEESE Heidi Farm Raclette Cheese, a Swiss style cheese from Tasmania, was today awarded the acclaimed title of ?Grand Champion Cheese? at the 2008 Melbourne Specialist Cheese Show. Heidi Farm beat a highly competitive field to take out the award, from an astounding range of over 300 of our finest Australian handmade specialty cheeses, including soft oozing camemberts, creamy blues and crumbling cheddars. Heidi Farm Raclette Cheese has an intense and delicious perfume and authentic flavour. The rich milky flavour and deep golden luscious texture is best appreciated when the cheese is melted or cooked. Heidi Farm Raclette was one of the first farmhouse cheeses in Australia and has always been made in a traditional style. While the world rushes by, Heidi Farm goes quietly about its business making superb farmhouse cheeses in the natural way from their herd of Friesians. The judges, including cheese experts, food media and restaurateurs faced the daunting task of tasting cheeses across 10 categories including classic Aged Cheddar, White and Blue Mould, Washed Rind, Fresh Curd, Sheep, Goat and Buffalo milk cheeses. In all, 10 Gold Medals were awarded plus the Grand Champion Cheese. Chief Judge of the Melbourne Specialist Cheese Show, Ian Roberton applauded the Grand Champion winner and said: ?Heidi Farm Raclette is world class and not only scored high on points, it was remarked on many times and is a worthy winner of the title ?Grand Champion Cheese?. Australian Specialty Cheesemakers Association (ASCA) judging results Aug 21, 2008 Australian (Melbourne) Specialist Cheesemakers Judging Results 2008 Grand Champion Cheese Heidi Farm (TAS), Raclette GOLD MEDALS: Category 1. Fresh Curd Soft Udder Delights (SA), Ashed Chevre Capra Cheese Company (VIC), Allegro Category 2. Fresh Curd Textured Vannella Cheese Company (QLD), Buffalo Bocconcini Category 3. Fresh Curd Matured Red Hill Cheese (VIC), Paradigm Log Holy Goat (VIC), La Luna Category 4. Fresh Curd Marinated Tarago River Cheese Company (VIC), Marinated Goat Cheese Udder Delights (SA), Marinated Chevre Category 5. White Mould Capra Cheese Company (VIC), Velvet Tasmanian Heritage (TAS ? owned by National Foods), Traditional Camembert Category 6. Blue Mould Red Hill Cheese (VIC), Mountain Goat Blue Tarago River Cheese Company (VIC), Strzlecki Blue Category 7. Washed Rind Woodside Cheese Wrights (SA), Vigneron Milawa Cheese Company (VIC), King River Gold Category 8. Cheddar Maffra Cheese Company (VIC), Maffra Cloth Cheddar Pyengana (TAS), Pyengana Cheddar Ashgrove Cheese Company (TAS), Traditional Cloth Cheddar Category 9. Semi Hard Cooked style Heidi Farm (TAS), Heidi Raclette Woodside Cheese Wrights (SA), Figaro Category 10. Hard Cooked Style Donnybrook Cheese (VIC), Pasterello Peoples? Choice Award: Meredith Dairy, Marinated Goat Cheese in Extra Virgin Olive Oil Milk supplies 85m litres short Mar 20, 2008 Fresh milk is being trucked across the Nullarbor as WA supplies fall to a 15-year low and industry leaders warn an extra 85 million litres over two years is needed to supply the State?s booming economy. About half a million litres of milk will be imported from the Eastern States over the next six weeks by processor Challenge Dairy to meet growing export markets in Singapore and Malaysia. The producer co-operative, which has been sourcing the Eastern States milk through major processor National Foods, said the imports were designed to cover the seasonal autumn production shortfall in WA. It comes as WA?s milk production for this financial year is tipped to fall 25 million litres to about 325 million litres, an 18 per cent decline over three years and a hangover from previous poor prices which have forced farmers from the industry. The fall, combined with a booming WA population and growing markets in Singapore and Malaysia, has led an industry think tank to push for an 85-million-litre increase in production over the next two years. The group, which includes farmers, processors and the Department of Agriculture and Food, argues booming domestic demand has driven an increase in farmer pay over the past 12 months, now making dairying a profitable venture and drawcard for outside investors. It will launch its scheme to boost WA?s milk production, known as Dairy Invest, next week. Challenge Dairy chairman Larry Brennen said yesterday milk imports from the east were a short-term measure but were needed to ensure lucrative export markets the co-operative had built up were not lost. Mr Brennen said a rapid turnaround in production was needed and while a pay increase to farmers of about 12¢ to 14¢ per litre over the past year had gone some of the way towards boosting production, other suppliers had continued to leave the industry and overall milk production from their suppliers had dropped. WAFarmers dairy section president Peter Evans said the milk shortfall was symptomatic of years of low prices to farmers. ?Now suddenly the markets are there,? he said. ?You can?t just turn on a tap that quickly.? He said recent price rises over the past 12 months meant most dairy farmers would accept the return they were getting ?now justified the effort?. Jacqui Biddulph, chairwoman of WA industry body Western Dairy, said there was growing interest from the east and overseas in investment in the WA industry. http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=77&ContentID=63587 February at Kirks Feb 06, 2008 Hard to get "fruits of the sea" are back in stock at Kirkfood. Mojama, Bottarga, Anchovies all now available. Check out Wills Blog for all the details......>click here We are clearing out redundant lines, there are some absolute bargains to be had. Login to the online catalogue then in the left hand menu , click on view catalogue , then select the Half price and clearance tab .....>click here Lirah Nebbiolo and Chardonnay Verjus as well as Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz Vinegars are a must. Login to the online catalogue and type in the search field "Lirah" to order online. .....>click here Yea Brand Mascarpone, Creme Fraiche and Clotted Cream are now packaged in convenient 500ml cups for foodservice as well as 250gm for retail. Check out the new Yea Brand Website for the full Yea Brand Range.......>click here We are doing our best to reduce our carbon footprint. One way is to reduce the amount of paper we use , check out Matty's blog here. Accounts people can now access account information online. Reply to this email, and we'll set you up with login details. Season 2008 AFL kicks off in March and we can't wait! The footy tipping competition is on again this year and we are now taking your registrations. Unlike just about everything from interest rates to butter, the cost of entry has not risen and is still just $40.00. Click here to sign yourself up. Cheese standards on the agenda at UN meeting Feb 05, 2008 Woolworths says food prices will climb Feb 04, 2008 Australia's biggest retailer Woolworths Ltd says food prices will continue to rise in the months ahead, after posting a near nine per cent lift in first half sales. The company also firmed up its guidance for annual sales, after benefiting from solid growth across all of its key supermarkets and general merchandise divisions. Woolworth said total sales for the 27 weeks ended December 31 grew by 8.7 per cent to $23.992 billion. The result was in line with expectations, as the company also took more market share from rival Coles. Supermarket sales climbed 7.9 per cent to $20.324 billion, while general merchandise jumped 13.8 per cent to $3.002 billion. Woolworths chief executive Michael Luscombe expects sales to grow between eight per cent and 10 per cent in fiscal 2008, against earlier guidance of seven to 10 per cent. He said upward pressure on food prices will continue over the next six months, as costs increase. "Indication from our vendors is that we got more of the same coming," he said during a teleconference. "We have got a number of key contracts coming up that we have had in place for a number of years, and they will have significant cost increases and the challenge will be to absorb as much as that as possible." Woolworths shares fell $1.35, or 4.5 per cent, to $29.46 by 1557 AEDT Wednesday. Mr Luscombe said the retailer had swallowed past price increases, although that had nothing to do with a federal government inquiry into food pricing practices. "It has nothing to do with the government inquiry," he said. "We recognise there is a lot of competition out here and we are just trying to do the right thing." Shoppers will soon be able to monitor the price of certain supermarket items online as part of a government probe into the grocery industry, with the consumer watchdog due to release its findings in July. Woolworths had been reinvesting in prices before the inquiry was announced, as it continued to widen the gap between itself and Wesfarmers-owned Coles, an analyst who did not want to be named said. "I can't imagine it's for the consumer, to be honest," he said. "I would imagine it is more to do with the competitive environment and taking advantage of the new ownership of Coles." http://news.smh.com.au/woolworths-says-food-prices-will-climb/20080130-1ozf.html Fine food no truffling matter Nov 30, 2007 LAST month Melbourne-based food importer Friend & Burrell was forced to destroy 80kg of the prized Porcini mushrooms. Another exotic food importer reports that truffles -- the underground fungus -- were ruined because they heated up and spoiled during fumigation. It's all part of the bureaucracy and sometimes heavy and slow handling of valuable and delicate foods by the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service (AQIS) and a major headache for niche fine food importers -- even those who pay attention to all the minute detail of paperwork. Earlier this month an 8000kg refrigerated airfreight container of Italian cheese, including Buffalo Mozzarella and Taleggio, was held up at Customs for wholesale distributor Kirkfood, which has offices in NSW and Victoria. Kirkfood head of imports Will Tuckfield said the paperwork was in order, with the invoice detailing the health certificate for the consignment. The frustration for Tuckfield is that Customs missed it and his paperwork went to the bottom of the pile, leading to several days' delay. Tuckfield respects that there have to be rules to protect the environment from biosecurity risks. It has taken him more than seven years to import one of Italy's finest hams, San Daniele Prosciutto, albeit numbered to track its origin, abattoir and processors and with the bone removed to allay AQIS's fears of Swine Vesicular Disease entering Australia. "The bottom line is whatever the rules are you have to follow them," he says. But his frustration is that there is a large gap between what is deemed acceptable in Australia and the rest of the world -- Europe in particular. And most importers are too small and don't have the resources to fight AQIS. "The real difficulty is with the cheese meeting food standards in Australia. There was a stage when parmesan (a raw cheese) was technically illegal." One of the famous cases is the problem over the importation of Roquefort, a French cheese made with raw milk that can contain tiny quantities of the E-coli bacteria and was banned in Australia for a while. "The E-coli is not a particular problem in cheese in Europe. In Australia the limits are set extremely low." Georges Puechberty from GJ Foods in Sydney is also frustrated -- not just by the bureaucracy but the cost of bringing fine foods through Customs. "It is very, very difficult because the quarantine rules are getting tighter and tighter. If quarantine had existed in Australia when the first fleet arrived, we would still be eating kangaroos and gum leaves. And nothing else." When Puechberty imports truffles, the European side of the operation tries to remove all dirt from them. In Australia AQIS examines them under a microscope costing $35.50 for each 15-minute time segment. Recently, it took nine of these 15-minute intervals to find a few grams of dirt. That's less than would come in on a tourist's shoes, according to Puechberty. "I'm the first one to agree about being very cautious about what we import to Australia. But there is a point where we should say, 'Look, maybe we are going a little bit overboard'," he says. In another case, he was importing white Alba truffles, the most exotic of all, vacuum-packed which kills insects. An AQIS officer cut in half, looking for insects, several of the truffles which cost $7500 a kilo, also cutting their value to chefs. Another importation of 4kg of frozen truffles took 1.5 hours to laboratory test. "By then they were all thawed out," Puechberty says. "That means we couldn't sell them. We have been trying to recoup our money for 18 months and we are still not successful against quarantine." Friend & Burrell's Simon Friend says that, primarily, Australian quarantine people are looking to ensure there is no dirt or any insects in a consignment, with fumigation costing about $400. "On one occasion they found one live insect in a fresh truffle consignment which means the whole lot gets done, which is bloody depressing. Not only does it add to the cost but it also means you lose a day or two in shelf life. Fumigation never improves the product's integrity." Friend says some of the documentation can be quite complex. "After all the balls-ups that can occur with paperwork, you have the critical aspect of temperature control and cool chain logistics. If mushrooms are exposed to heat they suffer quite dramatically."
The Pesto Company, New Zealand Take on Yea Brand Dairy products. Nov 22, 2007 The Pesto Company, a Wellington based distributor in New Zealand are now distributing Yea Brand club style cheddars to retailers. At this stage, only the cheddars are available and only on the North Island. However, plans are afoot to increase the range available and also to include outlets in the South Island. For information Please contact Michele Matthews at The Pesto Company Yoplait yoghurt recall affects baby food Oct 17, 2007 National Foods has recalled some Yoplait yoghurt products that may have been contaminated with metal flakes, a company spokeswoman says. Baby Yoplait four-packs in the flavours vanilla, vanilla and banana, and peach and pear, with "best before" dates between November 4 and November 23 inclusive, should be returned to where they were purchased for a full refund. Some Yoplait Eliave four- and eight-pack products have also been recalled. Yoplait Eliave four-packs in the flavours vanilla, fig and honey, and pear with prunes, and eight-packs in strawberry and vanilla and vanilla with prunes with "best before" dates between November 10 and November 17 should also be returned for a refund. The National Foods spokeswoman said last night that unexpected corrosion had caused some metal to flake into the product at the company's Morwell plant in Victoria's east. "The small flakes of metal are possibly chrome and they are three to four millimetres long and one millimetre wide," she said. The corrosion was discovered during a machine upgrade, she said. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/17/1192300798333.html The Yea Brand/kirkfood Fiat Punto tackles Calder Park raceway this weekend Sep 26, 2007 Calder Park Raceway in Victoria will rumble this weekend as Phil and Aiden Buggee rattle the mighty kirkfood/Yea Brand, Diesel Fiat Punto around for round 7 of the Australian Motor Racing series. Phil has been working tirelessly tweaking the Punto and assures us, at the very least, that fun will be had by all. With a bit of luck, you’ll get to see the mighty orange punto going through its paces on the TV next week. Butter prices to soar Sep 18, 2007 Householders are about to see the other side of the very large amount of coin being paid to dairy farmers this season, with butter prices about to soar 23 per cent. From Monday, shoppers will pay more for butter in the start of price rises which will help put $700,000 in the pocket of an average Fonterra farmer this year. Fonterra has promised its 11,600 farmers a record payout this season after lifting its forecast to $6.40/kg milksolids – 47 per cent higher than last season's payout – and says it will put up the price of butter in New Zealand by 23 per cent to about $2.50 for 500g from next week. Supermarket chain Progressive is expected to shave its margins to keep shoppers at the chiller cabinet but the price rise will hurt small bakeries and cafes. These small businesses have been told by their suppliers that their butter prices may jump as much as 40 per cent and that cheese will also rise in price. Fonterra said the commodity price of butter had more than doubled in the past year to $US3700 ($NZ5265) a tonne. Figures from Statistics New Zealand show milk prices rose nearly 9.6 per cent in July – a major factor in an overall 1.2 per cent rise in food prices in July. Dairy prices in New Zealand supermarkets are at the mercy of changes in international commodities because Fonterra – which controls more than 90 per cent of the nation's milkflows – exports most of its milk. Inside Fonterra, the processing plants producing branded foods have to match export prices to obtain their share of the milk. International prices have doubled during the past two years on the back of drought pressures on milk production and competition for cattle feed from biofuel producers causing a world shortfall of milk. This effect has been magnified by soaring demand from middle-class consumers in economies such as China Even if global milk supplies increase to keep up with demand, international prices are expect to stay high. "Even when prices start easing back, we don't expect them to go back to where they were," Rabobank dairy analyst Hayley Moynihan said. The Reserve Bank has warned in its latest Monetary Policy Statement that the global boom in commodity prices will lead to a spike in food prices in New Zealand next year. The price of wheat has doubled in value on the world market since April, reaching $US9.1125 ($NZ12.96) a bushel on United States commodity markets this week. Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard said he expected a marked impact on food prices next year as higher world prices for grains flowed through to other commodities, including dairy and meat. Grain influenced international meat and milk prices because many overseas farmers relied on grain rather than grass to feed their cattle. The Baking Industry Association has said bakers have already absorbed a rise in flour prices from last year but increases would eventually be passed on to consumers. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4202376a13.html Now that British milk producers need to go global,size matters Sep 13, 2007 The age of cheap food is finally coming to an end. Dearer grocery baskets will have huge ramifications - less cash at the end of the month for consumer durables and pressure on governments to increase the wages of the low-paid. The coincidence of cheap food, cheap energy and low mortgage rates has left consumers in the West with a comfortable and expanding surplus of spare cash, which has been funnelled to Asia, where it has fulled a manufacturing explosion of consumer goods for export. The pincers on our wallets will provoke a painful adjustment, made worse by the coincidence of a high oil price, itself a contributing factor in the rising farm gate prices. It will mean fewer toys at Christmas and layoffs in the Asian sweatshops. Not everyone will suffer. Food surpluses in rich countries have been a curse for farmers in emerging markets. The continuing row over the world trade talks in Geneva is in part about the residue of protective tariffs and subsidies that prevent farmers in poorer countries from exploiting their cost advantage by selling us their food surpluses. Yet these barriers have already been substantially removed. Europe’s butter, wheat and barley mountains have been eaten away, the lakes of surplus milk have been sucked dry. There is, finally, an opportunity for efficient food producers to seize an opportunity. Who will profit? The price of wheat and skimmed milk powder has more than doubled over the past year, but not all producers have been able to take advantage of the dizzying ascent of soft commodities. To win in this game you must have access to global markets, and British milk producers have been stymied, punished for being stuck in an island market, organised in myriad small cooperatives and locked into contracts with giant retailers. When the world was awash in milk, dairy farmers had no choice but to accept Tesco’s price for their fresh product, which sold at a premium to the global market for milk powder. That has now changed and British farmers have two potential markets: the domestic doorstep and the world - meaning the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and the Far East, where diets are shifting to include more animal protein. Getting a share of those markets for dairy ingredients requires manufacturing and distribution scale. The European Union is the world’s biggest dairy exporter and this grassy island is among the most efficient milk producers, but it needs bigger businesses if it is to grab more of the world’s trade without undue risk in volatile markets. There is a problem: the Office of Fair Trading sees the UK fresh milk market as discrete, inaccessible to competitors. Any attempt by the farmer milk coops, such as First Milk or Milk Link, to merge or acquire would probably be resisted in a bid to keep a lid on the price of the doorstep pint. That view needs to change if the British dairy sector is not to be trampled in the coming agribusiness boom. Overseas giants, such as Arla, of Denmark, have made inroads with the purchase of Express Dairies. This year, Saputo, of Canada, bought Dansco Dairy Products, a cheesemaker in Wales. In an attempt to reopen the debate, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has published a report on the British-European milk trade that knocks down the argument that the UK market is insulated from continental competitors. It seems astonishing that a nation with fields knee-deep in cow pats hasn’t produced a dairy business that can hold its own with Danone, of France, or even Ireland’s Glanbia. Manufacturers are already wincing in pain over increases in wheat, butter and cheese. Powerful grocery chains are seeing inflation shatter their price points. It cannot be long before those downstream in the food chain begin to take a fresh look at the business of growing food and wonder if they ignored it for too long
Despairing farmers milk what little they have Sep 13, 2007 IN GREG Ault's near-bare paddocks newborn calves scramble to their feet. It is calving season and, while welcome, the new arrivals mean more hungry mouths to draw on feed that is increasingly difficult to find. The dairy farmer's pastures in Rochester, northern Victoria, have not seen a drop of irrigation water in two years. Mr Ault last year had to borrow half of the $200,000 he spent on hay and grains to feed 100 milking cows and 100 young. Another 110 cows were parked at other farms in the Western District in the hope that keeping them would boost his family's chances of financial recovery when normal climatic conditions presumably returned. "That's the hard part about this year," he said. "There was an expectation that things were improving because we had a reasonable autumn and early winter. "So it's disappointing to find that you're back in the same boat as we were 12 months ago." Mr Ault, 51, is on the Campaspe irrigation system, which extends from Rochester to Echuca. Water is sourced from Lake Eppalock, which is hovering at 5.1 per cent of its capacity. While irrigators in the larger Murray and Goulburn districts have been ensured 5 and 17 per cent of their water allocations respectively so far this season, he and his neighbours are on zero. This irrigation season has begun with the same ominous signs as the last, when they went the entire year without flows. "I'm positive about the dairy industry — in that it's got a future, and that's why we've wanted to persevere, and we're still aiming to persevere," Mr Ault said. "But obviously you can't knock your head against a brick wall forever." Since 2003 the number of dairy farmers in the district has dwindled from about 28 to 19, with dry conditions forcing owners into early retirement. Water rights have been sold from the farms, and the land carved up and put on the market. Despite a strong milk price this season, dairy farmers in northern Victoria have been hit particularly hard. Traditionally, they produced around 40 per cent of the state's milk, but that has dropped to 34 per cent. Local federal MP Sharman Stone yesterday wrote to Prime Minister John Howard, asking him to extend drought support. Describing the situation as a national disaster, she also called on him to consider HECS-style loans for farmers, to be repaid when incomes were restored to pre-drought levels or a property was sold. "I am very concerned that farmers do not have sufficient income to either buy extra water, fodder or other feed for livestock," Dr Stone said. "This all costs money people simply don't have." At the Aults' property, there is enough green pasture to feed their 300 animals for three weeks. Each rain event will provide a few days' reprieve. Mr Ault is already identifying poor performers in his milking herd to send to the local abattoir, where the queue is rapidly growing. He will then need to source feed from elsewhere, possibly from Mallee farmers who have begun razing failed grain crops for hay. That means more talks with the bank. "You've got to work just as closely with them as you do with the hay provider," Mr Ault said. But with such a demand for feed, it's a seller's market. Stories circulate of bidding wars for hay and grain. "In the space of one week it's gone up about $100 for hay," Cohuna dairy farmer John Keely said. With limited irrigation water available, the price on the temporary market is also rising, edging towards $1000 per million litres. Dairy farmers with water must decide what's more cost-effective: selling what little water they have to pay off some debt and buy feed — or use the flows to feed their own pasture. Goulburn dairy farmer Tim Leahy is irrigating his family property with salty water from a shallow bore while he weighs up what to do with his 17 per cent irrigation allocation. But at $1000 per million litres, the price may be right to sell. "It's like the sharemarket, there's a risk factor," Mr Leahy said. "One megalitre of water, putting it on certain pastures if they're well irrigated and well managed, will return about 1.5 tonne or two of feed. But certainly if you get $1000, you can buy three tonne of feed." 'Uphill battle' to get Fonterra on the share market Sep 13, 2007 A stock market listing for co-operative dairy giant Fonterra would be hard to sell to farmer owners, says Dairy Farmers of New Zealand. Fonterra chairman Henry van der Heyden yesterday refused to comment on speculation that the dairy company had settled on two options as part of its capital structure review - both involving a partial listing. In a statement van der Heyden said he was sticking to a promise not to discuss the review publicly before talking to farmers. Fonterra's board is expected to present capital structure options and its preference at a special shareholder meeting in November. Dairy Farmers chairman Frank Brenmuhl said feedback from farmers was that they would need a very good reason to devolve any control of Fonterra. "There would need to be more than just a dollar in it because the reason why Fonterra is New Zealand's biggest company is because it has been a co-operative," Brenmuhl said. Splitting out part of Fonterra into a separate business could create mixed loyalties, he said. A separate brands business might find the easiest way to boost profits was to reduce the costs of its inputs, he said. "In this case the major input is milk so farmers are always nervous when you run into that kind of scenario." It was too early to say whether a radical change to the capital structure of Fonterra could win the support of farmers, Brenmuhl said. "When payouts are good farmers are more likely to vote for the status quo," he said. Fonterra's payout last season was $4.46 per kilogram of milk solids, with a record forecast payout of $6.40 this season. The NZX - which has seen several bigger companies depart in the past five years - would likely welcome any form of listing by Fonterra. New Zealand Exchange head of markets Geoff Brown said the NZAX had to be developed so a wider range of organisations could come to market. "Specifically when we looked at that the co-op sector was one of the things which was an obvious standout. The rural sector is not that well represented and anything that we can do that sees an increase in the number of rural companies that are listed would be of benefit." National Bank rural economist Kevin Wilson said three main alternatives available to Fonterra included keeping the co-operative in its current form, possibility with internal tradeable shares for farmers, and developing a new generation co-operative with two classes of shares - one for farmer ownership and another for investors. "So you have some tradeability but you firmly retain control." A third option was some form of market listing, he said. The key issue for Fonterra was one of shareholder choice - did farmers want a global food business or at the other end of the scale a New Zealand-based commodity co-operative?
UK farmers feeling it Sep 13, 2007 THE dairy industry needs a sustained milk price increase of at least 3.7 pence per litre to secure its future, according to the latest farm analysis from Promar Farm Business Accounts (FBA). This figure will raise average yearly farmgate prices to 22ppl, which Promar say is necessary to secure the minimum necessary profits for a dairy farm. The comprehensive survey sampled 118 specialist dairy farms from around the country in an attempt to illustrate the challenges that face the industry. Promar Regional Consultant, Andrew Thompson, said: “The results this year demonstrate the real extent of the problems being faced. The year to March 2007 was horrendous for dairy farmers with a range of factors combining to exert huge downward pressure on margins. "Milk prices continued to fall while production costs rose. As if that was not enough we experienced a severe drought leading to increased purchased feed use, both concentrates and forages, while yields fell.” According to the survey, the average farm made a profit of just under £15,000 on a turnover of £320,000 for the year ending March 2007. Mr Thompson said that the figures were unacceptable, adding that if subsidies were removed farms would not even make a profit. “The average farmer in this sample received grants and subsidies of over £32,500 in the year. If these are removed, the result is a trading loss of nearly £18,000 and this is totally unacceptable.” Recent better prices have encouraged the industry but Mr Thomson said that the industry needs sustained prices throughout the whole year in order to develop. “The current increases will only come into effect halfway through the current milk year so the average price received this year will still be lower than necessary to achieve a realistic profit level.” http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=12643 Fine Food Australia, 24-27th September Sydney Exhibition Centre Sep 10, 2007 Yea Brand will be represented at the show on the Austrade stand. Please call past to check out the range. Here is the list of all the exhibitors at the show. 2Clix Australia Pty Ltd M13
Wyke Farms call for dairy price rise to stop UK cheese shortage Aug 24, 2007 Wyke Farms, the UK's largest independent milk processor and cheese producer, has called for UK retailers to increase dairy prices to avoid a cheese shortage. The farm claims that without the increases milk will be lost to the export market causing a shortage for cheese makers. Wyke Farms, which is still family run, has called for an increase after milk production levels dropped in July making it one of the worst months on record. According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rurual Affairs, milk deliveries dropped by 5%, which is worse than the 1% decline in year on year production in the second quarter. The downward trend is expected to continue after the wet weather damaged forage supplies leading to an increase in winter feed costs. It is expected that milk production will drop below 1 billion litres for only the second time. Wyke Farms managing director Richard Clothier says: "Increasingly prices must be the main vehicle for improving the confidence of UK dairy farmers in their future viability of their diary enterprises." The milk available is understood to be taken out of the cheese market and into milk power and butter production. Irish cheddar production is thought to be down by as much as 18% so far this year. http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/item/57639/254/260/3 WA dairy farmers dudded by 10c/litre Jul 25, 2007
Mr Pratico's farm gate price of 35c/L, which included incentives for quality and large volumes, represented a 10pc increase over the past year. But he says some dairy farmers in Victoria are receiving up to 48c/L. Last week National Foods said its wholesale prices would rise by 20pc-25pc during the next two months for milk and dairy foods due to higher farm-gate prices, brought on by higher commodity prices and a drought-reduced milk supply. Mr Pratico said if National Foods increased the price of milk to supermarkets by 20pc-25pc other processors would follow. He said the WA average farmgate price would be around 35-36c/l. Mr Pratico said the milk shortage was a result of growers not receiving enough money after deregulation to increase milk production. SOURCE: Farm Weekly, WA's leading rural newspaper, posting updates daily on FarmOnline.
Milk price set to top $3 as farmers feel drought Jul 18, 2007 Milk prices are set to soar by up to 25 per cent after Australia’s biggest processor warned it would be forced to pass on cost increases incurred by dairy farmers as a result of the drought. National Foods, which owns the flagship Pura brand, said the price of milk at the farm gate had risen as farmers passed on the higher cost of grain fed to cows. Grocers have tipped the price of a two-litre carton of milk could break through $3 barrier as the higher costs flowed through the system over the next six months. National Foods managing director Ashley Waugh described the rise in raw milk prices as unprecedented after the drought stripped more than one billion litres from Australia’s annual milk supply. “This is having a significant effect on milk available to support export demand,” he said. “Furthermore, the milk being produced is costing farmers more because stockfeed prices have risen.” Farm gate prices had increased about 10¢/litre to 40¢ to 45¢/litre, the company said yesterday. http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=146&ContentID=34207 Youth turn the cream sour Jul 18, 2007 A campaign has been launched to save British dishes as teenagers snub regional foods. Despite being voted one of Britain's favourite national dishes, a new research project today reveals that Clotted Cream is facing extinction as millions of teenagers are turning their noses up at the county's best-known exports. Already nearly half (49%) of teenagers have never eaten Clotted Cream and even in Devon itself, less than one in five 16-19 year olds have tasted it, with this downward trend growing significantly. http://www.middevonstar.co.uk/display.var.1549818.0.youth_turn_the_cream_sour.php Wholesale milk prices set to rise 20pc Jul 17, 2007 Australia's largest dairy processor is set to increase its wholesale milk price by 20 to 25 per cent in the next few months. National Foods spokesman Rupert Hugh-Jones says strong international demand, the drought and a recently negotiated increase in farm gate prices have all contributed to the wholesale price hike. He says it will be up to retailers to decide how much of the increase will be passed on to consumers. "We don't set the retail price for milk and it's not for us to say or to speculate how much of that might be passed on," he said. "But we are saying that costs have lead to the increase in the wholesale price of milk and we will need to pass it on to retailers." http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/12/1977195.htm?section=justin
Fonterra could be shut out of food bid Jul 17, 2007 Fonterra may have to wait for another bite at National Foods after a spokesman for the Australian dairy company insisted talks about a potential sale were confined to two parties only - its owner San Miguel and the Japanese brewer Kirin, an affiliated company. Although National Foods spokesman Rupert Hugh-Jones was reported last week confirming talks between San Miguel "and other parties" about a stake in National Foods, he yesterday insisted only San Miguel and Kirin were involved in those talks. But he could not confirm a report that other parties would be strictly excluded from the process as Southeast Asia's largest food and drinks group prepares to sell part of its recently acquired dairy and juice assets to finance an expansion into mining, energy and infrastructure. Discussions might be in their early stages but they are understood to have attracted the attention of a number of other large companies, including the Carlyle private equity group, as well as Goodman Fielder, which is rumoured to have enlisted investment bank UBS to break into the sale process. Fonterra made a play for National Foods in 2005, but lost to San Miguel, who paid around A$1.9 billion. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10450574 Companies rush to capitalise on high dairy prices Jul 17, 2007 There is unprecedented movement in the dairy industry as various companies try to make the most of high world milk prices. Takeovers, public listings and sales are all afoot with companies trying to capitalise on tight supplies of milk, cheese and butter coupled with strong global demand. Both Dairy Farmers and Fonterra are considering listing on the stock exchange while it is rumoured Philippino company San Miguel may sell part of National Foods. Analyst Steve Spencer says there are mixed implications for farmers. "There are performance issues, once a company's listed then that automatically puts significant pressure on the performance of the company to maintain the value for shareholders and so there's a fairly strong discipline," he said. "Truth be told, I think there is a large percentage of the dairy farmer supply base who are looking to realise the value of their shares and I think it's something that would find favour with them provided the number's good enough." http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/2007/s1973762.htm Milk price set to soar as drought lingers Jul 13, 2007 FAMILIES could be paying up to 25 per cent more for a litre of milk within six months, along with similar jumps in the cost of other dairy products. National Foods Limited, the country's largest processor of drinking milk and dairy products, said wholesale prices for milk and dairy foods would probably rise between 20 and 25 per cent in the half-year period. Individual retailers will decide how much of the increase is passed on to customers, the company said. The managing director of National Foods, Ashley Waugh, said that while demand for milk products had grown, supply had shrunk because of the drought. "With rising prices for international dairy commodities, combined with reduced availability of milk due to the drought, milk is now much more expensive at the farm gate," he said. "We also estimate that the drought has reduced the available annual milk supply in Australia by more than 1 billion litres, and this is having a significant effect on milk available to support export demand. "Furthermore, the milk being produced is costing farmers more because stockfeed prices have risen," Mr Waugh said. A higher price for raw milk meant increases for milk, cheese and dairy products, he said. AAP July 13, 2007 New Zealand's Annual Trade Deficit Narrows on Exports (Update3) Jul 02, 2007 June 27 (Bloomberg) -- New Zealand's annual trade deficit narrowed in May as surging dairy prices drove exports to a 12-month high while imports fell from a year earlier for the first time in six months. The trade shortfall shrank to NZ$5.87 billion ($4.5 billion) in the 12 months ended May 31 from NZ$5.99 billion in April, Statistics New Zealand said today in Wellington. The median estimate of 10 economists in a Bloomberg survey was for a NZ$5.82 billion gap. Rising exports, which make up 30 percent of New Zealand's $102 billion economy, signal economic growth is shifting away from domestic demand as the central bank raises interest rates. Surging world butter and milk powder prices have buoyed the nation's terms of trade index, which measures the amount of imports New Zealand can buy from a fixed quantity of exports. ``Further growth in international dairy prices will provide ongoing support to New Zealand's rural exports,'' said Joshua Williamson, economist at TD Securities in Sydney. High interest rates ``should start to exert a downward influence on import volumes, but it is too early in the cycle to show a trade-based response from firms and households,'' he said. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=axB7Hy73FHY0&refer=australia China shuts 180 factories Jun 28, 2007 BEIJING: China has closed 180 food factories after inspectors found industrial chemicals being used in products ranging from sweets to seafood, state media said yesterday. The closures came amid a crackdown on shoddy and dangerous products, China Daily reported. Formaldehyde, illegal dyes and industrial wax had been found in sweets, pickles, crackers and seafood. "These are not isolated cases," Han Yi, of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, told the newspaper. In the past, the Government has said safety violations were the work of a few rogue operators. International concerns about food safety in China ballooned this year after high levels of toxins and industrial chemicals were found in exported products. http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/china-shuts-180-factories/2007/06/27/1182623992384.html Fonterra sites excel at national dairy awards Jun 26, 2007 Fonterra featured well at the annual Dairy Industry Quality Performance Awards in Wellington last night. Run by the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology, the Awards recognise all-round quality performance of dairy manufacturing and processing plants in New Zealand. Fonterra's Hautapu site in the Waikato won a hat-trick of awards, including the prestigious Ecolab Eco Efficiency Award for its environmental and waste reduction efforts. Fonterra's Director of Group Manufacturing and Supply Chain Gary Romano says the award is a tribute to the team's focus on continuously improving the site's environmental practices. "It's a great example of what can be achieved by making a firm commitment to operating in a way that is sustainable for the long term. "We have set some ambitious environmental targets for our manufacturing sites and they have risen to the challenge, achieving some significant wins earlier than anticipated, including a 60 per cent reduction in the volume of waste sent to landfill and a 10 per cent reduction in our energy usage. And it doesn't end there - Fonterra is looking to better these results next season." http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0706/S00375.htm EU export subsidies revoked as dairy prices rocket Jun 26, 2007 The EU's dairy management committee last week revoked subsidies on all exported dairy products for the first time in 40 years, as increased demand amongst processors and consumers continues to drive up prices. In line with reforms to the common agricultural policy (CAP), the committee will extend the phasing out the refunds to foreign sales of butter and cheese as well as milk powders. Such a decision is likely to be viewed warily by the EU farmers worried of future protection for their products, though highlights ongoing concern amongst dairy processors over the significant rises in prices for raw materials. The subsidies have been in place since 1968 to ensure European dairy products remained competitive with rivals over the world. However as processors continue to face increasing prices for raw materials the subsidies are currently superfluous to demand. On the international dairy market prices for milk powders are currently well above US$400 (€298)/100kg with cheese prices also approaching the figure in value. It adds that butter similarly is at a "historically high level." The EU added in a statement that it would continue to monitor the market to decide if the refunds may again be necessary in the future.
Cream of the crop: Sky Gyngell reveals her love for crème fraîche Jun 25, 2007 Our chef's schooling in traditional French cuisine left her with plenty to rebel against - but also instilled in her a love for one particular ingredient: crème fraîche
We still use some of these methods at Petersham, but my cooking has changed a lot over the years; it is freer, lighter, more produce-led and far, far simpler. But the more I strip it down, the more value I place on my original training. Some things have gone right out of the window, probably never to be seen again, such as pâte à choux, clarified consommés and elaborate menu planning. But one thing I value even more today than I did then is crème fraîche. Crème fraîche is French for fresh cream. It is simply a heavy cream that has been slightly soured using a bacterial culture; it is not, however, either as sour or as thick as sour cream. http://www.independent.co.uk/living/food_and_drink/features/article2653155.ece London eats up its first Whole Foods Jun 25, 2007 The BBC calls it "green gone gorgeous." A strong economy helps shoppers handle the high prices. London - Britain's culinary reputation has always been locked in the infamy of mashed peas and roast beef. But it is no secret that Londoners, for all their pretensions to blandness, are foodies. Forget the gastro-pubs - just go shopping in London for Sunday dinner. At the Borough Market, a cook can find a nice feathered pheasant and redolent disks of Double Gloucester cheese. There's clotted Devon cream and jams at Fortnum & Mason, farm-fresh produce at green grocers on the road to the country house, and the savory take-home curry at the Marks & Spencer on every major street. Of course, there's the decadent sprawl of the food halls at Harrods. Into this superheated eat- fest comes Whole Foods Market Inc., the company that has made a multibillion-dollar splash in the United States with up-market emphasis on organic and natural foods. But will London be impressed? By Kim Murphy
Australian food review defamatory Jun 25, 2007 Food critics in Australia are digesting a controversial High Court decision that an unfavourable review of a Sydney restaurant was defamatory.
The reviewer, Matthew Evans, had written that the flavours of one dish "jangled like a car crash". Critics of the court decision said it could stifle honest reviews. 'Unpalatable' According to the BBC correspondent in Sydney, Nick Bryant, the city likes to think of itself as one of the great culinary capitals of the world, and its restaurant reviewers wield much the same power as theatre critics in New York. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6756605.stm Redgum Pte Ltd Appointed Yea Brand Singapore Distributor Jun 05, 2007 Redgum Pte Ltd have been appointed as Yea Brands Distributor in Singapore. Redgum Pte Ltd is a privately owned company that is owned and operated by Roland and Elena Scherer. Redgum was founded in 1989 and has operated in Singapore since then. It now specialises in salad mixes, farmhouse style cheeses, an incredible range of antipasto, pasta, Australian native herbs and spices, jams and chutneys. It also carries organic food in particular organic fruit and vegetables. Yea Brand are proud to be associated with Redgum and look forward to working closely with Elena and Roland to build brand and product awareness, as well as sales opportunities in Singapore.
Service wears thin Jun 05, 2007 IT'S 2017, a warm spring Sunday morning, but the city streets are empty, chairs and tables stacked inside dark, shuttered restaurants. The days of happy noisy crowds, of people meeting for breakfast among the hiss and steam of the espresso machine, are little more than a nostalgic memory.
An unlikely scenario? After all, the Queensland dining scene has come along in giant leaps but beyond the packed tables and increasing menu prices, the hospitality industry is suffering its worse crisis in decades, as employers continue to struggle to fill positions. "I no longer interview prospective staff – they interview me to see if they might deign to work here," one head chef says. The outlook might be bleak for employers but for employees, for those who've long held ambitions to be the next Jamie Oliver perhaps, the time couldn't be riper. "A lot of people are getting out of the industry," says Chefs on the Run recruitment consultant Michael Derrick. "They are all looking for quality of life and don't want to work those sort of hours, which means there are even more positions to fill." Derrick himself was a chef, but after returning from seven years cooking overseas, was loath to get back into the industry, wanting that same quality of life a nine-to-five job could provide. http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,21845473-23272,00.html Posh Americans enticed with Aussie food Jun 04, 2007 Upmarket Americans will be enticed to buy Australian food including fresh barramundi, meat pies, olive oil and Tasmanian rain water by a new Australian promotion that started in the US on Saturday. For a period of three weeks, Americans visiting US supermarket chain Balducci's will be greeted with the smell of Australian prawns, fish, and lamb cooking demonstrations by Australian chefs. Large displays featuring iconic Australian images such as the Sydney Opera House and the Blue Mountains and snapshots of Aussie beef, prawns and lamb chops sizzling away on Aussie barbies will also sit in high-profile points in the Balducci's stores. "Balducci's customers are well-travelled foodies who are always curious to try new unique food items from around the world," Austrade's food specialist Peter Brennan said. The supermarket chain has 10 stores in New York, Washington DC, Maryland, Connecticut and Virginia and the average Balducci's customer has a household income of $US185,000 ($A223,880) per annum. "The US Free Trade Agreement has created a unique opportunity to get noticed in one of the most crowded marketplaces on the planet," Brennan said. The promotion is hosted in partnership with the Australian Trade Commission and Tasmanian Tours, with six vacations to Tasmania up for grabs. Products being offered to Americans include: Blue Hills leatherwood honey, Tasmanian Rain bottled rain water, Four'N Twenty meat pies, Dandaragan Estate extra virgin olive oil, Brookfarm all natural macadamia nut muesli, Outback Spirit sauces and dressings flavoured with indigenous spices and herbs, Maggie Beer, Rylstone Organic Olive Oil, Chocolate Grove, Cripps Nubake Shortbread, Red Island Olive Oil, Robins Foods, King Island, National Foods cheddar, Waterwheel, Tasmanian spiced Cherries, Marinated Feta and 34 Degrees Fruit Paste. The promotion ends on June 24. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=270874 CHEESY GRIN May 28, 2007 CAMPERDOWN'S former Bonlac factory will get a multi-million-dollar facelift to become a dairy precinct employing up to 150 people within five years. The Camperdown Cheese Company will within a fortnight seek planning approvals to recommission the former milk factory and its dryer for production of value-added milk and whey powder products for international and domestic markets. Company spokeswoman Mary Bevilacqua yesterday said it was planned to process 100 million litres of milk in the first year after commissioning, rising to 200 million litres in the second year and to more than 300 million litres in the
``This is very exciting for Camperdown. Employment at the site within five years could be between 100-150 jobs - so it is a sizeable operation we are talking about.'' The company would start advertising for south-west milk suppliers in the next week and would be ``highly competitive'' with other factories, Ms Bevilacqua said.
She said the factory's dryer had the capacity to process 3.3 tonnes of powder an hour and this could be increased to a capacity of four tonnes an hour. The Camperdown Cheese Company is wholly owned by De Cicco Industries managing director Frank De Cicco. Ms Bevilacqua said De Cicco Industries had been producing a range of dairy products from its Melbourne base for 25 years. Corangamite Mayor Ruth Gstrein said shire negotiations with the Camperdown Cheese Company to redevelop the former Bonlac factory had been three-and-a-half years ``in the pipeline.'' The CCC business would be a ``real boon'' for employment in the town, for young families and as a boost for further economic development. ``Camperdown has a fantastic feel about it at the moment. It is certainly going ahead in leaps
Cr Gstrein said the Camperdown Cheese Company and the shire had committed to contributing $200,000 each to help bring natural gas to the town. ``They were major players in bringing natural gas here,'' she said.
Nomura May Bid for San Miguel Stake, Philippines Says (Update1) May 28, 2007 May 24 (Bloomberg) -- Nomura Holdings Inc. may bid for Philippine government stakes in San Miguel Corp. and Manila Electric Co., Philippine Trade Secretary Peter Favila said. Nomura officials said ``they would be interested to participate'' in the government's asset-sale program during a meeting with President Gloria Arroyo in Tokyo yesterday, Favila said in a phone interview from the Japanese capital. ``It's more of taking a position'' than advising the government on a sale. The Philippines plans to sell a 24 percent stake in San Miguel, the nation's biggest food and beverage company, and 29 percent of Manila Electric, the country's largest power retailer, to help narrow its budget deficit. The San Miguel stake is still subject to an ownership dispute. San Miguel, 20 percent-owned by Tokyo-based Kirin Brewery Co., has a market capitalization of $4.8 billion while Manila Electric is valued at $2 billion. San Miguel bought National Foods Ltd., Australia's biggest dairy company, in 2005. Nomura, which has bought stakes in Japanese and European companies using its own funds, set up a merchant bank in Hong Kong on May 1 to handle such deals. The Philippine Star today reported Nomura ``expressed interest'' in the government's stakes in the companies, without elaborating. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aYs6fgi43PMA&refer=home
Restaurateurs welcome name and shame policy May 24, 2007 Sydney's restaurant industry has welcomed the State Government's plans to name and shame restaurants who are convicted of breaching food laws. New South Wales will become the first state or territory in Australia to publish names of food outlets on the Internet, that have been successfully prosecuted for breaches of the Food Act. Restaurant and Catering Industry Association of NSW chief executive Robert Goldman says it is a good idea, but there needs to be standard procedures for handling breaches of the Act across the state. He says at the moment it is a bit ad hoc, with some restaurants being given more time to fix problems before they are prosecuted than others. "With over 150 councils in NSW, I'm pretty sure there'd be 150 odd different procedures on what happens," he said. "I mean this is a single state, whether you're in Waverley or whether you're in Willoughby it really doesn't matter, it should be the same standards. "The standards of the health inspectors that they have to comply with should be the same as well." http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1931326.htm Top chef warns of environmental impact of fine dining May 23, 2007 One of the world's top chefs has warned that environmental degradation and an explosion in fine dining restaurants worldwide is set to have a drastic impact on the food trade. Habitats are being destroyed, killing off wild fish stocks and making some vegetables and fruits so scarce that a number of dishes will have to be dropped and restaurants will be forced to close, warns Pierre Gagnaire, one of the pioneers of experimental modern cooking. He also predicts that, as the number of restaurants soars, demand for produce will rise, forcing up the price of dwindling stocks of good quality food and sending menu prices sky-high. For those eateries that do survive, Gagnaire says chefs will have to adapt their cooking techniques as only farmed or genetically altered food will be available. "It's a terrible worry, but it's reality — the food we eat will drastically change," said Gagnaire during a recent visit to his Pierre restaurant in Hong Kong's Mandarin Oriental Hotel. "For instance, in the next five to 10 years there will be no wild fish, only farmed fish. That will have a huge impact on not only cooking techniques, but also flavours and the dishes we cook," he added. Recent reports by conservationists paint a gloomy picture for the future of many wildlife species whose very existence is under threat from hunting and habitat destruction. Wildlife preservationists WWF have warned that unless oceanic and reef fishing is reined in, most major culinary fish species would be wiped out within 50 years. Full story http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=268510
Free Tickets to ASCA Sydney Cheese show, 4 Seasons Hotel May 10, 2007 Kirkfood are giving people the chance to win one of 10 free tickets to the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers Association's Sydney Cheese show being held at the Four Seasons Hotel, Sydney on Sunday 27th May . Tickets to the event cost $35.00 and need to be booked through ASCA. All you need to do is click here, Will Tuckfields Blog has all the details.
Wattle Valley Creme Fraiche, Clotted Cream and Mascarpone on Woolworths/Safeway shelves nationally May 01, 2007 Wattle Valley brand Clotted Cream, Mascarpone, and Creme Fraiche will soon be on Woolworths and Safeway supermarket shelves nationally. Mascarpone has been available under the Wattle Valley brand for some time. This is a decision by Woolworths/Safeway which is sure to please gourmands across the country as it makes a once difficult to find ingredient, widely available. Creme Fraiche is a lightly cultured cream which is often referred to by chefs around the country as their secret ingredient. It has uses in both savoury and desert recipes. Clotted Cream is a deliciously thick cream with an almost caramel like flavour. Mascarpone is an Italian style cream cheese which, among other uses, is the key ingredient in the famous Northern Italian desert, Tiramisu.
Food Boom Brings Unpalatable Truths Apr 28, 2007 April 28, 2007 SOMETHING was wrong with the babies. The villagers noticed their heads were growing abnormally large while the rest of their bodies were skin and bones. By the time Chinese authorities discovered the culprit - severe malnutrition from fake milk powder - 13 had died. The scandal unfolded three years ago after hundreds of infants fell ill in eastern China and became the symbol of a broad problem in China's economy. Quality control and product-safety regulation are so poor in this country that people cannot trust the goods on store shelves. Until now, the problem has received scant attention outside China. In recent weeks, however, consumers everywhere have been learning about China's safety crisis. Tainted ingredients that originated there made their way into pet food that has sickened and killed animals around the world, with nearly 4000 deaths reported in the US. Although no animal deaths have been reported in Australia, high-end pet food products imported from the US have also been pulled from Australian shelves. With China playing an ever-larger role in supplying food, medicine and animal feed to other countries, recognition of the hazards has not kept up. By value, China is the world's No.1 exporter of fruits and vegetables, and a major exporter of other food products ranging from apple juice to garlic and sausage casings. Its agricultural exports to the US surged to $US2.26 billion last year - nearly 20 times the $US133 million of 1980. China's food exports to Australia were worth $450 million in 2006, up from $345 million the previous year, and dominated by prawns, cereal, fruit juice and vegetables. China has been especially poor at meeting international standards. The US subjects only a small fraction of its food imports to close inspection, but each month rejects about 200 shipments from China, mostly due to concerns about pesticides, antibiotics and misleading labelling. In February, border inspectors for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) blocked peas tainted by pesticides, dried plums containing banned additives, pepper contaminated with salmonella and frozen crayfish that were filthy. The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service samples 5 per cent of food imports and a spokesman said although the overall number of rejections were small, "the major cause of rejections of imports from China are heavy metals and pesticides". Since 2000, some countries have temporarily banned whole categories of Chinese imports. The European Union stopped prawn shipments because of banned antibiotics. Japan blocked tea and spinach, citing excessive antibiotic residue. And South Korea banned fermented cabbage after finding parasites. As globalisation of the food supply progresses, "the food gets more anonymous and gradually you get into a situation where you don't know where exactly it came from and you get more vulnerable to poor quality", said Michiel Keyzer, director of the Centre for World Food Studies at Vrije University in Amsterdam. Chinese authorities, while conceding that the country has many safety problems, say other countries' assessments of products are sometimes "not accurate". They have implied that the bans may be politically motivated, aimed at protecting companies that compete with Chinese businesses. China's State Food and Drug Administration, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, which along with other government agencies are responsible for monitoring food and drug safety, this week declined to answer written questions. But reflecting anxiety over food safety issues and increasing international pressure, President Hu Jintao on Wednesday urged the farming sector to improve food safety and develop the organic sector, state media reported. Hu promised stricter rules on growing and processing, the People's Daily reported. "Without agricultural standardisation, there can be no agricultural modernisation and no assurance of food safety," he said. More than 100 brands of pet food have been recalled in the US since March 16 because of a rise in animal deaths, generally from kidney failure. The recall, one of the largest yet, ranged from mass-market brands sold in stores like Wal-Mart to the pricey brands sold by veterinarians. Why the food is killing pets is still unclear, but the FDA and a manufacturer in South Africa have found that several bulk ingredients shipped from China, including wheat gluten and rice-protein concentrate, were contaminated with an industrial chemical called melamine. Concern about animal safety has become concern about risk to people, after the melamine was also found in livestock feed. US food authorities have identified 6000 pigs in at least seven states that might have consumed contaminated pet food. The animals would be put down to ensure they did not enter the human food supply, the FDA said this week. Officials also believe some chickens might have eaten contaminated food, and US inspectors will travel to China to inspect factories. The investigation is unearthing details of the food chain previously unknown to most consumers, including the international dealings that determine how ingredients make their way into the food supply. Food companies are under relentless pressure to cut costs, in part from consumers who demand low prices. Obtaining cheap ingredients from China has become a key strategy for many. China's Government has found that firms cut corners in virtually every aspect of food production and packaging, including improper use of fertiliser, unsanitary packing and poor refrigeration of dairy products. William O'Brien, the president of Hami Food of Beijing, which transports food for McDonald's and other multinational companies, said that in some of his competitors' operations, "frozen products very often come in taxi cabs … That is something that people should worry about." Last year farmers raising duck eggs were found to have used a red dye to make the yolks look redder, fetching a higher price. The dye was a cancer-causing substance not approved for human consumption. The Chinese Government overhauled its monitoring system by dispatching state inspectors to every province and launching spot inspections at supermarkets. Studies have found China's 200 million farmers often have little understanding of correct chemical or antibiotic use. And the small-time traders who dominate the market do not exchange documentation with buyers. In response to the pet deaths, China is carrying out a nationwide inspection of wheat gluten but has rejected claims its companies are responsible for the deaths. Authorities also say China has never sent wheat gluten abroad for use as a pet-food ingredient. That has raised the question of whether companies that bought the gluten are guilty of misusing it. The Washington Post Tasmania 1 - Italy 0 - Setback for the Yea Brand Fiat Punto at Targa Tasmania Apr 20, 2007 It’s a sad day for Italy and for Team Punto after retiring from Targa Tasmania with a Turbo problem.
Team Punto and the Yea Brand “Weapon of Mass Digestion” are already planning a return to show just how might they little Fiat Diesel is. The car is back in the workshop and will be back on the road next week.
Yea Brand all set for export-AQIS Apr 18, 2007
"It's the perfect opportunity for overseas businesses to get involved with Yea Brand on the ground level" said General Manager Ross Williamson. "Yea Brand product is right up there for quality and consistency, and being an Australian product, makes it an attractive choice for buyers concerned by all the problems some European agricultural products have." Yea Brand are initially looking for markets in Asia but plan to expand to the Middle East and the USA in future. Export enquiries for Yea Brand products should be directed to arkirk@yeabrand.com.au Weapon of Mass Digestion –Yea Brand/Kirkfood Fiat Punto, Targa prologue results. Apr 17, 2007
Interim results for the “drivetravel.com” prologue and Phil is looking pretty tidy behind the wheel. The Yea Brand/kirkfood “weapon of Mass digestion”, Fiat Punto driven by Phil Buggee and navigated by Paul Freame was just 46.24 seconds off the pace for a win in the prologue to a 2001 Porsche 911 turbo. Phil’s time for the 4.81 km prologue was 4.01.58. Goes to show that Phil and the diesel Fiat Punto are no slouch when given some boot. The Fiat Punto took the honours for the CM5Z class. Coming in behind the Fiat was Peugeot GTI, Mazda MX5, BMW 120i the big Daytona, and a Nissan Skyline GTS We expect to hear from Phil later so stay tuned for more reports. Stop press, interview with Phil Buggee follows! “I was reasonably happy with the prologue, I hope they don’t play my cursing and swearing on the end of the race party video.” Phill Buggee and navigator Paul Freames have just called to give a report on today’s events at Targa Tasmania.
The Yea Brand Fiat Punto - countdown to Targa Tasmania Apr 17, 2007
This is it! The debut of Australia's first Diesel car to be entered into Targa Tasmania. We had trouble catching Phill Buggee and his navigator Paul yesterday so we resorted to interviewing him by SMS. Here's what he had to say. SK: Phil, where are you?
To stay up to date with the progress of the Yea Brand/kirkfood Fiat Punto, click here for Steve Kirk's daily blog. Fiat Punto - Yea Brand and Kirks to sponsor diesel debut in Targa Tasmania Apr 11, 2007 When Targa Tasmania gets underway with the official Prologue in George Town on April 17, at the start line for the first time will be a diesel-powered vehicle.
“Diesel really is the way of the future. We’re probably going to use less fuel than any other car in the field. We reckon our total usage will be less than 250 litres for the whole trip, which is pretty amazing.”
Yea Brand Set To Export Apr 04, 2007 After completing a total refurbishment of the production facility in the township of Yea in Central Victoria, and undergoing a rigorous audit by AQIS, Yea Brand Pty Ltd have been granted export approval. Yea Brand manufacture Creme Fraiche, Clotted Cream, Mascarpone and a number of Club Style Cheddar products. The granting of the export licence opens the door for Yea Brand to now seek agents/distributors in overseas markets. "It's the perfect opportunity for overseas businesses to get involved with Yea Brand on the ground level" said General Manager Ross Williamson. "Yea Brand product is right up there for quality and consistency, and being an Australian product, makes it an attractive choice for buyers concerned by all the problems some European agricultural products have." Yea Brand are initially looking for markets in Asia but plan to expand to the Middle East and the USA in future. Export enquiries for Yea Brand products should be directed to arkirk@yeabrand.com.au
Indigo Cheese Shuts Down Apr 04, 2007 All Saints Winery has decided to shut the Indigo Cheese Company, closing its production facility outside Wangaratta and making at least three employees, plus Ms Paula Jenkin the co founder and cheesemaker, redundant. The venture was announced in November 2004 when Ms Jenkin teamed with the family of the late Peter Brown at All Saints, Wahgunyah, where a cheese "cellar door" for Indigo's cheeses was established. A $388,000 Australian Government grant through the Dairy Regional Assistance Program helped enable the venture to get off the ground. Local federal member for Indi, Sophie Mirabella (then Panopoulos) said at the time the project was expected to create up to five full-time jobs, 21 part-time jobs and flow-on opportunities for local milk producers and tourism operators. Kirkfood. GOVERNMENT IS CONSISTENT WITH DAIRY Mar 21, 2007 The Australian dairy industry believes the Australian Government’s national water initiative announcement is consistent with its strong views on water utilisation in agriculture and dairy in particular. Australian Dairy Farmers (representing the nation’s dairy farmers) and industry services company Dairy Australia have jointly released a statement in which they expressed cautious optimism.
http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=380&Itemid=245 A new era for dairy innovation Apr 10, 2007 The opening of the nation’s premier centre for dairy manufacturing science, technology and innovation has begun an entirely new era of research for the Australian dairy industry. Dairy Innovation Australia, which opened in Werribee Victoria on Monday (Jan 8), will invest more than $15 million over the next three years to generate innovations in bulk processing and bulk ingredients; functional foods and ingredients; and cheese starters and fermented products. Dairy Australia’s Isabel MacNeill said the company’s major investment in the Centre would enable the Australian dairy industry to stay at the forefront of manufacturing research. “It is a major turning point in how research investors and dairy companies combine and manage dairy science and innovation in Australia,” Ms MacNeill said. “Together, the industry’s two key research investors and seven dairy companies will generate ideas and transform them into commercial value to create a stronger, more innovative and globally competitive Australian dairy industry,” she said. Joining Dairy Australia in the initiative are the Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation and key dairy companies. Full members are Murray Goulburn, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory, Tatura Milk Industries Limited, Bega Cheese and Burra Foods while Dairy Farmers, National Foods and Parmalat will invest in particular services of interest. Ms MacNeill said: “Dairy Innovation Australia is testimony to the industry’s continued collaborative spirit which will enable it to be the prime provider of science and innovation services for Australian dairy companies as well as a major catalyst for industry growth.” A board of eight directors, including Ms MacNeill, will work with recently appointed CEO Lesley MacLeod to ensure the Centre becomes a globally recognised innovation catalyst that sustains and accelerates the international competitiveness and value of Australian dairy manufacturing. Dr MacLeod said the Centre’s objective is to deliver commercially-driven science and technology that has a measurable impact and benefit to dairy companies and the industry. “Dairy Innovation Australia will achieve a strong commercial orientation through industry representation on its board and four portfolios: cheese, starters and fermented products, bulk dairy ingredients, process performance, and functional dairy ingredients and foods. It will revitalise the research effort and maximise research synergies and outcomes,” she said. Dairy Innovation Australia was formed as a merger of the Dairy Process Engineering Centre, Australian Starter Culture Research Centre, UHT Centre, Australian Cheese Technology Program, and Dairy Ingredients Group of Australia. http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=374&Itemid=245 Put your faith in cheeses Apr 10, 2007 The Australian dairy industry will step up its ‘Cheesemaker Idol’ scholarship program by choosing three winners this year. Dairy Australia's Stuart Quigley said the 2007 Australian Grand Dairy Awards Cheesemaker Scholarships would be awarded under the auspices of the National Centre for Dairy Education – Australia and award winning producer National Foods to drive excellence in the industry through attracting dynamic and passionate talent. "We've tested the scholarship appeal with two previous offers and the competition has been so intense with more than 80 applicants last year that we feel we can accelerate the entry of new talent into the industry by trebling the scholarships on offer,” Mr Quigley said. The scholarship comprises an intensive practical cheesemaking component, farmhouse cheesemaking and a cheesemaker school. In addition to the education components, the scholarships include travel and accommodation costs for courses that will be run in locations such as Murray Bridge in South Australia. Mr Quigley said: “The scholarships provide an exciting opportunity for new entrants to the industry by giving them a foot in the door of one of the largest, most dynamic and profitable food industries. “They also give new entrants a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to learn and be mentored by the industry's best,” he said. In the past, scholarship hopefuls have included people from all walks of life, such as dairy farmers, a sports dietitian, a police officer, chefs, teachers, and food retailers. Previous winners were Erica Dibden of Tilba Tilba on the far south coast of NSW and Kate Woodward of Muswellbrook in the NSW Hunter Valley.Last year’s winner Erica Dibden is a dairy farmer, farmhouse cheesemaker and owner of South Coast Cheese, NSW. Her dream is to "make the best cheese on the South Coast, and possibly Australia, from the milk of her jersey herd". The 2002 scholarship winner, Kate Woodward went on to establish her own specialty cheese business, Hunter Belle Cheese. Entries close December 15 2006 and the scholarship winners will be awarded at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards to be held in Melbourne on February 9 2007. A panel comprising representatives of Dairy Australia, the National Centre for Dairy Education – Australia and National Foods will select the successful applicants. For entry details go to Cheesemaker Scholarship. Scholarship applicants must be a permanent resident of Australia, over 18 years, not be employed full time as a cheesemaker, available to attend the 2007 Australian Grand Dairy Awards ceremony; and submit a resume with three relevant references and a one-page document stating why they would like to become a cheesemaker. Applications can be emailed to scholarship@dairyaustralia.com.au Since they began in 1999, the Australian Grand Dairy Awards has recognised quality, excellence and innovation in Australian dairy produce. http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=354&Itemid=245 Moo-d Food – Sleep well with dairy Apr 10, 2007 A milk protein linked with better sleep could be the key to improved morning alertness and performance, according to Dutch research. The scientists from the University of Maastricht studied groups of people with and without sleep complaints. Each night both snoozers and insomniacs were fed either a lactalbumin enriched or standard meal followed by tests the next morning for alertness and mental function. The lactalbumin-rich diet improved both sleep and task-related brain activity the next morning. Lactalbumin, a protein found in milk, is rich in the amino acid tryptophan – which is required in the brain for production of serotonin. Serotonin is a natural sedative linked with mood, alertness and ability to handle stress. And it seems a natural alternative for the land of nod – a glass of warm milk with honey – has some scientific basis. The sugar in honey has been found to help tryptophan enter the brain to boost serotonin activity. Dairy Australia dietitian Maree Garside said: “Dairy foods are nutritious, sustaining and satiating but most of all provide that unique taste we have grown up with. Now it seems dairy contains the added benefit of naturally occurring tryptophan.” According to Ms Garside, this research shows that dairy food is not only important for a healthy body but may also be linked to a healthy mind – by facilitating a restful and restorative sleep. Nutrition Australia executive officer Jodi Phillips said: “These findings fit well with the theme of this year’s National Nutrition Week, as here is yet another reason to be falling in love with food. “We will use National Nutrition Week to encourage Australians to nurture their health and well-being by taking time to prepare, share and enjoy food,” Ms Phillips said. http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=336&Itemid=245 Unfounded Food Intolerance Fears Limit Diet Feb 27, 2007 Incorrect diagnosis and self-imposed food bans were denying thousands of children the nutrient benefits of milk, according to a new report into lactose intolerance . An American Academy of Pediatrics report said exposure to milk would improve lactose intolerance and help ensure kids and teens get the nutrients they needed for growth. According the September issue of Pediatrics, misinformation and confusion surrounded the management of lactose intolerance. Maree Garside, dietitian at Dairy Australia, said many people wrongly attributed gastrointestinal symptoms to lactose intolerance and there was a growing trend towards incorrectly self-diagnosing the condition. She said perception of lactose intolerance was far higher than actual prevalence. “A study of 827 young adults found that the majority of those who reported gastrointestinal symptoms wrongly blamed milk and dairy foods, which was rarely the cause ,” Ms Garside said. According to the last National Nutrition Survey , more than half Australia’s children did not meet the recommended dietary intake for calcium – a nutrient essential for strong bones and teeth. The Pediatrics report warned unnecessarily ditching dairy food due to real or perceived lactose intolerance could make kids and teens even less likely to meet their daily calcium needs. The diet of people with lactose intolerance can be managed by offering small amounts of milk spaced throughout the day and with food. The report said hard cheeses, like cheddar and parmesan, were virtually lactose free and yogurt was well digested due to the natural bacterial cultures it contained. Ms Garside said: “It is crucial that lactose intolerance in all age groups be properly diagnosed by a medical practitioner.” http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=335&Itemid=245 Australia at forefront of dairy innovation Apr 10, 2007 Australia’s ability to generate ideas and transform them into commercial value will be further enhanced with the opening of a new centre designed to place the Australian dairy industry at the forefront of world dairying innovation and thinking. Research investors and dairy companies have joined forces to invest in the innovation centre, which will build a critical mass of the best minds and develop world-class manufacturing technology. Victoria’s Minister for Innovation John Brumby last night (September 6) launched the new innovation centre, which over the next three years will invest more than $15 million in research. Minister Brumby said the investment and collaboration demonstrated the industry’s commitment to innovation as a continued key driver of its future economic success.
Dairy Australia managing director Mike Ginnivan said the new centre would replace the existing manufacturing sector centres and that it was the most exciting collaborative initiative for the sector in more than a decade. He said the Dairy Process Engineering Centre, Australian Starter Culture Research Centre, UHT Centre, Australian Cheese Technology Program, and Dairy Ingredients Group of Australia all would provide an excellent foundation for the new centre. “In an unprecedented move for the Australian dairy manufacturing sector, the five centres will evolve into a single centre that will challenge and transform the way the industry thinks about innovation,” Dr Ginnivan said. “The new centre will build on a decade of good science and expertise developed by the existing centres and it will adopt an ‘open innovation’ approach to encourage a co-investment and open innovation culture between research investors and manufacturers. “This will make it significantly easier for manufacturers to adopt technology and it will be testimony to the industry’s continued collaborative spirit,” Dr Ginnivan said. Interim chairman Andrew Donovan said the centre was a major turning point in how the Australian manufacturing sector would manage dairy science and innovation. “The centre will focus on the needs of dairy companies to create a stronger, more innovative and globally competitive Australian dairy industry,” Mr Donovan said. “In Europe, businesses often innovate together for greater efficiencies and quicker results. Being open about innovation is commonplace among larger dairy companies. It is not uncommon to have Nestlé, Arla and Campina working together on joint research programs. The concept is even more prevalent in the large pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. “In June 2005, the industry formed a leadership team to review the five existing manufacturing sector centres and define the sector’s innovation requirements. “The team then developed the model for the new centre, which will take the Australian dairy industry to the forefront of global innovation,” he said. The centre will be based in Werribee Victoria and is expected to open its doors in January. It will manage projects that protect the core business of the industry, capture emerging market opportunities and create new market opportunities and value chains. “It will also give members access to the same competitive advantages and an edge over their competitors,” Mr Donovan said. The centre will be owned and controlled by the industry. Joining Dairy Australia in the initiative are the Geoffrey Gardiner Foundation and most key dairy companies. Murray Goulburn, Dairy Farmers, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter Factory, Tatura Milk Industries Limited, Bega Cheese, National Foods and Parmalat have signed implementation agreements. “We would like to see the centre continue to grow and build on the existing strong industry support,” Mr Donovan said. The new centre will help the industry deliver consistent, health giving and safe products, new processes and product options, innovation capability and resources, and reliable supplies of starter cultures. http://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=329&Itemid=245 Childrens’ food preferences influenced by parents Feb 27, 2007 Parents concerned that their kids are shunning milk and that potato chips have become the only ‘vegetable’ in their child’s diet may want to take note of their own food preferences, according to new research. The study, recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, showed parental influence and household rules were linked with daily intake of fruit and vegetables in children aged 11-15 years. The San Diego scientists recorded the answers to behaviour change and diet questions from 878 children and found that parents who stocked fruit and vegetables in the house and served these foods at meals and snacks had children who consumed more fruit and vegetables. Nutrition Australia spokesperson Aloysa Hourigan said poor eating habits in childhood could have an immediate affect on growth, concentration and behaviour – and in the longer term could increase the risk of diseases like obesity and diabetes. Ms Hourigan said: “This research is particularly valuable in that it clearly shows that children are influenced by what they see. Parents need to set a good example in what and how much they consume. “If parents opt for junk food, children can’t be expected to relish regular helpings of fruit and vegetables,” Ms Hourigan said. Previous research has shown parental habits are linked with milk intake in young children . The study, which involved 182 children aged five to nine years and their mothers, showed that milk-drinking mothers were more likely to have milk-drinking daughters. Dairy Australia dietitian Maree Garside said: “Mums can have a positive influence on their daughters’ milk and calcium intake by serving milk at meals and snacks more often. Dietary behaviours such as milk and calcium intake developed in childhood can persist into adulthood.” In Australia, more than a third of children aged four to eleven had not eaten fruit and more than 20 per cent had not eaten any vegetables, on the day prior to the last national nutrition survey . And around 50 per cent of children failed to meet their calcium needs – a nutrient essential for strong bones and teeth. According to the San Diego study, a strong perception of benefit – such as having energy, feeling healthier and doing the body good – was often a strong motivator for kids to eat a good diet.
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After completing a total refurbishment of the production facility in the township of Yea in Central Victoria, and undergoing a rigorous audit by AQIS, Yea Brand Pty Ltd have been granted export approval. Yea Brand manufacture Creme Fraiche, Clotted Cream, Mascarpone and a number of Club Style Cheddar products. The granting of the export licence opens the door for Yea Brand to now seek agents/distributors in overseas markets.
