celebrating
DAIRY Industry profiles: hidden valley dairy, superior truck lines and martins bros. dairy Hilmar Cheese expansion state of the dairy economy Gustine FFA dairy judging students competing in Scotland new ceo for dairy industry group dairy in personal training
A Special Publication of Mattos Newspapers Thursday, June 18, 2015
2 | CELEBRATING OUR DAIRY INDUSTRY
thursday, June 18, 2015
Low prices challenging dairy industry again A year after milk prices shot to an all-time high, bringing a measure of relief to dairy producers who had weathered a series of tough years for the industry, dairy producers are once again facing tough times. Milk prices have plummeted to well below the average price of production, reported Annie AcMoody, director of economic analysis for Western United Dairymen. “2014 was a very good year, a record year really for California prices, but unfortunately toward the end of the year there was some price softening. We are much lower than where we were last year,” AcMoody told Mattos Newspapers. “Last year the cost of production was covered by the high milk prices, but we have reversed from where we were at.” Through the first four months of 2015, AcMoody said, milk prices paid to California producers averaged just under $14 per hundredweight. “That is almost $8 lower than where we were last year,” she pointed out. AcMoody projected that June milk prices will be around $14.60 per hundredweight - which is still far short of the cost of production. Dairy producers spent an average of just over $20 to produce 100 pounds of milk in the fourth quarter of 2014, the most recent year for which figures were available. AcMoody said softening grain prices may have provided a measure of relief, but added that she believes that average production costs are still in the $19 range - well over what the producers are being paid for their milk. The drought is also impacting dairies, AcMoody said, forcing some to fal-
low crop land due to lack of irrigation water. That requires those dairymen to purchase commodities that they otherwise would produce themselves. AcMoody said sluggish international markets are largely responsible for the decline in California milk prices. “Domestic demand has been doing well. It is really the global portion of our industry that is lagging,” she explained. “There is more product left within our borders. The industry struggles to keep prices higher because of the high supply in the U.S.” Futures markets are pointing to a slight recovery by the end of the year, AcMoody added, with perhaps a $2 gain anticipated. “That assumes the international markets are going to rebound a little bit,” she noted. AcMoody said the recovery is expected to be slow, and perhaps not of the magnitude needed to return producers to profitability. There is also a possibility that California’s milk pricing formula will be revised later this summer,
she added, which would also provide a welcome measure of relief. But by all indications, 2015 is shaping up as another tough year on the state’s dairy farms. “Even though 2014 allowed some people to recover from their losses of the prior years, for some (the recovery) was not long enough,” AcMoody remarked. “I think 2015 has hit people hard, and I would expect that we are going to lose some dairies in 2015.” The state lost 26 dairies in 2014, she said, but a number of those were early in the year and reflected the struggles of the prior years. The state had 1,470 dairies at the end of 2014, she told Mattos Newspapers, which is 282 fewer than five years earlier. Even as the numbers of dairies dwindles, AcMoody added, the average herd size is increasing. “We are losing dairies, but we are not necessarily losing a lot of cows,” she said. “The average seems to be getting a little bit larger.”
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Family focus at Hidden Valley Dairy GUSTINE - An extended family with deep dairy roots has established a new operation near Gustine. Five members and two generations of the Nutcher family are actively involved in operating the Hidden Valley Dairy, located on Kniebes Road. They include Mike and Darcy Nutcher, their children Trevor and Katie, and Trevor’s wife Erin - who also comes from a dairy background. The family, looking for facilities that offered growth opportunities, acquired the Gustine property and moved from their Modesto area location in November 2013. “We were at or above capacity at Modesto. We have more space here, which has allowed us to grow,” explained Trevor. The dairy, he said, “had good bones,” but was in
need of some work. “A lot of the structure was there, but we had to do a lot of renovation and remodeling. There were definitely changes to make, and we are improving it. It did have a good layout.” Even prior to moving, Erin said, the family was making improvements to the West Side location in preparation to occupy the facilities. The move itself was a big moment for the family - but no small feat to complete without interrupting the established milking schedule. The dairy stayed with its noon and midnight milking rotation, and shipped cows in between. “As soon as they came out of the barn in Modesto they went onto a truck. Erin and I were receiving them here. We got our first load in at 1 a.m.,”
Trevor recalled. “We were milking here when the last ones were coming in. It was exciting to see those cows come into the barn.” The family made the move with minimal disruption in milk production. “By the fourth day here, we were shipping the same (amount of milk) that we were in Modesto,” Trevor noted. And the dairy began to see the growth it sought. The Nutchers were milking about 1,250 cows when they made the move, and are currently approaching 1,800 with designs on further growth. Most of the growth has been from the family’s heifers as opposed to buying outside animals. Given the economics
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See HIDDEN VALLEY | PAGE 4
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Pictured from left in the milking barn at Hidden Valley Dairy, are Trevor, Erin, Mike, Darcy and Katie Nutcher.
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hidden valley CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
of the dairy industry, the Nutchers say, efficiency is critical and attention to detail is a must. That starts with genetics. Because they ship to a cheese plant, milk components (butterfat and protein) are important considerations, the Nutchers explained, so bulls are selected with that in mind as well as overall milk production. The dairy uses a service which matches the strong traits of specific bulls with the weak traits of individual cows to breed a balanced animal. The dairy closely monitors nutrition, and places a premium on cow comfort, which Mike said he believes is one of the most important factors in elevating milk production levels through the years. That includes the use of soakers and fans to keep cows cool in the hot summer months, adequate
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ventilation and making sure that bedding is clean and comfortable. “We always try to keep them happy and comfortable,” Erin emphasized. The family also strives to stay current with new innovations in the industry, and utilizes all its available resources to manage the business. “You have to stay on top of things,” Trevor stated. “Things can slip quickly, and we have to make sure that we can correct them quickly.” The family also places an emphasis on adopting sustainable, conservationminded approach in both the dairy and the related 580-acre farming operation. “It is important that we are sustainable environmentally and economically,” Trevor related. “We are going to farm this soil for hopefully the next couple of generations. We want it to be there for
See HIDDEN VALLEY | PAGE 5
Mike and Darcy Nutcher are pictured in one of the barns at Hidden Valley Dairy near Gustine.
A salute to dairy farmers
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During dairy month, we salute our local dairy farmers and pledge our support to this upstanding industry. Keep up the good work!
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hidden valley CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
them, and we want it to be equal or better than what it is now.” Erin is currently attending the Western United Dairymen’s California Dairy Leaders Program, which is designed to develop industry leaders. The extensive program raises awareness of issues ranging from communications and environmental issues to the legislative process and milk pricing. Programs such as that, Erin said, will help the industry develop a strong and positive voice. Trevor attended the program in the past. “We feel comfortable with what we do day to day, but that really opened our eyes to the extent of what goes on outside the dairy,” he remarked. Dairy heritage Dairy heritage runs deep in the family. The Nutcher dairy
started with Mike’s father and grandfather, who had a small dairy in Denair in the 1960s. The family moved to the Modesto facility in 1991, and Mike and Darcy purchased the operation in the early 2000s. Trevor and Katie are fourth-generation dairy producers in their family, while Erin represents the fourth dairy generation on her side of the family. Trevor and Katie acknowledge giving thought to other ways of life, but said the draw of the family dairy was strong. “I decided that I liked what my dad did, working with the animals and farming,” Trevor reflected. “It was always fun working together.” “I had thought about other things too, but always wanted to come back to the dairy and be part of it,” Katie added. Trevor and Erin met while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She came from a dairy in Lodi. “I was very involved,
and always loved working on the dairy,” Erin explained. “It worked out very well that I married a dairyman. It has been fun working together.” Working together is one of the primary benefits for the Nutcher family - who make a point of treating their 11 valued employees like family as well. “Getting to work together as a family is what I think is most satisfying. We are a team with common goals,” Darcy explained. “I think each one brings individual gifts and talents to the table.” And while leaving the Modesto ranch with all its memories was difficult in ways, she added, “home is where your family is.” For the Nutchers, the West Side has been a very comfortable home indeed. “It really is a tightknit community,” Mike reflected. “It is a great place to live and to dairy.”
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Gustine High School FFA dairy team set to compete on international stage GUSTINE - Four Gustine High FFA members will be matching their dairy judging skills against international competition this weekend at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh, Scotland. The chapter’s dairy judging team punched its ticket to the prestigious United Kingdom show by winning the state championship last spring and then placing second in the nationals held at the FFA Convention last October in Kentucky. The team includes 2014 Gustine High graduates Tony Lopes and Lexie Nunes, 2015 graduate Makayla Toste and senior Alexandria Lopes. Advisor Kelly Sanches said the team, which departed for Scotland Tuesday, will compete Saturday. Sanches said team members have been practicing on a regular basis, often by themselves. “At this point, they can look at photos and come up with a set of reasons (explaining how they evaluated a class) rather than us having to go out and look at cattle,” Sanches explained. “I love the technology, too. They will video themselves and send it to me (to critique). It is also a way for them to see themselves as well. A lot of times they are more critical of themselves than I can be, which is good.” The national FFA dairy judging finals included a test component in which teams were asked to evaluate and respond to a dairy-related scenario in addition to judging animals. Neither the state finals or the upcoming Royal Highland competition use that test element - which Sanches said will put the Gustine delega-
tion back on more familiar ground. “This is back to old school.....look at the cows, judge them and talk about them,” he explained. In some key ways, though, the local delegation will have adjustments to make. For starters, different terminology is used in identifying and evaluating the animals. “You have to reprogram your brain a little, but they have picked it up pretty well. The last couple sets of reasons they have done have been closer to what they usually do,” Sanches explained. And rather than competing as a team of four, the group will be split into two teams of two. Tony Lopes and Nunes will be paired as one team, while Alexandria Lopes and Toste will comprise the other. “Tony and Lexie have been judging in college, and they did the best at nationals,” Sanches stated. “But Alexandria and Makayla have beaten them before, so that is not out of the realm of possibility.” Under that format, he acknowledged, there is little room for error. “It will be a different dynamic. There is a little less room for mistakes,” Sanches said. “At the state level, the low score is dropped so if somebody has a bad day you can still rely on the other three. When you do it this way, there is no room for error.” T h e t e a m m e m bers will also have less time to complete their evaluation and reasons for each class. “When we give reasons here, they have 15 minutes. They are going to have eight minutes (in
Scotland). We have been practicing speed judging, where I am giving them a little less than eight minutes,” Sanches pointed out. Saturday, they will judge six classes, each comprised of four cows. “It is one shot. It is going to be an amazingly fast window when you cut down the time on each of those classes,” he reflected. Other state dairy advisors who have taken teams to the Scotland show have been extremely supportive and helpful in the preparations, Sanches noted. The group arrived in Scotland Wednesday afternoon. The West Siders will visit several Edinburgh sites today, and attend the Royal Highland Show Friday. After competing Saturday, the group will fly to Dublin on Sunday and tour that city on Monday before flying home next Tuesday afternoon. Competing at the national and international
level has been a dream for the local chapter, Sanches said, and winning the state championship for the first time opened the door of opportunity to make that a reality. Now, he reflected, Gus-
tine is prepared to go up against stiff competition on an international stage. “We are excited. The kids worked hard, and they deserve to go. They put in a lot of hours,” he stated. “This is a reward
for all their hard work.” Sanches is confident the team will represent its community, state and nation well. “We’re going there to win,” he declared.
Gustine High FFA dairy judging team members who earned state and national honors in 2014 are competing in Scotland this weekend. Team members include, from left, Alexandria Lopes, Makayla Toste, advisor Kelly Sanches, Lexie Nunes and Tony Lopes.
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Trucking company continues to grow, thrive NEWMAN - Nearly 30 years ago, Frank and Lil Amaral launched a milkhauling venture with two trucks delivering to a Lemoore processing plant. Today that company, Superior Truck Lines, has grown to include three terminals, 100 trucks and 167 employees. Headquartered in Newman, and now overseen by the next generation of Amarals, siblings Frank Amaral Jr. and Deanie Azevedo, Superior Trucking has thrived and expanded while sticking largely to its roots as a hauler of milk from dairy to processing plant. Though diversification in recent years has contributed to the company’s continued growth, Azevedo and Frank Amaral Jr. said, milk remains the bulk of their business just as it was when their father started the company. His roots in the trucking business go back to 1948, when the senior Frank Amaral got his start with Souza’s Milk Transport. “When I started, I was operating a public scale, was a dispatcher and I had a milk route picking up 10-gallon milk cans morning and evening,” he recalled. Frank Amaral Sr. stayed in the industry for nearly 40 years before starting his own company. A major change in that time was the switch to milk tankers for collection in the mid 1950s. “If we picked up 500 gallons, that was a big stop. Now we pick up 6,000 gallons at a single stop,” he explained. Some 30 years after that landmark evolution in the industry, the opportunity arose for the Amarals to launch their own business.
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started to grow.” Today, Superior Truck Lines has terminals in Lemoore, Turlock and Tulare. Its trucks are on the road 24 hours a day, seven days a week, running routes from Tipton to Manteca. The emphasis, the family said, has always been on providing the best possible service in the critical role the company plays as the link between dairy producer and processing plant. Day in and day out, Superior drivers pick up 220 loads of milk bound primarily for four major processors (some which have multiple plants). That equates to 11 million pounds of milk being delivered daily, the junior Frank Amaral said. The demands on the drivers have increased through the years, with greater regulation and more paperwork which must be completed with each load. “The creameries have expectations of what they want from the drivers, that they are taking sam-
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SUPERIOR
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 ples correctly and that everything is properly delivered. The paperwork for the truck driver has become much more complicated. There is a lot more responsibility for a truck driver hauling milk these days,” Frank Amaral Jr. explained. In some cases, dairies have very specific collection times that drivers must meet as well. “When you get a new dairy, you find out what their tank capacity is and what their pickup window is, and the driver puts it into the route,” he said. The growth of the company has come not from self-marketing but from a solid reputation and the growth of its customers, the family members note. “The growth has been attributed to our service, and that is from the drivers up. We have grown with existing customers as well as gained
thursday, June 18, 2015
new business,” the junior Frank Amaral stated. “The growth has always come from people calling us and asking if we are able to do something. We have never banged on doors or made phone calls.” “That is a credit to our employees, and we try to pass that appreciation along. It is not lost on us where that comes from. We really care about our people and their families. It matters to us, and always has,” Azevedo reflected. The siblings are frequent visitors to their three terminals. “We try to get out into the field and talk to the employees one on one. We like to get their personal feedback and their ideas,” Azevedo remarked. The business does require a certain amount of dedication. “It is a 24-hour business, so we are on call all the time, as are our key employees,” Azevedo added.
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Azevedo said the wisdom and insight of her parents and the family’s spiritual faith are both important factors in the decision-making process regarding company matters. “He comes in virtually every day,” Azevedo said of her father. “He has been a great mentor and we rely on him still with all of that experience. He marvels at the changes, and at a company of this magnitude (change) is almost daily.” “I am honored and blessed to have seen the big changes in the industry, for the dairy farmers and the processing plants. It is amazing to me how much all of this really has changed, but it is for the better,” said the senior Frank Amaral, who expressed his respect and appreciation to those in the dairy industry. “We showed them the basics,” he said of his children. “They have both done a great job of running this company.”
Superior Truck Lines has grown from a modest start nearly 30 years ago to become an industry leader. Pictured are Frank Amaral Sr., who with Lil Amaral founded the company, and their children Deanie Azevedo and Frank Amaral, who manage the company today.
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After a thorough recruitment process, the leadership of Western United Dairymen (WUD) has selected Anja Raudabaugh as the organization’s new chief executive officer. She will officially assume her responsibilities in late July. “We are pleased to welcome Anja to the Western United family,” said Frank Mendonsa, WUD president. “The quality of the final candidates speaks volumes to both the reputation of our organization and, ultimately, Anja as our excellent hire. I look forward to the fresh perspective, valuable experience and superior personal characteristics she will offer our membership as the new CEO.” Raudabaugh comes to WUD from the Madera County Farm Bureau, where she has served as executive director since 2011. Previously, she worked as a project manager for a Fortune 500 company and as the senior legislative assistant for Congressman Doug Ose, representing California’s 3rd District in Washington, D.C. She has also served as
the marketing director for the California Asparagus Commission and as district representative for State Senator Dick Monteith. Raudabaugh earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in biology from the University of the Pacific and her Master of Science Degree in biochemistry from UC Davis, with an emphasis in global pandemics and infectious diseases. “I am honored and extremely humbled to be accepted into the role of CEO with Western United Dairymen,” Raudabaugh commented. “It will be my privilege to grow the organization and expand our members’ global opportunities, along with maintaining our vision and way of life.” Western United Dairymen is a voluntary membership organization representing the majority of the milk produced in California. The organization provides resources in labor law, environmental regulations and pricing issues to its members, as well as a voice in legislative matters at the state and federal levels which affect the dairy industry.
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Dairy products, personal training go hand in hand By Blaine Ball Mattos Newspapers
The consumption of dairy products among fitness professionals and their clients plays a significant role in healthy diets. West Side gym owners Chase Pometta and Megan Ventura bring their personal philosophies to their respective gyms and in doing so they educate their clients on the do’s and don’ts of dairy consumption Chase Pometta in fitness training. When discussing dairy consumption in terms of a healthy fitness diet Pometta, owner of Dynamic Fitness in Newman, emphasizes the benefits of whey protein powder in helping with post-workout muscle recovery. “The whey is the most consistently used, the best one for recovery,” Pometta said. “To rebuild the muscles so you can work out the next day, you need the protein after a workout. A lot of people who don’t do the protein after a workout
get super sore. It kind of facilitates the process naturally.” Through a description of the miniscule muscle tearing that occurs during a workout, he explained that protein helps the muscles recover as well as grow stronger. Pometta does not recommend protein shakes for individuals who consume a significant amount of protein through sources such as meat and other dairy products to avoid gaining an excessive body mass. Whey is the watery portion of milk that separates from the curds when making cheese. Whey protein is used for improving athletic performance as a food supplement and as an alternative to milk, according to the Webmd website. The popular whey supplement is commonly mixed with milk or water, which depends on personal preference and the goals of the trainee. Pometta suggests taking whey protein within 30 minutes following a workout because the protein is less effective if more time elapses. “You have a protein window and that’s when your body is just calling for nutrients,” Pometta said. “That’s what really dictates what type of workout you had and what type of body you’re really shooting for.”
Megan Ventura, owner of Ventura Fitness in Gustine, also suggests that whey protein be consumed within 30 minutes post-workout. Her focus, though, is on recommending the protein to clients looking to gain muscle mass or weight. “For someone (who) is trying to gain weight, like a body builder, or someone (who) just wants to gain muscle mass, I usually will say, ‘add a supplement’,” Ventura went on to say. She emphasized that a supplement is Megan Ventura just that, and should be taken in addition to the client’s normal diet. Whey protein is a common dairy item consumed along with other popular products such as cheese and yogurt. Both trainers suggest consumption of these foods in moderation due to their high caloric counts. Pometta suggests cottage cheese to his clients, but also recommends that they do not limit themselves to the non-fat variety because of its higher sugar content.
“It’s just important to be in moderation. When you’re hungry, you eat and, when you’re full, you stop,” he said. Milk and cheese consumption in moderation is typically acceptable in the diets of personal fitness clients, Ventura told Mattos Newspapers. Both trainers agree that Greek yogurt is currently a popular commodity in the fitness community. “That is another thing that a lot of people are using right now and just trying to get their protein level to a certain number and trying to keep the fats in moderation,” Pometta said of Greek yogurt. Ventura recommends purchasing plain yogurt and adding fresh items instead of eating flavored yogurts with pre-filled fruits to avoid high sugar contents. The trainers share a common view on traditional and trendy dairy items in a fitness diet: Eat consciously, and in moderation. “If they’re already consuming milk at breakfast, then for their snack they’re having a yogurt, and then at lunch they’re having three pieces of cheese on their sandwich…it’s a little bit excessive,” Ventura mentioned. “Instead of having dairy at every meal, maybe limit it to once or twice a day.”
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CELEBRATING OUR DAIRY INDUSTRY | 11
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Diversity, efficiency helps family dairy thrive Diversity and efficiency are the hallmarks of an area dairy operation which has grown from humble beginnings to now milking 3,400 cows each day on two facilities. Two generations of family members are involved in the Martins Brothers Dairy, which operates a Holstein dairy on Central Avenue (rural Hilmar) and a more recently acquired Hunt Road Jersey dairy just outside of Gustine. The Martins operation, however, embraces far more than the cow herds. The family has launched its own milk-hauling operation, trucks in its own hay from out of state and operates a commercial farming division - taking on as many tasks as possible which otherwise would require paying outside sources. That diversity - along with sound dairy management - positions the dairy to more readily weather the down cycles when milk prices are low, as they are now. “We have been hauling our own milk since 2001. When we started, there were not too many dairies that were hauling their own milk,” explained
George Martins, who along with brothers Tony and Joe represent the first generation of family members involved in the dairy operation. “We want to be as self-sufficient as possible.” Essentially, they are paying their own company to haul the dairy’s milk rather than an independent firm. The trucking division is a commercial milk hauler and also serves dairies other than Martins Brothers. The Martins Brothers Dairy bears little resemblance to that which the family started in 1992, milking 150 cows on a Delhi facility. George started the dairy at the time, with his brothers helping out but holding other jobs as well until coming on board full-time when the diary moved to its current location. After two years in Delhi, the dairy moved to Stevinson for five years, and then to its newly-constructed facilities on Central, not far from Hatfield State Park. When the new dairy opened in 1998, the brothers were milking 700 cows. They have currently
grown to milk 2,300 cows twice a day at the home dairy, and another 1,100 Jerseys on the dairy near Gustine which they acquired more than four years ago. “We are pretty maxxed out at both places,” Tony noted. In more recent years a second generation of Martins have joined the operation. George’s sons George Jr. and Justin, and Tony’s son Anthony, who grew up around the dairy, are following in footsteps of their fathers. Both generations stress the importance of efficiency in the operation and the dairy produces the results to show for it. The Jerseys on the Gustine dairy produce about eight gallons of milk daily, while the Holsteins on the home ranch are averaging around 10.5 gallons. Both dairies have earned production honors, the family points out. That production does not happen by accident, they emphasize. Nutrition and cow comfort are key components to production, George Jr. related, and keeping cows in a familiar routine is also critical as they are creatures of habit.
Two generations are currently involved in the Martins Brothers Dairy. From left are Tony Martins, Anthony Martins, Justin Martins, George Martins Jr. and George Martins. In addition to operating the dairy, the family has a number of affiliated operations - including its own commercial milk-hauling business. Not pictured is Joe Martins. A computer program tracks feed mixes and results, and can be changed on a daily basis as needed, he explained. Even as they work to be as efficient as possible with feed costs, George Jr. said, dairy producers must take care to provide a ration that keeps cow production at its maximum. “We do go over what we feed based on costs, but also on maintaining what we want to get out of those cows and be profitable,” he commented. “There is very little margin, and once you lose production it
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but still buys a significant amount of corn silage and hay from outside sources, George noted. Dairy producers have by no means been immune from California’s drought, he emphasized. Last year the operation left some ground fallow due to lack of water, which required buying more feed on the open market. The family has added another well to supplement its irrigation water supply, Tony noted. Like other dairy produc-
See MARTINS | PAGE 12
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is tough to bring it back.” Technology puts a wealth of information at the fingertips of the dairy producers, the family said, but is no substitute for experience and involvement. “The technology gets you to a certain point, but you still have to have the hands-on part of it,” George Jr. reflected. “That is still the biggest part of it.” “You cannot forget to look at the cows individually,” Tony emphasized. The family supports its dairy operation by growing corn and oats for silage on 800 acres of ground -
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 ers, the Martins are facing low milk prices once again this year. “Last year was a very good year for the dairy industry, even with grain and everything else being high,” George reflected. “This year is definitely the opposite. Milk prices took a big hit, but that is the way the dairy industry has been. It is up and down. Last year was a good year; this year we are just hanging in there. “It is not as bad as it was five years ago. That is when we lost a lot of dairymen,” he added. Milk prices, Tony noted, have started to rebound slightly. “It might not get back to where it was last year, but it is going in the right direction again.” For dairy producers, the cycles of milk prices come with the territory - which for many is more a lifestyle than an occupation.
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Brothers Tony (left) and George Martins have seen their dairy grow from humble beginnings to one of the area’s leading operations. Not pictured is a third brother, Joe. Even in tough times, the Martins say, they are grateful for the opportunity which allowed them to build a leading dairy operation - and to the valued employees who have helped the company thrive. Their dad was a dairyman in the Azores, Tony explained, but left that behind for the promise of
a better life in America. Their father worked on a dairy in the U.S. but did not have his own. He did, however, live to see his dream of his sons having their own dairy become a reality. “He sold everything to bring us to this country,” Tony said of his father. “He gave us this opportunity.”
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Visitor Center celebrating dairy month HILMAR - In 1937, June was celebrated as national milk month for the very first time. June is now a month in which all nutritious dairy foods are celebrated. Whether it is milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream or more, dairy products contain nine essential nutrients optimum for health. Hilmar Cheese’s Company Visitor Center celebrates national dairy month with a summer family tour and ice cream making and eat-
ing activities. “Parents and caregivers are looking for local and fun activities for kids,” stated Dave Gonsalves, manager of Hilmar Cheese Company’s Visitor Center. “But it isn’t limited to kids. The ‘young at heart’ seem to enjoy the activities too. We have had Red Hat groups, retirement home groups, family reunion groups and church groups of all ages make ice cream.” The ice cream activity
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was originally developed by Hilmar Cheese Company’s school tour program. Parents asked about offering the program during the summer as well, so a program and schedule was developed for everyone. The tour and ice cream making activity is offered weekdays, through Aug. 28. Guests can sign up at 10:45 a.m. at the Peet’s Coffee and Tea counter, following up with ice cream-making at 11. The
cost is $3 per participant. Reservations are suggested for groups of more than 10, and may be made by calling 656-1196. The United States is a world leader in dairy production. Each year about 11.1 billion pounds of natural cheeses and 4.7 billion pounds of yogurt is produced in the U.S. On average, Americans drink about 19 gallons of milk each year and annually, the U.S. churns more than 1.5 billion gallons of
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ice cream in a variety of flavors. So whether it is with ice cream, cheese, or yogurt, Americans can celebrate National Dairy Month by enjoying an assortment of nutritious dairy foods.
tours are available from 7 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The upstairs exhibit area may be closed Saturday or Sunday after 11:30 a.m. for private events. Opened in 1998, HilVisitor Center tours mar Cheese Company’s Hilmar Cheese offers Visitor Center offers public guided visitor tours complimentary tours and weekdays at 11 a.m. and 1 cheese tasting. The cafe p.m. throughout the sum- features signature sandmer. Groups of 10 or more may schedule at a specifSee CENTER | PAGE 14 ic tour time. Self-guided
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
Hilmar Cheese building new plant in Turlock
wiches, wraps, and a variety of grilled cheese, homemade soups, salads and desserts along with espresso drinks featuring Peet’s Coffee and Tea, and an ice cream counter. Gift boxes and baskets, gourmet foods, specialty items, wines and a large selection of cheese are all available in the gift shop. The facility is available for banquets and Hilmar Cheese Company Catering offers full-service catering. The visitor center is located at the corner of August and Lander avenues just north of Hilmar. It is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, except during major holidays. For more information, visit www. hilmarcheese.com or call 656-1196.
Hilmar Cheese Company is building a milk powder processing plant in Turlock with completion anticipated at the end of the year. The plant, unveiled in 2014, represents the company’s first venture into milk powder processing and will add about 40 jobs to the company payroll. “We are expanding our ingredients business to meet strong global demand for milk powders,” explained John Jeter, Hilmar Cheese CEO and president when announcing the project in 2014. “The U.S. dairy industry, and specifically California, is well positioned to be a consistent supplier to the world.” The Turlock facility will produce a variety of milk powders designed to be a primary foundation for delivering nutrition in various forms to developing nations, according to
a company news release. Milk powder does not require refrigeration and is simple to reconstitute, the release noted. Milk powder is an easily transported and stored ingredient, making it an important source of nutrition for developing nations. “With this expansion into milk powders, we are continuing our tradition of converting our high quality milk supply into the value-added products customers want,” Jeter explained. “We now have customers in 50 countries and are always striving to meet their needs. This is part of a broader plan to be a larger, more dynamic global supplier.” Hilmar Ingredients, a division of Hilmar Cheese Company, will market the milk powder. The plant is going up in the Turlock Regional Business Park, near the new Blue Diamond pro-
cessing plant west of Turlock. The site was shovel-ready, and offers excellent export opportunities through the Port of Oakland. Governor Brown’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GOBiz), assisted with the site selection. “Go-Biz is excited that Hilmar Cheese Company is expanding their presence in California, further strengthening the state’s food processing industry, said Kish Rajan, director of the Office of Business and Economic Development. “Our team worked closely with Hilmar Cheese Company to help them find a location for their new facility. We look forward to helping them continue to grow and provide new job opportunities.” The manufacturing process at the new plant will use the most technologi-
cally advanced equipment to capture the water in milk for reuse to conserve precious groundwater. Water will be recycled, reused and passed through a preliminary treatment before going to the Turlock Regional Water Quality Control facility. Energy efficiencies will follow the company’s direction for energy-efficient lighting and use premium efficiency motors. “This investment will provide the family dairy farms that supply us milk the opportunity to grow. It allows us to develop new relationships with dairy farmers who produce high quality milk in this region,” commented Richard Clauss, founding owner and chairman of the board of directors of Hilmar Cheese Company. “This project will help strengthen the California dairy industry and provide a nutritious product
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to serve customer needs.” According to the company website, Hilmar Cheese: • Was founded in 1984 and began production in 1985. • Operates production facilities in Hilmar and Dalhart, Tex. • Annually produces more cheese and whey from one site (Hilmar) than any other manufacturer in the world. • Processes more than 21 million pounds of milk daily, received from more than 230 dairies. • Employs more than 1,200 people. • Produces more than 2.4 million tons of cheese each day. • Produces natural cheeses such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, Mozzarella and Hispanic varieties for use in food service, ingredients, retail and the restaurant trade.
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