4 minute read
EXECUTIVE VP MESSAGE
The Business of Dairy Impacts All of our Members One Way or Another
BY OZZIE ORSILLO Executive Vice President, Northeast Dairy Foods Association, Inc.
Hello readers! In this issue of Northeast Dairy magazine our feature topic is “The Business of Dairy.” All readers enjoying this issue are somehow tied to the dairy industry, whether you are a processor, manufacturer or distributor of a delicious and nutritious dairy product or maybe you provide goods or services to those dairy processors, manufacturers and distributors. Either way, you are part of the dairy family, and we hope there’s something inside these pages just for you.
The Business of Dairy is not as clearly defined as it was 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Yes, it is true, some matters are still specific to dairy processors, such as the Federal Milk Marketing Order, the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance or the ins-and-outs of obtaining and maintaining a listing on the Interstate Milk Shippers list. These are very specific and incredibly significant to the dairy industry. But, from a macro view, the business of dairy is just like any other business. Companies that provide packaging materials, ingredients, processing and filling equipment, freight, health care, recruitment, utilities — all of them must deal with the same core components of running a business. Now there will be some readers who will discount this theory depending on their own discipline, but generally the overlap between dairy and all other businesses is getting larger.
Here in our office at the Northeast Dairy Foods Association and the Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association, we constantly look for ripples in the regulatory fabric that might impact the dairy industry. And, what we are experiencing is that these ripples are becoming more commonly impactful to members across both NDFA and NDSA. A few examples are recycling and extended producer responsibility bills in New York, New Jersey and Maine. This issue is gaining steam state-by-state and will become a national issue very soon. We are working on employee rights matters, gas tax proposals and many other issues you will see in our legislative report written by Alex Walsh, our associate vice president of regulatory affairs. With that in mind, our efforts now cross over both associations more often than ever before. As we look to the future of our associations and how to become an even stronger voice to law makes across our region and nationally and on multiple issues, we will be looking to our Northeast Dairy Supplier Association members to participate in our legislative efforts on a case-bycase basis. No, you will not need to give a significant amount of time or become a lobbyist — that’s our job. We simply need your insight. If you are interested in learning how we can help your business and how your involvement will help the common good, please contact our office. We welcome your participation.
Now on to our events in 2021. Early in June, we held our first live event since our August 2019 conference. Exclusively for our Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association members, the good folks of Byrne Dairy graciously hosted a tour of the Byrne Hollow Farm culture facility in Cortland, New York. This tour sold out within 48 hours of posting registration, but Byrne’s management team attended our Dairy Blender event immediately following the tour, where our waitlisted folks had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with many of them. The Dairy Blender provided a fun-filled networking atmosphere coupled with great food, refreshments and live entertainment. Due to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from all attendees,
this will become an annual springtime event. Keep your May 2022 schedules open, and watch for more information to follow.
In July 2021, we awarded scholarships once again to members of both the Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association and the Northeast Dairy Foods Association. Scholarships were awarded to undergrads and trade school students of all studies. Funding for our scholarship program comes primarily from our annual Bruce W. Krupke Memorial Golf Tournament/Clambake. Even though the clambake turnout this year was not as robust as years past (due to recent health concerns), the NDSA scholarship remained. Thank you, Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association! We will profi le our scholarship winners in the next issue of Northeast Dairy magazine.
In August 2021, our annual conference will be held at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celeron, New York — an incredibly scenic and elegant venue. We have a full agenda with excellent speakers lined up and new networking opportunities for all. This will be the fi rst-time that we will have our good friends of the New York State Cheese Manufacturers Association joining us. All of us at NDFA, NDSA and the Pennsylvania Association of Milk Dealers welcome the NYSCMA to our conference and look forward to your participation in the years to come.
On behalf of your staff here at the Northeast Dairy Foods Association and the Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association, we thank you for your support and participation, and we look forward to seeing you very soon!
Here in our office at the Northeast Dairy Foods Association and the Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association, we constantly look for ripples in the regulatory fabric that might impact the dairy industry. And, what we are experiencing is that these ripples are becoming more commonly impactful to members across both NDFA and NDSA.
Did You Celebrate an Anniversary in 2021?
LET US KNOW!
The next issue of Northeast Dairy magazine will celebrate NDFA and NDSA member anniversaries in 2021. If you celebrated 10, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100 or more, please send us an email, so we can include a brief profi le on the history of your business.
