Farmer Funded Resea ROSEMONT, IL - Pizza eaters consume a lot of cheese-nearly one billion pounds a year. That number * could go even higher if the dairy industry can solve certain tech nical issues with cheese for pizza production. This is where dairy checkoff-funded research comes in, helping build demand for milk used in cheese by improving cheese in pizza. „ "Cheese manufacturers and pizza makers have told us the dairy industry can sell even more cheese if some further refinements are made," says Lyle Tjosaas, a dairy farmer from Kasson, MN, and a director of Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) "Pizza makers want to meet consumer demand for pizza with reduced fat cheese that melts and tastes like regular cheese. The want technologies to maintain the taste and appear ance of cheese on refrigerated pizzas. They want new cheese cultures to control the melting process." Tjosaas points out that the most pizza makers, and even cheese manufacturers, depend on others to do this ingredient research." Dairy farmer-funded research is needed to make these improvements and increase demand for milk used in cheese," he says. This farmer commitment to research into cheese used for pizza has resulted in the follow ing technologies developed at checkoff-funded dairy research centers around the country: • Reduced-Fat cheese: Three farmer-funded dairy research centers are working to make reduced-fat cheese melt, taste and look more like full-fat cheese on pizza. These centers include: the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center (based at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY), the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research (based at the University of Wisconsin- Madison) and the Western Dairy Center (based at Utah State University, Logan, UT). •Customized Cheese: Researchers at the Wisconsin center and the California Dairy Foods Research Center (based in Davis, CA) have made it possible for cheese makers to customize their product for pizza makers. The Wisconsin center developed a process to make mozzarella type cheese that uses the same equipment needed to make "stirred curd" cheeses such as Cheddar and Muenster. This process also provides greater control over functionality, such as melt and stretch. In California, a process allowing cheese manufactures to control how fast cheese melts during the baking process is being applied to "cheese in the crust" pizza and other foods. •Cheese in Refrigerated Pizza: Researchers at the Northeast center have found that movement of water between the cheese and pizza sauce is responsible for the breakdown of cheese in refriger ated pizza. These researchers are developing new techniques to maintain the taste and appearance of cheese in contact with pizza sauce. The research goal is to improve sales of refrig erated pizza through supermar kets and convenience stores. Checkoff-funded innovations in cheese research and technolo gies are communicated to pizza makers and cheese manufactur ers through industry meetings, trade shows, exhibits and other rch Responds To Cheese Demand marketing communication efforts. "This establishes farmer funded research as a trusted source of information cheese National Dairy Women’s Conference Nov. 12-14 ST. LOUIS, Mo. Women’s roles in dairies are changing as fast as the industry itself. Daily women, like all dairy producers, need to keep “One-Step Ahead” of the latest trends in the industry. They need to know where the business of dairying is heading, as well as the most innovative tech nologies available to make their dairies more effective and effi cient. That’s why Monsanto Dairy Business is coordinating the first ever “One-Step Ahead” National Dairy Women’s Conference. More than ISO dairy women will convene in Minneapolis, Minn, on Nov. 12-14 to learn more about practical topics such as farm safety, time and stress management, calf care, financial and estate planning, Internet usage and technological innovations. “At Monsanto Dairy Business, we realize women’s on-farm re sponsibilities are increasing and becoming more managerial. We see this conference as an oppor tunity to empower dairy women with up-to-date knowledge about dairying and the chance to net work with other women from across the country,” says Doro thea Fitzsimmons, Technical Ser vice Specialist, Monsanto Dairy Business. Diane Phillips, Phillips Family Farm, North Collins, N.Y., at tended her first regional Monsanto • Made of 13 gauge Steel • All welded seams • Gravity Flow or Auger Free Estimates Also - Steel Roof Trusses for Buildings - Portable Hog Buildings - Bucket Elevators - Grain Augers Distributors - Flow Pipes & Accessories We Sell, Service & Install Ph: 717-345-3724 Fax: 717-345-2294 STOLTZFUS WELDING SHOP Owner - Samuel P. StbKzfus RD 3. Box 331 Pins Grove, PA 17963 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 17, 198M17 manufacturers rely on to sell more cheese," Tjosaas says. "This will benefit dairy farmers, because cheese demand drives Dairy Women’s conference a few years ago and was pleased with the experience. “I enjoyed the regional confer ence because it was a great oppor tunity to speak to other women with similar circumstances,” Phil lips explains. “The regional con ference also offered valuable in formation.” Phillips says she is pleased that Monsanto is sponsoring the “One- Step Ahead” National Dairy Women’s Conference. She says she believes bringing women who are involved in agriculture throughout the United States to one central location to discuss in dustry issues and share ideas of fers everyone involved many op portunities. “Attending a conference fo cused on women’s issues in the dairy industry offers us the oppor tunity to interact with other women involved in agriculture,” says Phillips, who operates a 470-cow dairy and farms 700 acres with her husband, David. “We can share our experiences about our businesses and our families, plus, because it’s a na- Shopping For Electricity Supplier WESTCHFSTER (Chester Co.) - Confused about electricity choices? Many of us don't even know what questions to ask! Penn State Cooperative Extension is offering a free edu- .... \ All-Plant | \ LIQUID PLANT FOOD < 1 9-18-9 PLUS OTHERS! '? • Contains 100% white ortho phosphoric * acid. Made in USA.