The Dairy Show

Factory Farms and Antibiotics Part II

In Part II of Katie Couric's piece from CBS News on Antibiotics and Farm she visits a new model of factory farm that does not use antibiotics.  In order to successfully raise animals in confinement succesfully without antibiotics, the farmers say that they have to provide additional space.  This of course leads to an increased price of the meat products to consumers that the National Pork Board seems to suggest is too much. 

The story also sites studies that show that incidence of infection with resistant bacteria in humans increased when animals started getting regularly fed antibiotics. After banning this practice in European countries the incidence of finding resistant bacteria in meet has decreased.  The next step is to see the effect on public health.

It is very interesting and somewhat surprising to see that intensively raising animals in confinement is possible without antibiotics, provided they have a little more space. The turkey shed that Couric visits, doesn't look that different that one of the chicken houses that you might see in movies like Food, Inc or Our Daily Bread.

Watch part II below:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Factory Farms and Antibiotics

Around 70% of all the antibiotics produced go to farm animals.  Antibiotics in many of these cases aren't used to treat animals who are sick, but are given to healthy animals to make them grow faster and keep them from getting ill.  The indiscriminate use of antibiotics helps encourage the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria and so is a major threat to public health.  CBS news did a story on this issue tonight, you can watch it below.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Organic Milk Standards

Barry Estabrook has a great new post on his blog Politics of the Plate blog about a policy that could change the organic dairy industry for the better.  The policy on the desk of the Office of Management and Budget could require that the Organic seal for milk require that cows spend the majority of the growing season on pasture.  This requirement would be a major boon for small organic dairy farms and a major push towards promoting sustainable dairies.  Check out Barry's post here to find out more about it and how to voice your views to the White House.

Jan 6, 2010 Slow Food U: Women in Cheese Event

The Dairy Show is pleased to announce this great Slow Food NYC Event.  Hope to see you there!

Do you love cheese? Have you ever thought about why so many women are making such good cheese?

Join Slow Food NYC Jan 6th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm for an evening filled with local women in cheese. On hand will be local cheese purveyor Anne Saxelby, of Saxelby Cheesemongers, leading a discussion with Karen Weinberg of Three Corner Field Farm, Betsy Devine and Rachel Mark of Salvatore Bklyn, Angela Miller of Consider Bardwell Farm, and Lisa Schwartz of Rainbeau Ridge.

Hear the story behind the cheese and how this diverse group of women got into the business. They will discuss the cheese making process from the pastures to the shelves and what makes each of their cheeses so wonderful and unique. And of course each participant will also bring plenty of cheese to try, paired with local New York State cider.

Proceeds from this event will help support the activities and programs of Slow Food NYC.

Tickets Available at: http://www.astorcenternyc.com/class-slow-u-women-in-cheese.ac
Slow Food Members: $25 - use promotional code SFNYCMEM Non-members: $35 - use promotional code SFNYCNON

Special Edition 4-In the Kitchen with Gina DePalma

(If playback is choppy, trying pausing for a 15-30seconds, to allow it to load and then proceed)
Watch it on the Iphone

USDA says Know Your Farmers, Know Your Food

Yesterday the USDA launched a new initiative called Know Your Farmers, Know Your Food that's aimed at connecting consumers with local food producers (sounds like one of our goals here at TheDairyShow.com).  The agency has pledged $65 million to help build better local and regional food systems.  As part of this program the USDA is forming "Farm to School Tactical Teams" to help school figure out how to purchase more local foods and make $50 million available for schools to buy the local foods.  This is a great step by the USDA.  Check out Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack's YouTube introduction to the new program below.

Hot Grease On the Heritage Radio Network

Yesterday I was invited by Nicole Taylor aka @foodculturist to be one of the first guests on her new Internet Radio Program on the Heritage Radio Network.  The Heritage Radio Network is a relatively new internet based radio station whose mission is to "protect and advance our country’s rich cultural roots in the form of interviews, reflections, musings and ramblings from America’s leading farmers, food mavericks, filmmakers, artists and tastemakers."  The studio is located in a converted shipping container in the back of Roberta's Pizza in Brooklyn.  They have a lot of cool shows including one hosted by Anne Saxelby.  Nicole's show is called Hot Grease is all about "real people navigating our food system".  It was really fun and a great honor to be on the show. You can listen to our chat about food systems and the Dairy Show here. 

Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe

The Slow U: Ice Cream of Sugar and Snow Event was a great success this past week.  We had a capacity crowd and a great talk by Jeri Quinzio followed by a cool demo by Ben Van Leeuwen.  Ben showed the crowd the secret behind his Trucks' newest ice cream flavor Cinnamon.  Turns out though this is a new flavor, historically its actually one of the oldest.  Ben's Recipe for the Cinnamon Ice Cream is after the jump.  Plus we'll have some video highlights of the event soon!

The Dairy Show/Slow Food NYC Ice Cream Event is Sold Out

Thank you everyone who bought a ticket to the event for next week.  It is going to be great!  The money raised from the class will go towards supporting Slow Food NYC's educational programs for NYC public school students. 

Don't worry if you miss this event, there will be more.

Also, sorry for the long delay, but there will be fresh new episodes of the Dairy Show in September.

Tuesday Sept 1st See The Dairy Show Live On Ice . . .

Cream.  On Tuesday September 1st, Join Slow Food NYC and TheDairyShow.com in discovering where Ice Cream comes from. First we will explore its origin in time, as culinary historian and author of the book, Of Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making, Jeri Quinzio, traces the story of ice cream from its beginnings in the 16^th century to today.

Then Ben Van Leeuwen, of Brooklyn based Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, will take a break from his retro yellow truck to show us how we can make ice cream at home and how he’s adapted that same recipe, using the best ingredients he can get, to make it on a large scale for his business.

We’ll end the evening with an ice cream social, where you will have the opportunity to try Ben’s Ice Creams and chat with Jeri about her book. (Books will be available for sale, cash only, and signing.) Proceeds from this event will help support the activities and programs of Slow Food NYC.

When: Tuesday, September 1 from 6:30pm-8:30pm

Where: Astor Center – 399 Lafayette Street (at East 4th Street), Manhattan (enter around the corner on East 4th Street)

Prices:
Slow Food members – $25 (use promotional code SFNYCMEM)
Non-Members – $35 (use promotional code SFNYCNON)

Tickets: Available only at:
www.astorcenternyc.com/class-slow-u-ice-cream-from-sugar-and-snow.ac