Japan's three major dairy producers reported record group pretax profits for fiscal 2004 as they reaped the benefits of streamlining their businesses and revamping their product lines.

Dairy processors have been in the news lately for making substantial charitable contributions. Turner Dairy Farms, Pittsburgh, is celebrating its 75th anniversary and marking the occasion with a $50,000 donation pledge to Pittsburgh's Forbes Health Foundation.

Glanbia Foods Inc., continues to expanding its cheese-production operations in Gooding, Idaho, and has just completed a smaller expansion at its headquarter plant in Twin Falls, Idaho.

The National Milk Producers Federation Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program has concluded after spending more than $51 million to cull 50,066 cows from the milk supply.

If the U.S. Free Trade Agreement with Central America and Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) ends up road-blocked in Congress, it will likely be over the always-sensitive issue of sugar imports. At a meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee, members from sugar-growing districts expressed concerns about the sugar provisions of the treaty, echoing comments from their counterparts on the Senate Finance Committee. The treaty does in fact provide new access to U.S. markets for foreign sugar growers, but the U.S. Trade Representative's Office says those new imports would not negatively impact the current U.S. sugar program. Top White House and Agriculture Department officials have held meetings on how to counter U.S. sugar growers' objections and push the agreement through Congress.

ATLANTA-Sucralose, which is becoming ever more popular as a non-nutritive sweetener for dairy products, has come under scrutiny from some consumers and in particular from a website launched by sugar producers which questions the ingredient's health profile (truthaboutsplenda.com).

National Starch Food Innovation has received the President's Partnership Award for Ingredients Innovation from foods producer Johanna Foods, Flemington, N.J. Johanna Foods purchases from National Starch a range of specialty

BARABOO, Wis.-Eleven outstanding student scholars are this year's recipients of Agricultural Education and Don and Lois Storhoff scholarships. Six high school students and five college students will each receive $2,000 scholarships to put toward their educations. The scholarships are funded by Foremost Farms USA.

Milk and meat from cloned cows and bulls appears to be safe for human consumption, according to a scientific study published in April.

The dairy industry is closing ranks with representatives of other agricultural groups and the U.S. Trade Representative's Office to push for passage of the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR). Congressional hearings have begun with a vote in the full House and Senate expected later this year.