California Dairies, Inc. Announces Future Leadership Transition

President & CEO Brad Anderson Announces Retirement at Year End; COO Rob Vandenheuvel Named as Successor

California Dairies, Inc. (CDI), today announced that President and Chief Executive Officer Brad Anderson will retire at the end of 2025, following a distinguished career marked by significant contributions to both CDI and the broader dairy industry.

 

Anderson joined CDI as Chief Operating Officer in 2018 and was appointed President and CEO in 2020. During his tenure, Anderson spearheaded transformative initiatives that strengthened CDI’s position as an industry leader.

 

Under Anderson’s leadership, CDI achieved significant transformation and innovation. He oversaw the construction of a new state-of-the-art processing facility in Bakersfield, expanding CDI’s manufacturing footprint into Extended Shelf Life (ESL) and Aseptic/Shelf Stable Ultra High Temperature (UHT) products. He optimized operations by restructuring the organization into Global Business Groups to better serve domestic and international markets. Anderson also diversified CDI’s existing product portfolio, including the introduction of lactoferrin production, as the organization sought to expand its market reach and meet evolving consumer demands. Furthermore, he established CDI as an environmental leader through the “Golden State Advantage” initiative.

 

Beyond his contributions to CDI, Anderson is a recognized industry leader, actively shaping the future of dairy through his involvement in various organizations. He has held key leadership roles within the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, National Milk Producers Federation, and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. This includes his instrumental work as Chair of the Innovation Center’s Stewardship Commitment Taskforce and CEO Taskforce on Greenhouse Gas Reporting.

 

“Brad’s legacy is one of transformation,” said Cory Vanderham, Chairman of CDI’s Board of Directors. “He inspired a culture of innovation that led to the expansion of product lines, including Lactoferrin and our Valley Natural Beverages UHT and ESL production facility. We are grateful for his leadership.”

 

To ensure a smooth transition, CDI’s Board of Directors has named Rob Vandenheuvel, current Chief Operating Officer, as Anderson’s successor. Vandenheuvel will assume the role of President and CEO on January 1, 2026. 

 

Since joining CDI in 2017, Vandenheuvel has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership across various areas, including member and industry relations, supply chain, operations, and sales. His prior experience as General Manager at Milk Producers Council, as well as growing up on a California dairy farm, has given him valuable perspective as he served on CDI’s leadership team the past eight years in escalating roles.

 

“Rob brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to this role,” said Vanderham. “His strategic thinking and industry knowledge will be invaluable as we navigate the evolving landscape of the dairy industry. We are confident that he is the right person to lead this cooperative into a bright future.”

 

Anderson and Vandenheuvel will work closely together over the coming months to ensure a seamless transition.

 

“I am deeply honored to be entrusted with the leadership of this incredible cooperative,” said Vandenheuvel. “I’m excited to build upon the strong foundation laid by Brad and work alongside our dedicated team to serve our members and customers.”

2025-01-29T14:10:26-08:00January 29th, 2025|

Many Types of Bees Can Get Almond Pollination Done

Mason, Blue Orchard Bees Are Fit for the Job

By Patrick Cavanaugh, with the AgInformation Network

 

Could different species of bees be better than the typical honeybee for pollinating almonds?

Jim Watts is with Watts Solitary Bees, also known as Mason or Blue Orchard Bees are fantastic pollinators. They pollinate in a completely different way. The common honeybees collect a lot of pollen, but it sticks to their legs and doesn’t fall off. And then they tend to go to one particular almond variety,” noted Watts.

Watts said Mason bees collect pollen on the hairs on their body. They go from flower to flower. When she lands on a flower, a bunch of pollen falls off because its hairs are not sticky. “She is an excellent pollinator, said Watts. “She’s not so good at collecting pollen but good at pollinating,” noted Watts.

“They also fly randomly in the orchard, visiting different kinds of flowers. So, if you have different varieties that must be pollinated, and they’re going to fly to those different trees, and will cross-pollinate better than a honeybee,” said Watts.   “They are way more efficient. It only takes a thousand of our bees to replace an entire honeybee hive, said Watts, adding there’s normally anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 bees in a typical colony of standard honeybees.”

Research shows that by using Mason bees to pollinate, you can get a bump in yield in your orchard. “Of course, a lot of that’ll also depend on all the grower’s other practice,” he said.

2025-01-19T16:56:42-08:00January 19th, 2025|

Long-Awaited UC Davis Bee Genetics Book Updated

Hear that buzz?

The long-awaited update of the landmark UC Davis-authored book, Queen Bee Rearing and Bee Breeding by Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. (1907-2003), “the father of bee genetics,”  and his former doctoral research mentee Robert E. Page Jr., now an internationally known bee geneticist, is about to be published.

Wicwas Press of Kalamazoo, Mich., published the landmark book in 1996 and now will publish the updated book, Honey Bee Genetics and Breeding, written by Page and dedicated to Professor Laidlaw.

“This book is long overdue,” said Page, whose career took him from doctoral student to professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology to provost of Arizona State University. “Although it isn’t actually a revision of Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding that I wrote with Harry Laidlaw 25 years ago, it does bring that book up-to-date with respect to genetics and breeding.  And there is still a lot of Harry in it.”

The Laidlaw-Page book was “for beekeepers who know little about genetics, and geneticists who know little about beekeeping.”

Page said he never expected Wicwas Press would still be selling the inaugural book nearly 30 years later.  “Harry used to remind me frequently that a revision was needed, we intended to do it, but he passed September 19, 2003, at the age of 96. I considered revising the book many times, but life got in the way, and I struggled with what more I could say about queen rearing.”

Reviewers hail the 182-page book as “probably the best reference for learning about bee breeding theory and practice and the history of honey bee genetics.” Page offers examples of both successful and unsuccessful bee breeding programs.

The chapters include “Principles of Inheritance,” “Mechanisms of Inheritance,” “Principles of Breeding,” “Disease Resistance,” “Defensive Behavior” and “Honey Production.”

“The fundamentals of queen rearing have been with us since G.M. Doolittle’s book Scientific Queen Rearing first published in 1889,” Page related. “Methods have evolved through a process of natural selection with different queen producers developing their own specific modifications that get passed on, shared, and adopted or rejected by others until we have the practices used by queen producers today. But still, they are not far from the fundamentals of Doolittle.”

Page noted, however, that “our understanding of the genetic basis of inheritance and the development of genetic tools for exploring the genetic architectures of honey bee traits has undergone a major transformation since 1996. The biggest leap in honey bee genetics came with the sequencing of the honey bee genome, published in 2006, an enormous international effort to assemble 240 million base pairs (building blocks of DNA) that contain about 10,000 genes.”  Gene Robinson of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, spearheaded that effort.

“Colony and individual traits are now routinely explored by genetic mapping, facilitating the identification of associated genes whose expression may be altered, thus enabling the investigation of their effects,” Page writes in his book. “We are on the cusp of the next great transformations: (1) the use of gene sequence information to reliably identify specific genes and enhance classical selection for economically important traits, and (2) the ability to transform genes, by editing them, into more favorable forms that may affect behavior and/or disease resistance.”

Since 1996, the main emphasis of bee breeding “has shifted from increasing honey production and reducing defensive behavior to controlling diseases,” Page wrote. “The increasing apicultural problems presented by varroa mites and their associated diseases puts pressure on bee breeders to find solutions through genetic stock improvement to reduce the use of chemical treatments in hives.”

“The purity of honey is paramount in the perception of the public,” Page shared. “We must do all we can to preserve that. The tremendous worldwide effort to breed varroa resistance mechanisms into commercial honey bees has had only limited success, so far. But much has been learned about honey bee genetics and breeding, varroa biology and potential mechanisms of resistance in honey bees. Hopefully, the new genetic tools being developed will be employed and lead to more success.”

Internationally recognized bee breeder and geneticist Susan Cobey, a mentee of Laidlaw, a former manager of the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis,  and a newly retired Washington State University scientist, praises the book as demystifying technical aspects and filling in the knowledge gaps.  “Honey bee breeding is a lifelong adventure and passion,” she writes in the foreword. “As a young, idealistic beekeeper venturing into developing a commercial stock, Dr. Harry Laidlaw told me, ‘You will never be bored by the challenge of selecting the ‘super’ bee. She doesn’t exist, the journey will be the reward.’ Four decades later, this has proven true.”

Cobey applied the Page-Laidlaw Closed Population Breeding Program (CPBP) theory to develop and maintain her New World Carniolan line. “The practicality and simplicity of the program gave it longevity. Many bee breeding programs have now converted to use this breeding scheme, including the USDA Hilo project.”

“The literature addressing bee genetics, breeding scheme methodologies and assays for selecting desirable traits are scattered in the scientific, research and beekeeping journals,” Cobey wrote. “It’s like a large puzzle with missing pieces. Finally, in this book, Rob Page covers these subjects clearly, comprehensively, supported by his research with a highly informative and fascinating presentation.”

Page, considered by his peers as “the most influential honey bee biologist of the past 30 years,” is known for his research on honey bee behavior and population genetics, particularly the evolution of complex social behavior. One of his most salient contributions to science was to construct the first genomic map of the honey bee, which sparked a variety of pioneering contributions not only to insect biology but to genetics at large.

Page pioneered the use of modern techniques to study the genetic basis of social behavior evolution in honey bees and other social insects. He was the first to employ molecular markers to study polyandry and patterns of sperm use in honey bees. He provided the first quantitative demonstration of low genetic relatedness in a highly eusocial species.

For 24 years, from 1989 to 2015, Page maintained a UC Davis honey bee-breeding program, managed by bee breeder-geneticist Kim Fondrk. Their contributions include discovering a link between social behavior and maternal traits in bees. Their work was featured in a cover story in the journal Nature. In all, Nature featured his work on four covers from work mostly done at UC Davis.

 Page is also the author of The Spirit of the Hive: The Mechanisms of Social Evolution (Harvard University Press, 2013) and the Art of the Bee: Shaping the Environment from Landscapes to Societies (Oxford University Press, 2020).  In 2023, he launched a publicly accessible  and free YouTube Channel, https://youtube.com/@artofthebee.

A native of Bakersfield, Page received his doctorate in entomology in 1980 from UC Davis, studying with major professor Norman Gary and Laidlaw, his doctoral research mentor. Page  advanced  to professor and chair of the Department of Entomology (now the Department of Entomology and Nematology), serving as the chair from 1999-2004. A second career emerged when Arizona State University (ASU) recruited him in 2004.

Today Page holds the titles of ASU University Provost Emeritus and Regents Professor Emeritus as well as UC Davis Distinguished Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Chair of the UC Davis Entomology Department.

 

UC Davis Professor Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. with graduate student and mentee Robert E. Page Jr., circa 1980

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert E. Page

2025-01-06T08:00:16-08:00January 6th, 2025|

Associations Conduct Air District Permit Training

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA) and Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) in partnership with Cardinal Professional Products conducted a day long tour and training session on cotton gins and tree nut hullers and processors on air pollution permitting and issues. 24 engineers from all three regions (North, Central and South) of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District attended the training which included classroom training on fumigation practices and procedures, as well as cotton gin operation and how its air pollution control works. In addition, basic tree nut huller operation was introduced and demonstrated. The purpose of the training was to help permitting engineers know and understand the process of these operations to help expedite permitting times. The group toured Perfect PAC  LP, led by WAPA Board Member Jason Baldwin, Sierra Valley Almonds, led by WAPA Board Members Jim Sears, and Olam Cotton’s Silver Creek Gin, led by CCGGA Board Member Matt Toste. The training was led by the Association’s Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin and President/CEO Roger A. Isom. Representing Cardinal Products was Doug Belle and Kevin Willet.

2024-11-22T08:59:17-08:00November 22nd, 2024|

Congressman Valadao Requests Answers for Central Valley Small Businesses

Today, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) sent a follow-up letter to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel regarding delays in processing Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) claims, a program created during the COVID-19 pandemic to help businesses keep people employed. In January of this year, Congressman Valadao wrote to Commissioner Werfel requesting answers and expressing concerns over the IRS’ significant issues with processing and payment of ERTC claims.

Congressman Valadao highlighted the lack of communication from the IRS that has frustrated many small business owners:

“Businesses with legitimate ERTC claims deserve prompt processing and payment of their claims. Unfortunately, the IRS has not yet communicated the status of these claims or outlined the process for the analysis needed to complete their processing and payment,” Congressman Valadao wrote.

While the IRS has made progress since the Congressman’s initial letter to investigate fraud and pay eligible claims, there are still thousands of small businesses waiting for their claim to be processed and paid:

The ERTC program was designed to provide crucial relief to businesses during the pandemic. While the steps the IRS has taken in recent months are essential for addressing these claims, I am concerned that the IRS response has been inadequate,” Congressman Valadao wrote.

Congressman Valadao requested answers from the IRS on the current steps they’re taking to address these claims, including:

  • Will the IRS consider extending the 30-day period for taxpayers who received a disallowance letter to submit a protest? If not, why not?
  • How is the IRS reviewing the 60 to 70 percent of claims that have moderate level of risk? How is the IRS communicating the status of these claims with taxpayers?
  • In August, the IRS announced that 50,000 low-risk claims were moving into processing. Of these claims, how many have been paid?
  • Is the IRS working through ERTC cases that the Taxpayer Advocate Service is sending?

Read the full text of the letter here.

2024-10-10T15:47:46-07:00October 10th, 2024|

CDFA Announces Vacancies on Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee

Courtesy of the CDFA 

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announces two vacancies on the Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC).

 

This subcommittee provides technical and scientific advice to the Feed Inspection Advisory Board and CDFA on animal food nutrition, safety and efficacy data review of new and unapproved feed ingredients, research project oversight and other issues that will affect the Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, Livestock Drug Program and Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) Program.

 

Applicants must demonstrate technical, applied and scientific expertise in the fields of toxicology, pathology, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, as well as possess general knowledge of the California feed industry.

 

The term of office for subcommittee members is three years. Members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses. Individuals interested in being considered for appointment should send a resume and a Feed TASC Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/pdfs/FIAB-TASC_PMAQ.pdf) to SAFE@cdfa.ca.gov. The application deadline is October 21, 2024.

2024-10-07T13:41:11-07:00October 7th, 2024|

Westlands Water District Supports use of Adaptive Management

Courtesy of Westlands Water District 

Westlands Water District is encouraged by the recent decision to employ adaptive management as part of implementing a regulation affecting our federal and state water projects. The decision was related to the implementation of the Fall X2 measure, one piece of a set of operational measures set to enforce the Endangered Species Act. This example of relying on recent scientific information and real-time monitoring is an encouraging example of how flexible management can contribute to achieving the co-equal goals of ecosystem protection and a reliable water supply for the farms that feed that nation.

Based on the broad body of scientific knowledge, which includes a recent peer-reviewed scientific assessment of the benefits of implementation of the Fall X2 action, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) modified the Fall X2 action using an adaptive management component of the action. The Fall X2 action is intended to provide beneficial habitat conditions in the Sacramento/San Joaquin River Delta for endangered Delta smelt and other native species after a wet or above-normal water year. Through adaptive management this year, the Fall X2 measure was implemented in September while adding an action to operate the Suisun Marsh Salinity Gates, providing much-needed additional food and habitat for the species.

 

The Fall X2 action for Delta Smelt has the potential to result in a large water supply reduction for cities and farms. In 2023 the water cost to implement the Fall X2 action was greater than 730,000 acre-feet between the Central Valley and State Water projects. This year’s action demonstrates the ability to use recent scientific information and monitoring to adaptively manage the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act while providing similar or better outcomes for the species. This year’s action also acknowledges the value of preserving our water resources for future purposes, including fish and wildlife benefits.

 

Allison Febbo, General Manager of Westlands Water District, stated, “Water is the lifeblood of our valley. We are encouraged to see the dedication from both State and Federal agencies to maximize the value of our limited water supplies while improving fishery conditions through flexibility and innovation. We applaud operators of both projects and fisheries agencies for their demonstrated commitment to science-based decision-making and their efforts to make transparent adaptive management a fundamental practice in the Delta.”

 

Fall X2 action modification aligns with the intended protections outlined in the 2020 Incidental Take Permit (ITP) and the 2019 Biological Opinion while smartly conserving our water supplies. Westlands looks forward to continuing our partnership with State and Federal agencies to refine these processes further, enhancing outcomes for both fisheries and water supply across California.

2024-10-02T07:59:08-07:00October 2nd, 2024|

Almond Alliance Calls for Swift Passage of Agriculture Disaster Relief Bill

Congressmen David G. Valadao (R-CA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) have introduced the bipartisan Agriculture Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act after months of collaborative work on agricultural disaster relief. This legislation was developed in partnership with the Almond Alliance and a coalition of agricultural groups across California.

 

The bill aims to provide crucial support for farmers and rural communities that have been severely impacted by catastrophic natural disasters in 2023, including floods, droughts, and wildfires. This initiative comes in response to the significant challenges faced by California’s agricultural sector, which suffered billions in damages and losses due to severe weather events in 2023 alone.

 

The bill proposes $14 billion in disaster relief funding to the Office of the Secretary for Agriculture for 2023 disaster expenses, aimed at helping farmers recover from crop and livestock losses. It incorporates provisions from past relief programs, including drought definitions and direct payments, and ensures simultaneous payment administration for all producers. With California’s almond industry severely affected by ongoing drought and flooding, the Almond Alliance sees this relief package as vital to ensuring both the immediate recovery and long-term sustainability of the nation’s farming communities.

 

“Our almond growers and farmers across the nation faced significant losses in 2023 due to natural disasters,” said Blake Vann, Chairman of the Almond Alliance. “This bill will ensure they have the resources needed to recover and continue feeding our markets. It’s critical that Congress moves quickly to get this aid to the producers who are counting on it.”

 

The Almond Alliance thanks Rep. Valadao and Rep. Panetta for their leadership in introducing the Agriculture Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. Their efforts are crucial to supporting farmers impacted by recent natural disasters.

 

Reps. Reps joined Valadao and Panetta in the introduction. John Duarte (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Vince Fong (R-CA), Jake LaTurner (R-KS), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Salud Cabrajal (D-CA), Darren Soto (D-FL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Marc Molinaro (R-NY), Mike Thompson and Josh Harder (D-CA).

2024-09-30T08:37:17-07:00September 30th, 2024|

Almond Board of California announces 2024 election results

Courtesy of Almond Board of California 

Almond Board of California Announces 2024 Election Results

New board will start its term Aug. 1.

MODESTO, Calif. — The Almond Board of California announced the Board of Directors election results on June 11 and the names of the following nominees have been submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for selection to terms of office beginning Aug. 1, 2024:

Grower Position #1, Member:                                 Grower Position #1, Alternate:

1-year term

Paul Ewing, Los Banos                                                      Katie Staack, Hughson

Grower Position #3, Member:                                 Grower Position #3, Alternate:

3-year term

Joe Gardiner, Earlimart                                                     Garrett Bloemhof, Shafter

Handler Position #2, Member:                                 Handler Position #2, Alternate:

3-year term

Bob Silveira, Williams                                                         Justin Morehead, Coalinga

Handler Position #3, Member:                                 Handler Position #3, Alternate:

1-year term

Darren Rigg, Le Grand                                                         Chad DeRose, McFarland

Co-op Grower Position #1, Member:                      Co-op Grower Position #1, Alternate:

3-year term

Christine Gemperle, Ceres                                                    Lucas Van Duyn, Ripon

The ABC board is made up of five handler and five grower representatives. It sets policy and recommends budgets in major areas, including marketing, production research, advertising, public relations, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

2024-06-11T15:01:14-07:00June 11th, 2024|

MORE THAN 20 DAIRY PARTNERS DISPLAY DAIRY TRENDS, SUSTAINABLE INGREDIENTS IN REAL CALIFORNIA MILK’S STREET OF DAIRY AT 2024 INTERNATIONAL DAIRY DELI BAKERY ASSOCIATION SHOW

Courtesy of the California Milk Advisory Board 

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) will spotlight a variety of innovative, on-trend sustainably sourced dairy products at the 2024 International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) show in Houston, Tex. June 9-11. As a key exhibitor at the event, which brings together 10,000 attendees and more than 800 exhibiting companies at the largest industry-only show for dairy, deli, bakery, and foodservice, CMAB will connect with industry professionals while sharing all that California dairy has to offer through on-trend culinary dishes and more.

An assortment of dairy applications will be sampled throughout the show in CMAB’s booth #3729, including specialty cheese, lassi, desserts, kefir, puffed protein snacks and more. California culinary expert Joe Baird will showcase a selection of trending recipes including Boysenberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Milkshakes, Irish Hand Pies, Honey Yogurt with Vietnamese-style Fried Bananas, Korean-style Mozzarella-filled Croffles, Sushi Salad Wraps, and Walking Tacos in a Bag will be featured in the Real California Kitchen.

California dairy processors in attendance include Angelo & Franco, Arbo’s Cheese Dips, Belfiore Cheese, Cheese Bits, Crystal Creamery, DiStefano Cheese, Dosa by Dosa, Gelato Festival, In Good Hands, Fiscalini Cheese, Lifeway, Karoun Dairies, Marin French Cheese, Moinear Farmhouse Butter, Pacific Cheese, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Rumiano Cheese, Scott Brothers, Sierra Nevada Cheese Co., Super Store Industries, Sweet Craft Dolceria, and Win soon Inc.

California is the nation’s leading milk producer, and makes more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. California is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made with milk from the state’s dairy families using some of the most sustainable farming practices in the world.

2024-06-05T08:24:05-07:00June 5th, 2024|
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