The dairy checkoff has introduced “Smart Swaps,” a dairy-focused initiative designed to help schools meet evolving nutrition standards and student expectations. The farmer-founded National Dairy Council (NDC) created Smart Swaps for school nutrition professionals to include dairy on breakfast menus and adapt to evolving meal standards. The program offers training resources along with kid-approved breakfast recipes featuring dairy. “We have …

Just a couple years after its wide-scale introduction, Artificial Intelligence, aka AI, has already changed how people create, how they interact with the Internet, and how they interact with one another.  But it’s not without pitfalls: From “hallucinations” to hate speech, the quality of AI answers generated by Large Language Models can vary widely, often illustrating a principle that’s much …

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) is now accepting entries for its 2026 New Product Competition, inviting undergraduate and graduate students across the U.S. to develop innovative dairy-based products that meet today’s consumer demands for bone and muscle health and weight management. This annual contest challenges students to create forward-thinking products that showcase the power and versatility of dairy in promoting health …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) has announced the launch of the 2025 Real California Grilled Cheese Sandwich Contest, a national foodservice recipe competition inviting professional chefs to reimagine the classic grilled cheese sandwich using California’s rich array of artisan cheeses and butter. Following the success of the Great Mozzarella Showdown and other virtual competitions, this latest online contest celebrates …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announced today a consumer promotion focused on balancing meal times with the return to busy schedules. Whether families with children headed back to school, or for those who are looking to simply reset and settle back into a routine after a busy summer, quick and easy recipes made with wholesome Real California Milk dairy …

The nation’s school milk processors have reduced added sugars by nearly 60% in flavored milk products sold at schools as a result of a voluntary, industry-led effort. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today announced the results of the Healthy School Milk Commitment launched in April 2023 by 37 school milk processors representing approximately 95% of the school milk volume …

“Treatment of Non-severe, Gram-negative Clinical Mastitis” headlines NMC’s Aug. 21 webinar, presented by Daniela Bruno, University of California Cooperative Extension, and Juan “Rodrigo” Pedraza, Zoetis. This free, one-hour educational offering starts at 1 p.m. Central time (USA/Canada). Bovine mastitis is a common and costly disease that negatively impacts dairy farms due to production losses, increased health costs, decreased milk quality, …

For generations, ice cream has been a beloved indulgence woven into American culture, communities, and celebrations. Now, a new voluntary effort led by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) in partnership with America’s ice cream makers promises to eliminate certified artificial colors from ice cream products made with real milk by Dec. 31, 2027. With this effort, dozens of U.S. …

In a strongly-worded complaint sent to the Food and Drug Administration, America’s butter marketers asked the agency to take action against Country Crock’s “dairy free salted butter,” asserting that the product’s label violates federal regulations. The plant-based spread’s front label, in bold letters, describes itself as a form of butter, although federal standards of identity, along with legislation passed by …

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) announce 12 professional chef finalists for the 2025 Real California Pizza Contest, a nationwide competition to find the most innovative foodservice pizza recipes featuring Real California dairy products. In its seventh year, the contest attracted more than 200 entries from chefs across the U.S., each vying for a share of $30,000 in prize money …