Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

UPDATES AT VIRGINIA TECH

FST Spring Awards Reception

FST's annual reception and awards recognition ceremony was held on April 25 th at Hillcrest Hall on the VA Tech campus. Departmental, college, state and national awards were presented. The 2007 Dairy Products Evaluation Team and the 2008 College Bowl Team were recognized for their efforts.

Departmental, College and Industry Awards: Eric Wilson received the Boyd-Arline Scholarship. Eric was awarded the Charles and Viola Drake scholarship earlier in the year. Naomi Kim received the Paul Large – Outstanding Transfer Student Award. Cristian Samperio (MS candidate) was presented the W.F. Collins Scholarship. The Carolina-Virginia Dairy Products Association Academic Achievement Award went to Jessica Ruedisueli. Carla Tyler (MS candidate) received the Honorable Robert J. Wittman Seafood Award, and Gerard Alcantara was the recipient of the Virginia Food and Beverage Association Award. Gabriela Lopez-Velasco (Ph.D candidate) and Sabrina Hannah (Ph.D candidate) were presented the Faculty Award for Outstanding Graduate Student. Sabrina was the recipient of the William T. Steele graduate tuition scholarship earlier in the academic year. Katie Robbins received the Harvey Scott Outstanding Graduating Senior Award and was named the Food Science and Technology Outstanding Senior. Earlier in the year, Katie was the recipient of the William R. Powell Scholarship for scholastic achievement. Lauren Stewart was awarded the T.J. Thompson, Jr. scholarship for seniors. The Cyrus McCormick scholarships went to Cooper Graney and Matthew Ryan.

Ashley Gray was selected Food Science and Technology Outstanding Junior. Ashley also received the Charles W. Wampler, Sr. scholarship earlier in the year. Jessica Shultz was Food Science and Technology Outstanding Freshman. Michael Cox, Sarah Ellington, Mark Mason, Maryann Raimo, Vanessa Tumminia, Calvin Waldron, and Meagan Wray were recognized by the department for outstanding undergraduate achievement. Vanessa was awarded the William Powers Sadler Scholarship earlier in the academic year.

National/Regional Awards: Katie Robbins and Denise Gardner (MS candidate) were presented IFT Scholarships. Denise also received the Italian Packaging Award and will receive a free trip to Italy next month. At the College level, Denise Gardner was selected as the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Master Student.

Faculty Awards: Dr. Rob Williams was recognized as an IFT Outstanding Microbiology Division Member. Dr. Sean O'Keefe was the recipient of the Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award.

HOT TOPICS AND DAIRY ISSUES

Advertisements Saying Dairy Products Help You Lose Weight May Be Misleading

T here have been recent claims that dairy products can help people lose weight, and the dairy industry has hyped the assertion by investing millions of dollars in commercial advertising. However, a new review of the evidence reveals that neither dairy nor calcium intake promotes weight loss.

Amy Joy Lanou of the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Neal Barnard with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, DC, evaluated evidence from 49 clinical trials from 1966 to 2007 that assessed the effect of milk, dairy products, or calcium intake on body weight and BMI, with or without the use of dieting. Evidence from the trials showed that neither dairy products nor calcium supplements helped people lose weight. Of the 49 clinical trials, 41 showed no effect, two demonstrated weight gain, one showed a lower rate of weight gain, and only five showed weight loss.

An association between calcium or dairy intake and weight loss seen in some observational studies may be attributable to other factors, such as exercise, decreased soda intake, lifestyle habits, or increased fiber, fruit, and vegetable intake.

“Our findings demonstrate that increasing dairy product intake does not consistently result in weight or fat loss and may actually have the opposite effect,” the authors conclude.

This study is published in the May 2008 issue of Nutrition Reviews.

New Farm Bill Benefiting Dairy Producers Receives Strong Support in the Senate, House

ARLINGTON , VA – The new Farm Bill, containing a package of programs that improves farm policy and benefits dairy producers, sailed through the House and Senate this week by margins that all but ensure its enactment later this month.
The House passed the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 by a margin of 318 to 106 on Wednesday, more than the two-thirds majority necessary to override a threatened presidential veto of the legislation. The Senate passed the farm bill conference legislation Thursday by a veto-proof margin of 81-15.
“The lengthy struggle to pass a new Farm Bill makes this outcome all the more rewarding for our members who worked mightily during the past two years to improve existing agricultural policy,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. “Rather than extend the status quo or revert to the past, the Farm Bill moves us toward a new and better day on thousands of dairy farms of all sizes across America .”
The new bill establishes a dairy product price support system, adds safeguards to the Dairy Forward Pricing Program and extends the Dairy Export Incentive Program for the duration of the Bill. It will continue funding the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program, and it extends the Dairy Indemnity Program through 2012. The Milk Income Loss Contract Program is extended and the payment cap is increased to 2.94 million pounds. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program will receive $3.4 billion in additional funds and the Conservation Security Program is extended and substantially amended to create a simpler system. Multiple new energy programs are incorporated, including $300 million for programs in which energy is derived from agricultural waste. Programs were added or extended to improve the nation's animal health infrastructure (Bovine Johne's Disease Control and Food and Mouth Disease live virus research). Federal nutrition program spending is increased by $10.4 million for consumer nutrition programs.
Kozak applauded the bipartisan efforts of both the House and Senate during the conference committee process, and urged the White House to forgo its pledge to veto the legislation.
“Farmers have spoken in favor of this legislation, along with urban and suburban constituents, and members of the House and Senate have heard them,” Kozak said.
“If the President decides to follow through with his threat to veto this legislation, we urge America 's elected representatives to override his veto. It's clear by this week's vote margins in the House and Senate that Congress understands that this is important legislation that needs to be adopted,” Kozak said.