By:  Tristan Zuber, Cornell Dairy Foods Specialist, Harvest NY Program

Cornell University’s Harvest NY Program and the NY Association for Training & Employment Professionals (NYATEP) held its second annual food & beverage workforce development summit on June 22^nd at Onondaga Community College, featuring NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senior Advisore at the US Department of Labor Zach Boren and Director of the Program on Applied Demographics of Cornell University – Dr. Warren Brown.  The daylong summit on “Meeting the Workforce Needs of the Food Processing Industry” drew over 120 people from workforce investment boards, academic institutions and industry giants such as Anheuser-Busch, Chobani, Muller Quaker Dairy, Great Lakes Cheese and Steuben Foods.

Tristan Zuber (Dairy Foods Specialist, Cornell University), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand & Melinda Mack (Executive Director, NY Association for Training & Employment Professionals) at the 2nd Annual Food & Beverage Workforce Development Summit.

Last year’s event conclusions showed that there are many programs that are available to train new and future hires to the food manufacturing industry, but there was a lack of data on the future growth and where exactly that growth was occurring within food manufacturing in NYS.

Research by Dr. Warren Brown of Cornell University showed that 1 in 8 manufacturing jobs in New York State is now in the food and beverage industry and over the next seven years, the New York State Department of Labor expects the food and beverage industry to expand by another 4,500 jobs to a record high 65,000 employees.  The challenges will intensify in the year ahead as the food and beverage industry’s stable workforce ages and its employment participation declines.  This project was funded by the Workforce Development Institute in collaboration with NYATEP and Cornell University’s Harvest NY Program.

Senator Gillibrand also announced her support for bipartisan legislation for a tax credit provided for employers who look to hire apprentices.  “Even though the number of high-skill, well-paying jobs is increasing, companies, surprisingly, often can’t find enough workers in our state to fill them,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. “At a time when unemployment is still a pressing issue in many of our communities across the state, it’s simply unacceptable.”  Apprenticeships are a way to address this concern, which is why NYATEP and Cornell University in collaboration with community colleges is looking at the possible launch of an apprenticeship-type program to address needs in food and beverage manufacturing in areas such as maintenance and control technicians.

This year’s food and beverage summit also featured breakout discussions on marketing and attraction to draw new entrants to the food and beverage manufacturing industry.  There are many programs around our state that focus on youth to do just this.  For example, the Western NY Tech Academy has a focus on food manufacturing for students in high school.  Along with that is the launch of videos that can be used in the classroom that showcase careers in food and agriculture – such as those from the Genesee County Business Education Alliance and the Jefferson-Lewis County Workforce Investment Board.

“The workforce training needs of the food industry in New York represent a complex and timely issue that is best addressed by pulling the resources available from all the relevant organizations and stakeholders,” said summit participant and Department of Food Science chair Olga Padilla-Zakour. “The summit is a clear example of how the coordination of efforts is creating a variety of strategies to implement workable solutions. Cornell’s leadership role demonstrates our commitment to support the food industry as part of our land-grant mission.”  Cornell University looks forward to further supporting workforce development in food and beverage manufacturing to further drive the success of this industry.

By:  Tristan Zuber, Cornell Dairy Foods Specialist, Harvest NY Program

Eleven billion gallons sold in 2014; A per capita increase of 1.6 gallons to 34 gallons since 1976; Water – the world’s most simple beverage, has seen tremendous sales and volume growth over the last thirty years.  Is it the convenience factor, health benefits, packaging, strategic marketing, or refreshability that is creating higher demand for water?  Can these strategies be translated to fluid milk to support higher levels of consumption of nature’s most perfect product?

Casey McCue (NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets), Tristan Zuber (Cornell University), Commissioner Richard Ball (NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets), Cary Frye (IDFA), Maria Knirk (NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets)

Milk – one of nature’s most nutritious foods has a wonderful story to tell.  The dairy industry can truly capitalize on its health benefits to drive consumption and improve health.  Placing limitations on our own industry is a way to discourage innovation and thus consumption. These were some of the topics that were discussed at the 1st-ever Northeast Fluid Milk Summit, cohosted by American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Cornell Dairy Foods Extension & the Northeast Dairy Foods Association.  The purpose of this event was to bring together fluid milk processors, regulators and supporting agencies to discuss pre-competitive marketing and innovation strategies in the fluid milk industry.

To kick off the event, NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball discussed the importance of both producers and processors working together to solve issues that face the dairy foods industry, including pushing support for farmers to sign up for the Margin Protection Program to reduce financial risks of our dairy farmers.  Cary Frye, Vice President of Regulatory & Scientific Affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association then laid out the groundwork for the forum with an examination of the standards of identity defining fluid milk and resulting product labeling rules.  “The standard of identity has remained unchanged for 73 years,” explained Frye, “but milk products that fall outside the lines of the strict definition of milk can contribute to variety and consumer choice to successfully promote greater use of fluid milk.” Fairlife, Inc CEO, Steve Jones gave a lunch keynote address on strategies employed by his company to begin to disrupt the fluid milk industry.

Cornell University Professor and Co-Director of the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs, Dr. David Just, spoke about small changes that can be made in the lunchroom to increase the number of kids selecting milk for their lunchtime beverage of choice.  Also presenting from Cornell was Dr. Anna-Thalacker-Mercer, Assistant Professor in Nutrition, who discussed an aging population and prevention of muscle wasting through the consumption of high levels of bioavailable protein, which contains high levels of leucine, such as the protein in milk.  Dr. Carmen Moraru, Associate Professor in Cornell Food Science also discussed new processing technologies that can help drive innovation in milk.

Organic Valley’s Vice President for Marketing, Lewis Goldstein spoke about the growing organic dairy industry and the drivers of organic consumers.  Dr. John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University provided innovative ways of thinking about sensory science to segment consumers based on likability.

Marla Buerk from Dairy Management, Inc and Genevieve Poirier-Richards of MilkPEP discussed new strategies their organizations are taking to support innovation and improve marketability of fluid milk.  This includes the launch of the Milk Life marketing campaign and the Great American Milk Drive to feed America’s hungry.  Steve Ammerman, Director of Public Affairs for the NY Farm Bureau facilitated the program.

Fluid milk processors, regulators and supporting agencies made up over 60 attendees to this forum.  After the presentations, the participants broke out into discussion groups to come up with ideas to further support research and marketing efforts in fluid milk.  These ideas will be compiled into a report and assigned a priority to determine ways we should move forward in terms of research, development and marketing.  Some initial outcomes include marketing to the elderly to support muscle aging, evaluating the potential for milk vending machines and exploring other packaging technologies.

Public-private partnerships can be utilized to drive innovation within the fluid milk industry.  Relying on research and marketing efforts that can benefit the entire industry can further support your company needs internally.  The northeast is in a perfect position to improve fluid milk consumption because of its proximity to the largest appetite in the United States.  Working together with Cornell, American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, and the Northeast Dairy Foods Association will support the development of new products and help improve your marketing and distribution efforts that improve overall consumption. Please contact Tristan Zuber (tjz2@cornell.edu) for further information on the forum.

By: Tristan J. Zuber, Dairy Foods Specialist, Harvest NY Program, Cornell University

New York is not only a great place for dairy farms, but is also a great place to start-up and expand a dairy manufacturing company.  The truth is that dairy farms represent 48% of New York State’s agricultural income, provide over $14.8 billion in economic output and the overall dairy industry – both manufacturing and farming – employs over 19,000 of New York’s residents.  The state’s farmers are currently a net supplier of 2.8 Billion pounds of milk to the surrounding northeast states, proving there are opportunities to grow in value-added dairy foods manufacturing. In a 2009 Cornell University study, 35% of food manufacturers in New York State expected to make capital investments and even more planned to grow their workforce; much of this growth in dairy foods manufacturing.

But why here and why now? Thinking broadly, New York State has the perfect conditions for continued growth in dairy foods manufacturing – politically, environmentally and strategically. Furthermore, under the leadership of Cornell University, Harvest New York has launched a new initiative, “New York Loves Food Industry” with partners the Genesee County Economic Development Center, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise and others that seek to attract new food and dairy manufacturing in New York.  Below are the top 7 reasons why New York is the place for your Dairy Foods Business.

1.    Favorable State Policies and Business Incentives. 

Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s, New York State has made food and agriculture a priority in policy and investment activity over the past four years.  In the recently announced 2014 Regional Economic Development Council Awards, tax credits and Empire State Development grants and tax credits were provided to numerous dairy manufacturers to support expansions and renovations. In addition, grants were awarded for creation of business incubators and commercial kitchens, advanced and food manufacturing training opportunities, renewable energy and waste management for food manufactures and revolving loan options for agricultural entities.  Food and food manufacturing is a top priority for all regions across New York State and continues to receive significant attention and funding.

2.    Available Pool of Talented Workforce and New Training Programs.  

New York State has over 469 colleges and universities that offer degrees and certificates with over 1.35 million students enrolled, graduating 300,000 in 2012.  Many colleges across the state are launching new educational programs to better train employees for the dairy processing industry in food safety, quality and processing efficiency.  This fall, Erie Community College launched a certificate program in Biomanufacturing with a food-processing track and Genesee Community College enrolled their first cohort of students in the new Food Processing Technology degree program.  Cornell University’s Department of Food Science has approximately 140 undergraduate students and 80 graduate students – many of them looking for reasons to stay in New York and provide opportunities for innovation to the state’s food industry.  In addition, the Cornell Dairy Foods Certificate Program enables those already in the industry to expand practical knowledge through the use of hands-on teaching and research application.

Furthermore, New York State has a long history of manufacturing dairy products, and has a broad range of experience.  Many dairy food companies and their employees have been here for generations, passing along knowledge that can help the entire industry succeed.  In New York, the businesses believe that success breeds success and a more robust dairy manufacturing industry is good for everyone.

3.    Strategic Dairy Farm Industry.  

New York State has some of the most forward thinking dairy farmers in the world.  New York’s farmers have been able to optimize natural resources to become more efficient.  Over the last five years, cow numbers have leveled off to approximately 610,000, yet production continued to grow substantially.  From 2009 to 2013, milk production per cow increased 10.2%, confirming New York dairy farmers’ commitment to efficiency.

New York State is poised to support a sustainable dairy industry because of the abundant natural resources, industry collaboration, and commitment to agricultural land protection.  The northeast is less likely to experience drought conditions that can damper the economic vitality of dairy farms.  Our farmers have been able to form strategic alliances that commit to an efficient, profitable environmentally responsible and consumer conscious dairy industry – specifically though organizations such as the Northeast Dairy Producers Association and the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition.  New York is a great state for dairy farming and our farmers are committed to proving it.

4.    Accessibility to Major Markets.  

Upstate New York is within a 10-hour drive to a consumer base that represents over 40% of the United States population and 59% of the Canadian population.  Major cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC are a short drive and Upstate New York can provide a roll in supplying these major markets with the necessary food supply.  New York’s physical location enables food and dairy companies to gain major access to Canadian markets including the city of Toronto and Montreal.

All of these accessible cities provide access to a broad range of consumer segments – spanning different age groups and ethnicities that enable food companies to assist in new product development and business growth to meet their broad needs.

5.    Favorable and Improving Infrastructure.  

Being able to run your business and access your customers is extremely important for business success.  New York State produces 32.3 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy every year, has over 114,000 miles of public roads, 37 freight railroads covering almost 3,500 miles, and 141 public airports.  Additionally, New York is uniquely positioned to supply the international market with a vast port systems.  The 27 ports in New York State handled approximately 40 million short tons of cargo in 2009, allowing dairy companies the ability to access international markets.  In the recently announced Regional Economic Development Council awards, many awards were for infrastructure improvement, confirming the state’s commitment to creating further improvements to transportation routes and foster economic development.

Economic Development Agencies are also helping to create an environment  to foster an environment for food and dairy companies to grow and expand.  The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) specifically targets the food industry and has developed Genesee Valley Agri-business Park, a 250-acre shovel-ready property that includes low cost aquifer water, municipal water, transmission level electric, an 8″ gas line, and an available rail spur with a main line rail nearby.  The GCEDC recently received an award from the Northeast Economic Developers Association for the 2014 Project of the Year for their efforts to successfully bring Muller Quaker Dairy to Western New York.  Fulton County Center for Regional Growth is another park that seeks out food companies specifically.  Many other economic development agencies are seeing the value of attracting food businesses and are exploring similar avenues to encourage growth in food and dairy processing

6.    Robust Supply Chain Network.  

New York is also home to many companies beyond the farm level who supply to the dairy foods industry.   This map indicates that New York has a broad range of engineering firms, ingredient companies, laboratories and consultants, all poised to support your business needs.  For every new job that is created in dairy foods manufacturing, 5.6 additional jobs are created in the supply chain.  In 2012, over 9,400 New York State residents worked in dairy foods manufacturing, indicating that over 52,000 worked in industries that support the dairy foods processing industry.  There are also resources such as FuzeHub and EWI that support manufacturers by providing connections that create reliable and targeted manufacturing solutions.

7.    World Renowned Academic & Research Capabilities.  

New York State is home to some of the world’s best research institutions in the world.  The state has over 19 academic institutions that have focus on the food and beverage industry. Cornell’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences received $125 million in research expenditures in 2011 and is a worldwide leader in food and agricultural research.  Rochester’s Institute of Technology is a top university in consumer packaging and graphic design.  SUNY Cobleskill is in the midst of securing plans for food and agricultural center.  Furthermore, a new state program known as Start-Up NY enables businesses to collaborate with college and universities to access to state-of-the art facilities that enable companies to start, expand, or relocate your business in tax-free zones.  New York research institutions have the ability to partner with private industry to spur innovation, conduct research and incubate start-up companies to ensure long-term success.  The new Cornell Institute for Food Systems Industry Partnership Program enables companies to partner and foster further collaboration on research and training opportunities.

The reasons why New York is a great place for your dairy business is because the private, public and educational sectors are working together for continuous improvement for the industry.  This collaboration between industry, academia and government will ensure that New York State continues to be a world leader in the dairy foods industry.  By optimizing our currently available resources and expanding upon our success, we have the true ability to attract, expand and grow the industry and to create a sustainable future for our farmers, suppliers and processors.  For more information, please contact Tristan Zuber at tjz2@cornell.edu and visit our website where resources are listed (Harvest New York – New York Loves Food Industry)

Leadership. It’s a necessary skill not only for senior executives, but also for all those who want to strive for continuous improvement in the workplace.  The future of the dairy foods industry will rely on a new generation of leaders who understand and can overcome challenges that our growing sector faces and developing these future leaders is something that Cornell University and the International Dairy Foods Association is addressing through a collaboration known as the NextGEN Dairy Network.

In early October, IDFA teamed up with Cornell Food Science and Dairy Foods Extension to host the first-ever NextGEN Leadership Symposium.  The program gave an overview of the dairy foods industry from production to processing and marketing, while focusing on personal and professional development.

One of the highlights of the program was a tour of Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, NY, where participants were exposed to daily operations on a modern dairy farm.  The group also went through Myers-Briggs Type Indicator profile training to discover how people with different personalities can interact in different environments.

Scott Thomas, 3M’s Director of Research and Development in Food Safety, discussed how innovation can revolutionize a company and ultimately lead to success. A variety of speakers from Upstate-Niagara Cooperative, Muller Quaker Dairy, Cornell University and IDFA covered different topics, highlighting the upstate New York dairy industry.

Forty-seven dairy industry professionals throughout the United States embarked on this leadership development journey in Ithaca, NY.  We are excited to announce that we will be hosting another NextGEN Symposium next year at Cornell University.  We look forward to seeing some of your team members here!