Thinking of Starting a Value-Added Dairy Foods Business?

Jan 06, 2021

By Kerry E. Kaylegian

“Value-added” is an extra characteristic that oﬀers greater value to the consumer and generates a higher dollar return for the dairy foods processor. Reasons for starting a value-added business: to maintain a small family farm; for ﬁnancial sustainability of your dairy; if you have a passion for dairy products; or to provide a business opportunity for future.

There is a wide range of value-added dairy products such as ﬂuid products, frozen desserts, cultured products, a variety of cheeses, and butter. Dairy consumption is increasing but product trends are moving away from ﬂuid milk to value-added dairy products.

Consumers are interested in local products as well as niche or specialty products, so you may be able to capitalize on an opportunity to market your milk such as grass-fed cattle, organic, goat or sheep products, A2 milk, breed-speciﬁc such as Guernsey or Jersey.

Before you start, knowing the characteristics, science, and manufacturing technology of your product is critical to making a consistent, high-quality product. This will help you determine your equipment and facility needs, manufacturing processes, and regulatory requirements.

The dairy industry is highly regulated. You need to know the federal and state regulations that apply to your enterprise. It is also important to identify potential barriers to the success of your enterprise.

A Successful and Sustainable business is the result of a solid understanding of your markets and the technology needed to make your products, and a commitment to the highest quality farming, manufacturing, and business practices.

This program was developed by Food Safety CTS, LLC, for Penn State University.

Source : psu.edu

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.