CDRF Celebrates 20 Years of Innovation Through Dairy Research and Education  

Davis, Calif. – May 16, 2008 – The California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) recently celebrated a milestone – two decades of service to the state’s dairy industry or, as Executive Director Joe O’Donnell says, “20 years of trying to deliver the bounty of nature’s most perfect food to consumers in a global market.”  

The CDRF was established in April 1988 as California’s growing dairy industry acknowledged the need to diversify and increase consumer understanding of the nutritional value of dairy products. Recognizing the necessity of coordinating dairy research, the CDRF was created with a mission of promoting research and development activities that directly benefit California’s dairy producers, processors and consumers by increasing the value of milk and dairy products.  

The CDRF does so by managing nutrition research and education for consumers and food science research and education for food companies. Additionally, the foundation supports producer education programs for dairy producers by providing on-farm assistance for meeting strict environmental regulations, developing improvements in health and food safety issues as well as maintaining the health and welfare of the herd, a critical component of a strong dairy business and also for meeting consumer expectations of the wholesome nature of dairy products.  

While the CDRF at 20 differs little in structure from when it launched – it remains a nonprofit organization with a modest staff focused on maximizing resources and managing research at some of the leading land-grant universities in the state and nation – the projects it oversees have changed over the years.  

According to O’Donnell, who joined CDRF as its first executive director in 1990, initial projects concentrated on overcoming falling milk consumption in the face of expanding production, “Consumer eating habits were changing as they lost sight of the important nutritional value of dairy products. Part of this was due to a lack of choice in the dairy case, part was due to the rise in sodas and other beverages as well as nutrient-poor and calorie-rich fried snacks. On the other end of the spectrum, consumers were becoming more health conscious but receiving myriad mixed nutritional messages – saturated fat was considered “bad” and replaced by chemically hydrogenated fats that contained “trans” fat. At the same time, the industry needed more information to promote the health benefits delivered through milk and other dairy products.  

“Today, through research, we understand that saturated fat in moderation is a good thing and trans fats are not so good. We also know that dairy plays a key role in weight management, immunity, gut health and many other aspects of daily health. Current research is focused on understanding the natural system that delivers the health benefits of milk and dairy products in order to develop dairy products attractive, tasteful and functional to consumers.”  

Remaining responsive to the changing needs of the industry is a hallmark of what makes the CDRF successful. Current projects focusing on milk genomics and the biological activity and health impact of milk’s components as well as continued support of programs like the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program (CDQAP) and ongoing education workshops and symposiums will keep the state’s thriving dairy industry competitive in an ever changing and increasingly uncertain business climate.  

The CDRF grew out of a desire to maximize effectiveness by directing resources and budgets where they would have the most influence. Twenty years later, this model still stands strong – the CDRF is the only regional organization of its kind. Its strength lies in the extensive understanding of the needs of the industry and the ability to tap a wide variety of research facilities to address these needs as well as actively pursuing co-funding through grants and affiliated industries to extend research efforts.  

Today, the CDRF manages over $3 million in projects annually, supported by both the industry and other sources. Through the CDRF, research activities have grown and the results are more readily available to commercial, educational and marketing sectors for the ultimate benefit of dairy farmers. For more information about the CDRF and the research it supports, visit www.cdrf.org.  

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SIDEBAR:       Then and Now: How the CDRF led the way in future industry trends  

Dairy research has always been at the forefront of some of the hottest food trends. Under the CDRF, the state’s dairy industry spearheaded research that is being translated to current food innovation:  

In the early 1990s, the CDRF managed John Krochta’s research at UC Davis to create edible films and coatings from whey protein isolates. His pioneering work, which is featured on the www.ediblefilms.org site, was recently highlighted in a New York Times article and continues to pave the way for a host of films delivering everything from moisture protection to freshening breath and fighting cold symptoms. With growing concerns over food safety, these films are used in food products today and have great potential as interest in food protectants grows.

In a 1994 newsletter article, nutritionist Joan Walsh talked about the future role of understanding how genetics affect health against the backdrop of the human genome project. Today, the human genome and the bovine genome are mapped, and the industry is using these tools to better understand the system by which milk delivers nutrition. The CDRF facilitated the creation of the International Milk Genomics Consortium (www.imgconsortium.org), a group dedicated to the global development of new products, based on the natural nutritional advantages of milk. In October 2008, the IMGC will present the 5th International Symposium on Milk Genomics and Human Health at which leading scientists will meet to share data and collaborate (visit www.milkgenomics.org for details).   

The dairy industry is one of the most regulated industries in the United States, especially in California where a very large population of dairy consumers drive environmental issues. In 1997, the CDRF initiated a revolutionary program to bring academic, industry and governmental interests together to understand and comply with the federal, state and local laws and regulations. That voluntary program, the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program (CDQAP, www.cdqa.org), has become a model for the nation in how industry and regulators can work together to educate, share resources and create solutions that work for all parties. Last November, the CDQAP was awarded the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award – the state’s highest environmental honor.  

Foods with added probiotics are one of the biggest trends at retail this year. The CDRF has long led the charge for better understanding of the health benefits attributed to these “friendly bacteria” and their natural association with dairy foods through research, hosting scientific gatherings and in 2001 creating an informational Web site – www.usprobiotics.org – that is often cited as a credible resource on numerous probiotic topics. Dairy plays a starring role in this “probiotic revolution,” appearing in everything from yogurt, cheese and smoothies to cottage cheese.  

More than 10 years ago, Dr. O’Donnell suggested that emerging countries would be increasing their consumption of dairy products. Working with the most nutritious food in the world, it wasn’t that ambitious to think that these underdeveloped populations would soon desire more dairy. At the time, however, some considered the idea of countries like China being interested in dairy a long shot at best. These days, China is at the top of every wish list for companies looking at international markets. The CDRF continues to anticipate future needs of the dairy industry in the global arena by supporting research and education tied to milk powders, dried dairy ingredients and cheese – products important to the export dairy market.

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