Elementary students who consumed reformulated flavored milk, which contained less than or equal to 150 calories (8-oz. serving), were as likely as other students to drink most of their milk.

The Kumamoto Dairy Cooperative Association, a grouping of dairy farmers in Kumamoto Prefecture, is intensifying its efforts to boost milk exports to other Asian countries. At present, milk produced in Hokkaido dominates Japan’s milk export business because of its brand cachet. But milk producers in Kumamoto are striving to blaze a new trail overseas amid the trend toward globalization such as Japan’s possible signing up for the U.S.-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal.

Consumers are going nuts for almond milk, as it became the fastest growing non-dairy milk alternative in 2011 at the expense of soy milk. According to the latest figures from Packaged Facts, sales of almond milk increased 79 percent in the US last year, while sales of soy milk -- though still the most popular non-dairy milk alternative -- fell 15 percent between 2008 and 2010, reported online trade publication FoodNavigator.com last week.

The Pennsylvana all-milk price could average $2 less than last year, accoring to current dairy futures prices.

Dairy replacement heifers totaled 4,527,000 head on January 1, or 41,000 fewer than a year ago.

California’s Airoso family will mark the milestone with a dairy consignment sale Feb. 16 -- the first-ever dairy sale at World Ag Expo in Tulare.