Winemaker Dies & Dairy Industry Partnerships

Darigold/Northwest Dairy Association is partnering with seven companies to try and get fluid milk back in the center of the rapidly growing health and wellness beverage market. The partnership was announced yesterday by Dairy Management Inc. CEO, Thomas Gallagher.

GALLAGHER: These partners, as we've considered working with each of them, we really paid attention to what kind of commitment they would make to things like infrastructure, new plants, add on lines. And what we found was these companies are willing to invest over the next several years in excess of $500-million dollars in the next few years. I think the farmers are really excited about this because this is a very unique and large investment in a category that has really not seen innovation for forty years of any real magnitude.

The northwest wine industry is seeking answers to questions regarding the tragic deal of winemaker Eric Dunham on October 23rd. Dunham was found in a Cannon Beach motel after being reported as missing. When authorities knocked on the motel door they reported hearing a gunshot. Dunham was 44 and was considered a pioneer in the Walla Walla Valley wine industry. Authorities are classifying the incident as a self-inflicted gunshot.

Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Lacy Gray.

My husband is actually quite skilled in the kitchen and will often times come up with some tasty edibles the whole family loves. Fall seems to be his time to shine when it comes to cooking. It must be all the wonderful in season produce he has to work with. One of our family's favorites that my hubby introduced us to is a butternut squash soup recipe that is scrumptious and incredibly easy to make. It also lends itself to yet another speciality of his, seasoned and toasted squash seeds. We have a countertop composter in which we put our organic waste but the squash and pumpkin seeds never make it there, instead my hubby cleans them, rinses them, and then soaks them in salt water over night. Next day he drains the water off and puts them out to dry on paper towels. Once he decides the seeds have reached the right measure of dryness he scatters them on a baking sheet and pops them in the oven. Needless to say they never last long, especially if the grandkids are around! Let's just say it gives me all the more reason to pick out the biggest pumpkins I can find for Halloween every year!

Thanks Lacy. That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.