Editor's Viewpoint

Looking back at 2007

Over the course of 2007, I have been pleased to deliver you the industry news that matters to your business. Part I of this IDFA special year-end report rounds up the most important trends, stories and events of the past year. Part II, which will hit your inbox on Thursday, will provide a glimpse into what's in store for 2008.

Food safety and increasing dairy costs dominated the headlines in 2007, while organics, the use of rbST, animal welfare and cloning also were key issues. The dairy industry also faced challenges stemming from booming demand for dairy products in Asia, summer floods in Europe and droughts in Australia. However, 2007 also proved to be a year of opportunity, as dairy products such as yogurt saw increased demand and major growth.

This year also brought IDFA members and others in the industry to Chicago for Worldwide Food Expo 2007, which hosted thousands of attendees from 100 countries around the globe. It was an exciting year, indeed.

And now, here's what was most important to YOU in 2007.

Best of 2007

• Dean CEO to take over dairy group leadership (8/30)

• HP Hood expands West Coast reach (5/9)

• Hilmar to spend nearly $200M on new cheese plant (9/8)

• "Got Milk?" ad features last glass of milk on Earth (3/19)

• "Wicked" yogurt offers health boost (5/29)

• Great Lakes Cheese plans for new cheese-processing plant in New York (7/23)

• Crystal Cream & Butter sells milk-trucking business to Foster Dairy (10/13)

• General Mills unveils yogurt study results (10/25)

• New Wells' Dairy facility aids in new products development (4/1)

• Pacific Cheese Co. plant under construction to double in size (8/8)

Your Favorite SmartQuotes

Here are the quotes you shared with colleagues most often during 2007:

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

--Winston Churchill,
British prime minister

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worthwhile."

--Herm Albright,
writer

When you step into a turnaround situation, you can safely assume four things: morale is low, fear is high, the good people are halfway out the door, and the slackers are hiding."

--Nina Disesa,
as chairwoman of McCann-Erickson Worldwide

If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it?"

--Steven Wright,
comedian, actor

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense."

--Thomas Edison,
inventor and businessman

One of the hardest tasks of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you're perceived to be by others."

--Edward L. Flom,
CEO of Florida Steel

Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

--Eleanor Roosevelt,
former first lady and American political leader

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're OK, then it's you."

--Rita Mae Brown,
writer and activist

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."

--Audrey Hepburn,
Academy Award-winning actress, humanitarian

Rule No. 1: Use your own good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules."

--Bruce, Jim and John Nordstrom,
co-presidents of Nordstrom department store, in the employee handbook

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