Nestlé, Vevey, Switzerland, said it inaugurated a new R&D Accelerator to drive innovation and speed-to-market of sustainable dairy products, as well as plant-based dairy alternatives. Located at Nestlé's R&D center in Konolfingen, Switzerland, the R&D Accelerator provides a world-class platform for startups, students and scientists to leverage Nestlé's unique dairy and plant protein expertise to quickly bring products from ideation to commercialization.

The Turkey Hill Clean Water Partnership, Reston, Va., said it was awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund on-farm conservation efforts within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Dairy farmer members of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative that supply Turkey Hill Dairy will use these funds to make improvements on their farms. Those projects will improve local stream health, which will lead to improving the quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Northeast Dairy Foods Association Inc., North Syracuse, N.Y., said it elected new executive officers and appointed new directors to seats on the board at the association’s annual meeting, which was held virtually on Sept. 23, 2020. The executive officers, unanimously approved by the board of directors, include president: Daniel Lausch, Lactalis American Group Inc.; vice president: Kevin Ellis, Cayuga Milk Ingredients; secretary: Ryan Elliott, Byrne Dairy; and treasurer: Melissa Altif, Readington Farms. Unanimously approved for the board of directors were Matt Hendricks, Northeast Group vice president, Dairy Farmers of America; Nathan Pistner, plant manager, Great Lakes Cheese; Jennifer Turgeon, milk procurement and logistics manager, HP Hood; Brian Perry, executive vice president and chairman, Perry’s Ice Cream Company Inc.; Brian Froebel, milk regulatory manager, Saputo USA; Ray Gerwitz, dairy plant manager, Steuben Foods; and Adam Seybolt, general manager of dairy operations, Stewart’s Processing Corp.

The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, Reggio Emilia, Italy, announced a partnership with renowned Chef Michele Casadei Massari, whereby Massari will serve as the consortium’s United States brand ambassador. Throughout the coming year, Chef Massari will promote Parmigiano Reggiano’s presence in the United States from gastronomic, cultural and nutritional perspectives.

The Hydraulic Institute, Parsippany, N.J., announced the launch of its Pump Savings Calculator to assist specifiers and end users in determining the most energy- and cost-efficient pump systems for their applications. Free to all as a downloadable work tool, the Pump Savings Calculator factors the impacts of potential energy savings, based on the HI Energy Rating, alongside other variables such as initial cost, installation, maintenance, etc.

ABB, Zurich, Switzerland, said its Motors and Generators division named Jesse Henson president of its U.S. business. Henson, who has been with the company for 23 years, leads the team responsible for marketing, designing and manufacturing ABB and Baldor-Reliance industrial electric motors in the United States. Henson will also continue to be the global head of the NEMA motors product group.

The DuPont Human Microbiome Venture, Copenhagen, Denmark, announced a research partnership with The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G), Cincinnati, focusing on the discovery and development of innovative next-generation probiotics (NGPs) for human health. Over the past years, both P&G and DuPont have conducted extensive research on human commensals to help address metabolic health issues in humans. To accelerate the development and commercialization of NGPs, both companies are joining forces to develop NGPs, initially to be used in dietary supplements.

On Oct. 1, Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based Edlong debuted “Everything Dairy Can Be” — an inspirational mantra the company said is driven by its dairy, dairy-based and dairy-free ingredient capabilities. The “Everything Dairy Can Be” message will be communicated across multiple touchpoints in the coming weeks, ranging from the brand’s social media channels, website, marketing platforms and customer-facing communications to customized t-shirts, collectable cows and Edlong-branded neck gaiters.

“With Everything Dairy Can Be, we are sending a powerful message to the marketplace that Edlong is the ‘Navy Seal’ of dairy solutions,” said Laurette Rondenet, Edlong president and CEO. “Our team specializes in getting the job done when others can’t, bringing to life the virtually limitless possibilities of dairy flavors and the answers they provide.”

RM2, Orlando, Fla., announced the grand opening of the company’s newest automated pallet wash and sort facility in Rogers, Ark. The 4.5-acre facility is RM2’s third automated wash facility and 33rd network location in the United States and is strategically located to support key customers’ hygienic pallet needs. The facility, which is operated in partnership with RM2’s logistics partner, Priority Global Express Inc., has a 1.2 million annual pallet-washing capacity and will create up to 45 jobs in Northwest Arkansas.

Baltimore-based Filamatic said Josh Rosen stepped into the role of president and CEO of its parent company, the National Instrument Co. (NIC). Rosen brings 20 years of experience working with diverse Fortune 500 companies to improve their commercial effectiveness, as well as his dedication as a third generation member of the Rosen family to carry this mantle. His leadership responsibilities will span NIC’s extensive portfolio, including Filamatic (manufacturing), NI Business Park Leasing and Pharmacy Dosing Systems LLC.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., Hercules, Calif., said that AOAC International approved Bio-Rad’s iQ-Check Enterobacteriaceae Real-Time PCR Detection Kit, which is used to detect Enterobacteriaceae in dairy products. Enterobacteriaceae is a large family of gram-negative bacteria, which includes Escherichia coli, salmonella and others. The iQ-Check Enterobacteriaceae Real-Time PCR Detection Kit method was validated against the ISO reference method using Bio-Rad’s PIF Supplement, which facilitates a shorter enrichment time for sample sizes up to 375 grams.