Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Talk of the bay: Winn-Dixie delivers dairy to milk co-op

By Times Staff
Published February 28, 2008

Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., which has been jettisoning food-production plants to focus on store performance, has agreed to sell its Plant City dairy to Southeast Milk Inc., a five-state cooperative of more than 300 dairy farms based in Bellevue. The price was not disclosed, but the co-op expects to retain all 135 employees. In fact, the co-op plans to double production from the current 90 trucks a day by processing raw milk for other grocers there, too, said Joe Wright, the Avon Park dairy farmer who chairs the co-op. Southeast Milk also is taking over Winn-Dixie's dairy in Hammond, La., and will operate five dairy plants when the deal is closed within two months.

Insurance issues top our gripe list

Florida voters believe homeowners insurance should be a top priority for the state Legislature, long-term stability in the property insurance market is more important than immediate rate relief, and lawmakers have not delivered on their promise to reduce premiums. That's according to a poll of 800 registered voters taken Jan. 20-22 by Public Opinion Strategies and released Wednesday by the Property and Casualty Insurers of America, the industry's largest trade group. The findings, which will be presented to Florida lawmakers, show Gov. Charlie Crist with a 70 percent approval rating, but just a 41 percent approval rating for the Legislature. The poll also found that 64 percent of voters were satisfied with the service they've received from their insurance company. However, voters were not asked if they were satisfied with the rates those companies are charging. "The survey is not about assigning blame," said PCIAA president David Sampson.

Drug settlement eases budget pain

It won't solve the state's budget troubles, but every little bit helps. Attorney General Bill McCollum said Florida will get $511,613 of a $5.9-million antitrust settlement between 34 states and generic drugmaker Barr Pharmaceuticals. The case stems from the states' allegations that Barr conspired with competitor Warner Chilcott to keep generic versions of the birth control pill Ovcon off the market. Warner Chilcott filed a separate settlement last year for $5.5-million.

[Last modified February 27, 2008, 23:34:33]