Dairying in Iowa: Markets, Policy, Economics
Dairy Iowa Annual Meeting, Independence, IA, June 4, 2014 (podcast)

2014-dairy-Iowa-June-meeting-press-release

The Iowa State Dairy Association (ISDA) has awarded fourteen $500 college scholarships to deserving Iowa students.

“ISDA is excited to award these scholarships,” says Larry Shover, President of the Iowa State Dairy Association. “It’s always fun to review the applications and see so much potential in the students.  The applicants amaze us year after year.”

ISDA is proud to announce the recipients of the scholarships. They are:

• Courtney Behrens, daughter of Keith and Deneise Behrens of Meriden, Iowa. Courtney is a sophomore at Iowa State University where she is studying Animal Science/Pre-Vet. Courtney was awarded a WIDA Scholarship, funded by the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance.
• Nicole Engelken, daughter of Tom and Cherrie Engelken of Earlville, Iowa. Nicole is a freshman at Iowa State University where she is studying Dairy Science with a Pre-Vet option.
• Natalie Hanson, daughter of Robert and Maureen Hanson of La Porte City, Iowa. Natalie is a sophomore at Iowa State University where she is studying Biological Systems Engineering.
• Tanner Mashek, son of Dennis and Barb Mashek of Calmar, Iowa. Tanner is a freshman at Northeast Iowa Community College where he is studying Ag Business and Dairy Science.
• Stephanie Pausma, daughter of Richard and Elaine Pausma of Melvin, Iowa. Stephanie is a freshman at Dordt College where she is studying Biomedical Engineering. Stephanie was awarded a WIDA Scholarship, funded by the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance.
• Michele Ries, daughter of Dale and Karen Ries of New Vienna, Iowa. Michele is a sophomore at Iowa State University where she is studying Dietetics.
• Cody Sacquitne, son of Gary and Nancy Sacquitne of Decorah, Iowa. Cody is a junior at Iowa State University majoring in Dairy Science Pre-Vet with a minor in Microbiology.
• Alison Sandbulte, daughter of Shawn and Jami Sandbulte of Rock Valley, Iowa. Next fall Alison will begin her freshman year at the University of Northern Iowa where she plans to study Biology. Alison was awarded a CPDX Scholarship funded by the Central Plains Dairy Expo.
• Sarah Schelling, daughter of Matthew and Cheryl Schelling of Orange City, Iowa. Next fall Sarah will begin her first year at LeMars Beauty College where she will study Cosmetology.
• Mariah Schmitt, daughter of Carl and Terry Schmitt of Fort Atkinson, Iowa. Mariah is freshman at Iowa State University where she is double-majoring in Dairy Science and Public Service & Administration in Agriculture.
• Jason Schuster, son of Don and Barb Schuster of Zwingle, Iowa. Jason is a junior at Iowa State University where he is studying Agricultural Engineering.
• Josh Simon, son of Tom and Shirley Simon of Farley, Iowa. Josh is a junior at Iowa State University studying Agricultural Engineering.
• Megan Van’t Hul, daughter of Mark and Deb Van’t Hul of Rock Valley, Iowa. Megan is a sophomore at Dordt College where she is studying Nursing. Megan was awarded a CPDX Scholarship funded by the Central Plains Dairy Expo.
• Logan Worden, daughter of Dennis and Joan Worden of Oelwein, Iowa. Logan is a junior at Iowa State University where she is studying Dairy Science and Agricultural Communications.

“Thank you to all the students who applied,” continues Shover, “ISDA is proud of the outstanding dairy farm youth in our great state and we look forward to all the exciting things yet to come for these students.”

Each of the fourteen recipients will receive $500 for the 2014 fall semester to help with tuition costs, room and board, textbooks or other education-related expenses. Recipients will be recognized at the Dairy Iowa meeting on June 4 at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, Iowa. All scholarship applicants are the child, grandchild, employee, or child of an employee of a current ISDA member. Applicants were evaluated on their participation in school and extracurricular activities and on an essay specifying future plans and how life on a dairy farm has influenced him/her.

The Iowa State Dairy Association (ISDA) has voted to contract its operations to Midwest Dairy Association, effective May 1, 2014.  ISDA is a membership organization working on policy and industry issues, and legislative priorities, while Midwest Dairy manages the dairy promotion checkoff for Iowa and nine other states.

Under the agreement, Midwest Dairy will provide staffing and management for ISDA, tracking and segregating all ISDA costs to assure the checkoff exclusion for policy and legislative involvement is met.  Midwest Dairy’s promotion activities will continue to be funded through its checkoff authority.  All of ISDA’s policy and production-related activities will be funded through member dues and other ISDA sources of revenue.

“This is a win-win for Iowa dairy producers,” said Larry Shover, president of the ISDA board of directors and a Delhi dairyman. “We know there will continue to be fewer dairy farms and our infrastructure within the industry needs to be as efficient as possible. These two organizations already share many of the same priorities, and a closer relationship makes sense for the dairy farmers who support both organizations through their own pocketbooks.”

“We serve the same dairy producers, and together we can capture the most value for them,” said Mike Kruger, CEO of Midwest Dairy.

Jessica Bloomberg, ISDA’s current executive director, previously announced plans to leave the organization on May 1 after five years. Consequently, Midwest Dairy has hired Sue Ann Claudon as director of industry relations for Midwest Dairy Association in Iowa, serving a dual role as ISDA executive director upon Bloomberg’s departure. Claudon was most recently with the United Sorghum checkoff program in Lubbock, Texas, and had previously served as general manager for Dairy Max, Inc., the dairy checkoff entity serving the southern U.S. She grew up on an Illinois dairy farm and graduated from the University of Illinois in animal science.

Chris Freland, the industry relations manager in Iowa, will also serve both organizations. She has been with Midwest Dairy for more than four years.

ISDA and Midwest Dairy already work closely through the Dairy Iowa initiative and on items such as issues management and dairy image communications. The new arrangement will allow both organizations to be more effective through better sharing of information about on-farm production practices, nutrition issues and research, among other topics.  ISDA will gain access to staff specialists in areas such as accounting, information technology, communications and event planning. Midwest Dairy will be able to utilize ISDA’s partner relationships and expertise in on-farm practices.

The board of directors of each organization will continue to operate separately, with each setting its own agenda and program priorities.

Midwest Dairy Association has similar arrangements with producer membership organizations in Nebraska and South Dakota.

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