Dear WLIC Members:
The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium's annual meeting will be held on Thursday, March 22, 2018, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. During this meeting, the election of new board members will be held.
WLIC is pleased to introduce the six nominees running in 2018:
Incumbent:
Keith York
:
Fifth Generation Dairy Producer and co-owner of Merry Water Farms; current WLIC Board Chair, and very involved in many organizations supporting the agriculture. Keith has a Bachelor’s Degree from UW Madison. (Keith is running for his second term.)
Message from Keith:
I am the fifth generation owner of a 1,750 cow dairy farm in Lake Geneva Wisconsin, along with my brother, Ken and cousin, John Tueting. My wife, Laura and I have two children - son Michael and daughter Katie, and four grandkids. I have been very involved in many organizations in the agriculture industry, including Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW), Wisconsin Beef Council, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, Wisconsin Farm Bureau, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Dairy Business Association and the WLIC. I have served on the Board of Directors of PDPW, Wisconsin Beef Council and the WLIC, and I have been President of the Board of PDPW, Wisconsin Beef Council and currently, WLIC. I am presently a member of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, representing Wisconsin on the national Board. I also am serving on the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Advisory Committee for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and I am a member of the Food Armor Foundation, which is a stewardship program for drug use, which was developed by the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association and PDPW. I am passionate about the future of the livestock Industry and see WLIC as a pivotal organization to ensure all consumers that we can produce a safe product, by being able to trace from farm to fork and back.
New Candidates: (Listed Alphabetically)
Ron Bula:
Financial Office, Compeer Financial and farmer, Ron has an Ag Economics Degree from UW Madison.
Message from Ron:
I grew up on a potato vegetable farm near Antigo, and graduated with an Ag Economics degree from UW Madison in 1980. Since then I have worked for the Farm Credit System and our local association is called Compeer today. I have 38 years of farm lending experience. My wife, Maureen, was a teacher for 30 years in Baraboo. She now grows organic vegetables for a CSA and the local farmers market. We also grow pasture raised broilers, Berkshire pigs, beef cattle and lamb. We have a son, Patrick, who spent 2 1/2 years in the Peace Corp in Jamaica. He now works for Marathon County with farmers doing grazing plans and nutrient management. He also is working our farm towards a grass finished beef and pork system. Our daughter, Justine, is in Americorps in Washington State. She teaches at many schools in the area about agriculture and conservation. Our farm was one of the very first that registered for premise ID back in 2005!
Kevin Krenz:
President, Krentz Family Dairy, Inc., Member, Wisconsin Farm Bureau, and Former PDPW Board Member. Kevin attended the UW Short Course, Cornell’s Dairy Exec Program and Fox Valley Tech.
Message from Kevin:
My family farm in Berlin, Wisconsin, has 600 cows, 550 replacement heifers and farms 1,300 acres of crops. I started farming when I purchased 60 cows from my father in 1994. I attended the UW Short Course and have continued my education over the years with many opportunities, including Cornell’s Dairy Exec program, accounting courses from Fox Valley Tech. and many PDPW events. I believe in serving my community and the dairy industry. I currently serve on the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Board and I have served on the PDPW board in the past. I’ve also served 10 years on my Town Board, including four years as chairman. I, along with my wife Holly, believe the most important “crop” we raise is our three young boys ages 18, 17 and 10. From a very young age, the boys were next to us doing chores, learning the highs and lows of farming, along with advocating for fellow farmers. Our oldest, Marcus, is attending the UW short course to continue his agriculture education.
Robert (Bob) Mitchell:
Beef Producer and Owner of Spring Creeks Cattle Co. Robert serves on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB), as an appointee of the Secretary of Agriculture, and has served 12 years on the North American Limousin Foundation Board, including two years as president.
Message from Bob:
I am pleased to have been informed of my nomination by the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association to the WLIC Board. Our operation is known as Spring Creeks Cattle Co. We belong to several state and national cattle organizations including the NCBA. My three sons and I operate a several hundred cow beef seedstock and commercial cattle operation in Crawford County, near Boscobel. We raise Limousin and Angus cattle and market breeding stock locally as well as throughout the U.S. Our genetics can be found in South America, Canada, and Australia. In addition we have a diversified cropping operation. We run cattle in pastures in three southwestern Wisconsin counties and have a small trucking company. I look forward to serving on the WLIC.
Brenda (Behnke) Murphy:
Director of Producer Communications and Programs, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board
Brenda has a B.S. in Dairy Science from UW Madison and as the Director of Producer Communications for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, she works to communicate to Wisconsin dairy farmers about how their checkoff funds are being used and strives to demonstrate the return on the investment.
Message from Brenda:
I grew up on a dairy farm in south central Wisconsin. Today, I live on 10 acres north of Madison with my husband and two children. There we are raising 4-H projects of dairy, rabbits and chickens as well as dairy steers. At the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board I also assist with crisis communications and understand the value of being able to trace an animal back to its source. I feel there are tools and processes that can be implemented that can help in this traceability. I look forward to the opportunity to learn more about WLIC, its plans for the future and its role in assuring a safe and secure food supply.
Mike Salter:
Retired Hog Producer. Mike was a hog producer for 47 years and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the WLIC Board, the Wisconsin Pork Association Board, the Outagamie County Farm Bureau, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau State Committee, and the Outagamie County Fair Board.
Message from Mike:
Hello! I'm Mike Salter from Outagamie County and have been a hog producer for 47 years and now retired to just cats and chickens. I have been on the WLIC Board in the past, and did testing with the readers and RFID tags for retention in the pig's ear. I have also served on the Outagamie County Fair Board and as Superintendent of Swine for the County, where we do use RFID tags. I have also been active in the Wisconsin Park Association (WPA) – as both a past President and currently the Treasure. I also work with WPA at the Farm Show and the Wisconsin State Fair. I am currently chair of Outagamie County Farm Bureau and have been on various state committees for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
Please note per ByLaws:
Each member in good standing shall appoint a delegate to represent the member on all matters. Delegates shall be seated at the annual meeting and each delegate is entitled to one vote in all matters submitted to the delegates, and only delegates may vote on such matters. Voting is in person, voting by proxy and cumulative voting shall not be permitted.
