Western Iowa Dairy Alliance
June 2016

In This Issue
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Upcoming Events
Visit the WIDA web site for a full list of events

August 6
Membership Night at LaunchPAD Children's Museum
Sioux City, Iowa

September 16
Iowa Dairy Day at Clay County Fair
Spencer, Iowa 
2016 Gold Members
2016 Silver Sponsors
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Western Iowa Dairy Alliance

Member Newsletter  
Thank You Open House Sponsors and Volunteers! 
A big thank you goes out to Lee and Emily Maassen and their family and everyone at Maassen Dairy for hosting the annual June Dairy Month Open House on June 22. We served more than 1,700 meals and visitors enjoyed the dairy farm tour and kids activities' tent.   Click Here to View Photos 

Thank you to the sponsors and all the volunteers who made the event possible and run smoothly.  And, a special thank you to Sioux Stockmen 4-H Club and MOC Floyd Valley FFA members who kept the parking and food areas well organized throughout the night.  

We also saw terrific media coverage, with one television station and several newspapers and radio stations covering the event.  This ensures that positive messages about dairy farming reach far more people than those who attended in person.

Click here to see KCAU's coverage of the open house.
Mark Your Calendar - WIDA Membership Night at LaunchPAD Children's Museum
We are excited to announce a membership night at the LaunchPAD Children's Museum in Sioux City!  Save the date on your calendar and plan to bring your family to the museum from 6pm to 8:30pm on Saturday, August 6.  This will be a free event for our members and their families.

If you and your family plan to attend, please RSVP to info@wiadairy.com or call 712-441-5308. 
June Dairy Month Celebrations
In addition to our open house, we celebrated June Dairy Month at the LaunchPAD Children's Museum in Sioux City on June 21. We played an educational game with the kids and offered prizes and dairy treats to children and parents who came to the museum that day. 

The Sioux County Dairy Promotion Board and the Sioux County Dairy Association also held their 49th Annual Sioux County Dairy Banquet on June 27 to celebrate June Dairy Month. At the banquet, WIDA board member Mark Van't Hul was named the 2016 Dairy Promoter of the Year, and WIDA member Galen Fick was named the 2016 Youth Mentor of the Year. Congratulations to both Mark and Galen! 
Dr. Marin Bozic Provides Positive Outlook for Dairy Processing Sector in Iowa
Dr. Marin Bozic, an Assistant Professor in Dairy Foods Marketing Economics at the University of Minnesota, presented at Dairy Iowa on June 14th in Waverly, IA. Dr. Bozic discussed the current situation and outlook of the dairy processing sector in Iowa. 

Dr. Bozic started off his presentation by saying he is very bullish on prospects of dairying in Iowa, over the next decade, in both processing capacity and production. Dr. Bozic said with the addition of 3 million new customers to feed each year, there is an opportunity for dairy processors in Iowa to expand. 

Dr. Bozic finished his presentation by discussing expansion projects that are taking place or have the potential to take place in Iowa. He said that we will first see an increases in existing plants. Dr. Bozic discussed expansion in Iowa for the following plants:
  • Agropur is close to making an expansion decision. Dr. Bozic believes that it will be good news. 
  • Wapsie Valley Creamery Inc. received a $2 million grant from the USDA to modernize and expand their plant. Wapsie Valley's capacity will be nearly doubled after expansion.
  • Dr. Bozic also said that he believes we will be hearing some good news from AMPI very soon.
  • Swiss Valley Farms' expansion project at their Luana Plant is underway, and it should be completed by the 1st of the year. 
To listen to the full podcast and to view Dr. Marin Bozic's presentation slides, click here
Marv and Joleen Metzger Family Named Good Farm Neighbor Award Winners
The Metzger family of Rock Rapids was named as the recipient of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award, which is presented by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa Ag Radio Network, and is made possible through the financial support of the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers. An award ceremony was held for the family on June 24th in Rock Rapids. Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, presented the award to the family.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who take pride in doing things right. This includes caring for the environment and their livestock and being good neighbors. It is an opportunity to tell the story of responsible livestock farming in Iowa and highlight the families who make it so successful.

Marv and Joleen Metzger, Dana and Kary Metzger, Reed Metzger, Brett and Melissa Metzger and Evan and Kristi Metzger, and their families, operate Multi-Rose Jerseys dairy farm. The farm was established in the 1940s by Jacob Metzger, Marv's father. On the farm they milk approximately 1,350 cows and raise dairy calves and heifers. The family also raises hogs from wean to finish and raises crops on approximately 1,800 acres. The Metzgers also employ a number of conservation and sustainability practices on their farm and are actively involved in the community. Evan Metzger is on the board of directors for the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance and currently serves as the Vice President. Congratulations to the Metzgers for all their hard work and for being named the recipients of the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor award.

To learn more about the family and the award, view the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship press release here.
Fair Season in Full Swing
Good luck to everyone exhibiting at county and regional fairs this season. Fairs are also a great opportunity to reach consumers with information about dairy farming.

WIDA is a sponsor of the aRound the Farm exhibit in the historic Round Barn building at the Plymouth County Fair. 

And, WIDA is planning for our Dairy Day at Clay County Fair on Friday, September 16. We will be looking for volunteers to help with food samples, education exhibits and kids activities throughout the day.
 
Contact Jenna at 712-441-5308 or info@wiadairy.com to volunteer at any event, or if you would like support or dairy information materials at your county or regional fairs/events.
Don't Forget Dairy Product Donations
for Community Events and Programs
Don't forget that WIDA  has a budget for milk, cheese and dairy product donations to community events and programs.  From chocolate milk for community runs to milk for 4-H camps and activities, we're proud to support community programs and encourage dairy product consumption.  

Contact us at  info@wiadairy.com or at 712-441-5308 for information on product requests and donations.
Take the 3 For Me Dairy Pledge!
Midwest Dairy has launched Dairy 3 for Me, celebrating how the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend we all consume three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt every day. We need your help to motivate people to visit   MidwestDairy.com to  pledge their commitment to getting their daily dairy and share their pledge on social media using the hashtag #Dairy3forMe. Midwest Dairy will have more resources available att our open house on June 22. 
Sioux County Extension Offering 2 Day Dairy Camp - Udder Fun! 
Sioux County Extension is offering a 2 day camp for children who have completed 4th grade and older. During this camp, kids will explore the udderly fantastic world of dairy! Kids will travel from farm to table by touring a local dairy farm, uncovering the secrets of a cow's digestive system, and making their own dairy products. The camp will take place on July 20-21 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Sioux County Extension office in Orange City. Cost for the camp is $20. 

For more information or to register, contact Danielle Zuidema or Honna Brown at 712-737-4230 or email them at dzuidema@iastate.edu and hlbrown@iastate.edu.