The Ralph Keeling Leadership Award is presented annually to an Iowan who has shown outstanding leadership in Iowa's dairy industry. The award was established by Iowa State Dairy Association in 1967 to recognize those individuals whose leadership efforts contribute significantly to Iowa's dairy industry. This year's winners are Jim Tentinger and Maynard Hogberg.

 

Jim Tentinger is the owner and operator of Ten-Ayr Dairy of Remsen, Iowa. Jim and his wife, Sharon, reside on the farm that was purchased in 1882 by his great-great grandfather. Today, the cows are milked in an updated barn that was built in 1889 and by 1976, Jim switched the entire herd of Holsteins to registered Ayrshires. Jim is a WIDA member, and has served as a board member of Iowa State Dairy Association, Midwest Dairy Association, and the Ayrshire Breeders Association. "By keeping his facilities modern, using the latest genomics, and hosting many [tour] groups he is able to improve the efficiency and profitability of the industry," says Gerrit Davelaar, a fellow dairy farmer. "Jim is a quiet leader with good ideas who leads by example."

 

Read an Iowa Farmer Today article about Jim here.  

 

Maynard Hogberg, a Professor Emeritus at Iowa State University, has made several contributions to Iowa's dairy industry. He has helped bring all segments and organizations of the dairy industry together which has evolved into the Dairy Iowa program. Additionally, Maynard served as the Department of Animal Science Chair at ISU as well as oversaw the planning and construction of the ISU Dairy and Research Farm and expanded the dairy faculty at ISU. "Maynard became the driving force of industry involvement at ISU, helped create programs that strengthened the Iowa dairy industry, and became the champion for development of the new ISU dairy," says Douglas Kenealy, Iowa State University. "His leadership in these areas clearly qualifies him for Iowa's top dairy leadership award." 

Thank you to Jim and Maynard for your service and dedication to Iowa's dairy industry.

We are gearing up for another successful June Dairy Month Open House, scheduled for Thursday, June 25, from 4pm to 7pm at Dykstra Dairy near Maurice. 

Thank you to Darin & Linda Dykstra and everyone at Dykstra Dairy for hosting the open house.  We will need more than 50 volun teers to help with farm tours, food tent and kids activities.  There will be two shifts to allow volunteers to also enjoy the meal and activities.

And, thank you to the dairy industry partners who have sponsored the open house.  Watch for a full listing of sponsors at the event and in future newsletters.

If you are interested in volunteering or sponsoring, please contact LeAnne at 712-441-5308 or info@wiadairy.com

The next PDPW World Class Webinar session kicks off at noon on Wednesday, June 17.  The session is titled "The Heifer:  Is This Diet Working?" presented by Pat Hoffman.  WIDA members and employees of member farms and businesses can enjoy a FREE lunch and watch the webinar FREE at the upstairs classroom of the Sioux County Extension Office in Orange City. 

Heifer growth responses are not immediate and heifers are reared in different housing types under diverse climatic conditions getting a sense of "is this diet working" and can be challenging at best. Yes, dairy heifers require more or less dietary energy or protein based on size, season of the year and housing type but also knowing how dietary NDF effects heifer dry matter intake and subsequently effects heifer energy intake is invaluable. This webinar will also discuss the hidden challenges of dairy heifer nutrition, such as how heifer pregnancy rate has a profound effect on formulating heifer diets. We'll also take a bounce around limit feeding strategies, formulating heifer diets for dietary phosphorus and strategies to cut dietary energy to avoid over-conditioning.

Click here for more details.  WIDA producer members who want to purchase the webinar for viewing at their home or office will receive PDPW member pricing.   To RSVP for the free lunch viewing, contact info@wiadairy.com or 712-441-5308.  

Looking for information or ideas on sharing dairy information during June Dairy Month?  Visit the June Dairy Month online toolkit created by Midwest Dairy for promotion ideas, logos, trivia questions and more.  Dairy producers can also order recipe books, kids' materials and other items through the Producer Service Center

WIDA also has a number of signs, display materials and coolers available for members to borrow.  Need something?  Contact LeAnne at info@wiadairy.com or 712-441-5308 with questions.  

Fourteen students were awarded $500 scholarships from Iowa State Dairy Association at the annual Dairy Iowa meeting this week.  WIDA is proud to fund two scholarship through the program.

Scholarships were awarded to:

• Stephanie Westra (scholarship funded by WIDA)
• Michael Nettinga (scholarship funded by WIDA)
• Courtney Behrens (scholarship funded by Central Plains Dairy Association)
• Steven Brockshus (scholarship funded by Central Plains Dairy Association
• Landon Sivesind
• Levi Banowetz
• Michele Ries
• Cassidy Buddenburg
• Mariah Schmitt
• Nicole Engelken
• Rachel Demmer
• Mary Scott
• Kara Maxwell
• Joshua Simon

We wish all of the scholarship winners all the best as they continue their education.