10th Annual June Dairy Month Open House Set for June 28 at Summit Dairy

Summit Dairy will host the annual June Dairy Month open house on June 28 at their farm near Primghar. From 4pm to 7pm, guests will tour the dairy, enjoy a meal and dairy treats, and enjoy the kids' activity tent. Watch for more details next month or visit the WIDA web site.

The open house is WIDA's biggest event of the year and we are looking for lots of volunteers to help make it happen! We need tour guides, golf cart drivers, kids' tent helpers and food tent helpers. If you are available to help, please contact Jenna at 712-441-5308 or info@wiadairy.com.

Breakfast on the Farm

Jones Dairy invites everyone to join them for breakfast on their farm on Saturday, June 3, 2017. Breakfast is free for everyone and will be served from 7:00 - 10:00 am. This is sure to be a morning filled with great food, fun, and learning!

For more information, check out the  Jones Dairy Facebook page. 

Dairy Iowa Meeting Set for June 8

The next Dairy Iowa meeting will take place on June 8 at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA. Registration starts at 9:30 am with the meeting starting at 10:00 am and concluding at 3:00 pm. 

Kevin Murphy, with Food Chain Communications, will be the keynote speaker at the meeting, and he will be discussing activists and agriculture, activists and swaying public opinion, and more. There will also be a producer panel, and the panel members will discuss labor savings and value added technology. 

To pre-register for the event, click here. If you have any questions, please contact Mitch Schulte at mschulte@midwestdairy.com or 319-775-3451. 

Youth Communications Workshop on June 8

High school or college age students interested in improving their communication skills are invited to participate in the 2017 Dairy IA Youth Communications Workshop on June 8 at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, IA. 

Theresa Reps, integrated communications program manager at Midwest Dairy Association, will lead the workshop, and she will share strategies for telling your own dairy story. She will also discuss how to handle tough questions and difficult to explain topics and will provide tips for media interviews. Theresa will also provide an overview of the dairy opportunities in social media and provide students with an opportunity to practice their new skills.  Attendees will also join the Dairy IA meeting to recognize Midwest Dairy Association and Iowa State Dairy Association scholarship winners. 

Both the workshop and Dairy IA meeting are free and include lunch and refreshments. Registration for the workshop begins at 9:45 am, with the workshop running from 10:00-2:00 pm. The annual orientation session for new county and association dairy princesses and ambassadors will be held from 2:00-3:00 pm.

If you would like to get registered for the communications workshop, please call 712-551-7918 or email leanne.philips@gmail.com by June 5. 

Iowa Dairy Princess Candidates Sought

Midwest Dairy Association's Iowa Division is seeking candidates to serve as Iowa's 64th Dairy Princess.  The entry deadline is Saturday, July 1. 

The Iowa Dairy Princess serves as the official goodwill ambassador for the state's dairy industry, helping communicate with people about dairy farmers' stewardship for animals and natural resources, the safety and wholesomeness of dairy products, and the economic importance of dairy to Iowa's economy.  Eligible candidates include young women from 16 to 22 years old from active Iowa dairy farms, who work on a dairy farm, or whose parents are employees of an Iowa dairy farm. Young women who live in counties with a dairy promotion board princess contest must be nominated through their county program. However, candidates who live in counties without an active princess contest can submit an application to represent their own county. A full list of eligibility requirements can be found here. 

Potential candidates can learn more about the contest and dairy princess program at the Dairy Iowa Youth Communications Workshop, which will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2017, at the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence, Iowa. Learn more or register by contacting leanne.philips@gmail.com or calling 712-551-7918.

Congratulations to ISDA Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to the winners of the scholarships provided by Iowa State Dairy Association! WIDA is proud to fund two of the $500 scholarships. The winners include:

Matthew Appler, Clermont

Katelyn Goldsmith, Earlville

Sam Hilgerson, Elkader

Jenna Van Wyk, Remsen

Kate Stewart, Oelwein

Theodore Hilgerson, Elkader

Matthew Harnish

Troy Pasker, Dyersville

Paige Huitink, Hospers

Justin Hackman, Fort Atkinson

Shana Hilgerson, Elkader

Courtney Behrens, Meridian

Four State Dairy Nutrition & Management Conference to take Place on June 14-15

Dairy producers are invited to the Four State Dairy Nutrition and Management Conference on June 14 & 15, 2017. The conference will take place at the Grand River Center in Dubuque, IA. 

Presenters at the conference will address the latest research information on dairy industry issues. Check out the full conference agenda by clicking here. Registration is open, and the cost to attend the conference is $150 before June 1 and will be $175 after June 1. To register, click here. 

Northwest IA Dairy Banquet to Feature Peterson Farm Bros

The Sioux County Dairy Promotion Board's annual dairy banquet will take place on Monday, June 26, 2017 at Western Christian High School in Hull. The meal will be served from 5:30-6:30 pm, and the Peterson Farm Brothers will take the stage at 7:00 pm. The Peterson Brothers are three brothers from central Kansas who make YouTube videos to promote agriculture. Their YouTube videos have received over 40 million views! The brothers all grew up and still work on their family farm alongside their parents and sister. 

To get your tickets for the banquet, click here. 

2017 Dairy Fest to Take Place in Brookings