LOOK INSIDE FOR OUR CENTRAL PLAINS DAIRY EXPO PREVIEW EDITION!
DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 24, No. 2
A bright future for dairy Checkoff program enters into partnership with Mayo Clinic By Kate Rechtzigel kate.r@dairystar.com
ROCHESTER, Minn. − On Feb. 24, the National Research and Promotion Program, known as the Dairy Checkoff Program, announced it has entered into a ve-year partnership with Mayo Clinic to explore research and increase consumer outreach efforts to improve public health and increase dairy’s benets. “Partnerships are such an important aspect of the checkoff business plan,” Barbara O’Brien said. “It gives farmers an ability to extend their messaging, extend their investment and ultimately have much greater reach locally, nationally and globally. This new partnership with Mayo Clinic, to me, is a natural evolution strategy in play. Working with an institution of this kind of authority and credibility is game changing for us.” O’Brien is the CEO at Dairy Management Inc. which worked in collaboration with the National Dairy Council and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy to set up the partnership with the health organization. The partnership will be incorporated at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Rochester; Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida. Teams made up of NDC scientists, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy experts, registered dietitians, Mayo Clinic physicians and health professionals will focus on three areas − researching, communicating and exploring digital platforms. Merilyn Hershey farms with her family on their dairy in Pennsylvania. Hershey is also the chair of the DMI board. Turn to MAYO CLINIC | Page 8
March 12, 2022
A farm for the whole family Hildebrandt siblings dairy together in style By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
SOUTH BELOIT, Ill. – Dairy farming was the career of choice for not one, not two, but for all four children of Ken and Amy Hildebrandt. Their love for the farm led them home, and each child wanted to be a part of the operation because it was their calling in life. Michael, Kevin, Angie and Ray are the third generation to run Hildebrandt Farms near South Beloit where they milk 950 cows and farm 2,000 acres with the help of 14 employees. Michael was the rst to return to the farm in 2011; Kevin came back in 2013, Angie
Turn to HILDEBRANDT | Page 11
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Hildebrandt siblings – (from leŌ) Kevin, Michael, Angie and Ray – milk 950 cows and farm 2,000 acres near South Beloit, Illinois. The farm is owned by their parents, Ken and Amy, and their uncle, Don.
Wisconsin celebrates record-breaking year for agriculture exports Nearly $4B in product shipped out of US in 2021 By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin’s agricultural exports hit an all-time high last year when the state exported more than $3.96 billion in products. This number beats the previous high of $3.8 billion set in 2014. Since that time, Wisconsin agricultural exports faced uctuations based on trade disruptions due to tariffs and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. But, things are turning around. “Exports are up from being down and are trending in the right direction,” Randy Romanski said. “And dairy is trending heav- Randy Romanski ily in the right direction.” WI Department of Romanski is the Wisconsin Depart- Agriculture ment of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection secretary. Dairy product exports were up 14.6% from 2020. Cheese and curd are big drivers in the dairy category and are up about 14%, whey is up 14%, and lactose is up 20%. In other agricultural
categories, meat product exports were up 10.4%, and crop product exports rose by 20.4%. Romanski said Wisconsin is the fth largest dairy exporter in the U.S., following California, Washington, Texas and Florida. “Wisconsin is clearly known as America’s Dairyland, but we’re also pretty fortunate to produce a variety of commodities available for crops,” Romanski said. “We’re a leader in the production of everything from ginseng roots to cranberries to sweetcorn. Those are also really strong export products for the state of Wisconsin, and we’re rst in the nation in those three categories. Prepared vegetables are always a strong export for Wisconsin, and we’re very fortunate to be a leader in the production of potatoes and snap beans as well.” The increase in exports is good news for the state’s economy and the producers of agricultural products, agricultural workers, agribusinesses and other industries that support Wisconsin agriculture, such as transportation. Canada, Mexico and China are Wisconsin’s largest trade partners, but Romanski said there are other emerging markets the state is also focusing on. “Wisconsin’s diverse portfolio of products presents growth opportunities for a lot of products in a lot of parts of the world,” he said. “Opportunities in dairy are strong. Southeast Asia as a whole is a potential growth market for dairy and other commodities. We’re also targeting the Middle East and the U.K. as far as cheese and dairy opportunities.” Turn to EXPORTS | Page 8