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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 22, No. 8
World Dairy Expo canceled for 2020 Dane County gatherings restricted to 250 people at time of event By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – For the rst time since it began in 1967, World Dairy Expo is canceled for 2020 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. “We’re sad right alongside our friends and family in the dairy community,” said Katie Schmitt, World Dairy Expo media relations specialist. “We put in endless amounts of hours just like our exhibitors do to get ready for it so to have to announce we’re canceled is heartbreaking.” Expo was set for Sept. 29Oct. 3 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. The decision to cancel was announced June 4 after a meeting with facility management of the Alliant Energy Center and Dane County Public Health. “That meeting made it abundantly clear what the future of our show looked like,” Schmitt said. At the time of the scheduled event, Dane County would be in the third phase of its reopening plan, which would limit gatherings to 250 people, which World Dairy Expo far exceeds. “Unwaveringly, we recognize our responsibility is to maintain the health of our community and the safety of all of you as exhibitors, attendees and volunteers and to adhere to the orders dictated by Dane County and the national guidelines from the CDC as they relate to COVID-19,” said Scott Bentley, World Dairy Expo general manager, in the press release making the announcement. Prior to the meeting and Turn to WDE | Page 5
June 13, 2020
Diversied in Door County
Brey Cycle Farm launches valueadded beef business By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Brey Cycle Farm never sits still. This Door County dairy is run by four progressive individuals who love nding ways to diversify. They started a custom heifer raising business in 2016 and branched into beef cattle in 2017. The Breys also market their Holstein genetics. Named for the cycles of seasons, life, markets and farming, Brey Cycle Farm is a diversied operation owned by brothers Tony and Jacob Brey and their wives, Moriah and Lauren. The Breys milk 600 registered Holsteins and farm 1,200 acres near Sturgeon Bay. Never ones to hide from a challenge or opportunity to improve and grow their business, these enterprising couples launched a new venture: Brey Family Beef. Serving up fresh beef from their farm, the Brey’s business hit the ground running during National Beef Month in May. Opening weekend was a sellout as customers bought up grill packs, variety packs, steak packs and ground beef. The Breys also sweetened every purchase with a free bag of cheese curds. “The response has been overwhelming,” said Lauren, who also works full time for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative. “We never expected this many customers.” Tony and Jacob are the fourth generation on Brey Cycle Farm, which was established in 1904. They bought the farm from their parents, Bill and Clarice, in 2016. “The timing was good,” Jacob said. “Tony and I wanted to continue to grow the business, and our parents wanted to step back. We’re grateful they allowed us to take
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The Brey family (from leŌ) – Jacob and Lauren, and Moriah and Tony with their children, Evan, 8, and Alexa, 3 – milk 600 registered Holsteins and farm 1,200 acres near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The Breys launched a new on-farm business, Brey Family Beef. over.” Several years ago, the Breys decided to breed their lower-end Holsteins to beef and now have 200 beef cattle, the majority of which are Angus. The herd also contains Simmental-Angus, LimousinAngus and Wagyu. “We’re experimenting with some different breeds,” Jacob said. “The meat from half Holstein, half Angus animals is really tender and has good marbling. The two breeds complement each other – what the Holstein lacks in a ribeye, the beef animal provides.”
Brey Family Beef’s selection includes cuts like sirloin, New York strip, ribeye, tenderloin, T-bone, porterhouse, chuck roasts and more. Animals are processed by a local butcher shop, and the Breys offer packages and sell ground beef by the pound. “We try to have a consistent menu and encourage people to purchase a package,” Lauren said. “It’s a better way to move product and a more efcient use of our time. It also allows people to try a variety of meats. We’ve had a lot of interest in halves and quarters as well.”
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Brey Cycle Farm is home to 200 beef caƩle near Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The Breys began breeding their lower-end Holsteins to Angus in 2017.
Brey Family Beef is open for business Fridays from 3-6 p.m. and 9-11 a.m. on Saturdays with additional hours offered as needed. Licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the business is run from a shed located next to Tony and Moriah’s house across the road from the main farm. Brey Family Beef is promoted through a website, Facebook and Instagram. Headed up by Lauren and Moriah, Brey Family Beef began as a drive-up business providing curbside pickup. The timing of the coronavirus pandemic was coincidental but worked in the Breys’ favor as talk of meat shortages and the demand for locally raised beef drew people to the farm stand. “COVID-19 has really blown up the trend of homegrown, local food,” Lauren said. Moriah agreed. “We’re not trying to take advantage of the situation,” she said. “We just want to sell a good product at a fair price, and we strive to t different tastes and budgets.” Moriah came to the farm Turn to BREYS | PAGE 6