Dairy Business Association welcomes Maria Woldt

GREEN BAY

The Dairy Business Association has hired a communications consultant with deep roots in agriculture for a new role of director of industry relations.

Maria Woldt will oversee initiatives designed to enhance the member-driven association's engagement with corporate partners, agriculture groups and community organizations.

"Collaboration is so important to what we do and what we will need to do going forward to make sure the dairy community continues to thrive," said Tim Trotter, DBA's executive director. "Maria understands the power of partnerships and brings a strong mix of skills and background along with terrific passion for the future of agriculture."

Woldt comes to DBA with significant experience in non-profit management, agriculture and education. For the past three years, she has been a communications consultant specializing in non-profit organizations.

Prior to her consulting career, Woldt worked in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she directed employer outreach efforts for Career Services. She began her career at World Dairy Expo Inc.

Woldt grew up in St. Paul, MN, and is a graduate of UW-Madison, with a master's degree in agricultural journalism, and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural marketing and communications from UW-River Falls. She resides in Sun Prairie, WI, with her husband, Nick, where they have a small dairy farm milking 55 registered Holstein cows.

Woldt is a member of the Badger chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association and Dane County Farm Bureau.

"It's a very important time for people engaged in dairy — farmers, businesses and fellow organizations. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to support DBA members as we enter the next chapter of the dairy journey in Wisconsin and beyond," Woldt said.

Hiring a director of industry relations is one of several steps DBA is taking to focus on growth and improvement.

"Our organization, and the dairy community overall, cannot rest on our laurels," Trotter said. "We need to continue to innovate to ensure that dairy farming is sustainable for the long term."

The Dairy Business Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of Wisconsin dairy farmers, milk processors, vendors and business partners.