Ag Faces in the Crowd: Siemers new dairy sire analyst

Beck’s to expand seed facilities

Beck’s recently announced an ongoing expansion project for their processing and distribution facility in Mt. Pleasant, IA. The expansion will begin with a new warehouse and dock space. Completion is slated in November of 2018. The five-year expansion project will create 10 new jobs and increase processing capacity.

Budde joins WI Holstein Association

Mara Budde of Fox Lake has been hired by Wisconsin Holstein Association as a communications associate. In her position, Budde will create marketing and communications strategies, manage digital communications, plan events, create editorial for the Wisconsin Holstein News and help coordinate WHA youth events and programs. Additionally, she will play an important role in coordinating efforts for the 2019 National Holstein Convention. Budde also manages calves and helps milk 60 cows at Wildweed Holsteins & Jerseys.

Retzleff retires

After 20 years of service in Fond du Lac County as the 4-H Youth Development Director, Denise Retzleff has announced her retirement as of January 2018. Retzleff also has served as Co-Department head for the past seven years. She is recognized as an expert in the areas of organizational leadership, positive youth development, team development scholarship, and embracing and living the Wisconsin Idea. Within 4-H/Youth and Extension programming, she has built capacity with volunteers and youth by encouraging individuals to step outside of their comfort zone by empowering them to learn from their experiences. 

Scheler is 2017 Person of the Year

Drew Scheler, assistant professor of English at St. Norbert College, has been chosen as the Press-Gazette’s 2017 Person of the Year. Through his efforts and those of his students and key collaborators, the Brown County UW-Extension Community Gardens program is starting on the path to being sustainable for years to come. Scheler was cited for providing “invaluable services both to the Community Gardens Program and to the greater community, promoting health, connectivity, and sustainability.”

Dairy coop adds Stoffel

Paul Stoffel has joined Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative as a member services representative. Stoffel will help Edge expand services to members, including recruitment and member engagement, and he will also support farmers within the Dairy Strong Sustainability Alliance.

Stoffel will work directly with Edge members in the cooperative’s southern region. He will also assist with the implementation of programs as part of the sustainability

Four selected for WROF board

Joan Behr, Ann McDonald, Sara Schoenborn and Max Wenck have been selected to provide vision and leadership on the Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation, Inc. (WROF) Board of Directors.  For more than 30 years, Behr served in various capacities with Foremost Farms USA, completing her work there as Sr. Director of Corporate Communications & Brand Management. McDonald is the Business Development Lead for The American Dairy Coalition. Schoenborn is the Director of Communications for the Cooperative Network, while Wenck served as Partner and Director of the Morgan & Myers Inc.'s Agriculture and Pasture-to-Plate practices and provides counsel to the Morgan & Myers Inc.'s Food, Health & Nutrition practice.

ISA honors Shefchik and Hanson

The International Silo Association (ISA) presented two awards during its annual ISA business meeting in Pennsylvania. Receiving the was Leroy Shefchik, founder of Shefchik Silo (now Wisconsin Silo) of Luxemburg, WI. Shefchik has served as Chairman of the Board and as President and was also an outspoken representative and advocate for Tower Silos and the ISA. The Zur Craine award was received by Gregg Hanson, former president of Hanson Silo of Lake Lillian, MN, for creative achievement with Tower Silos and Silo Unloaders.

Lobbying duo joins Michael Best Strategies

Michael Best Strategies announced that Steve “Mickey” Foti and Tyler Foti have joined the firm. Steve Foti served in the Wisconsin State Legislature for 22 years, prior to most recently owning Hanson Service Corporation. During his time at the Capitol, he served as Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Finance and Majority Leader of the Wisconsin Assembly. Tyler Foti spent four years with Wisconsin State Senator Scott Fitzgerald’s office, including two years while the Senator was Minority Leader and two years while the Senator was Majority Leader.

Kitchen receives Collinsworth award

Kitchen of Danville, PA. is the recipient of the 2017 National Judi Collinsworth Outstanding Exhibitor Award from Holstein Association USA, Inc. This award recognizes youth for their outstanding Holstein project work and involvement with their cattle and dairy activities. Kitchen is the thirteenth Junior Holstein member to receive this honor, and receives a $500 scholarship.

Prochnow completes training

Landmark Services Cooperative Board of Director, Jon Prochnow of Cambria, WI. was recently recognized for his success in completing the three-year Advanced Governance Series (AGS) training through FCC (Farm Credit Counseling) Services. Over the course of the three-year program, Prochnow joined directors from agricultural cooperatives across the country as part of an AGS Membership Group.  These participants take part in five core modules, each focusing on an area essential to excellence in governance.  In addition, Prochnow attended an additional graduate module. Upon completion of this series Prochnow was recognized for his achievements at the December Landmark Services Cooperative Board of Directors meeting. 

Siemers is Select Sires sire analyst

Jordan Siemers has been hired by Select Sires as a dairy sire analyst. Siemers will work with Holstein breeders in western and mid-western regions of the U.S. and the eastern Canadian provinces and will be Select Sires lead sire analyst for Milking Shorthorn procurement. He begins his role in a part-time capacity pending his graduation later this year. Siemers brings a strong dairy background to the position having grown up on his family’s dairy in Newton, WI, where he has been the genomic and genetic manager for the herd. Siemers is on schedule to graduate from Cornell University in May of 2018 with a bachelor of science degree in animal science.

Former UW professor dies

Philip E. Harris, 66, died Jan. 12 at N.C. Little Hospice in Edina, MN, after battle with multiple myeloma. Grew up on family farm and graduated from Iowa State University, was an Emeritus Professor and former chair of the Agriculture and Applied Economics Dept. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he taught agricultural law for 37 years. He is survived by his wife, Karen, son, Seth (Kate) Harris; and daughter, Rachel (Steve) Finch. Also survived by five grandchildren and three siblings.

4 appointed to YFA committee

Sally Turpin of Juneau County, John and Megan Lyons of Kewaunee County and Rosli Bragger of Buffalo County have been appointed to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Agriculturist (YFA) Committee by the Farm Bureau’s state Board of Directors.

Their terms began at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Meeting and Young Farmer and Agriculturist Conference, December 1-4, in Wisconsin Dells.

Sally Turpin is a UW–River Falls graduate working as a dairy consultant at Star Blends. She has served as the Juneau County YFA chair since 2014 and is a Class VI Farm Bureau Leadership Institute graduate. In her free time, Turpin enjoys helping on her home farm, previously a dairy now raising beef cow-calf pairs.

John and Megan Lyons both manage the daily operations of John’s family farm. John is a fourth-generation farmer who is transitioning into an ownership role on his family’s century farm. The couple raises beef cattle, crops and provide custom harvesting services. Megan recently completed her doctorate in clinical psychology and is working to address the mental health needs of those in northeast Wisconsin. The couple enjoys finding ways to create value-added farm products.

Rosli Bragger grew up on her family’s Buffalo County farm and is a certified nursing assistant at Mayo Clinic. Even though her full-time employment is outside of the ag community, she is passionate about incorporating agriculture in her daily life and being an advocate for farmers. In her free time, she works on a nearby farm and assists her sister with her FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience project.

SCR North America has new location

SCR has announced the new location of its North America office. The new facility will accommodate a growing team while the new office has significantly more warehouse space, which will allow SCR North America to process orders more efficiently and hold more inventory to meet the growing demand for its products. Additionally, more office space is accompanied by a training room where SCR staff and affiliates will have training sessions on SCR equipment, capabilities and software. The new location is 3408 McAllens Way, Madison.

Cargill adds to WI dairy nutrition sales team

Cargill Animal Nutrition has added three new Dairy Focus Consultants who will be serving customers in eastern Wisconsin. Bill Eberle, Ashley Schugel and Nicole Hibbard joined Cargill Animal Nutrition following successful careers in herd management, genetics and milk testing, respectively.

Eberle has nearly two decades of experience managing several of the most respected dairies in the state. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Bill has been a manager at three dairies within the Milk Source group, including Operations Manager of Wisconsin’s largest dairy, Rosendale Dairy. Most recently, Bill served as the Director of Operations for the Breeze Dairy Group. He will be serving producers in Eastern Wisconsin and resides in Omro.

Schugel will be serving the northeastern Wisconsin market and resides in Shawano. A native of Minnesota, she is a 2010 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in dairy science. Prior to joining Cargill, Schugel worked as a genetics and marketing specialist for GENEX Cooperative where she managed their sexed semen product line, sampling program, and production statuses of elite mating sires.

Hibbard will be serving customers in southeastern Wisconsin. A native of eastern Michigan, she is a 2015 Michigan State University graduate with a degree in animal science and a minor in agribusiness management. Hibbard resides in Madison and is active in the Dane County Farm Bureau. Previously to Cargill, she worked as an Outreach Specialist for AgSource Cooperative Services.