WORLD DAIRY EXPO HONORS LEADERS

When Babe Ruth picked up the bat for the New York Yankees, every baseball fan knew they were watching a legend. When Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, in spite of prejudice and discrimination, he became a hero. When Pete Rose hung up his Cincinnati Red’s jersey, he was still young and making a hitting record no one has come close to beating. Each of these players made history. Each used their skill, talent and a bit of old fashioned luck to achieve beyond their dreams and take their place as legends.

Across the globe we find fields of a different kind of dream; fields where dairy cattle graze and dairy farmers make legendary records of their own. World Dairy Expo, the world’s largest dairy industry event, is honoring four individuals who are legends in their fields; in business, marketing, and global cooperation.

This year’s recipients are: the 2009 World Dairy Expo Dairyman of the Year – David Hileman, Tyrone, Pennsylvania; the 2009 Dairy Woman of the Year – Daphne Holterman, Watertown, Wisconsin; the 2009 Industry Person of the Year – Maurice Core, Columbus, Ohio; and the 2009 International Person of the Year – Dr. Jan Philipsson, Uppsala, Sweden.

“These four legendary leaders have been hitting home runs for the world-wide dairy cattle industry,” says World Dairy Expo General Manager Mark Clarke. “They have created dairy records that will be hard for future producers to beat. We are proud to honor them for being the vision and support that keep this industry strong.”

The four recipients will be honored during World Dairy Expo at a special “Dinner with the Stars,” held on Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Tickets for the event are $25. Reservations are required by Tuesday, September 22. For more information, visit www.worlddairyexpo.com or call 608-224-6455.

DAPHNE HOLTERMAN NAMED 2009 WORLD DAIRY EXPO DAIRY WOMAN OF THE YEAR

When Orel Hershiser pitched 59 consecutive scoreless innings for the Dodgers in 1988, his individual skill set him up for greatness. But, it took a team working together to secure the record that still stands today. It is no different for Daphne Holterman, the 2009 World Dairy Expo Dairy Woman of the Year. She is being honored for her individual accomplishments and for her contributions as part of the team that makes up Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC in Watertown, Wisconsin.

This active volunteer and business partner is no minor league player in her own right. A 1981 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she was active in telling the story of food and dairy agriculture as an editor in agriculture and as a Senior Associate at Morgan&Myers Public Relations Counselors.

However, a growing family and growing dairy operation brought Holterman home to lend her skills to Rosy-Lane Holsteins. Then in 1999, Lloyd and Daphne formed an operating company and brought in long time employee Tim Strobel as a partner. The team approach worked, and today the progressive dairy producers manage 800 milk cows, operate 1,200 acres of corn and alfalfa, and employee nearly 20 staff. This dairy woman is top notch at calf raising, bookkeeping, and community relations.

Drawing on her roots in beef and swine production, this dairy expert uses her communication ability to educate and motivate community leaders on the benefits and threats to animal agriculture. In true “give back” spirit, Holterman has produced and shared materials with other agricultural groups educating non-farm leaders. She has devoted time to the national and state Jaycees Outstanding Young Farmer Program. She has served on the University of Wisconsin College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Board of Visitors and a variety of ag organizations. She is currently active on their local hospital board and the county’s farmland conservation easement commission.

The partnership which began as Daphne and Lloyd grew their operation from an 80-acre farm to a high producing and record-setting agri-business. The enterprise has grown steadily over the years and their teen daughters Lauren and Taylor are active in FFA and the farm. Rosy-Lane’s commitment to balancing profit while protecting natural resources will guarantee an ongoing history for the achievements of this family.

The World Dairy Expo Dairy Woman of the Year award is sponsored by: Saputo Cheese USA, Inc., Select Sires and Furst-McNess.

HILEMAN RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL DAIRY HONOR

Baseball may be as main stream as apple pie, but what is apple pie without the scoop of ice cream made possible by dairy producers around the world? While the dairy cow is step mother to the human race, dairy producers make it healthy, affordable and downright delicious to get your required servings of dairy products daily.

The 2009 World Dairy Expo Dairyman of the Year, David Hileman from Tyrone, Pennsylvania, has pursued his “field of dreams,” leading the dairy industry from the barn and the boardroom. Owner of Hilecrest Farms, a 700 acre operation with 450 milking cows and a rolling herd average of 26, 500 pounds of milk, Hileman is honored for his leadership and innovation.

Taking lessons learned on his parent’s dairy and poultry farm, Hilemen has been a champion of efficient and profitable practices. An early adapter of the Lifetime Net Merit selection method of sires for his herd, he has internally grown the dairy to record one of the highest herd averages in the country. His well-rounded farming credits earned him the Keystone (Pennsylvania) Farmer of the Year Award in 2006.

An efficient and profitable dairy operation is not Hileman’s only passion; he is known for his calm leadership and creative negotiation, stateside and globally. Hileman has led discussions with Dutch cooperatives and helped to launch joint ventures in India. He has given presentations on behalf of the dairy industry in the Netherlands, Latvia, Poland, France and Hungary.

The 2009 Dairyman has lent his voice to local and state policy discussions, helping develop the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania and has served on that state’s Dairy Task Force at the invitation of the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture. Hileman’s 20-year leadership to the boards of Atlantic Breeders, Federated, Genex, and CRI has led to good friends and effective dairy policy.

Dave and his wife, Janet, are committed to their community and the development of youth who are to be the next dairy leaders. To achieve this goal, they have created a foundation which awards scholarships to outstanding local youth. Dave has been a member of the Blair County Extension Committee, advisor for the local high school agriculture department and is a lifelong member of St. John’s Lutheran Church. He is currently working with Penn State Cooperative Extension and the Dairy Alliance Team to organize and facilitate dairy producer discussion groups.

The World Dairy Expo Dairyman of the Year Award is sponsored by Dairy Herd Management, Animart, Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health.

PHILIPSSON HONORED FOR INTERNATIONAL DAIRY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

Baseball may be considered an American pastime, but it’s truly a global sport. China, Japan, Spain, Australia, Canada and the US are just some of the sixteen countries that have competed in Olympic baseball action during the past five summer Olympic Games. But baseball has nothing on the Olympic-like competition of the finest dairy cattle in the world. And its global aspect is proven by the more than 80 countries that annually participate at World Dairy Expo.

It is Sweden that claims the legendary skills of the 2009 World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year, Jan Philipsson of Uppsala. Dr. Philipsson has been head of the Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU.) And like the legend of the Olympians, he is celebrated for his success in developing improvements in dairy cattle genetics worldwide.

Dr. Philipsson received an animal science degree and PhD from the Swedish Agricultural College in Uppsala and was immediately hired by the same university to devote time to teaching and research in animal breeding and genetics. As a graduate student, his research was already so impressive he received the Royal Academy´s award for an outstanding PhD thesis in 1979 on genetics of calving difficulty and breeding strategies to reduce such problems.

This visionary leader saw the need for consistent, cross-country data for improving breeding success of dairy production globally, not least after the insights he got during a period of work at Iowa State University. In 1983 he helped form the International Bull Evaluation Service or Interbull. This allowed for international comparisons of dairy cattle genetics, giving producers the ability to select genetics by science rather than marketing claims. Interbull, from modest beginnings providing evaluations for milk and fat for two breeds and four countries, has exploded to evaluations for production as well as conformation and functional traits of six breeds and 27 countries around the world. Dr. Philipsson has served as the group’s only secretary while continuing his research and teaching duties with the university.

His vision, energy and commitment to the field of dairy cattle breeding has led Dr. Philipsson to influence many other countries through meetings, workshops, numerous scientific papers and popular articles. In addition, he has been a widely respected member of the Expert Panel on Animal Genetic Resources of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and is heavily involved in their work on breeding strategies for developing countries.

Dr. Philipsson is an avid horse breeder. He and his wife Gunilla have three grown children. The award is sponsored by Merrick Animal Nutrition, North West Rubber and Katolight Corp.

CORE IS DAIRY INDUSTRY HONOREE

Great men have two things in common; they give their all and forget to stop. Maurice E. Core of Columbus, Ohio, has been selected as the 2009 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year for his lifelong vision and leadership in several areas of the dairy industry. Just as New York Yankee’s slugger Joe DiMaggio kept hitting day after day to end up in the record books, Core’s ongoing leadership, day after day, for over 50 years, has led him to the dairy Hall of Fame.

A graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Dairy Science, Maurice (Maury) Core has led, not one, but two distinguished careers in the dairy industry. For 37 years he served the American Jersey Cattle Club (AJCC) in various capacities, retiring as the Executive Secretary and CEO of AJCC, National All Jersey and All Jersey Sales Corporation in 1993. Even after his retirement, he was not ready to take up a hobby; instead, he spent eleven years as the Executive director of the National Dairy Shrine.

Core’s years representing Jersey cattle breeders saw great strides in breeding, financial accountability and development of youth programs. Through his efforts, Linear Type Appraisal started with the Jersey breed and became a standard for all breeds in the A.I. industry. He developed the All-American Jersey Show and Sale, and initiated the Jersey Marketing Service and the first National Heifer Sale.

A strong proponent for dairy research, in the period of 1986-1993, the Jersey Research Foundation raised $750,000 under his direction. This honoree is known for his ability to work with leaders of all dairy breeds to promote cooperation and take on issues, such as show ring ethics. The Jersey’s transition from a “hobby” to a “commercial” breed is also due in part to Core’s personality and senior leadership, in public and in the background.

Youth programs were a highlight of Maury’s tenure and service. He hit home runs for dairy youth, helping to raise several hundred thousand dollars for Jersey youth scholarships and establishing the Maurice E. Core Youth Fund upon his retirement from AJCC. His support of youth continued as he took the reigns of the National Dairy Shrine in 1997, doubling the funds available for awards and youth scholarships.

At Dairy Shrine, Core increased membership and oversaw a $250,000 fundraising campaign and renovation effort at the Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. He retired a second time in 2008. He and his wife Carole have 3 children. The 2009 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year award is sponsored by Accelerated Genetics, Dairy Herd Management, Merrick Animal Nutrition and Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health.