Thank You for Giving to the Horace Backus Fund!

The Holstein Foundation thanks everyone who generously contributed to the Horace Backus Fund, which raised $64,515, well over the original goal for the fund. It will help support young dairy producers in attending the Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI).

Michael Johnson of Fountain, Minnesota, is the first recipient of the Backus Fund scholarship. An owner and herdsman for Trailside Holsteins LLC, which has a 400-head milking herd of Registered Holsteins, Michael and his wife, Margaret, have two sons, Sawyer and Levi. He will attend YDLI Class 9, which begins February 25-28, 2015, in Phoenix, Arizona.

The Young Dairy Leaders Institute is a nationally recognized program to develop leader and communication skills for young adults ages 22-45 working in the dairy industry, with all breeds of cattle.
Some of the ways in which money was raised for the fund:

• A Holstein heifer, HEZ ASHOCK MS HORACE-ET, an Aftershock daughter out of the All-American and All-Canadian Dubeau Dundee Hezbollah, was donated by St Jacobs ABC, Clark and Lois Woodmansee, and Peter and Lyn Vail and sold at the World Classic Holstein Sale in October. She sold for $21,000 to a syndicate, was donated back to the sale and sold again to Arnold, Ashley, and Andrew Gruenes of T-Spruce Holsteins in Minnesota.
• Sale catalogs from Dunloggin, Mount Victoria, and Rosafe, donated by Duane Green of Michigan and Ken Melvold of California, were auctioned at sales this fall.
• Many individual and corporate donors gave generously.

The Horace Backus Fund was created to honor Horace, "the Dean of Pedigrees," who is renowned for his remarkable knowledge of Holstein genetics and for his lifetime of experience in dairy sales. The fund was the brainchild of Holstein industry members Tim Abbott, Frank Conyngham, Joel Hastings, and Dave Rama, who wanted to honor Horace’s legacy.

Annual yields from the fund will support one young dairyman or woman in attending the Young Dairy Leaders Institute each year. Donations are still accepted online at www.holsteinfoundation.org.  All donations are tax deductible.

A heart-felt thanks to these donors:

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HEZ ASHOCK MS HORACE-ET 3013295072 100%RHA is a June Aftershock daughter out of the All-American and All-Canadian DUBEAU DUNDEE HEZBOLLAH 104117050 100%RHA (pictured) donated by St Jacobs ABC, Clark and Lois Woodmansee, and Peter and Lyn Vail.

Brattleboro, Vt. (August 29, 2014) The Holstein Foundation announces efforts this fall to benefit the newly established Horace Backus Fund, to support young dairy producers in attending the Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI). A Holstein heifer will be sold at the World Classic Holstein Sale Friday, October 3, at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. A number of vintage catalogs will be sold at various sales as well.

The Holstein heifer selling at the World Classic to benefit the fund is HEZ ASHOCK MS HORACE-ET 3013295072 100%RHA. She is a June Aftershock daughter out of the All-American and All-Canadian Dubeau Dundee Hezbollah, donated by St Jacobs ABC, Clark and Lois Woodmansee, and Peter and Lyn Vail. A syndicate will be formed to purchase the heifer and donate it back to the fund. The sky is the limit on donations; a minimum of $100 will be accepted.

For Holstein history buffs, sale catalogs from Dunloggin, Mount Victoria, and Rosafe are some of the early donations from Duane Green, Michigan and Ken Melvold, California. The Dunloggin catalogs will be auctioned at the Eastern Elite Sale, September 16 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and the Nittany Lion Fall Classic, November 8 in State College, Pennsylvania. The Mount Victoria and Rosafe catalogs are slated to sell at the New York Fall Harvest Holstein Sale, November 1 in Ithaca, New York.

The Horace Backus Fund was the vision of industry leaders themselves; Tim Abbott, Frank Conyngham, Joel Hastings and Dave Rama. To honor Horace’s legacy so that he can be a part of it, they developed the idea of supporting dairy producers to attend YDLI. Often dubbed "the Dean of Pedigrees," Horace is widely known and respected around the country for his remarkable knowledge of Holstein genetics, and lifetime of experience in dairy sales.

The annual yields from the fund will be used to give full support to one hard-working and deserving young dairyman or woman to attend the Young Dairy Leaders Institute each year. More than $33,000 has been raised so far toward the $50,000 fundraising goal. Donations are also accepted online at www.holsteinfoundation.org. All donations are tax deductible—help support your dairy leaders of the future!

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Holstein Foundation Introduces New Trustees

Brattleboro, Vt. (July 22, 2014) … Holstein Foundation is pleased to welcome two new trustees to the board; Lorilee Schultz, Orangeville, Ill., and Dr. David Galton, Genoa, N.Y.

Currently the herd manager of Mil-R-Mor Farm, Lorilee Schultz is responsible for daily operations, employee management and record-keeping on the 140-cow dairy. Lorilee is currently serving as secretary-treasurer of her local Holstein association and was a delegate to the 2014 National Holstein Convention in Dubuque, Iowa. As a former participant of Holstein Foundation activities, including dairy bowl and Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI), Lorilee states, “The Holstein Foundation has played a huge role in shaping my career in the dairy industry. I am so grateful to the individuals who recognized the value of Foundation programs and invested in my development as a young dairy leader. As a result, I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to help do the same for others as part of the Holstein Foundation board of trustees.”

Dr. David Galton has been working with young people throughout his 34 years as a professor in the dairy management program at Cornell University. He developed and promoted the Cornell Dairy Fellows program, which prepares students to better position themselves in the dairy industry. He also spent time coaching the Cornell dairy cattle judging team. Throughout his career at Cornell, Dr. Galton worked extensively with dairy producers and 4-H youth. Currently, David is a partner on two dairy farms in New York with a total of 3,400 cows. Dr. Galton says, “I’m excited to serve on the board of a cutting-edge, pro-dairy industry organization. I’m looking forward in contributing to the vision of the Foundation.”

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Holstein Foundation Contests Encourage Youth Involvement

Brattleboro, Vt. (July 16, 2014) … Dubuque, Iowa, hosted the 2014 National Holstein Convention June 24 through 28, where youth had the opportunity to show off their dairy knowledge in Dairy Bowl and Dairy Jeopardy. Almost 175 youth competed in the two contests, many of whom qualified at the state level to earn a spot to compete nationally with their team.

Dairy Jeopardy

More than 75 participants, broken into three divisions, competed in Dairy Jeopardy. Based on the popular TV game show, youth compete individually, answering dairy industry related questions and wagering points; testing not only their industry knowledge, but their critical thinking and risk management skills. The top three individuals in each division are as follows.

Junior Division (ages 9-13)
1st Place: Hayley Fernandes, California
2nd Place: Corbin Gauthier, Kansas
3rd Place: Hanna Richman, New Jersey

Intermediate Division (ages 14-17)
1st Place: Emily Irwin, Illinois
2nd Place: Casey Porter, New York
3rd Place: Nathan Arthur, Iowa

Senior Division (ages 18-21)
1st Place: Andy Sell, Wisconsin
2nd Place: Joey Adams, Iowa
3rd Place: Sally Hamlett, Iowa

Dairy Bowl

Dairy Bowl is a fast paced competition in which teams of four compete head-to-head to see who can buzz in first to answer questions related to the dairy industry. A total of 25 teams competed in two divisions.

The Junior Division (ages 9-15) championship round came down to teams from California and Illinois. California was victorious in the junior division, with a team consisting of Siana Barrett, Hayden Costa, Hannah Mancebo and Macey Pearson, coached by Kirsten Areias and Sarah Zonneveld. The runner up in this division, Illinois, consisted of teammates Kate Carlson, Jared Dickman, Connor Erbsen, and Jordon Oellerich, with coaches Becky and Glen Meier. Placing in the top five teams were New York, Iowa and Washington.

Senior Division (ages 16-21) finalists consisted of California and Pennsylvania, with Pennsylvania becoming the champion. The undefeated Pennsylvania team was made up of sibling pairs Laura and Travis Holtzinger and Daniel and Sara Kitchen, with Pat Kitchen as the coach. The second place team, California, consisted of Bailey Allen, Frankie Gambonini, Kiara Gilardi, and Hannah Van Dyk, with coaches Kirsten Areias and Sarah Zonneveld. Rounding out the top five teams in the senior competition were Wisconsin, Washington and Minnesota.

In the heat of competition, it is important for teams to maintain sportsmanlike conduct. One team in each division is awarded for exemplifying principles of courtesy, friendliness and team spirit. The junior division team to best display these attributes was South Dakota, made up of John Achen, Dylan Frey, Stephanie Post, and Alex Thyen, coached by Mike Frey. Senior division honors went to Iowa, with a team consisting of Andy Dougherty, Megan Rauen, Bethany Simon, and Josh Simon, with coach, Jessica Hammerand.

Dairy Knowledge Exam

Open to any youth, without pre-registration, the dairy knowledge exam attracted over 250 participants to test their knowledge with this 25-question written test. Participants are given one of two tests, dependent on their age. The winners of each age division are:

Junior Division (ages 9-15)
1st Place: Hayley Fernandes, California
2nd Place: Macey Pearson, California
3rd Place: Siana Barrett, California

Senior Division (ages 16-21)
1st Place: Alex Gambonini, California
2nd Place: Travis Holtzinger, Pennsylvania
3rd Place: Frankie Gambonini, California

For more information about Holstein Foundation youth programs, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org, or contact Kelli Dunklee, youth programs specialist, at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124.

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Backus YDLI Scholarship Fund Support Requested

Brattleboro, Vt. (June 4, 2014) … A new scholarship fund for young dairy producers to attend the Holstein Foundation’s Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) has been created in the name of one of the industry’s biggest icons – Horace Backus. With a $50,000 fundraising goal, over $17,000 has been raised from early contributors. By August 1, the $50,000 goal will need to be met to offer a full scholarship for one recipient in the upcoming YDLI class.

This fund came about from the vision of industry leaders themselves, Tim Abbott, Frank Conyngham, Joel Hastings and Dave Rama. They wanted a way to honor Horace’s legacy so that he can be a part of it, and developed the idea of supporting dairy producers to attend YDLI. Often dubbed "the dean of pedigrees," Backus is widely known and respected around the country for his remarkable knowledge of Holstein genetics, and lifetime of experience in the dairy sales arena.

In a joint letter sent to prospective donors Abbott, Conyngham, Hastings and Rama write, “As a longtime friend and business associate of Horace Backus, you know better than most what a tremendously positive impact he has had on our Holstein industry, on Holstein breeders themselves… and on us! As a friend, he’s always willing to lend a hand and lend an ear. He has set an example for all of us, young and old, with his integrity, work ethic, positive attitude and sense of humor. And in business, he’s without parallel as a sale manager, pedigree expert, breeder, Association leader and adviser.”

“We invite you to join us in creating a fitting and permanent tribute to one of the greatest men it has been our privilege to know and work with,” the group continued.

The fund has been established within the Holstein Foundation, to provide appropriate investment and oversight of the dollars raised, without administrative costs. The annual dividends from the fund will be used to give full support to one young dairyman or woman at the Young Dairy Leaders Institute, a unique and exciting program for young dairy producers and industry professionals.

Early donors include: Harry H. Bachman, Auctioneer; Douglas G. Blair; James R. and Nina P. Burdette; Dick Chichester; Duane and Betty Conant; Frank E. and Marion Conyngham; Currie Holsteins LLC; David C. Falk Sr.; Joel Hastings; Robert D. Heilman; Kip and Marilyn Herzog; Judy and Charles Iager; Thomas W. Kelly; William and Jean Kent; Bob and Ginger Knutsen; Jonathan and Alicia Lamb; Long Haven Farms - Doug and Bev Long and Scott and Jennifer Long; Robert and Linda Marshman; Jeanne McKown; Christopher McKown and Abigail Johnson; Ken Melvold; John M. and Vicki Meyer; Bob Miller; Tom and Sandy Morris; Jason and Donna Myers; Arthur W. Nesbitt; William C. and Lilly A. Nichol; William Peck family; Pennsylvania Holstein Association; David and Merry Rama; Ridgedale Farm; Select Sires, Inc.; Singing Brook Farms; St. Jacobs Animal Breeding Corp; Richard Witter - Taurus Service, Inc.; Roger P. Turner; Ken, Marylyn and Scott Umble; Robert E. Walton; and Don and Joyce Welk.

Gifts may be made by mail to the Holstein Foundation, noting they are for the ‘Horace Backus YDLI Scholarship’ fund. Contributions may also be made securely online by selecting the ‘Horace Backus Fund’ for gift type. More information about the Holstein Foundation and YDLI can be found at www.holsteinfoundation.org, or contact Jodi Hoynoski 800.952.5200 ext. 4261.

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Young Dairy Leaders Institute Invites Applicants

Brattleboro, Vt. (June 4, 2014) … The Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) is inviting applicants for its ninth class. A program of the Holstein Foundation, YDLI is a renowned, innovative leadership and communication skills development program that has graduated hundreds of young adults.

Dairy producers working with all breeds of dairy cattle and allied dairy industry members, ages 22 to 45, are encouraged to apply. Applications can be downloaded from the Holstein Foundation web site www.holsteinfoundation.org and must be received by August 1 to be eligible for consideration.

The class will meet February 25-28, 2015 and February 24-27, 2016 in sunny Phoenix, Arizona. The class meets twice, a year apart, with a series of projects to complete in the months between meetings.

“Looking back, attending YDLI was one of the best decisions I have ever made; personally and professionally. Interacting with colleagues with the same passion for the dairy industry created an even larger desire to remain an integral part of the industry. I have been equipped with many valuable tools that will serve me well as I progress through my career. YDLI is a truly outstanding program!” said YDLI class 8 graduate Melissa Sankey, Harrisburg, Pa.

Phase I, held in February 2015, focuses on individual leadership and personal development. Interactive workshops cover topics such as working with different personality types, developing consumer and media communication skills through hands-on practice, and giving impactful presentations.

During Phase II, participants complete a series of assignments in their community, which emphasizes the advocacy and outreach skills gained during Phase I.

The final on-site training, Phase III, will be held February 2016. The program will feature sessions on advanced communications training, working effectively in a team environment, influencing public policy and continued advocacy and leadership. Throughout the program, an emphasis is placed on networking with industry peers, a benefit that carries on long after a YDLI class is complete.

A webinar will be hosted Tuesday, June 10 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time to provide more insight about the YDLI program. The agenda will include an overview of what YDLI is and what is expected of participants, as well as information about the application process and expected costs of the program.

For more information about YDLI or to obtain an application, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org or contact Jodi Hoynoski at 800.952.5200, ext. 4261 or by email.

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Holstein Foundation Graduates Young Dairy Leaders Institute Class 8

Brattleboro, Vt. (February 13, 2014)…Over 40 young adults from across the U.S. and Canada recently graduated from the Holstein Foundation’s eighth Young Dairy Leaders Institute class, with Phase III being held February 5-8 in Albuquerque, N.M. Building on the skills they learned during their first meeting last February, along with what they have practiced and accomplished over the past twelve months, the class participated in workshops covering topics such as advanced media relations skills, conflict management, and the public policy process.

On their final feedback survey, participants were asked to write one sentence about what YDLI meant to them. Following are just a few of the comments that summarize the YDLI experience: “For me, YDLI has meant increased skills on many fronts, a large network of connections, heightened confidence and unforgettable memories,” said one participant. “YDLI has inspired me beyond what I could have ever done on my own,” added another.

• Joan Horbiak, David Pelzer and Michele Ruby, who presented Advanced Media Training, focused on mastering interviews with the media and telling dairy’s story to consumers
• “Leverage Optimism to Make Change Work,” by Terry Paulson, who spoke about how our actions and attitudes impact the team we are working with
• Dr. Wes Jamison, who led a session on Conflict Resolution, teaching attendees several effective strategies for communicating with others who may have opposing viewpoints. A highlight of this session was a debate between Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst, and Joe Maxwell, Vice President of Outreach and Engagement for the Humane Society of the United States.
• Pete Kappelman, YDLI Class 1 alum and chairman of the Land O’ Lakes board of directors, who provided an evening keynote, encouraging class members to “explore their leadership frontiers” and make an impact.
• Bonnie Burr, YDLI Class 1 alum, led a session on understanding public policy and gave participants hands-on experience with the governmental process.
• Ty Bennett led a powerful closing session, with his talk about the "Power of Influence." His message left the class inspired and feeling empowered to continue their leadership journey and have a lasting influence on those they interact with.
  

Read more about Class 8’s YDLI journey on our official YDLI blog at www.ydli.blogspot.com! Class 9 will be held in Phoenix, Ariz., in late February 2015 and 2016. Applications are now available on the Holstein Foundation web site, and are due August 1, 2014. With questions or for more information about YDLI, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org, or contact Holstein Foundation Programs Manager Jodi Hoynoski at 800.952.5200, ext. 4261 or by email.

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Ray Prock Named 2014 Young Dairy Leaders Institute Distinguished Alumni Leader

Brattleboro, Vt. (February 13, 2014)…Ray Prock, Jr., a dairyman from Denair, Calif., has been named the Holstein Foundation’s 2014 Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) Distinguished Alumni Leader Award recipient. The Holstein Foundation recognizes one YDLI alum annually who has made notable contributions and utilized skills gained during their YDLI experience for the betterment of the dairy industry. Prock was a graduate of YDLI Class 5.

“YDLI laid the foundation for me to gain valuable experience and confidence to be the person I am today,” Prock said. “YDLI was the first leadership program I was involved in and has left a lasting impression on me to this day. If it was not for YDLI I may never have gained the confidence I have to engage with complete strangers on airplanes, the internet and in public on the questions and concerns many have about agriculture and the food we, as a public, eat.”

Along with the daily responsibilities on his family’s Ray-Lin Dairy, Prock has been involved with several agricultural organizations, including the National Dairy Promotion board, DMI Social Media Advisory Committee, the AgChat Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, California Dairy Campaign and several Farm Bureau groups.

One area Ray is especially proud of is his ability to use online outlets to help build and maintain an interactive, positive agricultural presence. “Through the use of various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogs, I have built relationships with many outside of farming to help build conversations and address questions about agriculture and food,” Prock said. “I have had conversations with many people worldwide, helping bridge the gap between the farm and families’ food choices.” Through his agricultural advocacy with social media, Prock estimates that he has been able to reach tens of thousands of consumers. Additionally, Ray has worked to develop relationships with politicians from the local to national level, and has testified before the California Senate Agriculture Committee and State Assembly Committee on Agriculture.

Prock will be recognized during the upcoming YDLI Class 8, Phase III program, February 5-8, 2014, in Albuquerque, N.M. The Young Dairy Leaders Institute, a program of the Holstein Foundation, is a nationally recognized three-phase leadership and communication skills development program for young adults working in the dairy industry. For more information on YDLI or other Holstein Foundation programs, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org or contact Jodi Hoynoski at 800.952.5200, ext. 4261 or by email.

For more information or to obtain a picture of the honoree, contact Lindsey Worden at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124, or click here to email Lindsey.

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