BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, July 24, 2019 — The Holstein Foundation launched career resources designed to provide basic knowledge in a wide range of careers relating to the dairy industry. They are ideal for use by all ages, from junior dairy project members or leaders seeking reference materials.

The mission of the career resources is to help youth find a dairy-related career path that suits them best.

“We set out to help youth understand the wide variety of career opportunities in the dairy industry,” says Holstein Foundation Programs Manager Jodi Hoynoski. “We plan to expand these resources in the future to help them get the job they want too.”

Currently, 10 careers are outlined to fit a wide variety of interests. The Holstein Foundation will continue to expand the careers profiles offered and provide more resources on things like resumes and interviews.

All career descriptions can be downloaded free of charge from the website in a PDF format. With questions, contact Kelli Dunklee at 800.952.5200, ext. 4124, or by email. Visit http://www.holsteinfoundation.org/education/career_resources.html to download online for free.

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BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, July 15, 2019 — Appleton, Wisconsin hosted the 2019 National Holstein Convention June 24 through June 27, where youth had the opportunity to show off their dairy knowledge in Dairy Bowl, Dairy Jeopardy and Dairy Knowledge Exam.

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 were:

Junior Division:
1st place, Isaiah Hammerand, Iowa
2nd place, Jacob Harbaugh, Wisconsin
3rd place, Brady Bleck, Wisconsin

Intermediate Division:
1st place, Courtney Glenna, Wisconsin
2nd place, Trenton Hammerand, Iowa
3rd place, Trevor Clapp, Massachusetts

Senior Division:
1st place, Paige Demun, New York
2nd place, Isabelle Leonard, Virginia
3rd place, Brock Irwin, Illinois

Dairy Knowledge Exam
The Dairy Knowledge Exam is open to any youth attending the National Junior Holstein Convention who wants to put their brain to the test with a 25-question written test. The winners of each age division are:

Junior Division:
1st place: Hayley Daubert, Virginia
2nd place: Jennifer DeVries, California 
3rd place: Rachel Craun, Virginia

Senior Division:
1st place: Isabelle Leonard, Virginia
2nd place: Greg Norris, Massachusetts
3rd place: Summer Henschel, Wisconsin

Dairy Bowl
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 30 teams competed in two divisions. The Junior Division (ages 9-15) championship round came down to teams from Pennsylvania and New York. New York was named champion in the Junior Division and the team consists of Gabriella Taylor, George Andrew Jr., Kailey Kuhn, Alysha Kuhn and coached by Jonathan Taylor.

Senior division (ages 16-21) finalists consisted of teams from California and Virginia. After several rounds of competition, California came out victorious. Team members include Hayley Fernandes, Jacob Fernandes, Kylie Konyn and Abbi Prins, coached by Kirsten Areias.

J. George & Anna Smith Sportsmanship

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BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, April 25, 2019 — Holstein Foundation has been cultivating future generations through their Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) for the past 25 years. YDLI is a nationally recognized three-phase leadership and communication skills development program for young adults, ages 22-45, working in the dairy industry, with all breeds of cattle.

In celebration of the YDLI 25th anniversary, Holstein Foundation is inviting all alumni, friends and guests to gather Friday, June 28, 2019 in Appleton, Wisconsin for a daylong event. Throughout the event look forward to reconnecting, sharpening skills and interacting with some of the brightest minds in our industry!

“We have over 600 alumni and this is a great opportunity for us to celebrate all that our alumni have achieved, relive some great YDLI moments from the past, and polish our skills for the future,” says Jodi Hoynoski, Holstein Foundation Programs Manager. “While YDLI is the reason we are hosting this exciting event, we invite anyone looking to bolster their leadership skills and network to attend!”

A high-powered speaker line-up has been assembled, including David Jordan, Bader Rutter Chief Development Officer presenting “From Chaos Comes Opportunity;” Ty Bennett leading a session titled “Partnership is the New Leadership;” a panel on “Bold Leadership Decisions” featuring leaders from Cargill, Milk Source, and Zoetis; and a panel on “Influencers & Consumers Shaping Food’s Future,” featuring representatives from Danone and Dominos – and much more! For more details on the schedule, as they are available, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org.

Friday night is held at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center for dinner and fellowship, with entertainment provided by the “Modern Day Drifters” country band. The Horace Backus YDLI Dairy Producer Scholarship benefit auction will also take place.

Alumni registration fee is $150, and for all other guests it is $250. That fee includes all of the events on Friday - the day program in addition to the evening event at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center. An "evening only" ticket for $50 includes dinner and entertainment at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center.

Make plans to attend the YDLI Dairy Leadership Summit. Registration is now open at www.2019holsteinconventionwi.com/register.

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BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, April 11, 2019 — Holstein Foundation welcomes new trustee, Michele Ruby, of Scio, Oregon, to their board which oversees the direction of the Holstein Foundation's youth and young adult education and leadership development programs.

"Knowing the benefits of Holstein programs first hand and being a huge supporter of the Holstein Foundation for many years, I’m absolutely thrilled to join the board. I look forward to helping maintain and develop Foundation programs that serve a unique purpose to build future leaders and foster a continued love for the Holstein breed through youth activities and education,” says Ruby.

Michele is a communication consultant who has conducted communications, media, and crisis training nationwide. Ruby has worked in the communications field for over 20 years and was the director of communications for Tillamook Cheese, and later, the Dairy Farmers of Oregon. Ruby's contributions to the communications field were recognized by National Milk Producers Federation when they selected her as the communicator of the year. In 2005, she launched Ruby-Do, Inc, a boutique communications firm in Portland, Ore., focusing on image-building campaigns, along with issues and crisis management services.

Michele’s family operates two farms in Oregon, which her husband, Kevin Wilson, manages for the Ruby family. Their kids enjoy showing locally and Michele has served on the Holstein Association USA Junior Advisory Committee, in addition to being a moderator at several National Holstein Dairy Bowl competitions. Ruby serves as the executive director of Oregon Ag Fest, an annual 2-day festival that helps over 20,000 urbanites gain a better understanding of where their food, fiber and flora come from.

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BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, February 20, 2019 — Sixty young adults fromthe United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico stormed Phoenix, Ariz., February 6-9, as Class 11 of the Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) assembled. YDLI is the cornerstone program of the Holstein Foundation.

Phase I Sessions
Phase I kicked off with a pre-conference tour of Danzeisen Dairy and Arizona Dairy Company, two operations local to the Phoenix area. The sessions were thought provoking and invigorated YDLIers to challenge themselves, become more self-aware, develop their core story, and learn how to engage with a diverse consumer audience.

Phase I presenters included Jill Tomac, business consultant and speaker; Galen Emanuele, president of Shift Yes. YDLI advisory board members Laura Daniels and Jolene Griffin and Michele Ruby, communications consultant, rounded out the outstanding lineup.

The class put their newly learned skills to use in the field, talking to consumers on the Arizona State University campus. They visited with more than 200 people, to find out their perceptions about how food is produced in this country, how they believe animals are cared for by farmers, and more.

The Holstein Foundation also recognized Class 2 graduate, Rebecca Long Chaney as 2018 Distinguished Alumni Leader. She is the author of an agriculture educational book series, "The Chaney Twins' Ag Books" and a freelance journalist.

Phase II is underway – the class is working on community outreach projects. Then, during Phase III, held in February 2020, each class member will give a presentation on their projects. Workshops will cover group leadership skills such as media training, conflict resolution, and influencing public policy.

Program Impact
After the class, members had plenty to say about YDLI in their feedback surveys:
· “A program to make me feel excited to go home and be a better dairy producer and person – renewed energy!”
· “YDLI has helped me be more aware and think more about how I impact others with my actions.”
· “An inspiring week full of encouragement and personal growth.”
· “YDLI has introduced me to a diverse group of dairy leaders from across the country – this group will be a great support network.”

Learn more about the week’s sessions and the YDLI program at official YDLI blog, http://ydli.blogspot.com.

Applications for YDLI Class 12 will be due August 1, 2020. To sign-up for an email notification when applications are available, visit www.holsteinfoundation.org/YDLI/ydli.html.

About YDLI
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. YDLI's three-phase approach ensures participants develop necessary leadership skills, apply those skills in real-life scenarios, and then focus on the benefit of influential leadership.

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.

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BRATTLEBORO, Vermont, January 24, 2019 — Rebecca Long Chaney, of Elwood, Neb., is the 2019 Young Dairy Leaders Institute Distinguished Alumni Leader recognized by the Holstein Foundation. The Holstein Foundation recognizes one Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) graduate annually who has made noteworthy contributions and applied skills gained during their YDLI experience for the advancement of the dairy industry. Rebecca was a graduate of YDLI Class 2.

"YDLI was the greatest educational program I have participated in with people sharing my same passion — dairy. When I had the opportunity to participate in YDLI Class 2, it was an amazing event. Not only were the featured speakers thought-provoking and powerful, but the breakout sessions and workshops were engaging and educational.

"The dairy knowledge gained, coupled with the new dairy friends and professionals I met, have been true assets during my career in ag journalism and great resources for my volunteer work," Rebecca Long Chaney states.

A Maryland native, Chaney and her family live on a 3,500-acre ranch where they help manage a Red Angus cow/calf operation. Alongside her twin daughters, she is the author of an agriculture educational book series, "The Chaney Twins' Ag Books." Chaney also spends her time as a freelance journalist for the Elwood Bulletin and the Midwest Producer. In the past she has written for Hoard's Dairyman and many other local, regional and national publications.

Aside from writing she enjoys inspiring youth as the coach of the Nebraska Dairy Judging Team. She serves on the National Brown Swiss Fundraising Committee for the 2020 World Brown Swiss Conference. At World Dairy Expo, she helps evaluate udders for the over-bagging research study.

Chaney will be recognized during the upcoming YDLI Class 11, Phase 1 program, February 6 - 9, 2019, in Phoenix, Arizona.

About YDLI
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. YDLI's three-phase approach ensures participants develop necessary leadership skills, apply those skills in real-life scenarios, and then focus on the benefit of influential leadership.

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