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This article was #18 in PDmag's Top 25 most-well read articles in 2010.
Summary: In 2003, Darin Dykstra of Dykstra Dairy moved two-thirds of his family’s dairy cows from Chino, California, to a new dairy in Maurice, Iowa. His now 3,000-cow facility is located just a few miles from the headquarters of his processor – Wells’ Dairy. With the help of great employees, the Midwest Dairy Association, his wife, his church and Blue Bunny ice cream, he is able to keep his dairy ever-ready to give dairy tours.
Because this article was so popular, we asked Darin Dkystra a follow-up question:
Each May six finalists are put to the test in one of the country’s most rigorous job interviews to see if they have what it takes to become the next Alice in Dairyland.
As a full-time public relations professional employed by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), Alice works with the media, speaks with rural and urban audiences and teaches students about all aspects of Wisconsin agriculture, which is a $59.16 billion industry.
So what does it take to become Alice?
When Victor Palato arrived in the U.S. at the age of 18, he was very much a city boy who had little experience with agriculture. More than 22 years later he’s now an experienced herdsman and manager of 11 employees at Circle H Dairy, a 1,700-cow herd in Turlock, California.
“I had never worked with cows, horses or animals back in Mexico,” Palato says.
Graduate of Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin
Sales and Service Intern with Accelerated Genetics
Based in south central Wisconsin
Background
Q. In what area are you pursuing a degree?I graduated with an associate's degree in dairy science.
Barbara Martin, aka Dairy Goddess, is a dairy producer in Lemoore, California. She has been promoting the dairy industry’s culture through her blog, http://dairygoddess.wordpress.com, and through Facebook and Twitter.
We asked her what five things make her most effective when she is trying to spread the word through social media.
The road to better marketing continues for Dave Geiser and Deb Reinhart of Gold Star Farms. After choosing a marketing consultant in November 2009, Dave and Deb began their journey. The destination: Better control of their business through better marketing.
Travel log entry: April 2010
“We’re really celebrating here. Our March contracts were worth $6,000 more than what we would have gotten from the milk plant without a contract. That is a biweekly payroll. Or a load of protein. Or a week at our favorite all-inclusive resort in Playa del Carmen.”
This article was #25 in PDmag's Top 25 most-well read articles in 2010.
Because this article was so popular, we asked David Martosko a follow-up question: Q. Is animal agriculture gaining ground in the fight against HSUS?The sad truth is that animal agriculture is losing ground with each passing year. HSUS seems to understand what livestock farmers don’t: that the public tends to believe “white hat” activists over anyone with a profit motive. But it doesn’t have to be that way. HSUS is possibly America’s single most deceptive charity, and its history is rife with scandal. The more consumers understand this, the less believable people like Wayne Pacelle and Paul Shapiro will be.
Marcia Itle of Loretto, Pennsylvania, has two loves -- agriculture and running.
On April 19, she was able to combine the two, wearing a "BEEF... It's what's for dinner" jersey while completing her first Boston Marathon.
Marcia is from a 200-cow dairy farm in Cambria County called Vale Wood Farms.
For most people in the dairy industry today, extra time is not easy to come by. But for Christine Vieira of Turlock, California, there is always extra time to help America’s soldiers.
Since high school, Vieira has been involved in the dairy industry, working in auction yards and then hauling, buying and selling her own cattle. Vieira and her husband, Joe, have tried to run their own dairy twice but found that buying and selling cattle is where their strengths lie.
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