Dairy Challenge

Annual Northeast Dairy Challenge draws 110 students in year 3

On Oct. 20-22, 110 college students from 12 Northeast colleges participated in the third annual Northeast Dairy Challenge held at Morrisville State College in Norwich, N.Y. The departments of dairy management, agriculture science, and ag-business at Morrisville State College welcomed students from New York, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Participating colleges included Penn State University, Morrisville State College, University of New Hampshire, University of Connecticut, Delaware Valley College, University of Maine, SUNY Cobleskill, Cornell University, Alfred State College, University of Massachusetts, Vermont Technical College and University of Vermont.

The Northeast Dairy Challenge is an innovative three-day event designed by a team of industry and university professionals to promote a vibrant future for the dairy industry. Working in mixed-university teams of five students, contestants assessed all aspects of a working dairy farm and presented recommendations for improvement to a panel of judges and participating farm families.

Participating dairy farmer Andy Bartlett stated, “The Dairy Challenge is like free consulting for my business. College students from across the Northeast evaluated my business and gave me suggestions that will help my business become more successful.”

The objective of this evaluation process is to create a real-life situation that stresses the importance of teamwork and professionalism. Contest Chairperson Barry Putnam of Genex Cooperative Inc. reported, “Our business requires employees that can work well with all types of personalities. Not only does the Dairy Challenge teach technical knowledge, it excels in assisting students in developing people skills.”

Students arrived at the Howard Johnson’s Hotel in Norwich, N.Y., on the afternoon of Oct. 20. After check-in and registration, participants were split into mixed-university teams. Teams got to know each other over pizza and then participated in team-building exercises with Jim Henion of Genex Cooperative Inc. At the YMCA in Norwich, Henion worked with students to discover the strengths and capabilities of their team, examine ingredients of effective teams, appoint a team leader, and examine personality styles of team members. At the end of the evening, teams received detailed production, financial, nutrition and reproduction records, and began brainstorming for their farm visit.

While teams weren’t presenting, they traveled to Marshman Farms in Oxford, N.Y. At the farm, participants enjoyed cookies, ice cream and hot chocolate as they participated in dairy nutrition, calf care, milk quality and bunk management workshops.

The Dairy Challenge ended with dinner and an awards ceremony at Howard Johnson’s. Keynote speaker Bill Lipinski of First Pioneer Farm Credit congratulated Dairy Challenge participants and stressed how important teamwork is to the dairy industry’s future success. After completing the event, SUNY Cobleskill agricultural business student Rob Keeney said, “The challenge gave me a perspective of what I need to do to be successful in the dairy industry.”

The third annual Northeast Dairy Challenge was made possible through generous contributions from industry sponsors ABS Global, Accelerated Genetics, AgChoice Farm Credit, Agway Foundation, Alltech Inc., Blue Seal Feeds, Bourdeau Brothers, Brandow’s IBA, Cargill/Agway Animal Nutrition, DairyBusiness Communications, Dairylea Cooperative, Dairy One, Dairy Records Management Services, Elwyn G. Voss & Associates, Farm Credit System Foundation, First Pioneer Farm Credit, Genex Cooperative Inc., Holtz-Nelson Dairy Consultants LLC, IL Richer, Intervet, Linwood Management, Marshman Farms, Mercer Milling, N.Y. Holstein Association, NBT, Northeast Ag & Feed Alliance, Northeast Farm Credit AgEnhancement Program, Northeast Dairy Producers, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Poulin Grain Inc., Schering-Plough Animal Health, Scolaro, Shulman, Cohen, Fetter & Burstein PC, Select Sire Power, Taylor-Excel Food Solutions Company, Vermont DHIA, Vermont Feed Dealers & Manufacturers Association, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets, Vermont Jersey Breeders, Whitman’s Feed Store Inc., Morrisville State College Students, Morrisville State College computer service center, Morrisville State College Dairy Club and Cornell University Dairy Club.

Cornell University will host the next Northeast Dairy Challenge October 19-21, 2006, in Waterloo, N.Y. If you have questions about next year’s contest contact Mike VanAmburgh at (607) 255-4910 or mev1@cornell.edu. To become a sponsor, contact Jan Bitter of First Pioneer Farm Credit at 800-392-3276 or jan.bitter@firstpioneer.com. All contributions are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Northeast program is under the guidance and support of the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC), which was established in April 2002, as a management contest to incorporate evaluation of all aspects of a specific dairy business. The University of Idaho and Washington State University will host the 2006 NAIDC March 31-April 1, 2006. NAIDC is fully funded through contributions from the dairy industry. Platinum sponsors for the 2005 NAIDC were ABS Global, Ag Enhancement Program of Northeast Farm Credit & CoBank, Agway Foundation Inc., Alltech Inc., Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition Group, Bioproducts Inc., Cargill Animal Nutrition, DairyBusiness Communications, Dairy Herd Management, Dairy One, Dairy Records Management Systems, Diamond V Mills, Elanco Animal Health, Farm Credit Systems Foundation, Genex Cooperative Inc., Monsanto Dairy Business, Northeast Dairy Producers Association, Pfizer Animal Health, Select Sires Inc., Soy Best and West Central Soy.