Feb. 7, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

NATIONAL DAIRY SHRINE SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS  

The National Dairy Shrine is once again looking for nominations for its annual awards and scholarships, and nominations must be presented by March 15.  Official nomination and award forms are available on the NDS web site, www.dairyshrine.org, or by contacting Maurice Core at 614-878-5333 or shrine@cobaselect.com.  

There are numerous award opportunities available from the National Dairy Shrine that include honors given to dairy breeders, students, and distinguished dairy industry members.  The Guest of Honor is NDS’s most prominent award, recognizing a living contemporary dairy leader for achievements contributing significantly to the dairy industry.  

The Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder award is presented to active, operating dairy producers who own and breed dairy cattle and groups are eligible as partnership teams.   

Two Progressive Dairy Producer awardees are presented with cash awards of $2,000 each for educational travel.  Outstanding young dairyman (21 to 45 years of age) are recognized in two herd categories; less than 300 cows and 300 cows or more.  

Three or four persons are recognized annually with Pioneer awards, given to living or deceased persons who have contributed significantly to the dairy industry during their lifetime.  

The Dairy Student Recognition Program recognizes and rewards graduating seniors planning a career related to dairy production.  There will be a $1,500 cash award given to the winner, a $1,000 reward for second place, and three to seven $500 cash awards depending on the number and quality of applicants.  

The National Dairy Shrine/Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI) Milk Marketing Scholarships are available to encourage students to pursue careers in the marketing of dairy products, and seven thousand dollars is awarded annually.  DMI provides $6,000, and $1,000 is provided by NDS.  

Two McCullough scholarships of $2500 and $1,000 are awarded annually to high school seniors intending to enter a four year college or university and major in: Dairy/Animal Science with a communications emphasis or Agriculture Journalism with a Dairy/Animal Science emphasis.  

There are two NDS/Klussendorf scholarships given in the amount of $1,500 for first, second, or third year students at a two or four year college or university.  Applicants need to major in Dairy or Animal Science with intentions to enter the dairy cattle field.  

The Kildee Scholarships are offered in two categories.  Advanced study applicants may include the top 25 All-American contestants in one of the past three National Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Contests plus the Platinum winners in the National Dairy Challenge Contest award year and these students are eligible to apply for $3000 scholarships.  Undergraduate students may apply in their junior or senior year of college for a $2000.  Applicants for this scholarship must have been one of the top 25 contestants at the National 4-H or FFA Dairy Judging Contests.  All applications, letters of recommendation and transcripts are due May 1, 2008, midnight, PST.  

There will be one NDS/Iager Dairy Scholarship awarded in the amount of $1,000 to a second year college student in a two-year agricultural college.  This application is due July 1, 2008.  

If you would like to nominate someone for these awards, please visit the NDS website at www.dairyshrine.org to download the applications.  Winners of these awards will be announced in June, with the presentation of awards to be held at the annual NDS awards banquet in Madison, Wisconsin on Thursday, October 2, 2008.