FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: David Cooper

608-244-3373

February 16, 2010  

Delegates attend Family Dairies USA 38^th Annual Member Meeting  

Madison , WI - More than 250 delegates, members and guests attended the Family Dairies USA 38^th Annual Member Meeting held Saturday, February 13^th, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center in Stevens Point , WI .  

This year attendees were given the opportunity to attend “Early Bird” presentations on both Friday and Saturday. The Friday afternoon presentation “Dairy Price Risk and Management Tools” was led by Brian Gould – Associate Professor UW-Madison. The featured sessions for Saturday morning were  “Dairy Farm Families Biggest Challenges” presented by Pete Hardin, Editor of the “Milkweed” and “Finding a Niche in the World of Cheese” presented by Paul Scharfman, President of Specialty Cheese Company.  

At the Friday evening awards banquet the Meritorious Service Award was presented to Dan Arndt of Fredonia , Wisconsin who held the position of Family Dairies USA Stockyard manager from 1996 until the stockyard closing on June 30, 2009 , honoring him for his years of dedication to the Cooperative. A Longevity Award was presented to Field Representative Dennis Pank of Bloomer, Wisconsin for his 15 years of loyal and dedicated service to the Cooperative.  

Members were given the opportunity to participate in Live & Silent Auctions that benefit the many educational programs that Family Dairies USA offers to youth. A Gallery of Cheese was also featured for the delegation and guests to enjoy by sampling a variety of cheeses from member service plants here in the Upper Midwest .  

In his address to the delegation, General Manager David Cooper highlighted the need for change in dairy policy to ensure a bright future for producers and for involvement by members to address concerns with issues on environmental issues, expansion of harmful trade, and animal care.  Dairy policy issues need to be addressed with producer unity and outside the box ideas.  The Cooperatives programs and activities in 2009 were reviewed as well as discussion on the success obtained in 2009 both financially and in industry participation.  A challenge was placed to members, delegates, Board members, and staff to face these challenges in the industry with renewed energy and to seize opportunities that present themselves.  

In adopting Family Dairies USA’s 2010 Policy Resolution statement, 30 resolutions were ratified by the delegates of which included the addition to the preamble that “Dairy farmers deserve, and this nation’s consumers can afford to pay, a fair price for their production”. Added to the policy statement the delegates strongly “oppose any International trade agreement which provides unbalanced harmful inequities in dairy products within the industry”; deplore the announcement of non-dairy analogue cheese as replacement for true “Real cheese”; have concern over the use of promotion funds and demands that an investigation be conducted to ensure that funds be used only for promotion as intended.  

A “Special Order of Business” was also approved by the delegation that reads: “ To the Congress & Administration: Family Dairies USA stands in opposition to the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreements currently proposed due to their adverse impacts on dairy farm income, consumer food safety and the impact on our rural economy”.  

In elections, Peter Kleiman of Wilson , MI representing District 2 and Ken Wunderlin of Livingston , WI representing District 3 were both re-elected to serve on the Family Dairies USA Board of Directors. At the reorganization meeting of the Board of Directors held at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting, Peter Kleiman was re-elected as President, Ken Wunderlin was re-elected Vice President, District 5 Director Sue Schultz of Chilton, WI was elected Secretary and District 6 Director John Rettler of Neosho, WI was elected to serve as Treasurer of the Family Dairies USA Board.  

Family Dairies USA headquartered in Madison , WI is a qualified dairy cooperative serving and owned by approximately 3,200 dairy farm families in six states. In addition to testing verification and member service programs, the organization represents family farm members in dairy policy matters and offers youth scholarship and educational opportunities.  To learn more about Family Dairies USA, visit our website at www.fdusa.org.

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