News from Holstein Association USA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Holstein Association USA Board of Directors Holds Spring Meeting

Brattleboro, Vermont (April 2, 2008)…The board of directors of Holstein Association USA held its spring meeting in Brattleboro, Vt. March 27-28.

During the meeting, the board approved the 2007 financial report presented by CFO Barbara Casna, which showed the Association realized net income of $331,000, which was $47,000 higher than 2006 results. Financial highlights included an increase in revenues from Holstein COMPLETE of 16 percent, an increase in TriStar revenues of five percent, an increase of 27 percent in ear tag sales, an increase in revenues received from registrations of four percent and an increase in revenues from classification of 10 percent.

A total of 215,632 animals were classified, an 11 percent increase, while number of herds classified increased to 5,174, or four percent. At year end, there were 197,680 animals enrolled in Holstein COMPLETE in 1,705 herds which is a 15 percent increase in the number of animals enrolled in the program and a 13 percent increase in herds compared to 2006.
 
Staff members provided updates on the 2008 Management-by-Objective Business Plan and directors and staff reviewed discussions from the recently-completed regional member meetings. Also discussed were the responsibilities and requirements of national convention hosts.

Committee Reports

The board heard reports of the following committees:
        -Audit
        -Governance
        -Nominating
        -International
        -Junior Advisory
        -National FAIR

Within the Governance Committee report, the board approved a motion to recommend that the President state at the beginning of each annual meeting that, unless the delegates object, the rules of the annual meeting will allow all members present to speak to issues being discussed. In the past, any member could have the floor during the first day’s business session, while only delegates were allowed to address the convention on the second day.

Also from the Governance Committee, the board approved a motion to amend Article III, Section 7 of the Bylaws to read: A person serving or elected as a delegate at three consecutive Annual Meetings is not eligible to be nominated to be a delegate again until at least two Annual Meetings are held.

Director Glen Brown and staffer Tom Lawlor provided an update on the Association’s research on Genomic Selection. This cutting edge technology could speed up genetic improvement within the breed.

President Doug Maddox appointed a special Type Advisory Committee, which will be chaired by director Bill Peck. The charge of the committee is to evaluate the current dairy cattle scorecard to discuss its relevancy in today’s dairy industry. The committee plans to meet in May and will report to the board at its June meeting in Wisconsin.

The board approved a motion to grant the Great Western Holstein Show, to be held September 1 in Oregon, “National Show” designation for the open show and “Regional Show” designation for the junior show.

Staff members provided demonstrations of the updated software for Red Book Plus, DairyVision Trend Analysis Program (DVTAP) and DairyVision Current Herd Analysis Program (DVCHAP). They also reviewed the development of a new internet tag ordering system.

One of the major initiatives of the Association’s communications department for 2008 is a complete redesign of the Association’s Web site. The board previewed the progress that has been made on the redesign, which is scheduled to go “live” during the fourth quarter of the year.

The next meeting of the board of directors will be held prior to the annual meeting in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on June 22-23. The fall meeting will be held in St. Louis on November 13-14.

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