Special Report

World Dairy Expo “Dinner with the Stars”

World Dairy Expo next week in Madison and once again four individuals will be honored at the annual Dinner with the Stars. This year’s Dairy Woman of the year is Liz Doornink of Baldwin, Wisconsin, Dairy Man of the year is Don Bennick of Florida, Industry Person of the Year is Horace Backus of New York and International Person of the Year is Tadanaga Komori of Japan. Lisa Behnke says a few tickets are still available for the Wednesday night banquet but advanced sales close today (Sep 22).

AUDIO: Lisa Behnke talks about the four honorees

Honoree’s bios:

DAIRY WOMAN OF THE YEAR MEETS THE “GOLD STANDARD”

When countries instituted “gold standards,” it was to instill trust in the value of their currency. While no financial markets on the globe adhere to a gold standard today, people like the 2010 World Dairy Expo Dairy Woman of the Year still inspire trust from those who know and work with them. Liz Doornink of Jon-De Farms, Baldwin, Wisconsin, sets the standard for intelligence and commitment to the dairy industry. And she exhibits leadership you can take to the bank.

Doornink holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and has raised three daughters on their 2,400 acre farm. The family milks 1,550 cows and employees 52 staff members at their three-times-a-day milking operation. She is actively involved as personnel manager and oversees all financial records. In addition, she designed and implemented an Environmental Management System for the operation gaining the Environmental Excellence Award from the State of Wisconsin.

One of the “golden opportunities” Doornink has championed is the new, grass-roots organization AFACT or American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, which she co-chairs. She travels and speaks on the issue of modern agriculture and advocates for producers’ freedom to choose production technologies and practices.

In addition to countless hours leading school tours and supporting dairy industry groups, Doornink also has her own personnel management consulting business, Legacy of Excellence Consulting, LLC, in which she advises and educates producers and ag businesses on employee management, communication and environmental systems.

The 2010 World Dairy Expo Dairy Woman of the Year award is sponsored by: Vita Plus Corporation, Select Sires, Inc., Micro Dairy Logic and Dairy Business Association.

JAPANESE INNOVATOR HONORED FOR CROWNING ACHIEVEMENTS

Forty years of doing the right thing has led the International Person of Year to recognition for his global vision and innovation. The 2010 World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year is Mr. Tadanaga Komori, from Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.

After graduating from the Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Komori was content to return to the home farm. But the drive to improve the dairy industry of a nation led our honoree to take every golden opportunity to innovate and lead.

A trip to the U.S. for training and tours began a love affair with quality cattle genetics. He began by importing just five cows and proceeded to establish All Japan Breeders Service in 1976. Komori took on the Japanese government to overturn the state-controlled artificial insemination importation laws. Once the private sector was open to import frozen semen, Komori created a livestock products import company, Japan Livestock Trading Corp., in 1984. The exclusive marketing agreement with American Breeders Service improved genetic merit for the dairy industry in Japan. Komori has since increased semen imports from 1,200 units in 1986 to over 260,000 units in the fiscal year of 2009 (April 2008-March 2009).

Komori spearheaded the very first sale of American dairy genetics in Japan. He was also instrumental in creating the sister-city partnership between Madison, Wisconsin and Obihiro, Japan in 2006. One of this star’s crowning achievements has been his support of fellow producers by publishing Hoard’s Dairyman in Japan. He is personally responsible for the careful translation of the articles. The magazine has helped teach and encourage dairy producers throughout Japan.

The 2010 World Dairy Expo International Person of the Year recognition is sponsored by Merrick Animal Nutrition and ABS Global

DAIRYMAN TURNS OPPORTUNITY INTO INDUSTRY G0LD

A junior high school job was a golden opportunity for 2010 World Dairy Expo Dairyman of the Year, Don Bennink, of North Florida Holsteins in Bell, Florida. Though there was no farm in the family while Bennink was growing up in western New York, he worked for others and began building a herd of his own while a youth. After obtaining a degree from Cornell, he rented a farm with a 35 tie-stall barn in his home county. Supported by a small Farmers Home Administration loan and the cattle already owned, he accumulated, during the next seventeen years, the capital base to move the herd to Florida in 1980.

Today, the successful dairy breeder and his partners boast a herd of 4,000 milking age Registered Holsteins, the single largest dairy in the state and one of the largest Registered Holstein herds in the country. Bennink has led the innovation of dairy cattle comfort with tunnel ventilation to enhance production and herd health.

The 100 percent registered herd boasts a rolling average of 24,330 pounds of milk with almost 800 pounds of fat and 650 pounds of protein. The farm has developed over 750 cows classified as Excellent and consistently ranks on cooperative quality honor rolls and receives premier breeder and exhibitor recognition.

As an innovator, Bennink is sought for his efficiency and genetics advice in many countries. He has been an early adaptor of monitoring technology and environmental protection practices, including research trials of drugs and feed additives with the University of Florida School of Veterinary Medicine. In the board room, the Dairyman of the Year has supported the cattle industry and his local community serving on cooperative, college and governmental boards and councils. He is a host to foreign and domestic visitors continually promoting superior U.S. genetics.

The 2010 Dairyman of the Year award is sponsored by: Animart, Dairy Herd Management., Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health and Southest Milk, Inc.

DAIRY INDUSTRY EXPERT EXCELS IN DIVERSE SERVICE

Gold is one of the most adaptable and useful metals, transforming its characteristics into beauty or high technical use. The 2010 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year is known as an expert in dairy cattle pedigrees, yet has used many skills to transform and enhance the United States dairy industry, as a breeder, author and leader. Horace Backus of Mexico, New York is being honored for that diverse and important service.

While famous as a dairy cattle “pedigree man,” Backus started out as part of the successful Butterfly Farms. As a youth and young man, he began a love affair with breeding the best animals for the dairy industry. The family business of Backus Pedigree Company made its name compiling sale catalogues. Overtime, R. Austin Backus, Inc. was formed and excelled.

This year’s honoree has transformed his cattle expertise into a valuable historical asset as an author of dairy breeding and dairy family history. Backus has written eight books that allow cattle breeders and those interested in the legacy of the dairy industry to learn from accomplished breeders. The histories have allowed others to make cattle breeding a passion.

Backus has also been a tireless leader and servant to industry groups. Serving as Director of the National Holstein Board and member of the Finance Committee, his colleagues consistently turned to him for trusted advice. They join in honoring him for a lifetime of experience and knowledge, and respect him as an unrivaled pedigree reader.

The Industry Person of the Year Award is sponsored by: Accelerated Genetics, Dairy Herd Management, Merrick Animal Nutrition, and Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health.