National Dairy Shrine (NDS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Guest of Honor, Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder, and Pioneer recognition awards for this year. These awards were designed to honor past, and present dairy industry leaders that have contributed to strengthening and energizing the dairy industry. This year’s honorees will be inducted into the National Dairy Hall of Fame in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and are an exemplary display of what this award is about. The following is a quick listing of each recipient. More detailed informational news releases will follow in the coming weeks.
Dr. Mike Hutjens is the Guest of Honor, the highest recognition from the National Dairy Shrine. Dr Hutjens, University of Illinois, is an internationally acclaimed dairy cattle nutrition expert and esteemed educational communicator, he lives in Savoy, Illinois.
The Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder is the brother and sister team of Ralph Shank and Mary Shank Creek, Palmyra Ayrshires of Hagerstown, Maryland. They are the first brother and sister breeder honorees in the 70 years of National Dairy Shrine.
Through an anonymous selection committee these long time career dairy leaders have been selected as Pioneers.
- Michael Barnes, (Blacksburg, VA), Virginia Tech Instructor and Dairy Judging Coach
- Kenneth Butcher, (Fuquay Varina, NC), Dairy Records Innovator and North Carolina State Professor
- John Clay (Raleigh, NC), Dairy Records Management Systems Director and DHIA leader
- Dr. Sheila McGuirk, (Dodgeville, WI), Veterinarian and UW Vet School Instructor and mentor
- Larry Moore (Suamico, WI), Red and White Breeder and RWDCA Association founding leader
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the annual National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet on Thursday October 3 in Madison, Wisconsin.
For more information about the banquet or about students, producers or industry representatives being recognized by National Dairy Shrine, please contact our office at info@dairyshrine.org or visit our website www.dairyshrine.org. Started in 1949 this non-profit organization honors dairy industry leaders, encourages future dairy leaders and records dairy history at our Museum and National Dairy Hall of Fame in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Dairy enthusiasts are encouraged to become a lifetime member in the most important national organization honoring dairy leaders, preserving dairy history, and inspiring future dairy leaders.
