Over 100 high schoolers from around the country visited our office and farm yesterday as they begin their National 4-H Dairy Conference experience.

World Dairy Expo brings together dairy enthusiasts of all ages, roles, and locations to learn, share, and compete. There are also a number of special events and group gatherings that occur during the week while so many dairy folks are together in one place. One of the events that is taking place this week is the National 4-H Dairy Conference.

This conference was first held in 1955 after state 4-H leaders and other Extension agents proposed that an event needed to be organized specifically for 4-H youth who were involved in dairy projects. That first year, 85 youth and leaders from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin gathered in Chicago for the event.

In 1970, the National 4-H Dairy Conference was first held in Madison, Wis., in conjunction with World Dairy Expo. Since then, 4-H members from all over the country who are passionate about the dairy industry have attended. They visit area dairy farms, experience hands-on demonstrations about dairy cow care and dairy careers, and hear from industry leaders. It’s also a great chance for these members to meet other young people with some of the same interests.

Conference attendees kicked off the festivities on Sunday night, and then boarded buses early Monday morning to begin their tours. After visiting the ABS Global facilities in Poynette, Wis., we were glad to welcome them to Fort Atkinson to learn more about the city’s and our company’s history.

It is always a pleasure to host these students who are excelling in their dairy projects and eager to learn more. After enjoying lunch catered by the local Jones Dairy Farm, they visited the Hoard’s Dairyman office, the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm, Jones Dairy Farm’s historic farm and retail store, and the National Dairy Shrine Museum.

While at our publishing office, students saw where our magazine has been produced since the early 1900s and learned about the process that our team goes through to put together each issue. After they became experts on magazine layout, they had a chance to work with their fellow attendees try their hand at creating an attractive, informative magazine page.

At the Hoard’s Dairyman Farm, these students saw how our herd of Guernsey cattle is cared for and the technology we use on the farm, including automatic calf feeder and automatic milking systems.

During the rest of the week, these students will learn more about different facets of the industry from farmers, bankers, nutritionists, and more. They will also get to explore World Dairy Expo. We hope these students enjoyed their time in Fort Atkinson and will head home at the end of the week with their minds full of new opportunities!

For more information about the National 4-H Dairy Conference, visit their website or talk to your state 4-H dairy educator.

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Katelyn Allen joined the Hoard’s Dairyman team as the Publications Editor in August 2019 and is now an associate editor. Katelyn is a 2019 graduate of Virginia Tech, where she majored in dairy science and minored in communication. Katelyn grew up on her family’s registered Holstein dairy, Glen-Toctin Farm, in Jefferson, Md.