66th North Dakota Dairy Princess crowned Marissa Leier of Hague was crowned North Dakota’s 66th State Dairy Princess. She and runner-up Amy Noel, 19, were crowned during a luncheon with Midwest Dairy Association North Dakota Division board members. Leier was a member of the state champion dairy judging team that competed at World Dairy Expo and the livestock judging team that competed at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. She attends North Dakota State University where she is majoring in biology. Both Leier and Noel received scholarships from the Friends of Dairymen and the North Dakota Milk Producers. Noel was also awarded the Midwest Dairy Association scholarship, chosen separately from among the candidates. —From Midwest Dairy Association news release Shamrock Farms celebrates 90 years in business Shamrock Foods Company – the parent company of Shamrock Farms – prides itself on its willingess to embrace new technology.

In 1926, Shamrock Farms became one of the first dairies to meet the requirements of the new pasteurization process.

Within the last decade, Shamrock Farms revolutionized the on-the-go milk category, opened its educational public Farm Tour, launched Arizona's first local organic milk line, achieved national distribution and created the first-ever chocolate milk fortified with protein for sports recovery, among many other product innovations.

Shamrock Farms has also introduced sustainable practices companywide, including water stewardship through its waste-water pre-treatment system at its manufacturing plant and a state-of-the-art farm manure management system and recycling program whereby manure is used as a natural fertilizer at local farms.

This innovative approach to business extends beyond the dairy with its sister company Shamrock Foods – one of the top 10 foodservice distribution companies nationwide offering 16,000 line items including Shamrock Farms dairy products.

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Shamrock, comprised of Shamrock Farms and Shamrock Foods, is one of Arizona's largest privately held employers.

—From Shamrock Farms news release

National Dairy Shrine announces 2012 scholarship winners
The National Dairy Shrine 2012 scholarships will be presented at an awards banquet in Madison, Wisconsin, on Oct. 4. National Dairy Shrine will provide more than $40,000 of scholarship awards to students at that event.

NDS Student Recognition Awards

The NDS student recognition program recognizes graduating seniors planning a career related to the dairy industry who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, academic ability, and a sincere interest in dairy cattle.

The top award ($2,000) went to Elizabeth Olson from Hutchison, Minnesota. She has been very active in many dairy related activities at University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and has held leadership roles in many college and industry organizations.

The second award ($1,500) goes to Danielle Brown of Dodgeville, Wisconsin. She is a dairy science and communications major at University of Wisconsin – Madison. She has competed extensively in dairy cattle judging and been very active in the Badger Dairy Club.

Receiving $1,000 student recognition awards were:

  • Philip Bachman from Ulysses, Pennsylvania, an animal science and business management major at Penn State University
  • Daniel Durfee from Chittenango, New York, majoring in animal science at Cornell University
  • Paul Lippert from Pittsville, Wisconsin, majoring in business and minoring in dairy science at University of Wisconsin – River Falls
  • Carissa Levash from Brillion, Wisconsin, majoring in dairy science with a business option at University of Wisconsin – Madison
  • Laura Gordon from Shreve, Ohio, who has a double major in animal science and agricultural systems management
  • Leah Henkes from Luana, Iowa, an agricultural education major at Iowa State University
  • Emily Ullerich from Ames, Iowa, majoring in dairy science at Iowa State University
  • Tera Koebel from Three Oaks, Michigan, an agribusiness management major at Michigan State University

Kildee Scholarship Awards

Receiving the Kildee Graduate Studies Scholarships are Abigail Wirt of Lewiston, Minnesota, and Laura Gordon of Shreve, Ohio.

Wirt is attending the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine and plans to be a large animal veterinarian and a dairy community leader.

Gordon completed her degree in agricultural systems management and animal science at Ohio State University. She plans to continue her education at Oklahoma State University in a program of international agriculture and to work internationally in third world countries on dairy development.

Casey Arlig of Friendship, New York, has been selected as the 2012 recipient of the Kildee Undergraduate Studies Scholarship. She is currently attending Cornell University, majoring in agriculture science with an emphasis in dairy nutrition. Her goal is to be a leading dairy cattle nutritionist.

NDS/DMI Milk Marketing Scholarships

Theresa Twohey, of Stewartville, Minnesota, has been awarded the 2012 National Dairy Shrine/DMI Milk Marketing $1,500 Scholarship. Additionally, seven other undergraduate students have been awarded $1,000 scholarships and are listed alphabetically. These generous scholarships are made possible by Dairy Management Inc. and NDS to encourage students to pursue careers in dairy product marketing.

  • Twohey is an agricultural education, leadership and communications major at the University of Minnesota. She also served as Gopher Dairy Club president and was a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way.
  • Jacob Achen, of Ambia, Indiana, is an animal sciences major at University of Minnesota.
  • Hannah Bachman from Ulysses, Pennsylvania, is an agribusiness management major at Penn State University.
  • Erin Daninger from Forest Lake, Minnesota, is attending University of Minnesota as an agricultural education, leadership and communications major.
  • April Johnson from Heron Lake, Minnesota, is pursuing an agricultural education and dairy production major at South Dakota State University.
  • Stephanie Kasper from Owatonna, Minnesota, is attending the University of Minnesota as an agricultural education, leadership and communications major.
  • Ashley Swenson from Nicollet, Minnesota, is attending the University of Minnesota as an animal science major.
  • Abby Wethal from Brooklyn, Wisconsin, is pursuing a life sciences communications major at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

McCullough Scholarships

Each year, two scholarships are awarded by National Dairy Shrine in memory of Dr. Marshall E. McCullough, the well-respected nutrition researcher and educator from Georgia. The 2011 McCullough Scholarship winners are Mikayla Conrad of New Holland, Ohio, and Emily Selner of Denmark, Wisconsin.

Conrad will receive the $2,500 top scholarship to be used towards her continued education as an agricultural communications major.

Selner will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards her pursuit of a life sciences communication degree at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Maurice Core Scholarship

Michael Schmitt of Rice, Minnesota, has won the $1,000 Maurice Core Scholarship. It is given in honor of Maurice Core, the long-time executive secretary of the American Jersey Cattle Association, and, more recently, the executive director of the National Dairy Shrine.

Schmitt has shown very strong leadership abilities and has been involved in FFA, 4-H, and the Minnesota junior Holstein Association. He is a student at the University of Minnesota.

Iager Scholarship

The Iager Scholarship for $1,000 is awarded annually to students in a two year agricultural school pursuing a career in the dairy industry. This scholarship was started with a generous donation from the Charles and Judy Iager family of Fulton, Maryland.

There are two recipients this year. Benjamin Julka of Rosendale, Wisconsin, is attending Fox Valley Technical College and majoring in farm operations. Emily Jackson of Waco, Texas, is attending Butler Community College and majoring in agriculture.

Klussendorf & McKown Scholarship Winners

Tyler Boyd of Parrottsville, Tennessee; Jacob Achen of Ambia, Indiana; Jessica Hammerand from Epworth, Iowa; and Corbin Wood of Littlestown, Pennsylvania have been named the 2012 Klussendorf Association Scholarship Award winners.

The Robert McKown Scholarship winners receive a $1,500 scholarship in honor of “Whitey” McKown, a long time supporter of the Holstein breed and National Dairy Cattle Shows. This year’s winners are Nathan Ulmer from Belllefonte, Pennsylvania; Ariel Waldeck from Upton, Kentucky; and Abbey Wethal of Brooklyn, Wisconsin. PD

—From National Dairy Shrine news release