A record crowd of 4,250 people traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the 2016 Central Plains Dairy Expo, March 29-31.

Coffeen peggy
Peggy Coffeen
Coffeen was a former editor and podcast host with Progressive Dairy. 

South Dakota dairyman and expo board vice president Craig Krogstad called this year’s expo a success. “It was our best and biggest-attended to date.”

According to expo organizer Kathy Tonneson, the location, timing and atmosphere of this regional show make it an annual favorite for a number of dairy producers and more than 300 commercial exhibitors who attended this year.

“It’s not held in October, which is in the middle of grain harvest. It’s not held in February, which is in the middle of winter,” she explained. The event has come to be a prime meeting place for dairymen and their service providers, who roll out the red carpet when their customers come to town. “Our sponsors and exhibitors put on a good party for dairy,” she added.

A welcome reception and concert offered free to dairy producers kicked off the expo on the evening of March 29. The South Dakota Dairy Producers recognized two individuals with the “Friend of the South Dakota Dairy Industry” award: Edward Kavanagh, KC Dairy, Elkton, South Dakota; and Roger Martens, Land O’Lakes – Purina Feeds.

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Three agriculture students form Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa

They also thanked outgoing South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch with the “Partner of the South Dakota Dairy Industry” award. Lentsch will soon be transitioning to the role of chief executive officer for the Midwest Dairy Association. The evening concluded with country music singer Craig Morgan filling the Sanford Premier Center with his chart-topping tunes.

The annual ag prayer breakfast on March 30, hosted by Central Plains Dairy Association and Western Iowa Dairy Alliance, featured speaker Bruce Dooyema who shared the story of how his faith redirected his family in the face of tragedy.

Following a dairy barn fire in the ’80s, he felt God’s calling to go into the chicken business. Today, the Iowa man is the logistics coordinator for one of the leading egg-producing operations in the U.S., in addition to establishing chicken farms and related entities in the country of Mozambique.

Group from Lingen Dairy, from MinnesotaKrogstad was pleased to see so many dairy producers turn out to take part in the expo. “It’s fast and intense, with a lot of information and networking that goes on there,” he added.

In addition to the many networking opportunities, the Central Plains Dairy Expo also was a forum for education, with 15 breakout sessions offered covering topics from cow health and herd management to calf-raising and dairy markets.

Next year’s expo is set for March 28-30.

State of the Central Plains dairy industry

Leaders from the region’s producer organizations gathered to discuss the current status and future of dairying in their respective states. In an interview with Progressive Dairyman, they noted processing capacity as the factor that offers both the greatest opportunity and limitation for industry growth and development.

South Dakota Dairy Producers President Marv Post said that at the present time, 25,000 cows are permitted for his state, but plans for those permits to be filled are on hold until a new processor moves into the area or an existing one expands capacity.

Matt Schelling, president of Western Iowa Dairy Alliance, agreed, “I don’t think we will see much development until we see more processing.” Post noted, however, that could change in the very near future.

“Processors are more than full” over in eastern Iowa where Iowa State Dairy Association President Larry Shover resides. “We are moving a lot of milk out of the state right now,” he added.  PD

PHOTO 1: The crowd went wild for “International Harvester” himself, Craig Morgan, as he took the stage in a concert free to all dairy producers.

PHOTO 2: Three agriculture students from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, enjoyed their trip to the expo: (left to right) Alex Rodrigues, South Lakes Dairy, Pixley, California; Arie Roeloffs, Southfield Dairy, Wendell, Idaho; and Roger Masselink, Masselink Dairy, Middleville, Michigan.

PHOTO 3: This group from Lingen Dairy crossed the border from Minnesota to enjoy the hospitality of the expo’s welcome reception and concert. Photos by Peggy Coffeen.

Peggy Coffeen