Business Digest Highlights
Industry news
Centrisys acquires full ownership of business
Centrisys announced that U.S. company leadership has successfully completed the process of acquiring complete ownership of the business. Centrisys manufactures dewatering and thickening centrifuges and provides global centrifuge service, repair and parts for all decanter centrifuge brands. Centrisys maintains ownership of CNP Technology Water and Biosolids for MagPrex and CalPrex phosphorus processes and exclusive U.S. distributorship of Pondus THP.
Visit Centrisys-cnp for more information.
Kuhn wins four ASABE awards
Kuhn was recently awarded four AE50 awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).
AE50 awards were given to the OptiWrap OWR 6000 inline round bale wrapper, the hydraulically adjustable windrow merger on the FC 9330 D RA, the TwinPact plunger design on the SB 1290iD and the Smart Soil Technology feature on the Excelerator XT. All four machines are being recognized as some of the year’s most innovative designs in engineering products for the food and agriculture industries, earning a feature in the upcoming January/February 2022 special issue of ASABE’s magazine, Resource: Engineering & Technology for a Sustainable World.
Honoring a golden career for GOLD CHIP
Select Sires commemorates the influence of 7HO10920 Mr Chassity GOLD CHIP-ET (EX-95). The Goldwyn son of Regancrest S Chassity-ET (EX-92-EX-MS-GMD-DOM) passed away recently. GOLD CHIP has been a cornerstone in Select Sires’ Showcase lineup for more than a decade. He has sired national and international champions, such as the most recent intermediate champion of the International Holstein Show, Oak-Ridge-K Gchip Turbo (EX-92) and many high-scoring cows, including Oakfield GC Darby-ET (EX-95-EX-MS) and Ryan-Vu Gchip Claudette-ET (EX-95). He can be found on the maternal side of up-and-coming Showcase sire, 7HO13839 TATOO.
The company extends their sincere gratitude to his breeders, Ernest W. Kueffner and David R. Dyment of Boonsboro, Maryland.
Organization news
IDFA presents Dairy Leadership Awards
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has recognized six individuals whose work in federal legislation and food and agricultural policy has helped to advance the economic impact of the U.S. dairy industry. Those recognized were: U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri); U.S. Reps. Sanford Bishop (D-Georgia), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and House Agriculture Committee chair David Scott (D-Georgia); Jason Hafemeister, acting undersecretary for the USDA’s Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs; and Bruce Summers, administrator of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Let’s come together for animal ag: 2022 Stakeholders Summit registration now open
The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced that registration is now open for the 2022 Stakeholders Summit, themed “Come Together for Animal Ag: Be Informed, Be Ready, Be Here!” The annual event brings together thought leaders from all links along the food supply chain to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas to connect the farm and food communities, engage influencers and protect the future of animal agriculture.
The 2022 event will return to an in-person format and is slated for May 11-12 in Kansas City, Missouri. A virtual attendance option will also be available with five preconference webinars scheduled for the weeks leading up to the main event. Visit Animal Agriculture Alliance to register. Early registration discounts are available through March 9.
USDEC president and CEO Krysta Harden elected board chair by the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees
Krysta Harden, the first woman to lead the U.S. Dairy Export Council and a former USDA deputy secretary, has been elected board chair by the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees.
Harden will focus on extending opportunity to all American youth by leading National 4-H Council’s three-year strategic plan; advancing 4-H’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and deepening the board’s collaborative work with Cooperative Extension and the USDA to grow 4-H programs.
Throughout her career in agriculture, Harden has focused on expanding opportunities for women, young people, immigrants, socially disadvantaged producers, returning veterans and retirees, among others.
Harden became president and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council in 2021, leveraging her experience with agriculture, sustainability, food policy and the federal government to help fulfill USDEC’s mission to promote U.S. dairy exports while enriching the well-being of people, communities and the planet.
Before that, Harden served dual roles as USDEC’s chief operating officer and executive vice-president of global environmental strategy for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program.
Prior to joining DMI, Harden served as chief sustainability officer with Corteva and DuPont. Harden also spent seven years working at the USDA. She served as assistant secretary for congressional relations, chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and deputy secretary.
Harden spent 12 years on Capitol Hill as staff director for the House subcommittee on peanuts and tobacco and as chief of staff and press secretary for former Congressman Charles Hatcher.
Visit U.S. Dairy Export Council for more information.
Weaver receives National Judi Collinsworth Award
Madison Weaver of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, is the 2021 recipient of Holstein Association USA’s National Judi Collinsworth Outstanding Junior Exhibitor Award.
Weaver, 19, is a junior at Pennsylvania State University studying animal science alongside agriculture communications and agribusiness management. She is active in the dairy science club, Alpha Zeta fraternity, and is a member of the livestock judging team. Weaver has also served as an algebra tutor at the Penn State Berks Study Center.
Weaver has participated widely in her state and county Holstein organizations. As a member of the Pennsylvania Junior Holstein Association, she was a 2021 Distinguished Junior Member semifinalist and has participated in Dairy Bowl on local, state and national levels, as well as Dairy Jeopardy and public speaking. After college, she plans to pursue a career in animal nutrition while returning to the family farm. She hopes to continue to be a leader and coach for youth in the Junior Holstein Association.
One Judi Collinsworth Award recipient is selected at each of the four National Junior Holstein Shows. Weaver won the award at Premier National Junior Holstein Show. Other winners from 2021 National Junior Holstein Shows are Elizabeth Stoltzfus, Pennsylvania, Grand National Junior Holstein Show; Briley Lenkaitis, Illinois, Southern Spring National Junior Holstein Show; and Payton Erbsen, Illinois, International Junior Holstein Show.
Visit Holstein Association USA - Juniors for more information.
Holstein Association USA announces 2021 top BAA herds
Holstein Association USA recently released the lists of top Holstein Breed Age Average (BAA) herds for 2021 classifications. Members utilizing the Classic or Standard options of the Holstein Classification program receive an overall BAA for their herd. The BAA value provides a way to compare the score of a herd average to the average of the breed, taking into account the age of the animal and stage of lactation. The calculation puts cows of all ages on the same playing field.
A total of 982 herds had a BAA value eligible for inclusion on these lists, and their herd BAAs averaged 107.5. The average number of cows included in the BAA calculation for those herds was 68, and herds must have a minimum of 10 cows included in the calculation to be eligible for the list.
Triple-T Holsteins of Ohio earns the honor of having the highest BAA in the U.S. last year, with a BAA of 116.0 on 20 cows. Completing the top five spots on the overall list are Matthew T. Mitchell, Tennessee; Conant Acres Inc., Maine; Eaton Holsteins, New York; and Prestige Genetics, Illinois.
Lists are broken down in several different ways to recognize members across the country with herds of all sizes. Visit Holstein Association USA to view lists of the overall top 200 BAA herds, top 25 BAA herds by region, top 25 BAA herds by herd size and top 15 BAA herds for colleges and universities.
Ken Elliott named 2021 Friend of Expo
On Dec. 1, 2021, World Dairy Expo honored Ken Elliott as the 2021 Friend of Expo. Presented during the annual Friends of Expo Banquet, this award was given in recognition of his dedicated service as a volunteer, partner and supporter of World Dairy Expo.
Elliott began his service to World Dairy Expo 19 years ago as the superintendent of the International Holstein Show. He brought a unique perspective and skill set to the expo’s dairy cattle team, having connections with Canadian exhibitors as well as West Coast exhibitors.
After 11 years as the Holstein superintendent, Elliott added to his expo duties by also becoming the assistant overall dairy cattle show superintendent. During his eight-year tenure as the assistant, Elliott oversaw 20,763 animals exhibited on the colored shavings, including household names like Blexy, Hailey, Paradise, Frosty, Redrose and Ashlyn earn their titles as WDE Supreme Champions.
Visit World Dairy Expo for more information.
GENYOUth CEO Glick ending tenure
Alexis Glick will step down as CEO of the checkoff-founded GENYOUth organization on July 1 to pursue other opportunities.
During Glick’s tenure, the organization has raised $200 million in support of programs that promote the health and wellbeing of youth, including the checkoff-founded Fuel Up to Play 60 program done in partnership with the NFL.
Glick has helped develop partnerships with leading companies, including PepsiCo, SAP and others that led to the creation of the End Student Hunger Fund to increase access to school meals, including milk and dairy, among food-insecure youth.
Glick, who has served in this role since the organization was founded 10 years ago, has begun transitioning her day-to-day responsibilities to Ann Marie Krautheim, who has been with the organization since 2012. Krautheim most recently served as the organization’s president and chief wellness officer as a longtime registered dietitian.
Visit U.S. Dairy and GENYOUth for more information. 
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Jenna Hurty-Person
- Field Editor
- Progressive Dairy
- Email Jenna Hurty-Person
