Holstein Association USA Board meets in St. Louis

BRATTLEBORO, Vt., November 23, 2005–The Holstein Association USA, Inc. Board of Directors held its annual fall meeting November 18 and 19 in St. Louis, Mo. The meeting, led by newly elected Holstein President Randy Gross, was a successful and productive exchange of ideas, discussion and action.

Registrations continue to grow – 248,729 animals have been registered through the end of October 2005, an increase of 3.9% from 239,430 in 2004. Animals transferred through the end of October are: 47,684 compared to 47,709 at the same time last year. Classification activity is up 4.6% from last year, 167,419 animals have been classified through the end of October, in a total of 4,184 herds, compared to 3,916 herds in 2004, an increase of herd activity of 6.8%.

The Board approved the recommendation of the Junior Advisory and Youth Activities Committees to denote Louisville, Kentucky as the site of the Grand National Junior Holstein Show, along with the remaining five designated National Junior Holstein Shows.

The Board approved changes to the delegate reimbursement policy, effective with the June 2006 Annual Meeting. All delegates who attend the entire Annual Meeting will be reimbursed $400 for their expenses.

The Board received various committee reports including the Audit, Holstein Breed of the Future, International, Show and Junior Advisory Committees.

Chief Financial Officer, Barbara Casna, reported the Association is projected to have another very healthy year in 2005, with net operating results forecasted to be $951,000. Total revenues through October 2005 are $11,800,000 which is an increase of $303,000 from last year or 3%. The Holstein Association Reserve Fund on October 31, 2005 was valued at $21,591,000, a gain of $551,000, or 3%, since January 1st.

Holstein Association staff presented the 2006 Management-by-Objective Business Plan to the Board of Directors. The plan was approved.

The Board welcomed representatives of Monsanto Company, Roger A. Cady, Ph.D. and Shay Sunderland, PhD for a discussion on the future of the dairy industry.

The next Board of Director’s meeting will be held on March 24-25, 2006 in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Time's Running Out in the Holstein Foundation Art Sale

BRATTLEBORO, Vt., November 22, 2005—Bidding in the Holstein Foundation Art Sale will close December 1, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Visit www.holsteinfoundation.org to view the Art Sale Catalog and bid on your favorite piece.

The high-quality paintings, ceramics, and sculptures, all relating to dairy cattle, make perfect holiday gifts. All proceeds from the Holstein Foundation Art Sale benefit Foundation programs. Bidding is expected to be very busy on December 1, so make sure your bid is the last one!

For any questions relating to the Art Sale, or to phone in bids on December 1, please contact Jess Strout at 800-952-5200, ext. 4128 or jstrout@holstein.com. Additional contacts are: Jodi Luttropp at ext. 4261 and Kelli Dunklee at ext. 4124

The Holstein Foundation is a nonprofit organization, supported by generous individual and corporate donors. Through its premier leadership programs, the Holstein Foundation is growing the future of the dairy industry.

Holstein Foundation & Association Offer Summer Internship – Apps Due December 1st

BRATTLEBORO, Vt., November 3, 2005–The Holstein Foundation, in conjunction with the Holstein Association USA, Inc., announces the opening of their annual summer internship. Based in Brattleboro, Vermont, the internship offers valuable dairy industry experience.

The Youth Programs/Education Intern will work with both the Holstein Foundation, Inc. and the Holstein Association’s youth programs. The intern will be responsible for many of the contests and activities at the National Junior Convention in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, which draws over 500 Junior members each year. In addition, the intern will develop educational materials, newsletters and press releases targeted to youth involved with all breeds of dairy cattle.

College students pursuing a bachelor's degree in dairy science, animal science, agricultural communications, agriculture education, or related fields are eligible to apply. Applicants should possess strong verbal communication skills and have a basic knowledge of the dairy industry.
Application deadline for the internship is December 1, 2005. To learn more about the internship or to apply, please contact Richard Watkins, Director Human Resources: 800.952.5200 x 4222, rwatkins@holstein.com.

Holstein Association USA, Inc., www.holsteinusa.com, provides products and services to dairy producers to enhance genetics and improve profitability–ranging from registry processing to identification programs to consulting services. The Association, headquartered in Brattleboro, Vt., maintains the records for Registered Holsteins and represents approximately 30,000 dairy farmers from across the United States. The Association is also leading the initiative for national animal identification through the National FAIR program.

The  Holstein Foundation is a nonprofit organization, supported by generous individual and corporate donors. Through its premier leadership programs, the Holstein Foundation is growing the future of the dairy industry.