The annual delegate meeting for Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. is set for March 20-21.

Rick Smith, president and chief executive officer of DFA, says there is nothing more important than the communication and collaboration that takes place between DFA’s members and staff. “This is a grass roots effort,” Smith adds. “We listen very closely to your delegates – the folks you chose to represent you.”

This ninth annual meeting of the cooperative will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., and will focus on the theme, “Members: Our Foundation. Our Focus.”

“This theme is perfect to carry us into the year 2007,” Smith says. “A year ago, we pledged to have a renewed focus on our members. Progress has been made in this area, but there’s still work to be done.”
Highlights of the meeting will include a celebration of 150 years of Borden products, which are manufactured by DFA’s American Dairy Brands, and the meeting’s many guest speakers, such as Lowell Catlett. Catlett is a Regent’s professor at New Mexico State University and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics. Catlett, whose mantra is “differentiate or die,” is an exciting futurist whose knowledge of technologies and their implications on the way we work should add to our understanding of the dairy industry.

In addition, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has been invited to give his view on important legislation and Federal Orders.

The annual delegate meeting and general session officially begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 20 with Tom Camerlo’s chairman’s report and Rick Smith’s president’s address on DFA’s progress, challenges and opportunities in the dairy industry. Mark Korsmeyer, president of DFA’s Dairy Foods Product division, also will speak to the delegates.
DFA’s Don Schriver will be recognized at the evening banquet. Schriver was with DFA and its predecessor cooperatives for 25 years before retiring last year as DFA’s executive vice president. He is now serving as a DFA consultant.

On day two, industry experts Jerry Kozak of National Milk Producers Federation, Tom Suber of U.S. Dairy Export Council and Tom Gallagher of Dairy Management Inc. will be featured presenters. One of the most popular parts of the meeting is the annual trade show. DFA member delegates also will review, discuss and approve the resolutions presented by the DFA Resolutions committee.

Invitation letter
Schedule of events
Registration form