National Dairy Shrine names award winners

National Dairy Shrine (NDS) is pleased to announce the winners of the Pioneer, Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder, and Guest of Honor Awards for this year. These awards were designed to honor dairy industry leaders who have contributed to strengthening and enlivening the dairy industry.

Dr. William Sandine is the Guest of Honor, the highest award from the National Dairy Shrine. This award goes to an individual who has had a dramatic impact on the dairy industry and its future. Dr. Sandine had an illustrious career at Oregon State University. He mentored over 70 graduate students and developed several patented processes to improve cheese making and extending the shelf life of cheese and other processed foods. He truly changed the efficiency of the production of cheese. His patents are still being actively used today by cheese plants all over the world.

The NDS Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder is Duane Conant from Canton, Maine. The Conant Acres prefix is known throughout the world for quality Holstein cattle and friendly hospitality. Duane also has served on several Maine and national boards and committees. He has shown great leadership abilities and the foresight to try innovative breeding ideas.

Through an anonymous selection committee, Ernest Berousek, Phil Higley, Truman Graf, and Harry Roth were selected as National Dairy Shrine Pioneers. This year’s honorees are an exemplary display of what this award is about. Ernest Berousek has made significant contributions through his teaching at Oklahoma State and Rhode Island and to his devotion to the Guernsey breed. Phil Higley is best known for starting the business of commercial artificial insemination in 1941 and later became president of American Breeders Service. Professor Truman Graf, University of Wisconsin, was the most prominent dairy economist during the 1960s-1980s in the field of milk marketing. Finally, Harry Roth from Atlantic Breeders Co-op, Pennsylvania, is a true giant in the artificial insemination industry whose career includes buying elite sires to sales manager to general manager of the company.

All of these outstanding winners will be honored at the annual National Dairy Shrine Awards Banquet at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis., on Thursday, October 1, 2009. Please contact Dr. David Selner if you want to reserve banquet tickets at info@dairyshrine.org or at 920-863-6333.