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AgBIO COMMUNICATIONS UNIT
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge is March 30-31
For release: 3-13-2007
Contact: Arnold Hippen, (605) 688-5490
BROOKINGS, S.D. - About 30 teams from across the U.S. and Canada are expected to attend the upcoming sixth annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, planned for March 30-31, 2007, at the Sheraton Sioux Falls Hotel & Convention Center in Sioux Falls. South Dakota State University and Iowa State University are co-hosting the international event this year, which takes place partly on nearby dairy farms in South Dakota and Iowa. Arnold Hippen, an associate professor in SDSU’s Department of Dairy Science, said the contest allows top students from leading universities to compete and network with dairy industry leaders. Past competitions have been held in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Idaho.
“Getting it here in Sioux Falls is quite a coup, really,” Hippen said.
Hippen says the event challenges students to put their textbook and practical knowledge to the test by analyzing working dairies. The format starts with a walk-through at the dairies, followed by the opportunity to ask questions of owners and analyze farm-specific data. Student teams use this information to develop management recommendations, and then present their management recommendations to a panel of dairy industry judges.
“The students are to provide recommendations that will improve the profitability of the operation,” Hippen said. “That’s exactly what we expect them to do after they have graduated when they go to work for industry or for dairy farms.”
The North American Dairy Challenge was established as a management contest
to incorporate all phases of a specific dairy business. It strives to incorporate
a higher-learning atmosphere with practical application to help prepare students
for careers in the dairy industry. Supported financially through generous donations
by industry and coordinated by a volunteer board of directors, the first NAIDC
was held in April 2002.
-30-
13 March 2007
Lance Nixon, Editor
AgBio Communications Unit
South Dakota State University
ACC, Box 2231, Rm 200
Brookings, SD 57007
Telephone: (605) 688-4653
LANCE_NIXON@SDSTATE.EDU
South Dakota State University
/ Dairy Science Department
Dairy Microbiology Rm 109 / Phone: 605-688-4116
College
of Agricultural and Biological Sciences