VOLUME XX, NO. 3

March  2011

Randy Wyly

American Dairy Women

Don't Miss Southwest Dairy Day

New NMPF Analysis

Producers Contracts

Dairy Max DGAS

Athens Place To Be

AG Awards

Randy Wyly

         Randy Wyly is the owner of a 1300 head dairy operation located approximately eight miles south of Stephenville in the Selden community. The dairy is near picture- perfect, sitting atop a hill with a winding road that leads right up to the entrance.  

          Keeping his nose to the demands of his business, Wyly milks his dairy herd 3X per day and raises his own replacements. In the 90s, he built three free stall barns, one at a time, as finances allowed. He farms about 500 acres in coastal, sorghum and wheat.

          Wyly is proud he chose to follow along in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. But, that was 28 years ago, when the dairy business was profoundly different and promised a good and dependable future.

          He wonders if those days are gone forever and what about the future for generations to come? More specifically, what about his own children, ages 9 and 4? What kind of future do they have in the dairy business?

          “With the way things are right now, I just hope they don’t grow up and want to follow in my footsteps.” He admits he tries to steer them in a different direction.

          “There’s just so much going on nowadays in the dairy industry. No one seems to know which direction to take or what will happen on down the road.”

          Wyly by no means dwells on the dark side of things and has learned to work above or around it. But, realistically speaking, he said there is a whole lot wrong and no one seems to know how to fix it.

          “I was raised in this business and I really love it. It’s been good to me. I chose to dairy because I really wanted to. At the age of 15, I got my first 60 heifers and that got me started. It became my lifestyle and it has completely consumed me.”

          Wyly said as a youngster, he remembers that everyone wanted in the dairy business. The thought of being an independent businessman was appealing and you could run your operation pretty much as you wanted. “Even though the milk prices went up and down, the downs weren’t so drastic and it never stayed down for very long. You could actually make a good living at dairying.”

          That was long before dairies got caught up in expensive state and federal requirements for improvements. It was also long before dairies faced volatile milk prices, explosive feed costs, and other heightened expenses.

          While Wyly realizes nothing stays the same forever, he’s not sure if he’s ready for the fast-paced, rapidly changing modern world.  As it becomes more complicated and sophisticated, so does the dairy industry. “We are dealing with things we’ve never had to deal with before--- like the demands of a global market. We are feeding the world with less cows---just a better way to do it.”

          He remembers when the American Dream was to grow bigger and better. So, he did. “But, it is also the very reason there’s a Wal-Mart on every corner.”

          Wyly said the trend to be super-sized has driven the Mom and Pop operations out--- even though they are the very thing that got the industry started in the first place.

          “I’m afraid we’re headed down the same path as the poultry industry. A few people will own the dairy industry and control it and we’ll all be working for them.”

          Over the years, dairies have become increasingly more expensive to operate. They have steadily incurred heightened expenses on everything. “Equipment, service calls, vendor prices, professional help, fuel, grain, family expenses---have all gone way up,” Wyly said.

          He pointed out none of this seems to be taken into consideration. “It does not matter how much you get paid for your milk, if grain prices are way too high, you can’t pay your bills.” Wyly said dairymen contend with that every day.

          He added the government’s ethanol program is another concern. He does not understand why the government keeps fueling the ethanol program with corn that dairy farmers need for feed. “The ethanol program drives our prices up. It has never worked so why do they keep renewing a program that uses about 40% of the corn production?”

          During 2009 when milk prices did not rebound for months, dairy farmers were told it was mostly because they had lost their exports. Wyly said if that were the case, then everyone relied too much on the exports.

          “Then we were told the recession caused a big part of the problem in 2009. We really don’t know what happened and may never know. I just know I don’t want to go there again,” he said.

          2009 was enough to shake even the most stable of operations. Wyly said for the first time in his life, he seriously considered his own options of whether to stay in the business or get out.

          “I explored every avenue on what I could do,” he said.

          Like many of his counterparts, he spent sleepless nights testing his faith about the industry and imagining how quickly it could all slip away. He wondered about what the future would hold in the industry, if anything at all.

          Night after night, he mulled over his thoughts while during the day he put a pen and paper to it. “I studied my financials and everything I could think of that had to do with the dairy.”

          But, in the end, the final answer was evident. He would ride out the seemingly bad dream and continue to do what he loves and knows how to do best.

          “I’ve had this dairy since 1983. When you think about building it up all those years and then standing the chance of losing it all in two short years, it hurts in every way.  It’s an emotional roller coaster you wouldn’t want to put anyone through.”

          It is also one of the highest-risk businesses to take a chance on.

          At this point in his life, Wyly’s concern is not for himself as much as it is for his children and what lies ahead for them. He questions whether the dairy business will provide any opportunities at all in another few years.

          “It is hard to look at your kids and feel you’re not providing them with a future they can hang onto. They may not even have a choice about dairying since the opportunities may be so limited.”

          Wyly said dairymen used to rely heavily on future generations who would take over as the dairy was handed down. The trend nowadays, however, is for the offspring to move away where they can establish professional careers or to get a better paying job. They leave all the responsibilities and worries of running a family farm behind---and no one can blame them.  

          “Most parents want their children to chose their own way of life. I don’t think many of them would want their children to stay behind out of guilt or obligation to the family,” he said.

          Yet, it would be hard to continue a family farm without the help of the offspring or other family members. Laborers and employees are not going to save the family farm. When the bloodline finally comes to an end, it’s over.

          Farmers may have to face that fact sooner than they think.

          “We’re losing our farmers,” Wyly said. As the old farmers fade out, there will be fewer and fewer to replace them, he added. This was reinforced by remarks and facts brought out last year by Sec. Tom Vilsak regarding the 2010 Ag Census Report.

          ”What we found was that our farmers and ranchers are aging at a fairly rapid rate,” Vilsak said. “Today's average farmer, rancher is 57 years of age. We have a 20% decline of farmers under the age of 25 and a 30% increase in the number of farmers over the age 75. We have seen a contraction of the number of farmers in this country.”

          Still youngsters with big dreams, the aspirations of Wyly’s children may change many times before they become adults. At present, Randy’s daughter, Madison, 9, said she wants to be a veterinarian. “That’s good. She loves animals,” Wyly said. But, he let out a small chuckle when his son, Mason, 4, said he wants to be a sand truck driver. “That’s okay, too,” Wyly laughed and said.

The American dairywoman often works behind the scenes

The American Dairy, the first program solely dedicated to telling the journey of America’s dairy farmers from farm to fridge, debuted in January 2011 on the Rural Free Delivery (RFD) channel.  The program can be seen on Mondays, 9:30 a.m., ET and Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m., ET. Check listings for specific time zones and for repeated programs.

The American dairywoman plays a much bigger role in the American dairy industry than many may realize. While the dairy industry is still sometimes viewed as a “man’s world,” oftentimes working behind the scenes, in one capacity or another, is the American dairywoman. These courageous women add their own perspective and bring valuable insight to the family dairy farms.

“Women have been the driving force behind dairy family operations for centuries but today hold many diverse roles,” said Pauline DeVos of Fox Dairy, Plainview, Texas.

            Pauline, office manager for the operation, comes from several generations of dairy. Both she and her husband John were born and raised on dairies in Holland and have been around cows all their lives. Her own special knowledge of the business goes hand in hand with John’s experience as they both work toward common goals.

           “I do not work directly with the animals, but do all the paperwork that comes across my desk,” Pauline said.

           The DeVos family began dairying in Holland where her husband owned a dairy with his brother.  In the early 90s, John and Pauline bought a dairy in Canada where they lived and dairyed for about 10 years. In 2002, they found greater opportunities in Texas and ended up in Plainview where they started all over again from scratch, Pauline said.

           The amenities offered in Plainview, such as abundant feed, lower utilities, and warmer climate, were too numerous to pass up. While Canada provided for a stable milk pricing system with a supply management program, it is also known to curb expansion and growth.

           It wasn’t long before the DeVos’ were Texas bound.

           Fox Dairy currently milks 1600 cows with 200 dry cows and 200 springing heifers.

           “We’ve been involved in agriculture all our lives. It became our way of life and we love the ag way of living. It is something we want to do.

           “Milking 3X a day, 24-hours a day, 365 days a year is quite a commitment,” Pauline said. “But, we’re used to it and don’t really think about it anymore. As a woman working in this industry, it’s fulfilling.”

           Pauline takes special pride in serving the industry and is especially proud to be a board member of Dairy Max.

           “I love to promote dairy products---the calcium and protein---it’s a part of the American diet.  I want consumers to know dairy products are healthy and good for them and that dairy farms take very good care of their animals.”

           Pauline said because she and her husband grew up on dairies, they like to collect old stuff that relates to dairies. “We have old milk cans and a little museum of 50 to 60 year-old collector items we like to show off when people come into my office.”

           Pauline said everything is much different nowadays. “Milk goes into 6,000 gallon milk tanks.”

           Quite a change but Pauline’s passion for agriculture and dairy keeps her in step with new trends while she relishes the memories of days gone by and the life she chose many years ago.

With less than two percent of the U.S. population involved in farming today, visiting a dairy is not often convenient or available. Add the fact that most people are three to four generations removed from the farm, and a big information gap has evolved over the years. American Dairy’s goal is to bridge that communication gap, sorting fact from fiction, and what it takes to produce dairy products from milk to yogurt or ice cream. It will also focus on environmental issues, nutrition, and features.

The U.S. is home to more than 60,000 dairy farm families who together produce nearly 177 billion pounds of milk annually. From smaller, multi-generational family farms to new and larger dairies that utilize modernized milking techniques, they are proud to call themselves The American Dairy.

Don't miss out on SW Dairy Day and opening of SW Regional Dairy Center

          Southwest Dairy Day and the grand opening of the new Tarleton State University (TSU) Southwest Regional Dairy Center have been rolled into a one-day event you won’t want to miss. Make plans now to enjoy the full day of activities on Thurs., May 5, 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at TSU Southwest Regional Dairy Center, 2929 North U.S. Hwy. 281, Stephenville, Texas, (one-fourth mile north of Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center at corner of Hwy. 281 and FM 8.)

          Folks are reminded the grand opening ceremony for the Dairy Center will be at 10:30 a.m. Don’t be late for attending this historic event.

          Southwest Dairy Day, hosted by Tarleton State University Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will feature booth exhibits where allied industries will display products, services, and the newest technology. A new “Dairy Discovery Zone” exhibit will also be on hand.

          Two DOPA credits will be available to those who attend demonstrations on Processed Waste Water Management and GHG in Animal Ag: What’s the Concern? Please check for specific times or more information by calling Choyia at 254-968-4144; email c-holley@tamu.edu or http://texasdairymatters.org.

          Lunch for the day will be provided by courtesy of Hi Pro Feeds.

          The Southwest Regional Dairy Center’s grand opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m will show off its state-of-the-art facility built to conduct research, teaching, and Extension Dairy services.

           The Center features a 300 cow free stall barn, a 24-cow carousel parlor, automatic sort gates, a metabolism room, heifer research barn, special needs facility, two laboratories and classrooms, and presents the latest in research technology.

New NMPF analysis reports IDFA's informa study limited in scope

A teleconference was hosted on Wed., Mar. 2, by National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) in response to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)-funded Informa Economics study of Foundation for the Future (FFTF) released in January, 2011. The Informa Economics review of NMPF’s FFTF dairy proposal was extremely limited in its scope and failed to take into consideration how producers would have cut their milk production in response to a reduction in their milk checks, according to a new analysis by NMPF issued  Mar., 2.

The NMPF analysis of the processor-funded Informa study shows that under the Dairy Market Stabilization Program (DMSP), dairy farmers would have received at least $3 billion more revenue had the stabilization program been in place in 2009. That finding is corroborated by a separate, new analysis done by Dr. Scott Brown at the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI).

NMPF has proposed a series of new programs for the U.S. dairy industry as part of its FFTF dairy package, including the DMSP. That program is designed to reduce dramatic swings in market conditions that ultimately result in negative margins, such as those experienced by dairy farmers in 2009. The DMSP is activated only when margins become compressed, due to low milk prices or high feed costs. When they do, the program reduces the amount that farmers are paid, to encourage them to temporarily reduce their milk marketings. That, in turn, results in increased producer margins. The money collected under the DMSP is to be used to stimulate demand, through product purchases.

Last month, Informa Economics issued a report, commissioned by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), asserting the DMSP, had it been in place in between 2000 and 2009, would have reduced farmers’ pay prices by $626 million (with $390 million of that total in 2009 alone). However, the Informa study made no attempt to estimate how producers would have altered their milk output, or how cheese purchases would have helped producer incomes, had the program been active during that period. Had it done so, it would have found that the DMSP program would ultimately have increased total farm revenue, according to NMPF.

“The purpose of the Informa study was transparent. Its sole intent was to pit producer against producer, in region by region, by focusing on the differences in the total dollar reductions producers in various states would have experienced,” said Jerry Kozak, president and CEO of NMPF. “But the Dairy Market Stabilization Program treats all producers equitably; they are all subject to the same required production reduction percentages.”

In addition, the Informa report was incredibly one-dimensional in that “it didn’t make any effort to acknowledge that when pricing signals are bad, farmers react fairly quickly,” Kozak said. “Real-world experience tells us that farmers respond to incentives and penalties, like all rational economic actors. If they know they’ll get paid less for their milk in the next month or two, they’ll act accordingly. But you won’t find any acknowledgment of that reality in the Informa study.”

In fact, the Informa report briefly admits that “it’s likely that farmers…will try to limit production” during months when the program is active, but then the report says that “it’s nearly impossible to say exactly what the impact on milk production will be.” In essence, it only applied the structure of the DMSP plan on activities that had already occurred, without any modeling of how people would have responded, according to Kozak.

In order to present a dynamic model of how the Market Stabilization program would actually affect milk production, NMPF’s Vice President for Economic Policy, Dr. Peter Vitaliano, estimated the behavior of dairy producers during the months when the program would have been triggered in the past two years. NMPF’s own econometric analysis shows that had the DMSP program been in place in 2009, the average U.S. all-milk price would have been $1.90/cwt. higher during 2009, raising farm revenue by $3 billion.

NMPF’s assessment is corroborated by an independent analysis of the entire FFTF program, prepared by Dr. Scott Brown, of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri. His report, located on the FAPRI website, found that producers would have received an increase of $3.4 billion in cash receipts as the DMSP program would have kicked in during 2009, reducing milk output and ultimately bolstering prices.

NMPF’s analysis also points to a real-world experience where farmers did respond to advance incentives urging them to reduce milk output: three years ago in California, when the state’s largest cooperatives instituted limits on the amount of milk a farmer could send to market each month. That production-limiting plan had the immediate effect of reducing the state’s milk production in 2008 and 2009, while production in other states without that plan tended to rise.

That’s why the Informa analysis found that penalties on growing milk output were relatively smaller in California compared to other states – because producers in the largest dairy state already had been given the signal to cut production. All of the other states cited by Informa as incurring the largest penalties in 2009 are on that list simply because they are the largest dairy-producing states, according to NMPF.

Producer contracts highlight first annual NDPO meeting at Tulare Show

The National Dairy Producers Organization (NDPO) Inc. held an official signing of the “Contract with Producers” during their first annual meeting at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, Calif. Feb. 8-10.   

Broadcast on a national conference call, their first annual meeting commenced with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance, prior to an introduction to the board of directors.  Producers, spectators and media were invited to join the meeting where NDPO Chairman Bill Rowell addressed the purpose of the grassroots organization and the recently released “Contract with Producers” that was dispersed to the audience.

As audience members reviewed the document, Rowell prompted them with a quote from Prof. R.A Levins whose article, “Do it yourselves,” recently appeared in Hoard’s Dairyman. “Now is the time to stand up and speak for ourselves,” the quote said.  Vice Chair Paul Rozwadowski echoed Rowell’s urge, saying, “Quit letting everyone dictate to us how we’re going to get paid. We can fix this ourselves.”

A large sign displayed behind the board of directors sent a clear message to the audience of the organization’s purpose: “Our number one priority and responsibility is producer profitability.”  The audience, overwhelmingly receptive to the mission, was invited to share their inquisitions during a closing question-and-answer session. The board of directors addressed questions and accepted praise for their initiatives. One spectator suggested this is the first step to fixing a malfunctioning marketplace. “Don’t stop,” he pleaded with the board.

Since the national meeting, several statewide meetings have spurred continued interest and communication with producers in New York, Pennyslvania and Virginia.

Dairy's important role unveiled in 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The unveiling of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) on Jan. 31 brought positive news and a strong affirmation for dairy and its role in the diet.

Many aspects of the 2005 DGA are maintained in the 2010 guidelines, including the recommendation of three daily servings of low-fat and fat-free milk/milk products for those ages nine and older.

But for children ages four to eight, the recommendation was increased from two to 2.5 servings. For children ages two to three, the recommendation remains at two servings.

“We’re very excited about the new guidelines,” said Dr. Lana Frantzen of the Dairy MAX staff. “We’ll take these guidelines and talk about them for the next five years. They are the foundation for our messaging and will be incorporated into every key message we share with the media, our health and nutrition partners and consumers.”

Unlike the 2005 DGA that were based on a healthy population, the 2010 version was developed for an “unhealthy” population to address the obesity epidemic in the United States, with a special emphasis on children.

In fact, the guidelines endorse consumption of dairy at an early age when promoting healthy eating patterns for children. The guidelines state: “It is especially important to establish the habit of drinking milk in young children, as those who consume milk at an early age are more likely to do so as adults.”

Key strategies in the guidelines – produced by the U.S. departments of agriculture and health and human services include:

·        Calorie balance: people should reduce their total calorie intake to manage their body weight while increasing their physical activity.

·         Nutrient-dense foods and beverages: people should increase consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products and seafood while reducing the consumption of foods and beverages high in saturated and trans fats, and added sugars and sodium.

Dairy MAX has shared information related to the guidelines and dairy’s position to organizations such as the Texas Dietetic Association, which includes registered dietitians and school nutritionists. Dairy MAX also has armed third-party spokespersons who routinely conduct media interviews with the dairy perspective.

“These spokespersons are able to disseminate to the media the guideline’s story on our behalf,” Frantzen said. “The media often looks to these third-party experts for credible health information and they can deliver the correct information about dairy to them.

“The health professionals appreciate everything we have delivered to them is grounded in science. They have come to rely on us for credible information on how the guidelines impact dairy.”

Dairy’s unique nutrient package can help Americans meet DGA recommendations, including helping to close the gap on three or four nutrients Americans are under-consuming (calcium, potassium, Vitamin D). According to the DGA, current evidence shows intake of milk and milk products is linked to improved bone health, especially in children and adolescents. In addition, intake of milk and milk products is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes and lower blood pressure in adults. 

Frantzen said the advisory board that formed the guidelines has especially resonated positively with the health professional community.

“It’s very powerful to see who the members of the Dietary Guidelines advisory board are,” she said. “These are the nation’s premier nutrition scientists. They have the responsibility of looking at all the science and coming up with conclusions. For us to see once again that the science upholds the importance of including dairy in the diet is tremendous news for our industry.

“We can always fall back on the science and no one can argue with the science.”

The dairy industry is helping to satisfy the guidelines’ goal of balancing nutrition and physical activity through the producer-funded Fuel Up to Play 60 program done in partnership with the National Football League and supported by the USDA. FUTP 60 has been implemented in more than 70,000 schools across the U.S. Dairy MAX currently has more than 7,000 schools enrolled in FUTP 60 in the Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma region.

Before the guidelines announcement, the National Dairy Council® (NDC), the nutrition research and education arm of the dairy checkoff, submitted scientific evidence on the health and nutrition benefits of dairy – including flavored milk and cheese – as part of the public comment process during the formation of the DGA. The guidelines did not classify chocolate milk as an “added-sugar” beverage.

Athens is the place to be for enjoyable, low budget spring break

Are you planning an outdoor family adventure during spring break? Do sunshine and temperatures in the 70s sound good? Are you on a budget? Are you looking for a place away from crowds? Do you enjoy being outdoors?

Then Athens, Texas, is what you are looking for.

Athens sits in the center of the best fishing in Texas and is home to the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC).

TFFC is an especially good place to fish for rainbow trout, catfish and sunfish. No fishing license is required; all bait and tackle are furnished; and staff is on hand to give assistance when requested. It’s an ideal place to take youngsters on their first fishing outing, since success is almost a sure thing. Fishing is free with paid admission.

TFFC has other attractions if interest in fishing lags. It has 300,000 gallons of aquaria displaying most species of Texas fish; daily dive shows during which a diver hand-feeds the fish in a huge auditorium aquarium; a visitor center with a fishing museum, Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and hatchery displays; a tram tour of the hatchery production ponds; and an ADA-compliant wetlands trail featuring plants and wildlife. Picnic areas are available on-site, and Athens restaurants are nearby.

And don’t forget TFFC’s gift shop, where you’ll find a wealth of outdoor- and fishing-related items, clothing, books, gifts and snacks. Everything you need to know for a visit to TFFC is at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/tffc, or call (903) 676-2277.

Only a parking lot separates TFFC from Lake Athens, which has a boat ramp, bait shop and restaurant. It also has a healthy population of largemouth bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie.

Local businesses welcome spring breakers. For special discounts and offers, visit www.athenscc.org and click on the “Hot Deals” button at the bottom of the page. Some Athens hotels offer spring break discounts; visit www.athenstx.org for hotel contact information; ask hotels for details on discounts.

Athens has an active local music and performing arts scene as well as offering outdoor recreation such as scuba diving, golf and zip-lining. You won’t lack for things to do, and you won’t have to deal with traffic jams and hordes of people to enjoy them. Details are at www.athenstx.org/.

Whether fishing from the bank, using your own boat or fishing with a guide, lakes within an hour’s drive of Athens furnish a sampler of just about every kind of fishing available in Texas.

Purtis Creek State Park, just north of Athens off U.S. 175, has a 355-acre lake managed for trophy bass fishing—the lake record is nearly 14 pounds. Tyler State Park has a 64-acre lake stocked with rainbow trout and largemouth bass. Cooper Lake State Park offers the hottest white bass and hybrid striped bass fishing in East Texas. Learn more at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/.

If you like to fish for channel and blue catfish, white bass or hybrid striped bass, check out Cedar Creek Lake, which is along U.S. 175 a dozen or so miles north of Athens. Richland-Chambers Reservoir is best known for its white bass and hybrid striped bass fishing, though it has produced bass weighing more than 13 pounds. Lake Fork is a world-reknowned mecca for big-bass anglers, but this time of year the crappie fishing is great, and the catfishing, is good year-around.

Stephenville Chamber presents annual Agriculture Awards

Erath County is proudly recognized as the #1 Dairy County in Texas, Cowboy Capital of the World, and ranked in the Top 10 agriculture income-producing counties in the state.

With agriculture as the leading industry in the area, many producers and ag-related businesses involved in dairy, beef, crops, horses and wildlife contribute to thousands of jobs and millions of dollars each year to the local economy. Each year, the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee presents the Annual Erath County Ag Awards.

Ag Producer of the Year is an award that recognizes a producer, family or operation that has demonstrated excellence in production and is well-respected in their production field.

Pete and Nova Schouten have been in the local dairy business for more than 22 years. They are the owners and operators of Profit and Loss Dairy, a 500-cow free stall dairy in Selden and S-COW-10 Dairy, an open-lot dairy and heifer operation.

The Schoutens work toward everything dairy and continually strive to improve their operation while lending their time and abilities to the industry and the community.

Nova is a member of the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee; serves on the Erath County Leadership Advisory Board and the Erath County Dairy Committee.

Pete has served on many industry boards including DairyMAX, dairy cooperatives, Texas Association of Dairymen (TAD), and Western Dairy Transport. Both Schoutens have been active members and supporters of TriCounty Agribusiness Association (TCAA) since its inception.

 Friend of Agriculture is an award that recognizes an individual, group or organization that has been a true friend to agriculture.

Laurah Williams has served as Agriculture Science Instructor and FFA Advisor for Stephenville High School (SHS) for the last eight years. She helps students gain skills to enable them as leaders of tomorrow. 

Since Laurah has been in Stephenville, the program has increased to more than 100 students, supported five area FFA presidents, boasted back-to-back state FFA officers, earned two National FFA Championships and been named one of the Top 10 FFA Chapters in the state of Texas. 

Laurah is responsible in leading and advising over 250 high school students and more than 30 junior high FFA participants. She coaches over 15 State Qualifying Teams each year while also helping her students prepare for and compete in numerous stock shows throughout the year.

 Laurah was recognized by her peers as SHS Teacher of the Year at in 2008 and Teacher of the Year by the Soil & Water Conservation District in 2009. She also serves as the Career and Technology Department Head at SHS and works hard to instill character and an earnest work ethic in each of her students.

Entrepreneur of Agriculture is an award that recognizes an operation that is new, expanding or diversifying into a new field of agriculture that is unique to the county.

Schreiber Foods is a global leader in dairy innovation and the leading supplier of private-label natural, process, cream and specialty cheeses. When you buy store-brand cheese at your favorite grocer or have cheese on your favorite meal when you dine out, you’re likely to be eating Schreiber cheese.

The Stephenville plant is one of Schreiber’s newest and fastest-growing facilities. Schreiber bought the plant in 2002 as a key part of their growth strategy for the future. The plant added another shift to their schedule in 2009 and this past year added a new production line for small bag shredded cheese.

Schreiber plans to partner with the new Tarleton State University Southwest Regional Dairy Center by purchasing its milk. In turn, the dairy will take Schreiber’s whey for use in biomass energy research.

Along with placing high priority on food safety and superior service, Schreiber has shown their commitment to the community through support of numerous organizations including the ECLA Rodeo, Junior Livestock Show, and Athletic Booster Club.

1521 C Lingleville Road, Stephenville, Texas 76401
800-344-4901 — 254-965-2255 — Fax 254-965-6202 — Cell 254-967-2190
Sherry Webb, Publisher

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