Event Coverage

Juan Gordillo dreamed of attending World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, in order to see American dairy genetics on display. But more than 2,800 miles separated Gordillo and his dream – until last month.

Last month I had the opportunity of being on board for a week-long dairy tour sponsored by Alta Genetics that comprised 12 dairies in five Midwestern states. In addition, the tour included two days at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The two bus loads of dairymen were from 22 countries, and of that number about 40 percent spoke Spanish, 20 percent from Europe and the balance sprinkled among other locations. There was truly an international flavor present. At first, the group seemed a little reserved; however, as the week wore on, they became increasingly more communicative, even jovial. And that’s okay.

With the World Dairy Expo just a month away, I spent some time with the folks at World Dairy Expo to see what would be happening with this year’s 40th anniversary show. In particular, I was able to ask Tom McKittrick, the expo’s general manager, a few questions about himself and what we can expect this year. The following is a summary of the questions I posed to him.

First celebrated in 2000, World School Milk Day is an international, annual event held on the last Wednesday in September. Established by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the day provides an opportunity for the international community to focus on the importance of school milk and its health benefits for growing children.