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MADISON – A Kewaunee County dairy farm worker will represent the region to help market the state's dairy industry, while a county dairy processor won a competitive state grant to implement new technology.
Tasha Schleis of Schleis Farms, LLC of Kewaunee was elected to a three-year term starting July 1 on the Board of Directors for the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, or DFW. She will represent District 10, consisting of Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties.
The announcement from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin said its directors guide the organization’s finances; formulate and set its policies and long-range business plan; and maintain DFW's mission to help grow demand for Wisconsin milk by providing programs that enhance the competitiveness of the Wisconsin dairy industry. Directors will represent Wisconsin dairy producers and products and be involved in activities that inform and educate consumers.
Schleis Farms is a fourth-generation family farm that milks 375 Fleckvieh and Jersey cows on 1,100 acres, including 100 acres of cash crops. Tasha Schleis; her husband, Ryan; Steve and Denise Schleis, Ryan's parents; and Marvin and Julie Schleis, Steve's brother and sister-in-law, are among the family members working at the farm.
Agropur Dairy Cooperative in Luxemburg received a Dairy Processor Grant of $30,800 from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, or DATCP.
Agropur will use the grant to install a milk fat recovery system that captures molder and cooker water fat from wastewater and converts it into a value-added product.
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DATCP awarded a total of $200,000 through these grants to 11 different dairy processing businesses, with a maximum of $50,000 for each. Recipients are required to provide a match of at least 20% of the grant amount. The department received 26 requests totaling almost $1 million.
The grants are designed to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processors.
“Wisconsin is known for its world-class dairy farms, equipment, knowledge and technology,” said Krista Knigge, administrator for DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development.
“To be a national and global leader in the dairy industry, our processors have to be exploring new technologies, modernizing facilities and exploring new ways to adapt and be profitable. These grants are designed to help them accomplish those goals.”
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Kewaunee County dairy news: Schleis joins DFW board, Agropur wins technology grant
