Message from the President
Connie Tipton
Wow! What a Dairy Forum to launch us into 2012 in spectacular fashion! From the speakers and sessions to the resort and the weather, all deserve acclaim.
Congratulations, again, to our award winners – Lou Gentine from Sargento Foods, the NCI Laureate winner; Dave Fuhrmann of Foremost Farms and Gary Vanic from Great Lakes Cheese, our Soaring Eagle Award winners; John and Celia Harrison from Sweetwater Valley Farm, our Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year; and George Zoghbi and Kraft Foods, Dairy Foods 2011 Processor of the Year. What a fine group of leaders in this industry.
And a big thanks to all of the Dairy Forum sponsors who make the meeting so much better, especially our premier sponsors Elanco, Portola, Rabobank and Tetra Pak, as well as to our top notch staff at IDFA. Great job, everyone!
So I feel we have properly and successfully launched 2012. There will be lots going on this year with an active regulatory agenda in the Obama administration, as well as consideration of the Farm Bill in Congress. With so many hot topics for the dairy industry coming out of Washington, we have decided to add a new fall meeting – The 2012 Policy & Politics Conference, September 19-21, in our nation’s capital – so be sure to mark the dates on your calendar and plan to attend.
Stay tuned to our website – it changes daily with news that’s relevant to member companies – so be sure not to miss anything. And, as always, call on us if we can be of help on any issue you encounter.
Here’s to a great 2012!
Connie Tipton
President and CEO
