Nominate the next Dairy Farmer of the Year
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EmailDeadline has been extended to October 15, 2020.
Tim Hood, the 2020 Dairy Farmer of the Year acknowledged that, “it is not so much the award as it is the knowledge that someone has noticed what we’ve been doing.”
Throughout his more than 40 years of dairy farming, Tim Hood, of Paw Paw, has worked hard not just to produce quality milk and a successful business but to promote dairy in his community and to further the interests of the industry. Those efforts were noticed.
The Dairy Farmer of the Year Award is given annually by the Michigan State University Department of Animal Science. It is the highest honor bestowed by the department to Michigan dairy farmers and is awarded to a farmer, farm partners or family that has distinguished themselves by excellence in dairy farming and outstanding involvement in the industry or their community. Both areas are evaluated in the selection process.
The MSU Department of Animal Science invites nominations for the 2021 Dairy Farmer of the Year Award. Information about the award, list of past recipients and the nomination form can be accessed at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/ans/alumni-friends/msu-dairy-farmer-of-the-year or by searching MSU Dairy Farmer of the Year. Even if not all information requested on the form is available, nominations are welcome.
Anyone can take the time to consider who is a good candidate for the award and begin the nomination process. As Tim said, “it is an honor even to be considered for the award." Nominations are due to Miriam Weber Nielsen, msw@msu.edu, chair of the selection committee, by October 15.
The selected farmer will be announced prior to the 2021 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference and honored at the Michigan Dairy Industry Banquet as a part of the conference. A portrait of the honoree will be added to the display wall at the MSU Livestock Pavilion and notice of the award will be provided to the local newspaper of the recipient and to their legislators.
Tim said, “it is good for the industry for our friends, neighbors, and people in town to be reminded of the importance of the dairy industry.”
He offered this advice for younger farmers: “Be involved in your industry, promote your product and be known in your community as an asset. We need to keep developing the knowledge of consumers about our product and teaching them about the goodness of dairy foods and the care we take in producing it.”
