National DHIA Delegates Confirm Farmers Own Their Data

 

The National Dairy Herd Information Association (NDHIA) annual convention was held Feb. 21-24 in San Antonio, Tex., with some 100 producers, DHI officials and industry personnel in attendance and an additional 90 online. Highlights included unanimous passage of a resolution asserting that dairy farm “data ownership is at the producer level.” This confirmation comes after years of industry discussion in which DHI organizations themselves, processing centers, breed associations and even AI organizations have had sometimes contentious debates on this issue.

Also on the agenda for the 57^th annual meeting was the election to the Board of Directors of Frank Azevedo, general manager of the Central Counties DHIA in Atwater, Calif. He succeeds Bruce Dokkebakken of Minnesota DHIA who had termed out in a seat for managers. Board members Susan Lee, Idaho, and Robert McCaig, Indiana, were reelected to their producer positions.

In addition to the business meeting, the event included two full days of virtual and in-person presentations packed into eight separate sessions all about data, from a bit of history, to ID, data flow, new technologies and implications for the future of “big data.” The schedule also featured updates from several allied industry organizations. The annual awards banquet was held Feb. 22 with Mark Adam, former NDHIA president who retired as manager of DHI services at Central Star Cooperative, receiving the Outstanding Service Award.

 

Joel Hastings, now editor emeritus at DairyBusiness News, was presented the Distinguished Service Award.  The scholarship auction which again hit its funding target of $15,000 was held Feb. 23 with the popular Justin Anderle from Shiner, Tex., as auctioneer.

DHI System Leadership Sessions

An appealing feature of the National DHIA annual convention is a roster of speakers on topics of importance to the dairy information system, but which are usually not heard at any other industry meetings. Called “Leadership Sessions” these meetings are open to all interested parties in dairy and agriculture.  This year the sessions were available on Zoom to those not attending in person, and with that technology, those in the live meeting as well as on line could hear speakers from across the U.S. and internationally. Compared to some years, the sessions were on steroids with a combination of pre-recorded and live presentations by 20 individuals from six states and five countries.

(For the complete roster, go to https://dhia.org/download/625/). They represented trade organizations, universities and technology companies, both hardware and software. Several panel discussions encouraged participation by both those online as well as in the room.

57^th Annual Meeting

President Allen Chester, a dairy producer from Lisbon, N.Y.,  called to order the annual meeting at 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 24. After the delegate roll call by Secretary Susan Lee, again, many present but some online, last year’s meeting minutes were approved. President Chester asked for a moment of silence for DHI colleagues and members who had passed away during the past year. He then moved into his address confirming that the DHI mission is to protect farmers’ data, assuring it goes where they need and want it to go, and nowhere else. He thanked the meeting sponsors (listed below) as well as the members and staff who had made it possible this year under difficult conditions. He expressed the hope shared by everyone that the meeting could return to a “more normal” setting next year.

Treasurer Dave Scapanski presented the financial reports showing 2021 results and the 2022 budget for National DHI itself, along with two subsidiaries,  Quality Certification Services which provides verification for procedures and equipment and DHIA Services, home of “Ear-Tag Central,” handling all brands of tags. Each entity has revenues in the range of $500,000 while operating on a break even expense budget in keeping with its non-profit status as a trade association. Current membership stands at 16 service affiliates providing DHI to producers across the U.S.

In his management and Association report, CEO Jay Mattison reviewed the mission and vision statements and then cited current DHI statistics nationally. He pointed out the real diversity of herd sizes in DHI programs saying that while 2021 saw a decline of about 100,000 DHI cows, the average herd size in DHI herds is up to 260, with 92.1% of the cows in supervised programs.

“We’re in a time of a great deal of and a high velocity of change and evolution,” he said. “We don’t do things the same way in our herds, so we need to update operations to reflect that,” he continued, saying new technologies have to be developed and applied.

He said new productions factors have been developed for 305d and 365d MEs reflecting 2021 cow production levels. He said a new website is being brought online… www.dhia.org… that will be both user friendly and mobile ready. National DHIA is providing regular informational webinars, an HR forum led by a professional consultant, and a continuing media partnership with DairyBusiness News.

He concluded saying he believes that leaders in the DHI system are “common sensitists” and he thanked all for their commitment and assistance.

Former president Kent Buttars presented the nominating committee report for three board members. His group that was chaired by DairyOne’s George Cudoc. As noted above, three seats were filled with a unanimous ballot for new member Frank Azevedo and returning members Susan Lee and Bob McKaig.

Dan Nodolf, Wisconsin, presented three resolutions, all approved without discussion or dissent. The complete text appears below, confirming the ownership of dairy data at the farm level, thanking outgoing Director Bruce Dokkebakken and confirming the actions of the Board and staff during the past year.

Reports from allied industry rounded out the session. Joao Durr, CEO of the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, gave an informative summary of programs in his shop ranging from updating  computing power, Net Merit changes and more help for the smaller breeds besides Holsteins and Jerseys. He said that total genotypes in the database are now over six million to be used in the 50 traits calculated by the organization. He noted that three National DHIA leaders are on the board currently – former president Dan Sheldon as treasurer, along with Susan Lee and Jay Mattison as directors. He appreciates the work of several committees composed of industry participants. The Producer Advisory Committee (which includes Kent Buttars) provides a dairy farmer perspective. Scientists compose the Genetic Evaluations Task Force, AI personnel and academics are on the Dairy Evaluations Review Team, previewing each round of official evaluations. An Evaluation Frequency Task Force, while currently on hold, has considered how often official genetic evaluations should be produced. One task force is considering colored breed issues and another, headed by Dr. Asha Miles  of USDA / AGIL is looking at traits determining milking speed.

PhD candidate Fiona Guinan who recently served an internship at CDCB described “Web Connect” the revitalized CDCB website which will make much more data routinely available to users and the public. (Note: not individual cow or herd data identifying owners.) Fiona will continue her studies at UW-Madison and assist National DHIA as well.

Also speaking, virtually, was Daniel Lefebvre, COO of Lactanet, the unified DHI system in Canada; Jay Weiker, president of the National Association of Animal Breeders, the trade group for AI companies; and Niels Henning Nielsen, managing director of Viking Denmark, the Danish AI cooperative that recently accepted the RYK, the Danish DHI organization, into its organization.

The meeting wrapped up at 11:30 a.m., followed by the reorganization meeting of the Board in which officers were reelected (see photo). Video recordings of the various presentations will be available on the NDHIA website in the coming weeks. Those who registered for in-person or virtual attendance will receive an email containing a link. Major sponsors were Bentley Instruments, Datamars Livestock, Foss and Q interline.

Following is the text of the resolutions approved in the meeting.

57^th Annual Meeting Resolutions

National Dairy Herd Information Association

February 24, 2022

Resolutions Committee Report

The Resolutions Committee consisted of Daniel Nodolf, Daniel Hague, and Glenn Kline.  Daniel Nodolf, Chair, presented the following resolutions for action by the delegate body and asked for adoption.

Resolution 1

Whereas, Bruce Dokkebakken has served diligently and with great dedication to the members and mission of National DHIA, and indeed, the dairy farmers of the United State and the world, and whereas, Bruce Dokkebakken has always had the best interests of dairy producers in his heart and in his actions, be it resolved that the delegates to the 57^th Annual Meeting of National DHIA recognize the service of Bruce Dokkebakken with a raising of hand and round of applause.

Resolution 2

Whereas data is what we do, be it resolved that the delegates to 57^th Annual Meeting of National DHIA and the members of National DHIA affirm that data ownership is at the producer level.

The resolution was adopted.

Resolution 3

Be it resolved the delegates to the 57^th Annual Meeting of National DHIA express their appreciation with a raising of their hands and a round of applause to the National DHIA staff and Board for their efforts planning and implementing this hybrid in person/virtual meeting and efforts through the year on our behalf.