DAIRY NEWS – Dairy’s Foundation added a live auction and an online-bidding element to its annual silent auction campaign at the 2024 Professional Dairy Producers® (PDP) Business Conference, held March 13-14 in Wisconsin Dells, Wis. The silent auction raised $30,792 and the live auction contributed an additional $17,600.
The auctions featured a wide range of items and experiences donated by individuals and organizations within and outside the dairy community. Contributions auctioned off during the live auction included an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) session and Holstein embryo package, a six-night stay at a nine-bedroom Orlando vacation retreat that can sleep up to 26 people, and a personally tailored professional-development training session with Michael Hoffman, a Dallas, Texas, leadership trainer.
Other offerings included tickets to the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers basketball, Madison Mallards and Timber Rattlers; travel experiences to multiple prized Wisconsin locations, a South Dakota hunting expedition, a Bonnie Mohr studio and farm tour, a 60-minute airplane ride for two, several golf course packages across the state, a vast array of gift baskets featuring Wisconsin cheese, wine and beef; tours to various creameries, wineries and dairy-retail stores; a diamond necklace, collectible art pieces, dairy farm supplies, farm wearables, tools and more.
“This year’s auction really brought dairy supporters together for a great cause,” said Caitlin Roy, Dairy’s Foundation auction chairperson. “We were thrilled with the variety and quantity of contributions – and the ability to bid online in advance made for an exciting new twist.”
In addition to the silent auction, Dairy’s Foundation continued to create awareness about their annual “Plant a Seed, Inspire a Dream” campaign. The annual campaign is an important part of the foundation’s fundraising efforts. Funds raised through the auction and “Plant a Seed” campaign directly support the creation of new and sustainable dairy leadership resources and educational programs. Contributions toward “Plant a Seed” will be taken through April 1, 2024. Donations can be made at www.dairyfoundation.org.
Dairy’s Foundation supports dairy’s future by providing funding for programs such as Dairy Managers Institute®, Cornerstone Dairy Academy®, Stride® Youth Leadership Conference, Financial Literacy for Dairy®, Agricultural Community Engagement® (ACE) on-farm twilight meetings and more. The foundation also awards grants of up to $5,000 twice yearly for initiatives across the country that fulfill one or more of the foundation’s focus areas. For more information on grant opportunities and other programs, visit www.dairyfoundation.org.
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Dairy’s Foundation, a national public-held foundation, was established by Professional Dairy Producers in 2002 as a way to raise funds and awards grants for educational programs. The foundation is a 501(c)3 entity. Our mission is to share ideas, resources and experiences about important issues surrounding the dairy industry through educational opportunities for dairy producers and the public. For information on funded programs and ways to donate, visit www.dairyfoundation.org.
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